Marriott Rewards - Romance Package- Champagne?

Hi folks,

I just booked a Romance Package at the Mayflower in DC since I needed a qualifying rate for an EEO.

I see that the package includes a bottle of Champagne on arrival.

Since they are using the word "Champagne", is it safe to assume that it will be French and not a $3.50 bottle of California sparkling wine?

I just checked Hilton's Romance Package and they do advertise theirs as a "Sparkling Wine".

Any experiences?

Thank you!:)

Since they are using the word "Champagne", is it safe to assume that it will be French and not a $3.50 bottle of California sparkling wine?

Not this exact property, but I would be VERY surprised if it is actual french champagne. E.g. in PHL the Renaissance served a California sparkling wine (which was drinkable, not more) using the exact same verbiage...

Greetings - Dirk

Ha...I'll tell you, I had the same thought when I booked my romance package in Charleston, SC. I pretty much knew they would be giving me California Sparkling wine, but I was ready to argue my point to the management about it specifically stating "champagne" on the advertisement. Unfortunately, the bottle they delivered was actually labeled "champagne"...although by French standards, it obviously wasn't. It was some California brand, but I can't remember the name to save my life.

It's a smart marketing move on their point. Is it really their fault that the particular bottle of wine they are selling chooses to disregard international naming conventions when it comes to serving wine? Given the fact that the word "champagne" was on the bottle, I decided my point was sufficiently weak enough to avoid ruining my girlfriend's good time by starting a fight with the hotel :)

I can't answer your question but would comment that any such description in the EU would be in trouble if they didn't supply genuine French sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region as it is a protected identity under EU law.

In EU law a bottle of bubbly desribed as Champagne must be sparkling wine produced in the Champagne area. Make no mistake however, the result of this protection to the Champagne name has produced some real "plonk", revolting stuff which just happens to be grown there and hence can carry the label!

At the Marriott in Calgary and at the Renaissance in Vancouver I got "champagne" from California. After pointing out that it wasn't actually champagne what they served me, the charge was dropped from the bill on both occasions.

At the Marriott in Calgary and at the Renaissance in Vancouver I got "champagne" from California. After pointing out that it wasn't actually champagne what they served me, the charge was dropped from the bill on both occasions.

Was this part of a package or did you just order it on the spot? If it was part of the package, how did they know how much to credit you??

It was part of the package, they refunded the room service price of the champagne.

It was part of the package, they refunded the room service price of the champagne.

Interesting! Well, I will raise the issue if they do deliver something non-French.

I hate to be picky, but this is most definitely false advertising on Marriott's part.

I can't answer your question but would comment that any such description in the EU would be in trouble if they didn't supply genuine French sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region as it is a protected identity under EU law.

In EU law a bottle of bubbly desribed as Champagne must be sparkling wine produced in the Champagne area. Make no mistake however, the result of this protection to the Champagne name has produced some real "plonk", revolting stuff which just happens to be grown there and hence can carry the label!

This issue has spent some time in the courts. Parmasan doesn't have to come from Parma, either, when served at a hotel in Washington, DC.

Interesting! Well, I will raise the issue if they do deliver something non-French.

I hate to be picky, but this is most definitely false advertising on Marriott's part.

It's not picky at all. If the room package said it came with a bottle of Bordeaux would it be okay if they delivered a Bordeaux blend from CA (or even worse say TX)? It is false advertising plain and simple.

I booked this as it was a great rate at the Key Bridge Marriott year ago or so. I was alone but traded the bottle for 5K points at check-in.

This issue has spent some time in the courts. Parmasan doesn't have to come from Parma, either, when served at a hotel in Washington, DC.

Yes, as I say, within the EU some of these products are protected, for instance Melton Mowbray pork pies have to be made in the town of Melton Mowbray. Champagne has to be made in the Champagne region in france, and Parmesan cheese made in the Parma area. On the other hand Cornish pasties don't have to be made in Cornwall...

In reality the protection really only helps those names synonymous with a type of product, Champange is used as another word for sparkling wine, another example is Stilton which is totally synonymous with blue cheese!

You would certainly have a valid complaint if staying in the EU and a package offering Champagne brought you a bottle which did not fill all these criteria:-

1. White wine; and
2. Sparkling; and
3. Produced in the Champagne area

However the EU writ does not run to the US or Canada, and I know you have your own rules on this, which I think are very much non-rules, namely anything in the style of something can be called in that name, reagrdless of the source, so Arkansas "Champagne", Texan "Parmesan" and Ontario "Stilton" are all (laughably) possible!!

I do know these romance packages are offered in the EU, and if I book one and find out they're not offering genuine French Champagne, there will be hell to pay, as the punishments for such misdescriptions in these parts are swingeing and vigorously enforced!

Why don't you give the hotel a buzz and check with them? Probably the best way to knw for sure. Please let us know what they have to say.

Thanks,
Mike

Fat forward to 0:50 :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiGAAHG0O1A

Here is what Calgary says now:

Escape! Romance Package, includes buffet breakfast for 2 guests, 1 bottle of sparkling wine, valet parking, see Rate Rules

FYI pretty much everyone here just calls blue cheese, blue cheese.

bsb21, I did a Romance Package at the Mayflower in September. I thought the same thing (re: Champagne) and even posted about it in the running Mayflower report thread (I think...).

The Mayflower served us a bottle of Mumm from Napa. I don't know whether Mumm is one of the American vineyards that has been grandfathered into branding their sparking as "Champagne". (I know several of them have as a result of those court battles.) The bottle itself did not proclaim it to be Champagne.

However, before I could snatch up the room phone and angrily demand a bottle of something French, I realized I was standing in a huge two-room suite and that the Platinum arrival amenity was a full bottle of Merlot, an nicer-than-usual cheese spread, and 4 chocolate-covered strawberries. :cool:

We enjoyed the stay and would completely do another Romance Package there again. ^

bsb21,

The Mayflower served us a bottle of Mumm from Napa. I don't know whether Mumm is one of the American vineyards that has been grandfathered into branding their sparking as "Champagne". (I know several of them have as a result of those court battles.) The bottle itself did not proclaim it to be Champagne.

None of the wines listed on the Mumm's California website are called "champagne." http://mummnapa.com/wineshop However, note that the word or a variation is used five times on their webpage entitled "Mumm Napa Heritage". http://mummnapa.com/uncorked/heritage Even without the suite, I'm not sure I'd complain if the champagne was from a California offshoot of a recognized French champagne house like Mumm.

If the wording in the rate info truly does say Champagne and you are delivered a bottle labeled Sparkling Wine, you should definitely go down with a room service menu and ask for a bottle that actually says Champagne. Probably would be a decent bottle in terms of price and quality too :)

If the wording in the rate info truly does say Champagne and you are delivered a bottle labeled Sparkling Wine, you should definitely go down with a room service menu and ask for a bottle that actually says Champagne. Probably would be a decent bottle in terms of price and quality too :)


You'd do this if they brought you a bottle of Mumm Napa? You'd really be "That Guy"? Remember, nobody likes That Guy...

You'd do this if they brought you a bottle of Mumm Napa? You'd really be "That Guy"? Remember, nobody likes That Guy...

I wouldn't cause a scene and become That Guy. If I really cared -- which I don't...sparkling wine is sparkling wine to me, nor would I book a romance package -- then I would politely mention the problem and my suggested solution to the front desk or manager and see what the response is. At best I get a much nicer bottle of Champagne. At worst I keep the bottle and possibly get even get some bonus points or a comped item during the the stay

I agree with you, pinniped. If a guest really cares whether or not the bottle they get is champagne in the purest form of the word, then the right thing to do is to call before arrival to ensure that's what will be delivered.

But if someone is booking this rate and then just waiting to pounce on the hotel staff, demanding compensation for false advertising, then I have to believe that karma will even things out someday.

Not to mention, there are plenty of sparkling wines from around the world that surpass lots of bottles that can be correctly be called "champagne".