Marriott Rewards (including Ritz-Carlton) - Using MRP's for Ritz--do they give you the dumpy rooms?

Hey all,

Considering using Marriott points for a Ritz stay (Cayman or St Thomas) in December while the Ritz point savers are in effect.

I am hoping that those with some experience can let me know how their Ritz stays were, using Marriott points. I could not find an answer in other threads.

When I look at the Ritz site, there are so many room levels and tiers for each hotel. My auto-assumption is that the Ritz will see the reservation on points and give us the smallest, dumpiest, farthest, oldest (any other ---ist) room in the hotel. Is that paranoia or is there any merit in that thought?

Also, I know Marriott gold is worthless at the Ritz locations, but does anyone know if they allow paid upgrades on Free MRP rooms?

Many thanks all!

I have used MR points at RC in Tokyo and Philadelphia, so I'm not sure my experiences are fully representative, but I'll pass them along FWIW.

There really are no 'dumpy' rooms at RC. Yes, there are smaller rooms, rooms on lower floors, and rooms far from the elevator, but all the rooms I've been assigned using points look comparable to the ones I've seen by glancing past the housekeeper's cart. I'm no expert on RC, having only styayed twice as a paying guest (Seoul and Cleveland), but I was treated no differently using points as I was when I was a paying guest. Keep in mind that, although the room/tax are free, there are lots of other places for you to spend your money (restaurants, bars, spa, shops) and it is certainly not in their interest to treat you so poorly that you would leave the building to buy so much as a cup of coffee.

I have never been upgraded to a suite or the club level, nor have I tried to buy an upgrade. It never hurts to ask. All they can say is 'no'. (More likely 'no, sir'). In Tokyo we were given a beautiful king room on the 48th floor (rooms are on 45-53) and in PHL, we were also on a high floor, overlooking City Hall. We'll be at the Singapore and Tokyo RC next month, and I'll post our room info after our stays.

IMHO, being able to redeem MR points at RC is one of the program's best benefits.

One thing about RCs is that I haven't seen a "dumpy" room at one. And I have stayed at a few of them. For points, you will get the type of room you book. I doubt that they will care one way or the other if you paid for the room or used points. I recently stayed at the Cayman RC and they would have let me upgrade to an oceanfront room for about $100/night. And the manager actually took my wife and I up to the very room we would have upgraded to and showed it to us, including the view. (It was spectacular by the way. Unfortunately, we decided not to spend the extra money on the room and used it else where.) If you do use points at the Cayman, just don't expect an ocean front or view room as that isn't what you get with points and the reservation should tell you that upfront. You will get a "garden" view room.

So while you are correct in that your Marriott elite status won't mean much there, I doubt you will be disappointed with the room you get. I haven't been disappointed at any RC stay I have had using points or paid.

Great info. Thanks. I will post an update once we decide and complete our stay.

(aside) I have only stayed in a Ritz a few times. I agree, there are not many rooms that do not live up to the Ritz standards, but I have heard stories about people getting great rates then put in un-updated or undesirable rooms (next to AC condensers, elevator rotors, stuff like that).

It is great to hear that people have had good experiences redeeming MRPs.

Thanks.

Great info. Thanks. I will post an update once we decide and complete our stay.

(aside) I have only stayed in a Ritz a few times. I agree, there are not many rooms that do not live up to the Ritz standards, but I have heard stories about people getting great rates then put in un-updated or undesirable rooms (next to AC condensers, elevator rotors, stuff like that).I think a sincere "I'm very sensitive to noise; what do you have that's a really quiet room?" would suffice at most RCs.

I'm always amused by people who get the lowest possible rate and then are shocked - shocked, I tell you - that they might get the lowest possible quality room. (Although the range of rates at most RCs is far greater than the range of quality from "best" to "worst" room.) I mean, do they honestly expect the guest paying rack rate or the frequent-stayer, well-known guest to be the one that gets the (perceived) "worst" room?

I initially got a bad room in San Juan-it overlooked a yucky building across the street...they moved us to a pool/semi ocean view.

That entire hotel, at the time, was being renovated and was really shabby...not at all what i expected my 1st (and i thought only) stay in a ritz would be.....they wound up sending me a voucher for another free night at almost any other ritz....stayed in coconut grove...not much to see there, but IIRC we had a balcony and could see something in the distance. the room was pretty nice though.

i really loved the smooth way the doorman read my luggage tag and called mom and i miss and mrs megtravels the whole time....one person learns your name, says it on their little secret-service-esque microphone thinggie and you get miss megtravels 24/7!

Hmm.....might be time for that again!

Denver Brian, I agree totally. How could you expect a 5* hotel to give the best rooms (or even the nicest) as freebies, when there may be potentially less desirable rooms they can give to them.

In that case, I would always tried a paid upgrade to the room. But it is unclear on the MR site if you can pay for upgrades to free rooms in RCs.

It is amazing though when people get free rooms and complain that they are not in the 2br Oceanfront suite.

Denver Brian, I agree totally. How could you expect a 5* hotel to give the best rooms (or even the nicest) as freebies, when there may be potentially less desirable rooms they can give to them.

In that case, I would always tried a paid upgrade to the room. But it is unclear on the MR site if you can pay for upgrades to free rooms in RCs.

It is amazing though when people get free rooms and complain that they are not in the 2br Oceanfront suite. Additionally, I'd submit that past a certain point - say, 6 PM or so - your room selection begins to become dramatically narrowed the later you check in. The hotel will block rooms for its known frequent guests and special requests, but after that I think whether you get the "worst" room is a function of whether you arrive "latest."