Walked in DC last night at 1am as a Platinum member
Apr 24, 2017, 12:50 am
#31
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: USA
Programs: AA EXP, UA GLD, Bonvoy Titan, HH Dia, WoH Exp
Posts: 2,673
MR's penalties is definitely great protection for us and hopefully it stays in the new program.
I remember checking in at a SHS in IL years ago, they put up a sign seeking volunteers. To me, that is a lot better than bumping people late at night.
Then there was this time at an HIE. I asked why bump a Platinum and the answer was "everyone is Platinum"
With IHG, it is sort of true
I remember checking in at a SHS in IL years ago, they put up a sign seeking volunteers. To me, that is a lot better than bumping people late at night.
Then there was this time at an HIE. I asked why bump a Platinum and the answer was "everyone is Platinum"
With IHG, it is sort of true 
Apr 24, 2017, 6:41 am
#32
Moderator, Marriott Bonvoy & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: McKinney, TX, USA
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So between the hotel getting paid fairly well for the room and the penalties they have for walking a Plat, it usually isn't in their best interest to walk a Plat. In fact, unless it is an unusual circumstance (i.e. like someone already mentioned where almost everyone is a Plat), I've heard of employees getting in trouble for walking a Plat (due to the extra cost the hotel incurs from doing so.)
Apr 24, 2017, 6:51 am
#33
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If I remember correctly, if the hotel is booked (i.e. something like 95% or more) the hotel actually gets reimbursed for the award night very well (something around what everyone else is paying.) When it isn't booked up, the payment is much less, but still more than covers their variable expenses for someone staying in the room.
So between the hotel getting paid fairly well for the room and the penalties they have for walking a Plat, it usually isn't in their best interest to walk a Plat. In fact, unless it is an unusual circumstance (i.e. like someone already mentioned where almost everyone is a Plat), I've heard of employees getting in trouble for walking a Plat (due to the extra cost the hotel incurs from doing so.)
So between the hotel getting paid fairly well for the room and the penalties they have for walking a Plat, it usually isn't in their best interest to walk a Plat. In fact, unless it is an unusual circumstance (i.e. like someone already mentioned where almost everyone is a Plat), I've heard of employees getting in trouble for walking a Plat (due to the extra cost the hotel incurs from doing so.)
Yeah, hotels have an incentive to deliberately overbook at a high rate and walk as needed, but the policy is meant to make it very costly for the hotel to do this to a top tier elite. Of course, this only works if the hotel is aware of the rules and knows what the cost will be.
Apr 24, 2017, 9:42 am
#34
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
Thanks for all the advice
To clarify a few things:
1) Yes, this was 8 miles north and I technically spent the night in Maryland (we crossed state lines). This hotel was also selling for HALF the nightly rate and costs 10K less points per night; I don't consider this "nearby" or "comparable".
2) The front desk DID claim ignorance about the guarantee. Even after I called the Plat line and THEY called the hotel, the agent said "they somehow claim to be unaware of the penalties for walking a Platinum guest". However, she made several comments / notes on my account about this and was borderline more upset than I was.
3) I understand asking for the comp nights + guarantee may be a lot, but I think walking a Platinum guest is absolutely unacceptable and should ever happen. Period. It is absolute greed on the hotels part to do so (I had a paid reservation which they would have collected money for even if I no-showed).
I'll continue communications with the hotel and Marriott Plat line (they informed me the hotel has 3 business days to respond to a query about an ultimate reservation guarantee).
To clarify a few things:
1) Yes, this was 8 miles north and I technically spent the night in Maryland (we crossed state lines). This hotel was also selling for HALF the nightly rate and costs 10K less points per night; I don't consider this "nearby" or "comparable".
2) The front desk DID claim ignorance about the guarantee. Even after I called the Plat line and THEY called the hotel, the agent said "they somehow claim to be unaware of the penalties for walking a Platinum guest". However, she made several comments / notes on my account about this and was borderline more upset than I was.
3) I understand asking for the comp nights + guarantee may be a lot, but I think walking a Platinum guest is absolutely unacceptable and should ever happen. Period. It is absolute greed on the hotels part to do so (I had a paid reservation which they would have collected money for even if I no-showed).
I'll continue communications with the hotel and Marriott Plat line (they informed me the hotel has 3 business days to respond to a query about an ultimate reservation guarantee).
You were entitled to the 1st night refunded whether pts or $$, the 90k in pts and $100 ca$h as well as transport if needed to/from the hotel they sent you to
I for look forward to being walked since its very profitable and wish it happened alot more. There are folks that would never VBD off a flight and will go nuts if IDBed, Different strokes for different folks
Apr 24, 2017, 10:31 am
#35
Join Date: May 2002
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum, United Silver, Marriott Titanium Elite
Posts: 2,276
Asking for both nights to be comped plus what Marriott requires is IMO asking for too much as the hotel isnt obligated to do anything about night the 2nd night unless they didnt have a room.
You were entitled to the 1st night refunded whether pts or $$, the 90k in pts and $100 ca$h as well as transport if needed to/from the hotel they sent you to
You were entitled to the 1st night refunded whether pts or $$, the 90k in pts and $100 ca$h as well as transport if needed to/from the hotel they sent you to
The hotel made the Platinum guest travel 8 miles, to Maryland, on city streets to an alternate hotel that was not comparable, after taking way too long to find that alternate hotel. The guest had to get up much earlier to make that trip in reverse the next morning, allowing for inbound slow morning travel and a safety margin to prevent being late for a meeting. The hotel deprived the guest of getting anything resembling a normal night of sleep in the process.
It seems to me, under the circumstances, the hotel did the right thing comping both nights. The other thing the hotel could have done would have been to comp only the first night, as required, but then to give the guest an additional 30,000 points or so as an apology for an unusually bad walk situation. It would have worked out about the same.
Yes, the Platinum guest is also still entitled to $100 USD + 90,000 Marriott Rewards points, the published compensation under the Ultimate Reservation Guarantee.
I guess I wouldn't mind being walked by a Residence Inn if I were immediately sent to a comparable (or better) hotel on the same block (or very close) and I received the Ultimate Reservation Guarantee compensation.
However, I would be upset if I had to show up at an important meeting the next morning with 3 hours of sleep instead of 6 hours of sleep, because a hotel is inept.
Apr 24, 2017, 10:37 am
#36
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SJC/SFO
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I appreciate the profit/value angle of getting walked, but that's not the only consideration. For example, I got walked from a big hotel near downtown LA to a resort on the beach. I had a huge room with a jacuzzi and it was all just steps from the sand. The hotel was amazing, but my business purpose for being in LA was a trade show at the convention center downtown. The additional commute time was a major drag.
Apr 24, 2017, 10:47 am
#37
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: TLV
Programs: UA Platinum, Avis Chairman, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold, GA Pilot
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Back in the day, a decade before social media, long before blogs, long before viral was viral, there was "Yours is a Very Bad Hotel"
Still epic to this day.
https://www.slideshare.net/politicsj...very-bad-hotel
Still epic to this day.
https://www.slideshare.net/politicsj...very-bad-hotel
Apr 24, 2017, 10:48 am
#38
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
Wish to point out if a hotel is still overbooked at the "deadline" (was 6pm DOA up until recently), it should know that it has a problem and should act proactively as they are financially compensated/protected with cancellation fees.
If giving away a room to a walkup with open reservations for the night then they are trying to collect double for the same room! And should suffer severe penalties although again the the financial implications are not as great if getting paid twice for the same room.
If giving away a room to a walkup with open reservations for the night then they are trying to collect double for the same room! And should suffer severe penalties although again the the financial implications are not as great if getting paid twice for the same room.
Last edited by joshua362; Apr 24, 2017 at 11:08 am
Apr 24, 2017, 11:08 am
#39
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
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The Residence Inn Downtown by Thomas Circle.
I don't care (in the nicest way) how common it is. Why couldn't they call me to tell me? Or have arrangements pre made? I sat there for 20 minutes as the front desk called other places.
I will certainly be using that guarantee but still feel like it's not enough. I had a three week old reservation and was exhausted at 1am. Moreso, I spent 200+ (literally) nights at Marriott hotels last year... id imagine they don't casually walk Platinum guests..
I don't care (in the nicest way) how common it is. Why couldn't they call me to tell me? Or have arrangements pre made? I sat there for 20 minutes as the front desk called other places.
I will certainly be using that guarantee but still feel like it's not enough. I had a three week old reservation and was exhausted at 1am. Moreso, I spent 200+ (literally) nights at Marriott hotels last year... id imagine they don't casually walk Platinum guests..
That way, when the guy who would have been walked is handing $50 to the FD clerk to show his gratitude and get "your" room the FD might think the better of it.
Apr 24, 2017, 12:06 pm
#40
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: TLV
Programs: UA Platinum, Avis Chairman, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold, GA Pilot
Posts: 3,225
Time for EU261 Type legislation for hotel reservations. $100 compensation per mile away from the original hotel per night. Additional penalties for lower classes of room/hotel.
Apr 24, 2017, 12:11 pm
#41
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: AS MVP Gold, Marriott Lifetime Gold, National Executive Elite
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I wish EU261 would make its way to the US!
Apr 25, 2017, 8:24 am
#42
Join Date: Dec 2003
Programs: AA Plat Pro, United Silver, Marriott LTT, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum
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Back in the day, a decade before social media, long before blogs, long before viral was viral, there was "Yours is a Very Bad Hotel"
Still epic to this day.
https://www.slideshare.net/politicsj...very-bad-hotel
Still epic to this day.
https://www.slideshare.net/politicsj...very-bad-hotel
Apr 25, 2017, 8:34 am
#43
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 100
As a platinum I have been checked in to the hotel (checked in via the app) and walked. Promised points and dollars never received - although lots of mail back and forth.
Apr 25, 2017, 8:45 am
#44
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Cheers.
Apr 25, 2017, 8:53 am
#45
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: SPG
Posts: 41
I've had experiences where I called to advise the hotel of my arrival time and I was still walked at 2 am. At the time of my call, the hotel knew that this would happen and didn't say a word to me until I arrived. It would have been so much better if they had admitted that they were overbooked and instructed me to go directly to the repolacement hotel. Instead, I arrived, my taxi left, and it took 45 minutes to make arrangements for another (horrible!) hotel and call for another taxi to take me there.
I have been checking in after midnight in DC. Haven't been walked yet, but I do normally call the hotel to advise of late arrival. I prefer the Park Hyatt there to be honest, better service and I have heard too many stories of SPG Platinum colleagues getting walked. Usually, it's not much a downgrade and not far at least.
A colleague got walked from one Ritz to another in DC recently, and he didn't even check in that late.