itsaboutthejourney

Dear Marriott: please don't solicit me for your tacky vacation club in the lobby of the Renaissance.

I was minding my own business speaking with a co-worker yesterday when a dude in a black tee shirt with not real branding (I assumed he was a Navigator since he came from the concierge desk) came over to chat and ask about our plans for the week. After some small talk he asked if we had time to go visit the Marriott Vacation club.

Needless to say I was highly offended. I am not in the demographic for a vacation club, and in my mind Marriott is one of the tackiest brands out there that I want nothing to do with. I'd expect this solicitation in a regular Marriott or a Courtyard or one of those types of places, but not a property that is supposed to be a little more refined as Renaissance (this one is soon to become an Autograph).

Adding to the irony is that this hotel used to be an excellent W. Today, the service is lacking, beds are no longer comforable, fewer amenities in the room, even mixed towels of inferior quality.

As a SPG fan i'm already upset this propety has gone to lower Marriott standards, its an insult that Marriott would be sending staff to the lobby to solicit people for their tacky Vacation club.

Rant over.

ehallison

I don't understand what this rant is about. SPG purchased by Marriott? Some stereotypical insulting "demographic" that timeshare owners are in? Being accosted in the lobby?

"No, thank you," usually works for us. (Unless we are in Mexico, then it doesn't work and we have to physically walk away).

CJKatl

I actually get it. It's one thing to have a VC desk in a hotel for those who might be interested, and signage pointing this out within the property, but a guest should be able to talk to someone in a lobby without being accosted. That is tacky. In thousands of Marriott stays, I've not had that happen and would be very unhappy if it ever does. I'd be offended if it were a Ren, CY, FS or any other Marriott property. The OP needed to vent and this is as good a place as any.

My usual solution to these types of things is to literally turn my back. The person has already been rude to me, so there is no need to waste courtesy back. Don't engage. Similar to just shutting the door on a peddler (why let air conditioning escape), continuing to walk past the airport credit card heckler or not taking the waved piece of paper in Las Vegas.

iadisgreat

Why turn your back or get offended? Say, "no thanks" and move on with your life. Not worth posting on FT that's for sure.

CJKatl

Why even waste two seconds on the person? I was recently in a tourist destination with family. My nephew calculated that if you waste 30 seconds with each aggressive "street vendor" and you pass 60 of them in a day, which was realistic for where we were, you've blown a half hour. Why let them steal a nano-second? Don't engage. Just move on.

SkiAdcock

Agree re: it's one thing if there's a desk; another, if someone comes up to you while you're in conversation. Like CJKatl I've never had this happen in any of my stays at dif brands.

I wouldn't be offended (more annoyed that I was interrupted) & I'd just say no thanks & go back to my conversation. If I was really upset about it I'd probably speak to the GM or someone, mentioning the inappropriateness of interrupting guests to pitch them timeshares vs. having a desk in the lobby.

Cheers.

CJKatl

"Annoyed" is the right word. Thanks. I would also be annoyed, not offended.

joshua362

Similarly, I used to be annoyed that 10 minutes after checking into the Marriott Orlando World Center (once a year), there would be a phone call soliciting a VC tour.

CPRich

You may have better luck sending this to Marriott. This is not their Customer Service/Feedback site.

And I've never considered the Renaissance to be some type of elite, upscale brand, compared to a standard Marriott.

itsaboutthejourney

Perhaps. But I really, really don't like Marriot as a company and until less than 2 yeas ago this property was a W that I stayed at regularly. It gives me pause that we'll start to see/experience this tacky timeshare crap in other W's or SPG properties.

SkiAdcock

It's not the norm for timeshare reps to approach guests in the Marriott brand lobbies, just as I assume it's not the norm for SPG timeshare reps to do so in their properties.

Cheers.

kb9522

Are Renaissance properties considered to be upscale now? I'm not sure why you would be offended by a rep peddling VC at a Renaissance property... Sounds like it would be par for the course. As others have said, you could just say "not interested" and move on... But if you hate Marriott so much, why were you staying at one of their properties?

cmd320

I too would be put off by the advertising, but what gave you the idea that a Ren was supposed to be more refined than a standard FS Marriott? I've never really thought there was a perceivable difference between the two.

C17PSGR

What hotel was this?

I've stayed in numerous Marriotts with VC desks in the lobby and never been approached by them so this seems like an exception rather than a Marriott policy.

CJKatl

While the chains are pretty much at the same upscale but not luxury level, Ren is supposed to be cool, hip, trendy and local while the standard bearing namesake chain is supposed to be uniform staid upscale. One would never expect to see CeeLo sitting on the bed of a FS surrounded by rose petals.

And yes, two years out that image is still seared in my psyche.