LesBesTes

I have reservations for two rooms at the Fairfield Inn in Anaheim and I just called reservations to try to put in a request for adjoining rooms (traveling with grandma and toddler and thought this would be helpful). I was told that I could have made the request upon making the booking, but that now that I hadn't, they could no longer annotate the reservations and my only recourse is asking upon check-in. I was told if we arrive later in the evening (which we are), we are unlikely to get our request.

This seems nuts that they can't add an annotation to the reservation and perhaps also just wrong, so I'm hoping someone out there knows if I should be trying another avenue to improve my chances. I'd cancel and make a new reservation, but the rates have now gone up.

Should I be calling the hotel front desk on the morning of my arrival to hold rooms for me? I don't have much status (just silver), but surely Marriott would give someone with status the connecting rooms over a non-status person who just happened to check in earlier?

michelin

I would call. It couldn't hurt.

Also, years ago I found out the hard way that adjoining rooms are not the same thing as connecting rooms. Adjoining rooms are next to each other. Connecting rooms actually have that internal door that opens into both rooms.

plagwate

You could...
1) Call reservations again in hope of getting a more accommodating (and skilled) agent (repeat if necessary)
2) Call the hotel directly to see if the notation can be added from their end
3) Call the hotel directly within a day or two of arrival to see if a specific pair of connecting rooms could be blocked out for you
4) Take your chances when you arrive

This doesn't seem to be that unreasonable of a request, whether you have status or not. I often get stuck with connecting rooms when traveling solo. I don't care for them since they often impact furniture layout and usability as well as bleed noise from the other room.

LesBesTes

Excellent words of warning - thanks.

I notice that the website for this particular hotel notes that 80% of their rooms are connecting, so I can't imagine this can be that hard for them. I will also try to call back to see if I can make the request to a more capable agent for now, and then will try to call the front desk closer to arrival.

LesBesTes

I just called the hotel directly and they were able to make the annotation on the reservation, so hopefully this will work. Will call again on the day of the reservation to try to make sure the rooms are set aside for our late arrival. Thanks all for the advice!

legionnaire

I have had success calling the property to ask for connecting rooms. I have never found a way to put in this request at the time of reservation through marriott.com. I have also had success calling the MR Gold line immediately after completing the booking on marriott.com and ask them to annotate it.

BKKLEE

hey, if Marriott follows up on their new C&P program, perhaps the next announcement will be the ability to book 2 rooms which are connecting......................... cause they know "we" all it.........

EricH

I would think that a hotel would be glad to honor your request. That way, they won't get the people in room 404 and 406 complaining about being put into connecting rooms.

socrates

FYI requests can be added at anytime up until arrival

Also connecting and adjoining are two completely different things

Connecting is exactly that - a door going directly from one room into another (not as common as most people think)

Adjoining is two rooms side by side

sely

For me the easiest way to get connecting rooms at Marriott was to make a reservation for one person in one room. Upon check-in you have about a 90% of getting a connecting room.

At least that was my experience with Marriott in Louisville and Buffalo. It took Platinum status to reverse that trend.

I haven't travelled to Louisville in years and still have the room number of the connecting rooms permanently burned into my mind. Everytime I would hear it, I would ask for a change. Sometimes they actually even seemed to care and changed my room assignment!

Good luck.

BKKLEE

how was/did reserving a room for a single person get you better odds at getting a connecting room??

iztok

He was just being sarcastic.

CJKatl

AWESOME!

OP, make sure you call after nine the morning you are checking in and speak to either the hotel manager or front desk manager. If you call earliier, you run the risk of speaking to the night crew, who will be gone by the time you check in. Make sure you get the person's name, and ask for that person when you check in. If you are checking in after that person leaves, ask who will be there later and call back later and speak to that person.

IME, these types of requests are easier to ignore when the person checking you in can say that they didn't know anything about it. IME, when there is a direct connection between you and someone you will see at the hotel, your request is more likely to happen. Connecting rooms isn't guaranteed, but this will still make it more likely.