Someone Started a Petition Against Marriott Bonvoy Resort Fees
Joe Cortez March 27, 2019
Marriott Bonvoy elite members want to see resort fees waived for top-tier elite members. A petition on Change.org is asking the company to cut the charges some hotels add on top of nightly rates for Platinum, Titanium and Ambassador members. Marriott says they “welcome the feedback.”
Marriott Bonvoy elite members are frustrated with paying resort fees and are circulating a petition in hopes to get the program’s attention. On Change.org, over 500 people have signed their name asking the company to add a resort fee waiver to the benefits list for Platinum, Titanium and Ambassador members.
In a statement to FlyerTalk, a Marriott spokesperson explained that resort and destination fees “allow our guests to experience in a convenient way the many features or activities a hotel has to offer.” In addition, the company said that bundling the amenities together under once price per night is “a better value that would otherwise cost more if charged individually.”
But the members at odds with the new program that combined Marriott Rewards, Starwood Preferred Guest and Ritz-Carlton Rewards under one banner argue that resort fees only hurt loyal travelers. They claim for the money spent obtaining status through hotel stays, the add-on charges reduce the overall value of their status.
“For Marriott (and sub-brands) to charge their top-level guests $30-50 a day for things they should receive anyway is simply a bad business practice,” the petition reads. “Marriott International needs to recognize that this practice is in effect stripping benefits from their most loyal guests, then forcing them to buy those benefits back, paying an amount that can easily reach into hundreds of dollars during a single stay.”
The petition is asking frequent travelers to add their name to “demonstrate the importance of this topic,” and to encourage Marriott executives to reconsider the policy. Competing programs Hilton Honors and World of Hyatt offer resort fee waivers on free night awards, while World of Hyatt top-tier elites get resort fees waived on free night awards and eligible rates.
“We appreciate how engaged and invested our members are in Marriott Bonvoy,” the spokesperson for Marriott told FlyerTalk. “We are constantly looking for ways to improve and enhance all aspects of our program so we welcome feedback from members regardless of what channel they choose.”
Where do you stand on the resort fee petition? Follow the discussion on the FlyerTalk Forums.
[Image Source: Wikimedia/ Herry Lawford]
I will look at Marriott as hotel of last choice as long as they have this resort fee strategy. My strategy is not to pay for getting fleeced for a service I didn't use. This is just a Marriott cash grab.
I despise resort fees and try to avoid hotels that charge them if at all possible. Along the same line, I will go out of my way to avoid some of the new "Urban Destination Fees" that some Marriott properties are adding. Two of the biggest things that irk me about these fees are 1) the fees are mandatory at a lot of these "resorts" and you don't have the option to opt-out and 2) the services/benefits provided for the fee are basically worthless to me and not something I would normally spend money on if given the choice. Give me a list of amenities that I can choose to pay for or let me waive the fee if I don't use the amenities. Don't make it mandatory to pay an additional fee just to stay at the hotel, especially when it may be for things that I don't want/need.
As 98% of my travels are business trips resort fees are a total waste. Besides the fact that they are being charged at hotels that are NOT resorts! Renaissance Las Vegas is a perfect example of this. $30 resort fee added at check in that got you 2 monorail tix, wine/whiskey tasting, 1 free beer at bar and 1 free desert. I arrived late one night, worked all day, dinner with clients and then out early the third day. I didn't use any of the "Resort amenities" Rip Off
I'm with Lobster. Resort fees are a nasty practice to not show the total price of the room- a rip off in any case, no matter what chain or member status.
Petitions are fine but we must also vote with our wallets.