Originally Posted by
USirritated
I have always found it to be that way, and I understand and agree why they do it that way. If they did not, there would be guests who would only stay part of the qualifying time, and leave early, and still have benefit of the free night if they did not charge for all the nights and adjust the free night at checkout. It is the same thing when you book a rewards night, you must give them a credit card to reserve the room, and if you do not show up, they will not use your rewards points, but they will charge your credit card for the room charge, since they could not charge a regular room night charge to a regular paying customer. Make sense?
Originally Posted by
slowly
If the reservation was for 3 nights, first 2 showing full rate, 3rd $0, how can you
take the discount without staying the required number of nights needed to qualify for it in the first place?
I will use a 3 nights for the price of 2 example to best illustrate the situation. Just like when you make a reservation for a rewards stay, a credit card is required, because the room is blocked out for your stay, and if you do not stay, then your card is charged, because the reward is not pulled from corporate to pay the hotel. Similarly, if a 3 day reservation is made for a 3 for price of 2, but the $0 night is indicated at check in, and you checked out after the 2nd night, they would not be able to bill you for two nights, since you already have it in writing that you get a free night, and you checked out, so what could they do? No matter what you would say, signed guest disclosures upfront, 2 day waivers for no free 3rd day if checkout before 3rd day, whatever you would call it, could you imagine the arguments and bankcard chargebacks they would get if they did not do it this way? Okay, I understand, you are honest, but assume that at least 25% of customers are not honest, and imagine yourself standing in line waiting to check out and the arguments you have heard between a front guest clerk and an obviously dishonest guest trying to pull a fast one and taking up everyone's time while doing it, and then ask again why Marriott needs to do it this way. I agree, in a perfect world, it would happen your way, but the world is not perfect, so it happens the way Marriott does it now.