This is a letter I sent to Bill back in June, and also CC the manager in Orlando as I was there for a whole month. We became really good friends. Can you believe I have not heard a word! I feel bad about having to move to another hotel chain but I dont know of any other way but to do so!


June 19, 2001
Bill Marriott
Marriott International
Washington D.C.
Dear Bill Marriott,
As a member of Marriott Rewards for the past 8 years, as well as a Owner in Hilton Head resorts as well as Grand Vista in Orlando. I am about to terminate all association with the Marriott Corporation and pursue legal avenues. I am reserving such effort to allow time for people to do what is right with the situation and to try to retain me as a member of the Marriott System. After spending the past 9 hours awake in my hotel room because I’ve have been constantly been told that I’m the one that is confused and even though intensive research was done it failed. Regards to handicap parking, the SFO Airport Marriott has one handicap spot free for guest and they have 7 more within 25 feet from this one spot and they want to charge for it. I ve been at this location at least 4 separate occasions and never had to deal with parking. Now its well if your lucky and you can park in the first spot then it will be free otherwise you will have to pay! I contacted Stan Moore (GM) at SFO, and his response was that everyone pays for parking and that they would do me a favor and comp my parking for my stay PERIOD. It doesn’t mention anything about the one free spot; they can’t charge one person and not the other. I suggested them making this spot a MOD of the month or a EMS spot. There is no mention in the response that I received from Mr. Moore. Last night I return from a long intense meeting and its 10PM at night and I get the response and I thought well, maybe I should move the car into the lot and that way it would allow management to block the spot since maybe they were going to change it. I consulted with the MOD and Loss Prevention specialist and they are dumb founded as why they have one free handicap spot and the other 7 are required to pay? It doesn’t make any sense. I also informed CHRIS the MOD that I Was staying through Friday and I was assured I was extended. Last night I walked into a dark room, my room wasn’t turned down, at least the light could have been turned on, I could careless about the bed or the mints. Loss prevention officer stated that I am no longer an elite member well that’s funny because I’ve not been advised otherwise. This morning there was no paper in front of any door., on any floor for that matter. There was a stack of papers on the table of each floor in the elevator lobby. Also statements that go underneath the door didn’t happen either. Even though I was not checking out I still wanted to take care of my balance too date as a courtesy and I spoke with the desk clerk, and she stated well I worked last night and I stayed on property and I too didn’t see a paper this morning. Something must be a miss. According to the computer this morning It was indicated that I was checking out today, well how is that possible when Chris extended me yesterday Monday approx 10AM. I advised the GM to contact the SFO downtown Marriott, as they do not charge parking for handicap placard, nor does Orlando, Detroit, Seattle. I spoke with Louie and they do not charge parking for overnight guest with a handicap placard. SO it must be hindsight that even though SFO Airport did check into, they were unable to communicate with SFO Downtown otherwise they would have found that yes Handicap Placards are waived from any parking charges.
All I wanted was SFO airport to either 1) Move that free spot; change it from a handicap to a non-handicap and not to willing discrimenate against handicap people. As it stands the one free handicap parking spot is free and a gate ticket is not required to park in the spot, however there are 7 other spots in the immediate area, which are located behind the parking gate. These spots are identical to the free single spot; they are all outside and marked in the same way in every way. According to the response I’m the one that is confused and has the problem. I’m sorry I don’t and because it was made for me to understand that I was confused has triggered this action.
After making some calls in regards to elite status I was informed that a stay hasn’t cleared well if they would have taken the certificate out of my account, this situation wouldn’t exists! I have over 150,000 points in my account and that stay was for 35,000 well is it my fault too because Marriott Rewards goofed?
I spent a month in Florida on assignment in the Month of April and well and I didn’t have a single problem! Marriott World Center and Vista resort had over $5 in revenue; hmm then again I was in Anchorage Alaska for a week well there was no problem there. I was in Seattle WA for three days there was no problem there. I’m degusted to find out now after spending over 70 days this year in a Marriott Property and all of a sudden there is a problem with my elite status.
Finally since when does STSN charge $39.95 per day for connection, well my 2 day bill was $9.95 for the first day and $39.95 for the second day. Another thing when I checked into my room I had no phone and had 2 engineers in the room for almost 2.5 hours fixing the line, I suppose that was my fault to, I certainly didn’t make a big deal about it, but considering I have to file a formal complaint well I might as well as turn in the entire deal. I wouldn’t want to leave anything out.
When someone wants to treat me with compassion and respect, you may reach me at 321-436-9248; I think after 8 years in the Marriott System and having 2 Ownership Timeshare Deeds with MariottVacations I deserve just a little more respect!
Sincerely,
ERNEST BRANCHEAU
University of Michigan
cc: STAN MOORE
LAURA BAKER