After getting home the day after my last post, I had an envelope from Chase. They said they had to end the dispute and re charge me the $68.55 because the hotel provide my signature on documentation.

The enclosed letter from the manager to chase stated that I am not entitled to the 20% off food and beverage as their e-mail states as they state I was not registered as a platinum elite guest, and never showed my card. They then state that as the restaurant receipts do not show a discount, I am not entitled to one. Yet whenever I asked they told me that the discount would be applied at checkout, and to sign the receipt with the full amount. They then state that I signed the receipt for the spa service after receiving the service proving it was 90 minutes. However, they told me I could not have the service until I signed it before. So they are blatantly lying. They also said some rather terse comments to my character.

The item that tops all of this, is that they included a copy of the original bill, where I wrote “under protest”, only the put a credit slip over where I wrote under protest, and next to it, someone attempted to forge my signature. They are indicating that this is my real signature.

I scanned and e-mailed the documents to the contact at Marriott and mentioned that this has gotten out of hand, and that this is obviously a forgery. I mentioned that I have not asked for anything more in the past than to be made whole, and reminded her that I am still out the $300 for changing the tickets, and I am not asking for that, and that I appreciate her getting me the additional 25,000 points. But at this point, I don’t think it would be out of line for me to simply ask for a refund in full for everything spent at the hotel. This was about $600. Since we stayed on points, this was just the food and beverages, spa service, and the airport transfers.

I asked her to call me upon coming into the office so we could discuss.

She e-mailed me back this morning and stated that she talked to the manager and they have reversed the $200 charge, that he still insists it was an accident, and that they have agreed to credit back the $68.55 that they forged my signature to get.

She said that unfortunately, she cannot refund the entire stay, nor can she force the hotel to do so, and that I must take this up with the hotel itself.

I called again and left her a message saying I wanted to talk to her on the phone and discuss the situation. That I would prefer to have a duologue with her directly.

I got an e-mail back (no return call) stating that she appreciates me wanting to talk to her, but that everything has been turned over to the General Manager as he is also the Regional Vice President and that he has all of my documents and that he is eager to resolve this matter in its entirety and that he will be responding to me on behalf of Mr. Marriott.

I then sent this letter, with the help of USIrritated:

Ms Contact,

While I was hoping to talk on the phone, I guess I will have to address both you and Mr. Manager via e-mail.

I would like to let you both know, that in light of the new documents I received in the mail, I feel this has gone far beyond anything that can be handled with points. I hope you were both able to see the statement where my comment had been blocked and a written version of my name has been presented as my signature.

I feel that has reached the point of absolute dishonesty from the hotel including Mr. Manager himself based on the letter he sent me dated 29-September. While I was told the charge was a mistake, it seems to me that the hotel simply wanted to get me back for having to give me points, regardless of what they are saying now, and I am shocked that Mr. Manager remains involved in light of his accusatory letter, clearly showing a conflict of interest. The letter sent to the credit card company, also states continuously that what I said was false, and has now tarnished my reputation with my own credit card company due to the hotel lying.

With the additional amount of time I have had to spend dealing with this, the situation is no longer just something that they can simply look into and make good on. I’m not doing this just to try and get points out of Marriott, I want to be made whole, and compensated for the time, aggravation, and criminal activity I have experienced. I spent money for airfare and took time off from work for both my wife and I to go on a relaxing vacation. Not only was part of our vacation upset based on this situation, but I have spent a lot of time dealing with this with the Hotel, Marriott, and the credit card company. In addition, something new seems to happen every week.

When I thought it was over, I was satisfied, not happy, but satisfied. Then the hotel had to bring this all back up again by first sending a rude letter, than accidentally charging me. So if they are taking it to the next level, then I need to do so as well, and expect Marriott Corporate to respond in kind.

So I ask that your office step up, and stop passing the buck. First, I would like an apology for the forgery from the hotel and for the way the hotel handled themselves during this situation. This letter would include outlining what they did wrong. Secondly, I would like some type of in kind compensation for having to pay my airfare to go on a vacation that was so bad we had to walk out of the hotel, as well as for the amount of time I have had to spend over the past 6 months. While I do not expect to get paid my hourly rate, I expect Marriott to do something to take care of this situation.

I did not go to a Marriott Flag Ship hotel expecting to be treated poorly, taken advantage of, and then have my signature forged. Would you expect that at a JW Marriott? If this were my company, this manger would be investigated and the responsible party fired. If this were in the US I would also be pressing charges.

So I hope that you and your office take this very seriously, and if necessary even involve Mr. Marriott himself. But I would like to know that Marriott Corporate is willing to step up and take responsibility for its problems, and have them solved.

Sincerely,
Emanon256

The GM wrote me back a few days later.

He stated that he would like to re-cap the compensation he already gave me. 50,000 for the two nights, an additional 25,000, 30% off the cooking class, and now $68 representing the 20% food dispute.

He added that as I maintain their compensatory actions are are still insufficient, that a gesture of good will, an in light of the distress I clam to be experiencing, he will refund all but $200 of my total charges, in recognition that we have differing prospectives on the events that occurred.

He said he investigated the fraud claim, and has found that nothing was done wrong. He believes that I may have mistakenly concluded that the hotel was fraudulent. He said that when I checked in, an imprint of my card was taken, and that I agreed that I would pay for all charges with an imprint of my card. He said when I checked out in haste, and wrote under protest on the bill, that that does not negate my agreement to pay any and all folio charges or that the hotel can charge my visa, as I previously agreed to pay.

He said as "under protest" does not mean anything, the manager followed procedures and proceeded to charge my card, in full, as my signature was on file.

He said no one from the hotel signed my name, that it was written, so there was no dishonesty.

He then states that he feels they have gone a long way to make me "even" in accordance with my request to Mr. Marriott's office.

He then states that he is very sorry that I did not have a good experience on my visit and he hopes I realize that this extraordinary set of circumstances will not be repeated in the future.


I don't really think this can be categorized as an apology, but more of a subtle personal attack, and a non-direct apology. I am not sure what to do at this point. No reply from the contact at Mr Marriott's, despite a follow up call. Nothing has been credited back yet. I really do want to get this behind me. But I still feel, while he does not, that they were dishonest. Basically, I got back points for the 2 nights I didn't stay, 25,000 extra, and now about 66% of what I spent.

I spend more nights at Marriott's per year, than I do at my own home, and am shocked that Mr.Marriott's office is remaining silent.

I e-mailed the contact again this weekend, and have still not received a reply. If I don't in a week, I am going to send a letter directly to Mr,. Marriott only, return receipt, copy some travel forums and magazines, and then try to put it all behind me.