Originally Posted by
Viks
False. Why are you making stuff up? There's nothing about holidays in T&C. It's Monday-Friday. Period.
* I'm not making it up. Marriott's T&Cs say that, but as pointed out in the links above, MI is saying normal hours of operation & holidays aren't. Like others I'd like some specific clarity.
Originally Posted by
ohmark
What you were told at checkin sounds like a clear violation of Marriott's rules. In my view, the hotel should be providing coupons on any day it shuts the lounge during the week, but not providing them on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Friday of Thanksgiving week is odious.
* Agree, although we've had reports of properties closing lounges for the 2 weeks over Xmas holidays starting the week before (ie, Dec 15th for example), something I personally disagree w/ as some of us travel for biz up to Xmas. I also agree that the coupons should be provided.
Originally Posted by
socrates
Here is the official policy (taken from the elite website not MI's intranet)
Guaranteed Concierge/Executive Club Lounge Access/Free Continental Breakfast*: at JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels, and Autograph Collection
during normal hours of operations. For JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels, and Autograph Collection without a Concierge/Executive Club Lounge, Elite Members can still enjoy a complimentary continental breakfast for weekday stays, Monday through Friday; simply show Membership Card and room key in the hotel restaurant. *Not available at resort locations; weekday stays only
can be found here
http://www.marriott.com/rewards/terms/elite.mi
On the intranet I find no changes to the policy - lounges are to be open Sunday evening through Friday Morning
If the lounge is closed during these times due to a holiday gold's and platinums SHOULD receive breakfast coupons
* That's Marriott's out, as some hotels are saying it's not normal hours of operation. Still if they were customer service-oriented, they would provide the brekkie coupons.
Originally Posted by
CJKatl
MI interprets this to mean that if it is not normal hours of operation, no breakfast coupons are mandated. If a hotel schedules the CL to be closed because of a holiday, it is not normal hours of operation. MI allows hotels leeway to close a few days before or after a holiday. There have been several threads about this over the years.
It seems a non-starter, though, because as we all know, and as the OP confirmed, if you push the hotel, they will always give you free breakfast coupons.
It's the OP's stance that even though the policy was explained to him in detail, he was offered the coupons, and still chose to stay in the hotel, because the CL is closed, he is entitled to $100. The answer to the changed title of this thread is, "You don't."
* I don't think the OP was offered the coupons. I thought his point was the lounge will be closed and no coupons were being offered, and that's why he posted inquiring about the $100. In rereading his post, the clerk said they could offer it as a courtesy but they never do offer it. So someone has to ask. BTW - there are plenty of reports where brekkie coupons should be offered up, but some of the properties have remained firm about not offering them.
Originally Posted by
hhoope01
* That's how I took it, based on what he & others were told. BTW - doesn't mean I like it.
Originally Posted by
socrates
1) You shouldn't have to push the hotel - it's very sad to hear many of you stating you are having to
2) There are set hours (required) hours of operations by MI (I purposely did not post these hours as I'd be pulling them from a confidental document) - these standards do not vary from week to week however as noted hotels can increase these hours as local market conditions require (this isn't to suggest I never closed my lounge due to holiday periods, I did but I followed the policy and provided breakfast for each elite (actually included their entire party))
If you run into a hotel which is failing to follow the policy I would recommend asking for the Manager On Duty, if that fails then I would recommend contacting customer service: Renaissance (800-462-1901 0700-2300 M-F 0800-2300 S-S) Marriott (800-535-4028 0700-2300 M-F 0800-2300 S-S)
I'm hopeful that these decisions are being made below the GM level - most GM's realize the small cost of providing breakfasts to elites over these periods is rather small in $$$ but huge in goodwill, not providing this has a much larger cost associated with it (besides not following the policy)
* Well, in VA's link, someone reported going up pretty high w/ mgmt in cust service etc & they're touting holidays are not normal hours of operation & using that as the excuse. Like you said, good GMs are going to offer up the brekkie certs because the cost is incremental, it's good will, and it's probably cheaper than keeping the lounge open (although I would still argue that point, as I have in the past).
I'd like Marriott to definitely add to the T&C info re: whether holidays are exempt, so that we're all not stuck w/ the continuing case of your experience may vary.
Cheers.