While that makes sense in an Asian culture sort of way, it makes no sense in a hotel management and training sort of way, and it makes ABSOLUTELY no sense in a Marriott hotel management sort of way.

Of course I do not know whether this is a MI managed hotel or simply a franchisee, but no matter what, it does not click, meaning it does not make sense. Since hotels have to account for just about every dollar for the franchise and management payments to MI, I would doubt that sort of thing could be done without it being caught at some point.

Besides, are you honestly claiming that a manager would be so worried about their hotel performance that $100 more or less in revenue would make a difference? Hotel performance is counted in the tens of thousands, not in the hundreds of dollars. Call it what you want, but I do not think that "performance metrics" is it.

The only context in which it would make sense is the Asian practice of saving face, and even that probably does not make much sense in the context here. If that were the case, I would think that the employee would have to be suspended or lose his/her job.

I do understand the insistence on you taking the welcome gift, again, Asian culture and pride would be the push there.

I think there are some parts of your story which might not add up so well (not your version of the story, more along the lines of what you were told is probably a bit hinkie).