Originally Posted by bdschobel

I am currently staying at the Detroit Airport Marriott on an "OTP" rate that entitles me to free breakfast and $100 Bonus Bucks. No problem with the breakfasts, which have been great. The Bonus Bucks are another story!

When I checked in late Friday night (after a 2-hour, weather-related flight delay), I asked for my Bonus Bucks. They said that I had to speak with the morning crew. OK.

On Saturday morning, I asked for my Bonus Bucks. I was told that they are given at checkout. Not OK, but I let it go.

On Saturday night, I was going through some paperwork and came across the OTP rate rules, which I had printed on May 2. The rules say explicitly that Bonus Bucks are given at check-in! So I brought the printout down to the front desk and asked again for my Bonus Bucks. The very nice evening manager, Rodney, said that the Bonus Bucks were locked up for the night but that he would leave a note for the morning manager to give them to me the next day.

On Sunday morning, I stopped by the front desk to pick up my Bonus Bucks, expecting no problem at all. Wow, was I wrong! First, the young woman at the counter told me that my rate doesn't qualify for Bonus Bucks at all. Well, needless to say, this was the first time I had heard that! I showed her my reservation printout, which states clearly that I get Bonus Bucks. She said that the records show a different rate code. I asked to speak with the manager.

Sheri, the supervisor on duty, came out and couldn't explain what had happened but changed the coding back to indicate that I do get Bonus Bucks. However, she said that I couldn't get them until checkout. I showed her the rate rules, which say at check-in. She said that each property has the right to modify those rules. I emphatically disagreed. The rules say nothing about property discretion, and I wanted my Bonus Bucks! I asked whether she had a note from Rodney, Saturday night's manager, as he promised to write. Nope.

At this point, I had enough. I asked her either to give me the Bonus Bucks or to call the hotel's general manager at home so that I could discuss this with him. She said that they have no way to contact the GM -- that they don't know his phone number. That's obviously a lie. I asked for the hotel manager on duty. Sheri said that he hadn't arrived yet (this was at 10:30 already). I said that I would just wait there until he arrived.

At this point, she surrendered. She gave me the Bonus Bucks but explained how irregular this procedure was. I left a note for the GM, explaining what had happened and asking that he call me when he gets to work on Tuesday.

Anyone else have any experiences like this?

Bruce