Speaking only for myself.... On the few times I've called Customer Service since the merger, I've found all the telephone agents with whom I spoke invariably friendly, polite, and interested in helping me. IME they're not so well trained on the products and the computer systems. That said, of course, the problem with the systems may well be that they don't work consistent with the training and manuals, -- not the fault of the telephone agents, obviously. As many in this forum already know, my regular hotel is the SGS. I have not noticed any drop in benefits or any significant downgrades there. Sure, Marriott may be with Pepsi for the corporate contract, for example, and may have issued a directive to the properties to switch to Pepsi; but the cola in the refrigerator in my room when I check-in is still Coke, as the hotel knows that I prefer. As the G.M., Mr. Chapman, pointed out here, they lost some data during the IT changeover, and have been working to counteract the effects.

Something I've always wondered, and it's more noticeable now, -- anyone here know much about the decision making process at the hotel level? Specifically, can the GM of a hotel, who is employed directly by the hotel's owner(s), overrule Marriott corporate? If so, are there any limitations, assuming that the hotel owner(s) agree with the GM's decision?