Originally Posted by
notquiteaff
So they can overbook, deny you the room after 6pm, avoid having to walk you somewhere else at their expense and still charge you for the room they sold to someone else? Sounds like a brilliant win win win situation.
Looks like I will need to double check Marriott reservations more closely for such scams.
Better yet, even if the hotel isn't full, they can cancel all one night reservations at 6 pm if they think that whatever profit they'll get from the guest's F&B etc. purchases won't exceed the cost of housekeeping, electric, water, heat/AC, etc. Hotel keeps the first night's charge (including junk fees and taxes), room remains vacant, and hotel reduces its costs.
When the terms say "arrive by 6 pm" I would assume that checking in early on the app wouldn't be sufficient. OTOH, arrival by 6 pm doesn't say check in by 6 pm, so the guest would be protected if there's an unusually long at the front desk shortly before 6 pm.