I think bogus mini-bar charges sometimes just "go with the territory" from time to time. I agree its not just a Marriott problem. Fortunately, they don't happen all that often, and my experience with Marriott is they always get resolved quickly and easily.

My favorite story involves a guy I used to work for. He was in an L.A. hotel (not a Marriott) when an earthquake set off his motion-detector operated mini-bar and he incurred $1,100 in charges. The exchange with the obviously inexperienced front desk clerk went something like this....

Guest: The earthquake set off the motion detector in my mini bar. I didn't open the mini bar or use anything from it.

Gir (dead serious): Well maybe you don't remember it.

Guest: Well, miss...even if I did open the mini bar, I couldn't have possibly consumed that much booze.

Girl: Well maybe there was a party going on in your room.

Guest: There wasn't....and even if there was, how could everyone grabbed something at precisely the same moment as indicated on the time stamp? Which also happens to be the precise moment of the earthquake.

Girl: Well maybe you just don't remember.

At this point a manager came along, apologized, and ended the conversation. I've often wondered if the girl involved still makes her living serving customers!