Chris,

I have been trying to make reservations at a few properties for next year as I usually do. However, I am finding that the 3 properties with whom I am attempting to make reservations have not released inventory. Are Marriott properties required to release their inventory for booking 50 weeks in advance? Why are some hotel holding back inventory and what can corporate do about it? Is this a corporate directive to get a better pulse on hotel prices so they can be increased even more than they have already?

JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes - No availability for PAID stays or Reward stays (Standard or Stay Anytime) for any date between January 6, 2008 and March 1, 2008. I assume inventory has not been loaded yet. Either that or someone booked all 1000 rooms for 8 weeks.

Marriott's Mountain Valley Lodge at Breckenridge - No availability for PAID stays or Reward stays (Standard or Stay Anytime) for any date between December 21, 2007 and March 1, 2008. Once again, I assume inventory has not been loaded yet.

Vail Marriott Mountain Resort & Spa - No availability for Reward stays (Standard or Stay Anytime) for any date between December 1, 2007 and March 1, 2008. I did contact the hotel directly and was told that they have not yet loaded the reservation system with Reward inventory. I was originally told by the Platinum desk that the hotel was close to being sold out for January 2008. That was either an outright lie, or at the time the hotel had not release all of its inventory so it appeared that way.

Just to put things into perspective below are a few observations:

1. Now I understand supply and demand and have accepted the 100-200% increases in hotel prices over the past few years.

2. While I do not like it, I have also accepted that Marriott has hung government contractors out to dry with regard to its new government rate policy. But just because I accept it doesn't mean that I won't take my business elsewhere when a government client comes our way. I will have to in that case, as I won't have a choice. See this thread for more information: Government Rate

3. Your lack of presence here on FT has been noted and commented on by numerous posters. Since you are the official representative of Marriott here on FT, I would have expected comment from you on a number of recent issues. If you are no longer the official Marriott spokesperson here on FT then please provide us the courtesy of letting us know.

4. While these are very lucrative times for the hotel industry, garnering MAR $700+ million in net income over the past 12 months, the customer service levels have gone down in my opinion. For me mainly with regard to the actual subject of this post, the holding back of inventory by hotels which makes it very difficult for those loyal customers like me to plan well in advance.

5. Socrates (proudly representing himself) posted in the Government Rate thread how Marriott was reading these threads and would act very quickly to correct any hotels that were in non-compliance (reference to hotel still offering government contractor rates). I responded with a comment about lack of inventory availability and asked if they would respond just as quickly and asked if anyone wanted to make any bets. The same stands for this thread!

For the record I, like many posting in this forum, have been a very loyal customer of Marriott for many years, I have defended you personally in this recent Rome Flora lack of award availability thread Marriott Concierge: What's up with StayNevertime Rome?.

Now in case you missed the question back in the first paragraph:

1. Are Marriott properties required to release their inventory for booking 50 weeks in advance?

2. Why are some hotels holding back inventory and what can corporate do about it?

3. Is this a corporate directive to get a better pulse on hotel prices so they can be increased even more than they have already?