Jun 5, 2022, 7:05 am
Last edit by: Oxon Flyer
Ultimate reservation guarantee for the Bonvoy program:
https://www.marriott.com/loyalty/mem...i#Arrival_gift
https://www.marriott.com/loyalty/mem...i#Arrival_gift
FAQ : The Marriott Bonvoy "Ultimate Reservation Guarantee"
Aug 7, 2019, 5:50 pm
#46
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I know what they say, but it surely sounds like simple bait-and-switch to me, and I would report it to the local consumer protection organization or AG. Twitter or TripAdvisor at the very least. They are basically taking away the room you booked and selling it at a higher price to someone willing to pay for it.
"I'm sorry, sir. We gave your lobster away and all we have is this fish stick."
"I'm sorry, sir. We gave your lobster away and all we have is this fish stick."
Aug 7, 2019, 5:58 pm
#47
Join Date: May 2008
Location: SCF/MSP
Programs: DL Plat, HH Gold, Hyatt Diamond, Marriott LT Plat Elite, Hertz PC, Safeway Card
Posts: 22
So, if i'm reading this right - There's a guaranteed room type, and then the Ultimate Reservation Guarantee.
From Marriott.com:
So, they cannot honor my reservation, as the room is not available.
From Marriott.com:
So, if I'm reading what ntamayo said, I could book a Presidential 1K Suite somewhere, but if it is in use and they put me in a Standard 1K room, then no compensation is due?
Surely, this cannot be.
This was not an upgrade, but an actual paid stay. I don't count on upgrades if I want a nice room.
From Marriott.com:
Ultimate Reservation Guarantee
If for some reason we’re unable to honor your reservation, we’ll pay for your accommodations that night at a nearby hotel and compensate you for the inconvenience. To be eligible, you must provide your member number when making a reservation. Compensation varies by hotel brand.So, they cannot honor my reservation, as the room is not available.
From Marriott.com:
Guaranteed Room Type
When making a reservation, be sure to note your Member number and room/bed preferences. We’ll always honor your bed type request at our locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. Everywhere else, smoking/non-smoking preferences are honored based on availability; exact bed sizes may vary, and only Titanium Elite members will have guaranteed priority for their requested type of bed and room. If guarantee is not met, guest compensation applies.So, if I'm reading what ntamayo said, I could book a Presidential 1K Suite somewhere, but if it is in use and they put me in a Standard 1K room, then no compensation is due?
Surely, this cannot be.
This was not an upgrade, but an actual paid stay. I don't count on upgrades if I want a nice room.
Aug 7, 2019, 7:07 pm
#48
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: SJC (AA PLT 2MM - Marriott LTT - Avis Preferred)
Posts: 2,031
Aside from being entitled to the rate difference refunded, you could also ask for good-will things like more points (than the low ball 7k offered), F&B credit, etc. Hasn’t happened to me, but to others on FT with similar downgrades as yours.
Aug 7, 2019, 9:39 pm
#49
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Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
So, if i'm reading this right - There's a guaranteed room type, and then the Ultimate Reservation Guarantee.
From Marriott.com:
So, they cannot honor my reservation, as the room is not available.
From Marriott.com:
So, if I'm reading what ntamayo said, I could book a Presidential 1K Suite somewhere, but if it is in use and they put me in a Standard 1K room, then no compensation is due?
Surely, this cannot be.
This was not an upgrade, but an actual paid stay. I don't count on upgrades if I want a nice room.
From Marriott.com:
Ultimate Reservation Guarantee
If for some reason we’re unable to honor your reservation, we’ll pay for your accommodations that night at a nearby hotel and compensate you for the inconvenience. To be eligible, you must provide your member number when making a reservation. Compensation varies by hotel brand.So, they cannot honor my reservation, as the room is not available.
From Marriott.com:
Guaranteed Room Type
When making a reservation, be sure to note your Member number and room/bed preferences. We’ll always honor your bed type request at our locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. Everywhere else, smoking/non-smoking preferences are honored based on availability; exact bed sizes may vary, and only Titanium Elite members will have guaranteed priority for their requested type of bed and room. If guarantee is not met, guest compensation applies.So, if I'm reading what ntamayo said, I could book a Presidential 1K Suite somewhere, but if it is in use and they put me in a Standard 1K room, then no compensation is due?
Surely, this cannot be.
This was not an upgrade, but an actual paid stay. I don't count on upgrades if I want a nice room.
So you are down to the GRT which doesnt pay out nearly as dearly as the URG
AKAIK with MR its only 1 item that can be claimed per instance, so even if they didnt hav ea room (whioch they did) you still couldnt collected X2
Aug 7, 2019, 9:49 pm
#50
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Bounding Around The Good 'Ole USA In My Chevrolet
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 381
You were not walked. Being walked has a very specific definition in that the hotel does not have a room for you. All you had was a room type change and the rate adjusted accordingly. You are entitled to nothing else. Any other compensation is at the discretion of the manager.
Aug 7, 2019, 9:53 pm
#51
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If you book a suite, it's not at all the same as being "standby" for a paid suite upgrade if available at check in. The OP already picked the suite at the suite price when he/she could have picked the regular room at the price for the regular room. A confirmed reservation should be more than an "option" for the hotel to see whether they can sell what you reserved for a higher price to someone else.
Also, suite versus room is very different from partial versus full ocean view or mid versus high floor, etc.
Please name the hotel. The Marriott down the street comment makes me suspect that this is a place in downtown Minneapolis, where IMO the Marriott would be an inferior (and less interesting/less fun) choice compared to Westin, W. LM, etc. Ivy and Ren aren't exactly down the street from a (FS) Marriott, so they're not on my current list of suspects, and the context doesn't sound like a suite at a RI.
Also, suite versus room is very different from partial versus full ocean view or mid versus high floor, etc.
Please name the hotel. The Marriott down the street comment makes me suspect that this is a place in downtown Minneapolis, where IMO the Marriott would be an inferior (and less interesting/less fun) choice compared to Westin, W. LM, etc. Ivy and Ren aren't exactly down the street from a (FS) Marriott, so they're not on my current list of suspects, and the context doesn't sound like a suite at a RI.
Aug 7, 2019, 9:54 pm
#52
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
Programs: Marriott lifetime Titanium, Delta Platinum
Posts: 5,473
In fact the guarantee states, "If for some reason we’re unable to honor your reservation..." It doesn't say "if we're unable to give you a room and walk you." The OP was denied the room he reserved. So, literally, the property denied his reservation.
Aug 8, 2019, 11:44 am
#53
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The issue is, if they only adjusted the rate down to the going rack rate on day of arrival, then the OP would likely be paying significantly more for that standard king room then they would've been able to book it at with a discounted rate or in advance. Its not entirely clear if this is a same day reservation or not, and if so then it is clearly bad inventory on Marriott IT or the hotel.
Now with some airlines, if you pay for a first class seat and they downgrade you, you get the fare difference at time of booking, as well as a goodwill compensation for being stuck in something less than you expected. The hotel should've offered something in addition and the manager been ready to inform the guest at the front desk and provide the offering. Letting them check in without the slightest information on the downgrade and only admitting to it when they get caught after the OP enters the room amounts to bait and switch.
Oh and please provide the name of the offending property. Others need to know what location it is when properties pull stuff like this.
Now with some airlines, if you pay for a first class seat and they downgrade you, you get the fare difference at time of booking, as well as a goodwill compensation for being stuck in something less than you expected. The hotel should've offered something in addition and the manager been ready to inform the guest at the front desk and provide the offering. Letting them check in without the slightest information on the downgrade and only admitting to it when they get caught after the OP enters the room amounts to bait and switch.
Oh and please provide the name of the offending property. Others need to know what location it is when properties pull stuff like this.
Aug 8, 2019, 12:46 pm
#55
Join Date: Nov 2013
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If you book a suite, it's not at all the same as being "standby" for a paid suite upgrade if available at check in. The OP already picked the suite at the suite price when he/she could have picked the regular room at the price for the regular room. A confirmed reservation should be more than an "option" for the hotel to see whether they can sell what you reserved for a higher price to someone else.
Also, suite versus room is very different from partial versus full ocean view or mid versus high floor, etc.
Please name the hotel. The Marriott down the street comment makes me suspect that this is a place in downtown Minneapolis, where IMO the Marriott would be an inferior (and less interesting/less fun) choice compared to Westin, W. LM, etc. Ivy and Ren aren't exactly down the street from a (FS) Marriott, so they're not on my current list of suspects, and the context doesn't sound like a suite at a RI.
Also, suite versus room is very different from partial versus full ocean view or mid versus high floor, etc.
Please name the hotel. The Marriott down the street comment makes me suspect that this is a place in downtown Minneapolis, where IMO the Marriott would be an inferior (and less interesting/less fun) choice compared to Westin, W. LM, etc. Ivy and Ren aren't exactly down the street from a (FS) Marriott, so they're not on my current list of suspects, and the context doesn't sound like a suite at a RI.
And what if that suite - the one *reserved* - was a 2BR suite, for 4 people, as in 4 adult people?.
Not that it's "okay" if the accommodations were planned for, say, 2 adults and 2 children, or even "just" 2 adults, each expecting a *separate* bedroom??
They "could" substitute a regular room with 2 Q beds, which could still sleep 4, all cozy together, with a single bathroom?
GC
Aug 8, 2019, 2:27 pm
#56
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: CLT
Programs: Marriott Plat, AA Gold
Posts: 1,076
That said, I think it's unacceptable that the Front Desk wouldn't even say anything on check-in about it. But, I wouldn't really expect much more than the rate difference and some points (probably more than 7,000 though).
Aug 8, 2019, 3:52 pm
#57
Join Date: May 2008
Location: SCF/MSP
Programs: DL Plat, HH Gold, Hyatt Diamond, Marriott LT Plat Elite, Hertz PC, Safeway Card
Posts: 22
The hotel was the aloft. I used to live 2 blocks from there, and put up my extended family there many, many times. This manager was awful to deal with, and I just got the most Minnesotan 'passive-aggressive' e-mail response from her, basically saying that they're off the hook because Bonvoy Elite Customer Service had them cancel the reservation (but they are really sorry about the mixup and that they would like me to try staying with them again - and they'll even make sure I get a suite if I book it that time!) - are you kidding me?
This was booked well in advance - not the day of - and was a prepaid Bonvoy Member rate reservation. If I would've booked elsewhere, I would've been cheaper than the last minute rate they charged me at the Renaissance (which was very pleasant).
Hopefully, Marriott CS can do something. The hotel seems lazy. Would love to find out the name of the GM and send him a note.
This was booked well in advance - not the day of - and was a prepaid Bonvoy Member rate reservation. If I would've booked elsewhere, I would've been cheaper than the last minute rate they charged me at the Renaissance (which was very pleasant).
Hopefully, Marriott CS can do something. The hotel seems lazy. Would love to find out the name of the GM and send him a note.
Aug 8, 2019, 3:56 pm
#58
Join Date: Feb 2008
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Posts: 8,727
I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s one of the hotels which the Marriott booking system keeps on overbooking, meaning they’ll regularly have to stand their customers up.
Aug 8, 2019, 7:58 pm
#59
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Sep 13, 2019, 1:21 pm
#60
Join Date: Feb 2014
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ultimate reservation guarantee at St. Regis and Ritz-Carlton - which is true??
Hi all,
I just noticed a discrepancy on Marriott's website regarding the ultimate reservation guarantee at St. Regis and Ritz-Carlton properties.
The elite benefits page states that this benefit is available to "Platinum Elite and Titanium Elite members"
but the T&C page, under section 4.3.a, says that "At The Ritz-Carlton® and St. Regis Hotels, the Ultimate Reservation Guarantee only applies to Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite Members."
so which one is true? Do platinum members receive this benefit or not???
I just noticed a discrepancy on Marriott's website regarding the ultimate reservation guarantee at St. Regis and Ritz-Carlton properties.
The elite benefits page states that this benefit is available to "Platinum Elite and Titanium Elite members"
but the T&C page, under section 4.3.a, says that "At The Ritz-Carlton® and St. Regis Hotels, the Ultimate Reservation Guarantee only applies to Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite Members."
so which one is true? Do platinum members receive this benefit or not???