hhoope01

Maybe I'm the one misinterpreting, but I don't think the reference was to the hotel room rate, but to the exchange rate used to calculate what $100 US (the elite guarantee payout) is in £s.

RogerD408

True, but it can vary by country or even time of day dependent upon current exchange rates. Unless the property is sitting on a $100US in cash and is willing/able to part with that, conversion to local currency is expected.

dgoedken

PNS, gift from fridge and also a free drink at the bar...on chase st.

xtremeski2001

Checked into the Marriott Hunt Valley in Maryland last night. Go the normal points upon check-in, but the staff indicated it was customer appreciation week ...

... I was told to grab one of the fresh (and tasty) looking cupcakes from their arrival desk and a color tab on the bottom of each cupcake indicated the extra points I'd receive. Ended up getting 2,500 extra points just for staying at the Marriott this week!

wxguy

Recently I had a one-night stay at a FFI in a large city – a hotel I've stayed at a number of times with excellent service. I checked in rather late, but had a cordial conversation with the check-in agent. He recognized me as a return guest (but never said "Platinum") and offered me a room upgrade (larger room, better view as this is a tower-style hotel). When I got to my room, I realized he didn't ask me my choice of arrival gift, nor give me the usual bag with two bottles of water and chips (which I usually get without asking in addition to the 200 points that I always take).

The next morning I had the complimentary breakfast and went to check out. The conversation went something like this:

Me: Good morning, before I check out, I'd like to let you know that I did not receive my choice of points nor amenity when checking in last evening. I believe I'm due $25 per the Marriott Rewards guarantee.

Agent: Let me check (types) – I see you were given the points.

Me: But I was never asked, and that's what was supposed to happen.

Agent: I'd be happy to give you an amenity bag now.

Me: I just had breakfast, I'm heading to a meeting, and then a lunch. I don't need a bottle of water and chips. I would like to receive the Marriott-promised guarantee.

Agent: But you received the points.

Me: I understand that, but I wasn't asked.

Agent: I'll leave a note for the General Manager and he'll contact you by phone or email.

Me: (Pulling out and showing her my print-out copy of the rules) As you can see, the Marriott program requires that this be resolved before I check out, or I lose my rights to the compensation.

Agent: I don't know what to do, I can't just give you money.

Me: I'll call Marriott Rewards and ask their guidance. (I call, explain, and am put on hold for 15 minutes with the agent coming on every few minutes saying she's waiting for her supervisor to give guidance. In the meantime, the GM arrives and the agent introduces me to him. I go through the whole story, and he too does not know the rules and refuses to give me the compensation saying I should deal with MR. Finally, the MR agent comes back on the line.)

MR: wxguy, if you were not asked, you are entitled to the $25. The fact that points were posted without your being asked is irrelevant.

Me: Would you explain that to the GM?

MR: Certainly, my pleasure (I pass my cell phone to him. A minute later he hands it back along with $25.)

GM: I asked MR to email me a copy of this procedure because I've never heard of it.

Me: Thank you, see you back here on my next stay in a few weeks. I appreciate your working with me and MR on this.

This is only the second time that I've invoked the arrival gift guarantee. The first time the hotel (a FS, so $100) quickly acknowledged the mistake and paid the compensation. But it's disappointing to see that some hotels still don't know the details of the program. Kudos to MR for taking charge and educating the GM in this case.

plagwate

Maybe this becomes the next program that Marriott suspends so that it can be reworked for next year. It sucks that we keep getting the shaft simply because Marriott can't effectively roll-out a consistent procedure.

rickyriver

I actually got more frustration then welcome.

Many times I wasn't asked. But I couldn't pretend I didn't know about the welcome gift. So I asked them wasnt I supposed to get a welcome gift?

I got various answers:
-- ohh, the computer didn't promt me for that?
-- we usually give a room upgrade as the gift. (which I did get the upgrade)
-- here is the welcome gift bag (with a couple bottle of water and a cookie)
-- I gave you points.
-- ohh, you want points? (no apology as if they didn't miss anything)

More often than not, they just assume I want points, in between covnersation and handing me room keys or among busy doing other things, very quickly and sublely mentioned: "you'll take the points", and not expecting my answer.

If I don't pay much attention, I would have missed them saying that. But I did pay attention, so I caught it, and I said No, I can't take points as my profile is set to earn miles.

Then I would usually spend the next 5 minutes trying to convince them I indeed can't take points. 80% of the time, the associates would try to assure me the points will go through, or points would convert to miles. Never has anyone told me first that I couldn't take points.

There was one time I arrived at this full service Marriot hotel after midnight. The restaurant was long closed. They couldn't give out the amenities as they come from the restaurant. I asked for a rain check or a free breakfast. No, they had to give out the amenities the day I arrived. Cant wait till the next day. But it was so late and I was so tired, I didn't want anything but a shower and sleep. They tried to push me to take points, but I couldn't. They didn't believe me. I could feel the lady was angry, and think I am an idiot and trying to give everyone a hard time. Finally she allowed me to take a bottle of water or juice and a bag of popcorn or candy from the market. When I left, and turned around, I believe I saw her roll her eyes on me.

Now the argument was over, and they would give me amenities. Many of them won't tell me what I can get and how many (from the market/pantry). At one hotel, one time I was told to take a bottle of water, the next time, I was told I can take two things, so I took a beer and a turkey sandwich.

I really belive the miles earner can't take points is simply a bug in their computer system. Their policies don't explicitly say that. Their staffes are not aware of that. Their hotel system is not set up to prevent them entering points. In fact, their systems show the points go through successfully. One manager investigate into their hotel system, and couldn't see anything went wrong. But as the points go out from their system to Marriott's system, they get lost and never post to my account.

One time, I paid with a certificate. The plantinum welcome points went through. Why? because I didn't pay a cent for the night, so I earned 0 miles, and since there was no miles post to my account, the points went through and post.

Last night, they delivered my amenities to the wrong room, so I didn't get it. The next morning, they called me when I was about to go to work, trying to offer me points. Again, I had to explain to them I can't take points. Then they offered me food from the market, but I already got what I needed from the lounge. They offered me free breakfast at the restaurant, but I already had breakfast. I was in a hurry, so I didn't get any compensation. I know the rules say once I check out, I loss my chance, but I will still try to send the manager an email, and see if he is willing to do anything.

mclain

This may be a question for the Concierge as there seems to be some confusion over it:
Sometimes my stays are direct-billed to my employer ( as opposed to my paying at check out). In this case am I entitled to receive the arrival gift? And if it is not offered or delivered, am I entitled to the compensation?

Most times the arrival points or gift are offered, but occasionally not (usually at foreign properties). At some point I will call the Platinum line and ask for the points to be credited, and usually they are posted with no problems, but sometimes not. Very inconsistant and confusing for the guest. As for asking for compensation when not receiving the gift, I am reluctant to demand the payment, but after reading many of these posts maybe I shouldn't be. Can someone clarify?

hhoope01

My understanding and experience is that you should receive your Plat benefits no matter the rate.

With that said, there are two possible issues here. First, if your Plat number isn't in the reservation, then the hotel has no way of knowing you are a Plat member. And thus they won't know to upgrade you, offer you an amenity, give you CL access, etc. So the best way is to get your MR# into the reservation if possible. If that isn't easy or possible, then let them know when you check-in and you should receive your benefits then.

The second issue is that receiving amenity points isn't something you can invoke the Plat Guarantee against. To invoke the guarantee, you have to do so before you check-out and you won't normally receive your amenity points until after you check-out.

Now if your issue is that you give the hotel your MR# and show them your Plat card and the hotel still won't give you an upgrade (if one is available), won't give you CL access, won't give you an arrival amenity, etc. This is an issue and you should deal with it before you check-out. I would ask to speak with a manager to let them know you are a Plat and expect to get your Plat benefits. If the manager won't give you those benefits, I would then escalate to the GM AND I would call the Plat line to get them involved as well. And I would do that as soon as I had the problems. Granted, if you are at a non-NA hotel, you might have some time zone issues with contacting the Plat line, but I would contact them as early as possible after the issue.

BKKLEE

but you normally get the little card to choose points, or other, at checkin, notwithstanding posting after checkout so you should know if you're due points at checkin, albeit receiving them after checkout..........

RogerD408

Haven't seen a card in years...

I'd like to see MR find a way to allow you to impose the guarantee if the points don't post. I feel properties that are likely to "forget" to offer the amenity will also fail to post the points too. Several times I have had them tell me I asked for points when I wasn't offered a choice. I've pushed the issue a few times and have invoked the guarantee and the more they lie the more I push.

I have also spent a fair amount of time helping to educate FDCs on how the program works from a guest perspective. One tried to convince me status does not need to be earned each year. Squared them away real quick!

hhoope01

Hey, I'm right there with you. If you can find a way to get Marriott to allow the Plat amenity points not posting to be part of the Plat Guarantee, I'm right there with you.

Unfortunately, Marriott doesn't consider it to part of the guarantee. Never has. Just try to collect the money after the points don't post. It won't happen. Maybe if you really make a big deal about it, the MR rep might throw an extra 500 points your way (for the inconvenience of course.) But thats about all your going to get.

If your looking for an opportunity to invoke the Plat Guarantee, then don't choose the points as your amenity.

mclain

Thanks for the feedback. I always show my Platinum card or give my rewards number when checking in, so the property does know.
Good point about choosing an amenity rather than points so as to try to mitigate the issue with points posting; but for those of us who normally choose points it would be nice if they would post accordingly at check-in so we would know before check out if it is going to be an issue, and could then either staighten it out or invoke the guarantee. Something for Marriott to consider.
It is my understanding as well that the Platinum amenities should be offered regardless, ( it says as much in the Platinum rules--"all stays" means ALL STAYS to me--) but unfortunately not all properties and not all Marriott reps adhere to this.
When speaking with the Platinum line today to sort this out I was informed that unless there is "something to post" on the bill, they are "unable" to post arrival points. Just happens that the stay in question had several incidental charges posted that were billed to my personal credit card; even so, the Platinum rep held her ground. She did eventually offer a 200 point "adjustment" however. Hhhmmmm...

PromoGoogler

I checked in at a FFI and FD never mentioned plat or options on points or gift. When I checked out the next day and told a different FD person that I wasn't asked. He said your points had been added. Since there wasn't a Market Place and that hotel, I wouldn't had an option to begin with. I had to catch my flight so I didn't want to miss that over $25 voucher. If this happens again in the future, should I still ask to be compensated?

sophiegirl

I still see the cards on a fairly regular basis, but MHO is that they are used in hotels that have consistently had issues with paying out the guarantee!

As far as educating FDC's, I sometimes feel as if it is my part time job.

IME, this is complete BS. I have had amenity points post on award stays and direct billed stays where there were no charges a'tall. Either call back and get a different agent, or shoot the Conceirage here a quick email.


You certainly can, but as there IS no other option (than points) at this property, what would you have been asked? Tough case to make in this situation....