Could the OP please post the location at issue?

I have only had this happen a couple of times. The first time it happened, I inquired about it the amenity the next day and asked about the $100 guarantee. The FDC clerk (not the one who checked me in) asked if she could give me points instead, as the $100 comes out of their paycheck and if the same FDC misses the amenity three times they get fired. :eek: I was shocked and told her not to worry about it.

Since then, I don't even worry about it if they forget. I don't need to take money from some poor FDC's pocket who is probably only making $10 an hour to begin with or get somebody fired. I will call MR when I get the chance and ask them to post the points in leiu of the forgotten amenity.

This is nonsense. The front-desk clerks do not -- repeat, do not!!! -- pay a dime (and probably get fired only if they fail to perform their duties repeatedly). Please do not believe these statements.

Bruce

Used a free cert recently, and they offerred a plat arrival card right away. Also said "Thank you for being a plat member" 4 times during the whole check-in ;)

Sent PM

Thanks, but not quite sure why a PM. Topics like this serve an educational purpose for FTer's who may be deciding whether to stay at the RI in question. With all due respect, I don't understand not naming the property here.

Agreed. I have seen employees across all levels of the hierarchy miss the Platinum arrival amenity once or twice. When I used to work at the Irvine Marriott, even our Resident Manager missed the Platinum amenity once (which all of the employees found astounding, not because of any repercussions she could have received [none at this particularly property], but because it was a reminder that no one is perfect). The true test to a property is how they handle the situation when it is brought to their attention. As far as being hired, I cannot speak to all management firms, but for the particularly property I worked at, there were no outlaid repercussions, though one would of course receive a reminder if it was forgotten (I never forgot myself), and possibly retraining if it was a repetitive thing, but being officially sanctioned/disciplined would only occur if it was proven that it was deliberate or ongoing even after retraining.

I've claimed the guarantee 8 times since 2006. Four times in 2006 and four times in 2011. Each year had three claims at full service properties and one claim at a limited service property (CY & SHS). The Tysons Corner Marriott has the honor of paying out once in both of those years to me.

I think the guarantee does insure that the welcome amenity is offered correctly. One of my claims in 2006 was at the Fairfax Marriott at Fair Oaks, and it was only a couple of months after they had switched over from a Holiday Inn. It was evident on the next stay that they were more aware of the rules in general.

When I've had any issue with the Plat Arrival Gift, I find it best to call the hotel and speak to a manager, versus calling or emailing MR.

Contacting MR about the gift has gotten me excuses. It isn't a "Platinum Arrival Gift Guarantee" if it wasn't offered and credited/delivered as part of my arrival experience.

Plus, if you contact the hotel management, you'll probably find out a lot about the hotel and how they handle relatively minor situations like this one. This is also valuable in my book.

You might actually make an acquaintance if you stay calm, classy, and professional. The hotel management might even thank you! :)

Hi, I'm have some questions regarding this platinum arrival gift guarantee issue. So, upon checking-in, should we ask for the platinum arrival gift or we should just remain quiet and hoping that they will forget about it, then ask for the cash the next day?

Will the staff got fired if they repeat this mistake? I read the thread posted by the ex-marriott front-desk, saying that they are only allowed to make one mistake and any compensation made after that will be paid by the front-desk who was responsible for it. How true is this? I mean, it's quite cruel for the front-desk isn't it? We actually know about the arrival gift, but purposely don't ask about it during check-in and then ask for compensation after that, putting someone job at risk.

First, whether you ask or not is a bit of a personal question. I have always prompted the hotel about the arrival gift if they didn't ask outright. If I order something and it never arrives, that is when I would probably invoke it or if they said they don't participate and won't give me the gift (not that I have ever had that happen). But in all my stays, I can only remember invoking it once or twice (and as LT Plat, I've stayed a lot over the years at Marriott hotels.)

As for whether they would get fired or have to pay it out of their own pocket, you might want to check out socrate's response in post #206.

But as I mentioned in the other thread, if a particular employee keeps making the same mistake over and over again, I would think that would have repercussions of some type (i.e. training, discipline, termination, etc.). But I doubt they would be terminated after the first time (that would probably cost the hotel more in hiring and training a new employee than trying to properly train the existing employee.)

No one will get fired, but this is a personal preference question. I think first off, we should be looking to get the gift as guaranteed/promised. If you don't get the gift, work on the guarantee as you see fit.

Don't not ask (if not offered your gift) because you feel bad for someone getting in trouble, etc. They are supposed to ask you if you want points or amenity, if they don't ask or can't deliver, then I say it is actually good for the management to know this situation exists . . . I can fix what I know about and not what I don't know about.

That makes for a better overall checkin experience for everyone.

Good luck.

Threatened Retaliation for Plat Arrival Guarantee
 

I stayed at a REN in So. Fla for a meeting with a couple teams from work. We have stayed at this property in the past many times due to the close proximity of an office in the area. We get a negotiated rate for the amount of rooms but the rate is very close to what you can get from their website. I called the FD at 11 am to let them know that I will be checking in at 12:30 pm so I can drop my bags off in my room prior to my 1 pm meeting downstairs. I arrived and the front desk manager said that they didn't hold my room because I had asked for the room to be ready at 11 am. I wasn't upset and just asked them to hold my bags until my meeting was over. No big deal.

After the meeting, I go back to the front desk to check in. The manager states that my room is ready, here are your keys and the elevators are to your left. She couldn't have been more short. I go to my room and realize that I didn't receive the PA gift. I go back down and explain the situation to the manager and she says that she did offer the gift and that I DECLINED it. I always take the points. To save time for the story, which I will clearly answer any questions anyone has, the GM of the property called me in my room and said that I could go to the front desk and collect my $100 but he would then contact my company's meeting coordinator to re-discuss our negotiated rate with the property because they give us "such a good rate." Has anyone heard of anything so preposterous? I did not take the $100 by the way...

I would have a Talk with the General Manager. I would never allow a employee to talk to me that way.

I did talk with the GM, the GM is the one that threatened retaliation against our company rate if I were to take the $100.