$100 cash for not receiving the Platinum welcome gift?
 

I'm a new platinum member so please forgive my ignorance in advance. My colleague told me that she got $100 cash a few weeks ago when she checked in a Marriott hotel and the check-in staff didn't offer her a platinum welcome gift. Could it be true?

Yes - i've gotten it. You just have to ask.

And read.

http://www.marriott.com/rewards/memb...s/guarantee.mi

100 at FS, 50 at CY
The only thing I don't like about this, if there is something not to like about getting free money, is that like a lot of things with Marriott (and I'm sure other chains) it's another way they make you have to ask or beg or even fight for your benefits. I don't like the way I feel when I have to do that. - again, free money helps ameliorate that. :D

And 25$ at FI and RI if I recall correctly...Although on a side note, I just went to look that up on the Marriott website and this information is now gone. Does that mean they've removed this guarantee from other tiers of the Marriott program?

Still seems there to me:

http://www.marriott.com/rewards/term...eliteguarantee

What's funny is that I'm a gold, 5 nights away from Plat (which I'll easily hit this month), and I stayed at a CY right after Christmas...received the Plat gift along with a welcome letter for Plats...:D

Respectfully, I don't think Marriott is making anyone beg for benefits. Given the magnitude of the program, the volume of guests coming and going at any given hotel daily, and the number of inevitable last minute and on the fly changes in room assignments....legitimate mistakes are bound to happen. The cash payouts are...at least in part...a mechanism to help the hotels keep these at a minimum.

And yes, its true, if you call the hotel on their mistake, they will indeed offer to pony up. I personally have never taken the cash....preferring instead to request what amounts to more of a win-win resolution. For example, at the Marriott World Center last year, I requested...and got...an upgrade to a package they were selling that included two free breakfasts daily, free parking and free HSIA. This bundle was worth $40 daily, and I was I was on a four-night stay.

Worth $160 to me, but cost the hotel far less than forking over the cash....a fact the manager freely admitted!

I've also had success getting points, meals, upgrades, etc. The common denominator being that all of these have been preferable to both me and to the hotel than the cash payout.

I'm not saying that there aren't circumstances where I wouldn't take the money and run. But I'm by nature a "benefit of the doubt" guy, and I usually just don't feel right cashing in on someone's honest mistake. Besides....its something of a moot point, because the "missing welcome gift" has been a pretty rare occurance for me.

What Platinum Arrival Gift Do You Select?
 

I find that the actual items provided vary greatly.

While staying at the Marriott East Side, my pretzel amenity was a small bag of pretzels and a banana. ;) The same amenity at the Minneapolis City Center was a bowl of pretzels, and a bowl of nuts. And goldfish crackers.

Recently stayed at the Ontario Airport prop and the cheese and crackers was this HUGE plate of 4 cheeses, Carrs water crackers, fruit, and the waters. Same amenity in Detroit was a small tub of Boursin and some grapes.

Of course, Hagen Daaz is always a solid bet. Or the points, if I get in too late.

What do you chose and whats it like?

I take points almost every time, except for taking the free continental breakfast at the Marriott Orlando World Center (since it is for the entire stay) and the full breakfast costs only $2 more. I have taken some snacks in the past, and I remember not being able to finish the nut bowl offered at the Fairview Park Marriott. Ice cream is good, but I don't drink so extra water or soda is less appealing to me.

Wine/cheese, points if it's a late arrival. I think a split of wine is the best value considering it usually cost $12-$14 on the room service menu.

However, has anyone noticed that wine as an option has been disappearing at some FS Marriotts?

Points always and then head over to concierge hall to grab all the eateries.

Aloha, ALARIS,

I have not personally noticed it disappearing. The wine/cheese is very enjoyable for a moderately late arrival and, if I stay for a couple of nights, I always bring a sealer for it and can have the wine last the two/three night stay.

So far, I haven't seen it disappearing but it might just be the hotels in which I am staying.

I have noticed that the fruit with the pretzels is no longer a bowl of freshly cut fruit but one or two individual bananas or apples:td::td::td::td::td: