Last edit by: RedSun
Good details in this post: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30029755-post302.html
The Atlantis is made up of 4 towers that will participate for redemption stays. They are as follows:
Atlantis, Beach Tower - Do not participate in Marriott reward booking(?) (old Category 7)
Atlantis, Coral Towers - New Category 5 (35k) (old Category 8 (from March, 2018 https://www.marriott.com/marriott-rewards/use/category-update.mi)
Atlantis, Royal Towers - New Category 6 (50k) (old Category 8)
The Cove Atlantis - New Category 7 (60k) (old Category 9)
Apparently, you cannot redeem points for a stay at The Reef Atlantis, but you can earn points on a paid stay there.
Points are earned for room rate only. No points on incidental spend. Platinum Arrival Gift (PAG) is 500pts or food/drink amenity. $20 internet fee* is NOT waived for Gold/Plats per Marriott's T&Cs. For rooms that will have more than two people aged twelve or over, there is an "additional adult charge" per person. *For Royal, Coral, Beach Towers, internet is included as part of the daily resort fee of $50.
"For clarification purposes, the daily charge is not a resort fee. The additional charges associated with the stay currently include mandatory gratuities and a utility service fee per person per day. The amount can vary by unit type by building. These additional charges have always been in place at Atlantis."
ADDITIONAL CHARGES:
Guests of Atlantis, Harborside Resort, The Cove and The Reef Atlantis are subject to an 20% charge per night that includes taxes, the Paradise Island Tourism and Development Association levy, the Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board levy and compensation for servicing your reservation. In addition, guests will be required to pay a mandatory gratuity and utility service fee of (i) up to $25.95 per person per day depending on unit type for Atlantis guests, (ii) up to $20.70 per person per day depending on unit type for Harborside Resort guests, and (iii) up to $65.95 per person per day depending on unit type for The Cove or The Reef Atlantis guests. If you purchase a pre-paid package these charges are already included in your package price. If you do not purchase a pre-paid package, these charges will be assessed upon check out at the property. Please be advised that all mandatory gratuities, taxes, levies and service fees are subject to change.
As of 01-Jan-2015, In addition to the previous 20% tax on room rate and purchases, there is an additional VAT of 7.5%, 12%* (as of July 1, 2018), making a total tax on room rate and purchases of 37.5%. This also applies to additional adult fees (for more than two person ages 12 and older staying in the same room), but does not apply to the mandatory gratuity and utility fees. https://thenassauguardian.com/2018/05/30/vat-hike-to-12-percent/
*If you booked prior to the VAT increase, you should be able to have the original 7.5% VAT honored. https://thenassauguardian.com/2018/06/07/hotels-and-resorts-allowed-to-honor-prior-bookings-at-7-5-vat/
Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas participates in Marriott Rewards as follows:
- Points or Miles may be earned for reservations booked through www.marriott.com/atlantis or by calling 1-855-696-4732.
- Points or Miles will not be earned and Points cannot be redeemed for reservations booked through Atlantis Paradise Vacations, Atlantis.com, or AtlantisBahamas.com.
- Reward booking can be done online from Marriott website. You can also book stays with points advance (borrow points). The cancellation policy is normally 14 days in advance.Points may be redeemed for stays only by calling 1-855-696-4732. At this time, redemption stays cannot be booked online.
The Atlantis is made up of 4 towers that will participate for redemption stays. They are as follows:
Atlantis, Beach Tower - Do not participate in Marriott reward booking(?) (old Category 7)
Atlantis, Coral Towers - New Category 5 (35k) (old Category 8 (from March, 2018 https://www.marriott.com/marriott-rewards/use/category-update.mi)
Atlantis, Royal Towers - New Category 6 (50k) (old Category 8)
The Cove Atlantis - New Category 7 (60k) (old Category 9)
Apparently, you cannot redeem points for a stay at The Reef Atlantis, but you can earn points on a paid stay there.
Points are earned for room rate only. No points on incidental spend. Platinum Arrival Gift (PAG) is 500pts or food/drink amenity. $20 internet fee* is NOT waived for Gold/Plats per Marriott's T&Cs. For rooms that will have more than two people aged twelve or over, there is an "additional adult charge" per person. *For Royal, Coral, Beach Towers, internet is included as part of the daily resort fee of $50.
"For clarification purposes, the daily charge is not a resort fee. The additional charges associated with the stay currently include mandatory gratuities and a utility service fee per person per day. The amount can vary by unit type by building. These additional charges have always been in place at Atlantis."
ADDITIONAL CHARGES:
Guests of Atlantis, Harborside Resort, The Cove and The Reef Atlantis are subject to an 20% charge per night that includes taxes, the Paradise Island Tourism and Development Association levy, the Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board levy and compensation for servicing your reservation. In addition, guests will be required to pay a mandatory gratuity and utility service fee of (i) up to $25.95 per person per day depending on unit type for Atlantis guests, (ii) up to $20.70 per person per day depending on unit type for Harborside Resort guests, and (iii) up to $65.95 per person per day depending on unit type for The Cove or The Reef Atlantis guests. If you purchase a pre-paid package these charges are already included in your package price. If you do not purchase a pre-paid package, these charges will be assessed upon check out at the property. Please be advised that all mandatory gratuities, taxes, levies and service fees are subject to change.
*If you booked prior to the VAT increase, you should be able to have the original 7.5% VAT honored. https://thenassauguardian.com/2018/06/07/hotels-and-resorts-allowed-to-honor-prior-bookings-at-7-5-vat/
Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas participates in Marriott Rewards as follows:
- Points or Miles may be earned for reservations booked through www.marriott.com/atlantis or by calling 1-855-696-4732.
- Points or Miles will not be earned and Points cannot be redeemed for reservations booked through Atlantis Paradise Vacations, Atlantis.com, or AtlantisBahamas.com.
- Reward booking can be done online from Marriott website. You can also book stays with points advance (borrow points). The cancellation policy is normally 14 days in advance.
Atlantis, Bahamas an Autograph Collection [Master Thread]
#136
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Join Date: Aug 2002
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What's ironic is that 2 weeks after Atlantis went live in the Marriott system, there is still no answer from the official Marriott rep as to what the resort fee actually includes.
Some resorts toss in a # of things so the fee is somewhat understandable/worth it. Others include things that Gold/Plats already get for free so no value/simply a revenue grab, yet they're not exempt from the resort fee.
Cheers.
#137
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Join Date: Aug 2002
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An update on the resort fee from Insiders communitymanager:
"For clarification purposes, the daily charge is not a resort fee. The additional charges associated with the stay currently include mandatory gratuities and a utility service fee per person per day. The amount can vary by unit type by building. These additional charges have always been in place at Atlantis."
ADDITIONAL CHARGES:
Guests of Atlantis, Harborside Resort, The Cove and The Reef Atlantis are subject to an 20% charge per night that includes taxes, the Paradise Island Tourism and Development Association levy, the Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board levy and compensation for servicing your reservation. In addition, guests will be required to pay a mandatory gratuity and utility service fee of (i) up to $25.95 per person per day depending on unit type for Atlantis guests, (ii) up to $20.70 per person per day depending on unit type for Harborside Resort guests, and (iii) up to $65.95 per person per day depending on unit type for The Cove or The Reef Atlantis guests. If you purchase a pre-paid package these charges are already included in your package price. If you do not purchase a pre-paid package, these charges will be assessed upon check out at the property. Please be advised that all mandatory gratuities, taxes, levies and service fees are subject to change.
So 20% per night for taxes & then the hefty mandatory gratuity & utility service fee ranging from $20-65/person/day. One might need a cheap per night rate to make the overall room rate a reasonable one. Even on award stays there can be a $40-$130/night additional charge (based on 2 people), so an extra charge of $280-910 based on a week's stay.
BTW - the utility service fee is probably dictated by the Bahamas. But to make gratuity mandatory is totally inappropriate IMO, and the scale from $20-65 - what, are the staff at the higher end ones actually providing that much extra service.
Atlantis is definitely off of my list of places to stay. I don't mind tip envelopes & I normally tip, but I do mind being told that I have to pay a mandatory gratuity.
It would also be interesting to know who actually gets the mandatory gratuity. Do all employees get it divided between them, some of them, etc?
Cheers.
"For clarification purposes, the daily charge is not a resort fee. The additional charges associated with the stay currently include mandatory gratuities and a utility service fee per person per day. The amount can vary by unit type by building. These additional charges have always been in place at Atlantis."
ADDITIONAL CHARGES:
Guests of Atlantis, Harborside Resort, The Cove and The Reef Atlantis are subject to an 20% charge per night that includes taxes, the Paradise Island Tourism and Development Association levy, the Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board levy and compensation for servicing your reservation. In addition, guests will be required to pay a mandatory gratuity and utility service fee of (i) up to $25.95 per person per day depending on unit type for Atlantis guests, (ii) up to $20.70 per person per day depending on unit type for Harborside Resort guests, and (iii) up to $65.95 per person per day depending on unit type for The Cove or The Reef Atlantis guests. If you purchase a pre-paid package these charges are already included in your package price. If you do not purchase a pre-paid package, these charges will be assessed upon check out at the property. Please be advised that all mandatory gratuities, taxes, levies and service fees are subject to change.
So 20% per night for taxes & then the hefty mandatory gratuity & utility service fee ranging from $20-65/person/day. One might need a cheap per night rate to make the overall room rate a reasonable one. Even on award stays there can be a $40-$130/night additional charge (based on 2 people), so an extra charge of $280-910 based on a week's stay.
BTW - the utility service fee is probably dictated by the Bahamas. But to make gratuity mandatory is totally inappropriate IMO, and the scale from $20-65 - what, are the staff at the higher end ones actually providing that much extra service.
Atlantis is definitely off of my list of places to stay. I don't mind tip envelopes & I normally tip, but I do mind being told that I have to pay a mandatory gratuity.
It would also be interesting to know who actually gets the mandatory gratuity. Do all employees get it divided between them, some of them, etc?
Cheers.
Last edited by SkiAdcock; Oct 29, 2014 at 3:19 pm
#138
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Winter Garden, FL
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Posts: 13,498
I've stayed at Atlantis (on business) and would never pay those kind of additional fees -- even on an award stay -- out of my own pocket. I'd rather just stay home in Florida (182 miles away by air) and save all the costs!
Bruce
Bruce
#139
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,074
I agree. In addition for about 200 per person one can take a 3 night cruise out of any of the Florida ports that spend most of their cruise in Nassau or parts of the bahamas. You can get a day pass to Atlantis too for about 100 bucks. Airfare in and out of Nassau typically isn't cheap either. For that Matter Nassau is pretty much a dump and I would much rather go to about any other place in Florida or the Caribbean. There is a reason this property has struggled and with new competition and these prices I don't see how Marriott will be able to save the property.
#140
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,337
What's really a joke is all these fees for Paradise Island Tourism Board and Promotion Board, etc etc. As Atlantis takes up much of the island, I'd venture these fees go mainly to them to cover all their marketing costs (i.e. those stupid Saturday and late night infomercials hawking up deals to Atlantis). Its just another way for them to cover overhead costs.
I'd also say these extra charges will never go away. It prevents cruise line customers (who have to pay upwards of $130/person to access the grounds) from just booking a room for one night for $99/night to save money.
#141
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Join Date: Aug 2002
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Report on Insiders by a Plat.
"Greetings all from the actual Atlantis resort. Let me share our actual experience from today's check in. I think the staff here has improved their treatment of Platinums immensely in the last couple of weeks based on some of the comments made...
1- There was a clear sign in the entranceway directing Marriott Elites to Atlantis' special guest check-in room. We were greeted by 3-4 different staff who all acknowledged my Platinum status and thanked us for our business. Honest thank you's, not the usual scripted appreciation...
2- The elite welcome gift was the standard wine/beer and snack delivered to our room or 500 points... We took the cheese plate and half bottle of wine and the cheese plate was amazing!
3- The resort is waiving their usual ~$20 per night Internet charge for Elites. No charge Internet comes in handy all around the resort.
4- Even though our reservation was on points, our room was upgraded to a Junior Suite on the top floor of the west tower, closest to the beach (Room #20577). AMAZING views from 2 different galleries in the room. The receptionist that checked us in walked us up to our room to make sure everything was fine. Very personal service."
Cheers.
"Greetings all from the actual Atlantis resort. Let me share our actual experience from today's check in. I think the staff here has improved their treatment of Platinums immensely in the last couple of weeks based on some of the comments made...
1- There was a clear sign in the entranceway directing Marriott Elites to Atlantis' special guest check-in room. We were greeted by 3-4 different staff who all acknowledged my Platinum status and thanked us for our business. Honest thank you's, not the usual scripted appreciation...
2- The elite welcome gift was the standard wine/beer and snack delivered to our room or 500 points... We took the cheese plate and half bottle of wine and the cheese plate was amazing!
3- The resort is waiving their usual ~$20 per night Internet charge for Elites. No charge Internet comes in handy all around the resort.
4- Even though our reservation was on points, our room was upgraded to a Junior Suite on the top floor of the west tower, closest to the beach (Room #20577). AMAZING views from 2 different galleries in the room. The receptionist that checked us in walked us up to our room to make sure everything was fine. Very personal service."
Cheers.
#142
Moderator, Marriott Bonvoy & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: McKinney, TX, USA
Programs: United Silver; AA Plat/2MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,727
#143
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UALifetimePremierGold, Marriott LifetimeTitanium
Posts: 71,114
Cheers.
#144
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: MSP
Programs: DL DM, Marriott Plat, National Exec Elite
Posts: 1,357
I just tried to book 10 night end of March early April and was told zero availability for points.
well 9 nights but won't let me do override for the 10th night which is on april 4th
well 9 nights but won't let me do override for the 10th night which is on april 4th
Last edited by MNAudiS4; Nov 17, 2014 at 6:36 pm
#146
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Join Date: Aug 2002
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Saw this on Insiders:
"1- Even with our upgrade we were charged what I believe to be the standard Royal Towers daily fees
$10.00 /day/room for a "Royal Gratuity", and
$31.90 /day/room for a "Royal Utility Service Fee"
2- The hotel did waive their normal $20/day WIFI charge for me as a Platinum ($120 for our trip). You do have to log onto their network every day but it always came up as free and showed free on our final bill."
Cheers.
#147
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Cockeysville, MD
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Just booked a 5 night stay on points in the Royal Towers for August. Had a (5) night cat 8 cert from a travel package. Got a great airfare on US- $102/each way from BWI.
Tax/fees total about $200 for the stay.
Tax/fees total about $200 for the stay.
#149
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Cockeysville, MD
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Posts: 9,467
Not much to elaborate on. The Atlantis reservation people made the award reservation for me, then Marriott rewards attached the certificate. I think the difficulty you encountered was that the Atlantis folks cannot attach the cert.