Dec 26, 2016, 8:33 am
Last edit by: littlevoices
This is an all suite property. There are about 85 units total including suites, villa and private residence. New villas are planned.
There is no resort fee, no parking or valet fees, and buffet breakfast is included daily regardless of your status with Marriott.
There is no exec lounge for elites.
The resort is located about 8 minute drive North of the town of Elounda. The small town of Plaka is 3-4 minute drive to the North.
The ferry to Spinalonga Island is 10 euro the round trip. The admission to the island is another 8 euro per person.
Haute Living lounge is only available for those who have paid for Villas.
Titanium benefits are generous (as at August 2020):
There is no resort fee, no parking or valet fees, and buffet breakfast is included daily regardless of your status with Marriott.
There is no exec lounge for elites.
The resort is located about 8 minute drive North of the town of Elounda. The small town of Plaka is 3-4 minute drive to the North.
The ferry to Spinalonga Island is 10 euro the round trip. The admission to the island is another 8 euro per person.
Haute Living lounge is only available for those who have paid for Villas.
Titanium benefits are generous (as at August 2020):
- Complimentary Breakfast in our Restaurant (Tholos) throughout your stay (When booking on redemption stay)
- One Complimentary Dinner in our Restaurant (Blend or their choice on check-in), drinks excluded
- Spa thermae Facilities (per Adult, per stay - was a 20 minute back massage)
- VIP Check-in over a signature aperitif overlooking the famous UNESCO protected islet of Spinalonga
- 1000 bonus points (in addition to any normal bonus), posts about 5-7 days later
Domes of Elounda, Autograph Collection - Crete, Greece [Master Thread]
Jun 7, 2019, 12:22 pm
#196
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CT/ Germany - Ich spreche deutsch
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy LTTE, HH Dia, HY Expl
Posts: 4,654
Public Service Announcement.....If you booked the Domes under the old award category of 45k per night please double check your accounts to make sure that you didn't get Bonvoyed when they actually issued the award certificate!!!! If I hadn't been paying attention Marriott would have screwed me out of 160,000 points!
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...en-booked.html
Right now Marriott seems to do whatever they want to do and if they get away with it it costs us guests who don't catch these mistakes.
I'm sure the hotel is in no way at fault on this but it's all the 5th graders running the program at corporate. No real apology or anything from their side.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...en-booked.html
Right now Marriott seems to do whatever they want to do and if they get away with it it costs us guests who don't catch these mistakes.
I'm sure the hotel is in no way at fault on this but it's all the 5th graders running the program at corporate. No real apology or anything from their side.
Jun 7, 2019, 7:33 pm
#197
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,740
Public Service Announcement.....If you booked the Domes under the old award category of 45k per night please double check your accounts to make sure that you didn't get Bonvoyed when they actually issued the award certificate!!!! If I hadn't been paying attention Marriott would have screwed me out of 160,000 points!
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...en-booked.html
Right now Marriott seems to do whatever they want to do and if they get away with it it costs us guests who don't catch these mistakes.
I'm sure the hotel is in no way at fault on this but it's all the 5th graders running the program at corporate. No real apology or anything from their side.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...en-booked.html
Right now Marriott seems to do whatever they want to do and if they get away with it it costs us guests who don't catch these mistakes.
I'm sure the hotel is in no way at fault on this but it's all the 5th graders running the program at corporate. No real apology or anything from their side.
If you have NOT ordered the cert at the time of booking and the hotel has gone up in category, this IS what would happen, LONG BEFORE BONVOY.
The way to handle Point Advance booking, i.e. booked first without paying the points at the booking, is to CALL Marriott CS when it comes to the deadline to pay for your point booking. The procedure is the CS would deposit the difference between the old and the new category, then order the cert at the New point level for the existing booking.
Nothing new here.
Jun 7, 2019, 9:30 pm
#198
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,714
It’s understandable though that those of us not familiar with the different ways in which the Marriott IT systems are broken in ways which screw over customers will need to go through a period of readjustment and learning how to correct system errors like these.
Jun 8, 2019, 7:33 am
#199
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CT/ Germany - Ich spreche deutsch
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy LTTE, HH Dia, HY Expl
Posts: 4,654
@Happy...thanks for your helpful post! 
The reservation was NOT booked as a points advance by me at the time of booking. I had plenty of points on the day I booked! In addition to this booking, I made several others on the same day (some also for 180k points) and evidently they removed points for all but not this one....which I did not notice because I made a ton of reservations when the new categories were announced. AGAIN....I had plenty of points to cover ALL the reservations so not sure why Marriott ended up handling this as a points advance reservation and didn’t do it for any of the others.
if this had been a reservation I purposely made as a points advance I would have understood what happened. I don’t need to explain myself but I have NEVER made a points advance reservation in all the years I’ve been a member because I have more points than I know what to do with right now....so no need to book one.
The reservation was NOT booked as a points advance by me at the time of booking. I had plenty of points on the day I booked! In addition to this booking, I made several others on the same day (some also for 180k points) and evidently they removed points for all but not this one....which I did not notice because I made a ton of reservations when the new categories were announced. AGAIN....I had plenty of points to cover ALL the reservations so not sure why Marriott ended up handling this as a points advance reservation and didn’t do it for any of the others.if this had been a reservation I purposely made as a points advance I would have understood what happened. I don’t need to explain myself but I have NEVER made a points advance reservation in all the years I’ve been a member because I have more points than I know what to do with right now....so no need to book one.
Jun 8, 2019, 9:13 am
#200
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR/PHL/BWI
Posts: 4,412
Public Service Announcement.....If you booked the Domes under the old award category of 45k per night please double check your accounts to make sure that you didn't get Bonvoyed when they actually issued the award certificate!!!! If I hadn't been paying attention Marriott would have screwed me out of 160,000 points!
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...en-booked.html
Right now Marriott seems to do whatever they want to do and if they get away with it it costs us guests who don't catch these mistakes.
I'm sure the hotel is in no way at fault on this but it's all the 5th graders running the program at corporate. No real apology or anything from their side.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...en-booked.html
Right now Marriott seems to do whatever they want to do and if they get away with it it costs us guests who don't catch these mistakes.
I'm sure the hotel is in no way at fault on this but it's all the 5th graders running the program at corporate. No real apology or anything from their side.
I also have this booking for summer travel. The booking shows the 60k rate that I paid. The rep manually adjusted the 45k to 60k. I probably would call Bonv*y before I go on the trip.
Jun 9, 2019, 10:01 am
#201
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,740
@Happy...thanks for your helpful post! The reservation was NOT booked as a points advance by me at the time of booking. I had plenty of points on the day I booked! In addition to this booking, I made several others on the same day (some also for 180k points) and evidently they removed points for all but not this one....which I did not notice because I made a ton of reservations when the new categories were announced. AGAIN....I had plenty of points to cover ALL the reservations so not sure why Marriott ended up handling this as a points advance reservation and didn’t do it for any of the others.
if this had been a reservation I purposely made as a points advance I would have understood what happened. I don’t need to explain myself but I have NEVER made a points advance reservation in all the years I’ve been a member because I have more points than I know what to do with right now....so no need to book one.
The reservation was NOT booked as a points advance by me at the time of booking. I had plenty of points on the day I booked! In addition to this booking, I made several others on the same day (some also for 180k points) and evidently they removed points for all but not this one....which I did not notice because I made a ton of reservations when the new categories were announced. AGAIN....I had plenty of points to cover ALL the reservations so not sure why Marriott ended up handling this as a points advance reservation and didn’t do it for any of the others.if this had been a reservation I purposely made as a points advance I would have understood what happened. I don’t need to explain myself but I have NEVER made a points advance reservation in all the years I’ve been a member because I have more points than I know what to do with right now....so no need to book one.
If so, your case would be the points being deducted TWICE, once at booking, once at the deadline when the e-Cert needs to be ordered. Your post said they just took amount of points that are more than they should - you did not say the point deduction was a duplicate, and more amount, being charged.
However, now you finally let the thread know that this reservation HAS NOT BEEN PAID FOR - in the system and hotel's eyes, it is a Point Advance reservation, regardless what you think - because this reservation has NOT been paid for at booking.
It really is YOUR OWN RESPONSIBILITY to make sure the points have been taken AT THE TIME OF BOOKING if your intention is not using Point Advance but have "enough points in your account" to pay for it. May be you were thinking of a windfall at the time when you dont see pts being deducted, may be not. Who knows and who cares. But one thing for sure, it is USER ERROR in the sense the USER has NOT followed up on the incorrect showing of the booking, Why so? Only you would know why you haven't followed up on the points not being pulled on this particular reservation.
Bottom line is, this particular booking WAS a point advance booking in both appearance and essence.. It does not have anything to do with "I have a lot of points in my account." This reservation was NOT paid for at the time of booking, therefore it is a Point Advance booking, pure and simple.
While Marriott IT has a lot of problems, crying wolf when the user obviously KNEW all along the reservation has not paid for, does not sound right.
Jun 9, 2019, 10:03 am
#202
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,740
This hotel has had two value adjustments, one of the 45k -> 60k (8/2018, Cat 8), then 60k -> 85k when Cat 8 was in place. It was affected with the 3/2019 cat change. With so many changes, I'd expect both the system and rep could get confused.
I also have this booking for summer travel. The booking shows the 60k rate that I paid. The rep manually adjusted the 45k to 60k. I probably would call Bonv*y before I go on the trip.
I also have this booking for summer travel. The booking shows the 60k rate that I paid. The rep manually adjusted the 45k to 60k. I probably would call Bonv*y before I go on the trip.
And yes, that is the way it should be done when the reservation was not paid for yet at the time of booking, BEFORE the category changed.
Jun 9, 2019, 11:00 am
#203
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR/PHL/BWI
Posts: 4,412
I think we can put this to a rest and do not over analyze any more. All settled, the poster did not pay any more points. He should be happy to pay 45k for a 85k hotel.
When I travel, I always print all my reservations. For complex reservations, such as partial travel package done about a year ago, I'll make sure all is good. You do not want any surprises, particularly if this is an overseas property.
Happy traveling.
When I travel, I always print all my reservations. For complex reservations, such as partial travel package done about a year ago, I'll make sure all is good. You do not want any surprises, particularly if this is an overseas property.
Happy traveling.
Jun 14, 2019, 10:16 am
#204
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BA Silver; Spire Ambassador; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 19
Prior to the changes last summer I made 3 separate reward bookings to cover a 7 day booking, I could not make one booking as the same room type was not available for one of the nights. I attempted to add my travel package but as they could not make it into one reservation they were unable to do so. The customer services rep spoke to the hotel and once availability opened up, which was post the changes in Aug, Customer Services were able to combine all bookings into one. Customer Services confirmed the vacation had been booked and they had attached the travel package.
This week I received an email stating that I had insufficient points for the booking. Having spoken to Customer Services they now state that they are unable to add the travel package as the hotel is a higher category than the certificate I have. The points they are quoting are also at the new higher rates, which is significantly higher than the points required for my initial booking. I have logged a complaint but it will take 3 working days for them to come back to me and I fly a week on Sunday so time is running tight.
Despite the travel package being added after the changes in Aug it was logged against a point booking that had been made before the changes and the Customer Service Agent confirmed by email it was booked with the Travel Package attached to it. What are my chances of getting them to honor it?
If I do decide to transfer MR points to pay for the booking if they do not let me use the travel package, should I not be paying the lower rate when I booked the room, rather than the higher rate quoted now?
Any advice is welcome!
This week I received an email stating that I had insufficient points for the booking. Having spoken to Customer Services they now state that they are unable to add the travel package as the hotel is a higher category than the certificate I have. The points they are quoting are also at the new higher rates, which is significantly higher than the points required for my initial booking. I have logged a complaint but it will take 3 working days for them to come back to me and I fly a week on Sunday so time is running tight.
Despite the travel package being added after the changes in Aug it was logged against a point booking that had been made before the changes and the Customer Service Agent confirmed by email it was booked with the Travel Package attached to it. What are my chances of getting them to honor it?
If I do decide to transfer MR points to pay for the booking if they do not let me use the travel package, should I not be paying the lower rate when I booked the room, rather than the higher rate quoted now?
Any advice is welcome!
Jun 14, 2019, 2:54 pm
#205
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR/PHL/BWI
Posts: 4,412
Prior to the changes last summer I made 3 separate reward bookings to cover a 7 day booking, I could not make one booking as the same room type was not available for one of the nights. I attempted to add my travel package but as they could not make it into one reservation they were unable to do so. The customer services rep spoke to the hotel and once availability opened up, which was post the changes in Aug, Customer Services were able to combine all bookings into one. Customer Services confirmed the vacation had been booked and they had attached the travel package.
This week I received an email stating that I had insufficient points for the booking. Having spoken to Customer Services they now state that they are unable to add the travel package as the hotel is a higher category than the certificate I have. The points they are quoting are also at the new higher rates, which is significantly higher than the points required for my initial booking. I have logged a complaint but it will take 3 working days for them to come back to me and I fly a week on Sunday so time is running tight.
Despite the travel package being added after the changes in Aug it was logged against a point booking that had been made before the changes and the Customer Service Agent confirmed by email it was booked with the Travel Package attached to it. What are my chances of getting them to honor it?
If I do decide to transfer MR points to pay for the booking if they do not let me use the travel package, should I not be paying the lower rate when I booked the room, rather than the higher rate quoted now?
Any advice is welcome!
This week I received an email stating that I had insufficient points for the booking. Having spoken to Customer Services they now state that they are unable to add the travel package as the hotel is a higher category than the certificate I have. The points they are quoting are also at the new higher rates, which is significantly higher than the points required for my initial booking. I have logged a complaint but it will take 3 working days for them to come back to me and I fly a week on Sunday so time is running tight.
Despite the travel package being added after the changes in Aug it was logged against a point booking that had been made before the changes and the Customer Service Agent confirmed by email it was booked with the Travel Package attached to it. What are my chances of getting them to honor it?
If I do decide to transfer MR points to pay for the booking if they do not let me use the travel package, should I not be paying the lower rate when I booked the room, rather than the higher rate quoted now?
Any advice is welcome!
I recall the Travel Package changed in late August 2018 with the Marriott/SPG merge. So the rep would not be able to apply the old travel package OC-9 to the NC-8. It is just not possible. You made the mistake waiting past the merge/purge. The Rep also made a mistake telling you the travel package was attached. OC-9 would be converted to NC-6 or so.
It is very hard to tell what is going to happen with your reservation. If you get all the paperwork, email and confirmation etc., you may get a chance. But with your trip only a week away, it becomes much harder.
Jun 16, 2019, 3:09 am
#206
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Plat, HH Gold
Posts: 71
Has anyone been upgraded to Residence as Titanium Elite? And if no free upgrade available, were cash upgrades to either Residence or Villa available and at what price level? Thanks.
Jun 16, 2019, 10:54 pm
#207
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CT/ Germany - Ich spreche deutsch
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy LTTE, HH Dia, HY Expl
Posts: 4,654
Yes, Lifetime Titanium elite and upgraded in past and on current stay. (We are there now.) From my experience this hotel truly will upgrade elites if an upgrade is available....so your question about paying shouldn’t apply based on my stays here....if they can upgrade you they will.
Jun 23, 2019, 1:30 pm
#208
Join Date: Aug 2005
Programs: AA Plt 3MM; UA 1K 2 MM; MR Lifetime Plat; HH Lifetime Diamond; HH Diamond; IGH Spire Ambas; SPG Gold
Posts: 2,149
Several threads mention emailing the hotel staff.
None mentions the actual email address.
If you know whom to contact, will be most grateful.
Arrive at the hotel this Thursday--and so far no advance email from the hotel.
None mentions the actual email address.
If you know whom to contact, will be most grateful.
Arrive at the hotel this Thursday--and so far no advance email from the hotel.
Jun 23, 2019, 2:12 pm
#209
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: La Jolla, CA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, Lifetime Titanium, Delta Plat, Hilton Diamond , Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,615
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Hotel emailed me from all 3
We LOVED this hotel and found the staff to be super receptive.
Have a wonderful stay!
Jun 24, 2019, 2:14 am
#210
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Singapore
Programs: SQ TPP, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 155
We have just returned from a stay here and we (especially our kids) absolutely loved the resort.
I'm Gold and we were automatically upgraded from a Family Suite to a HL Luxury 2-Bedroom Residence (but without Haute Living privileges), which is a big upgrade IMHO even without the HL privileges. The hardware was very impressive and the residence spacious, with a large patio and large private pool. There was even a washing machine in the residence, which enabled us to do our laundry halfway through our trip.
The resort itself is huge and hilly, so travelling by club car (golf buggies) to and from the Residence is essential. There are several club car stops throughout the resort with a sign saying waits should not be longer than 10 minutes. There is also the option to call for one. We did half and half, and never waited for more than 5 minutes either way, other than on our morning of departure when we had to wait for about 10-15 minutes for a club car. However, we did have an early departure of 6.45 a.m., so I guess that is understandable.
Everyone was very friendly and the concierges were proactive in suggesting excursions, places to eat outside the resort (and making reservations) and things to do. There was a minor mistake regarding timing of a tennis court booking, which was dealt with satisfactorily by service recovery.
We would be very happy to return to this resort again.
I'm Gold and we were automatically upgraded from a Family Suite to a HL Luxury 2-Bedroom Residence (but without Haute Living privileges), which is a big upgrade IMHO even without the HL privileges. The hardware was very impressive and the residence spacious, with a large patio and large private pool. There was even a washing machine in the residence, which enabled us to do our laundry halfway through our trip.
The resort itself is huge and hilly, so travelling by club car (golf buggies) to and from the Residence is essential. There are several club car stops throughout the resort with a sign saying waits should not be longer than 10 minutes. There is also the option to call for one. We did half and half, and never waited for more than 5 minutes either way, other than on our morning of departure when we had to wait for about 10-15 minutes for a club car. However, we did have an early departure of 6.45 a.m., so I guess that is understandable.
Everyone was very friendly and the concierges were proactive in suggesting excursions, places to eat outside the resort (and making reservations) and things to do. There was a minor mistake regarding timing of a tennis court booking, which was dealt with satisfactorily by service recovery.
We would be very happy to return to this resort again.