swintec

What should I put in my complaint? The fact that the hotel did not give me something that wasnt offered to begin with? While we are complaining about not getting things that may or may not happen anyway...I want my pillows stuffed with $100 bills so I can sleep better.

With the way the benefit is worded I guess all we can do is state we need a late checkout and take what is offered since that is all that is guaranteed.

VickiSoCal

All I can tell you is that when we escalated we got 4pm.

swintec

I dont doubt you, but I just dont know what grounds we would have to escalate this outside of the hotel not offering any late checkout at all, even 1230.

nk15

I think the advice is clear, you need to escalate first with the property and then with corporate (in writing, don't call). Until you hear a clear "No" in writing from corporate, you haven't exhausted your options. It may not work with all properties, but this is the recommended process. And make sure to request it at electronic check in, so it goes into some kind of priority list, if there is one.

ohmark

In fact, that's exactly what it says and exactly what it implies.
"Gold and Platinum Elite members may check out as late as 4pm. This benefit is guaranteed at all hotels that participate in Marriott Rewards, except at resort and convention hotels, where it is based upon availability." http://www.marriott.com/marriott-rew...&lk=1000170219
Otherwise, a one minute extension would be good enough to satisfy the "guarantee."

ohmark

MR CSA's and FDC's are not "official" spokespeople for MR. If you read these threads often enough, you understand that all too frequently they are fonts of misinformation.

GoPhils

Obviously it's not "exactly what it says," or else there wouldn't be so many posters and Marriott employees interpreting it differently.

Again, if it is so clear, then why doesn't it say "you may checkout as late as 12 (or 11)" for regular checkout? It says "checkout time is 12" which is also how SPG words their late checkout benefit. In my opinion (and several others), "as late as" was added because the specific time is not guaranteed. Its good that some have complained and gotten 4:00PM, but unless they were told that was the official policy, then it could've just been they wanted to satisfy a guest who was taking the time to call and complain.

Yes they are often wrong, but they are official. You'd hope that at least 1 out of 2 would know what they're talking about (and IMO it sounds like the second one probably did).

ohmark

1. "...may check out as late as" means that it is the customer's option.
2. "...may request checkout as late as" means its the property's option.
3. FDC's and CSA's are Marriott employees, not spokespeople.
4. Just to be clear, there's a difference between how Marriott may or may not be interpreting the language and the clear meaning of the language that Marriott has chosen. Typically, a company will try to make a benefit seem as great as possible to the public, but in reality provide less or much less. We don't yet know whether Marriott is doing this here, though in the past as to other benefits, Marriott has used ambiguous language which is then interpreted one way by properties and a different way by the public. Lending further doubt, Marriott has provided no mechanism to enforce this so-called guarantee.

GoPhils

The wording on the website right now (https://www.marriott.com/marriott-re...ts/platinum.mi) reads:

"Make advance requests on our mobile app for guaranteed checkout as late as 4pm"

And under the "ad" to do it on the app, it says "Want to request a late checkout the day before? Download the Marriott Mobile App to request checkouts as late as 4pm."

IIRC this is new wording, but certainly seems more like your description of it being the property's option.

MSPeconomist

To me, the word request doesn't sound like a guarantee.

joshua362

Or "may" or "as late as" or a host of other phrases here. It was purposely written this way to give the more troublesome franchises some wiggle room without setting off a revolt. Chicago Mag Mile comes to mind...

nk15

Correct.

GoPhils

Except it appears that is no longer the wording anyway according to the link I posted. I didn't check ohmark's link from last night but just now got a Sorry Page Not Found message. There was an earlier link to this - http://www.marriott.com/marriott-rew...&lk=1000170219 which still says "may check out as late as 4PM" in the initial wording (but may just be an issue of one part of the site updating before another), but in the FAQ's it says: "late checkout guaranteed as late as 4 PM that can be requested through voice reservations, Marriott app via the mobile check-in process, at the front desk during check-in, or on the day of departure" so uses the word "request"

MSPeconomist

There's also an argument that the phrase as late as 4 pm can mean that the hotel can decide that only 12:01 pm is allowed.

joshua362

Now this muddles the waters even more...

4. How is the guaranteed late checkout for Gold & Platinum Elite members different from priority late checkout for Silver Elite members?
Guaranteed late checkout offers Gold and Platinum Elite members the benefit of late checkout as late as 4 PM and also provides them with the opportunity to request late checkout earlier than the day of departure through voice reservations, the Marriott app or at the front desk during check-in. This benefit is guaranteed at all participating Marriott Rewards hotels, except at resort and convention hotels, where it is based upon availability. Marriott Vacation Club® is excluded. Priority late checkout offers Silver Elite members the benefit of late checkout with no timeframe guaranteed and can only be requested on the morning of departure and is based on availability.

So G+P have a guaranteed timeframe? Is it 12-4 or 12-12:01 to meet the guarantee?

Whatever, certainly Marriott has the forum & opportunity to clear this up beyond a shadow of a doubt and chooses not to...