DJ_Iceman

Quite right, and quite disappointing. One of the reasons I started showing loyalty to Marriott 20+ years ago was that I felt they were a company with true, ingrained integrity. I fear they are becoming just another company...

RogerD408

That's what marketing is all about... building an image of being a good company worthy of your spending dollars. Unfortunately, at some point, they figure they own you so they can start picking your pocket hoping you don't notice. If you do, you get to decide stay or go elsewhere.

stromile

I think this is a new datapoint: Chicago Marriott Magnificent Mile is apparently a convention hotel not subject to late checkout requirements.

Narrative format:

I requested 4pm via app, asked at check in whether or not request for late checkout was granted, clerk checks sheet and cheerfully says "yes, 4pm!" - cool. SO wasn't there for that exchange and woke up before I did on checkout day and calls front desk to confirm late checkout. Clerk apparently says "yes, you have late checkout for 12pm." SO asks about the 4pm number and clerk doesn't budge. This doesn't fit our schedule, so I go down to front desk and try to get it resolved. They graciously bump it to 1pm, still solving nothing. So we have to check out at 10:30 and leave bags up front. Email to Marriott support yields this response:

PHLGovFlyer

By Marriott's own definition and website the claim that the Magnificent Mile Marriott is a "Convention Hotel" is false.

Here are all 225 current Convention Center and Resort properties:

https://www.marriott.com/hotel-searc...center.resort/

There's only 1 in the entire state of Illinois (hint: it's not the Mag Mile Marriott).

to MR customer service for feeding you a bogus excuse.

rustykettel

And to the property for initially granting it then yanking it.

As someone observed up thread the guarantee is worthless without some kind of teeth, such as the arrival amenity or walked compensation.

stromile

a bit of closure for anyone interested — i called in to follow up this morning after seeing the above comments. the first CSR was delightful and confirmed that the list available online is the correct list and i was given wrong information. i thanked her for the courtesy and indicated that my purpose for calling had been satisfied, and she insisted on keeping me on the line to transfer me to either customer support or customer service, i forget which specifically. i should have declined vicki's gracious offer to transfer me, as that really is all i wanted out of the call.

with the second CSR, i explained the confusion. the representative proceeded to talk about pretty much everything other than the wrong email, including the fact that hotels almost never grant anything later than 2pm, before ultimately saying, nearly verbatim: "i could try to reach out to someone with authority at the hotel now, but to be honest with you sir, you and i both know in the hotel world, talk is cheap. every hotel's check in procedures are different. late check-out is subject to availability on the day of the check out, so if you don't have a written confirmation that's signed by someone with their name on it, you might as well not have any confirmation of late check out at all."

i let it go at that — i was ready to hang up before even being transferred to this department, and i have work to do this morning. any customer service employee that's willing to tell me to go out of my way to build a record every time i check into a hotel in order to enforce benefits i'm supposedly entitled to has shown enough of her cards for me to walk away.

in retrospect, i should have looked harder around this board for reviews of the magnificent mile marriott, as it's pretty well documented as a bad place to rely on these things. learn from me! apologies again for the erroneous datapoint, and thanks for passing along the convention/resort list.

RogerD408

I find many CSRs will make up rules to fit the error. In my view this is to keep from having to do the followup work and so they can move on to the next call. As long as they are measured by the number of calls I don't expect any changes. Support really has no valid metrics (30+ support veteran). Customer satisfaction is tough to measure and I think many companies don't want to spend the money on surveys.

Today, one must travel defensively, know the rules and push for the benefits when not delivered. MR is good about putting in so much wiggle room, anyone has the ability to deny benefits. All it takes is for someone to claim they are a resort/conference property regardless of any published list.

scracer14

I haven't stayed at this Marriott, but will certainly avoid it when I am in Chicago.

I have switched most of my stays to SPG this year (110 SPG / 85 MR), and so far have been much happier with the experiences on that side of the merger (automatic upgrades, late checkout, welcome amenities, etc.). Hopefully SPG doesn't downgrade into Marriott's practices.

GoPhils

Courtyard Eugene Springfield OR: given 2PM without hesitation (didn't need 4:00), and my key even worked after 12:00!

swintec

and what if that rep gave the same answer as the first? would you call again and again just to hear the answer you are hoping to hear or want to hear? does hearing what we hope to make it any more correct if you have to call multiple times to hear it and really, at that point, what difference does it make?

dgreen12

I wrote Mr. Marriott's office with respect to the situation in Post 682, including the wrong response from Customer Care. The letter was sent snail mail.

Heard back via email from the person that the letter was sent to by Mr. Marriott's office for reply (they must have looked me up via my address). Even *that* person was giving out incorrect information --- saying that at resorts it is subject to availability.

I replied (via email) that the SpringHill Suites in Norfolk was not a resort and that the Platinum member should have been allowed his 4:00 pm late checkout.

It's sad that even someone replying on behalf of the executive office can't figure out (or understand) what the policy is.

Haven't heard anything back from the most recent email --- so I can't tell whether my reply was even read.

vishalgupta22

Marriott Fremont Silicon Valley, Fremont CA

Did not ask for late check-out during check in. Styles by at the front desk a couple of days later and asked for 2 pm.

The frontal guy checked and said I was entitled to 4 pm, I declined and picked 2 pm as I needed only 2 pm.

NWstu

Playa Largo Resort & Spa Autograph Collection, Key Largo, Florida

Two rooms on points, 5-day stay

4:00 pm on room one, no late check-out on room two, via email with FDM day before check-in. Was able to extend room two to 12:30 pm on day of check-out

NDDomer86

This property was always great about late checkouts even before the official benefit rolled out.

When I was staying here frequently back circa 2006-2008'ish, I was always able to get a 3PM late checkout there...

megalab

Courtyard Detroit Warren. Once they saw i was Gold they cheerfully offered 2 pm late checkout when I asked for 1 pm on two of our three rooms. However, key stopped working at 1 pm as I was trying to load the car!