“

You are Lifetime Ambassador Elite”

Newest data point: arrived at RC Boston and despite already having told Ambassador and hotel I was alone and only needing room was pre-upgraded to Executive Suite. Thanks to my pre-arrival checklist my Ambassador sends and that I also send in response to the “how can we help” pre-arrival email, they had extra water, chocolate covered strawberries amenity, and even blackout out the bedroom window as per my request for true blackout shades! Only the StR SF has gone so far in the past in that regard. They pre-cooled the suite to 67 F, as well—though I did need to ask engineers to adjust further since thermostat showed 68 F and yet my thermometer showed 70+F.

A most impressive welcome and treatment between the hotel and my Ambassador (both her and my status).

How did they do this?

They taped the windows with black boards, completely blacking out the windows, it was unnecessary from my perspective, since the shades overlapped and were blackout, but the effort was well appreciated!

Nope. My personal thermometer was bought by the Prince de Galles in Oct 2017 to prove that our Makassar Suite air con was working like their thermostat indicated—even as I knew and argued that their thermostat was wrong. As it turns out, I was right. The PdG conceded that, as have many hotels ever since—within Marriott and at numerous other luxury hotels from other brands. That same personal thermometer also shows the exact same temperature as my thermostat at home on a consistent basis—funny how it shows the same reading at my home and yet a higher temperature than so many hotels’ thermostats. Go figure.

As a result, as someone who requires and confirms in writing in advance (usually at booking and again before arrival) that every hotel at which I stay can guarantee 67 F or lower, I find that personal thermometer to be a godsend.

Sorry. But when it comes to air con, I’m quite the expert now. And my personal thermometer comes in very handy to prove that hotel thermostats and engineer thermostats often aren’t measuring accurately what the actual room temperature is.

Was this reservation not cancellable by end of day following day?

I had a similar experience a few years ago with my SPG Ambassador. I accidentally made a prepaid booking at Westin Milan for 9 months later (this was when prepaid reservations were not cancellable). I realized it as soon as I got the confirmation, ie immediately. I asked my Ambassador to intervene on my behalf. I got an email from hotel about an hour later saying too bad, so sad. I then contacted the hotel myself, pointed out that I was a loyal Plat member, had accidentally made a prepaid reservation for 9 months out, and tried to cancel within 5 mins of booking. Hotel apologized and cancelled for me immediately.

95% of them are cancellable. There is the odd one that isn’t.