MrM2016

Thanks. I'm trying this approach now as well.

bgriff

I'm in the same situation as the OP and am in contact with the hotel and it sounds like things will be sorted out, but quite a scare for a minute, and a frustrating lack of ability to assist across most of the usual contact channels.

I had another W stay in the spring for a standard room which appears fine, so I suspect the problem here may be specific to it being an upgraded room category points booking, but who knows. Definitely worth double-checking all SPG points bookings you have as the brands have been transitioning to the new booking system!


As an aside, the ~$1100 cash rate that appeared for my points booking is interesting because it doesn't tie to any public rate for the overwater suite that I can find, so I wonder if it is related to the reimbursement rate that the property gets from Marriott. In which case, good for them (and bad for Marriott) ... I would have expected the standard reimbursement rate (when the hotel isn't close to capacity) to be a lot lower than that. I guess that kind of rate would make some sense in the old world where the W Beach Villa cost 90K SPG points, and the overwater room was even more than that (if it was available on points at all?), but if Marriott still pays that same rate now that it costs only 80K Marriott points for an overwater room, that's quite a loss leader for the Marriott program.

Of course, with everything Marriott corporate has done for us lately (and I'm including the customer service reps in that us!), I can't quite bring myself to feel bad for them.

konaflyer

Were you able to make a reservation at the St Regis Maldives? If so, how many points per night in which room category and what month is your res for? How many days were you able to book? I tried to make one in March for 5 nights, and they were asking for an obscene amount of points.

bgriff

There's much more discussion about this on the StR master thread but in short there are only a small number of standard rooms (garden villas) at that property which are bookable for now at 60k points/night if you can find dates where they're available. StR charges a much bigger number of additional points (above the 60K) than the W does to book direct into the overwater villas, but either property will also let you pay cash to upgrade a base room booking.

Iguana0

MrM2016

I followed the above advice and emailed the hotel directly. They have now fixed the reservation. I recommend everyone do this affected for either this hotel or others.

bgriff

I can also confirm with relief that my booking is now showing correctly again without any issues after having contacted the hotel directly. Still very confused why Marriott central reservations couldn't correct this issue, but at least the old SPG ethos of taking care of members still lives on at the property level for now.

I'm not 100% sure on the math of the taxes and fees currently showing (about $1000 for a 5-night stay), but most of it is the seaplane transfer so I trust that any remaining cost will be handled appropriately.

husky96821

I booked a points stay in mid-September that now shows as a cash stay. When I called Marriott, they said that it's always been a cash stay. I told them that I can see the points deducted from my account for in the Marriott app and online, to which they respond that they can see the points being put back in my account in their system. However, I don't see any points redeposited back into my account. I actually see a cancellation with 0 points refunded. Anyone encounter something similar?

jeanie

William, the Starwood Lurker, will be back in the office on Jan 2. I recommend getting his help with the situation.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30563051-post361.html

MSPeconomist

margarita girl

Lots of people actually. Is this a Luxury Collection by chance? On Dec 11, LC was moved over to the Marriott platform. There have been numerous reports of reservations being changed from pts to revenue (check the Al Maha thread). Hotel still sees it is a points stay, and the reservations have been changed back to pts (at least mine has).

I believe there is already a thread dedicated to this issue. Will see if I can find it.

margarita girl

DO NOT do this, especially if it's an Al Maha booking. You will lose the all inclusive benefit which they are no longer offering on award bookings.

husky96821

Thanks for the input, everyone. Seems that it was a case of HUCA. Second agent I talked to saw that the points were never refunded, so refunded them and booked another points stay. However, I didn't get an explanation for why the reservation was changed.

This was at St Regis Bali, so I don't believe there was any loss of benefits by rebooking again.

margarita girl

St Regis also moved to Marriott platform on Dec 11. Glad you got it sorted out.

FIFTH ROUND – DECEMBER 11

• Luxury Collections Properties
• St. Regis Properties
• Aloft Properties
• Element Properties