Downgraded From Club Level Room At Ritz Carlton
Jan 9, 2019, 12:02 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: SNA
Programs: MARRIOTT TITANIUM / HILTON GOLD / UA SILVER / AMEX PLAT
Posts: 609
Downgraded From Club Level Room At Ritz Carlton
CURRENTLY I AM IN COMMUNICATION WITH RITZ CARLTON MANAGEMENT REGARDING A RESOLUTION
I am celebrating my birthday, this weekend 1/13/2019, at a Ritz Carlton property that I will not yet name. The reservation was made through AMEX FHR Travel and I received a confirmation of my stay. I further linked the reservation via my Marriott account where I have PLAT status. The confirmation email from the Ritz Carlton, I received after I linked the reservation, shows that I am booked for a Club level room for about $660 per night.
Today, I get an email from the Ritz Carlton and reviewing my stay on their website to my surprise my Club room was downgraded to a basic level. room. I contacted customer service and was updated to my original club level room for about an additional $100.
Has anyone experienced such a station?
Jan 9, 2019, 12:07 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: SNA
Programs: MARRIOTT TITANIUM / HILTON GOLD / UA SILVER / AMEX PLAT
Posts: 609
Jan 9, 2019, 12:10 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,717
What I meant was whether you actually asked to book a Club room.
Unfortunately Marriott as a whole is such a mess that you can’t necessarily rely on anything you read on Marriott.com or that you receive in an email.
If you didn’t book a Club room it’s unlikely they intended to upgrade you and maybe temporarily had an error. If you did, then obviously you can’t be downgraded.
Unfortunately Marriott as a whole is such a mess that you can’t necessarily rely on anything you read on Marriott.com or that you receive in an email.
If you didn’t book a Club room it’s unlikely they intended to upgrade you and maybe temporarily had an error. If you did, then obviously you can’t be downgraded.
Jan 9, 2019, 12:15 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: SNA
Programs: MARRIOTT TITANIUM / HILTON GOLD / UA SILVER / AMEX PLAT
Posts: 609
What I meant was whether you actually asked to book a Club room.
Unfortunately Marriott as a whole is such a mess that you can’t necessarily rely on anything you read on Marriott.com or that you receive in an email.
If you didn’t book a Club room it’s unlikely they intended to upgrade you and maybe temporarily had an error. If you did, then obviously you can’t be downgraded.
Unfortunately Marriott as a whole is such a mess that you can’t necessarily rely on anything you read on Marriott.com or that you receive in an email.
If you didn’t book a Club room it’s unlikely they intended to upgrade you and maybe temporarily had an error. If you did, then obviously you can’t be downgraded.
Jan 9, 2019, 12:19 pm
#6
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,717
I'd have thought AMEX FHR would be the people to speak to about this? As mentioned before, the Marriott systems are all over the place at the moment, so I could well believe something has gone wrong. Obviously there's no way you owe $100 to receive a room you've already booked and I would not have accepted a $100 upcharge...
Jan 9, 2019, 12:19 pm
#7
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
I'm assuming if you actually booked a Club level room through FHR (as opposed to that being the FHR upgrade), then you'll get it unless they are overbooked, in which case I presume they will make some sort of customer service accommodation. On the other hand, if you paid for a regular room through FHR and they inadvertently booked you in a Club room, I presume it is a mistake and they may make some sort of customer service accommodation.
I don't stay much at RC's but am normally upgraded there when I do but never to a Club room.
I don't stay much at RC's but am normally upgraded there when I do but never to a Club room.
Jan 9, 2019, 12:57 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: SNA
Programs: MARRIOTT TITANIUM / HILTON GOLD / UA SILVER / AMEX PLAT
Posts: 609
I'm assuming if you actually booked a Club level room through FHR (as opposed to that being the FHR upgrade), then you'll get it unless they are overbooked, in which case I presume they will make some sort of customer service accommodation. On the other hand, if you paid for a regular room through FHR and they inadvertently booked you in a Club room, I presume it is a mistake and they may make some sort of customer service accommodation.
I don't stay much at RC's but am normally upgraded there when I do but never to a Club room.
I don't stay much at RC's but am normally upgraded there when I do but never to a Club room.
Jan 9, 2019, 1:07 pm
#9
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: MEX/YVR/YYF
Programs: AS MVP/AC75K/AM Gold/UA*S/SPG-Marriott Lifetime Titanium/Accor-FPC Gold/HHDiamond/Hyatt Exp
Posts: 5,035
But did you actually book a Club room? 
In all seriousness, as others have mentioned above, the information on both the Apps and the website can be inaccurate.
If you spoke to the property directly already to get this resolved, then great. Hope it gets resolved.
In all seriousness, as others have mentioned above, the information on both the Apps and the website can be inaccurate.
If you spoke to the property directly already to get this resolved, then great. Hope it gets resolved.
Jan 9, 2019, 1:14 pm
#10
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 343
I booked this through an AMEX FHR representative and requested a Club room, in addition I verified the room category for a second time before booking. Upon reciving confirmation from AMEX, I took the confirmation and associated the reservation number to my account. As far as I know, Ritz does not upgrade to a Club Level room regardless of status upon mere association on their website.
Jan 9, 2019, 1:18 pm
#11
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
I booked this through an AMEX FHR representative and requested a Club room, in addition I verified the room category for a second time before booking. Upon reciving confirmation from AMEX, I took the confirmation and associated the reservation number to my account. As far as I know, Ritz does not upgrade to a Club Level room regardless of status upon mere association on their website.
All that being said, if you booked a club room through Amex, why not just call them up and ask them what happened? Should be a really easy conversation.
Jan 9, 2019, 1:36 pm
#12
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 902
It does really sound like that OP’s original booking was not for a club room but rather booked a lower category and either was preupgraded on the reservation system or had a FHR upgrade (usually subject to availability) and when OP realized the reservation details mentioned club room he had a new confirmation email sent to him.
The answer on post #3 is definitely not very straightforward and his apparent downgrade is a bit surprising as, usually, RCs club rooms are not a special category of rooms but rather a regular room whose key was coded to allow acces to the club lounge (not always though).
However, if the reservation was indeed originally made for a club room, then I guess he’s entitled to, at the very least, the rate difference between club and regular room and a service recovery goodwill gesture from the hotel.
As previously mentioned by several other posters, this should be handled through FHR—they should know which roomcategory the OP originally booked.
Jan 9, 2019, 1:46 pm
#13
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
The answer on post #3 is definitely not very straightforward and his apparent downgrade is a bit surprising.
Jan 9, 2019, 1:52 pm
#14
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
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I booked this through an AMEX FHR representative and requested a Club room, in addition I verified the room category for a second time before booking. Upon reciving confirmation from AMEX, I took the confirmation and associated the reservation number to my account. As far as I know, Ritz does not upgrade to a Club Level room regardless of status upon mere association on their website.
You should have received a written confirmation from AmEx PTS/CTS for your FHR bookings. I t should show whether or not you booked a club level room. This is what matters, not how the reservation was translated in the Starriott system, which has been seriously messed up for many months.
Note that normally FHR rates are for regular "deluxe" rooms and you would need to pay a higher rate for a club level room, often about $100 per person per night, but the rate difference obviously depends on the hotel and possibly the rate plan you're using. As usual, FHR gives a one category upgrade at check in if available as well as daily continental breakfast and a guaranteed 4 pm checkout plus whatever special amenity the property offers. PTS/CTS phone agents should be able to tell you whether the one category upgrade at the property includes upgrades to club level rooms, but when I've booked FHR rates at RCs, the answer to this has been no.
Moreover, MR Plat status does not entitle you to club lounge access at RC, nor are you entitled to "available" upgrades to club level rooms. Currently MR Plat status (50 nights per year level, not the new PP at 75 nights) also does not entitle you to a suite upgrade, although you would be entitled to an upgrade to a higher category nonsuite room (without club lounge access) if available at check in.
Note that normally FHR rates are for regular "deluxe" rooms and you would need to pay a higher rate for a club level room, often about $100 per person per night, but the rate difference obviously depends on the hotel and possibly the rate plan you're using. As usual, FHR gives a one category upgrade at check in if available as well as daily continental breakfast and a guaranteed 4 pm checkout plus whatever special amenity the property offers. PTS/CTS phone agents should be able to tell you whether the one category upgrade at the property includes upgrades to club level rooms, but when I've booked FHR rates at RCs, the answer to this has been no.
Moreover, MR Plat status does not entitle you to club lounge access at RC, nor are you entitled to "available" upgrades to club level rooms. Currently MR Plat status (50 nights per year level, not the new PP at 75 nights) also does not entitle you to a suite upgrade, although you would be entitled to an upgrade to a higher category nonsuite room (without club lounge access) if available at check in.