jdj84

So did you let the hotels know that you were credited points in CAD, instead of the USD equivalent, as per the terms of the program? Or are you following the "dark arts of the predatory flyertalker", and keeping quiet and pocketing those extra illegitimate points?

yyznomad

@CardMaster

Please ignore some of the crazies/nutjobs/RCHHMP (Canadians only!)/sanctimonious winners in this thread.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. ^

thomas199023

Wait, you only get 5x points at Element stays? When did this start?

jdj84

Pretty sure it happened when Marriott took over

UA-NYC

Which is of course asinine, as the Elements have a much different location strategy/consumer target/higher price point than your endless RI/TPS options

yeunganson

Of course I should learn from the masters here. Not only complain to get the $CAD 3 extra for the Food and Beverage credit, but also keep quiet when hotel illegitimately credits me points based on the weaker Canadian dollars. In addition, I should shift all my stays to those hotels just to take advantage of continuous staff errors ride that gravy train until the sun rises in the west and sets in the east , until the seas go dry and mountains blow in the wind like leaves, until the womb quickens again... oh! wrong thread, different fantasy

Leaving this thread for a few days and then came back, I got some new perspective. I understand why my initial gut reaction to the post was so negative. People claim it's not about the money, when in fact it's really all about the money. In this case, $CAD 3 of the exchange rate. Those keep talking about following the rules (Marriott Terms and Conditions) in this Canada case are disingenuous because I truly believe had the hotel gave $UK 10, they will keep quiet and not reference the rules to give the hotel back illegitimate gains. So it's not about following the rules. In a more overall perspective of the intention of the $US 10 food and credit, I interpret it as an intention that the hotel buy you a drink or two on the hotel dime to welcome you as a frequent guest. So long as the OP got the equivalent value of 2 drinks on the house, there is no real injustice done. So the initial post and the follow-up pile on did give me a feel of exaggerated grievance and superficial indignity thus I responded more harshly than I normally would.

Had the situation occurred in Japan and an elite guest got 10 yen instead of $US 10 (about 1000 yen), I am sure I would be very supportive of the guest complaint because 10 yen can only buy 8% of a bottle of pop and I can clearly see something unjust done to the guest that is backed by the terms and conditions. In the same way if a guest went to French Polynesia (I heard it's expensive), and got 1000 Franc (about $US10) credit and say a single coke drink cost 2000 Frac (just an assumption for sake of argument), I too will feel the guest has a legitimate case to the hotel management that something unjust happened even though it is not supported in the terms and conditions.

CardMaster

The bigger issue here is that Marriott still is not offering the much wanted free breakfast for Platinum elites in some brands like Courtyards, AC Hotels, Moxy. An average breakfast (coffee, eggs, sausage) at a Canadian Courtyard costs about $14 plus tax so about $16 in Ontario. Since the main use of the F&B credits is to be in lieu of the free breakfast benefit, I'm gonna fight against any shortchanging of my $10 USD voucher.

Whether I would complain or notify the hotel about any benefit to which I am not entitled is irrelevant, in my opinion, to the issue of the shortchanging in the $10 USD F&B credit and Marriott's failure in fulfilling the free breakfast expectation for elites at some of their brands.

Gigantor

I have an 8-night stay coming up at the Courtyard Downtown Toronto, beginning this week. As a Platinum member, I am curious to find out how I will be treated with regard to this issue. I will let you know.

flyme2

IMO, the only issue here is Marriott, the franchisor, requiring all its franchisees to offer qualifying guests a $10 USD, or local equivalent, voucher per guest (maximiof two) per night. It's not rocket science, and the franchisees who are not following the proper protocol are either ignorant of the procedure, or seeking to minimize ancillary expenditures. Shame on Marriott if they are indeed turning a blind eye in not attempting to maintain brand consistency.

MasterGeek

yyznomad

@Gigantor
Yes, please report back.

seanp7

Excellent. Most normal people would stop with the long explanatory posts at this point. Your (mostly incorrect) points have been heard.

I'm also staying at the Courtyard Downtown Toronto next week and will ask about this. It's actually my 'regular' business hotel and I never even thought to question the $10CAD (which I've selected in the past) until this thread! (Thank you OP).

Horace

Exactly!

It doesn't matter where on the globe the hotel is located. It doesn't matter where on the globe the guest lives.

If a Courtyard, AC Hotel, of MOXY in the United States were to claim that $10 USD vouchers are only worth $7 USD, guests would rightly feel cheated.

MasterGeek

Gigantor

Sorry for the delay in reporting back.

When I first used the 10$ credit at the Courtyard Downtown Toronto, the credit was indeed applied for only 10 CAD. After a discussion with the hotel duty manager, the credit was changed to 13 CAD per day.
For the rest of the 8-day stay, the 13 CAD credit was applied daily.