Kacee

This was an SPG property. The property's management had a chance to make it right, and doubled down on the mistreatment. This is just money grubbing at the property level, no need to turn it into SPG vs. Marriott.

I will add that I've had two recent unsatisfactory experiences at SRs. The brand seems to engender arrogance towards the guest.

cletraveler

OP here - Sorry, GJT (Grand Junction) not GCM. Freudian slip perhaps as I am looking forward to a beach trip next. That would indeed be a tough trip by car!

For those asking and wanting some more details, I arrived at the St. Regis around 12:30 PM MST on day 2 of my reservation. This in itself was pretty lucky in that getting a rebooked flight out of DFW for my entire family to somewhere near Aspen was difficult. My understanding was that I-70 between DIA and Aspen was closed due to avalanches so that took DIA out of the picture and further limited options. We felt lucky to be able to fly into GJT in the morning, get a car and drive over to Aspen. Was disappointed to waste a night at DFW and miss a ski day in Aspen but understand that things happen when you travel. Maybe I will post separately later under AA but the cancelled flight from DFW to ASE had some interesting circumstances too (in short: plane completely boarded then 2nd officer addresses us on intercom while facing us to advise that pilot w/ special flying certification necessary for landing at ASE called in sick, there was miscommunication within AA, very sorry, etc.; deplaned and delayed initially 3 hours for replacement certified pilot to arrive at DFW from LAX; 1 hour later flight was cancelled "due to weather"). It was just one of those trips where things did not go well.

Anyway, had no clue that I would also be "rewarded" with a no show charge on top of this. It was never brought up when I checked in. So the big issue is that I was charged this no show nonsense ($2,226.00) in the first place and the lesser but perhaps more shameful issue is that my first notice of it was when I received my folios by email on the day of checkout.

I will plan to reach out to the general manager today but I think I will do this by email first to start getting things memorialized.

Thanks to all that offered suggestions for resolving this. I will keep everyone posted.

spgplat21

The only thing more upsetting than the actual story is some people trying to explain this away. This is 100% unacceptable any way you look at it. He showed up a day late because of a flight cancellation and let them know about it in advance. In no way should that result in what happened.

hockeyinsider

You definitely want to stick to written communication unless or until they relent.

Admiral Ackbar

Not on the same scale but a similar thing happened to me on a normal $ reservation at the Marriott Ottawa East in Vanier. I had booked a long weekend (3 nights), we had something on the friday I called the hotel (in retrospect I should have tried to reach the hotel reservations but reached Marriott central reservations) to say that I would not make it on friday night, that I understood I was not going to be refunded for that night and that we would be arriving on saturday morning. This was a prepaid reservation so the hotel got their money.

We get to the hotel on Saturday only to be told there were no rooms available (it being a long weekend) and that our reservation was 'cancelled'. What I think happened is the manager booked the room at a much higher last minute long weekend rate and took the risk I would not show up at all.

Lucky for me, my best friend's dad owns the hotel so it got sorted out quickly. But I was really upset they cancelled the reservation, hotel did not bother to check the reservation and assumed I was a no show. He also said Marriott head office and central reservations was a zoo, and this was before we got Bonyoyed.


If I prepaid for a 5 night stay and I decide to show up on the 4th night, that is their problem not mine. I would initiate chargeback proceedings on my credit card as well.

mikebor

That's ridiculous and am glad I don't have your pessimistic attitude. Every time just about I wanted to speak to a GM I was able. I also spoke to a couple Area Vice Presidents as well.

Yul_voyager

Well, I realize how I was lucky. I was at this hotel in February for 5 nights on points and I missed a connection in Denver. The next two flights were cancelled because of weather, but I was finally able to arrive with the last flight of the day (thanks to my Star Alliance gold status, they rebooked me in the United lounge, otherwise the flight would have been full the time I would be able to talk to an agent).
I just looked at my email archive and the cancellation fee was... 12,400 $

TerryK

That's probably the rate for 5 nights during President's Day week.

ecaarch

"Doing the right thing" and taking actions "according to T&C" are not always the same thing, and def not in this situation.

MePlatPremier

pinniped

You know, if a guest just flakes out and no-shows, the hotel keeping the payment and selling the room to a last-minute booking would be okay. OP didn't call asking for his points back. They're gone, and he accepts that. That was both in the T's & C's, and is the fair thing for all parties, including the person who is trying to find a hotel room late at night.

But charging an additional no-show penalty - e.g., an extra $1,000 for not showing up - seems way over the top. And finally, it's always been customary that when a guest has a flight cancellation and proactively calls, the hotel does something reasonable. I've called a few times over the course of 25 years to just say "hey, I'll be there in the morning...I'll pay for tonight but keep the rest of my nights available." Almost always the manager just shifts the reservation and *doesn't* charge me for the missed night, even though they have the right to do so. Could I abuse this and just call every time I decide to randomly flake on a reservation? I guess, until the data catches up with me. The only reason I've done is some sort of legit, verifiable weather event, but I've never been asked to prove it.

MSPeconomist

seanp7

This whole scenario is a joke and the hotel needs to sort this out. If the FT front page or TPG picks this story up...

zebranz

As kosher as my cheeseburger...... if a points booking was made and the guest missed only one night- those points should be forfeited. The hotel agreed to accept the points for the night and should be paid accordingly. Very poor customer service.

ckendall

I had a very similar situation at a Westin in the SPG days. I had a flight that arrived very early in the morning so I booked my arrival for the day before (e.g., flight arrives Tuesday am and I booked Monday to Wednesday). The flight was late so I received a no-show email while I was in the taxi to the hotel. I got to the hotel and was happily checked in with no issue. I cannot see why this did not happen to the OP.