Racism in Al Maha Resort?
Mar 22, 2019, 11:00 pm
#16
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Im ASSUMING, out of all the points redemptions for those dates. As a gold you are probably at the bottom of the list thus the cut off.
Mar 22, 2019, 11:05 pm
#17
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Mar 23, 2019, 12:40 am
#18
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If you try and make a booking for your dates on the website does it show availability of any room type or does it show them as full? If full then it is possible there was a website error, lets face it with Marriott IT as it has been over the past 6 months it is quite possible.
If your dates are not fixed then suggest to them you would move to different dates but would also expect an upgrade or some form of compensation for accomodating what is essentially an error on their part and see how willing they are. Obviously again check the availabiliity online before suggesting the dates.
My final suggestion would be unless you have some evidence you are not sharing drop the suggestion of racism as the hotel is likely to decide its better for them if they just cancel and dont reaccomodate if you are someone who just plays the racism card unfounded as it would indicate while on property you may be hard work and try and manipulate things for everything you can. I do hope you have more evidence than you are sharing as otherwise just suggesting it to try and get an advantage is just helping the racists of this world.
If your dates are not fixed then suggest to them you would move to different dates but would also expect an upgrade or some form of compensation for accomodating what is essentially an error on their part and see how willing they are. Obviously again check the availabiliity online before suggesting the dates.
My final suggestion would be unless you have some evidence you are not sharing drop the suggestion of racism as the hotel is likely to decide its better for them if they just cancel and dont reaccomodate if you are someone who just plays the racism card unfounded as it would indicate while on property you may be hard work and try and manipulate things for everything you can. I do hope you have more evidence than you are sharing as otherwise just suggesting it to try and get an advantage is just helping the racists of this world.
Mar 23, 2019, 1:11 am
#19
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I can make sure there have other reservation were cancelled because I found some people on website who have the same situation with me, and the interested thing is those guys come from the same country with me. We are from non-English country and it is easily to discern our face and country on our name. That's why I said: doubt, because all of us are from non-English country.
Mar 23, 2019, 2:30 am
#20
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Don't use the race card at this point. Full stop. No one will try to help you if you lead with this. No one.
Mar 23, 2019, 3:52 am
#21
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I have to say that I am staying at the Al Maha in a few weeks and have stayed several times before. There is ZERO chance this booking was cancelled due to any kind of racism I can assure you after meeting so many of the team there. I do know however that several months ago I was told about a glitch on the Marriott system that caused a massive overbooking in December and January I believe. They were trying to sort it with Marriott and yes I would understand that the pecking order to cancel would be Ambassador Guests last, Titanium second last so on so forth also including regular guests. If your booking was an advance points booking that probably would be the first one to go. If you do want to stay at the property perhaps another time I would be surprised that they wouldn't accommodate you. Perhaps reaching out to the Front Desk Manager, he's a wonderful guy and very helpful.
Mar 23, 2019, 4:52 am
#22
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I have stayed at that hotel before with my family and I saw no racism, and I saw people from all over the world treated with professionalism and respect (thought friendliness is hit and missed at times). Actually the OP reminded me the establishment was having trouble with overbooking and I did see a group of people arguing with hotel staff in the lobby about it, when they were shocked they were being send elsewhere and were not happy. So does seem like this particular hotel has an overbooking issue (not a problem, I guess kudos to a hotel that everyone wanted to stay there?)
At times like this I'm so glad I'm Titanium and lifetime Platinum. I was walked once 20 years ago with family on a vacation and it was no fun, so in a sense I can feel the OP's pain, but hey, things like this happen, and to be honest, Gold level is so common now (with a credit card) it doesn't protect you much in cases of overbooking. But please do as other posters suggested, fight it with the hotel and escalate as high as you have to, and use whatever leverage Gold has for you, and at the very least get as much comp as possible.
At times like this I'm so glad I'm Titanium and lifetime Platinum. I was walked once 20 years ago with family on a vacation and it was no fun, so in a sense I can feel the OP's pain, but hey, things like this happen, and to be honest, Gold level is so common now (with a credit card) it doesn't protect you much in cases of overbooking. But please do as other posters suggested, fight it with the hotel and escalate as high as you have to, and use whatever leverage Gold has for you, and at the very least get as much comp as possible.
Mar 23, 2019, 5:31 am
#23
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Mar 23, 2019, 7:53 am
#24
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Folks,
I have removed several posts that were snarky, inflammatory and addressed the fellow member rather than the topic.
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yosithezet
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I have removed several posts that were snarky, inflammatory and addressed the fellow member rather than the topic.
I suggest that many of you review the FlyerTalk Rules, paying special attention to section 12. https://www.flyertalk.com/help/rules...sivedisruptive
Moving forward, please ensure you comment on the issue rather than the member.
yosithezet
Co-Moderator, MB Forum
Mar 23, 2019, 9:39 am
#25
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Ultra luxury resorts, such as Al Maha, tend to have high number of elites. As a Gold member on Point Advance booking, OP is likely at the bottom of the barrel in terms of priority. It is unfortunate that overbooking occurred. OP should work out a solution either for alternate accommodation or point compensation instead of making unsubstantiated accusations.
Mar 23, 2019, 10:54 am
#26
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I'm afraid that if you visit a web site full of members who have traveled for years/decades and deny a simple reality of how hotels work, it's going to be tough to have a lot of credibility with other claims.
Overbooking happens. That's a simple fact. When it happens, someone will need to lose a reservation - 100 parties can't stay in 98 rooms. That's another simple fact. If you hadn't actually paid for the rooms, you are likely are the bottom of the list.
Overbooking happens. That's a simple fact. When it happens, someone will need to lose a reservation - 100 parties can't stay in 98 rooms. That's another simple fact. If you hadn't actually paid for the rooms, you are likely are the bottom of the list.
Mar 23, 2019, 11:43 am
#27
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Hotels with 300+ rooms might wont bat an eye if there are few rooms failed to sell due to cancellations.
Al Maha only have 35 or so villas, so they sure want to sell all of them.
Al Maha only have 35 or so villas, so they sure want to sell all of them.
Mar 23, 2019, 12:16 pm
#28
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Assuming that OP is staying for multiple nights, is there any chance that the overbooked night is his/her first or last night? It might be possible to negotiate to be placed elsewhere (perhaps in a higher category hotel, perhaps for free, perhaps with some meals included or with lounge access) for the first or last night?
Mar 23, 2019, 12:33 pm
#29
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After reviewing this thread, I think it’s reasonably clear that:
(1) the OP is upset that his points advance booing to Al Maha was canceled despite having non-refundable flights
(2) the OP suspects it was racism causing the cancellation
(3) the OP doesn’t want to stay anywhere else but Al Maha in/around Dubai
(4) the OP is a Gold member
I think it’s also become clear that:
(5) it is much more likely the issue was an IT overbooking problem and not racism
(6) it is likely as a Gold that the OP was just lower on the totem pole when canceling bookings, nothing more nefarious than that
From here, I would recommend to the OP:
(1) if you don’t want to lose your non-refundable flights, pick another luxury hotel in Dubai like Grosvenor House. If Al Maha can negotiate to get you complimentary meals like you’d have enjoyed at Al Maha, you might call that a victory.
(2) If you don’t want to lose your non-refundable flights, pick another luxury hotel in Dubai like Grosvenor House for this stay...and get a comp’d future stay at Al Maha for the same number of nights. You’d still get to use your flights, youll still get the same Al Maha stay you wanted, so I’d call that a victory, too.
(3) Al Maha could be most generous by letting you stay at a another luxury hotel in Dubai for the stay with your non-refundable flights (but no meal inclusion) AND ALSO giving you a comp’d future stay at Al Maha for the same number of nights missed originally. You’d come out well ahead here IMO. As an Ambassador guest, this is what I’d expect for the consternation and trouble, let alone for having to visit Dubai twice. As a Gold guest, this might be asking too much. But if you don’t ask, you won’t know.
(1) the OP is upset that his points advance booing to Al Maha was canceled despite having non-refundable flights
(2) the OP suspects it was racism causing the cancellation
(3) the OP doesn’t want to stay anywhere else but Al Maha in/around Dubai
(4) the OP is a Gold member
I think it’s also become clear that:
(5) it is much more likely the issue was an IT overbooking problem and not racism
(6) it is likely as a Gold that the OP was just lower on the totem pole when canceling bookings, nothing more nefarious than that
From here, I would recommend to the OP:
(1) if you don’t want to lose your non-refundable flights, pick another luxury hotel in Dubai like Grosvenor House. If Al Maha can negotiate to get you complimentary meals like you’d have enjoyed at Al Maha, you might call that a victory.
(2) If you don’t want to lose your non-refundable flights, pick another luxury hotel in Dubai like Grosvenor House for this stay...and get a comp’d future stay at Al Maha for the same number of nights. You’d still get to use your flights, youll still get the same Al Maha stay you wanted, so I’d call that a victory, too.
(3) Al Maha could be most generous by letting you stay at a another luxury hotel in Dubai for the stay with your non-refundable flights (but no meal inclusion) AND ALSO giving you a comp’d future stay at Al Maha for the same number of nights missed originally. You’d come out well ahead here IMO. As an Ambassador guest, this is what I’d expect for the consternation and trouble, let alone for having to visit Dubai twice. As a Gold guest, this might be asking too much. But if you don’t ask, you won’t know.
Mar 23, 2019, 1:14 pm
#30
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Before calling to discuss alternatives, including staying at the property, I would figure out what the alternatives are which you would find acceptable and on what terms. Explaining exactly what you want is always better than having the other side of the negotiating left guessing.
I would strongly urge you to focus on a resolution, rather than making accusations unless you have ironclad evidence. I would simply say, "I am extremely disappointed, would you please check that there is no solution at your property. " If that does not work, try alternatives, perhaps just for one night if that is the problem.
I would strongly urge you to focus on a resolution, rather than making accusations unless you have ironclad evidence. I would simply say, "I am extremely disappointed, would you please check that there is no solution at your property. " If that does not work, try alternatives, perhaps just for one night if that is the problem.
