Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Hotels and Places to Stay > Marriott | Marriott Bonvoy
Reload this Page >

Al Maha claims they're overbooked and want to cancel my reservation

Community
Wiki Posts
Search

Al Maha claims they're overbooked and want to cancel my reservation

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Mar 30, 2019, 8:17 pm
  #151  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,417
Originally Posted by freed0m


refundable reservation is guaranteed and the hotel can charge the card filed for no-show or cancellation fee.

point advance is different. Marriott can cancel the reservation as it never booked if there is not enough points. Can Marriott cancel a refundable reservation like this?

What’s the penalty for not having enough points but blocked a room anyway? What’s the compensation for hotels to cater for such reservations?
HUH? I've never done a points advance reservation but AFAIK they're confirmed at booking and could be subject to the same (perhaps draconian) policies regarding the account holder being charged rack rate to the credit card guaranteeing the reservation if it's not cancelled by the deadline.
MSPeconomist is offline  
Old Mar 30, 2019, 8:21 pm
  #152  
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Programs: Alaska
Posts: 2,188
Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
HUH? I've never done a points advance reservation but AFAIK they're confirmed at booking and could be subject to the same (perhaps draconian) policies regarding the account holder being charged rack rate to the credit card guaranteeing the reservation if it's not cancelled by the deadline.
That’s not true. Marriott will only try to deduct the points days before stay. If there isn’t enough points, reservation is cancelled without penalty.

It’s okay for city hotels. For property such as this, huge loss of revenue.

freed0m is offline  
Old Mar 30, 2019, 8:27 pm
  #153  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,417
Originally Posted by freed0m


That’s not true. Marriott will only try to deduct the points days before stay. If there isn’t enough points, reservation is cancelled without penalty.

It’s okay for city hotels. For property such as this, huge loss of revenue.


Then what would happen at a property like StR Aspen with a 90 day cancel requirement, at least in high season? Would the reservation be automatically cancelled if there are insufficient points 90 days before arrival? Otherwise, it seems like a way to get a more generous cancellation period, which mostly benefits people without many points in their accounts, so on average not the most frequent Bonvoy guests or those paying for more expensive properties (or those buying lots of expensive room service etc. on site).
rny321 likes this.
MSPeconomist is offline  
Old Mar 30, 2019, 8:33 pm
  #154  
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Programs: Alaska
Posts: 2,188
Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Then what would happen at a property like StR Aspen with a 90 day cancel requirement, at least in high season? Would the reservation be automatically cancelled if there are insufficient points 90 days before arrival? Otherwise, it seems like a way to get a more generous cancellation period, which mostly benefits people without many points in their accounts, so on average not the most frequent Bonvoy guests or those paying for more expensive properties (or those buying lots of expensive room service etc. on site).

I don’t know about StR Aspen. I did not book point advance there. Maybe Marriott will deduct the point before cancellation period.

Members are abusing point advance system by booking weeks and weeks reservations, only intend to confirm one of them when they finalise their travel plan.


How could property such as this manage revenue?
freed0m is offline  
Old Mar 30, 2019, 10:22 pm
  #155  
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Seat 1A
Programs: Non-status paid F/J (best value for $$$)
Posts: 4,124
Al Maha Leaving Marriott?

I was just reading this other thread ( Walked from Hotel mid-stay ) where a poster was walked during the middle of a points stay due to the hotel no longer being a part of Marriott mid stay.

Could this whole fiasco at the Al Maha be a sign that they are planning to leave Marriott by the end of the year, thus not taking any points bookings and trying to cancel existing ones?
daniellam is offline  
Old Mar 30, 2019, 10:23 pm
  #156  
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Seat 1A
Programs: Non-status paid F/J (best value for $$$)
Posts: 4,124
Lightbulb

Duplicate
daniellam is offline  
Old Mar 30, 2019, 11:16 pm
  #157  
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Programs: Alaska
Posts: 2,188
Originally Posted by daniellam
I was just reading this other thread ( Walked from Hotel mid-stay ) where a poster was walked during the middle of a points stay due to the hotel no longer being a part of Marriott mid stay.

Could this whole fiasco at the Al Maha be a sign that they are planning to leave Marriott by the end of the year, thus not taking any points bookings and trying to cancel existing ones?
The property only asks about those point advance reservations, not those confirmed already with points.
freed0m is offline  
Old Mar 31, 2019, 12:05 am
  #158  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,767
Originally Posted by freed0m


That’s not true. Marriott will only try to deduct the points days before stay. If there isn’t enough points, reservation is cancelled without penalty.

It’s okay for city hotels. For property such as this, huge loss of revenue.

Your above statement simply is not correct.

Actually the PA booking if not paid with points between 7 to 14 days before arrival, depends on what the language said on most properties, the reservation is NOT canceled by Marriott, but changed to a Revenue booking. Then it is UP TO YOU the customer to cancel the booking before the deadline of free cancellation.

At least that is how things have been done in the past. No idea how it is been done now after merger.

Now Al Maha has a one month cancellation policy, I dont see where says what you claim, nor the usual language about the deadline to fund it with points before the reservation would turn into Cash booking.
UA-NYC and rny321 like this.

Last edited by Happy; Mar 31, 2019 at 12:12 am
Happy is offline  
Old Mar 31, 2019, 12:10 am
  #159  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,767
Originally Posted by freed0m

The property only asks about those point advance reservations, not those confirmed already with points.
It has not asked me who also holds 3 1 nights PA in Dec, though at the beginning instead of at the end of Dec.

None of your assumption is true.
Happy is offline  
Old Mar 31, 2019, 12:46 am
  #160  
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Programs: Alaska
Posts: 2,188
Originally Posted by Happy
Your above statement simply is not correct.

Actually the PA booking if not paid with points between 7 to 14 days before arrival, depends on what the language said on most properties, the reservation is NOT canceled by Marriott, but changed to a Revenue booking. Then it is UP TO YOU the customer to cancel the booking before the deadline of free cancellation.

At least that is how things have been done in the past. No idea how it is been done now after merger.

Now Al Maha has a one month cancellation policy, I dont see where says what you claim, nor the usual language about the deadline to fund it with points before the reservation would turn into Cash booking.
i remembered it differently. It seems that the T&Cs have changed regarding point advance. The last sentence is different.

3.6.a. If a purchase of Points is not an option, or if a Member does not have sufficient Points to pay for an Award Redemption with Points fourteen (14) days or less from Member’s arrival date, Member will forfeit the Award Redemption part of the reservation. The Award Redemption may be canceled by the Loyalty Program or the Participating Property and the reservation will be converted to a cash reservation at the best available rate.
I did find an older version around merger.

3.6(a). If a purchase of Points is not an option, or if a Member does not have sufficient Points to pay for an Award Redemption with Points fourteen (14) days or less from Member’s arrival date, Member will forfeit any Award Redemption. The Award Redemption may be canceled by the Loyalty Program or the Participating Property without prior notice. The Member must re-book the reservation at the best available rate for which the Member qualifies.
i need check my point advance reservations and see what language they use. I did not remember about converting to BAR. My PA reservation is not in this property.

Last edited by freed0m; Mar 31, 2019 at 1:09 am
freed0m is offline  
Old Mar 31, 2019, 12:49 am
  #161  
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Programs: Alaska
Posts: 2,188
Originally Posted by Happy
It has not asked me who also holds 3 1 nights PA in Dec, though at the beginning instead of at the end of Dec.

None of your assumption is true.
i am talking about OP’s cases and I did not say that it is about all point advance reservations.


if I recall correctly, one night OP paid with points is not one of the negotiating reservation. The email talks about those affected reservations are not paid up yet.

if none of your point reservations is affected, it indirectly disapproves quite some speculations about the property.

Last edited by freed0m; Mar 31, 2019 at 1:15 am
freed0m is offline  
Old Mar 31, 2019, 5:55 am
  #162  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
Originally Posted by freed0m


That’s not true. Marriott will only try to deduct the points days before stay. If there isn’t enough points, reservation is cancelled without penalty.

It’s okay for city hotels. For property such as this, huge loss of revenue.



We aren't talking about a stay for tomorrow or next week.

It's March. The stay is at the end of December. There is plenty of time between now and then for other people to cancel. I have no doubt this property can fill its rooms for December in June, August or November if there were additional openings or cancellations.

The fact remains that this hotel has played games with the loyalty program in the past. As such, it shouldn't be given any slack or benefit the doubt in this instance.
lingua101 and GrayAnderson like this.
hockeyinsider is offline  
Old Mar 31, 2019, 5:58 am
  #163  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
Originally Posted by freed0m

The property only asks about those point advance reservations, not those confirmed already with points.
We don't know that at all.

The property also mentions that the number of points required for an award-redemption has gone up. That's very relevant when you take everything and add it up and also factor in the hotel's prior bad acts. The property is playing games and doesn't want to honor this particular reservation.
hockeyinsider is offline  
Old Mar 31, 2019, 6:25 pm
  #164  
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Programs: Alaska
Posts: 2,188
Originally Posted by hockeyinsider
We don't know that at all.

The property also mentions that the number of points required for an award-redemption has gone up. That's very relevant when you take everything and add it up and also factor in the hotel's prior bad acts. The property is playing games and doesn't want to honor this particular reservation.
most will not understand how point advance works after rate change. You gotta cut the hotel some slack about not knowing how many points to charge. That’s Marriott’s job, not the hotel’s.

The problem is OP has no intention to confirm all its reservations. OP uses point advance to book all possible date around NYE, only confirms one(?) and intend to cancel one(?) after finalising plan.

freed0m is offline  
Old Mar 31, 2019, 6:29 pm
  #165  
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Programs: Alaska
Posts: 2,188
Originally Posted by hockeyinsider
We aren't talking about a stay for tomorrow or next week.

It's March. The stay is at the end of December. There is plenty of time between now and then for other people to cancel. I have no doubt this property can fill its rooms for December in June, August or November if there were additional openings or cancellations.

The fact remains that this hotel has played games with the loyalty program in the past. As such, it shouldn't be given any slack or benefit the doubt in this instance.
Maybe you should OP when he/she will cancel his/her unwanted reservations. He/she booked multiple without intention to confirm all.

OP is not alone with this. Tell me as a property manager how you intend to manage revenue?

Marriott creates a mess and now members are going to lose more aspirational properties.
freed0m is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.