Al Maha claims they're overbooked and want to cancel my reservation
Mar 28, 2019, 7:51 am
#91
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Mar 28, 2019, 7:58 am
#92
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Marriott Bonvoy
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"Please note that for the below reservation numbers, no e-certificates have been issued, and the bookings are only provisional at this stage. They are not confirmed bookings as of yet"
<snip>
I've asked whether 1) compensation 2) move to RC Al Wadi with full board + activities and 3) wait and see in case some other guests at Al Maha cancel are possible.
<snip>
I've asked whether 1) compensation 2) move to RC Al Wadi with full board + activities and 3) wait and see in case some other guests at Al Maha cancel are possible.
Is this fact or opinion ? If there are only 42 rooms, and Marriott has allowed many of them, 9 months out, to be blocked with Points Advance bookings, some of which are speculative and will be cancelled at some point in the future, then doesn't the hotel have to overbook to compensate ?
Mar 28, 2019, 8:17 am
#93
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I don’t agree. Having been there and having met mgmt, I firmly believe that this is a situation totally caused by Marriott’s craptacular IT. They were nothing but gracious when I was there. I was upgraded from a Bedouin Suite (700 sq ft) to a Royal Suite (1800 sq ft), and was even offered complimentary dune bashing ride (normally 270 AED/person) even though I was there for 5 nights on a mere 240K pts.
Mar 28, 2019, 8:22 am
#94
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Just out of interest, is there a fourth option to propose : "I will pay my points now, get the e-certificate and secure the booking" ?
Is this fact or opinion ? If there are only 42 rooms, and Marriott has allowed many of them, 9 months out, to be blocked with Points Advance bookings, some of which are speculative and will be cancelled at some point in the future, then doesn't the hotel have to overbook to compensate ?
Is this fact or opinion ? If there are only 42 rooms, and Marriott has allowed many of them, 9 months out, to be blocked with Points Advance bookings, some of which are speculative and will be cancelled at some point in the future, then doesn't the hotel have to overbook to compensate ?
I don’t agree. Having been there and having met mgmt, I firmly believe that this is a situation totally caused by Marriott’s craptacular IT. They were nothing but gracious when I was there. I was upgraded from a Bedouin Suite (700 sq ft) to a Royal Suite (1800 sq ft), and was even offered complimentary dune bashing ride (normally 270 AED/person) even though I was there for 5 nights on a mere 240K pts.
... since 5 March 2019, our property has moved up to category 8, meaning that members will now have to redeem 85,000 points per night in order to confirm any reservations at Al Maha Desert Resort.
Mar 28, 2019, 8:31 am
#95
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So as I mentioned in the original post I actually have already paid the points for one of the bookings, while the rest are still on points advance. So the GM missed that. In any case, I think I'll have the points by June to confirm at least one more.
Mar 28, 2019, 8:31 am
#96
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Marriott Bonvoy
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Until and unless we know the actual booking numbers, then it's all speculation, but if Marriott has allowed its members to block out many of the 42 rooms over the New Year period with speculative Points Advance bookings (without imposing any capacity or quota control, or insisting that the points have to be paid upfront) then that is a real and genuine problem for the hotel.
Mar 28, 2019, 8:32 am
#97
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Being a legacy Starwood property, I suspect the GM is not familiar with how PA reservations work as opposed to “playing games”.
Mar 28, 2019, 8:45 am
#98
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Maybe, but this same property was refusing to provide its all-inclusive meals to guests staying on points until Marriott forced them to comply. So, this is, at least, the second instance of egregious gamesmanship by the property. As they say, fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.
Mar 28, 2019, 8:46 am
#99
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This may not even be just an IT issue. The combination of a low-capacity, high-desirability property with Points Advance may well have created a situation for which Marriott was not prepared.
Until and unless we know the actual booking numbers, then it's all speculation, but if Marriott has allowed its members to block out many of the 42 rooms over the New Year period with speculative Points Advance bookings (without imposing any capacity or quota control, or insisting that the points have to be paid upfront) then that is a real and genuine problem for the hotel.
Until and unless we know the actual booking numbers, then it's all speculation, but if Marriott has allowed its members to block out many of the 42 rooms over the New Year period with speculative Points Advance bookings (without imposing any capacity or quota control, or insisting that the points have to be paid upfront) then that is a real and genuine problem for the hotel.
Mar 28, 2019, 11:19 am
#100
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It's a blast watching us on the sidelines quarterbacking this.
But if the OP's intent is to have a relaxing vacation over NYE then he should be open to working with Al Maha
Again,
I would ask the GM to handle all of the details and move to the RC property in the desert and have all meals and activities covered.
If there is a serious overbooking situation with NYE the GM should be able to and want to accomplish this.
Marriott knows there is an issue with a few of these legacy SPG properties and will address it at some point.
But again if it's me I'm taking a proactive approach and working my best deal ASAP so I'm not home watching the ball drop on TV
But if the OP's intent is to have a relaxing vacation over NYE then he should be open to working with Al Maha
Again,
I would ask the GM to handle all of the details and move to the RC property in the desert and have all meals and activities covered.
If there is a serious overbooking situation with NYE the GM should be able to and want to accomplish this.
Marriott knows there is an issue with a few of these legacy SPG properties and will address it at some point.
But again if it's me I'm taking a proactive approach and working my best deal ASAP so I'm not home watching the ball drop on TV
Mar 28, 2019, 11:26 am
#101
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May I note that the St. Regis Aspen and the Al Maha are both former Starwood properties? I always thought that Starwood properties would never ever wrong a guest and that all bad customer service was exclusive to former Marriott properties. But I guess both properties in question would never acted this way would Starwood still run the show...
(Sorry for the rant)
(Sorry for the rant)
Mar 28, 2019, 11:37 am
#102
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It's a blast watching us on the sidelines quarterbacking this.
But if the OP's intent is to have a relaxing vacation over NYE then he should be open to working with Al Maha
Again,
I would ask the GM to handle all of the details and move to the RC property in the desert and have all meals and activities covered.
If there is a serious overbooking situation with NYE the GM should be able to and want to accomplish this.
Marriott knows there is an issue with a few of these legacy SPG properties and will address it at some point.
But again if it's me I'm taking a proactive approach and working my best deal ASAP so I'm not home watching the ball drop on TV
But if the OP's intent is to have a relaxing vacation over NYE then he should be open to working with Al Maha
Again,
I would ask the GM to handle all of the details and move to the RC property in the desert and have all meals and activities covered.
If there is a serious overbooking situation with NYE the GM should be able to and want to accomplish this.
Marriott knows there is an issue with a few of these legacy SPG properties and will address it at some point.
But again if it's me I'm taking a proactive approach and working my best deal ASAP so I'm not home watching the ball drop on TV
Mar 28, 2019, 1:35 pm
#103
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I think we're already watching someone drop the ball ;-)
Anyhow...
Does the GM think the OP is stupid? Frankly, if I knew I was dealing with an American (or someone from certain European cultures) I would be inclined to respond with something to the effect of "How stupid do you think I am? First you ask to reaccommodate me and now you're asking me to reaccommodate myself. Your email just now is self-explanatory as to why I will not do that." I'm sure there's a more diplomatic way to phrase that, but the gist was the same.
Anyhow...
Does the GM think the OP is stupid? Frankly, if I knew I was dealing with an American (or someone from certain European cultures) I would be inclined to respond with something to the effect of "How stupid do you think I am? First you ask to reaccommodate me and now you're asking me to reaccommodate myself. Your email just now is self-explanatory as to why I will not do that." I'm sure there's a more diplomatic way to phrase that, but the gist was the same.
Mar 28, 2019, 1:42 pm
#104
Join Date: Jan 2010
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Posts: 2,393
Do not cancel yourself. You may be losing the opportunity to claim compensation. I would tell them, "No Thank You, I am keeping my reservations, cancel someone else." I would transfer some points in to cover the points advance if I could.
Mar 28, 2019, 4:51 pm
#105
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May I note that the St. Regis Aspen and the Al Maha are both former Starwood properties? I always thought that Starwood properties would never ever wrong a guest and that all bad customer service was exclusive to former Marriott properties. But I guess both properties in question would never acted this way would Starwood still run the show...
(Sorry for the rant)
(Sorry for the rant)
I think we're already watching someone drop the ball ;-)
Anyhow...
Does the GM think the OP is stupid? Frankly, if I knew I was dealing with an American (or someone from certain European cultures) I would be inclined to respond with something to the effect of "How stupid do you think I am? First you ask to reaccommodate me and now you're asking me to reaccommodate myself. Your email just now is self-explanatory as to why I will not do that." I'm sure there's a more diplomatic way to phrase that, but the gist was the same.
Anyhow...
Does the GM think the OP is stupid? Frankly, if I knew I was dealing with an American (or someone from certain European cultures) I would be inclined to respond with something to the effect of "How stupid do you think I am? First you ask to reaccommodate me and now you're asking me to reaccommodate myself. Your email just now is self-explanatory as to why I will not do that." I'm sure there's a more diplomatic way to phrase that, but the gist was the same.