Marriott do anything for anniversary trips?
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: BAEC Gold, Delta Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, AMEX Platinum (US)
Posts: 18,485
All depends on the hotel. For special occasions (birthday/anniversaries/honeymoon) I usually stay at Virtuoso/Amex FHR properties where the agent often proactively asks if there is any special occasion. Stayed in suites at The Peninsula HK and Mandarin Oriental Macau, both Virtuoso stays, on our honeymoon last year and got beautiful cakes and cards signed by the staff. At an Amex FHR property in Bali that I booked online I made no mention of it. I'm of the kind where if I'm asked I'll mentioned it but I'm not going to offer the information up.
On our anniversary last year I burned a free night certificate at a Hilton Curio property in NYC, it was valid for a standard room only and had to be booked by phone and the agent asked if we were celebrating anything. I mentioned the "A" word to the phone agent and were allowed to check-in early (was only expecting to leave our bags), upgraded to a suite, decent F&B credit and late checkout. Not sure how much of that was because of HH Diamond or the anniversary but the way the agent at check-in presented it seemed more occasion based than status based....either way, very nice result.
On our anniversary last year I burned a free night certificate at a Hilton Curio property in NYC, it was valid for a standard room only and had to be booked by phone and the agent asked if we were celebrating anything. I mentioned the "A" word to the phone agent and were allowed to check-in early (was only expecting to leave our bags), upgraded to a suite, decent F&B credit and late checkout. Not sure how much of that was because of HH Diamond or the anniversary but the way the agent at check-in presented it seemed more occasion based than status based....either way, very nice result.
#17
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 3,360
I used to work at a hotel that was arguably the best in town. It was the type of place where people splurged for special occasions like anniversaries and birthdays. On a weekend, we'd sometimes have a dozen people trying to get free stuff from the hotel.
Unless you stayed with us regularly, the only thing you were getting was a "Happy Anniversary" from the Front Desk Representative. As a for-profit business, there was little gained in spending money on one-time guests.
Of course, some people here may see that as harsh. But, remember that not everyone is honest. Birthdays are harder to fake, but there's literally no way for a hotel to verify an anniversary date (without getting into super creepy social media stalking). Dishonest people will lie and say it's their anniversary on every hotel stay.
Unless you stayed with us regularly, the only thing you were getting was a "Happy Anniversary" from the Front Desk Representative. As a for-profit business, there was little gained in spending money on one-time guests.
Of course, some people here may see that as harsh. But, remember that not everyone is honest. Birthdays are harder to fake, but there's literally no way for a hotel to verify an anniversary date (without getting into super creepy social media stalking). Dishonest people will lie and say it's their anniversary on every hotel stay.
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA !K
Posts: 20,061
Well, you asked and they did ask as well, so here's a sample:
Marriott Park Lane: Birthday acknowledgements for our boys as well as our anniversary:
Waikoloa Beach Marriott: They remembered my birthday!
And, to show that other non-Marriott properties remembered, here's some cake and milk for my youngest's son's birthday from the Hyatt Regency Long Beach:
FWIW.
David
Marriott Park Lane: Birthday acknowledgements for our boys as well as our anniversary:
Waikoloa Beach Marriott: They remembered my birthday!
And, to show that other non-Marriott properties remembered, here's some cake and milk for my youngest's son's birthday from the Hyatt Regency Long Beach:
FWIW.
David
#19
Join Date: Jul 2018
Programs: Starriott Plat Premier
Posts: 258
Actually i think it matters!
Am celebrating a milestone anniversary and have been going on a stay-cation spree since Dec. Just to share some datapoints
- Aloft - Card from GM, room deco
- W - Card from Welcome team, Cake + Chocolate Bodypaint (we just it as spread for our bread haha) + upgrade to suite
- St Regis - room deco
- Renaissance - cake + upgrade to suite
- Ritz Carlton - cake + staff that greeted us (FD, Lounge, Kids Club) wished us happy anniversary
- JW - This was a miss unlike the Post #8 however they did allow us to check in at 8am (!) so we enjoyed 2 breakfasts
Am celebrating a milestone anniversary and have been going on a stay-cation spree since Dec. Just to share some datapoints
- Aloft - Card from GM, room deco
- W - Card from Welcome team, Cake + Chocolate Bodypaint (we just it as spread for our bread haha) + upgrade to suite
- St Regis - room deco
- Renaissance - cake + upgrade to suite
- Ritz Carlton - cake + staff that greeted us (FD, Lounge, Kids Club) wished us happy anniversary
- JW - This was a miss unlike the Post #8 however they did allow us to check in at 8am (!) so we enjoyed 2 breakfasts
#20
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: La Jolla, CA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, Lifetime Titanium, Delta Plat, Hilton Diamond , Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,615
We have had several hotels celebrate our anniversary over the years.
This is what Park Tower Knightsbridge did to surprise us a few years ago on our anniversary.
This is what Park Tower Knightsbridge did to surprise us a few years ago on our anniversary.
#21
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: The place where it gets so hot in the summer some planes can't take off.
Programs: Marriott LT Titanium, WoH Globalist, National EE, United Platinum
Posts: 1,442
I booked a travel package for my parents's 40th anniversary a few years ago at JW Marriott Cancun. I emailed the hotel concierge to see if there was anything they normally do for anniversaries and they told me they would take care of it.
Turns out they upgraded their room (not a suite, but at least a larger ocean view room than what was available on points), brought them champagne and strawberries multiple days (I think this was a mistake) and took care of them a various pool bars and onsite restaurants. My dad said they thanked him for being a Platinum Premier member in addition to Happy Anniversary so I'm guessing my status was somehow passed onto their stay.
At the same time as their stay I was in beautiful Iowa City, IA arguing with the Coralville Marriott that 4pm checkout was definitely a guaranteed benefit and fighting to get bottled water sent to my room since the lounge for some reason was out...the front desk clerk was a young guy apparently trying to be the rate police too and tried to tell me I needed a business card with my company on it to use my corporate rate (that I had used dozens of times in the past).
Funny how things work some times.
Turns out they upgraded their room (not a suite, but at least a larger ocean view room than what was available on points), brought them champagne and strawberries multiple days (I think this was a mistake) and took care of them a various pool bars and onsite restaurants. My dad said they thanked him for being a Platinum Premier member in addition to Happy Anniversary so I'm guessing my status was somehow passed onto their stay.
At the same time as their stay I was in beautiful Iowa City, IA arguing with the Coralville Marriott that 4pm checkout was definitely a guaranteed benefit and fighting to get bottled water sent to my room since the lounge for some reason was out...the front desk clerk was a young guy apparently trying to be the rate police too and tried to tell me I needed a business card with my company on it to use my corporate rate (that I had used dozens of times in the past).
Funny how things work some times.
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: AA EXP/LTP, BA GGL/CCR/GfL, HH D/LTD, SPG/MR Plat/LTP
Posts: 10,074
My birthday and dates for any anniversary have never been disclosed to any hotel, although once checking in at one of my favourite Sheratons, the FD associate upon verifying my identity by means of looking at my passport, congratulated me as it was my birthday.
Besides from the standard fruit plates, petit fours, diverse beverages with alcoholic content, all depending of local culture/tradition, delivered to my room as an elite guest, but certainly never requesting any of them, only one stands out as being very special. At a Cairo Sheraton, rebranded years ago, I was less than happy with the room, the unavailability of the pool as renovations were ongoing and some other minor things, I had a talk to the youngish female FD Mgr before leaving the hotel for a meeting. Returning some 4 h later, a cake, chocolates and a bottle of desert wine was delivered to my room. Was that so special? Yes, the cake was light red and heart-shaped, the elegant pralines also shaped as hearts. A card wishing me "Happy Valentine's Day" too.
Alas, this nice young lady was unmarried, but lived with her parents, carefully guarded. Her father being a very high-ranked officer, sent his driver to deliver her to her shift, also to pick-up when finished. Upon asking carefully for a possibility to meet for a coffee or anything, outside her working hours, she explained the very formal process of having a middle-man, preferably a mutual friend, contacting her father, to ask for permission, and if granted, she would be accompanied by some half dozen of family members. I had no middle-man available, I'm afraid.
Besides from the standard fruit plates, petit fours, diverse beverages with alcoholic content, all depending of local culture/tradition, delivered to my room as an elite guest, but certainly never requesting any of them, only one stands out as being very special. At a Cairo Sheraton, rebranded years ago, I was less than happy with the room, the unavailability of the pool as renovations were ongoing and some other minor things, I had a talk to the youngish female FD Mgr before leaving the hotel for a meeting. Returning some 4 h later, a cake, chocolates and a bottle of desert wine was delivered to my room. Was that so special? Yes, the cake was light red and heart-shaped, the elegant pralines also shaped as hearts. A card wishing me "Happy Valentine's Day" too.
Alas, this nice young lady was unmarried, but lived with her parents, carefully guarded. Her father being a very high-ranked officer, sent his driver to deliver her to her shift, also to pick-up when finished. Upon asking carefully for a possibility to meet for a coffee or anything, outside her working hours, she explained the very formal process of having a middle-man, preferably a mutual friend, contacting her father, to ask for permission, and if granted, she would be accompanied by some half dozen of family members. I had no middle-man available, I'm afraid.
#23
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
All depends on the hotel. For special occasions (birthday/anniversaries/honeymoon) I usually stay at Virtuoso/Amex FHR properties where the agent often proactively asks if there is any special occasion. Stayed in suites at The Peninsula HK and Mandarin Oriental Macau, both Virtuoso stays, on our honeymoon last year and got beautiful cakes and cards signed by the staff. At an Amex FHR property in Bali that I booked online I made no mention of it. I'm of the kind where if I'm asked I'll mentioned it but I'm not going to offer the information up.
For what it's worth, almost all Marriott properties across all brands have packages that include "champagne" and chocolate-covered strawberries. It's worth playing around on the different booking tabs on Marriott.com. I'd definitely pay $30 more if I knew it was going to be a bottle of Mot & Chandon, but I put champagne in quotations because it will likely to be a $3–$4 bottle of Andre sparkling wine.
#25
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
At a Cairo Sheraton, rebranded years ago, I was less than happy with the room, the unavailability of the pool as renovations were ongoing and some other minor things, I had a talk to the youngish female FD Mgr before leaving the hotel for a meeting. Returning some 4 h later, a cake, chocolates and a bottle of desert wine was delivered to my room. Was that so special? Yes, the cake was light red and heart-shaped, the elegant pralines also shaped as hearts. A card wishing me "Happy Valentine's Day" too.
Alas, this nice young lady was unmarried, but lived with her parents, carefully guarded. Her father being a very high-ranked officer, sent his driver to deliver her to her shift, also to pick-up when finished. Upon asking carefully for a possibility to meet for a coffee or anything, outside her working hours, she explained the very formal process of having a middle-man, preferably a mutual friend, contacting her father, to ask for permission, and if granted, she would be accompanied by some half dozen of family members. I had no middle-man available, I'm afraid.
Alas, this nice young lady was unmarried, but lived with her parents, carefully guarded. Her father being a very high-ranked officer, sent his driver to deliver her to her shift, also to pick-up when finished. Upon asking carefully for a possibility to meet for a coffee or anything, outside her working hours, she explained the very formal process of having a middle-man, preferably a mutual friend, contacting her father, to ask for permission, and if granted, she would be accompanied by some half dozen of family members. I had no middle-man available, I'm afraid.
#26
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
I drink neither spirits nor red wine, I try not to eat chocolate and other sweets, and I don't eat junk food like potato chips or candy.
My ambassador profile specifies that I don't eat meat, eat healthy food, and drink Diet Pepsi, Coke Zero, Diet Vernors, chablis (French chardonnay from Burgundy) and French champagne. My ambassador knows I don't like sparkling wine that isn't champagne so she suggested prefacing "champagne" with "French" to ensure I don't get a bottle of Andre or whatever.
My ambassador profile specifies that I don't eat meat, eat healthy food, and drink Diet Pepsi, Coke Zero, Diet Vernors, chablis (French chardonnay from Burgundy) and French champagne. My ambassador knows I don't like sparkling wine that isn't champagne so she suggested prefacing "champagne" with "French" to ensure I don't get a bottle of Andre or whatever.
#27
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: EDI/GLA
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Posts: 2,254
I drink neither spirits nor red wine, I try not to eat chocolate and other sweets, and I don't eat junk food like potato chips or candy.
My ambassador profile specifies that I don't eat meat, eat healthy food, and drink Diet Pepsi, Coke Zero, Diet Vernors, chablis (French chardonnay from Burgundy) and French champagne. My ambassador knows I don't like sparkling wine that isn't champagne so she suggested prefacing "champagne" with "French" to ensure I don't get a bottle of Andre or whatever.
My ambassador profile specifies that I don't eat meat, eat healthy food, and drink Diet Pepsi, Coke Zero, Diet Vernors, chablis (French chardonnay from Burgundy) and French champagne. My ambassador knows I don't like sparkling wine that isn't champagne so she suggested prefacing "champagne" with "French" to ensure I don't get a bottle of Andre or whatever.
#28
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Join Date: Jun 2005
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Posts: 6,334
#29
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 35
I guess I was expecting something since I burned points for an ihg stay right by the airport during the same trip and I was asked the same, and they gave us a bottle of champagne + fruits.
I have no status with ihg (beyond the CC one), on a point stay, and they treated us nicely. Yet, I have plat status with marriott, cash stay, and they didn't do squat. Just... surprised after I thought the marriott agent was building up some hype for something.
#30
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