cubeman

Guess they realized I might qualify for the $100 as I got an email back giving me the points on my previous stay and a $30 credit on my bill lol.

DreamHigh

The New York Marriott Downtown is by far one of the worst offenders of this.

After checking in, I realized that I was not offered the welcome gift or received any details of the lounge. (I stayed here about a month back and was told the lounge was closed - I continued to assume the same). I chatted with the hotel saying I wanted to claim the guarantee. The hotel called my room and the manager said to me that he was "standing next to the agent who checked me in" and assured me that the agent had told me that the gift was points only, and that the lounge was open for breakfast Monday to Friday. (this was a lie). I replied to him that I was not offered the other choice of the $10 F&B credit, to which he told me that they cannot offer that right now because the restaurant is a third party. I instantly replied that the hotel has a mart/pantry and would happily sell me a bottle of water for $4, why can't I use the credit there? He told me that they just cannot offer the credit now and that he is denying my claim. Of course I said I would open a case with corporate instead. Well now corporate is giving me the runaround saying that the hotel is allowed to only offer me the points, I had received a complimentary upgrade from a single to double room (I always had booked a double), and that I received 2 bottles of complimentary water (uhh no, and what has this got to do with the guarantee).

In order to not have to offer the 750 points in lieu of the lounge/breakfast, they open the lounge from 6 am to noon, and offer breakfast 6:30am-9:30am, only Mondays to Fridays.

RobOnLI

I find myself in my first ever "guarantee" situation where I might actually claim against it. Just checked into a SpringHill Suites in Virginia. The rather rude front desk agent said absolutely nothing but "hello" followed twenty seconds later by "swipe your card please". Zero interaction otherwise. No recognition of elite status, no question about welcome gift, etc. Given the fact that the FDA was surly I will talk to the manager tomorrow morning on my way out of the hotel and a) make a claim against the guarantee; b) give them feedback on their FDA.

In principle I get how the guarantee works. I tell the manager they didn't offer me anything and the manager will tell me "that's simply not true" and round and round we go. At least that's what I expect. How do I make this "stick"? Will the Ambassador line be able to help if the manager refuses?

The way I read the rules I simply still have to be a guest here at the hotel to make the claim. It doesn't have to be tonight, correct? What's the point of making it tonight anyway since the surly FDA is the only person on duty?

PS - I've stayed at plenty of places where they don't ask me if I want the points but they usually post and the FDA isn't rude so I don't make a big deal of it.

Thanks,
-RM

Tanic

Making the Guest Compensation claim prior to checkout is your obligation. Elite gift choice is 500 pts or one F&B item. Did you online checkin? That defaults to points unless you inform the FD otherwise. Good luck getting the $50.

platbrownguy

Definitely doesn't have to be tonight, but I'd ask for a manager soon after you're up in the morning. Seems like if the manager says "that's not true" (without even verifying) you could at least push back with "run the tapes" or something to let him know that you're serious. Odds are the manager will actually give in but will offer you points instead -- I would probably take 10,000 rather than the $50, and the manager would probably rather give you 10,000 than the $50.

Happy

I just realized that 4pm check out is a guaranteed benefit. I went down to FD in the morning of checked out at Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador last week to ask if I could have a 2pm check out. They said they could not offer late check out as the suite was already assigned to incoming guest. (the housekeeping at this property is extremely slow - on my stay even I gave 12 noon check in notification, the room was not ready until almost 5pm.)

They offered to give me a smaller room till 2pm. I actually was moving to Kimpton right by the Opera House within 6 min of walking. Then they offered to have their Concierge called Kimpton to inquire if Kimpton could let me check in early... Kimpton replied they would do whatever they could but no guarantee. (of course). Off I went, walked 6 min to Kimpton where they had my room ready.

I had no idea that Plat and up had guarantee 4pm late check out (except for resorts). Anybody here has claimed such benefit compensation? I ask so next time if similar thing happens I know what to do.

BaconSF

I believe u have to ask for the late checkout at check-in for the guarantee, I’ve also seen cases of properties using covid as an excuse to not grant it as it requires housekeeping longer to sanitize the rooms

Tanic

There is no guest compensation if a property fails to offer "guaranteed late check out". bonvOY!

platbrownguy

Indeed -- what's the point of the guarantee if it's not actually backed up with anything: https://www.marriott.com/loyalty/mem...s/guarantee.mi

Kacee

Well from Marriott's perspective it's valuable as marketing . . . .

Though IME this is one benefit most properties are pretty good about honoring.

yyzflyer

YMMV. This is probably the elite benefit I have been denied most often since it became a Platinum/Titanium "guarantee". Even when granted it is usually accompanied by a room downgrade (as others have pointed out) or some other condition. Just recently I was denied a noon checkout (vs. 11 am) due to "government regulations" regarding Covid room cleaning requirements - a totally made-up excuse. I'll be testing it again at the Toronto Airport Marriott in the next few months, with low expectations.

WasKnown

Which properties specifically have been denying your late check-out? The only non-resort/convention hotel I’ve had that plays games with late check-out is the STR NY which will practically beg you to check out at noon.

yyzflyer

Before Covid it was a fairly broad cross-section of US and Canadian properties, with requests granted about 1 in 5. Among the more frustrating was really needing extra time at the Sheraton Montreal Downtown in late 2019 and being told I would need to surrender my cleared SNA and take a standard room. With no space on the Club floor available even lounge access became a problem. (That property seems to tie the lounge to room type, i.e. upgrade to Club floor, get lounge access - needed a manager to override for "standard" room.)

Since Covid, with limited travel options, I've been denied all 3 requests at mid-level properties in Canada, with the latest in September. They've all stated extended check-out of any length is suspended during the pandemic.

After a few unsuccessful attempts, I haven't bothered with Elite Guarantee appeals for this or any other reason, with Courtyard $10 food vouchers being the most common. Although I have earned my status over many years of loyalty, I'm now retired with greatly reduced travel. I have no leverage, which I'm sure Marriott knows by my stay pattern, and have little patience for protracted arguments at front desks.

HNLbasedFlyer

I've never had a property deny me late check out - although rarely some have started as a negotiation - as in I can give you 2pm, and I'll nicely and firmly push back and say, I'll need 4pm.

Kacee

That's some exceptionally poor luck. I've only been denied once, ever (Essex House during early pandemic, and they let me move to a regular room when I raised a stink).