yoyotogblo

Hey guys,

I made a reservation with Marriott points advance to the Maldives on March 4th and prior to March 5th (when the new categories came into effect). It is for a stay at St Regis Maldives. Because of availability, I had to make 2 separate bookings. 1st was for 3 nights in garden Villa and cost 180k points. The 2nd was for 2 nights in OWV and cost 160k points. Since it's 2 different bookings in different room types, Marriott refused to give me a free night (I'm a gold member) which is painful but that's apparently the rule.

However, now Marriott claims that my 2nd booking was made on the 5th (and the 1st booking on the 4th) and say they're going to charge 240k points for the 2 OWV nights (that's the new going rate). I told them that both bookings were made around the same time and for sure on the 4th. For some weird reason, I never got confirmation emails for either booking. However, I sent an email to St Regis Maldives on the 4th with both reservation numbers (gotten from the website) trying to combine both bookings into one. I've sent them that email twice but they've still not resolved the issue. I've now been trying to get those fixed for over a month now and they keep telling me someone from the right team would call or email me back but never do. It's been very frustrating.

Does anyone know of a way I can escalate this further? Thanks

hhoope01

I'd suggest reaching out to one of the Marriott Bonvoy Lurkers. They should be able to help get your issue moving toward resolution.

MePlatPremier

LAX

I am not trying to argue your point, but when I make a reservation where I am physically located and the rate offered at that time should be honored regardless of wherever the destination is. It's unfortunate that the OP never got confirmation showing the rate at the time of reservation, though.

LAX

TerryK

My understanding is it is, akin to cancellation policy or advance purchase requirement, based on time zone of property. MLE is UTC+5 but St Regis is, one hour ahead, UTC+6. It is unclear when OP actual made those PA reservations.

I never understanding why people waited until very last minute to book when time zone difference became an issue. PA reservations don't generate confirmation emails. I take screenshots when I make PA reservations.

Main thread:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...-thread-7.html

LAX

I have never done a PA reservation before, so this is good for my future reference. However, if you are able to produce the screenshots of the reservation at a particular rate, shouldn't that be honored regardless of the difference in time zones between you & the property?

LAX

TerryK

I agree for paid, either by cash or points, reservations. PA reservations, which is unique to Marriott, are a different animal. It is academic anyway as OP doesn't seem to have screenshots.

Note if you try to make a cash 3 day advance purchase reservation, you need to make it 3 days prior to hotel's time zone. I learn this the hard way.

kkl

Happy

No. It goes by the time zone of the property.

Even SPG went by the property's time zone when the new chart went in effect. It has been a pet peeve for many SPG customers but that is how it is. On top of that SPG did not have point advance booking and points were deducted immediately at booking. People found the rate levels went up before the midnight of US time zones. SPG told them the change happened at the local time .

To go further on this, American Airlines ticketing deadline on award booking (the airline allows 5 days hold) is the 11:59pm of the departure city's time zone and NOT where you are physically located when you make the reservation, i.e. EST, CST, MST etc. Many have been caught by the CET - Central European Time when their departure cities are in Europe, and find out their reservations have been canceled when they go to ticket it before midnight of CST.

Why people wait till the very last moment to book their reward bookings is beyond me. But this seems to happen Every Year and then we see threads about their bookings are not honored...bla bla bla.

yoyotogblo

Thanks. Any idea who these people are so I can get in touch with them?

I'm in the US on the East coast. I don't know when exactly I booked but I sent the email just past 8pm my time.

Regardless, it doesn't make sense that it'd be based on the time zone of the Maldives because when I booked it, it clearly showed me the points required and it was the fewer points. To then change it on me afterwards is the issue.

Yup, that's what I think also

I don't think it's unclear. They have an email from me with the time the reservation was made. They can check when they received that email and so, it's very clear that I made it before midnight.

That explains why I didn't get a confirmation. Crazy that they are then asking me to provide that as evidence. Ridiculous

You're right. I didn't realize I needed to take screenshots.

However, if it really goes by the timezone of the property, my first reservation would also not have applied for the credit. The resort is 10 hours ahead of me and I definitely made both reservations a few minutes apart and in the evening. There's no way either reservation would have been made before their midnight and they recognize the first as being made on the 4th. As such, I doubt your thoughts that it's based on the resort's midnight.

myperks

yoyotogblo

Any chance you remember what time of the day you made the reservations?
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It sounds like the SPG issue is different. From my understanding, in that case, people were expecting a price to remain till midnight but when they went to book, the price had increased even though it wasn't midnight yet. If when I went to make the reservation, it showed the new chart's points, that'd be a whole different ball game. However, for me to make a reservation and have that changed on me later on seems wrong. Not honoring rates that have been booked seems off to me.

I sent Marriott an email shortly after making the reservation to combine my bookings. The argument I've heard from Marriott so far is that I made the reservation after midnight my time. My email (and the time stamp on it) confirms that I made the reservation before midnight my time. It's only on this thread that I'm hearing about midnight the resort's time. Marriott's CS hadn't used that as the reason previously (but then again, I haven't talked to the proper department still).

myperks

MSPeconomist

yoyotogblo

Thanks man. I believe I made the reservations around 7pm local time. I sent the email at 8:17pm local time.

Timezone was EST. Email sent at 8:17pm local time

The reservations are for the same resort. Just different room types