Compensation request approach advice
 

I am staying at a Marriott London hotel. We prepaid a non refundable room for my family with exec lounge access - this was not inexpensive! We paid and booked in May. Early this month, I contact the hotel via FB asking about tickets and to obtain the exec lounge hours for breakfast, tea, happy hour. They informed me that the lounge is closed and will be until late August and that for the time being, the have a spot in the restaurant. The hours are much shorter - until 10 pm vs midnight as the original lounge had. I look and now they have the notice that the lounge is begging refurbished etc on the website. This is prepaid non-refundable rate so we are stuck. We arrive yesterday close to 10 pm and via the mobile app, I asked if we could at least get a soda if we are there a bit after 10. We get there at 10 - the FD person lets me know that she had replied to me. She then informs me that I am a Gold and that exec lounge is for Platinium and above so she doesn't know why I was asking these questions. I tell her we have a room with exec lounge access. She tells me the room we are in does not have accesd. I show her my reservation and apparently the hotel moved us to a different type room (nothing better than our original room). She then tells me she can give me access "anyway "which irritated me even more since we had paid for this. We went to the lounge area which is a small area in a rather sterile restaurant, I really don't complain but between not bring informed when we paid, having the hours shortened, not a true lounge and the front desk dismissing me etc.. I do want to obtain compensation. We would not have booked this hotel and paid extra and the treatment just compounded the issue. I have read the Marriott Twitter and FB is not that responsive. I would appreciate some advice on how to ask. Note: I can't get into my real FT account so I created a new one while I am still at this hotel.

I would not be happy with this situation either. You should discuss this with the hotel's GM while you are at the property so that he/she can correct the issue. Normally the easiest compensation is a deposit of bonvOY points commensurate with the problem.

Deal with someone on site.

For the future, bear in mind that as soon as you learned that the hotel was unable to provide the advertised service, e.g. lounge closed, you could have cancelled. Any card issuer (bank) would have backed you up had it come to a chargeback. Just remember to keep screenshots of everything.

that's exactly what i would have done....i'm pretty sure the property would have either refunded the extra charge for lounge access or would have let you cancel the reservation & refund the money had you asked them to do so when you learnt about the lounge closure....

I'm a little confused after re-reading your post.

Sounds like the physical lounge is closed for renovation but they have lounge space, which still provides the same benefits that the physical lounge does (other than closing a little earlier). I'll see something like that a couple of times a year.

Is that right? If so, what is it that you booked that you are not getting? If its just closing at 10 PM, which seems reasonable, rather than midnight, I wouldn't expect much, if anything. Similarly, if its a room on a different floor which is otherwise the same size, etc., I wouldn't expect much.

I appreciate all the replies and advice. To answer a few questions - the "lounge" area replacement was nothing this morning and in the evening they supposedly allocated spaces and staff but it's not a lounge by any stretch. It's a part of a very open restaurant with little space. will try to attach picture and this is a good picture. The reality is no special area nor staff. I did not take a screenshot when reserving since this never happened that they communicate this via FB afterwards. Frankly, we were also in a bad position since bookingi in early May rates were already escalating. There was little hope of finding a hotel to accommodate a family of 4 three weeks ago when they told me. Our room is similar in
size but as the FD stated - this is not a room that has exec Club privileges. So- between that i am a lowly Gold and then getting me I have no access (and their switching rooms for me and not putting exec lounge). We leave Monday so I will ask for the GM then. The weekend staff is not empowered (not that I tried but I can tell by interactions).

But ... did you get breakfast with the "lounge" rate or are they trying to charge you?

I get the lounge "atmosphere/space" but not sure I understand the substance of what you didn't get?

This is a different issue. I don't think that you have a significant complaint about issues related to ambience. The product is the breakfast and not really whether the waiters wear white gloves or not.

You would be best to lay out the very specific deficiencies which actually matter. Thus, if breakfast was included in your rate and you were offered breakfast, that is the end of it.

Is the issue that your room was downgraded after you prepaid in full for an executive floor room? Or that paid lounge benefits are not being delivered?

all of the above and more for questions above. A breakfast doesn't cost 150 more per night. For that, we would go elsewhere (or not include exec lounge) people don't see any issue. If i were platinum a road warrior like many here not paying a lot more and being treated like gold dirt, this non disclosure and non exec lounge would not be an issue. The FD treatment I listed above made this much worse. Thanks for ask the help and I will take this on my own.

I think people are just trying to understand exactly what you are not receiving that you expected to get. The lounge access would normally give you a basic breakfast for several hours and in the evening light Horderves/Appetizers for several hours. The lounge itself may or may not be open in between those service hours. It sounds like you got breakfast and even if the lounge was open at the property you likely arrived too late for any lounge food options the first night (you said you arrived at 10pm-if the lounge was open there likely would have only been beverages and a few prepackaged snacks but no real food to speak of) It sounds like they even went above and beyond what many properties do and had a semi-secluded area people could use. When I go to a property where the lounge is closed I don't think I have ever found a dedicated spot to use in lieu of the lounge.

So what has the hotel not provided that you think they should have? (Not asking this to be mean..want to know your answer)

The real issue I see is the FD staff and their lack of CS skills. Since you didn't take a screenshot of what you booked (I wouldn't have either so I don't fault you) trying checking the original reservation confirmation email and see if the rate details lists CL access.

what london property was this?

Are you saying that you paid an extra $150 per night just to get lounge access? Sounds crazy. If not, what do you mean?
If you are getting breakfast in the morning for your family of four, and light snacks in the evening, that is all you are entitled to. Nothing more.
You state the hotel website clearly indicates lounge is closed for renovations. The hotel has provided an alternative space. Your complaint is the space is not to your liking? What should the hotel do? Expand the space? Seems to me you have no case.
Sorry.

Newman