Is Marriott Gouging Dorian Evacuees?
Sep 3, 2019, 5:08 am
#31
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Completely disagree.
Eventually people need to learn that hotel chains are not making micro-level decisions at franchised hotels. Rogue hotel owners are rogue hotel owners. It doesn't really matter what logo is on the clothing or the building. But most importantly in this context, Marriott has nothing at all to do with setting room rates - they are simply getting their cut of whatever the individual hotels are charging.
If the OP has checked Trivago or whatever and Marriott are the ONLY hotel chain with higher room rates due to the demand spike, then that's worthy of being called out as something potentially intrinsic to Marriott. Otherwise it's simple supply and demand with regulations in place to avoid gouging.
Eventually people need to learn that hotel chains are not making micro-level decisions at franchised hotels. Rogue hotel owners are rogue hotel owners. It doesn't really matter what logo is on the clothing or the building. But most importantly in this context, Marriott has nothing at all to do with setting room rates - they are simply getting their cut of whatever the individual hotels are charging.
If the OP has checked Trivago or whatever and Marriott are the ONLY hotel chain with higher room rates due to the demand spike, then that's worthy of being called out as something potentially intrinsic to Marriott. Otherwise it's simple supply and demand with regulations in place to avoid gouging.
Sep 3, 2019, 7:59 am
#33
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No hotel name. No price stated. Wonder why......
As stated in numerous posts, as long as the price charged is below the rack rate it doesn't constitute gouging.
Just a fake headline falsely smearing the Marriott Corporation. Despicable.
Newman
As stated in numerous posts, as long as the price charged is below the rack rate it doesn't constitute gouging.
Just a fake headline falsely smearing the Marriott Corporation. Despicable.
Newman
Sep 3, 2019, 9:00 am
#34
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So maybe it's legal price gouging then...doesn't really make it any better assuming OP's post is true. Sure Labor Day is going to be more expensive than the week after, but 2X more is a stretch.
Sep 3, 2019, 9:32 am
#35
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I'm not seeing it. I have been commuting to and from FLL for the last month. I just booked an FFL property for @ $6.00 more than last week and $20.00 lees than two weeks ago.
PS: the Orlando Airport Lakeside Marriot is a whopping $160.00 for the week starting on Wednesday.
PS: the Orlando Airport Lakeside Marriot is a whopping $160.00 for the week starting on Wednesday.
Sep 3, 2019, 9:33 am
#36
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Sep 3, 2019, 9:45 am
#37
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I am forced to evacuate and the rate I paying is about 2x the rate for next Monday and much higher than I am paying later in the week on another reservation made before the evacuations. I am not sure how and why Marriott is allowing pricing up to rack rates during the storm. but today I will pay the highest rate I have ever seen charged at this hotel. I have over 30 nights there. Let me add the property is under construction now and has limited facilities. ... During my stay I plan on speaking to the GM. If I don't like the answers I am going to report them to the AG of Florida for Price Gouging.
So, all in all, I'm far from certain that a rate which is double what you normally pay is anything even close to price gouging.
Sep 3, 2019, 10:38 am
#38
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Except that's pretty much the exact definition of price gouging according to the Florida law. It's just that they are apparently exempt due to the rack rate agreement.
Sep 3, 2019, 10:55 am
#39
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If that rate is more than the average rate over the past 30 days, the state of Florida does indeed say it's price gouging and their opinion matters most of all.
Sep 3, 2019, 11:16 am
#40
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If the law has an exemption written into it, then there is no "it's just that..." hand-waving argument to be had. The exemption is part of the law.
Sep 3, 2019, 1:57 pm
#42
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Sep 3, 2019, 2:11 pm
#43
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I understand this but I disagree from a customer perspective.
Marriott obviously wants "its hotels" to reap the benefits of the "Marriott" name (and accordingly for Marriott corporation to reap a share of the profits).
They want customers to choose "Marriott" hotels because they are "Marriotts."
With that, they set customer expectations and reap the benefits from business driven by customers who are loyal to "Marriott" and/or want "Marriott" service.
When those "Marriott-level" expectations aren't met, Marriott should not be able to hide behind "but wait...yeah we say its Marriott on our website, and yeah the employees wear Marriott uniforms and yeah we sold you the room, but ... it's not a Marriott!"
Marriott obviously wants "its hotels" to reap the benefits of the "Marriott" name (and accordingly for Marriott corporation to reap a share of the profits).
They want customers to choose "Marriott" hotels because they are "Marriotts."
With that, they set customer expectations and reap the benefits from business driven by customers who are loyal to "Marriott" and/or want "Marriott" service.
When those "Marriott-level" expectations aren't met, Marriott should not be able to hide behind "but wait...yeah we say its Marriott on our website, and yeah the employees wear Marriott uniforms and yeah we sold you the room, but ... it's not a Marriott!"
Marriott is the brand I have a relationship with. That brand has value, which is why I'm willing to pay more than for an identical room at Joe's Motel. So when a Marriott behaves badly, it reflects on the overall brand.
I haven't visited a Conoco since September 11, 2001. To me, they will forever be shameless price gougers, regardless of how their corporation is structured and how much they blame the gouging on contractors, franchisees, or other actors. If I felt like a hotel company was gouging me, I would feel the same way and be less likely to want to do business with the brand even thousands of miles away from where the gouging happened.
(That said, this thread hasn't convinced me that Marriott is actually gouging. There are no specifics or examples.)
Sep 3, 2019, 2:22 pm
#44
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FWIW, there are 27 Marriott properties in the Orlando area with AAA rates for two nights under $100, including a bunch around $75 a night.
If they are price gouging, they are not doing a very good job of it!
If they are price gouging, they are not doing a very good job of it!
Sep 3, 2019, 3:15 pm
#45
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FWIW I was looking at rates the middle of last week for a trip to Florida. (Had booked a hotel but cancelled Wednesday due to cancellation period ending) I had still not been able to to get a voucher for my airfare and wanted to see what rates would be in the event I decided to make the trip. Rates were actually lower than when I booked my trip. In the end AA took care of me and issued a voucher so I didn't make the trip but I didn't see any gouging at that time ( Wednesday through Friday) . Glad I could avoid the whole potential situation and free my room up so some else could use it and the staff might not have to be tied up as long so they could take care of their own families. Tourists coming into a hurricane zone is never a good thing.