Room delayed and downgraded after SNA booking accepted. Recourse?
Oct 1, 2019, 9:30 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 45
Room delayed and downgraded after SNA booking accepted. Recourse?
A couple weeks ago I stayed at a Marriot property where I used a credit card award night and a suite night upgrade (currently platinum Elite thru 2019). Long story short, my room ws NOT ready for 4 hours after publish check in time and when it was, it was clearly still under construction (details omitted). So, I ultimately took a regular room and forgo the suite. Please note, the hotel was oversold, I offered to be walked/downgraded according to their company policies but was refused by them. So, I continually had to wait as they did not want to honor their Oversale policies.
The hotel manager only offered 25,000 points. I’m a little baffled by the low-ball offer due to the significant issues that occurred. As you can tell, I kept thie posting directly to the point as the minute details are irrelevant to the meat of the discussion. But, in 7 years as a member, 3 years as elite and 250 nights as well as recently ‘crowned’ Lifetime Silver, it was the worst experience hands down.
Should I expect better compensation from Marriott HQ or just be done with it? I am frustrated that I will be 6-7night short end of year to renew Platinum Elite for 2020 and given that I pay for all my own stays, not my company, no one-time exception can be given. I am seriously considering leaving Marriott for Hilton over this cheapness.
Has as anyone else had other experiences and how did they go? I asked for more miles as 25,000 is nothing. And was told “that’s it”.
thank you.
The hotel manager only offered 25,000 points. I’m a little baffled by the low-ball offer due to the significant issues that occurred. As you can tell, I kept thie posting directly to the point as the minute details are irrelevant to the meat of the discussion. But, in 7 years as a member, 3 years as elite and 250 nights as well as recently ‘crowned’ Lifetime Silver, it was the worst experience hands down.
Should I expect better compensation from Marriott HQ or just be done with it? I am frustrated that I will be 6-7night short end of year to renew Platinum Elite for 2020 and given that I pay for all my own stays, not my company, no one-time exception can be given. I am seriously considering leaving Marriott for Hilton over this cheapness.
Has as anyone else had other experiences and how did they go? I asked for more miles as 25,000 is nothing. And was told “that’s it”.
thank you.
Oct 1, 2019, 9:39 am
#2
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It would help to know the hotel (In the process of opening? Renovations? Or just random room damage that the property was trying to fix?) or at least its category. Some of us implicitly or explicitly use the standard of points sufficient for a one night stay at the property as the criterion for compensation for serious issues that were the hotel's fault.
Was your SNA returned and do you care or will it otherwise expire unused?
Was your SNA returned and do you care or will it otherwise expire unused?
Oct 1, 2019, 10:13 am
#3
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: Bonvoy ambassador - lifetime plat / Hilton diamond / hyatt globalist / AA CK baby!
Posts: 882
a SNA is not a guarantee until you actually get the room - so I would expect no compensation on that - zip.
marriott points are currently on sale for roughly $9 / thousand. that means your 'nothing' is roughly $225. Thats hardly what I call nothing. a few hundred clams seems to be a pretty reasonable compensation for a 4 hour delay. You could argue for more, but I certainly wouldnt call the offer 'nothing'. The only instance I would say you would ahve a strong case is if the room in question was UBER pricey (think >$1000 / night) but if this was a credit card award night, I doubt it was...
marriott points are currently on sale for roughly $9 / thousand. that means your 'nothing' is roughly $225. Thats hardly what I call nothing. a few hundred clams seems to be a pretty reasonable compensation for a 4 hour delay. You could argue for more, but I certainly wouldnt call the offer 'nothing'. The only instance I would say you would ahve a strong case is if the room in question was UBER pricey (think >$1000 / night) but if this was a credit card award night, I doubt it was...
Oct 1, 2019, 10:23 am
#4
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a SNA is not a guarantee until you actually get the room - so I would expect no compensation on that - zip.
marriott points are currently on sale for roughly $9 / thousand. that means your 'nothing' is roughly $225. Thats hardly what I call nothing. a few hundred clams seems to be a pretty reasonable compensation for a 4 hour delay. You could argue for more, but I certainly wouldnt call the offer 'nothing'. The only instance I would say you would ahve a strong case is if the room in question was UBER pricey (think >$1000 / night) but if this was a credit card award night, I doubt it was...
marriott points are currently on sale for roughly $9 / thousand. that means your 'nothing' is roughly $225. Thats hardly what I call nothing. a few hundred clams seems to be a pretty reasonable compensation for a 4 hour delay. You could argue for more, but I certainly wouldnt call the offer 'nothing'. The only instance I would say you would ahve a strong case is if the room in question was UBER pricey (think >$1000 / night) but if this was a credit card award night, I doubt it was...
Oct 1, 2019, 10:34 am
#6
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Oct 1, 2019, 10:58 am
#8
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And more to your point, if the SNA did clear, and the OP did not get their upgraded room - they are going to have a challenging time getting those SNA put back into their account. Some people may value their time less than me, but I would not be happy with 25,000 points for all of the issues raised by the OP and the time that would have to be invested in remediating them.
Oct 1, 2019, 11:08 am
#9
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: PHL
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25,000 points is equal value to many free night credit card certificates. Sounds like they comped you the night due the the troubles you encountered due to delayed check-in. Expecting to be further compensated for being walked when the property isn’t oversold isn’t realistic. Being walked isn’t something you can request. (I don’t understand you saying the hotel was oversold yet found you another room?)
Oct 1, 2019, 11:12 am
#10
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It's not unreasonable to be walked when a confirmed reservation cannot be honored. It should mean more than the hotel making the customer wait four hours and then be given whatever horrid regular room was available at the time.
IIRC this issue came up a while ago, but if someone reserves and confirms a room with particular handicapped features but the room isn't available on the day of arrival (with no advanced notice or offer to relocate the guest with special needs), a walk could be an imperfect solution.
IIRC this issue came up a while ago, but if someone reserves and confirms a room with particular handicapped features but the room isn't available on the day of arrival (with no advanced notice or offer to relocate the guest with special needs), a walk could be an imperfect solution.
Oct 1, 2019, 12:54 pm
#11
Join Date: Mar 2012
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Was the discussion of being walked held before or after waiting four hours for the suite? If before, then yes the ultimate reservation guarantee may apply. If not until after the poster determined the suite was in bad condition then wouldn’t only the guaranteed room type apply? (since the OP presumably agreed to wait for the suite versus being downgraded to a regular room).
For Platinums only bed type is guaranteed (assuming US property). Must be Titanium for guaranteed bed and room type.
Since the OP hasn’t revealed the property brand, region, free night cert value or details of the construction it is hard to give a full answer as to whether 25,000 points is adequate.
For Platinums only bed type is guaranteed (assuming US property). Must be Titanium for guaranteed bed and room type.
Since the OP hasn’t revealed the property brand, region, free night cert value or details of the construction it is hard to give a full answer as to whether 25,000 points is adequate.
Oct 1, 2019, 1:24 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 45
It would help to know the hotel (In the process of opening? Renovations? Or just random room damage that the property was trying to fix?) or at least its category. Some of us implicitly or explicitly use the standard of points sufficient for a one night stay at the property as the criterion for compensation for serious issues that were the hotel's fault.
Was your SNA returned and do you care or will it otherwise expire unused?
Was your SNA returned and do you care or will it otherwise expire unused?
As of yet, it has not been returned. I would like it back simply out of principal of the matter, but I do not have any imminent use for it right now.
Oct 1, 2019, 1:27 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 45
It's not unreasonable to be walked when a confirmed reservation cannot be honored. It should mean more than the hotel making the customer wait four hours and then be given whatever horrid regular room was available at the time.
IIRC this issue came up a while ago, but if someone reserves and confirms a room with particular handicapped features but the room isn't available on the day of arrival (with no advanced notice or offer to relocate the guest with special needs), a walk could be an imperfect solution.
IIRC this issue came up a while ago, but if someone reserves and confirms a room with particular handicapped features but the room isn't available on the day of arrival (with no advanced notice or offer to relocate the guest with special needs), a walk could be an imperfect solution.
Oct 1, 2019, 1:29 pm
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 45
Was the discussion of being walked held before or after waiting four hours for the suite? If before, then yes the ultimate reservation guarantee may apply. If not until after the poster determined the suite was in bad condition then wouldn’t only the guaranteed room type apply? (since the OP presumably agreed to wait for the suite versus being downgraded to a regular room).
For Platinums only bed type is guaranteed (assuming US property). Must be Titanium for guaranteed bed and room type.
Since the OP hasn’t revealed the property brand, region, free night cert value or details of the construction it is hard to give a full answer as to whether 25,000 points is adequate.
For Platinums only bed type is guaranteed (assuming US property). Must be Titanium for guaranteed bed and room type.
Since the OP hasn’t revealed the property brand, region, free night cert value or details of the construction it is hard to give a full answer as to whether 25,000 points is adequate.
the discussion of being walked occurred throughout my many discussions over the 4 hours.
Again, a Marriott at DFW. The free night cert was the bonvoy credit card
Oct 1, 2019, 1:33 pm
#15
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I don't get this "I want advice but I'm not going to name the property" stuff.
Name and shame allows other FT members to avoid properties that play these kinds of games. And perhaps deprives the property of some revenue in the process.
Name and shame allows other FT members to avoid properties that play these kinds of games. And perhaps deprives the property of some revenue in the process.