Marriott Properites Experience
 

Having trouble finding a relevant existing thread. Kindly merge. Thanks.

Context first: I came to Marriott by way of the SPG transaction. Other than some minor/isolated incidents, I have been very satisfied with the entire collection of Marriott properties. Also, no issues at all during the points/status/elite nights merger time period not so long ago. I'd generally tend to stay at legacy SPG properties, mostly due to familiarity; sometimes, however, that is not possible - cost, location, availability, client preference, to name a few factors for staying in other brands.

Most recently, I have had a series of stays at Marriott properties in the US. Before getting to specific points, I want to express I am a very low maintenance person, and maybe below observations are due to not having the familiarity with non-legacy SPG hotels. Anyway, here are some items I have observed at Marriott properties, specifically:

1) no housekeeping for two straight days? I did select make a green choice from my mobile check-in, but I don't think MAGC = no housekeeping. I don't even need much housekeeping work - emptying the garbage and recycling bin would be helpful. Honestly, I don't use much of hotel/room amenities, other a quick shower and a bed (to sleep); every once a while, a breakfast if I am not running late. I make my own bed in the morning, and I am usually in my room for less than 8 hours (sleep mostly).

2) what's the point of mobile check-in if the property makes everyone wait on the same line? At the current property where I am right now, I waited more than 20 minutes before interacting with an agent. For clarity, there is a special line for elite/mobile check-in, but not opened. This is becoming more of a regular occurrence during peak check-in times.

3) Also, even at lower level properties - e.g. 4P, Courtyard, Element - agents at least brief me on things like complementary amenities as an elite, the location of hotel restaurants, etc. Again, I don't utilize much of hotel's amenities, but it would be good to know the basics, so I don't have to look up the info.

4) have to request for in-room water bottles. maybe I have been spoiled by legacy SPG properties, and still am.

I always thought MAGC means no one from Housekeeping will enter your room for the day, and if you need specific items (bath amenities, towels to be replenished, rubbish cleared) then you have to call Housekeeping specifically to bring them. Even from days of legacy SPG.

agreed. MAGC means they skip your room. Or at least that is how we have experienced it since day one with SPG.

And you can request towels and toiletries on the phone or at the front desk if you need them.

That is precisely what MAGC is all about—foregoing housekeeping altogether in exchange for a few points.

How exactly does skipping housekeeping benefit the environment? It really doesn’t.

It’s just a bottom line thing.

MAGC no longer worth it IMO once they cut the points awarded by 2/3

500 SPG does not equal 500 Marriott Bonvoy these days alas.

There's a long thread somewhere about the general uselessness of mobile check in. Supposedly, it let's the hotel organize check ins a little better, which theoretically should help with upgrades. It's a small thing though.

As far as the hotel briefing you on amenities at check in, that's really property specific, not a Marriott thing. My only real beef with this is when the concierge lounge is somewhere I don't expect. In a Missouri property recently, the lounge was accessed by walking through part of the lobby restaurant, with no signs and poorly marked at the entrance. I had to ask at the front desk. At least tell me what floor it's on when I check in. Some properties do and some don't.

how much garbage do you generate in a day?!

issues??
 

I opted for MaGc @ Sheraton New Orleans last month + then called HK when I needed refreshing of coffee, towels, etc.
Bottled water is pretty basic. If I don't get 2, I call the front desk.
The rest of your issues seen like more of a rant? You decided to use Mobile check in and then want a full briefing by hotel staff? Have your cake & eat it too?
BTW, you did not ID the property? Hard to merge into an existing thread!

Thanks. Is this US only or worldwide? I seemed to recall by selecting MAGC, housekeeping would not make your bed, change your sheets, bath towels, etc, but they would replenish toiletries and empty waste baskets. I was at 4P Singapore last month and got MAGC points. Hotel even phoned me up to ensure I didn't need housekeeping - I had DND sign up.

I was not talking about legacy SPG properties - e.g. Sheraton. I was referring to Marriott properties.

No in-room water bottles by default.

Separate points. I did mobile check-in because I want to go to my room to sleep without standing in a line for 20 minutes+. The mobile/elite lines often are not being serviced.

The briefing has nothing to do with mobile check-in. More about being customer friendly. It's day and night on the experience between legacy SPG properties and Marriott properties.

Marriott Fisherman's Wharf
Marriott Oakland City Center
Marriott Newark Airport

The size of the bin is tiny.

No, it's not about Marriott vs. SPG. The service you receive, including whether a separate check in line is open or you get a "briefing" is dependent on each individual property. My last stay was at a Westin. Did mobile check in, no separate line. No briefing. No "thank you for being Titanium" (which I don't care about but noticed since it almost always happens). Then I asked if they had a package for me which had arrived the day before. She called someone on a walkie talkie and he said he was going to lunch and he'd look later.

Overall, not a bad experience, certainly not one that prompted a complaint, but not ideal either.

the "green" in "Make a Green Choice" refers to the money that Marriott is saving. Nothing to do with the environment.

It depends on the property. Some properties would do some light housekeeping (taking out trash, water bottles), while other properties (The Nines comes to mind) treat MAGC the same as hanging the DND tag and would not even do turndown service, and this is before the merger.

In my experience, the main benefit of doing the early mobile check in is that they will make your keycards earlier, so it saves ~30 second when you interact with the FDA and they don't need to create your keys. Any benefits beyond that are extremely variable. Most of the time I end up having to wait in the regular line (some properties have an "elite" check in line, which sometimes is staffed, sometimes isn't). Some properties will upgrade you ahead of time and you can see that reflected in the early check in. Others won't.

I like the basic property briefing as well if it's my first time at a property. But I find this really variable too, varying from property to property. (If they don't do it, sometimes I'll explicitly ask about at least the lounge location).

(Note that I find these differences to be property dependent, rather than brand dependent, suggesting it has to do more with local management than brand standards).

If there is an elite/mobile line, go stand in it, maybe someone will come !