hedoman

If nothing else, the OP reminds us read terms carefully.....and entirely. Like where they stick on the parking fee as a P.S. at a property you would reasonably expect no added charge for parking. The overall premise of Marriott greed is easy to challenge.

jayer

FlyerTalk is very helpful in a tough love sort of way. But it is seldom kind and never sympathetic if you avoid full detail. Failure to disclose relevant details, in hopes of generating an amen chorus, will not work. As you see the board will pick your story apart if you omit facts not favorable to yourself. Not that I disagree with you at all that 30 days cancellation window is quite extreme, but you are missing the learning experience here. The hotel industry is riding high and it is a sellers market. (Or it was till this virus thing. That may pop the bubble for awhile). Most of us have had a similar unhappy experience if possibly for less money, but we've been at if for 20 years, and have seen a more guest-friendly bottom of the cycle also.

What you are missing is that Marriott is primarily a marketing and management organization that owns few (any?) hotels of it's own. For a fee they provide marketing and management services and insure some degree of conformity. Much like any other hotel "chain" you might run to. Meaning chain is a misnomer and it is more like a voluntary association. At some level individual ownership sets the tone for it's hotel(s). From what little research I did, this one appears to be not owned directly by Marriott, although it gets a little cloudy and maybe perhaps some Starwood money could be invested.

Actual ownership groups often to usually have more than one hotel and quite probably fly different management flags at other locations. On your next stay down the road you could run across the street to a different flag just because it is not Marriott, and hand money to the same ultimate ownership group. Or stay in a rotten hotel just because the only alternative is a Marriott.

I'm pretty sure I would find their senior management upsetting on a personal basis, just because in general senior management anywhere these days is from another planet and way overpaid. All things being equal Marriott is far from my first choice. But things are not always equal. Somehow via the merger I have ended up with lifetime status anyway. (Still can't do the math but I'll keep it). From your self-description you sound like you can qualify for lifetime status quickly--somewhere. You have to pick a horse and ride it. Maybe you will not choose Marriott. Maybe you will. (I found out it is easier than my preferred brand completely by accident). But make a logical decision and don't file for divorce halfway there. There will always be bad locations and bad stays.

Antarius

My thoughts exactly! Didn't see that day coming for me either.

Antarius

It's like Scooby Doo.

But seriously, the OP is acting like Snowmass is the kind of place that people just show up on a whim - I don't know anyone who really does that.

It's like the Maldives. It's a PITA to get there, so it's no surprise that they have stronger cancellation penalties vs CUN, where a day of flight from basically anywhere in the US is available.

Often1

It's a business transaction.

Bottom line for the broader audience is that more and more properties, not just this particular property and not just Marriott, are imposing lengthy cancellation policies. People have the option of not booking into such properties. OP certainly did.

The lesson here is simple. Read the terms and make your decision accordingly. Debating the merits of the policy is pointless.

seat38a

Something makes me think that the OP didn't join the "new organization" voluntarily.

LondonElite

Alternative title: Marriott applies cancellation policy as set in email confirmation even though I think I’m special.

starchoice

Over $1,000 is quite a hit. Given that this was a corporate function, I'm guessing that OP was not observant of any cancellation policies and understandably, 30 days is a little out of the norm. Given the timeline of booking in early December, OP had a small window for cancellation. OP likely could have met the deadline given that he started a new position in mid-December and there was probably a work notice period but he delayed, probably not concerned knowing of the typical cancellation protocol and also with other things he had going on at the time.

Smiley90

Given that OP has already deleted their account this thread can probably be closed.

CPRich

Nearly 18 years here, I don't think I've ever seen this.

mahasamatman

But the humour value is priceless! We all need a laugh during the Global Insanity (tm).