cmd320

It has yet to fail me, and from a legal standpoint, there is nothing to back it up without an official policy in place.

stimpy

Sure, but this is Flyertalk. We share actual experiences with each other. If a particular hotel has a policy that is not official or not on the Marriott website, it is still proven valid by our experiences.

cmd320

Of course, but that doesn't make me any less likely to fight them on it/run a chargeback through Amex for not receiving the services I was told I would.

myperks

all talk at this point. Would love to see your reasoning behind the chargeback. You book a room, you want to receive a room with the benefits that you believe should go with it. At check in you are told those benefits won’t apply because of the blanket unofficial official policy. You can choose at that time to leave and say cancel the reservation. But you choose to stay and fight the hotel with a chargeback. All this when you already know hotels are playing this game. Can’t eat the steak and not pay for it. Just don’t go back to that steakhouse.

bocastephen

That's all fine unless a hotel does not communicate to the customer that customary and usual benefits and amenities will not be available, but waits to inform the customer when they are checking in, and then refuses to cancel and refund a now non-refundable reservation for a room that if the customer declines and leaves, they could resale to another customer while keeping the original customer's deposit. For that reason, a chargeback is acceptable - however if the hotel informs the customer of the modified amenities before the cut-off for cancelation, or offers to cancel and refund the booking during check-in, then I agree that staying at the property and attempting to chargeback the invoice is not a reasonable approach.

cmd320

At check-in is not an adequate amount of notice to change the product purchased. That notice should be given before or at the very latest at the time of booking.

Because no official policy on this exist, the rest of your point (or honestly, lack thereof) is irrelevant. Transactions are not conducted based on unofficial policy, period.

I would agree up to the point of booking. At check-in, it's too late for the hotel to change their mind.

Dav77

A lot of hotels (from Ac hotels to Sheraton) don’t give anymore 1 free half liter bottled water in the room... but ...you can buy it at 3/4€ ...

Covid is a very good business on this side.

myperks

but now you know about it (one can claim that the lurker is official). Claiming ignorance will not win you a chargeback, unless they don’t let you cancel onsite, then I would chargeback as well. Can’t stay and not pay. Save yourself some trouble and call the property first. Of course it seems that one can be the type to stay and complain and threaten chargeback so to each his own. It seems like one want to “stick” it to them because they are “sticking” it to them.

Kacee

It's not a publicly published policy. That doesn't mean it's not the policy.

cmd320

Not how that works.

As I said before, on site is too late unless the property wants to arrange the same rate at a nearby property of equal or greater value with the same benefits. Otherwise, this needs to be disclosed at or before booking.

Again, not my problem. If the property does not plan to follow the published rules of the program, that needs to be stated clearly in policy on their website when I book a room. Anything less is not acceptable.

If what I purchase is not in line with what I receive, then yes, I absolutely will do that.

Nope, it's a simple business transaction. If I'm entitled to marketed and earned benefits, I expect them to be there every time. If the product I receive falls short of the product I purchased, I will received compensation or I will not pay for said product.

Yeah, I stick with published policy. If the company wants it to be policy, they'd better publish it, period. Otherwise, I'm not interested.

myperks

If they tell you at checkin that benefits that you thought you are getting, you are not getting, and you still stay, that would fall under your problem, unless they charge you a no show, then I would definitely chargeback. Agree on telling you at checkin is too late. If the steak comes and it’s not to your cooked temperature, send it back. Can’t eat it and then decide, not going to pay for it as a chargeback.

please do what you preach and chargeback and see what happens. I actually want to know now. Maybe everyone has been doing it wrong all this time. Not likely must anything can happen.

cmd320

I absolutely will if I encounter this nonsense and I will certainly report back.

Luckily, in general, the moment I press the issue I never have a problem, but I also tend to stay at more reputable, large FS properties. Not the rural freeway exit SS properties where this kind of thing tends to take place more often.

HNLbasedFlyer

No notice is required and subject to availability.

From the Marriott website - Loyalty Program Terms and Conditions

1.7.e. Benefits Subject to Availability and Modification.All Loyalty Program benefits, amenities, offers, awards and services are subject to availability and may be changed at any time without notice.

https://www.marriott.com/loyalty/terms/default.mi

cmd320

That's great, but it still doesn't say anywhere that they've actually changed.

myperks

you do know what “without notice” means, right? I not saying I’m agreeing with Marriott’s methods but I read it as they don’t have to do jack. Vote with you wallet.

let’s just say for giggles, they “officially” say they are suspending some benefits (which by what the lurkers said, seems official to me), what are you going to do then?