ChurnieEls

Happy to see Gary bringing attention to this [Both the Sheraton & Marriott Corporate told me to go pound sand even though the facts of my experience was a nailed on $100 compensation result].

https://viewfromthewing.com/marriott...with-impunity/

Again I ask Marriott Bonvoy Lurker / Marriott Bonvoy Lurker II to confirm our experiences in this thread that the elite welcome gift choice is now a choice that the property makes and not the guest. Because that appears to be most folks experiences. I'll take silence on the matter to mean an answer in the affirmative.

razorg

On the bright side, Hyatt likes the new Marriott policies!

ChurnieEls

Well personally I've changed some future bookings to Hyatt properties because at least the elite treatment is consistent.

I refuse to play welcome benefit roulette anymore when the house can just decide to change the rules of the game at will.

bocastephen

Depends how far you, or anyone else here wants to push it - but one strategy is to harass Marriott corporate and the properties that do this via small claims cases that allege breach of contract. It will cost each person who is wronged by this policy about $50 plus any cost to serve the suit on Marriott corporate and the property, and since in virtually every US jurisdiction they cannot send a lawyer to deal with the suit and a director, executive, owner or other authorized person who is not a practicing attorney must appear to defend the suit, enough of these filings across the country will crawl up Marriott's pants pretty quickly and give them enough of an itch to rethink how they are going about this.

Of course one result could very well be they simply remove the guarantee altogether.....

myperks

What are some of the recent experiences on getting Marriott corporate to payout the welcome gift guarantee choice? Been reading on the Laylow and some TA reviews. For sure we are way past the pandemic since it’s the new normal and the rates are through the roof from now through end us summer for some of the places I’ve been researching.

uxb

The likelihood is zero. Also, the Laylow is pretty meh. I stayed there over Christmas holiday (just before the guarantee was restored) and I ended up eating breakfast at the Starbucks on Kuhio because they only offered points even though they were selling breakfast at the cafe and the restaurant was open at night. The room was small and the view was equally meh, so I didn’t return. Look elsewhere.

sfosyd

Checked into a Seattle property last weekend. Called beforehand and they said they offer $25 per day for breakfast benefit. I further inquired if this included my wife and they said yes, so a total of $50 a day. Hotel was room service only.

Checked in and they would only do a one time credit of $25 and nothing more. Spent 30 minutes arguing and got the front desk agent to agree to $25 a day but only for one person. Complained to Bonvoy and the next day I received an email that they would offer $100 food and beverage credit for the two night stay. Happy customer but I called specially beforehand to avoid this type of drama, which is no fun.

razorg

I'm impressed you got Bonvoy to do anything. They had no interest in my 2 complaints about having zero benefits. I would say you got lucky with who you talked to, but I talked to several people and they didn't care. They are just rewriting the T&C's as they go along as far as I can tell.

marquito

Got an upcoming stay at the Vespera on OCEAN in Pismo beach and their welcome email reads this:

• As a reminder, our standard check-in time is 4:00 PM and check-out is 11:00 AM. Early check-in and late check-out requests are unavailable at this time due to increased cleanliness protocols. Please prepare to depart the hotel by 11am on your scheduled check-out date.

As a Titanium I thought late checkout is guaranteed and during the pandemic never had an issue for this to be honored.

Any way to force the hotel’s hand? This seems quite random to me

Radiation Station

Unless it’s a resort hotel, your 4pm checkout is guaranteed. I would contact the hotel in advance (email so you have something in writing) to guarantee they will honour your late checkout. If they play games, make it clear you will cancel your stay and choose to stay where your loyalty is rewarded. Any decent Marriott hotel is more than happy to confirm in advance that they will honour your elite benefits, in my experience (granted I don’t stay in the US, where elite benefits go to die).

ChurnieEls

Sounds like they're running a skeleton (one shift) housekeeping staff so probably don't have anyone to turn the room over if you leave late.

(Not excusing them)

SNA_Flyer

Vespera is not listed as a resort when you search at https://www.marriott.com/travel-expe...resort-hotels/. It also doesn't charge a resort fee (though some non-classified resorts charge resort fees, go figure). So they are required to offer late checkout to those who are eligible and request it.

enelym1978

I'll be staying at the Sheraton Zurich and their club lounge is still closed. It says they will give a $25 voucher instead for the restaurant. Is this per person and per day? It's not specified on their page.... https://whattoexpect.marriott.com/zrhzs

stuartpig

This is why I email ahead. Then I just show them the email, they usually back down before I have found the email!!

Xero

Does anyone have the link to the press release whee Marriott stated that benefits were restored? From my experience calling Marriott, a lot of phone agents deny that such a press release has ever been released.

I can find articles mentioning it, but I can't find where the official press release is located.

Thank you.