Reserved a crib, no crib available
 

Is there some kind of exception that allows hotels to consider cribs as optional amenities and not have them if they're reserved? I made a reservation over a week ago, which specifically included a crib. On arrival at the hotel, I was told that "uh, I think we might have one, but I'm pretty sure it's broken." Turns out they don't have one at all. They told us that if we wanted our baby to have a place to sleep last night "I guess you'll need to go buy one." But the manager said they would not reimburse us for the purchase.

I had no choice - the baby is too young to sleep in a bed (roll/fall off) or a pile of pillows like the front desk clerk suggested (SIDS). So we went and bought a pack & play last night. I don't even necessarily just want to be reimbursed - I'd even be happy to sell it to the hotel, so they have a working crib for future guests. I've reached out to Marriott corporate on Twitter, but all they did was forward my complaint to the hotel management. What other steps should I be taking?

The worst part is that we have two pack & plays at home - if they had even just bothered to let us know before we arrived that they couldn't handle that part of our reservation, we could easily have just stuck one in the car and brought it with us.

Contact the hotel GM.
I would expect a free stay, at least.

That is pretty bad. I’d be very surprised that they didn’t have a single crib. When my kid was small, we’d often get a crib. Never had a hotel that didn’t have one, even when full.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...47a5837781.png
.....

Thanks for the sanity check, everybody. I didn't think my request was outrageous. Always good to have confirmation.

The front desk clerk offered me 5k points for my trouble. When he called his manager, she offered to up it all the way to 8k. So generous.

The current fashion amongst some mothers and their pediatricians is for babies to sleep with one or both parents in a large bed.

I wasn't a big fan at first either... :eek:


Did you call the hotel and actually confirm the reservation of a crib? A few notes on an online room reservation doesn't really indicate a confirmed reservation of a crib, merely that you are requesting one.

Cosleeping with your baby has been common for decades. As noted by the OP, it can be dangerous for the baby.

A crib is pretty important if you have a baby. You really shouldn’t have to micromanage every hotel reservation. I’ve asked for cribs dozens of times, and have always gotten one, without calling to reconfirm.

Just to help the discussion along, could you clarify how the ‘reservation’ for a crib was made ?

I don't have any particular desire to take this thread way off topic but there are pros and cons of cribs - especially random ones whose historical use is a mystery - just as there are pros and cons of co-sleeping or anything else. There was probably more danger in driving to the hotel (more so in a rental car with a rented car seat) than there would be from co-sleeping if the parents haven't drunk alcohol that evening.

What we can all agree on is that hotels should have cribs available, as well as high chairs for the restaurant. But unless the OP confirms otherwise, there wasn't a "reservation" of a crib. SImply a failure to be provided information that would have led the OP to choose a different hotel or bring their own baby gear.

Marriott does not guarantee cribs:
https://help.marriott.com/s/article/Article-22515

Thus, OP had a request not a reservation for a crib. That likely explains why the manager would not cover the purchase price and why anything Marriott does is a simple gesture. I would not expect the stay to be comped.

Where something matters, I would have a conversation with a specific person at the property and assure that there really is a crib or whatever item it is and ask the individual if they could set it aside somewhere or do something to improve the chances that it dosn't go wandering.

The question of who sleeps where is a personal one and should not be part of the debate about the reservation.

That is quite surprising and their response was worse. I usually just forget about things like this but in this situation I'd say contacting corporate is necessary. Keep your receipt.

1.) The front desk agent calling their SUPERVISOR is not the same as the General Manager, OP - something others here suggested and I agree about contacting.

2.) Leave a review on TripAdvisor etc complaining about this. The hotel / GM will likely take action because that will scare families away.

3.) Where did you buy the crib? Target? Walmart? Most major stores will take it back, even if opened/used. The reason doesn’t matter.

If you don’t want to keep it and don’t want to go back to this hotel or expend any other effort, just return it.

And, in the future, bring your own - I imagine your own is much, much cleaner than anything any hotel would have that is used by others - especially if you’re driving. As Often1 stated, Marriott does not guarantee such REQUESTS.

If you have more than one, why not keep it permanently in the trunk of the car for car trips with the baby?

How much did you pay for the crib substitute at the destination? [I have no idea what they would cost.] How many points would a night at the hotel cost?

Or. Better yet, stay at properties which will guarantee a crib. Marriott corporate does not. Thus, it is down to individual properties and perhaps not Marriott.

A crib the same as a rollaway bed is only a request. After more than two decades in the industry with Marriott and Hilton, I've seen far too many guests lose their minds at check in that just because they made a request on their reservation somehow they take that to mean it's guaranteed. Believe me, it's not. If you want to be sure, always call the property ideally during the day and politely ask if they have cribs (or what they usually are which is a Graco-esque Pack and Play) and if your reservation can be noted with the request. Then call back day of arrival and follow up. It's a bit of legwork but it's the only way to be certain. Most select service properties have two or three at most and especially in summer on weekends they go quick. The idea that the hotel should have a limitless supply is not realistic or that they'll go out an buy one just because of a request is also not realistic the same as the idea that someone can check in anytime and expect without prior warning potentially the only person on property to leave the desk and find a crib is also not realistic especially with the current pandemic staffing models in place. Plan ahead and do the legwork.