No lounge access on corporate rates!?
Mar 14, 2022, 10:48 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Programs: Delta Diamond 1MM, Marriott Plat
Posts: 509
No lounge access on corporate rates!?
So I was considering staying at the Washington Marriott Georgetown in DC, and I can't find any recent 2022 reviews on tripadvisor or flyertalk, so I called them to verify if their lounge is back to normal etc, and the person on the phone told me the strangest thing –
She says, you can only access the lounge if you stay on a Leisure rate, you will not have access to the lounge if you stay on a corporate rate, regardless of your Bonvoy status.
Me: "But the only people who are Titanium are traveling for work, so...who else is going to even qualify to go in the lounge?" and she says with this perky sunny disposition, "well it's a somewhat recent thing so it makes sense if you are surprised."
?????
What the ?
I've significantly slowed travel and I've grown to completely despise Marriott despite my literal years+ spent staying in them but this is a new one, to me. Has anyone heard of such a thing?
She says, you can only access the lounge if you stay on a Leisure rate, you will not have access to the lounge if you stay on a corporate rate, regardless of your Bonvoy status.
Me: "But the only people who are Titanium are traveling for work, so...who else is going to even qualify to go in the lounge?" and she says with this perky sunny disposition, "well it's a somewhat recent thing so it makes sense if you are surprised."
?????
What the ?
I've significantly slowed travel and I've grown to completely despise Marriott despite my literal years+ spent staying in them but this is a new one, to me. Has anyone heard of such a thing?
Mar 14, 2022, 11:11 pm
#2
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
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So I was considering staying at the Washington Marriott Georgetown in DC, and I can't find any recent 2022 reviews on tripadvisor or flyertalk, so I called them to verify if their lounge is back to normal etc, and the person on the phone told me the strangest thing –
She says, you can only access the lounge if you stay on a Leisure rate, you will not have access to the lounge if you stay on a corporate rate, regardless of your Bonvoy status.
Me: "But the only people who are Titanium are traveling for work, so...who else is going to even qualify to go in the lounge?" and she says with this perky sunny disposition, "well it's a somewhat recent thing so it makes sense if you are surprised."
?????
What the ?
I've significantly slowed travel and I've grown to completely despise Marriott despite my literal years+ spent staying in them but this is a new one, to me. Has anyone heard of such a thing?
She says, you can only access the lounge if you stay on a Leisure rate, you will not have access to the lounge if you stay on a corporate rate, regardless of your Bonvoy status.
Me: "But the only people who are Titanium are traveling for work, so...who else is going to even qualify to go in the lounge?" and she says with this perky sunny disposition, "well it's a somewhat recent thing so it makes sense if you are surprised."
?????
What the ?
I've significantly slowed travel and I've grown to completely despise Marriott despite my literal years+ spent staying in them but this is a new one, to me. Has anyone heard of such a thing?
And a quick check of said property's website says:
- M Club is currently closed - We are anticipating a re-opening date of September 20
- Monday - Friday: continental breakfast: 6:30am - 10:00am; light snacks & beverages throughout the day
- Monday - Thursday: light hors d'oeuvres: 5:30pm - 8:00pm, wine & beer available for purchase; light snacks & beverages until 11:00pm closing
- Member + 1 Guest: Platinum, Titanium, Ambassador Elite Members (access/voucher will be coordinated at the hotel front desk upon check-in)
David
Mar 14, 2022, 11:25 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Programs: Delta Diamond 1MM, Marriott Plat
Posts: 509
Yea I saw that on the website but I think that may be very very old information, like, as in "opening September 2021."
Weird latenite desk girl swears the lounge is open.
What's also peculiar to me is that tripadvisor only has 8 reviews from all of 2021 and so far this year just 1 review that doesn't really describe much except a late checkout complaint. So strange.
Whatever, I might just risk it and burn my crummy 35k certs there anyway. My goal is to just burn down my freebie balance and then never stay in any of these marriott shitboxes again for the rest of my life. It's pretty astonishing the brazenness with which these property owners have permanently cut corners.
Weird latenite desk girl swears the lounge is open.
What's also peculiar to me is that tripadvisor only has 8 reviews from all of 2021 and so far this year just 1 review that doesn't really describe much except a late checkout complaint. So strange.
Whatever, I might just risk it and burn my crummy 35k certs there anyway. My goal is to just burn down my freebie balance and then never stay in any of these marriott shitboxes again for the rest of my life. It's pretty astonishing the brazenness with which these property owners have permanently cut corners.
Mar 14, 2022, 11:31 pm
#4
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There's an extremely small chance that the contract for your corporate rate doesn't include lounge access for elites and there could be a problem with (some) corporate rates looking like third party bookings, but otherwise of course you're entitled to lounge access.
Mar 15, 2022, 8:44 am
#5
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I am a Titanium, and book 100% of my travels through my personal account, whether for work or for personal travels.
Mar 15, 2022, 9:02 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Programs: Delta Diamond 1MM, Marriott Plat
Posts: 509
just to be clear the desk girl didn't ask me for my name or a reservation number or which corporate rate I travel under - it was just a blanket, nonspecific declaration that only "leisure rates" can get into the lounge.
For Repooc17 um you certainly do sound like a business traveler with your stats. "Personal account" doesn't make much sense - the relevant data point is, which RATE are you paying when you stay at marriotts, are you saying that you don't have any corporate discount rate and that you stay using the full price public rate at all times, both business and pleasure? If so that's nice for you, and slightly puzzling, and also you would surely be an outlier.
Anyway, for the record, I called again to ask a different person and they didn't mention anything about a leisure or corporate rate. Just "the lounge is open every day!" (pause). "Except saturday and sunday". On sat/sun they said there is comp breakfast in the restaurant instead. I guess I'll find out when I get there.
For Repooc17 um you certainly do sound like a business traveler with your stats. "Personal account" doesn't make much sense - the relevant data point is, which RATE are you paying when you stay at marriotts, are you saying that you don't have any corporate discount rate and that you stay using the full price public rate at all times, both business and pleasure? If so that's nice for you, and slightly puzzling, and also you would surely be an outlier.
Anyway, for the record, I called again to ask a different person and they didn't mention anything about a leisure or corporate rate. Just "the lounge is open every day!" (pause). "Except saturday and sunday". On sat/sun they said there is comp breakfast in the restaurant instead. I guess I'll find out when I get there.
Mar 15, 2022, 9:09 am
#8
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That first desk agent has no idea what they're talking about and either making stuff up or was given bad information - ignore them and use the lounge as normal. Its most likely open during the week and not weekends.
Mar 15, 2022, 10:22 am
#9
Join Date: May 2010
Location: TPA
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Posts: 2,226
Corporate bookings are typically done via the GDS in a tool like Concur. GDS bookings include normal perks like lounge access, points, etc.
At some point, hotels decided to raise prices (targeting business travelers) in the GDS while offering lower rates to more price-sensitive leisure travelers. Companies caught on, though, and added secondary hotel content sources in corporate booking tools. My company, for example, uses both the GDS and hotel content from booking.com.
And there's the problem. Aggregated content from Expedia or booking.com may not have lounge access. It might not even accrue points.
You should be able to check the booking source in your corporate tool.
At some point, hotels decided to raise prices (targeting business travelers) in the GDS while offering lower rates to more price-sensitive leisure travelers. Companies caught on, though, and added secondary hotel content sources in corporate booking tools. My company, for example, uses both the GDS and hotel content from booking.com.
And there's the problem. Aggregated content from Expedia or booking.com may not have lounge access. It might not even accrue points.
You should be able to check the booking source in your corporate tool.
Mar 15, 2022, 10:56 am
#10
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For Repooc17 um you certainly do sound like a business traveler with your stats. "Personal account" doesn't make much sense - the relevant data point is, which RATE are you paying when you stay at marriotts, are you saying that you don't have any corporate discount rate and that you stay using the full price public rate at all times, both business and pleasure? If so that's nice for you, and slightly puzzling, and also you would surely be an outlier.
Mar 16, 2022, 3:19 pm
#11
Join Date: Nov 2016
Programs: Marriott Rewards
Posts: 445
So I was considering staying at the Washington Marriott Georgetown in DC, and I can't find any recent 2022 reviews on tripadvisor or flyertalk, so I called them to verify if their lounge is back to normal etc, and the person on the phone told me the strangest thing –
She says, you can only access the lounge if you stay on a Leisure rate, you will not have access to the lounge if you stay on a corporate rate, regardless of your Bonvoy status.
Me: "But the only people who are Titanium are traveling for work, so...who else is going to even qualify to go in the lounge?" and she says with this perky sunny disposition, "well it's a somewhat recent thing so it makes sense if you are surprised."
?????
What the ?
I've significantly slowed travel and I've grown to completely despise Marriott despite my literal years+ spent staying in them but this is a new one, to me. Has anyone heard of such a thing?
She says, you can only access the lounge if you stay on a Leisure rate, you will not have access to the lounge if you stay on a corporate rate, regardless of your Bonvoy status.
Me: "But the only people who are Titanium are traveling for work, so...who else is going to even qualify to go in the lounge?" and she says with this perky sunny disposition, "well it's a somewhat recent thing so it makes sense if you are surprised."
?????
What the ?
I've significantly slowed travel and I've grown to completely despise Marriott despite my literal years+ spent staying in them but this is a new one, to me. Has anyone heard of such a thing?
Mar 16, 2022, 4:13 pm
#12
Join Date: Jan 2013
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Mar 16, 2022, 6:01 pm
#13
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This thread provides yet another reason (beyond none of your business) not to answer the question of whether travel is for business, leisure, or other when booking on marriott.com.