mfirst

About 2 weeks ago, I needed an overnight stay at IAD before a morning international flight - arrived late in the evening and took the shuttle to the Marriott
Despite my Titanium status - no separate line for check-in with much interest in getting the flight crews settled in first (yes, the deserve and are worth treatment, but how about a separate process for groups vs individual guests?).
Room upgrade options or even discussion? - no way, you get what you get....
Lounge access - ha, conveniently closed during hours where probably most travelers would want/need access...
M&B credit for the junk in the store - nope... not even something for the over-priced bar
Points/credit for the stay - sorry, booked by work people and no eligible for anything (why do airlines credit the person who sits in the seat but hotels dont credit the person who sleeps in the bed?)
Room quality - probably last refreshed about 20 years ago

would I stay there again? - bon voyage.......

arlflyer

Translation: OP is angry because they don't understand how the program works (you don't pay, you don't earn) and thinks that an airport hotel should prioritize them over big corporate flight crew accounts that book hundreds and hundreds of rooms. Ok, then...

Lots of better hotels in a 10 minute radius than the IAD Marriott; feel free to try a different one next time. On-airport hotels exist for convenience and convenience alone.

Must have been holding in a lot of anger for those two weeks before you finally worked up the courage to write that. Stick it to the man, yeah!

goodeats21

I sympathize with the comment about the operating hours of airport hotel lounges / restaurants. Lots of folks there to catch early morning flights, and sometimes you can't even get a cup of coffee early AM.

I also have found most airport hotels to be less guest-friendly than city locations.

escapefromphl

Your main beef should be with your employer who is booking a non points eligible rate, probably via Egencia or a Master booking on the corporate card where they get the rebate. Through several employers I’ve always been able to navigate around these issues.

mfirst

I am not denying that I am little cranky about the treatment (or lack there of) - but I think it does raise the question of the role of these types of programs in the hotel world vs the airline world. Yes, part of this relates to how the room was booked, which is something I dont have control over and a complex conversation with work... but the disconnect between the "room" the "payer" the "person sleeping in the bed".... I can understand the lack of points/credit for a discount rate - but does that mean loyal status is not a factor in how we should be treated?

Beltway2A

If you don't book from a qualifying channel, your loyalty status doesn't apply - you're the same as Joe Schmoe off the street. Your issue is 100% with your employer who decided to take the commission-equivalent cut for themselves (either in savings or rebates).

arlflyer

It is a factor in the calculus, just not in a way that benefits you. As Beltway2A notes above, your employer is the one getting the benefit by agreeing to deny you loyalty status perks in return for whatever cut they're getting. So this has all been thought through, quite carefully in fact, it's just that you're the one getting the short end of the stick.

Hipplewm

Wait until your work starts booking you Basic Economy tickets and you don't get any miles or credit for them either.....

Sounds like you need to find a job with a better travel program

DELee

Wanted to note that quite a number of posts about this property are in: Marriott Bonvoy hotels in or near Washington Dulles Airport (IAD, Northern Virginia)

Also, hotel layouts and room types are now provided in the wiki.

David

ikwia

I am at this properly now and wanted to share a few quick notes. The CL is open from 4:30 AM through 1 AM. Breakfast in the CL is cold "grab and go" items. However, you get a $25 per person (up to 2 people) credit for the restaurant as an Elite (not sure which tiers this applies to). The credit cannot be used toward tip. Unfortunately, there are no Uber Eats options available from the property. DoorDash does have some options available. It is literally 3-4 minutes from pickup at IAD to dropoff at the hotel, so certainly very convenient in that regard. The restaurant is open until 11 PM and the shuttle runs every 15 minutes.

Longboater

Spent the night at this property last night before my early morning flight to St. Thomas today. Never stayed here previously as the price seems to be much more expensive that it should granted it is the only hotel located on the airport property and Marriott can charge a premium. (Paid with cash plush points.) Comparison is the Westin was almost $100 cheaper if you booked the room the same day of the stay. Incidentally, the Westin was $25 cheaper than the nearby Courtyard. Checked in at noon and despite official check-in not until 4 pm. Very easy check-in process compared to what the OP experience. Despite checking in super early, a room was available and a slight upgrade to the room I booked per my Gold status. (Booked a King but received two doubles with a courtyard view, no pun intended, on the top floor per my preference.) Note, the outdoor pool is only open Friday-Sunday, 12 pm - 8 pm. Reason is probably due to the outdoor pool being up to nine feet deep and required to have a lifeguard on duty whereas the indoor pool is five feet deep tops. Hotel restaurant is standard for Marriott, but really more of a bar than a sit-down restaurant. I was able to use my dad's lifetime titanium card to get into the Concierge Lounge despite being just Gold. Sparse offerings at lunch time, but I already ate at the bar so no issue there. They offered a taco bar for dinner in the Lounge, which were tasty, but they wrapped up at 7, which I thought was early. Since everyone on my 6:30 AM airport shuttle was flying/working United, door to door was less than four minutes. Overall, I give it 5/5, considering the hotel was completed in 1970 and has had no real exterior renovations. Would stay here again but probably would do cash plus points instead of just paying cash due to the premium Marriott charges. Not sure why the hotel only gets 4.0 on google and 4.1 on Marriott's own website.

jonisflying

Staying here for 1 night later this week, wondering if anyone knows the Shuttle Schedule? I'll be arriving at 9:30PM at night, and wondering if I'll have to call the hotel or does it run continuously?

Also, they still have a lounge, right? If so, anyone know the hours of the lounge?

Thank you!

Longboater

It is every 15 minutes until I think 1 AM. Pretty easy to find shuttle as well due to the rapid frequency. They do have a Concierge Lounge, but it will be closed by the time you arrive at the hotel and check-in. You are not missing much though as the hot food is only available from 5 PM to 7 PM. Breakfast for Platinum members and above is in the Lobby Bar area starting at 6 AM. Let me know if you have any further questions.

jonisflying

Awesome! Thank you so much! Greatly appreciated!

ikwia

Unless there was a change in the last few weeks, this is incorrect. The lounge hours are (were?) 4:30 AM through 1 AM.