mmogdan

I am shortly departing from the Sheraton, Porto, Portugal and the stay was very good in general, however, I was very disappointed to discover that despite being a Marriott Titanium member and also this hotel upgrading me to a room which includes Club Lounge and Pool/Spa access, that I was indeed charged for accessing the pool.

The hotel claims that as of 1st January the rules changed and you do not receive the benefits of upgraded room types. Is this true?

On the Marriott Bonvoy app it is shows that I have spa (pool) access, so I think it is very misleading to then be charged to access the pool.

I spoke to reception and then the front desk manager, who were both unable to offer any resolution because of this saying it is a policy change. I even completed the local Portuguese government complaints book process at the front desk and no resolution was offered.

Below is what the app shows:



Despite the above, they state the policy is to charge 18 euros per day to swim in the swimming pool, because I booked an entry level room and was upgraded to this room type.

Does this seem right to you? I find it quite infuriating but seems to be a set policy.

canael

I think it has always been the policy that you don't get the benefits of the upgraded room. However, charging for the hotel pool is a whole different story...

Horace

The hotel might have changed its own rules at the beginning of 2023, but there were not any changes to the Marriott Bonvoy Terms & Conditions that would prevent a property from providing the full slate of features associated with an upgraded room category.

Any time hotel staff claims they wish they could provide a better experience to you, but the evil executives at Marriott HQ won't allow it, hotel staff is lying.

It seems like an insult to be told, "We've upgraded you to the 'Club Lounge and Spa Access level' room category, but you can't have amenities that go with that category. You can't even swim in the pool unless you pay 18 euros per day."

Then again, all any of us can expect is the room category we're paying for, whatever that category includes, and whatever additional benefits our elite status provides.

cubeman

Shouldn't lounge access be included regardless? I'd love to find out a hotel has figured out they can charge for pool access and get away with it. guess it's not much different then the resort fee including towels at other properties.

Horace

OP (mmogdan) profile indicates Marriott Titanium. OP did not complain about being denied lounge access, so the property seems to be honoring that elite benefit.

At some hotels with a pool, that pool is a hotel feature available to all guests. At other hotels with a pool, that pool is part of a spa or leisure club only available to guests paying an extra fee, or booking a room category that provides access, or even paying for daily access (or membership) as a non-guest.

ElevatorEnthusiast

If you go to Asia, sometimes, you have to be an Ambassador to get free pool time, and sometimes even they are charged. I've decided to spare other guests the sight of my stomach and stop swimming entirely.

margarita girl

William made it clear that you were entitled to all the benefits of an upgraded room.

Perhaps the Lurkers can clarify whether this policy has changed for the benefit of all, WITHOUT requesting OP’s name, FT handle, MR number, reservation number, etc.

mmogdan

I asked about this in more detail. They told me Lounge access was provided because of my status, rather than the upgrade. I also asked the front office manager, if I used a SNA, what would happen. The front office manager said if I had used an SNA to a room with pool access, I would have been provided pool access, but because this was a complimentary upgrade I don’t get any benefits associated with the room upgrade. I can sort of understand if I was upgraded to a suite that included butler access, that you perhaps shouldn’t be entitled to the butler, but an upgrade to a basic “club room with spa access” and not being permitted to use the hotel swimming pool seems very petty.

He was insisting because my original booking confirmation didn’t include pool access that it shouldn’t be included. I was pointing to the Marriott app which clearly states pool/spa access is included in the room - and the fact no one informed me during check in, or on the website, that it wasn’t included.

I did wonder at the time why the pool was so empty. Now I know why.

Despite all my protests and the hotel knowing full well I was unhappy about this, I was still charged for the pool on checkout.

rylan

Its not an actual room upgrade if they give you that other room without any of the access/benefits... especially in cases where it is the same room design/layout/space but the actual upgrade is for the access benefits that the room provide. That would be like saying oh we upgraded you to a lounge access room but you can't use the lounge, basically a 'sidegrade' not an upgrade
If there was some restrictions then it should've been clearly stated at check in, like if they gave you a big suite and said it is room accommodation only and not the additional access benefits.

DallasEsq

Sheesh, it costs them virtually nothing to let you use the pool there.

ExpatSomchai

Probably why no resort fee

hnewman

It was the same at Sheraton Tokyo. We got pool access as Ambassador level but everyone below paid something.

BRITINJAPAN4

Sheraton Tokyo ? Not sure which property that is , but at Sheraton Miyako and Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay, Plats and above can use the pool without charge.

SHLTP

As much as I Marriott properties game the system against guests, I do believe that just because you are upgraded to a room you don't necessarily get all the benefits that come w the room specifically

Now, I dislike it when hotels charge for pool access and will not knowingly stay at a hotel that does this

Now, that a property doesn't care about upsetting a titanium or giving free pool access to a titanium is awful but par for the course for Marriott now

Now Marriott should have far more standards on what guests and specific tiers get so we know if we always get pool access.

Marriott forced I've been told some of my favorite properties to exclude club access LC Prince Gallery in Tokyo or Sheraton Hua Hin for elites to enforce brand standards, or forced Marriott East in Shanghai to stop giving me 50% dining discounts to standardize to other properties to 20% discount... But Marriott is not willing to enforce basic brand status for elites. It's basically anything goes. And many things are going. Charging for pools is awful but probably ok by Marriotts grey area policies

BRITINJAPAN4

Sheraton has not had a club for years but when it did access to elites was not an issue I ever encountered of heard about .