mmogdan

Hello, I’m staying at a Four Point property in Europe.

I completed app checkin but this didn’t seem to make any difference. I checked in at the front desk and there was no welcome gift offer or mention of my status.

Can I claim the welcome gift guarantee?

Tanic

When you use app checkin, the welcome gift defaults to 500 points. The guest must request an alternative at the FD: either an "amenity" or "breakfast in restaurant" per night for guest+1. The guest compensation is USD $50.

martzipan

I think it’s a nice loophole Marriott came up with: if you check in online, the choice defaults to points and you are just advised to ask FD if you want to change it. This essentially takes away your ability to claim welcome choice guarantee.

So if you want to see if you can catch FD making the mistake of not offering you the choice - don’t use online or mobile check in.

golfnerd

I have tried on multiple occasions to get the Guaranteed Welcome Gift honored in person. I check in, nothing is offered/status not mentioned (I'm Titanium) and I then ask for the compensation after checking in (note I did not check in online which automatically selects points) and spend 5-15 minutes explaining the T&C's to the front desk agent. The front desk agent says something like "I don't know about that, you were automatically given points and I can't/won't/don't know how to credit you." I ask for a manager and they aren't in. Before checking out I go through the whole rigamarole again with another person at the front desk with the same answers and the manager isn't there.

This happens A LOT.

I then call to make a complaint on the "Titanium service line" and file a complaint. It's ignored. The last several complaints I have heard nothing back.

It just wastes my time every time and I get nothing. Should I just give up trying to get the money the T&C's promise and assume that this is just a Marriott scam?

iknowthings

Ritz, Edition, and Design hotels there is only one option, so there is no choice. Otherwise, you're correct about the Elite Benefit Guarantee. Unless you're using mobile check-in, in which case you're automatically given points and must request the alternative.

nequine

I don't know if it has changed, or I just didn't pay attention before, but now if you do the online check-in via the app it tells you there that you've automatically been given the points and if you want to change it then *you* have to mention it when you check in.

Most times I do find that the agent checking me in will mention my arrival gift, but if they don't I change it to what I want it to be ie for my stay tomorrow I will change the points to breakfast.

Ryansox

I know others have said this but if you do mobile check in or check in online points are automatically defaulted and you cannot claim the welcome gift guarantee. If you want something else you have to mention it and check in.

cre95

A quote from Einstein comes up in my mind…
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

Not implying that hotels should follow the program but maybe it’s time to learn and change one’s behavior. If you don’t like it, you can certainly chose to stay at a different hotel / chain.

SP03

Did you ask for the amenity at check in or just ask for the compensation?

Kacee

It's not clear exactly what you're asking for. Breakfast or a F&B credit in lieu of points? And properties which owe that option are refusing? Repeatedly? If so, can you name and shame?

golfnerd

I don't check in online for that reason, as nicer hotels often have nice breakfasts. But good point.

EuropeanPete

One reason why I rarely stay in Bonvoy programme hotels.

There is systematic non-conformance to the programme which either 1. is covered under the guarantee which hotels will systematically refuse to provide or 2. Has to go to Bonvoy customer service who will tell you tough luck because all parts of the programme are either optional to the property, or they'll willfully lie about what the provisions are.

It's just a price that comes with every Bonvoy booking. If you don't want to pay it, stay elsewhere.

Horace

golfnerd,

Which Marriott brands were involved at these multiple occasions? Were you offered anything at check-in, beyond being handed the key cards to your room? If you were not offered the proper choices, did you ask the front desk agent about it right away?

At all of my check-ins this year, the front desk agent properly offered the benefit choices for Platinum Elite and above.

The choices vary by brand. At Westin and Sheraton hotels, for example, the welcome gift is "1,000 Points per Stay" OR "amenity per Stay" OR "breakfast in restaurant per night of Stay for Member +1 (including Resorts)." Meanwhile, at non-resort properties of five Marriott legacy brands, the welcome gift is "1,000 Points per Stay" OR "U.S. $10 food and beverage ("F&B") credit per Stay" (but restaurant breakfast is not a welcome gift choice), in addition to the lounge/breakfast benefit, which is separate. At select service brands, the welcome gift tends to be more modest, but, again, it varies by brand.

There have been rare times in the past when a front desk agent failed to ask me. In that case, I ask the agent about it while still at the counter. The agent then realizes that I have elite status and offers the choices. I'm not offended, and I do not demand "Guest Compensation" of $25, $50, or $!00 (again, it varies by brand).

If a hotel genuinely fails to comply with the Terms & Conditions -- whether due to a front desk agent who refuses, or due to hotel management that somehow thinks they're free to ignore the Terms & Conditions -- I would not hesitate to demand "Guest Compensation." This just hasn't been the case for me.

craigthemif

It sounds like the OP is regularly fishing for the $100 compensation. Letting the front desk go through their thing only to come back 5 minutes later with a "gotcha, DYKWIA, you didn't offer me..."

Those brands that offer the choice of breakfast and points are generally very good at offering the choice. So I surmise that the OP is making a fuss over the choice of points versus a $10 F&B credit? This might only be relevant enough at a Courtyard (only 500 points and no free breakfast so a credit is welcome). But that only wouild lead me to question my reasons for choosing Courtyard over and over instead of different brands / chains... (rather than complain to Bonvoy each time)

canael

I think it's a stupid guarantee. I would say I could invoke it at around 10% of check-ins. However, I only did it twice when there were other big issues that were ignored. But those two times it worked fine...