How long do apology points take to post?
 

A Marriott affiliate in Japan overcharged me via Marriott gift cards. Recognizing that the mistake would be difficult to fix via cross border payments, they offered to post points instead. It’s been 8 days since they “posted them.” I wrote to say they hadn’t posted and they insist they did post… it’s just taking a while to show up in my system. Does this carry water? How long does compensation take to post generally?

I will note I tried to refuse compensation as this is a surefire way to get your account graffitied as a complainer over time (Marriott’s classic “make your fans wear a hair shirt” strategy), but this was the hotel’s insistence.

eBonus points should post within the same day. I had a cleanliness issue a few years back where the hotel posted apology points (their decision) and it showed up on the same day before I even checked out.

Dear stvr,

If you would like us to check with hotel, kindly provide below information via DM.

Marriott Bonvoy account
Your name and email address associated with account
Reservation details (with hotel name and stay period)
The name of hotel staff confirmed the compensation

Please feel free to contact us if we can be of any assistance.

Best Regards,

Abbey L
Specialist, Social Media Care
Marriott International

Okay, DM sent. Curious to see where this goes.

IME they show in your account within a matter of minutes from when the hotel actually posts them.

+1 They show up virtually immediately after the hotel posts them. No delay between posting time and visibility in my account.

--Jon

Notes:

1. I am pretty sure with Japan they will honour the credit, so I would give this time unless you need those points urgently for something
2. When I get a bonus specifically from the hotel within a rebate, e.g. for a stay, it can happen up to 2 weeks later, implying that the hotel is doing this as a bulk upload/credit every few weeks
3. I often notice that the website shows points instantly, whereas the mobile app can take a bit more time to refresh properly - so make sure you are checking the website

Okay, I think this turns out to have been the most Bonvoy thing ever, which is:

-insisting that something has been done properly
-while failing to do it (either from embarrassment, malicious intent to avoid payout, or just sheer incompetence)

Anyway, now it's been done. Bizarre.

Glad it worked out. Thanks for reporting back on the thread.

--Jon

I haven’t had “apology” points for years. I complained about a hotel not catering for my disabled husband. He has multiple disabilities which mean he can’t access the lounge most of the time. They had reprimanded me for taking him a couple of bottles of lager to him. I explained what they were for, but they didn’t care. I wrote to the manager. He offered vouchers for the bar, which allowed him 2 small bottles of lager a day. I am a regular at the hotel. The last time I went the staff just looked blank when I asked for the vouchers. So that lasted for one stay. At one time they would have offered points for all the nights he got nothing.

I'd quickly become a regular at a different hotel. The two hotels where I might be considered a regular have figured that out, and make it obvious that they value my business.

Do you care to name this shameful hotel?

I didn't really want to start a new thread, so thought I would post here. I had a recent experience with a hotel where the chef mistakenly told me that the Nasi Goreng dish on the breakfast buffet was vegetarian. It wasn't, there was chicken in it which I didn't realize until after I ate some. (There were no veggie signs on any of the dishes so the chef offered to walk around with me and show me what I could eat. I've been a vegetarian for 31 years. I don't even eat fish.)

The chef was very apologetic and offered me a free lunch. Since I had a late breakfast and was checking out in the afternoon, I knew I wouldn't be eating so soon, so I declined. I asked him to just tell the front desk to give me some goodwill points. He agreed. Of course, the front desk hadn't heard about this but when I brought it up, the manager offered me 1000 pts. :rolleyes: He saw my reaction and asked what I thought would be a fair amount. I said a minimum of 5000 pts, which didn't even seem like much. He compromised and said, "OK, 2000 pts". His rationale was that I'd have to spend $200 to earn 2000 pts. Well, not really since I have Ti status.

Fast forward to a week later, the points from my stay have posted, but not the Service Recovery points. I wrote in, and this time they answered pretty quickly and the 2000 pts were posted.

Here is the interesting part. The email I received also included a receipt that said the 2000 pts cost them US$11. I don't think I've ever seen this before, so thought I would share it. No idea if the same price applies to stay points.

Yet you cared enough to come here to ask, then DM'ed the Lurkers, to get compensation you didn't really want anyway because you were afraid of being noted as a complainer? Wouldn't have just forgetting about the points (you'd either get them or you wouldn't) have been the best way to avoid getting the bad rep you're worried about?