If Marriott keeps ignoring your valid guarantee claim and email complaints, it might be time for a Certified Letter with Return Receipt (Restricted Delivery) to the appropriate executive in Bethesda. Sheesh.

Normally what I would have done. However, my client is literally right next door. Five minutes from my room to their offices. Unfortunately, the hotel had no space for us to work, so we were required to work at another space when not in meetings with my client (thus why we were at the property at 11:00am). If the Hilton across the street had rooms, we could have gone there. However, the other alternatives were fifteen minutes or more away, which would have seriously cut into our work time (thirty minutes round trip times three extra trips per day). Believe me, I did not choose to stay there lightly.

Agreed. If such a thing is needed, I will put it on my attorney's letterhead for good measure. I have copied the executives listed in one of the posts above on all email communication, including the message that I copied into another post above. This includes Arne Sorensen. I believe that my first complaints and emails (or possibly my PM to the Lurkers) led to the property's management creating the makeshift restaurant on Wednesday. Otherwise, it has been crickets. There has been no direct communication to me except some cut-and-paste responses via email from a line-level customer service rep.

I cannot begin to express how disappointing and frustrating this entire episode has been. :(

Resolution
 

I was contacted by the Corporate Office of Consumer Affairs in regard to last week's fun times at the Richmond Marriott (For those joining this show in progress, there was no lounge or breakfast amenity at a property under renovation and the general manager refused to honor the Lounge Access Guarantee. Also, the water to most of the guest rooms was shut off for over ninety minutes as part of a planned outage that was not communicated to guests). The Marriott consumer affairs office added 50,000 points to my account and refused any cash compensation. The person with whom I spoke admitted that there is nothing Marriott can do on an individual basis to enforce the Marriott Bonvoy terms and conditions when the property is managed by a non-Marriott entity. I was also told that Marriott does not honor the Bonvoy terms and conditions on behalf of its franchisees or the management companies the franchisees may choose to contract.

While not surprising to anyone with a CS issue for the last year or so - this is still disturbing....Basically, what many of us assumed, that Marriott cares about its hotel owner customers - not the humans in the beds customers.

I think that 50k points is a reasonable gesture from Marriott International to compensate for a rogue franchisee who treats guests so poorly. However it is disturbing that Marriott is either unwilling or unable to enforce T&Cs, apparently it is now up to guests to speak up and shame properties by name so that other customers will know to direct their business elsewhere.

It seemed in the past (well before the SPG merger), Marriott was enable to enforce things better at properties including franchisee's. Not sure if that was an incorrect perception or if things have truly changed (e.g. more loopholes in current version of the franchise agreements). It is a disturbing trend that Marriott is not able (or willing) to enforce consistent brand standards. It weakens the value proposition of the Marriott brand. Fortunately, the overwhelming majority of Marriott properties I have stayed at do generally meet brand standards and provide at least a decent if not better customer experience.

As I have noted elsewhere on FT, I do believe customer service in general is on the decline. In any case I hope the trend reverses and customer service improves and Marriott is willing and able to enforce brand standards at all properties regardless of it is a franchisee or directly operated by Marriott. If the current downward trend continues, I may have to eventually look at moving my business elsewhere; however, I am not sure where I would go that the grass is actually any greener. In the meantime, I have enjoyed many family vacations and subsidized leisure travel for visiting extended family from points earned during business stays and credit card spend. So for now I am staying the course.... YMMV....

--Jon

It's been a year since anyone's stayed in Richmond, says a lot about the hotels in this area. I just did a stay at the Marriott in Richmond, VA.

Booked a single king room through the app, noticed on "What to expect" there is no breakfast, no lounge. Checked in via app and when I got my room key my room was upgraded to the Skyline View king + Lounge floor for my two day stay (Approx a $50ish value). I got there late so just went to my room since I had mobile key. I did note the hotel front parking area was packed with cars so couldn't be dead since they moved my rental offsite. Room was nice, had two shower towels and two face/hand towels. Woke up in the morning to figure out the lounge or breakfast option and they hand you a coupon for every night you stay for the starbucks inside the lobby. Covers one coffee and any sandwich which arguably is more then other places offer but everything starbucks has for food sucks for me. At-least they do give you all the coupons up-front so you don't need to walk up to the desk every morning.

I left and noticed that the parking lot was even more busling and lobby. Either they are just below their percentage to open their lounge back up or just milking it. Second time there was a decent valet system that is just computerized where you call, punch in your ticket number and valet's know to get it and you get an automated call when your car is up-front.

I've come through town a couple times in the last year, just always either stay at the Hilton downtown or the Westin out in the Altria office park. Both are highly preferable to the Marriott in my experience. I do agree that Richmond is a market which could definitely support a couple additional upmarket chain hotels downtown.

We just returned from an overnight at the Richmond Marriott (downtown), and enjoyed our stay. The rooms were OK, and the service good. We were using my husband’s soon-to-expire free night certificate, so no applicable elite status, but were given a high floor room with a decent view. The breakfast menu was rather limited - mostly egg dishes, no pancakes or waffles - but their biscuits, served with honey butter, were a delicious flashback to my own Southern roots. (I’d go back just for those biscuits alone.) There’s a parking garage next door with an enclosed walkway connecting the garage to the hotel, which was very convenient. However, it can be cheaper to use the valet service if you are planning to go in and out of the garage during your stay (we left to drive to dinner in another area), since you are charged each time you leave the garage. Very quick and easy access from the interstates.

The above post was from 2020, and along with other posts offering more details, outlined numerous problems encountered during a stay while the hotel was under renovation. I had not seen the posts outlining these problems before my rather pleasant stay earlier this week, and was curious if the hotel was still run by the same general manager who featured in these posts. Interestingly enough, a little googling reveals that the hotel got a new general manager last October.

https://www.virginiabusiness.com/art...t-gets-new-gm/

Just completed a one-night stay here. Arrived from Nova via train and it’s around a 15-20 minute walk from Richmond Main Street station. The Courtyard would be much more convenient for train travelers but we were coming for an event at the adjacent convention center.

We arrived around 10AM and were able to checkin immediately , and 4PM checkout was accommodated, both of which I appreciated. The last time I stayed here was maybe 2018/19 and the hotel has been renovated since. The room was typical Marriott but clean and worked fine; there is a mini fridge in the room. I did hear a little bit of street noise from Broad St but nothing disruptive.

Breakfast was in the lobby M Club and was eggs, bacon, potatoes, turkey sausage, and fruits and pastries. Pretty typical. One of the attendants (wish I’d gotten her name; she wears bright red glasses) was really delightful and welcoming. The club had two attendants this morning and they were really hustling to keep things tidy with a full house. I was hoping the lounge would have desserts last night but when we returned from Stone, there was nothing there.

Definitely not a destination hotel but I’d return if I needed to be in Richmond.

Also, my (7-year old) son loved the Science Museum of Virginia (about two miles up Broad St) so much we had to go twice. Lots of hands on activities for kids and a great option for those with children.


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...e7d3a350f.jpeg
Double Double room

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b073f6d4b.jpeg
Bathroom

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View from 15th floor

Wrong thread!