What do you do when a Marriott lies to a Plat about suite availability? should you just keep quiet?

At one now, and the agent insisted no junior suites were available. But according to Marriott.com they have at least 3 suites available.

Was also denied the concierge floor, said that they were full - Marriott.com says otherwise.

I was on the Plat challenge for a backup chain but so far my experiences have been pretty poor....I think this will be my last Marriott stay (have over 250+ lifetime nights).

Well, first suite availability is irrelevent with elite status upgrades. If the hotel doesn't want to upgrade you to a suite room (Jr or otherwise) they are perfectly within the rules of the Marriott program. This is because suite upgrades are specifically excluded from the elite upgrade benefit. Though I would say I much prefer the hotel staff just saying that they have a policy of not upgrading elites to suite rooms rather than saying they aren't available.

As for the CL floor, I really couldn't care less about getting on the floor or not. The big issue is making sure I get access to the CL itself. As long as I have that, I'm usually happy. Though again, if the hotel does have rooms on the CL and you want one, I can't see why they wouldn't upgrade you. You might ask to speak with the GM to see why you see CL rooms available but the hotel staff didn't want to upgrade you to one of those rooms.

With all of this, don't think these types of "issues" are just with Marriotts. I'm typing this from a Starwood hotel right now. They did upgrade me to an ocean front room, but not to one of their suites. They stated that all the suites were booked up when I checked in. But when I check online, I could book multiple suite rooms if I wanted to. So they do have them, they just didn't want to upgrade me. I guess I could push the issue with the GM as well, but in all fairness, getting an ocean front room was good enough to make me happy. (Yes, the suite room might have been a little better, but not enough to make an issue of it.)

I think there is also a difference between published inventory and actual availability. They may offer a particular type of room online but may not allow the booking process to complete were you to go through it to the end. I don't know for sure but it sounds like a typical situation.

... because more people will believe the lie and not get pushed out of shape.

I've always had a problem with "availability at check in". I find most properties assign their rooms the morning of check in or the night before. Therefore, your chance of an upgrade is exactly that, a chance regardless of when you check in. When you show up, they may have assigned all their upgrades. For those properties that hold suites for last minute bookings at BAR or walk-ins, you have a better chance waiting until late night hoping they have filled all their standard rooms. But again, it's a chance. If you really want/need a suite, the only guarantee is to book it.

Checking online may not properly represent available inventory. Even hotels have been known to allow overbooking in the hopes they have no-shows and get double revenue for the room. If I find a property that I feel is lying to me, I'll scratch them from my list for future stays and referrals to family and friends. A posting on here doesn't hurt either.

Suites are specifically outside the MR upgrade scheme. If you want a suite with Marriott, you have to pay for it, or take the (very) slim chance they decide to upgrade for reasons that are utterly impenetrable.

Like Hhope, CL floor is not an issue to me. A good room with CL access, now that's important, and I am aware with at least one other scheme that CL access only accompanies a CL floor upgrade, which is never guaranteed. The fact you dont have to "luck out" with a CL upgrade to get CL access is a big ^ for the MR scheme.

Generally Marriott hotels don't have many suites, and generally Hyatt and SPG have more in each hotel, suite upgrades are an integral part of both those schemes, but then again with SPG the earn/burn ratio is worse and with Hyatt the inventory more expensive. All programs have their own strengths and weaknesses, but expecting a suite upgrade when it is specifically mandated NOT to be a part of the program is letting yourself in for disappointment.

Exactly. And because of the pre-blocking, I think its a royal pain for the FD clerk to move rooms around in the system. Only because when I ask why a CL room wasn't assigned despite my status and asking in the comments AND I have a caring, non-lying FD Clerk willing to help, they have to pound that keyboard for minutes to make it happen.

I like the CL floor, it find it quieter, it used to be stocked with water and mouthwash and I like to take F&B back to my room to work while I eat without having to juggle plates and bottles on elevators & stairs.

Last night Atlanta Perimeter was a perfect example. This part of ATL largely sold out M, T and only $199 CL rooms available for Wed - they wouldn't allow my corporate rate. For kicks, a few minutes before cancellation time, I checked and now the hotel was wide open at $119 which I grabbed with a comment for CL room and cancelled the $199 CL. At check-in I was told the CL was sold out - I didn't push it but if they aren't going to give those rooms to their best customers, why bother?

I think most of understand we are being lied to, resent it, but are unwilling to escalate further by challenging the lie.

I'm a little surprised at the implication (at least the way I read it) that FD people are consistently lying to MR members. As a former FDC at a CY, my personal experience is that there is no reason to lie to guests regarding the availability of specific room types. You either have it or you don't. MARSHA could be annoying, but I don't recall ever pounding on the keyboard for minutes at a time to change a check-in's room. Yes, on occasion the availability was based on the customer's attitude, but that was my shortcoming, not the company's.

Jeez, if you think they're conning you go somewhere else and quit whining...

Do Junior Suites count as suites? I seem to recall a post a while back (maybe by one of the MC's) stating that Junior Suites are not considered suites and that a hotel should upgrade you to them if they are available, but I cannot remember for sure.

That said, I seem to have had luck with Marriott lately as I got the Presidential Suite at the New York Downtown property, am writing this from a suite at the Renaissance Providence, and have already been upgraded to a suite at the Renaissance Boston for a stay on Monday.

Also, keep in mind that if you're staying multiple nights (say, 7), they may have the room available for all 7 nights today, but they may expect to be able to sell it at some point in the next 7 days. If so, they are perfectly within their rights to not give out the upgrade.

it was a 2 night stay.

Thanks for your most helpful post.

Always happy to help! ^

I'll certainly defer to your expertise since you've been in the trenches so to speak, but what exactly could you be giving or not giving away at a Courtyard? I've stayed at about 25 of them over the years before swearing off the brand and it was a hassle getting top floor or a refrigerator or non smoking preferences correct let alone any "upgrades" that I don't think even exist at CY's. So isn't it hard to judge what might be happening at other brands?

The CY where I worked had three suites and Plats were always wanting them, even though it was not a published benefit. Didn't bother me...if one was available I would usually put them in it. I always thought early blocking was done solely to help the 3-11 FD (me) whenever check-ins showed up en masse.

90% of the MR customers were fine. The other 10% ranged from grouchy to demanding to DYKWIA. I don't even like CY and avoid them at all costs, but if I do stay in one I know beforehand what is available and what isn't. I'll admit that on more than one occasion a Plat ended up in the dreaded 319 because of his/her attitude.