Intentionally staying vague on the exact details.

I am a Plat staying three nights at a FS Marriott in North America. I have a problem with my room, manager comes up to the room, agrees it's a problem. But the hotel sold out, manager apologies, but says he cannot switch me to another room. Promises the problem will be fixed the next day. He comps me the room for the first night.

The gesture of comping the room is appreciated, but since I'm getting reimbursed for the room anyway, should I ask for something more tangible in my MR account, and let them bill me for the night?

Could easily ask for points I guess, but I sure could use a lift in credit for nights since as of right now, I'll be just shy of Plat re-qualification.

Any suggestions?

Sounds like the manager did the right thing. For me, asking for something else or something different wouldn't feel right, but I understand everyone has their own outlook. Do what feels right to you.

I stayed at the CY on South Beach where on our first night at the hotel the sheets were obviously not changed from the night before. The FDM offered to comp me the night but I, like you, was expensing the room, I asked for cash instead.

They gave me $75 which was fine for a $139 room, IMO.

Won't hurt to ask for cash instead.

I've had a problem at a Courtyard two weeks in a row. They upgraded me to a nicer room the second week and I found a broken beer bottle underneath the drop down bed. The manager wanted to comp me the room for the night and explained my situation about it being expensed. He asked if 10,000 points would work instead for the issue. I would ask for points instead of a bump in nights.

The worst they can do is tell you no when you ask for something is what I have learned.

Zach

I'd ask for points instead of the comped night. They will understand!

The offer to comp the room on the part of the hotel is reasonable. If the situation is worse than that (e.g., the room is unusable), then I'd expect to be moved to a comparable hotel with the full compensation associated with getting walked.

I'd feel a bit slimy if the hotel comped my room but I said "No, charge me for it so I can charge my client and then you give me something else." Chances are the hotel will go along with your scheme because I imagine they'd rather book the revenue and give away some extra points, but I'd still feel a bit unethical doing it.

Ask for points. I do it on those rare instances when something goes wrong and the comp offer is made. Comping the room actually causes other issues. The customer is expecting to pay for the room. If there is no charge, they expect no charge the next time. Plus, our accounting dept gets confused. They reject my expense report because the hotel is missing.

"Thank you for offering, but could we do points instead?" is not rude.

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This happened to me once at the Renaissance LAX. I woke in the middle of the night to hear gushing water in the bathroom. I went in to find what looked (but thankfully didn't smell) like sewage bubbling up from the tub. I called down, the maintenance guy came up, and he said there was nothing he could do. Something about clogged pipes in the room above was apparently making this happen with some regularity.

Luckily the hotel was not sold out, so they moved me to a suite on the club floor. The next day when I came back from work there was a handwritten note from the GM offering to comp my stay, but also acknowledging that he saw I was on a business rate and that I might prefer a batch of MR points. He left his personal phone number and asked me to let him know which way to go--I took the points, which credited before the hotel stay even did!