Please excuse me for the following blurb and thread creation, but I just had to vent.

I really don't understand Marriott customer service. Marriott at one point was my priority hotel chain that I stayed at, but 6 years have gone by and a lot has changed it seems like. It used to be that Marriott valued members who spent a lot of nights, and maybe a lot still do. My mileage has been varying quite a bit from this principle lately though.

This week was the two straws in one week that made me really discontent. I checked into a FS Marriott in Houston and I get put in a room right next to the elevator. I've asked customer service repeatedly to mark my account saying I do not want to be close to an elevator, but somehow they cannot figure out to effectively do it. I realize there are people with mobility issues, but I would make an educated guess that 90% of Golds, Platinums, and Plat Premiers do not want to be close to an elevator due to the amount of traffic and annoying dinging of the elevator bells. I proceeded to ask for a room change, and they then tell me that the only other room is on the 3rd floor next to the elevator. Looks like I'm stuck with my room.

Fast forward to today. I had called the Ren Time Square earlier in the day to say I would be checking-in past midnight and to please not cancel my room. I also asked to be submitted for an upgrade in case they have it. This wasn't me expecting an upgrade, especially since I've never gotten one in NYC, rather me just requesting the opportunity. I checked in tonight and they have no upgrade request submitted and he tells me that they only have one king room left in the hotel, mentions it's on the 6th floor, and asks if I mind the noise. I take the keys, go to the floor, and guess where the room is -- right next to the elevator. So now I'm in a double, which isn't the end of the world, but rather another event in a long string of malcontent.

I do not want to be a DYKWIA type, but you would think that they would put some common sense into room selection for people who show loyalty. I keep coming back to Marriott, and Marriott keeps making me unhappy. I seriously would end this relationship if Starwood had more coverage in smaller towns in the US, but we all know that isn't possible. Instead, I shuddup, take my room, and live with the little quell of anger that they don't know how to treat someone who spends at least $10k a year with them, usually much more.

Oh, and for what it's worth, the website shows availability for my entire stay in the larger king room and suite -- why I'm stuck in a double, I don't know. Looks like more nights with less sleep are in my future.

For some reason quite a few Marriott think that being right next to the elevator is great.
More than once when checking in I have had the "Oh I see you ar Platinum, we have giving you a room close to the elevator."

Two check boxes on the profile I would like to see:
Close to Elevator and Handicap Room

Would be nice if you could request to never have either.

+1 (mainly for far away from elevator please). I very rarely get a handicapped room and usually it is when I have gotten some type of upgrade (suite, Jacuzzi Rm, etc.).


--Jon

i say that i like to be down the hallway, but not in a end/corner room - service elevator and the bathrooms are almost always goofy shapes & sizes. Further down the hall means less people walking by.

and if the hotel has east/west facing windows, i ask for an east facing room because the sun helps in the morning...

For what it's worth, I used to have the exact same problem. Was always placed as close to the elevator as possible. One stay I finally asked 'what's up with that?' There was a note in my file, from TEN years ago, that I had requested a room near the elevator. It's true, ten years prior I had indeed requested a room near the elevator of a high-rise Marriott because the hotel had just gone smoke free and I wanted fast access to the lobby and thus the outdoors.

I had the note removed and now also request a room on a mid-high floor midway between the elevator and the exit stairs. Sometimes the stairs are worse than the elevators. And the vending is always worse then both!

JB

Thanks for the validation that I'm not the only frequent traveller that hates this and doesn't agree with the idea that we prefer it.

A positive update to the story -- Glenda did an awesome job of taking care of me yesterday and put me up in one of their 4 suites. I got a great night's sleep last night and the small customer service fix ends the week in a positive note, making me forget the twice it has happened this week.

Would you have been equally as happy if Glenda had put you in a king room away from the elevator but not a suite, presuming that your good night of sleep would have happened then too? Just wondering... As you know, suites aren't guaranteed & supposedly it's the sleep that's the most important component.

FWIW - I think room type (ie, king, double) is one of those things you get $$ from Marriott if it's guaranteed in your reservation/your Marriott # is included & they don't give you the room reserved. If you're still at the property you might want to collect on the $$, although if Glenda took care of you you might want to take a pass.

Also, if the NYC property was more than 1-night stay I would have told them to switch me to a king the next night if it was showing availability.

FWIW - in future, when at the front desk, point blank say to them I prefer a room AWAY from the elevator. Also check your profile w/ Marriott to make sure it says away from elevator.

Cheers.

It's funny that you ask that because she had originally tried to put me in an upgrade but it was right next to the elevator again. Instead she moved me down to the end in a regular king room. I thanked her for her efforts to upgrade me and then she mentioned that she might have a suite that is far away and will move me if it opened up and to just check in later in the day. So to answer your question: yes, I would have been completely happy with the regular king far away from the elevator.

Agree with your comment regarding mentioning to the front desk about being away from the elevator, but if you reread the opening post, they had no more king rooms by the time I checked in. In the end, you get stuck with what's left when your flight doesn't get you in until after midnight.

You could have called and let them know you would be there and maybe contact the manager and just check you in earlier in the day and just pick up the keys when you got there?

Then check Marriott policy. I think you have a guaranteed thing & are entitled to $$ if your room type (ie, double, king) wasn't available. Doesn't matter when you check in.

Since Glenda did get you a suite, then you might want to let it go.

But if you're having this many problems re: elevators, I'd be proactive & check your profile (have you done that yet?) & also call the property the day you check in to the front desk or concierge or heck, even GM to make sure you don't get the elevator. I'd also do a reminder at check in.

Should you have to do it? No. But it's up to you on whether you want to be sure and have a night of sleep, or have a night of no sleep & then complain on a BB that can't do squat to fix the problem.

FWIW - I can't remember the last year I had a room next to the elevator. And when I did they changed it quickly.

Good luck in the future.

Cheers.

I don't think she is entitlied to compensation- there was a king room avaialble she just didn't like the location.

Similar to this subject, Marriott has an option on the preference pages for a few things, such as a refrigerator in the room. I have it checked, but only get one about half the time. Of the times that I did not get one, only one time has the clerk appologized that they didn't have one available. I understand that it is not guarenteed, but they could at least acknowledge that I requested it and it is not available instead of just ignoring the subject.

It is not a big deal to me unless I am traveling with my family and want to keep left overs for the kids, but it appears that most hotels just ignore the request made by a Platnimum member on their website. If they are going to do that, why do they have the option?

I have the same experience. It's a significant item for me because I usually travel with small children.

As someone pointed out in another thread, there is a near elevator radio button in preferences, but no away from button. So short of it being in the comment section of the ressie, it wouldn't show up. If the elevator is an issue for the OP, if I were him/her, I'd always make sure it was in the comments section. I'd also bring it up at check-in.

Cheers.