My fall from grace......
 

Longtime Platinum (10 years) that fell to Gold this year. I admit, I have been spoiled being a Platinum at Marriott over the years which is why I have stuck with them. But, now that I am Gold, the treatment has been markedly lower than what I have received in the past. I have 20 nights on the books so far and have another 20 to go before the end of May. Here is what I've noticed so far:

1) I have yet to get a King size bed this year even though I book it as my preference on every reservation. My 20 nights this year have been split over 15 hotels and I just find it hard to believe that I've had this kind of luck and the king rooms are "sold out." My check-in's are varying times, but generally on Sundays or Mondays. I also fill out the virtual concierge requests and only once have my requests (extra towels and feather pillows) been honored. As a Plat, I never missed out on the requests I made.

2) I have yet to receive turn down service this year. I know this is an unpublished thing and it's not a big deal but it's a little thing that I've noticed since as a Plat, I had it done every single time.

3) At one hotel in the Chicago area, with 2 towers, I have been consistently placed in the opposite tower of the CL which would require an elevator trip from the 10th floor in the tower I was in, a long walk through a construction zone in the lobby and up to the 10th floor of the opposite tower. When I was a Plat, I was always placed in the same tower as the lounge even if I wasn't on the club floor.

4) For the 2nd time this year, I was denied a 1pm check-out on a Thursday afternoon. As a Plat, I got a 1pm checkout every single time. Again, the little things. 1 was a CY and 1 was a Ren.

Is my luck consistently bad this year or I am sounding delusional? I don't want to sound entitled because generally I am not but it's just weird to me that this could be a roll of the dice that I lose every time. Has anyone else that has dropped from Plat to Gold noticed a difference in the small things?

and, even as a lowly gold, if your guaranteed bed choice is not being honored, haven't you claimed for URG?

[QUOTE=USFreak;18426929].......... I have yet to get a King size bed this year even though I book it as my preference on every reservation. My 20 nights this year have been split over 15 hotels and I just find it hard to believe that I've had this kind of luck and the king rooms are "sold out." [QUOTE]

BTW, sounds like all your upcoming reservations would qualify you back to plat under one of MR's challenges........... but thats just my opinion...........

[QUOUTE]I have 20 nights on the books so far and have another 20 to go before the end of May[QUOUTE]

I was thinking the exact same thing. No King bed, no problem, just give me some cash instead. (Usually when you mention that, a "king" bed mysteriously appears. :eek:)

Currently at the Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway and they tried to play this game at check-in yesterday. Was told I had been upgraded to a concierge double (I had booked the concierge level as it was the same as the regular rooms) and no kings were available, but I could be downgraded to a standard king room. I noted that it was not an upgrade and that I was fine with doubles, but that I would like to claim the bed type guarantee. Suddenly a King room appeared on the CL.

More my fault for not reading the Gold bennies. I've been crazy busy this year and just haven't found/made the time to read up. Now I will because this is getting a little ludicrous, IMO.

Been a platinum for 9 years and probably less than 20% my requests are honored. I find it hard to believe you were at a 100% rate:


I also fill out the virtual concierge requests and only once have my requests (extra towels and feather pillows) been honored. As a Plat, I never missed out on the requests I made.

Send them a bill for their previous shortfalls! Seriously, you could email Marriott Cust Svc and tell them your concerns.

BTW: I still remember College of Charleston knocking the Terps out of the NCAA MANY years ago!

If you are talking about receiving your bed preference only 20% of the time as a Plat, I find that very hard to believe. I'm a LT Plat with 1000's of nights at Marriotts (and most of them as a Gold/Plat.) I've very rarely over the last decade NOT received my reserved bed-type. And as I stated earlier, all I had to do was mention the elite guarantee. Once I did that, they were able to find me an appropriate room.

Note that if a hotel offers you an "upgrade" that upgraded room doesn't have to be the requested bed-type. But on that token, you don't have to accept the upgrade. You can always say I want the exact room type I booked (which would then mean they have to honor your bed type.)

I was referring to the extra towels, foam pillow, refrigerator concierge type requests. OP claimed 100% on receiving these as a platinum:

I also fill out the virtual concierge requests and only once have my requests (extra towels and feather pillows) been honored. As a Plat, I never missed out on the requests I made.

Yes, my requests as a platinum were at 100%. I only ever requested extra towels and an extra pillow so nothing complicated. They were there every single time. To be sure, every time I checked in as a platinum, the repeated my requests filled out on virtual concierge.

And we damn near did it again in the regular season last year but alas, a freshman threw up a prayer as the clock expired to win the game. I don't think we will ever see Maryland on our schedule again. Too much history there :D

Wow I would be so stoked if they did not deliver the king bed and had to fork over $100 each time.

I don't think there is a big difference between PLT and GLD at most properties. At CY/FFI, there is really no difference except the platinum arrival gift. At FS or REN, most hotels will offer a better upgrades for PLTs, but it will really depend on the occupancy rate during your stay.

+1 (yes it's early and I'm being lazy sitting at the airport still....but you had it covered)

Do I understand this correctly?
 

I am gold. If I request a king, and the hotel does not have one available, I get paid 100 dollars?