Worthless "benefit"
 

I'm targeting Marriott here, but do any of the hotel chains really honor their check-cashing benefits?

The Marriott benefits say up to $200/$500/$500 for Silver/Gold/Platinum, but I have never been able to get anything near that when I've tried. Most of the front desk staff will even debate you on what the Marriott rules are.

The last time I was told, "we'll give you $50, take it or leave it." If this is a benefit like any other, why wouldn't properties be prepared for it? Not that they need to be full-service banks, but to keep cash on hand, especially if they tout this "benefit".

Why don't they one-up the competition and say "up to $5,000" if they don't plan on actually providing it?

I've cashed checks occasionally and never had a problem. I've never tried to go as high as $500, but $200 was OK. Once I got a hotel to charge a couple hundred dollars on my VISA card when I didn't have a check with me. They did it as a service, even though it must have cost them money. (They gave me $200, but VISA gave them probably $196 or something like that.)

Bruce

That's what I mean. I've cashed checks at a least a dozen Hyatts and a few Marriotts, and always:

1. I am told that they have $xxx that they will give me, which is always less than the $500 limit.
or
2. The front desk staff will -debate- me over what the rules are. I've been told on separate occasions, $100, $200, $250, etc. If they finally admit to $500, then #1 occurs.

My question is, if they have absolutely no intention of providing the full benefit (and I would say that going 0 for 20 overall proves that), why do they bother to advertise it? I've figured out that I have to ask for the $500 to get $200...

I have cashed checks in more than 25 Marriotts worldwide and have never had a single problem. It has been a helpful benefit, and I have never run into a front desk unwilling to do it or confused about whether it is appropriate.

Like Phil, I've had no trouble using the check cashing benefit as a Black card holder though I never asked for more than $200-$300. Most difficulty I've had was being asked to wait quite a while before being taken care of and once especially long in addition (while it took them, probably Telecheck or something) seemingly forever to get approval at an airport location where I was not a registered guest. I was afraid I'd miss my flight but had already checked in. No big deal but generally a good benefit in my experience.

In the Internet age with credit cards, ATMs all over the place, and rebates on ATM terminal fees, I wonder why people still write checks. This is an ancient benefit that needs to be updated.

Tino - I agree - I've always found this benefit to be a joke. The front desk personnel universally insist you can only get $50. I stopped carrying checks years ago - if I really need additional cash when travelling I'll use my atm card or AMEX card to get cash - most hotels even have ATM's on site now.

Have not tried to cash a check at a Marriott in a long time (several years). Good thread though. I am at the Tulsa Marriott this week and will test this benefit (I am PLT - and theoretically should be able to get $500).

I have never tried - but will (for the 'fun' of it). I wonder if they will accept a (my) check drawn on a swiss bank account ...

Wow, some people with Swiss bank accounts are actually SWISS -- not U.S. taxpayers hiding assets!

Bruce

I've tried many times and had no problem. I find that using checks avoids any ATM fees!

It used to be that Marriott would give you a cash advance and put it on your bill. They then gave you points for the advances. And internationally this worked out great, as they would give you the best rate of exchange (the credit card rate) with no ATM or cash advance fees.

WOW!!!!!

Then I could use my 15% off gift certificates!!!

I'm trying this tomorrow, and will send you a cut of my "profits".

I tried getting cash in Montreal, and the desk wanted to give me their exchange rate, which is in their favor. I said that wasn't right. But they could not understand that $200 Canadian put on my bill had nothing to do with the exchange rate the cashier was using.

Marriott hotels in general has gotten so rude in their service, that I have looked elsewhere for rooms this year with better treatment at Hyatt and Hilton.
From the posts, I see that I am not the only one feeling this way.

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It is never too late to have a HAPPY CHILDHOOD!

In case I didn't make it clear. I asked for $200CAN, the desk wanted to charge me in US using their exchange rate, which is very unfavorable compared to the bank. Plus they could not put it in US$ on my Room Account to be converted for the Credit card used. In fact, they would have had to put it in $Canadian for much more then the $200.00CD!

I call this CREATIVE ACCOUNTING! in their favor. Don't think this was the intention of the perk. It was to eliminate the need for paying the exchange rate and a convenince for getting cash while traveling as a service to an ELITE member.
Very unbecomming to a MARRIOTT!

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It is never too late to have a HAPPY CHILDHOOD!

My memory is recalling, that the desk clerk was complaining, they had little cash!
I pointed out the HOTEL was full to the roof for the Holiday and couldn't believe they didn't have Canadian Money!

Would you try running a large international popular hotel without any cash being available?
Thankfully, we have other choices at the Hyatt and the Hilton.

Roadrunner, you would be very lucky to find a hotel that has as good an exchange rate as a bank or your own credit card. My experience is that it's invariably more expensive to exchange money at a hotel - any hotel- and I try to avoid it unless I absolutely have to... and then I figure I'm paying for the convenience. I doubt that Hyatt or Hilton are any different from Marriott in this regard. You can also be sure Marriott ( or any other hotel) never meant the check cashing perk as a way to avoid exchange commissions, since the hotel itself would still have to pay it.

Paying the hotel bill in local currency with your credit card, however, is another story. Generally, you will get a good exchange rate, although you now will usually have to pay a small commission/fee as well.

Roadrunner, I don't see the problem here. If you were looking to cash a check then of course you'd write them a check for ~$140 USD and they'd give you $200CDN. Yes, the exchange rate is bad, but just as bad as if you gave them $140USD in cash. In either case, you're paying (via the exchange rate) for the convenience. And just try taking your US check virtually any other place in Montreal!

On the other hand, it sounds like you wanted to put the $200CDN on your charge card. Why on earth should the hotel do this? They get dinged a couple percent on each charge transaction (i.e., Visa only pays them ~98% of the transaction amount). So by giving you $200CDN they would get reimbursed $196...you'd have to be a very good customer for them to see that as worthwhile.

Of course, they lose the same percentage when you pay for your stay with plastic, but at least there's a profit margin in their rates to cover that. On check cashing, there's no profit at all.

And if want a better exchange rate than the hotel offers, just use your ATM card at any bank. Less convenient, perhaps, but you'll get the best possible rate.