Does anyone have any input on this ongoing problem with my Marriott reservations?
I am profiled in my rewards profile for a smoking room. All my travel is handled though our outside travel agency. When they make a Marriott reservation for me they request smoking since I am also profiled with them for a smoking room. I know that they requested a smoking room because it prints on my travel itinerary. At least 90% of the time when I go to check in at a Courtyard they have me in a non-smoking room. When I ask them if my reservation did not request a smoking room they stare at their computer screen and insist they they did not have the request come through as a smoking room. This is almost always the case at the Courtyard's. It also happens as the "full-service" Marriott's although not as frequently as the Courtyards (maybe 60% of the time they have it wrong at the full service Marriott's). They do however have my rewards # in the reservation. I guess I fail to understand why I even filled out a Marriott profile when obviously it has no impact whatsoever on the reservation as far as the front desk is concerned. What do they see when they stare at that computer screen? I know it is a small thing but I just get so tired of checking in and being handed my key and they asking if the room is smoking and being told "No" "Did you want a smoking room?" THen when I ask if my reservation didn't say "smoking" being told "No, we have no record of that request."

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[This message has been edited by socrates (edited Mar 23, 2004).]

This happens to me all the time at Marriott-branded hotels in the U.S.A. and Canada. My profile states my preferences as king bed, smoking. The problem I have at Courtyard hotels is that in half of their smoking rooms, there is no ashtray. I've mentioned this on all the comment forms I receive by e-mail after each stay.

I've never had a problem with Marriott-branded properties in Singapore, Manila, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, or Puerto Vallarta. In my opinion, the Check-in Staff in Asia seem more professional, while their counterparts in N. America are usually students working part-time, and have the attitude to go with it.

Socrates, Thanks for the response but I would really like to get to the bottom of the problem and what is happening when a reservation is sent in through the automated systems that Marriott uses. I never have a problem getting switched to a smoking room at the front desk it just is a small and regular annoyance to have to ask to be changed to a smoking room when my reservation and profile should already have that information in it. It isn't that the front desk staff ignores the reservation request for a smoking room it is that they insist that there was no request for a smoking room in the reservation to start with. Talking to a manager would be sort of exercise in futility since I seldom if ever am in the same Marriott twice. As I said the front desk people are always good about giving me a smoking room when I tell them I want one it's just that they should have already had it in the reservation. I truly think that there is a "Bug" in the Mariott reservation systems somewhere.

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[This message has been edited by socrates (edited Mar 23, 2004).]

Thanks Socrates. As a matter of fact I will be at the Courtyard in Princeton, NJ tonight. The confirmation # is xxxxxx and the confirmation from my travel agency says "Rqst smoking" so if you want to check let's see what it says from your end.

[This message has been edited by KathyP (edited 08-19-2003).]

Sorry if this posts twice but I posted a reply and then it did not show up when I went back in so I will post again. Socrates,I am actually staying the at the Courtyard in Princeton, NJ tonight. The reservation (confirmation ) # is xxxxxx. The itinerary I got from my travel company says "rqst smoking". My rewards # is xxxxxx if you want to check it. Let me know what you see from your end as far as room type specified on the reservation. Thanks

[This message has been edited by KathyP (edited 08-19-2003).]

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[This message has been edited by socrates (edited Mar 23, 2004).]

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[This message has been edited by socrates (edited Mar 23, 2004).]

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[This message has been edited by socrates (edited Mar 23, 2004).]

Thanks Socrates but I think that's a "gotcha". According to the Elite Members Gold Level Benefits page on the marriott rewards web site under the guarantee room type it says"If you don't receive the bed type and smoking preference you've noted on your servation for North AMerican hotels and Marriott Hotels and Resorts & Renissance Hotels & Resorts or smoking preferences noted on your reservations at Courtyard, Fairfield Inn and Suite Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites and Town Place Suites we will reimburse you $100 USD.
How then can the courtyards not guarantee the room type for a smoking room and yet it must be guaranteed because I am a gold?

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[This message has been edited by socrates (edited Mar 23, 2004).]

It might also be that those countries have a much higher smoking rate then the United States, so they are more used to smokers booking rooms then the US.

Socrates,
I sure hope that confo and MR number were taken off before anyone important @ HQ saw that. Anyone with access to Marsha could have easily gone into the resv history and found out who you are. Actually, even without her confo all you have to do is check for a Kathy P with an arrival at that CY. Not that anyone would want you to get in trouble but cutting and pasting information out of Marsha(confidential and proprietary information) posting GM's email addresses, and the format for all GM's email addresses would be highly frowned upon.

I understand that the MR members sure appreciate your help and that a MI presence is desperately needed here. For your protection, please be careful. And for God's sake please quit posting individual GM's email addresses here. I am sure you wouldn't appreciate it if someone posted your e-mail address here for everyone to have(not that I'd do that.)
If a guest needs help they can email [email protected] or [email protected]

P.S. How are things in �L'Etoile du Nord�?
:-D

Are you trying to encourage us to switch to SPG or another program where we can get a proper response? I guarantee you that if Kathy had emailed one of the address the reservation may have been corrected, but the error would not have been identified as socrates has done and passed along.

As for finding out who socrates is, mgmt has stated (via a letter that was transcribed in another thread) that they don't know/care who he is. Also, I'm pretty sure that a GM's email would be considered public information, just as you would be transfered to a GM's phone extension if you call the hotel directly. This method just saves time/long distance, etc.

No need to crticize socates' practises, thanks to him some of us are still trying to be loyal that otherwise wouldn't be.