Incredible, this is a new low and a beautiful example of how to fleece your customers, Charles Ponzi would be proud! Marriott, knowingly stole 30k from their customers that recently purchased cat 6 and cat 8 TP's! Well done Marriott!

No idea why my picture isn't posting - either way, the entry in the list is "Le Meridien Etoile", just type in "Etoile" and it should show up!

Pretty much described it. On top of that, better companies DO care about their road warriors feelings towards the travel providers. After all most consider the points and miles earned from being on the road majority of the time, as a form of "compensation" to being away from home and families so often. I know the company I worked for in previous life have such approach. They take the feedback from their traveling employees seriously.

if the old saying "customer is always right" still holds true, and in this case if a MAJORITY of them are upset, I believe Marriott made a mistake. It could be intentional and they think it'll not sink them too much.

The way the whole thing is handled - withholding information, no communication until too late, still no communication on many issues, do seem very intentional to me - to induce the most breakage and get rid of the most liability with the least cost, betting the customers would still have to book their properties because now they have 6K+ out there. In some cases no matter how the customer is unhappy and unwilling, they are the only chain options in town so the screwed customers still have to use their properties, especially business travelers who probably could not and would not. stay at a BnB... That is why they bought SPG to begin with - to eliminate a viable competitor.

Marriott so far have been pretty fair with this "merger". Let's get them the benefit of the doubt and some time to make the necessary changes. They were really busy with the Merger, and can't focus on every aspect. Seeing the overwhelming response with thousands of post on the Marriott and SPG site from the most loyal segment of MR, I believe Marriott would make the neceesary adjustments. By simply refunding 30k points, 1x option of adding points, and a 1 year extension still valid, it would make most of us happy or even ecstatic.

this is actually a tell. companies (and people) who feel the need to talk about what great citizens of the world they are, aren't. those who are virtuous, don't have to tell people.

example a: google made a point of telling everyone their guiding principle was 'do no evil', while being the most evil and 1984-realized company i can think of in modern times. see also, facebook.

example b: show me a person who is always talking about what a good person they are, and i'll show you someone who is a complete pos.

the prosecution rests.

To me, this is straight what I'd call "caught red handed".

They withhold a critical piece of info, maybe the only meaningful one, from customers, and gave you a small way out. W/O that piece of info, you are led into a maze with a carrot dangling and they did tell you there is one way out but you have give up all of your instinct, reasoning and experience you have learned in the years, and follow just that one piece of "advice".

Ask themselves what will they do as a customer, I think they are not giving customers a fair chance in the decision making process.

apples and oranges. Marriott withheld information. They were selling these packages up to the minute IT brought the system down.

as for windfall... exactly what windfall was i expecting when i spent 540,000 points- the most expensive package that booked the most expensive RC. now, come 1.1.19, it's no longer top tier. historically these packages have been extendable for at least a year past initial expiration, and a 540,000 point package was always going to get you the top tier in the program. we were told by marriott reps that top spg would be bookable at top tier. now top tier has been moved to, what... tippy top tier to screw anyone who shelled out a s-load of points?!?!? as Stan would say, 'that's pretty f-ed up right there'.