Stayed at the Marriott Courtyard in Coral Springs, FL over the holidays. This is not a courtyard, it's more of a fair field, not that there is anything wrong with that, I just wanted to stay in a courtyard.

My first clue that it would not be a good stay was that it was independently owned, I would have left, but I paid with points. I called Marriott Gold guest line and come to find out this property has had prior complaints.

I wasn't looking for a freebie, I was just irked that I wasted points when I could have stayed at a Residence Inn, etc, etc for less points.

I guess Santa didn't get my letter.........

Aren't virtually all Marriott hotels independently owned, with very few exceptions?

I think so, but also whether or not the hotel is independently owned shouldn't determine whether you have a good stay or not. Some independently owned properties really care and can seem more personal while giving all the benefits of being part of a chain. In the case of Marriott, most hotels aren't owned by Marriott but many are owned by a property investment/management corporation, so many certainly aren't "ma and pa" ownership at all.

Am I missing something? What prevented you from staying at the Residence Inn for less points? Is the Residence Inn independently owned? Guess I'm just missing the actual complaint here.

Looks as though the hotel may have other issues: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/09/1...per-files.html

Wow. Just Wow. (Allegations, but quite disturbing.) Kinda surprised nobody posted this a few months ago when it hit the news.

Agreed.^

Was this the place?
https://www.marriott.com/hotels/hote...coral-springs/

If so, what was wrong with it that prompted you to call the elite line, and what were you expecting them to say? Yes, most Marriott properties are independently owned.

no basis stated (except that it might be less pts, but the nearest RI looks like its in Planation and also 15k) why staying at a CY was so important and how being an independently owned props leads to a title of blanketing of "Marriott beware"...........IMO, the waste was not of using points but this post........

???

So did you have any actual complaints about the property other than that it was independently owned?

OK, I deleted my particularly skewering retort, as you have under 100 posts/newbie.

But - what are you asking/telling us?

Totally agree with you and am wondering just what the OP was expecting as a Gold or even Platinum member at a domestic C/Y?????

The vast majority of hotels in the Marriott system are independently owned, even the hotels which are under Marriott active management, meaning that the hotel owner signed a long term contract (anywhere from 5 to 30 years) for the management services of Marriott International. There are also Marriott branded hotels which are under private management, and Marriott branded hotels which are managed by third party professional management companies, such as Interstate Hotels & Resorts, which manages several Marriott branded hotels, as well as Hilton and Hyatt brands, and others. One of those in particular, which is generally well regarded in the Marriott forum, is the Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel, but there are many others.

More than 98% (might be more than 99%, depending on acquisitions, such as when MI buys another chain before selling off the individual hotels with management agreements in place) of Marriott branded hotels are independently owned, and most of those are MI managed.

See my first answer above. Ownership, per se, should have no bearing, although there are objections of course, but those hotels do not stay in the Marriott system for long, since MI does not tolerate poor management, whether independently owned or not.

You are not going to like this, but you kind of just disparaged the wrong hotel! The OP was complaining about the Courtyard by Marriott in Coral Springs, FL, but that Miami Herald article is entitled "Undocumented housekeeper files abuse lawsuit against Coral Gables hotel." Coral Springs is in extreme northwest Broward County, and Coral Gables is in southeast Dade County, and those cities are about 50 miles apart. You might want to delete, or at least heavily edit, that post.

1) How is the CY more a FI? And (other than your personal preference) how does it affect whatever happened?

2) FYI, If there is a true issue in a stay, Marriott CS can restore your points. Although I have never experienced a CS agent being so indiscreet as to mention former complaints, an on record file of such would certainly support a request for early departure with point restoration.

3) Great that you weren't looking for a freebie - but
WHAT HAPPENED?

Thank you for clarifying. Sorry for the error. Personally, I don't dislike having my mistake corrected. My intent was not to mislead, so I apologize for accidentally doing so and thank you for undisparaging the hotel.

This on all 3 points. Hopefully the OP will come back & elaborate further.

Cheers.