Denied platinum override - hotel "too oversold"
 

So I call the Charlotte City Center to book a reservation for next week, and the reservations desk is surprised to see that they can't book me a platinum override. She's not sure why, so she advises me to call the platinum line. The platinum phone agent isn't sure why either, so she calls the hotel manager and discovers that the hotel is not blacked out for a special event, but is just "too oversold", and that they can put me on a waitlist if I would like. I pressed the issue a little bit, but at the end of the day they just wouldn't book me a room.

Has anyone else experienced this? I've never had a problem utilizing the platinum guarantee before. I mean, I understand the special event policy, but isn't the whole point of the elite benefit to be able to book a room when there aren't any to be had? Should I call customer service and push them harder?

Unless it's an authorized black-out date, the Plat override should work. Have CS push harder.

Cheers.

you should be able to book it on marriott.com - make sure you log in first...but regardless I was just able to book a platinum override reservation for next Tuesday & Wednesday at the hotel (as mentioned the hotel does not have a waiver)

Note: I found out what happened...the hotel DID have a waiver for almost 4 hours today - it's since been withdrawn

Can someone please explain how the Platinum Override works and what it is? What sort of room rates do you get?

My understanding is that Plat Override is if a hotel is sold out, you still get a room. Usually at rack rate or something similar, but not the cheapest. You must be logged in when making the ressie or have Plat line make it for you.

Hotel can't deny it, unless they've been granted an official 'black-out/special event' exemption (think of things like Super Bowl location, citywide convention, etc) from Marriott HQ.

Cheers.

Forgive my ignorance, but if the hotel is sold out how can you still get a room? Do they bump someone else (and how do they pick)? Or are there always rooms held back for such things?

Some of both. Of course what the hotel hopes for is that some confirmed guests will not show up, letting them keep the deposit and charge someone else for the same room. If more guests show up than they have rooms for, though, they will bump someone and typically it will be a non-elite guest (since the MR program provides significant financial incentive for hotels not to bump elites). They'll arrange transportation to another hotel in the area and a room at said hotel.

The Plat Override guarantees a plat a room at any Marriott property with 48 hours notice. Hotels can ask for "blackout" dates where they don't have to honor the override, but these are only supposed to be for extremely unusual circumstances, like the ACC Tournament or Furniture Mart in High Point, or Super Bowl Weekend. Hotels also don't have to honor the override when the entire hotel has been taken over by a single event, like a large conference.

I've used the Plat Override, on average, a couple times a year over the past few years. The rate is extremely high. I'd imagine, it's the highest published rate. My corporate rate is never honored when using the override.

For example, I had to do an override at the PGH Ren a couple years ago. The hotel was completely booked, but my conference was at the hotel and I had boxes of manuals which would have been very difficult to deal with if I were not at the hotel. I was charged ~$500/night.

Suppose there is someone else at $150/night. My $500 is enough to pay for that person at another hotel, plus the associated expenses, and for the hotel to still make a profit. Instead of getting the $150 from the first guest, they wind up getting $200+ from me after paying to move the other guest. It's not a ton of money, and there is negative pr from not honoring a reservation, but the hotel can please a, let's face it, more important customer and still make at least as much, if not more money.

I would hope the hotel choses a lower revenue non-elite guest, but I'm guessing there is some first-come, first-serve involved, too. If you walk someone checking in at 3:00pm, you may have no-shows and ultimately not have to had walked the customer.

Interestingly even though this is common practice for airlines it's not allowed for hotels if the deposit is on a CC.

Both MasterCard and Visa (and I assume Amex) have very similar rules for charging for hotel no shows. Both require that the room be kept available all night and until the normal check-out time. When the hotel charges for the no show they are required to write down the room number which was held. If the rules are not follow, not only can the charge be reversed but the hotel can loose it's ability to charge cancellation fees at all.

This was a compromise implemented since the cancellation charge is always a card not present transaction without a signature. Until this rule was put in place you could just call your CC company (and many, many people did) and have a charge like this reversed since they're was evidence you authorized the charge in the first place.

Here are the Ts&Cs of the Platinum 48-hour guarantee. "at all participating Marriott hotel brands". A key word being participating.

I find many times that the 48-hour guarantee does not work at for rate. I think Marriott has themselves covered - basically it does work sometimes - just not all the time - and it doesn't have to be a special event either.

Hmm. Do you have a reference for this policy?

Umm, that's participating BRAND, not participating HOTEL. The individual hotels do not have the ability to just decide not to participate. RI and TPS have some specific room types and MVI does not participate. AS is not participating yet. Individual hotels have to participate per their brand's participation.

It is also my understanding that blackout dates have to be pre-approved by Marriott (I think someone mentioned once at a regional level) and Marriott requires a compelling reason, above the hotel just not wanting to participate.

socrates has said that many a time when the topic has come up...

Cheers.

From section 2.2.1 (MasterCard Guaranteed Reservations) of the MasterCard Chargeback Guide - http://www.mastercard.com/us/merchan..._CB_Manual.pdf

..."If a hotel, motel, or resort is participating in the MasterCard Guaranteed
Reservations service for all MasterCard cardholders, the hotel, motel, or resort
is obligated to have a room available when the MasterCard cardholder arrives
(until checkout time the next day)."...

..."6. If the cardholder does not cancel and does not stay at the hotel, motel,
or resort, then the hotel, motel, or resort may bill the cardholder for one
night’s room rate. The following procedure should be followed:
a. The hotel, motel, or resort completes a TID filling in the cardholder’s
name, MasterCard account number, card expiration date, date of no
show, assigned room number and card acceptor identification, and
writes the words “guaranteed reservation/no-show” in place of the
cardholder’s signature.
b. The hotel, motel, or resort follows its usual authorization procedures.
c. Assuming the account is not listed in the Warning Bulletin, and
authorization has been provided or the transaction does not require
authorization, the card acceptor deposits the no-show charge in the
usual manner. No special deposit requirements are imposed on the
card acceptor.
d. The actual no-show registration card, reflecting the assigned room
number, shall be retained six months from the date that the TID is
deposited."...

..."8. MasterCard reserves the right to prevent the acquirer from allowing a
specific hotel, motel, or resort to participate in the MasterCard Guaranteed
Reservations service where in the opinion of MasterCard management, the
hotel, motel, or resort has abused the privilege."...

I've not looked it up but my sister who works for Visa indicated the policy is the same for Visa as well.

Under general contract law there is the concept of "requirement to make gain from breach". What that means is that if someone breaks a contact with you, and you are able to sell the item or whatever so that you have no loss (or less loss -- called "mitigating the damage") you are to do so, and you cannot charge the person who is in breach of the contract for a loss you did not incur.

There are certain modifications and exceptions to this rule, and I understand some states have modified the rule by statute, but in general it is a rule of fairness -- if you didn't lose money because of my breach, you weren't harmed by it and thus you have no "damages" to recover from me.

So, where that concept applies if you were able to rent the room you rented to me but I didn't show up for, you can charge me any expenses you incurred in renting it again, but you can't just keep my money and the other customer's as well.