All SF hotels are tied up Sept 18th through 22nd for Openworld
 

I have a reservation at Stanford house that week, but it helps that my team is presenting papers on Monday and Tuesday of the event. Oracle stepped in to get us rooms at the Stanford House. Everything else has been taken up for weeks. In the past there is a flurry of cancellations the week before the event by potential attendees who couldnt talk their employers into the trip and that could happen this year as well.......

The Final Word On The Platinum Override
 

The Platinum override is only available when a hotel isn't sold out. Once a hotel is sold out a "special event" is declared and the Platinum override is rescinded. The sooner everyone realizes this, the sooner we won't have to discuss this topic once a week when someone decided to b!tch about a non existant Platinum perk.

This "final word" is not consistent with my experience. I have been at a hotel and they have pointed out the "negative" availability in their property, but yet I have been able to take advantage of the platinum guarantee.

I do not find this to be "non-existent."

If you are angered by the fact that this is discussed every week, that is one thing.

But, I do not agree with your claim that once a hotel is sold out that the guarantee is rescinded. That would basically mean that the guarantee has absolutely zero value, on a Marriott system-wide basis.

albatross

Sorry, I'm Confused
 

Something comparable happened to me, but in different city. Many hotels in Tampa were sold out because of football game. I wanted Tampa Airport Marriott. One attempt at online reservations told me hotel was sold out, but presented alternative locations. Attempted again, told me hotel was sold out, but it let me book room because of plt status. So, when is a hotel really "sold out"?

I believe that is exactly the point of the guarantee, unless every guest is a PLT.

And the "definition" above is factually incorrect.

When I tried to book Marriott San Francisco (downtown) for a weekend last year, the same thing happened to me. The platinum desk could not accept platinum guarantee. I just thought - I could give it a try by calling the hotel directly.

I talked to a reservation agent first, and he would not accept it. My call was transferred to a front desk manager. He could not accept as well and explained they were oversold already. I thanked his time and was almost finishing the conversation - all the sudden, he said he would like to accept my reservation. He told me - it was not because of my status, but he actually liked my attitude that I did not show off my status.

To my surprise, he even accepted my company rate (which is way lower than the rack rate), and promised me to upgrade to Executive floor. I sent a thank you letter to the GM and HDQ Customer Service...

Yeah, you're right. Don't know exactly what I was thinking.

At least it's not Omni -- here I can admit I'm wrong without someone questioning my manhood. :)

I tried calling all the Marriotts in downtown SF and spoke to some management level person at each hotel, to no avail. Got the "I am sorry we are sold out during that time and the Platinum 48 hour room availability benefit does not apply." :( Isn't that the whole purpose of the 48 hour room guarantee in the first place? :confused: All Starwoods are sold out as well! Called the SPG Platinum Concierge and he was able to offer me the rack rate and any of the "Sold Out" hotels for Sept. 18 - 23 due to my Platinum status. ^ No run around, no BS, he was able to offer the rack rate at the Westin St. Francis, The Palace and the W. I actually felt my status with Starwood meant something and the 72 hour Platinum available room benefit was real and not just words on paper. Okay, so the rack rate is over $400 a night, but at least I was able to use a "Platinum Benefit" and I have a room if my boss approves... :p

RIP..

The Marriott program allows hotels to declare a "special event". Once approved by Marriott, the plat override does not apply. The allowable basis for a property to declare a special event has not been disclosed to us. Any comment Socrates or Chris??

As pointed out, the weakness of the plat override guarantee is not one of MR's strengths. Each program, of course, has its strengths and weaknesses.

Interestingly, the downtown Marriott (soon to be a Hilton) did not declare a special event during the recent World Series against the Red Sox, even though it is across the street from the ball park. I was given the Plat overide for which I am grateful.

While this is in fact a weakness in the MR program; the decision with regard to SFO for the week of Oracle OpenWorld is a good one IMO. Marriott, will by far, lose less customers than SPG as a result of their policies.

While many of us that would like to visit SFO that week who are unable to get rooms because of the lack of the Platinum Guarantee, Marriott will walk very few people in a city where there are no vacancies. SPG, on the other hand, will honor their Platinum Guarantee and book additional rooms which will result in SPG having to walk many more potential guests than Marriott. And those guests that are walked will be sent to hotels in Oakland, San Mateo, or Sausalito. You think you are POed by the lack of guarantee, just think how those displaced guests will feel about the Hotel chain at which they made their reservation months in advance and then are sent miles from downtown SFO for lodging. IMO, SPG will come out looking much worse both from a business and image perspective than Marriott with regard to their policy surrounding this particular scenario.

What part of "platinum override unavailable" title was not clear? I'd just skip the thread if I wasn't interested.

BTW, I found the platinum override useful in Nagoya, Japan a few weeks ago when every hotel in the city unavailable. Certainly a very useful feature that is more a hit than a miss.

Can you say with certainty that "once a hotel is sold out a "special event" is declared? :rolleyes:

I can say with certainty that they do not always do this. I was going to the Kentucky Derby a couple years ago which I would assume would fall into the special event category. I used the Plat guarantee to get a room.

I shouldn't even dignify this with a response but I know I'm doing my part to improve society by educating the ignorant so here goes...

I made that comment with my tongue firmly planted in my cheek. It was merely my way of pointing out what a rediculous policy Marriott has towards their Platinum guarantee. Feel free to PM whenever you are confronted with a rudimentary issue that causes your head to spin. :p

Edited to add: I'm glad someone was able to use the Platinum override at the KY Derby. In the last 2 years I haven't been able to use the Platinum override for either of The Masters or Super Bowls.

Both the Ren Parc 55 and the San Francisco Marriott now show Plat override availability as of an hour ago for the week of Sep. 18

It is regrettable that you don't find this to be a valid area of discussion: however, many of us do, as the benefit appear to be unevenly applied.

Two contrasting examples:

The Ren Pittsburgh is constantly blacked out. As I result, I don't even look there, and instead first check the Marriott City Center, which has proven to be a better value, in relation to the applicable rate.

On the other hand, I will be attending the Rotary Int'l convention in CPH next June. (This would be considered a major event in anyone's book.) Rather than go through the housing office, I first checked the Marriott website, using my Rewards #. A room was immediately confirmed for me at the CPH Marriott, which is a/the headquarters hotel, at a rate about $50 US under that being quoted in the Rotary materials, for the same property. A note on the confirmation indicates that I was able to get this room, based on my Platinum status.

Despite my good fortune in CPH, I am be in favor of seeing the guaranty being applied uniformly.