Platinum Override
Sep 27, 2007, 3:50 pm
#121
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: DL Platinum, SPG Gold, MR Platinum Premier, Hertz PC, HH Diamond
Posts: 402
Was it the hotel staff/mgmt that told you the override was not allowed, or was it the folks at the platinum reservations desk at Marriott?
Sep 27, 2007, 4:43 pm
#122
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Some place in this wonderful world (usually at 39,000 ft in seat 1C)
Programs: CO Gold Elite / NW Gold Elite
Posts: 13,747
[QUOTE=sophiegirl;8474549]
# 48-hour Guaranteed Availability: Limited to a Platinum member's personal guestroom. Guaranteed room availability for reservations booked 48 hours prior to arrival available at all participating Marriott hotel brands except Marriott Vacation Club International and Horizons by Marriott Vacation Club. Only during a very limited number of dates (for example, special events) are hotels unable to provide this service. This benefit cannot be used in conjunction with award usage or any type of promotional or discounted rates. At Residence Inn and TownePlace Suites, this benefit applies to studio rooms only.
I tried to get a room in the FI, Freeport ME this summer. It was sold out. I tried to override with Plat, and was quoted the above underlined sentence. I called back - and was again quoted.... (I guess summer is a special event in Maine
) I was also told that hotels that do not have another Marriott property in their area do not have to honor the Plat override. CS agent could not really explain why; so am not certain of the veracity of that statement!
Yes that is correct hotels are allowed to blackout special events such as Super Bowl, World Series etc but they dont have access to do it on their own, they must send a request to do so (it's not that easy)....the CS was not correct when they stated hotels without another MI hotel near by do not honor the benefit...again all hotels must give all of the benefits
# 48-hour Guaranteed Availability: Limited to a Platinum member's personal guestroom. Guaranteed room availability for reservations booked 48 hours prior to arrival available at all participating Marriott hotel brands except Marriott Vacation Club International and Horizons by Marriott Vacation Club. Only during a very limited number of dates (for example, special events) are hotels unable to provide this service. This benefit cannot be used in conjunction with award usage or any type of promotional or discounted rates. At Residence Inn and TownePlace Suites, this benefit applies to studio rooms only.
I tried to get a room in the FI, Freeport ME this summer. It was sold out. I tried to override with Plat, and was quoted the above underlined sentence. I called back - and was again quoted.... (I guess summer is a special event in Maine
) I was also told that hotels that do not have another Marriott property in their area do not have to honor the Plat override. CS agent could not really explain why; so am not certain of the veracity of that statement!
Sep 27, 2007, 4:46 pm
#123
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Some place in this wonderful world (usually at 39,000 ft in seat 1C)
Programs: CO Gold Elite / NW Gold Elite
Posts: 13,747
"Special Event" - a loophole big enough to drive a mack truck through.
Hotels live to host and provide "special events" - group meetings, weddings, conventions, etc. If the "special event" is outside the hotel (i.e the Super Bowl), you can bet hospitality events are going to be tied to it some how.
While its a nice thought and benefit, its not going to work 100% of the time with a loophole like that available to an agressive revenue manager.
Hotels live to host and provide "special events" - group meetings, weddings, conventions, etc. If the "special event" is outside the hotel (i.e the Super Bowl), you can bet hospitality events are going to be tied to it some how.
While its a nice thought and benefit, its not going to work 100% of the time with a loophole like that available to an agressive revenue manager.
Sep 28, 2007, 8:40 am
#124
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,705
Agree, this is the way it's supposed to go, but I am in South Charlotte Executive Park Marriott right now, where I seem to have gotten the last room via the web site. My collegue couldn't get in and called the PLT line to invoke her PLT guarantee. She was told that the city was hosting a cheerleading and/or gymnastics competition and the hotel was oversold. The best they could do was place her in a "nearby" SHS.
Well that SHS is 16 miles away on the opposite side of where I am and have spent 2 days going back and forth in rush hour traffic to pick her up. And I have not seen a cheerleader or gymnist anywhere but the hotel is hosting several small corporate meetings as usual.
Well that SHS is 16 miles away on the opposite side of where I am and have spent 2 days going back and forth in rush hour traffic to pick her up. And I have not seen a cheerleader or gymnist anywhere but the hotel is hosting several small corporate meetings as usual.
Sep 28, 2007, 8:56 am
#125
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: HH - Diamond, Marriott - Platinum, Delta - Silver Med.
Posts: 47
Stay at the Stamford Marriott
I'm staying there right now. I've been working in Purchase and haven't been able to find anything in the white plains, tarrytown, Rye or Purchase areas the past two weeks except the Courtyards. I stayed at the courtyard in rye, but Platinum benefits are close to nothing. Not even breakfast.
Staying as a Platinum at the Stamford Marriott is well worth it. I got free internet, concierge lounge with free wine and beer and a nice corner room, and the rate is actually cheaper than anything near white plains. Better room availability.
Traffic from Interstate 95 to 287 near whiteplains isn't bad either during the rush hors. Only 20 minutes door to door to my client.
Staying as a Platinum at the Stamford Marriott is well worth it. I got free internet, concierge lounge with free wine and beer and a nice corner room, and the rate is actually cheaper than anything near white plains. Better room availability.
Traffic from Interstate 95 to 287 near whiteplains isn't bad either during the rush hors. Only 20 minutes door to door to my client.
Sep 28, 2007, 9:42 am
#126
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: HH Silver, MR Plat Prem & LT Plat, Hyatt Plat,SPG Plat, Hertz PC, National EE, UA 1K
Posts: 3,408
I was in Atlanta earlier, and couldnt use the override as a PP!! due to "the SEC meetings" at the hotel....real large there!
Sep 28, 2007, 9:58 am
#127
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Some place in this wonderful world (usually at 39,000 ft in seat 1C)
Programs: CO Gold Elite / NW Gold Elite
Posts: 13,747
Agree, this is the way it's supposed to go, but I am in South Charlotte Executive Park Marriott right now, where I seem to have gotten the last room via the web site. My collegue couldn't get in and called the PLT line to invoke her PLT guarantee. She was told that the city was hosting a cheerleading and/or gymnastics competition and the hotel was oversold. The best they could do was place her in a "nearby" SHS.
Well that SHS is 16 miles away on the opposite side of where I am and have spent 2 days going back and forth in rush hour traffic to pick her up. And I have not seen a cheerleader or gymnist anywhere but the hotel is hosting several small corporate meetings as usual.
Well that SHS is 16 miles away on the opposite side of where I am and have spent 2 days going back and forth in rush hour traffic to pick her up. And I have not seen a cheerleader or gymnist anywhere but the hotel is hosting several small corporate meetings as usual.
Sep 28, 2007, 10:07 am
#128
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: DCA, EGE, IAD
Programs: MR LTT, BA Gold, AA LTP, UA Silver
Posts: 6,078
Sep 28, 2007, 1:08 pm
#129
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: DFW,TX USA
Programs: Lifetime Platinum Marriott
Posts: 1,568
Have CSR call Hotel
Have had a few times when hotel showed no availability.
Talk to Res Agent and then Customer Service.
Would look at hotel, tell me no rooms were available.
I would remind them I am platinum and rooms are always available.
If they quoted above line then I would ask them what the 'Special event" was.
They would call hotel and every time I would get "Hotel made a mistake when they blocked those rooms and now they are available."
I have used over ride in Indy for 500, In NY during Republican Convention (at a convention hotel) etc...
Never had a issue.
As with anything Marriott, don't take the first answer from a CSR.
Talk to Res Agent and then Customer Service.
Would look at hotel, tell me no rooms were available.
I would remind them I am platinum and rooms are always available.
If they quoted above line then I would ask them what the 'Special event" was.
They would call hotel and every time I would get "Hotel made a mistake when they blocked those rooms and now they are available."
I have used over ride in Indy for 500, In NY during Republican Convention (at a convention hotel) etc...
Never had a issue.
As with anything Marriott, don't take the first answer from a CSR.
Sep 28, 2007, 2:57 pm
#130
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Some place in this wonderful world (usually at 39,000 ft in seat 1C)
Programs: CO Gold Elite / NW Gold Elite
Posts: 13,747
Sep 29, 2007, 8:33 am
#131
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,705
Thanks, all good to know tips for the future. I'm not sure about my situation in CLT, it was definitely >24 hours but might not have been >48 hours so I'll give the benefit of the doubt there. I'm more annoyed that they 'recommended' a SHS some 16 miles away to a person unfamiliar with the area.
Oct 15, 2007, 3:46 pm
#132
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,589
OK, help me again understand how to view Platinum Override rates online...
I thought I had this figured out a week ago. Basically, shut down browser, clear cookies, relaunch, login, and re-query the search. And voila...you'd see the Platinum Override rates for sold out hotels.
But today that's not working.
It's for a stay 3 weeks in advance. Not a major worldwide event or anything...just a couple of sold-out Marriotts. Does anyone else occasionally have trouble viewing the Plat Override rates online? What am I doing wrong?
Browser is IE6 if it matters...
But today that's not working.
It's for a stay 3 weeks in advance. Not a major worldwide event or anything...just a couple of sold-out Marriotts. Does anyone else occasionally have trouble viewing the Plat Override rates online? What am I doing wrong?
Browser is IE6 if it matters...
Oct 15, 2007, 3:59 pm
#133
Moderator, Marriott Bonvoy & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: McKinney, TX, USA
Programs: United Silver; AA Plat/2MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,728
I have found that sometimes an area search doesn't seem to pick up the Plat overide. you might try going to a specific hotel's webpage and searching from there (with being logged in of course?)
Oct 15, 2007, 9:04 pm
#134
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: FLL
Programs: Delta GM, (fmr US CP/PP/GP!), DL SkyClub, Marriott Lifetime Platinum, Avis Chairman's Club
Posts: 5,162
Another (non-techie) idea...
Considering that the website has been causing such problems recently, why not just call the Plat line and ask them what the Plat override rates are? Or is that just too easy?
Oct 16, 2007, 4:32 am
#135
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: DCA, EGE, IAD
Programs: MR LTT, BA Gold, AA LTP, UA Silver
Posts: 6,078
Now I know they installed fixes last night, one of which was for the Session Expired bug. The Session Expired page didn't work yesterday, but does today so that problem has been corrected. Perhaps the same thing happened last night for area searches. Pinniped, please try again today and see if it works, and let us know.
Last edited by aaupgrade; Oct 16, 2007 at 4:52 am