No receipt under the door
 

Has anyone noticed inconsistency lately with whether there is a receipt under the door in the morning? It seems like Marriott was always very good about this (which I think I should expect given that they still haven't figured out how to provide an email receipt prior to check out).

In the last few weeks, I've had 3 times where there was no receipt. Today at the REN Cincinnati I asked whether Marriott was no longer providing them under the door, and I was told that they physically can't do it, apparently there is no space under the door to slide the paper through.

I'm not sure if this was the case at the other properties. While it seems like a somewhat reasonable explanation, it absolutely defeats the whole point of mobile checkout. I'm not leaving the hotel without a receipt I'm not waiting for the email from Marriott 3 days later. And if there's an error, it's easier to address before I leave the hotel.

What have others experienced? I really hope they adopt Starwood's approach and send an email around 4 AM.

I did not receive a folio printout under my door recently at the JW Marriott LA Live, so I asked about it at the front desk on my way out.

I was told that they now provide the equivalent service on the room television -- and that this is a green initiative. Because I had not checked the folio through the television, I asked for a printout, which I received promptly.

I think that discontinuing printouts under the door is a good concept. But it would work better if Marriott could email a preliminary folio pre-dawn on checkout morning and another one later that day -- instead of only sending a final receipt several days after checkout.

Clearly yet another Marriott attempt to save effort, labor and costs under the guise of "going green"... Since it was unannounced, each property likely to make up a different excuse once questioned.

I worked at an IHG property in Jacksonville, Florida as a GSR and like the location you mentioned, there was simply not enough room under the door to slide the receipt into the room.


Considering these places take our email addresses down as standard practice now I think its pretty reasonable to think receipts should be sent electronically immediately after check out by now as a standard.

That would be much better than how it is now.

The problem, as has been noted in this thread, is that Marriott tends to email the receipt 2 to 5 days after checkout.

With National Car Rental, the receipt hits my email within a few seconds of when I return a car.

I like to see my hotel folio before I leave the hotel. There have been a number of times when there has been an error on the printout under the door. When this happens, it's easy to swing by the front desk to have it fixed.

As getting a printout under the door is phased out, something needs to take its place. I suppose interactive TV is an option, but email and the Marriott app seem like a better options.

If additional charges (such as breakfast right before checkout) hit the account, it should trigger an updated email.

I always insist not only on seeing the bill before I leave but also getting a copy of it in some form. The TV screen doesn't do this. although I guess you could photograph it.

Some hotels use a hangtag with a pouch to hold the folio.

Also, after checking out of the MGM Grand in Vegas, folio in pdf format arrived within 2 - 3 hours.

I wouldn't like that. In fact, I'm concerned/annoyed when the bill isn't placed entirely under the door, so that a random person walking down the hall can't retrieve it and look at it or keep it.

I am experiencing more properties that aren't providing a folio under the door the morning of checkout. In some cases it was a systems issue or just a very early departure. In other cases, I am not sure what the cause was. Had it happen today at a CY when I was in a hurry at departure time. So will have to wait for the e-Folio and hope it is correct (should be, 1 night stay with no incidentals).

I am also in the camp that prefers a printed folio before I leave; however, I used the electronic softcopy folio for my expense reports. If I could get a preliminary folio emailed to me the morning of checkout that would be ideal.

--Jon

IMO the emailed portfolio is an acceptable substitute only if the hotel provides free wifi (including in the room) for all guests.

I once had a customer demand a receipt for a rewards night stay. Of course the folio for that stay printed blank. He demanded I write "0 balance per front desk services" and print & sign my name.


The hilarity of it all is even after you receive a 0 balance receipt, the GSR can simply reinstate the reservation and extend it another 20 nights if he or she wants too and you wouldn't know until you saw the charge on your card.


Morals of the story, printed receipts aren't everything, check your credit card statements, stay at reputable hotels.


- Former IHG Guest Services Supervisor in Jax, Fl.

Paying an employee to walk around distributing a paper review copy is an expense I don't want to subsidize anymore and, as others point out, if this is a domestic US stay, you've almost certainly authorized the charges to your CC. Thus, you can have a fight if there are charges with which you disagree later, but the days of a "final" invoice being settled at checkout are long gone.

I am fine so long as there is an easy way to scan what's on the invoice and the property ought to want that too. It's far easier to correct errors on the spot than tracking down things days and weeks later.

What I don't understand is why a statement can't be provided electronically relatively instantaneously. I don't want to lug paper around, but I do want the confidence that I've got something as proof of payment.

All of this is, of course, out the window in some overseas locations where the entire ceremony of signing the final invoice is a major production.

Agree. While there aren't often errors it's easier to find them on the folio that's slipped under the door & then get it corrected at checkout. If there's no mistake I just keep the folio/call the desk to let them know I'm checking out. I usually pick up the folio from under the door & scan it while I'm brushing my teeth - multi-tasking :D

Same here. I want/need a hard copy so I can a) check for errors & get it corrected before check-out; b) submit expense report. Often I'll submit an expense report immediately after a trip (and before the emailed folio arrives).

Cheers.

For security on international flights, a few times I've been asked to produce a receipt for my hotel room or other proof of where I stayed. As a result, I always keep the receipt with me rather than tossing it in a checked bag.

After many years of int'l travel I can honestly say I've never once been asked to provide a hotel receipt to get through security/board an int'l flight. However, I never put trip receipts (of any kind - taxi, meals, car rentals, hotel) in my checked baggage.

Cheers.

Elsewhere there have been complaints about the folio under the door, especially when they aren't entirely in the room. Given they have names, addresses, and maybe even CC numbers, it's not wise to have them available to anyone walking down the hall, guest or not. TV reviews work for me. If I see something wrong then a call or visit to the front desk becomes needed. Most TV systems also allowed to email the folio.

Maybe this will be part of the next app where you can review room charges real time and even check out.

Of course an agent can pretty much do anything they want. But I insist on a printed receipt because it is powerful evidence that I owe nothing at checkout. So, if an agent adds something fraudulent or accidentally, I have some evidence with which to dispute the claim. And, yes, I have had so-called reputable hotels make errors (e.g. charging someone else's room service to my account or charging me for minibar purchases that I did not make).

I do agree with other posters here that an immediate email is an acceptable substitute.

I agree! A paper receipt with a zero balance is nice to have if nothing else!

Some hotels don't do that due to locality fire hazard rules. I was in Stuttgart a couple of years back where the hotel says they aren't allowed to slip paper under the door. Doors were fireproof so slipping the paper under it could be a way for fire to breach the room should the paper doesn't clear the vicinity of the door completely. Don't know how true it is and even if it is, the carpet could also be a fire hazard.

That is the craziest thing I have read in a long time though I do not doubt that they said it to you.

My employer require a zero balance statement it in order to pay expense reports, logical or not. At least twice per year erroneous charges do appear, easier to fix onsite.

I still stand by my statement that this is a pure cost cutting measure quietly slipped in hoping no one would notice like turndown service, mouthwash, daily sheet changes, newspaper delivery amongst other unannounced changes.

The rates they charge are what the market will bear so we aren't subsiding an employee's wage to walk around for an hour in the middle of the night.

Just my cynical 2 cents.

Agree.

It's random ... Some do provide statements under the door some don't ! You want a zero balance, paper statement take the elevator downstairs and get one ! Haha what's the big deal ..

If there's a folio under the door that shows the correct charges, I don't have to add on time to stop by the front desk & stand in line to get a folio to provide to client or employer. I can use the one that's under the door. So yes - for those of us who value our time - it can be a big deal when you multiply that trek to the front desk by numerous stays (especially if you're staying in a hotel that has a lot of people checking out at the same time).

I normally submit my expense report(s) sooner than the 2-4 day time lag Marriott currently provides the e-folios so need hard copy. As others have noted, if e-folios were provided in real-time or close to real-time, then the hard copy folio wouldn't be a big deal.

Cheers.

Well it appears you check out later than I do .. I usually/always check out at 4am to get the first flight so there is nobody in line !! I defer ...

4 am
 

Well if I am up at 4am, I wait by the door and as they shove paper under; I shove it back.:D

I had someone else's receipt slipped under my door (in addition to my receipt) at a Courtyard maybe 2 months ago. Our room numbers had the same 2 last digits, I forgot exactly, something like they were 244 and I was 644. I wanted to inform the hotel, but didn't have time.

That seems a somewhat strange request from a security point of view. Never happened to me in more than 30 years of international travel.

+1

When a hotel has used a hang tag with pouch, the personal detalis have always been replaced with "X" characters.

This is very property dependent and has not been my experience. It is a good practice whether hung on the door or under the door, should they put the folio in the wrong room.

If I have bizness mtgs all day it's a little hard to take the first flight out ;) :p :)

:D :D

It's common to be asked when and where you packed the luggage. If you say you packed at your hotel, you will often be asked what hotel. From there, a couple times I was asked if I had any proof that I had stayed at that particular hotel. The question leading to the request to verify the hotel could also have come from a question about whether anyone has given you something, where I sometimes need to respond that I've received some gift from the hotel, such as a book or an unopened box of candy. YMMV.

I'd say it's common to be asked if you packed your own luggage, but not common to be asked where one packed one's luggage. In several years of int'l travel I've never once been asked where I packed my luggage.

I believe that it's happened to you, but I wouldn't say it's the norm or common to ask for packing location or, as you mentioned up thread, a hotel receipt.

Cheers.

I think what you've experienced is the social profiling done to asses risk. Usually done by customs to determine if further screening is required. Honestly answering the questions in a cool/calm manner will get you passed through.

BS.

If there is adequate clearance, then a minimal effort would be sufficient to push the receipt through so that it clears the door.

If the clearance is so tight that the receipt wedges under the door, then the flame associated with a burning receipt would most likely be quenched before it reached the inner side of the door.

It would not be ignited in the first place unless there was a raging fire outside the door. In which case, a slip of paper wedged under the door would be the least concern.

This has been very inconsistent for me lately, but seems to have coincided with e-receipt being unchecked (mysteriously) in my profile. I re-enabled that option last week and got my folio under my door for this week's stay. Possible coincidence.

Hmmm, sounds backwards to me. So if you don't want an eReceipt you don't get a paper folio? Sounds like Marriott needs more work, a lot more work. I'm good with a very timely email, or some means to see (app/tv) a statement to determine if FDC time is needed.

At the risk of being a contraian...

I frequently have to go to the front desk to "correct" my folio

I'll be charged in USD/EURO/insert currency of your choice - when I actually want the bill stated in local currency

I frequently see 8-9% margins being gained via the hotels "FX"

I got one this week at the Renaissance Charlotte Suites. I think I also got them at my previous Marriott stays this year but I can't be certain.