Denied Lounge Access Based on Room Rate
Jun 6, 2018, 10:39 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Charlotte
Programs: UA 1k, Marriott LT Titanium, '20 Ambassador
Posts: 150
Denied Lounge Access Based on Room Rate
Checked into autograph collection hotel today and was informed by check in agent my rate did not qualify for executive lounge access. When I asked what about being Platinum Premiere, he said still no because of the room rate.
This is my first time in any country being denied lounge access in a hotel that has one. I'm using my corporate rate booked through marriott.com and accessed lounges everywhere else the same way.
Is this in line with Marriott rules?
This is my first time in any country being denied lounge access in a hotel that has one. I'm using my corporate rate booked through marriott.com and accessed lounges everywhere else the same way.
Is this in line with Marriott rules?
Jun 6, 2018, 10:48 pm
#2
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Jun 6, 2018, 10:52 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Redondo Beach, CA USA
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Complete BS. Kacee is spot on about speaking to the manager on duty, and elevating from there if necessary.
Jun 6, 2018, 10:59 pm
#4
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Here's the Guaranty:
Guaranteed Concierge/Executive/Club/Signature Club Lounge Access* for Platinum and Gold Elite members plus one guest at JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection®, Renaissance Hotels®, Marriott® Hotels and Delta Hotels® during normal hours of operations. Lounge offers light snacks and daily continental breakfast. Resorts are excluded. This benefit only applies to the one guest room in which the Gold Elite member or Platinum Elite member is staying.
Continental breakfast is available 7 days a week for Platinum and Gold Elite members plus one guest in the Concierge/Executive/Club Lounge at JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection®, Renaissance Hotels®, Marriott® Hotels and Delta Hotels®.* In Europe, hotels without a Lounge offer a daily choice of breakfast for two in the restaurant or 750 points. This benefit is not applicable when breakfast is included in the rate. In the U.S. and Canada: any time the Lounge isn't open, Platinum and Gold Elite members are entitled to a daily choice of continental breakfast for two in the restaurant or 750 points. A limited number of hotels in the U.S. do not provide free continental breakfast in the hotel restaurant in the event the Lounge is closed, but do offer 1,000 points in lieu of breakfast.
If complimentary continental breakfast (or exceptions as outlined above) is not offered, Elite members will be compensated $100 USD for the inconvenience. Hotels outside the U.S. will pay the equivalent in local currency.
Continental breakfast is available 7 days a week for Platinum and Gold Elite members plus one guest in the Concierge/Executive/Club Lounge at JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection®, Renaissance Hotels®, Marriott® Hotels and Delta Hotels®.* In Europe, hotels without a Lounge offer a daily choice of breakfast for two in the restaurant or 750 points. This benefit is not applicable when breakfast is included in the rate. In the U.S. and Canada: any time the Lounge isn't open, Platinum and Gold Elite members are entitled to a daily choice of continental breakfast for two in the restaurant or 750 points. A limited number of hotels in the U.S. do not provide free continental breakfast in the hotel restaurant in the event the Lounge is closed, but do offer 1,000 points in lieu of breakfast.
If complimentary continental breakfast (or exceptions as outlined above) is not offered, Elite members will be compensated $100 USD for the inconvenience. Hotels outside the U.S. will pay the equivalent in local currency.
Jun 6, 2018, 11:00 pm
#5
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You can also claim the $100 compensation for failure to fulfill the guarantee.
https://www.marriott.com/marriott-re...ranteed_lounge
https://www.marriott.com/marriott-re...ranteed_lounge
Jun 7, 2018, 12:00 am
#6
Join Date: May 2002
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum, United Silver, Marriott Titanium Elite
Posts: 2,276
Checked into autograph collection hotel today and was informed by check in agent my rate did not qualify for executive lounge access. When I asked what about being Platinum Premiere, he said still no because of the room rate.
This is my first time in any country being denied lounge access in a hotel that has one. I'm using my corporate rate booked through marriott.com and accessed lounges everywhere else the same way.
Is this in line with Marriott rules?
This is my first time in any country being denied lounge access in a hotel that has one. I'm using my corporate rate booked through marriott.com and accessed lounges everywhere else the same way.
Is this in line with Marriott rules?
By all means, talk to a manager and insist on lounge access for the rest of your stay and compensation equivalent to $100 USD, as guaranteed by Marriott.
Someone at the hotel is making up rules. Maybe it's the front desk agent who checked you in, or maybe that's how the agent was trained under local management direction. Not acceptable in either case.
Jun 7, 2018, 1:18 am
#7
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: MAN
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Nope, hotel is not allowed to limit access, all Golds and Plats are entitled to access the lounge regardless of rate. Claim the $100 guarantee and if they refuse call the plat line. Get your $100 and lounge access fir the remainder if your stay.
Looking at the Autograph Seoul thread (where you’ve cross-posted this issue, naughty!) there are posts that the lounge is dreadfully overcrowded and does not seem to have been allocated the space for the numbers it’s seeing. No doubt you are a casualty of its attempts to deal with the problem, but that doesn’t make them right.
Looking at the Autograph Seoul thread (where you’ve cross-posted this issue, naughty!) there are posts that the lounge is dreadfully overcrowded and does not seem to have been allocated the space for the numbers it’s seeing. No doubt you are a casualty of its attempts to deal with the problem, but that doesn’t make them right.
Jun 7, 2018, 4:06 am
#8
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I'm curious about the outcome - it's your right to lounge access based on your status with MR. Plat line can be ok but sometimes they can be completely useless - I called them up because a property refused the PAG and they said I need to speak to the manager when he comes back in 2 days! They said the hotel owes me that but they can't make them pay (had a bad stay so decided to invoke the guarantee).
Jun 7, 2018, 4:55 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Charlotte
Programs: UA 1k, Marriott LT Titanium, '20 Ambassador
Posts: 150
So I asked for the general manager to enquire about the lounge access and failing to be offered a platinum arrival gift. She told me the rate did not include either. I asked if my status applies at all to the stay and she said no.
Turns out I missed this in the rate details. Didn't know it was even possible to ignore Marriott Rewards at a Marriott branded property, I've even received status benefits on rooms booked through the hotwire/Priceline type sites.
Guess its like basic economy rates, look pretty much the same when you book but a surprise when you check in. Not a shady corporate code either, fortune global 50 or 100 company.
Turns out I missed this in the rate details. Didn't know it was even possible to ignore Marriott Rewards at a Marriott branded property, I've even received status benefits on rooms booked through the hotwire/Priceline type sites.
Guess its like basic economy rates, look pretty much the same when you book but a surprise when you check in. Not a shady corporate code either, fortune global 50 or 100 company.
Jun 7, 2018, 5:15 am
#10
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: WAW
Programs: A3(*G), Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 2,534
That's weird. I never heard of such a thing as a 'special local rate' that denies all benefits and points for elites. I checked that property out recently for an upcoming trip and didn't come across anything of the kind.
Did you book it with some specific kind of rate code? Get the manager to tell you exactly what the rate code applied to your booking is (and check it against reservation info you've received).
Did you book it with some specific kind of rate code? Get the manager to tell you exactly what the rate code applied to your booking is (and check it against reservation info you've received).
Jun 7, 2018, 5:28 am
#11
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Moscow
Programs: Marriott Titanium, IHG Diamond AMB
Posts: 1,756
I'm too lazy to check myself, but how does this work with MR T&C? As noted above, Marriott (unlike most other chains) provides elite benefits even on 3rd party bookings.
Jun 7, 2018, 7:44 am
#12
Join Date: Oct 2015
Programs: AA: EXP, 1MM Marriott: Ambassador, LTT
Posts: 407
There certainly are rates that don't receive points (mostly conference rates, 3rd party prepaid rates), but I've never heard of a rate that doesn't receive elite benefits.
Jun 7, 2018, 7:49 am
#13
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Jun 7, 2018, 7:54 am
#14
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: BDU
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The T&Cs won't matter if you have a later written contract that waives Elite Benefits as you have contractually waived the T&Cs for this stay. I am checking my reservations more closely from now on.
Jun 7, 2018, 8:22 am
#15
Join Date: May 2013
Location: DTW
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Posts: 866
This is a direct booking not a third party. This is the same way a hotel can offer bonus points or not participate in the MR program.