No support when hotel leaves and you hold reservation?
Jul 7, 2018, 10:42 am
#16
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I'm with the OP here. When I book a Marriott, I'm booking that brand - underlying ownership isn't my concern. I expect them to honor their commitment to me, and yes that would include handling whatever behind-the-scenes payments happen between corporate and hotel owners.
The finer details of elite benefits, etc. - that's a detail I probably wouldn't haggle over. But keeping my room reservation intact at whatever rate I booked (in points, currency, or both), yes, that would be my basic expectation.
I hate it when corporations try to shuffle blame onto franchisees or subcontractors when things go wrong. My relationship is with the brand, and I expect the brand to make it right. If the brand doesn't make it right, then the brand overall is worth less to me. Maybe behind the scenes they need franchise agreements that spell out how guests are to be protected during reflagging operations, but that's not something the consumer should care about or have to know about.
The finer details of elite benefits, etc. - that's a detail I probably wouldn't haggle over. But keeping my room reservation intact at whatever rate I booked (in points, currency, or both), yes, that would be my basic expectation.
I hate it when corporations try to shuffle blame onto franchisees or subcontractors when things go wrong. My relationship is with the brand, and I expect the brand to make it right. If the brand doesn't make it right, then the brand overall is worth less to me. Maybe behind the scenes they need franchise agreements that spell out how guests are to be protected during reflagging operations, but that's not something the consumer should care about or have to know about.
Jul 7, 2018, 11:13 am
#17
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Thank you. Again (for other replies above), I am not seeking (nor do I expect) compensation. I've also found a different place to stay (albeit at a higher rate than free, but lower than the soon to be not-Marriott is charging ;-). My disappointment is I expected more from Marriott than, "Hotel leaving in two weeks and won't take your points reservation in 3 weeks. Nearest Marriott is Peterborough (but we're not going to honor your points/rate or even proactively check for availability for you). If you have issues, contact general reservations."
What would have been nice (and not cost much if anything):
We regret to inform you that the Marriott Sprowston is leaving Marriott on 7/19/2018. Unfortunately, they will not honor your points reservation for xx/xx-xx/xx. While our closest Marriott family hotel is in Peterborough, we have reached out and they have availability and will honor your reservation.* (* Availability subject to change) If this does not work, please accept our apologies but note that you will have to make alternate arrangements on your own. Please reply directly to this email (and have it go to an email like spgchampion which goes to the whole team of lurkers) or call xxx-xxx-xxxx if you wish us to book you in at Peterborough. Again, our apologies for the trouble and short notice.
What would have been nice (and not cost much if anything):
We regret to inform you that the Marriott Sprowston is leaving Marriott on 7/19/2018. Unfortunately, they will not honor your points reservation for xx/xx-xx/xx. While our closest Marriott family hotel is in Peterborough, we have reached out and they have availability and will honor your reservation.* (* Availability subject to change) If this does not work, please accept our apologies but note that you will have to make alternate arrangements on your own. Please reply directly to this email (and have it go to an email like spgchampion which goes to the whole team of lurkers) or call xxx-xxx-xxxx if you wish us to book you in at Peterborough. Again, our apologies for the trouble and short notice.
I'm with the OP here. When I book a Marriott, I'm booking that brand - underlying ownership isn't my concern. I expect them to honor their commitment to me, and yes that would include handling whatever behind-the-scenes payments happen between corporate and hotel owners.
The finer details of elite benefits, etc. - that's a detail I probably wouldn't haggle over. But keeping my room reservation intact at whatever rate I booked (in points, currency, or both), yes, that would be my basic expectation.
I hate it when corporations try to shuffle blame onto franchisees or subcontractors when things go wrong. My relationship is with the brand, and I expect the brand to make it right. If the brand doesn't make it right, then the brand overall is worth less to me. Maybe behind the scenes they need franchise agreements that spell out how guests are to be protected during reflagging operations, but that's not something the consumer should care about or have to know about.
The finer details of elite benefits, etc. - that's a detail I probably wouldn't haggle over. But keeping my room reservation intact at whatever rate I booked (in points, currency, or both), yes, that would be my basic expectation.
I hate it when corporations try to shuffle blame onto franchisees or subcontractors when things go wrong. My relationship is with the brand, and I expect the brand to make it right. If the brand doesn't make it right, then the brand overall is worth less to me. Maybe behind the scenes they need franchise agreements that spell out how guests are to be protected during reflagging operations, but that's not something the consumer should care about or have to know about.
Jul 7, 2018, 11:31 am
#18
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huh?
As you put it in quotes, that's exactly what the email said? That's a very poorly written email from a communications department.
My disappointment is I expected more from Marriott than, "Hotel leaving in two weeks and won't take your points reservation in 3 weeks. Nearest Marriott is Peterborough (but we're not going to honor your points/rate or even proactively check for availability for you). If you have issues, contact general reservations."
Jul 7, 2018, 1:13 pm
#19
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Contractually, there could be different cases here (deflagging versus a sale of the hotel business/property versus bankruptcy of the owning organization) as well as different jurisdictions, so I wouldn't expect any uniform obligations globally on the part of the hotel and there might even be legal limits on what Starriott can do (are they allowed to poach reservations during a reflagging?).
Still, Marriott should try to be a lot more helpful even if it costs them a small amount to relocate the displaced guest into a different but mutually acceptable Starriott property.
Still, Marriott should try to be a lot more helpful even if it costs them a small amount to relocate the displaced guest into a different but mutually acceptable Starriott property.
Jul 7, 2018, 2:47 pm
#20
Join Date: Apr 2014
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Airlines will sometimes book you on a competing carrier if they have to cancel your flight last minute and don’t have any similar flights to offer. Seems like a hotel brand with strong customer service would do the same here.
Jul 7, 2018, 4:36 pm
#21
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 3,360
You seem to be making the assumption that the Marriott Call Center agents can't or won't be able to help. As someone who used to train agents in a hospitality call center, I'd say that's an incorrect assumption. Certainly not every employee is equal...but don't write them all off based on an assumption.
Jul 8, 2018, 7:54 am
#22
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This is more likely to happen at the property if the hotels from different chains share management or ownership.
Jul 8, 2018, 12:06 pm
#23
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: YQR
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Ironically since I posted something similar has just happened to me with an SPG reservation. (this trip seems jinxed). We have a 5 day points reservation at the Westin Regina and Europa in Venice for late September. We have just received an email informing us of that the hotel is closing for renovations in early August and letting us know that our reservation at a SPG Cat 6 has been transferred to the Cat 7 Hotel Danieli Luxury Collection at the same rate. A totally different response from my Hollins Hall experience. Admittedly there is a slight glitch I'm working on but that was my fault for not checking my emails. The email was sent on July 4 saying I had to confirm within 72 hours or it would be cancelled. We didn't open the email for 4 days but working on it.
Jul 8, 2018, 12:13 pm
#24
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
How is taking a points reservation that the hotel won't accept "poaching"?
It is like saying someone has a reservation on an AA flight that is cancelled, and the WN person nearby hearing that and asking if they want to buy a ticket because they are still flying.
Except that in this case it is AA saying AA will sell you another ticket, even though that AA agent won't help you.
Jul 8, 2018, 12:54 pm
#25
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Airlines will almost always rebook you on their own flights, unless it happens at the airport from overbooking and they have no alternative but to put you on the competition.
Jul 8, 2018, 2:01 pm
#26
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
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Are we talking about the same airlines that will also stop serving free f&b "overnight" even if you booked many months ago, with the promise back then to get said f&b?
Jul 8, 2018, 5:58 pm
#27
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 3,360
Contractually, there could be different cases here (deflagging versus a sale of the hotel business/property versus bankruptcy of the owning organization) as well as different jurisdictions, so I wouldn't expect any uniform obligations globally on the part of the hotel and there might even be legal limits on what Starriott can do (are they allowed to poach reservations during a reflagging?).
At least that's how it worked when I was a hotel Revenue Manager. It wasn't uncommon to get guests booking at the wrong hotel because there were five with the same brand in our metro area. We couldn't see anything not at our hotel. Even if we wanted to, we couldn't simply transfer a reservation to a different hotel.
Jul 9, 2018, 8:22 am
#28
Join Date: Sep 2006
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I had an opposite experience. I made a reservation for a Residence Inn in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on points. It was for 3 rooms, each for 3 nights.
I made the reservation about 11 months in advance, as it was graduation weekend and hotels book up. I don't recall the exact timing but a few months in advance I got notice that the hotel was leaving Marriott. However, the new franchise (Sonesta Suites) DID honor the points reservation. All I had to do was get actual paper certificates from Marriott. I looked around for other Marriott properties in the area but by that time all were booked.
We went in April and it was all smooth (other than the fact that the hotel is in need of renovation, but that has nothing to do with the OP's issue). I greatly appreciated their excellent customer service. IMHO part of the franchise agreement with Marriott should include a requirement that reservations made when the property was under the Marriott brand be honored even if the property is leaving. There should be a way to work that out. Punting that responsibility is not good customer service for either Marriott or the property.
I made the reservation about 11 months in advance, as it was graduation weekend and hotels book up. I don't recall the exact timing but a few months in advance I got notice that the hotel was leaving Marriott. However, the new franchise (Sonesta Suites) DID honor the points reservation. All I had to do was get actual paper certificates from Marriott. I looked around for other Marriott properties in the area but by that time all were booked.
We went in April and it was all smooth (other than the fact that the hotel is in need of renovation, but that has nothing to do with the OP's issue). I greatly appreciated their excellent customer service. IMHO part of the franchise agreement with Marriott should include a requirement that reservations made when the property was under the Marriott brand be honored even if the property is leaving. There should be a way to work that out. Punting that responsibility is not good customer service for either Marriott or the property.
Jul 9, 2018, 1:42 pm
#29
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I had an opposite experience. I made a reservation for a Residence Inn in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on points. It was for 3 rooms, each for 3 nights.
I made the reservation about 11 months in advance, as it was graduation weekend and hotels book up. I don't recall the exact timing but a few months in advance I got notice that the hotel was leaving Marriott. However, the new franchise (Sonesta Suites) DID honor the points reservation. All I had to do was get actual paper certificates from Marriott. I looked around for other Marriott properties in the area but by that time all were booked.
We went in April and it was all smooth (other than the fact that the hotel is in need of renovation, but that has nothing to do with the OP's issue). I greatly appreciated their excellent customer service. IMHO part of the franchise agreement with Marriott should include a requirement that reservations made when the property was under the Marriott brand be honored even if the property is leaving. There should be a way to work that out. Punting that responsibility is not good customer service for either Marriott or the property.
I made the reservation about 11 months in advance, as it was graduation weekend and hotels book up. I don't recall the exact timing but a few months in advance I got notice that the hotel was leaving Marriott. However, the new franchise (Sonesta Suites) DID honor the points reservation. All I had to do was get actual paper certificates from Marriott. I looked around for other Marriott properties in the area but by that time all were booked.
We went in April and it was all smooth (other than the fact that the hotel is in need of renovation, but that has nothing to do with the OP's issue). I greatly appreciated their excellent customer service. IMHO part of the franchise agreement with Marriott should include a requirement that reservations made when the property was under the Marriott brand be honored even if the property is leaving. There should be a way to work that out. Punting that responsibility is not good customer service for either Marriott or the property.
Jul 10, 2018, 8:08 am
#30
Join Date: Apr 2007
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We're not talking 20 years ago. We're talking 2-3 (and possibly even now, just haven't experienced a deflag in a couple years). I apologize that I expected some customer service when it's high travel season and I'm notified less than a month before my reservation that the hotel won't honor it.