dcstudent

Short Story: Is this normal to alert you 2 weeks before hotel leaves Marriott and 4 weeks before your reservation that a hotel is leaving and offer no real assistance nor a direct contact at Marriott if you need help?

Longer Version: Staying at Sprowston Marriott first week of August. Just got an email today from Marriott alerting me that the hotel is leaving Marriott on July 19th (2 weeks). In itself, that's ok, stuff happens. But what really got me was the lack of help. The email was a form email that simply stated that the hotel would honor a paid reservation but not a points reservation (which I have). The email went on to state that the Peterborough Marriott MAY have space (but offered no help if I wanted to move to Peterborough...just that it MAY be available). And then the email reminds me that I'm welcome to call the general reservations number (who I'm totally sure will be completely prepared to assist) if I have questions.

The Peterborough Marriott is a completely different hotel (regular business vs. golf) and in a different city so not an option. Fortunately, as a frequent traveler both generally and in England, I'll live by either making a paid reservation, or more likely, staying in Norwich city-center and just playing whatever golf course I want to in the area in between spending time with friends who live there.

I'm just very surprised that no real help or assistance is offered nor is a phone number to a dedicated team (or person) who can assist when a hotel is reflagged on short notice. Being high season for tourism, rooms are both expensive and limited at other hotels (than they would have been 6 months ago when I made this reservation).

Not looking for compensation. Just wondering if this is the norm.

Fizzer

It is exactly what just happened to me at the Marriott Hollins Hall ( Leeds / Bradford), for what looks to be the same date of leaving. 2 weeks notice was all I received. I have been able to relocate to Leeds Marriott , which is not as convenient and at a significantly higher rate. It has only ever happened to me once before, this with SPG and at the former 4 Points in Canmore, Alberta. We received several months notice and a points reservation was still honoured, even after the date the hotel left, although no further points were accrued on spend and there were no other benefits offered ( we were SPG Gold at the time so no loss really). I only mention it to contrast my prior experience with what I fear may be a far worse customer service experience with Marriott. I had been hopeful and will give it more time but generally disappointed so far TBH.

howbigmassive

I have the same with the Marriott Gosforth. I've cancelled my 'non-refundable' booking and relocated to the Marriott MetroCentre, but Marriott were unwilling to match the original rate, so I'm paying a little more now for a hotel that is less convenient.

LoganFlyer

Yup. Got basically the same form letter about 9 days before I was supposed to stay at the then Fairfield Inn Bozeman. It switched to a Comfort Inn and they would honor my reservation, but otherwise, no real way to get help.

3Cforme

Pretty much, yes. Marriott doesn't hold your reservation - the property does. The property - by deflagging - decides it will no longer accept MR points for payment. Dedicated team? Ha ha ha. I accept that hotels reflag all the time but really have to wonder how many people get caught with award reservations at departing properties. I suspect it's not a large fraction each night of Marriott's ~1.25 million rooms worldwide.

dcstudent

I've got to say that this doesn't hold much water with me. The reservation is through Marriott at a Marriott hotel. To be sent a form letter basically making me call the new owners to cancel (if paid and I no longer want to stay), or have no reservation (in my case with points) with a form letter notifying me that there is another Marriott in a completely different town (but no offer of assistance with a booking or that the points or $$$ rate would be matched) and that if I need to speak to someone I can call the main reservations number is poor form.

Marriott's letter was basically: "Hey, hotel leaving. If you paid cash and want to keep your reservation its cool. Anything else, figure it out.

I really don't want to turn this into a SPG vs. MR thread, but the reason for my surprise is that I've had this happen to me twice at SPG, once when I was paying $$$ and once on points. Both times I was contacted personally, offered a reservation at a nearby property at the same rate (both in the case of points in cash) even though the rate being offered/points needed were both higher were I making a brand new reservation (I assume SPG covered the difference with the hotel I ended up staying at in both cases). And SPG had (not sure if they still do or if it's gone now with the merger) a dedicated deflagging team I could reply directly to (via email) or I was given the option of calling them by phone.

Often1

Comparing to the past never works. Same thing as saying they used to serve 3-course meals in Y on short flights. They don't.

The entire hotel / hospitality business has changed, the economy is on screech, and the emphasis is on cost control. "Dedicated teams" for other than the highest value customers is a thing of the past.

craigthemif

I'm not sure what the expectation is here. That you still stay in the now not-a-Marriott hotel with Marriott corporate paying for your stay and paying the hotel to offer you your elite status benefits? That's simply an unrealistic expectation.

That Marriott could be more proactive in moving you to a different Marriott hotel... OK. But unless you are staying in a major city the options will be limited. I personally don't need Marriott emailing me to say that I'm now staying 50 miles away.

As long as they allow you to cancel your reservation, no questions asked, then you can make your own alternative arrangements.

dcstudent

Yes, and I'm a frequent/savvy traveller as are most on Flyertalk but most travellers aren't and Marriott's response to a deflagging is to basically say you're on your own.

dcstudent

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.

dcstudent

This. I'm amazed that I'm left to book my own alternative and if I were to choose another Marriott, Marriott would not match the rate/points. Absolutely no cs, basically just that my reservation is cancelled.

I guess I'll just have to expect less from MR than I did from SPG in these situations.

RogerD408

Yes, this is just like typical CSR support. They push everything off to the customer and only those that push back actually get help. Two weeks notice is pretty short and I'm sure they knew much sooner. It would put me in scramble mode to find other accommodations and feeling I have no time to escalate with the chain. They do have some incentive to work with the guest. They did accept the reservation even if it was passed to the hotel. It is their reputation on the line regardless what flag the property will be flying. The tough part is finding the right office to contact. Some have had success in getting the CEO's office to offer up assistance. Do not expect them to proactively give away the store without being pushed.

boss315

MSPeconomist

CJKatl

I also had an experience several years back where a hotel (the then FCU FI IIRC) was deflagged shortly before my one night points stay was to take place and it was a very different experience from those posted here and on the other recent thread where someone had this issue. Marriott and the hotel handled the deflagging much better a few years ago. It's sad to hear so many people are now having bad experiences.

BTW, back then Marriott said they would honor the points reservation. When I checked in, the front desk clerk told me the manager wanted to speak to me. She took me into the breakfast area and explained it was not worth what the hotel needed to do to get paid by Marriott so they were just going to comp my room for the night. The points were redeposited into my account.