dsquared37

It's not healthy compensation, it's mandated.

In lieu of $100? No, it's not comparable to $100 which is, again, mandated.

You've been shilling for this hotel since the beginning of the thread so I don't find your declaration surprising, however it fails to even address OP's lack of a roof over their head which is, yet again, mandated.

/shrug

PTahCha

Having glanced through most of this thread, this sounds like an understaffed lower end property with only the night auditor and security guard/helper on staff and no FD manager on duty. The night auditor has no authority to make any decisions, and hence led to the chain of events where OP slept in the car. At the same time, in a situation where the hotel is oversold, there are established procedures (or at least should be) for walking guests, including identifying alternate hotels, providing transportation to the new hotel, and a phone call.

As for the platinum guarantee, I would push for the $100, even with repeated calls via Marriott Customer Service. This is exactly what happened to us at SHS Newark Airport, where they conveniently tried different ways to avoid making the payment. It did take a month, but we eventually received a check from the hotel's parent company.

jjmoore

I understand that these comps are mandated. I just argue ... at what point is fighting for a few extra crumbs worthwhile? Being offered 10,000 points in place of a $100 cash payment is an easy compromise for me, and I wouldn't look back (especially understanding that offering additional points is much easier than procuring a cashier's check from the parent company). I understand that it's a huge inconvenience to not have a roof for a night, but I can assure you that there were rooms around 60 miles away (trust me, I know this because I had to search for rooms the night before, and further out of the bay area, there were places to stay... and I know there were rooms farther down southeast on Rt. 99 an hour or so away on the night of this incident), and as long as I did not arrive at midnight to encounter this incident, I would have had this Fairfield guarantee a room out there and driven there. Just know that I know last minute hotels well in this area.... there is ALWAYS something available, and I have had to park myself in Sacramento on a couple occasions due to 0 availability in the Tracy / Bay area when working in Tracy.... but there is always something available in a not-so-ridiculous range.

I, like many road warriors, am quite busy and don't have time to chase these kinds of things down. The $100 cash payment is a drop in the bucket compared to all the points and vouchers I have made in compensation from other issues while flying....

Everyone will have a different opinion on this, but this is mine... and that's all it was intended to be.

1P

I'm amazed that any hotel would allow you to book a room by yourself. You both look about 13 years old in this photo! Bravo on discovering the secret of eternal youth!

GoPhils

jjmoore

Well... they made an offer... the OP could say yes or no to the offer to replace the $100 with 10,000 points... completely up to the OP. The OP could say no and work through Marriott to claim the $100 cash, as is mandated by Marriott's policy.

I was just stating an opinion that 10,000 points is a good offer in place of the $$, and I would likely take that and never look back (or have to waste hours of my time on the phone trying to secure $100... which I know it would take this). It's almost a blessing in disguise. YOu are free to disagree with this... everyone has their own set of standards for these kinds of circumstances.

As for being walked and how that was done... pretty hard to say if lies were told or what without actually being there. I think we've beat this to death throughout this thread. At least we know that the hotel was willing to pay out the points, and a windfall of them at that. I honestly would sacrifice myself for a walk for that amount of points!!

dsquared37

What? How is that a windfall when it's merely part of what's required from the hotel when they walk a Plat? I'm at a loss to understand you're constant and consistent backing of the hotel.

C17PSGR

Unfortunately, unlike the airline process, the system inventory is fairly opaque which allows individual hotels to circumvent program rules. There are, however, other signals for inventory. For example, when a Westin resort or a NYC Marriott property is selling rooms for $100 night, that would strongly suggest the hotel is pretty empty. Equally important, is the body language and actions of the FD agent. For example, if you ask about availability of a particular type room and the FD agent immediately responds that nothing is available without actually looking, one can become skeptical. Or, as another example, the FD agent says all rooms of a certain type are reserved, and when you ask the FD agent whether that means reserved by a guest or reserved by a manager from being assigned. the FD agent has a certain look in the eyes and says let me check.

Here, the signals are the hotel was truly booked but who knows how it was oversold or whether Marriott failed to shut down reservations after the hotel requested it. To the contrary, the FD agent seems pretty unreliable based on turning away away the OP and refusing program mandated compensation or to find another hotel for the OP so I've lost any willingness to rely on their explanation. I'd never complain if a FD agent failed to offer me a Plat gift -- I know I can just tell them what I want and they often assume most want points. I also understand hotels will occasionally overbook -- I have 150 nights a year in hotels and will occasionally end up in the wrong wrong place 3-5 times a year (like tonight) so I understand that. On the other hand, just like the airlines, they assume they risk that they will pay out several times the room rate. Here, it seems like they only wanted the benefit, without recognizing any of the risk.

KRSW

I don't believe this is true for Marriott. I recently tried to check into the RI SEATAC and due to the property's internet connection being down, they were unable to check anyone in or see reservations. Fortunately I had checked in online that morning, so they did have keys ready for me and I completed the check-in process the following morning. This would lead me to believe they're using Marriott's central system for this, not something local/separate.

GoPhils

CJKatl

While what the hotel is offering is unacceptable, the OP needs to decide whether he wants to continue the fight or just put this behind him. If he decides to put it behind him, though, he needs to post everywhere (FT, TA, Insiders...) that the hotel did not honor his confirmed reservation, left him to sleep in his car and would not even pay the minimum compensation due per Marriott's published rules: 10k points is not $100 and as others have mentioned they did not have to pay for another hotel. Anyone considering this hotel needs to know a confirmed reservation does not mean a guest actually has a room for the night.

GoPhils

CJKatl

I get that, disagree but can understand that despite the offer being wrong the OP may just want to move on.

FlyerTalker70

dsquared37

There is also a fine line between being lowballed and contemplating when battling the hotel/airline is/isn't worth your time, and the hotel/airline banks on this when they decide to lowball the offer.