Need definitive answer on using EEO certificate on AAA rate
 

Chris-

Tried every which way to research this via the newly-restored search function with no success.

Question: Are the (Ren and Marriott) "Free Second Weekend Night" EEOs valid when using the AAA rate?

Opinion here (in other threads), seems to be "yes," but two separate calls to Plat Line CSA's resulted in an interpretation, after a "Publicly Available Rate" lookup that the answer was "no."

The reason I asked is that neither rep could locate anything specific, but rather said that as they understood the definition of "Publicly Available" to be, "no special id or verification required at check-in" translated into meaning that since the AAA card must be presented to secure it, the AAA rate was not one that could be considered "Publicly Available".

I currently have a reservation at $174. weekend rate per night at a Ren. If I can rebook as "AAA" that rate drops to $139.

It's a three-day booking with one night free; potentially I can save $50. on the two paid nights.

Not a huge deal (since I could cancel and re-book back-to-back reservations; two nights at the weekend rate and one as AAA, but a clarification, (one way or the other), would be appreciated.

Thanks.

I don't know the "legal" answer but the “anecdotal” answer is "Yes." I have used EEO certificates at five (at least) Marriotts using the AAA rate without a problem. I actually do belong to AAA!

I suggest rebooking on the website and adding “Using EEO” in the remarks. Good luck.

I agree, that what (manual/work-intensive) research I was able to accomplish indicates an affirmative answer.

And I'm an AAA member as well.

It's just that I don't want to start off a weekend at a property about which others have opined to be outstanding, (reference responses on my Renaissance Del Monte query thread), that upgrades Plat elites and is generous w/amenities without coaxing and where everyone's pleasant, on a possilbly sour note at check-in.

As far as simply booking at the AAA rate and noting "EOO" in the remarks, that's in conflict w/ one of the Terms and Conditions on the back of the certificate:

7) Rooms must be confirmed in advance in advance by calling etc. etc. etc.

Using the old "call again if you don't get the desired response the 1st time" technique resulted in the same "can't do it/invalid" response, so that's why I'm asking Chris.

If the 'official' response is affirmative it puts the issue to rest for the forseeable future. (And if it isn't, but properties continue to accept EEOs as being valid w/AAA rates, it's still a no-harm/no-foul).

rahmanbar,

The associates you spoke with were correct. A publicly listed rate is one that anyone can book and would be eligible for. If there is any special identification required at check-in (as is with AAA rates), the rate cannot be used in conjunction any offer that has that exclusion.

Thanks,

Chris

Thanks Chris-

Not a problem inasmuch as Marriott has treated me well over the years (going back to the days of Club Marquis, the grandaddy of Marriott Rewards).

The wife and I look forward to our stay at the Ren Del Monte Lodge.

I emphatically disagree.

I hereby call upon Marriott to either change the language as listed, or better, simply accept these certificates on AAA rates and other rates.

Chris,

With all due respect, "a publicly listed rate," is by its clear meaning a rate that is "publicly listed," nothing more, nor nothing less.

It strains the imagination, as well as the language under question, for you/Marriott to also include a proviso that a "publicly listed" cannot by its very nature, be one that requires the holder to demonstrate his/her eligibility for such rate. Why not??

Marriott does not require its guests to demonstrate that they can use any of the package rates that can be found on the Marriott website -- so the statement that one -- by demonstrating their eligibility to use a AAA rate or other rate by showing an I.D. -- renders such rate non-public, is at variance with all those other "publicly listed rates" on the Marriott website, etc. that are eligible to be used with an EEO cert.

Moreover, I submit that Senior rates are also publicly listed rates -- and, therefore, that they, too, ought to be viewed as a "publicly listed" rates that are elgible for use with the EEO certs, etc.

In fact, AAA and Senior rates are clearly indicated when one initally logs onto the Marriott website.

The better, and less strained, reading of the term "publicly listed rate" is just that, that any rate that is found on the Marriot website -- either by initallly logging onto the Marriott website -- as the AAA and Senior rates are -- or by inputting dates and certain Promotion Codes -- should all be viewed as eligible for use with EEO rates, period -- since, they appear on a public website, ergo they are "publicly listed."

Of course, for one to take advantage of the rate in question, one must still demonstrate their eligibility for the AAA rate or Senior rate -- by showing a membership card -- but the mere ministerial act of doing this, does not magically transform a rate that is prominently placed on the Marriott website to a non-public rate. How ridiculous!

In essence, just because you must show a membership card to demonstrate your eligibility for the rate, does not ipso facto make that rate not publicly listed. Indeed, the rate is still there on the public website.

If Marriott truly means to make rates requiring a special membership card, etc. not to be circumscribed within those rates that can be used with an EEO cert, etc., then it should just change the subject language on the back of the EEO certs to include something like the following:

As noted above, a very strong case can be made -- at least with respect to the AAA rates and Senior rates -- as they are conspicuously present when one logs onto Marriott.com to permit these rates to be used with the EEO certs. To say that such rates are not "publicly listed" is plainly absurd and places in question Marriott's hard earned credibility.

I would like to correspond or talk further with the individuals responsible for this ridiculous assertion, as they were supposed to call me today on this very matter, but not surprisingly have failed to do so. :mad: :td:

IIRC, the instructions on how to use the EEO free night offer and get a reservation booked on that offer are listed on the back of the card. I'm pretty sure that if a reservations agent follows that, you can't get an AAA/AARP/GOV rate, etc.

Although you may get exceptions wherever you travel and get a rate not normally available when you use the EEO free night offer, that is just what it would be, an exception.

Adding comments into the remarks field just lets the hotel see what your comments are. Nothing else. If a hotel can accomodate requests made via those comments, they do. But frequently, especially as regards booking rates or availability, they can't. (Again, exceptions can and do happen, but they cannot be relied on to happen when needed.)

I'll have to disagree there.

A "publicly listed rate" is one anyone, regardless of private memberships with any particular organizations, can look up and have booked for themselves.

AAA (and AARP, and companies that have the CORP discount), are private organizations. You must enter in the fact of your membership with one of those private organizations when booking the reservation, otherwise you won't get it.

All hotels are required to verify each guest's membership in those private organizations when they check in (although as we all know, that part doesn't always happen, but just because that one part doesn't happen in all instances, doesn't mean the rate is public).

True. However, one can pull up many rates for private organizations by putting in a promotion code, or in the case of AAA rates, by checking the box that is supplied. You are incorrect, however, as a senior rate does not relate to any private organization, whatsoever. It only relates to one's age.


That is correct, but that does not make a rate that may pertain to a private organization not publicly listed. As noted above, the AAA rates are publicly listed on the website. Moreover, that argument is unpersuasive because there no longer is an AARP rate at Marriott hotels, Marriott having done away with same and substituting in it's stead, a single check box if you are a senior, 62 years or over. Entitlement to same does not require any membership in any private organization. Therefore, it's having been publicly listed on the Marriott website without requrirng membership in any organziation, argues in favor that, at the very least, the AAA rate should be treated in a similar manner.



Again, the better reasoned course is that if Marriott intended to mean that a membership in a "private organization" disqualified one from using a rate provided to members of same, and that such rates are not utilizable in tandem with an EEO cert, then Marriott could have very easily, and clearly, I might add, simply have placed the following language on the back of the EEO cert:

rather than your strained interpretation, or Marriott's strained definition, that the term "publicly listed rate", should not be given it's common sense meaning of including all rates that are "publicly listed" on the Marriott website.

It makes much more sense, and is far easier to understand for the layman who is encouraged to book their rates online, that common sense meanings of terms are used. Marriott's apparent decision to define -- without any rationale or notice -- that a "publicly listed rate" does not include those rates for which membership credentials may be required, fails this test miserably. As such, a decent argument may be interposed that Marriott should be charged as employing a deceptive trade practice, especially while encouraging increased use of its publicly available website in order to make one's hotel reservations.

All it says that the rate must be a "publicly listed rate."

You and I disagree what the term publicly listed actually means, and since Marriott does not define this term, nor does it attempt to provide notice to the inernet user that common sense meanings are not to be employed when booking one's reservations on the net, the best course is to give the term its common sense meaning -- a publicly listed rate is one that is publicly listed, attainable, and bookable on the Marriott website.

And, throwing my 2 cents into the discussion, any member of the public can join AAA. You merely need to walk the Earth, breathe air and have a relatively small amount of money. That should make AAA rates fundamentally different from, say, government rates. People do not have unilateral power to make themselves government employees. That power is held by the government itself. But people do have unilateral power to join AAA. Therefore, AAA rates should be considered "publicly listed" -- or perhaps "available to the general public," which would be better language in the first place.

Bruce

"Publicly listed" is a rule not a law. So it means what MR says it means. In this case "listed" also means "available." They are not cheating you if they don't accept your much wider interpretation.

This is a classic example of looking a gift horse squarely in the mouth. MR has given you a free night and you want to parse the rules to gain further benefit. Get over it and show some respect and appreciation for the special recognition shown you. What does it cost and what is it worth to win the last dollar?

Boy, are you misguided. A rule, not a law, ha!

Sorry, but I wonder where you got your J.D. or M.B.A? :rolleyes:

It means what Marriott says it means? :rolleyes:

I have a bridge to sell you.

We all abide by rules and laws and when there is a disagreement as to that, then it needs to be explained clearly.

You have not been on this board long -- so you should hold your tongue -- but if you were familiar with the posters here, you would no doubt have seen that prior to Chris coming on board, we had an "unofficial" Marriott adviser who had indicated quite the opposite -- that the AAA rate was a puclicly listed rate.

So, who is correct?

Well, I will give you a little piece of advice -- not every promotion is well thought out and that goes double for Marriott's promotion.

On the back of each EEO Marriott 2 for 1 cert there lists various property exclusions. Most US resorts are excluded and so is the South Beach Marriott.

Why is that hotel specifically listed?

Because the folks who were doing the promotion just assumed that that property was a resort.

Not so. To this day, it is not listed as a resort.

It took yours truly here to make them aware of this -- of course, after I demonstrated to them that prior to the above incorporation of that hotel as one of those that are excluded from use with the EEO 2 for 1 certs, a EEO cert was permitted to be used at that property.

Moral of the story is that the folks in marketing are not really always on top of what is or is not to be part of their promotions and that without us on this board to point out to them grey areas or inconsistencies in their pronouncements, they may, or may not be, excluding what was not intended to be excluded.

They are not imbued with some supernatural or superhuman all knowing power to adjudicate right from wrong -- as you seem to think -- and I,for one, will not go blindly with what is a self-serving and argument that AAA rates are not considered publicly listed rates. :p

Moreover, are you telling me that Senior rates are not considered publicly listed, as well?

There is no organization required that you need to join, and although you may have to show an I.D. for eligibility, you are most welcome to do a search on this board to see when was the last time anyone reported that they had to show a AAA I.D to be eligible for that discount at any hotel.

Or a driver's license for a senior rate....

Or the Entertainment Card for that discounted rate....

Sorry, Bruce correctly pointed out that you have to be nearly brain dead not to be able to qualify for these discounts and I have just indicated that one is never really even challenged to prove one's eligibility for such rate.

Marriott could always tighten the "rules" of the above discounts by requiring its personnel to card for these discounts -- and I am supportive of such a change.

However, in light of these circumstances, it is not at all clear to me that the folks at promotions are correct that a AAA rate is not includable for use with the EEO certificates and that the interpretation of what it means to be a "publicly listed" rate should be accorded its plain language meaning -- i.e. a publicly listed rate is one that the public may take advantage of -- and is not one -- that a special corporate code unbeknownst to the general public, or special code word -- that a group or convention might employ -- to get a highly discounted rate.

Sorry, guys, the AAA rate is at most a 10% discount and the senior rate is a bit more, but both of these are prominently displayed on the inital welcome page of Marriott.com, and you are not going to convince me through some strained interpretation, that the term "publicly listed rate" should be given an interpretation other than what it plainly means -- that if it is publicly described on the website, then it is publicly listed. @:-)

Q.E.D. :p :p

Using common understanding of words, in the absence of an explicit definition to the contrary, I would have to disagree.

"publicly listed" logically means listed publicly. If the public, in a "public" area, can view the listing, it would be "publicly listed". Tax tables are publicly listed, but if you don't qualify for a particular rate, you can view it but you can't take it.

"publicly available", on the other hand, means available to the general public.

If what Marriott meant was "publicly available" perhaps they should say so.

(A purist would argue that even a "publicly listed" rate that has no apparent qualifications does indeed still have qualifications: it may have limited availability, and it certainly requires payment, which means it is not necesarily available to the general public.)