I am a Gold member and am used to just getting automatic access to the CL upon checkin. I think the only reason I have been denied in the past is due to a corporate event or such that closed the lounge.

Today I checked into the San Jose marriott. When I asked where the CL was located, the Front Desk agent states, "Oh, I didn't give you access but I can." I asked why. "Oh, because we're full and it will be crowded." After my objection, she did give me access but I don't like having to go through these types of conversations with a Front Desk agent after a long day of multiple airports, rental cars, and taxis.

Has anyone experienced this? Is this hotel specific or maybe a FD agent that wasn't doing her job(?).

This Front Desk Clerk was completely wrong. My understanding is that all PLTs and Golds are automatically to be given access to Concierge Lounge immediately upon arrival.

There is no clause whatsoever that says access will not be given if they think it will be crowded later.

I would probably email the GM and report this. Total nonsense.

I have learned not to rely upon the pooly trained chimps manning the FD.
I am proactive,hand my MR Gold card to the clerk with my ID and CC.Ask about upgrade and lounge access and request late check out.
Shame we have to be so aggressive-but it is needed if you want your status recognised ant the perks that go with the status.

No, I've not encountered that, but if the room I get is not on a Concierge floor, I verify that they remembered to code the room key for access to the lounge.

No, aggression is not at all needed. A smile, a kind greeting and an appreciative thank you work much better, more often and come more naturally (to most of us).

Certainly you don't need to show aggression to the FD clerk but in my experience, you must be aggressive (perhaps assertive is a better word) to actually get all the elite benefits that the loyalty marketing programs have promised.

Otherwise a good percentage of time you will go without. And this is not limited to the Marriott chain.

Perhaps a verbal checklist is better. Did my upgrade go through? Was I given the CL floor and/or access? Can I request late checkout now? Etc.

Its too bad you have to ask after a full day of travel and working, but sadly necessary. Otherwise, they'll usually just swipe your card and hand you a key to be done with the transaction and be done with you not matter how much you smile.

Take my PLT gift delivery guarantee experience the past year. I must have stopped at the FD at checkout to tell them that my gift hadn't arrived and could they make the switch to points - at least 6 times before I came aware of the $100 rule (I'm a new PLT this year). Finally, ONE FD Agent, the 7th, told me what I was due and went to process it.

Sometimes, I'm convinced that they are trained this way, don't offer the earned amenities until they beg for it...

Successfully receiving the 500 points for Plts's is the thing that troubles me. The FD clerk will hand me the amenity card, I ask for the points instead and am told that it will be done. More than 50 percent of the time it isn't. I keep a record of these shortfalls and after accumulating four or five, call customer service and they are posted immediately. I don't understand why Marriott can't get it corrcet the first time.

My own experience has been mixed. When plat perks were not offed, I simply asked "is the CL open?" or "are rooms sold out on the executive floor?" Most times I did not need to say more and they would wake up and offer upgrade and lounge access.
It is not a good practice for the hotel not to treat its best customers in a hospitable way.

The CL at SF Marriott is small to begin with, even on non-convention days, the place is usually packed. In fact, I would prefer to having breakfast coupons (on weekends) instead of lounge access. The breakfast buffet is outstanding!

Agreed--I almost never have a problem with lounge access, upgrades, ameneity, etc. And the few times that I do I mention it to the FD and they fix the problem

This all just makes me wonder if Hilton does a better job of recognizing its elite guests. In the 45 nights I have stayed this year as a Gold, I have never been offered an upgraded room at a Marriott.

I'm not addressing if Hilton does or doesn't - but two things to remember are 1) occupancies are climbing so hotels are much more full lately 2) Marriott's tend to have very few suites (which aren't technically included in upgrades-I'm not sure if you mean you haven't been upgraded to the Concierge/Club level or if you haven't been upgraded to suites)

[QUOTE=socrates;8859312]Marriott's tend to have very few suites /QUOTE]

But Rens tend to have more suites. I'm guessing the poster was speaking to the corporate Hilton and Marriott, not the particular brands. My personal experience this year: the only generous upgrades I've received at a fs property were at the Shelbourne and the Mayflower. At the limited service brands, I'm 2 for 2 at Fairfield, and zero for ? at Courtyard. At the fs properties, my keycard has always been coded for the c-lounge, without request.

well still from that standpoint many of the Hilton hotels are older and were built with more suites while Marriott's were not, speaking specifically about RHR - the hotels in the chain today tend to be older/historic and again have more suites but I would expect this to change as the brand continues to grow....unfortunately in general from a developers stand point suites are considerably more to build than a standard room which makes it difficult for the ROI to pencil-please note I did say in general, there are cases where it does pencil to add additional suites

Overall, I think Marriott does a great job - however some of the evening appetizers need a lot of work (i.e. 3 days in a row of potato chips is just a bit much)...

Also, the cookies at night are getting old...