I have yet to try this new service.

What is the etiquette on tipping the person who checks you in?

I haven't used it, but you are not supposed to tip the person who checks you in since it is supposed to be a manager.

Check out this thread: Renaissance Hotels & Resorts Platinum Pass

FYI, I did not tip for the Platinum Pass service in Nashville and was never made to feel like I was supposed to by the manager. If you have a pretty firm idea of when you're arriving, I would recommend trying it out. It was a really nice experience. I can definitely see where it would have its benefits during extremely busy periods (like the mass convention group check-in I witnessed there a few hours later )

If you haven't found it out yet the Marriott properties are as consistent (or inconsistent) as IC's and Starwood ones.

Anyway I prefer the fact that suites are a guaranteed benefit of IC's and Starwoods and so there go most of my international stays when I am traveling for leisure (about 4 months per year). I hate those "normal" "standard" rooms that are about the size of a prison cell. You can have them.

Listen, I'm not kidding here....

I stay at Marriotts, Hilton and ICH chains mostly - I'm rarely impressed with what my Marriott Gold status gets me. But, in Amherst, right behind Marriott, is ICH's new boutique chain - Indigo. Used to be a Hampton believe it or not and it's great - basically full service too -restaurant and bar - great rooms, staff and food. Free wifi. Cheaper rooms. I highly recommend!

I guess we've just had different experiences, then. I haven't spent much time in IC's (mostly Holiday Inns back in the day), but Starwood is all over the freakin' map when it comes to property quality and customer service. Marriott is much, MUCH more consistent--always good, often great, occasionally stellar.

And some of my best Marriott upgrades have come at foreign properties (Copenhagen and Tokyo, for example), so I've never stayed in the "prison cell". I'm glad IC and Starwood work for you, but they sure don't for me!

I have to agree with you DJ_Iceman; it seems to really depend on the individual hotel. In some places, Starwood does a fantastic job for Platinum, in others-nothing. Marriott is the same way- I have had some wonderful upgrades, and other hotels where I have to remind them I am on the Club Level, and then remind them again when my key is not coded correctly (although I am only Gold with Marriott). As for IC, I was a Six Continents Club member "back in the day" and it was quite underwhelming typically- except for Lisbon where somehow I seemed to be coded as a VIP (the hotel is now a Four Seasons anyway). Hyatt never seemed to get anything right in Melbourne- but in Tokyo they were wonderful (past tense as I have not been working in either city for over 2 years now).
In a vote for consistency, I am not sure- maybe Marriott- but really not sure about that.
Back to the op- if you are visiting a hotel a LOT, it is probably worth talking to the rooms division manager- if they do not have one- the Front Office Manager- my suspicion is one of these people will make sure you are treated well regardless of any status/colored card/magic beads

Louisville does suck as far as PLT bennies but I stay here because it is a marriott and is only $10 more than the courtyard. A standard guest room is $239. Then they have something called an executive level room that is $259, the C-level rooms are $269.

Charging an extra $20 just to be on a higher floor that isn't even on the C-level (16th floor) Whatever!

This is a good all-around tip for making things right. Hotels may not always live up to the letter of the program, but generally, asking for cash is a strong motivator. A couple of weeks ago, I was at the Athens Ledra Marriott. At check-in they couldn't give me my guaranteed room type and made me choose between bed type and a non-smoking room. When I invoked the elite benefits guarantee (I'm Gold) and explained it to four people in a row, suddenly, my guaranteed room type was available. On the concierge floor, even.

I am on my 2nd round of travel jobs. I am much calmer these days.

On the first round I was staying at the Houston GreenPoint location, week after week after week. On one trip I checked into the room, found it to be about 110 degrees. Tried to adjust the temp, it did not work, so called the front desk. They said they would get on it right away. I went to dinner. When I came back, there was a note that it was fixed, now it felt 115 degrees, so I took my bag and went to the desk to checkout.

There were plenty of properties nearby. The front desk, MGR on duty went nuts trying to get me to stay.

Free Breakfast? - No thanks I have Lounge access anyway?
Free Dinnner/Room Service? - No thanks I'm on an expense account, it's already free?
Comped Night? - Um did you hear I don't pay for it anyway?

What is it that you want?
A room that has AC that works and no hassels.

A bunch of points, different room, etc kept me there that week. I booked somewhere else the next week.

A Marriott customer is LIED to once again-A Marriott specialty
The room-which you should have been given in the first place-was obviously available but the chimps at the front desk made you jump through hoops.
And they also tried to pull the trick of using your room preference against giving you a good room.

It gets better. On check out, I saw a set of instructions to the front desk on how to treat staff on the special rate I was on. (Oddly, it was in English, not Greek.) Basically, it was a set of instructions about all the "extras" they should try and sell those of us who had the temerity to book the low rate.

My experience also isn't over. I wound up in a non-preferred room temporarily and had to pay for Internet access. I think as a result they charged me twice for the Internet access, though it doesn't appear on my final folio. I sent them a fax explaining the situation. If there's no credit by the time I get back to the office from my current trip, I'll just hand over the same package to AmEx.

I figured the trip was worth a note to Marriott corporate. No response yet.

I stayed at all the IAH-Greenspoint area 3* hotels frequently for years and sometime or the other tried them all (except the now-gone Sofitel). While some have been rebranded in the year since the Houston gig ended and may have improved, I was wondering what hotel you thought was better. I didn't control where the booking would be, and it was frequently last-minute and somewhat random. I was always pleased when it was Greenspoint Marriott.

The concierge club at the Sheraton had lousy food. The Wyndham had no concierge club at all. I don't remember the Doubletree having one either, but I did like their courtyard pool. I would have said the Greenspoint Marriott was the best combination of rooms, points, pool, concierge lounge, and staff interaction in the area.

Your issue sounds very frustrating, but their trying again after fumbling the first correction is what I would expect. I've had my Marriott issues too, including one with that hotel years ago, but I'm wondering if you traded down in making your point you could go elsewhere. At least I'd like to know what hotel you think is superior if I end up in Houston again.