Marriott Concierge: Is it policy to "double sell" rooms
Mar 18, 2008, 10:16 pm
#31
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Every one of my Starwood reservations has this in the Ts and Cs:
Guarantee Rules
For reservations guaranteed with a form of payment at time of booking, rooms are held until hotel check-out time the day following arrival.
That seems like a reasonable policy to me. If I am paying for the room, it should sit empty unless I arrive to claim it.
Guarantee Rules
For reservations guaranteed with a form of payment at time of booking, rooms are held until hotel check-out time the day following arrival.
That seems like a reasonable policy to me. If I am paying for the room, it should sit empty unless I arrive to claim it.
Mar 18, 2008, 10:22 pm
#32
Used to be bulldoggolfer05
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Welcome to the Marriott boards. 
I agree, unfortunately Marriott makes no guarantee like such, and if they had it would make the gray area situations like this a lot easier to handle on both the hotel and guest side of the fence (although they wouldn't really be grey area if such a statement existed). In fact, with Marriott, the general rule of thumb is that a late arrival is anything after 6PM on the day of arrival.
I agree, unfortunately Marriott makes no guarantee like such, and if they had it would make the gray area situations like this a lot easier to handle on both the hotel and guest side of the fence (although they wouldn't really be grey area if such a statement existed). In fact, with Marriott, the general rule of thumb is that a late arrival is anything after 6PM on the day of arrival.
Mar 18, 2008, 10:25 pm
#33
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It resonates
I have to believe Marriott has made a lot of money booking hotels at 102% of capacity or whatever. But it's morally wrong.
Back in the '80s when I worked for one of the famous consulting firms, Marriott became a running joke for not holding enough rooms for confirmed late arrivals. Turned me into an SPG guy. How can this still be the case? I don't like hunting for rooms in the middle of the night when I already paid for one, and who should.
Commercial decision for them, commercial decision for me. I hope they do OK; I'll be fine.
Back in the '80s when I worked for one of the famous consulting firms, Marriott became a running joke for not holding enough rooms for confirmed late arrivals. Turned me into an SPG guy. How can this still be the case? I don't like hunting for rooms in the middle of the night when I already paid for one, and who should.
Commercial decision for them, commercial decision for me. I hope they do OK; I'll be fine.
Mar 18, 2008, 10:26 pm
#34
Community Director Emerita
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Welcome to the Marriott board?? I'm a Marriott lifetime platinum who has hung out here a fair bit.
Mar 18, 2008, 10:32 pm
#35
Used to be bulldoggolfer05
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Sorry, it was said in joking in reference to you being a Starwood Moderator hence the goofy smiley instead of a regular smile...
Last edited by NDDomer86; Mar 19, 2008 at 2:26 am
Mar 18, 2008, 10:36 pm
#36
Join Date: May 2001
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you might also notice that the people you seem to be disagreeing with are
1. Long long time members of FT
2. NOT students
3. Have status at these hotels.
In other words, if you are going to get into a flame war - watch where you are throwing the fire.
Mar 18, 2008, 10:48 pm
#37
Used to be bulldoggolfer05
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In case YOU missed it, I spent over 200 nights last year in Marriott properties alone (in 42 different states and 8 different countries), so while I may not have 15 years of experience with Marriott, I'm not unqualified to speak on experiences with them by any means
Additionally, what does my being a student have to do with anything? Only by either a) your assumption that students can only be young people [ever heard of continuing education? Or is that only for people below you] or b) by looking at my profile which I believe indicates my age range would this indicate any reasonable since of merit.
In excess, I AM a MR platinum member.
And lastly, if your post is a hint at because I'm a college student I don't know what I'm talking about, mind you I clear over 180k/year of which approx. 50k of that went to hotel stays in FS properties last year so I'm not the occasional college student that stays in some rat motel for $29/night.
Additionally, what does my being a student have to do with anything? Only by either a) your assumption that students can only be young people [ever heard of continuing education? Or is that only for people below you] or b) by looking at my profile which I believe indicates my age range would this indicate any reasonable since of merit.
In excess, I AM a MR platinum member.
And lastly, if your post is a hint at because I'm a college student I don't know what I'm talking about, mind you I clear over 180k/year of which approx. 50k of that went to hotel stays in FS properties last year so I'm not the occasional college student that stays in some rat motel for $29/night.
Mar 18, 2008, 10:49 pm
#38
Join Date: May 2001
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In case YOU missed it, I spent over 200 nights last year in Marriott properties alone (in 42 different states and 8 different countries), so while I may not have 15 years of experience with Marriott, I'm not unqualified to speak on experiences with them by any means
Additionally, what does my being a student have to do with anything? Only by either a) your assumption that students can only be young people [ever heard of continuing education? Or is that only for people below you] or b) by looking at my profile which I believe indicates my age range would you have any indication of how old I am, and with age does not necessarily come experience with hotels.
In excess, I AM a MR platinum member.
And lastly, if your post is a hint at because I'm a college student I don't know what I'm talking about, mind you I clear over 180k/year of which approx. 50k of that went to hotel stays in FS properties last year so I'm not the occasional college student that stays in some rat motel for $29/night.
Additionally, what does my being a student have to do with anything? Only by either a) your assumption that students can only be young people [ever heard of continuing education? Or is that only for people below you] or b) by looking at my profile which I believe indicates my age range would you have any indication of how old I am, and with age does not necessarily come experience with hotels.
In excess, I AM a MR platinum member.
And lastly, if your post is a hint at because I'm a college student I don't know what I'm talking about, mind you I clear over 180k/year of which approx. 50k of that went to hotel stays in FS properties last year so I'm not the occasional college student that stays in some rat motel for $29/night.
No silly - it means you totally missed the law school joke
Mar 18, 2008, 10:54 pm
#39
Used to be bulldoggolfer05
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Well in that case I'm sorry. Maybe I just don't understand the law school joke?
Mar 18, 2008, 11:06 pm
#40
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The great thing about FlyerTalk is gaining different perspectives, and learning from each other. I just wanted to recap some things:
Most important:
Sometimes it's useful to see what a competitor offers:
And here is real life experience from someone who has worked with the Marriott system:
Hopefully, the Marriott concierge will be able to come back and clarify the Marriott policy - and at a minimum, help the member who began this thread.
Most important:
In my experience as a night audit clerk, guests are charged as a no-show just before the night auditors roll the date over in the PMS system. If the guests shows up after this time, then they can still be checked in, but it screws up the Marriott Rewards credit as the "no-showed" night goes into the system as a zero night stay.
The hotel has no obligation to keep a reservation after they roll the date in the system (which DOES NOT coincide with the actual date change at midnight and often does not occur until 3 or 4 AM). While checkout/checkin times vary, it's solely up to the goodwill of the front desk to have rooms available to guests at 8AM, and not under any terms, conditions, or rules governing hotels.
Mar 19, 2008, 3:22 am
#41
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The hotel has no obligation to keep a reservation after they roll the date in the system (which DOES NOT coincide with the actual date change at midnight and often does not occur until 3 or 4 AM). While checkout/checkin times vary, it's solely up to the goodwill of the front desk to have rooms available to guests at 8AM, and not under any terms, conditions, or rules governing hotels. For the record, I realize I'm playing the devils' advocate here (comes from being a Lodging and Resort Management Degree student), but I'm actually probably a hotel's worst nightmare.
Mar 19, 2008, 3:25 am
#42
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On to your question, by any legal rights, no, the hotel would not be under obligation to hold your reservation after they rolled the date, as in no way are you actually checking in on the day of your reservation (in your example, the day of Friday would physically end at midnight, and end in terms of the hotel at whatever time the night auditors roll the date over). HOWEVER, on the customer service end, the hotel SHOULD hold your reservation if you call and notify them of an early morning arrival and if a greedy night auditor gives your room away in search of that elusive perfect sell (you would be surprised, even on nights when hotels are fully booked, it's often not a perfect sell as rooms may be on maintenance or blocked out for other reasons) then proper compensation should be given upon arrival.
Again, I know I'm playing the devils advocate here, but trust me, as a guest in no way do I advocate the hotel.
Again, I know I'm playing the devils advocate here, but trust me, as a guest in no way do I advocate the hotel.
Mar 19, 2008, 4:23 am
#43
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I seriously doubt that all of those rooms were double sold to walk-ins at 3-4 AM when the day rolls.
Mar 19, 2008, 5:47 am
#44
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 915
That statement makes no sense at all. You cannot legally act as an attorney until you have attended law school, passed the Bar Exam, and been licensed to practice law. On the other hand, I HAVE worked in the hospitality industry, at multiple properties, in multiple countries.
On to your question, by any legal rights, no, the hotel would not be under obligation to hold your reservation after they rolled the date, as in no way are you actually checking in on the day of your reservation (in your example, the day of Friday would physically end at midnight, and end in terms of the hotel at whatever time the night auditors roll the date over). HOWEVER, on the customer service end, the hotel SHOULD hold your reservation if you call and notify them of an early morning arrival and if a greedy night auditor gives your room away in search of that elusive perfect sell (you would be surprised, even on nights when hotels are fully booked, it's often not a perfect sell as rooms may be on maintenance or blocked out for other reasons) then proper compensation should be given upon arrival.
Again, I know I'm playing the devils advocate here, but trust me, as a guest in no way do I advocate the hotel.
On to your question, by any legal rights, no, the hotel would not be under obligation to hold your reservation after they rolled the date, as in no way are you actually checking in on the day of your reservation (in your example, the day of Friday would physically end at midnight, and end in terms of the hotel at whatever time the night auditors roll the date over). HOWEVER, on the customer service end, the hotel SHOULD hold your reservation if you call and notify them of an early morning arrival and if a greedy night auditor gives your room away in search of that elusive perfect sell (you would be surprised, even on nights when hotels are fully booked, it's often not a perfect sell as rooms may be on maintenance or blocked out for other reasons) then proper compensation should be given upon arrival.
Again, I know I'm playing the devils advocate here, but trust me, as a guest in no way do I advocate the hotel.
Suppose I book (and guarantee via credit card) a room at a property whose check in time is 3 PM (with an official check out time of 12 noon the next day).
If I counted my fingers correctly that translates into my being obligated to pay for that room (and having access to it) for 21 consecutive hours.
But even though I am paying/guaranteeing payment for whatever the tariff may be (and agreeing, in effect to all the terms and conditions that go along with making a reservation when I press that final 'enter' ),
Does that mean that I'm NOT entitled to that room for that full 21-hour period? If that's the case, shouldn't hotels be obligated to disclose to customers exactly how long the room will be held for them if it's their practice to rescind that hold sometime before the 21 hours expire???
I'm not an attorney but it seems to me that when booking a reservation that includes a monetary exchange between parties (in this case either for the room (or as a forfiture for not complying with a Term and Condition) an implied contract between two parties (guest/purchaser and hotel/seller) has been initiated.
And wouldn't that mean that all Ts and Cs have to be disclosed so that the party who's incurring the obligation knows exactly the conditions that can cause him to be obligated (even when goods/services are being witheld) are?
To sum up - if you're paying for 21 hours of access to a room shouldn't you receive sameif not invormed of terms and conditions that will be involked that can cause all or part of that period to be taken away from you?
Mar 19, 2008, 7:51 am
#45
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As someone who stays in the hotel a lot - I know it is a very busy hotel. I would imagine that they had overbooked for the night (they always get late cancellations) and planned on some of the people who check out early to be out early enough for you to get in there.
If it happens again there, ask to speak to the GM - he knows who his top customers are and will sort you out.
Paul
If it happens again there, ask to speak to the GM - he knows who his top customers are and will sort you out.
Paul
