Not always - but more often than not it is the later arrivals

Well I know that all hotels do overbooking to an extent, but if the GM is saying that they are having more a more oversold periods, then it is up to the GM to do something about it, that is the GMs job.

I was walked from a Courtyard last week myself. First time I had been walked in a couple years. I currently do not have status with Marriott (SPG at the moment - however, I tend to use all the chains), but they handled "the walk" professionally and I was at another property in a matter of minutes.

Another Courtyard stay last month, I apparently got the absolute last room they had. It wasn't the type of room I had guaranteed, but they took good care of me .. and FWIW, the service was superb and I'll definitely be using that property again.

SDF_Traveler

Last month I was checking into the Rancho Cordova Residence Inn at 9:00 pm and the desk clerk offered me 5000 points to stay next door at the Hilton. As a lowly silver member I was not aware of any reservation guarantee but asked if they would pay for the Hilton because I had a confirmed res. She claimed that they were not required to pay for the room because if I really wanted to stay at the RI she would ask the person occupying my room to leave but she wasn't sure if housekeeping was available. I called the Hyatt Place down the street and got a room and then went online and found out that they were supposed to pay for my walk and give me $100. I called and faxed the manager the following day and later received an email saying I was not entitled to the reservation guarantee because they would have evicted the guest in my room who had not checked out but I chose not to do that! I responded that I was shocked at her response and would elevate my concern to Marriott and she quickly paid my Hyatt Place room and offered me 15,000 points.

OMG what terrible and unprofessional service you received - wrong wrong wrong

When checking in for an oversold property I actually volunteered to be walked, and they said thanks be they'd walk someone else (implying lower on the status rung).

Don't know about California, but in many states it is illegal to evict a guest who's account is in good standing for all the obvious reasons, even if they are overstaying the reservation. It would sound like the manager created her own little departure from policy and Marriott needs to know about it.

honestly it's the "liberal" states that have that law - most states dont however being in the hospitality business most hotels wont evict a guest that is in house (and unfortunately there are a few guests that take advantage of this)

Soc

PS please dont shoot me for using the liberal term - it's the only word popping into my mind right now - perhaps it's the 103 degree heat outside getting to me , is it August already?

Very true on all except the "liberal" part. sorry I just couldn't resist. Arizona has this law as well, and it certainly (McCain comments aside) isnt a liberal state.

The usual way around this is the fact that you can charge them your rack rate (in most states) which can be adjusted by most properties at any time. Letting the guest know that their rate has just tripled usually gets them out of the room. Just make sure they can't go ANYWHERE online and book a room.

About walking and that manager...

First off, hotel managers aren't some top-tier service people with tons or experience or education in all matters of hospitality. They're no more demending of your respect and a free pass if they're no good at their job then a McD's manager.

Walking become common at places that double sell their inventory via opaque websites like priceline and hotwire. They get screwed if they walk a priceline or hotwire reservation and so people who pay 3x as much get walked instead.

Walking is not uncommon, in fact many places consider a reservation just a guanrantee for a room somewhere, not even neccessarily with them, but you should always be walked up - never down, refuse a downgrade and pitch a fit.

They do owe you, and better make good on it. Contact everyone associated with the company until you get what is owed to you.

If the property ended up overbooked due to prior commitments to Priceline, Hot Wire, etc. that's was their choice in that no one forced them to enter into an agreement with either. It is their responsibility to consider that factor in their capcity control calculations.

The part that really gets to me is the "choice" scenario presented by the manager, ie. "Another guest stayed over unexpectedly"; we'll throw them out, but there's no housekeeping staff so you'll have to sleep on their bedding or you'll be walked."

Why not come clean ?-- "Sorry, but the laws in this state/municipality prevent us from evicting the guest."

Can't say that, if it isn't true -- had it been me, and I decided to go to that Hilton to grab some sleep, whatever else, I would have checked with the authorities, confirmed that was or wasn't the case and reported the incident to Mr. M's office (since I was still due the compensation?

Betcha there would be repercussions beyond $100. free room nights and picking up a night at the Hilton.

Instead she chose the "give the customer a choice routine" between two scenarios that were acceptable (but only to the property), sleeping on someone else's bedding or paying for a night elsewhere. .

But just suppose the OP called their bluff and told them to throw the other party out, give them sheets and they'd remake the bed themselves?.

What would they do then?

And what would they do after the OP reported the incident to Mr. M's office about what they attempted in an effort to avoid granting what they're required to provide to a guest with a valid reservation under Marriott's "walked guest rules" in addition to their totally insulting behavior?

I'd love to be a fly on the wall when the property's management was called to account by MI.

Imagine that conversation.

I don't know if I'd have had the guts to do it myself, but this would indeed have been fascinating.

Add me to the "never been walked" camp, from any hotel at any status level. Do boutique hotels and upper-crust places (like RC and FS) overbook as well? Or is part of the price premium you pay to stay at those places covering the fact that you will indeed always have a room?

I'm sorry but I completely disagree with everything you've said above, it simply isn't true

I have another CYM reservation this weekend-at another property. It has shown no availability for the last couple of days. I have a late arrival-after 11 pm. We'll see if I walk at this CYM as well!

I can just see it now. . . FlyerTalk threads devoted to "strategy to get walked," akin to the strategies to try to book flights that we think have a reasonable probability of getting VDB offer.