Platinum Guarantee
 

I have been a Marriott Platinum Premier member since the premier level was first introduced. Over the years, I have un-apologetically collected the $100 Platinum Guarantee every time that a hotel has failed to give me a platinum welcome gift or points.

Typically, I collect twice a year or so. Interestingly, my last four stays at full service Marriotts in four states, they have neglected to offer me the Platinum Gift. At this rate I should collect $800-$1000 in guarantees this year.

I wonder what's up.

Good for you.

What's up, no doubt, are lazy/untrained front desk clerks. When the hotel has to cough up hard cash, I bet they learn really quick!

Question: Do you just sit by waiting for the hotel to mess up so you can pounce on the $100 or are you at all proactive?

In my case, if I don't get an immediate acknowledgement of my status, I will drop a little hint like "Where's the Concierge Lounge?" The amenity coupon usually appears pretty quickly after that. If the amenity doesn't come fairly quickly, I'll call the front desk. I give them a chance and I am 99+% success rate in delivery of the amenity.

For me, other than a couple of times when the guarantee was first introduced, I've never had a situation where I felt I needed to receive or even push to receive the guarantee.

I probably came as close as I have in recent history last week when I stayed at the RI in Little Rock (northside). The front desk person never mentioned anything about the new points option and my arrival gift wasn't in the room. I simply walked down and asked about it and resolved the situation within a minute.

I find that I receive the gift card at FS and REN's 100% of the time but its the actual delivery that varies. And I waffle about collecting the $100, sometimes yes but more often not.

Case in point, last night at the BHM FS, I checked in about 6pm to a very giggly clerk who recognized me from days before. I asked for red wine and ice cream to be delivered at 9pm since we were doing an early dinner then bed since I had an 7:30am flight to catch.

Waiting, waiting and debating to call especially since trying to get $100 at 5:30am seemed impossible and wrong. And I did want to get to sleep early. So I call at 9:30pm and they promise to see what went wrong and promise a follow-up call. 10:30pm they call back asking me what it was that I wanted in the first place. 11:00pm its now delivered and I have a few spoons of the ice cream before trying to fall asleep for another hour+. Let's say I'm groggy today because the sleep didn't go as planned.

But they treated me nice this stay and last so I have a real problem enforcing the guarantee.

Similarly, this morning, the CL was scheduled to open at 6:30am per the sign. Made a very difficult decision to wait, hit the CL exactly at 6:30am for some light take out (hoping its up and going) then RACE to the airport for a 7:30am departure.

Got there at exactly 6:30am, place well stocked and the nicest attendant helping us out. She proudly told us that she opened early today at 6:12am and likes to do that every Friday AM for people catching early flights. Had we only knew! Made the flight with moments to spare.

Finally, got to give props to the FD Supervisor Monday night who checked us in at 10:50pm after being air delayed 4+ hours en route. Gave me free internet then called the kitchen telling them to remain open for room service - then took our orders right at the front desk! His co-worker looked on in disbelief as if she would never ask them to do that. He said too bad, its their job to do so.

Sorry this ended up being a mini trip report but this is what's so frustrating about Marriott's to me, all levels of service from exceptional to poor, sometimes within the same property. It really boils down to the individual.

whoa ... are you guys serious? i've been platinum for 4 years. I don't recognized all the time.

typically - i just call the plat line and ask them to re-comp me my 500 points. They do it and i'm on my way.

So you're telling me that instead i could be getting $100!!!

Please explain. Honest - i have not heard of that.

The guarantee is that when you arrive, your Plat status should be recognized with the option of either points or an arrival gift. If you choose points and those points don't post correctly, no cash. You have to follow up and get Marriott to post the points. If you don't receive your arrival gift choice or if you are not recognized at all with no option or gift, then you possibly have reason for bringing up the guarantee.

How do you "collect" on the guarantee?

You have to notify the hotel staff or management that they did not provide one of the guaranteed benefits (room/bed type, arrival amenity, etc.) This must be done before you check out. In most cases, the staff will probably try to get out of the situation by offering you the arrival gift late (i.e. when you let them know the next day, etc.) or they will try and say that there is no guarantee or that they have never heard of it. Stick to your guns, have print outs of the rules and any documents to show your side of the story (i.e. copy of reservation showing your MR#, etc.) Per the guarantee, they must pay you in cash at the time you confront them. They may try to say we will mail it to you or offer you some other type of compensation. I wouldn't let them mail it. But if you like the other compensation better, you are more than free to "negotiate" with them. If you have any issues, I would have them call the Marriott Rewards service reps and let them talk it out.

With all of that said, realize that the paying off on the guarantee can be a big issue at a hotel. So if it is a trivial issue (i.e. you asked for ice cream to be delivered for your arrival gift and it took 30 minutes to get there) I wouldn't worry about that. Now, if the hotel says they don't have any King bedrooms and that is your request on the reservation, then I might push the issue until they either produce a King bedroom or they pay out on the guarantee. If a front desk staff looks like they are going to forget about offering me an arrival gift at check-in, I'll usually try to remind them. If you choose a gift that needs to be delivered and it doesn't get delivered your first day, I might push the issue, but that has never happened to me.

Does the plat/gold guarantee also apply to the published benefit of check cashing privileges (up to $500/day at FS properties)? I was told that they only will cash traveler's checks and not personal checks, but didn't have the T&C's in front of me so I'm wondering if I missed out on a chance to make a claim.

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Originally Posted by AustinFlyer76 (Post 10020714)

whoa ... are you guys serious? i've been platinum for 4 years.... Honest - i have not heard of that.

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Don't feel bad. I have been Plat for 4 + 4 and never heard of it either. Until one night last year when I was on here grousing about the rude treatment I received upon check-in, as well as the incorrect bed, etc.....and someone asked me why I didn't just go downstairs and collect my $100! I did, and although they were not happy, they paid up.

Having said that, I also agree with hhoope01, keeton, and joshua - it has to be a major problem before I make an issue of it. It IS a big deal to the hotel, so the employee that messed up will be reprimanded....and if I think it was a genuine error or lack of training I don't want to be a part of that. Now, if it was rudeness or lack of customer care, then :mad:.