That is Marriott's T/C (and the subject of this thread) - not mine.

You are the one kvetching here. Not me. As I said in my original post, I was trying to be proactive and I was very polite with the FD clerk - he was the one who was waffling. My ending response to him was calmly worded ver batim as in my original post - not as a threat, but to remind him that I was aware of the T/C - and I probably would have been happy with either the amenity or cash.

Unlike another poster here, I cannot expense bar tabs so the amenity is welcome - and given my bad travel day, especially so.

The point of my message was that I wondered if the property or employee incurred any penalty if the amenity guarantee was invoked, given the lengths they went to avoid it.

You, too!

Well we'll have to agree to disagree on expecting the amenity after midnight when the kitchen is closed or get the $100. After a bad travel day I would have just wanted sleep & gone to beddybye dreaming of a good travel day I wouldn't have asked for the $100, but to each their own. That's the beauty of FT. FWIW - I can't expense bar tabs either.

But to answer your specific question - my understanding from a post from socrates (I think him; might have been GM4Marriott) is that the employee does NOT incur a penalty. My guess is it was really more the after hours thing that made the clerk hem & haw.

CPRich, great idea about writing a check to Make-a-Wish!

Cheers.

Some of us are on per diem. Also, if you get in real late due to whatever delays, the food is sometimes worth more than the points. By the way, I think for CY is only 250 points or something from the marketplace.

Didn't think of the per diem thing...that makes sense.

CY and SHS are only 250. My ~100 annual stays are half JW/RI/FSM and half SHS/CY with a very occaisional FI thrown in, so my welcome gift gets me a couple free rooms each year.

And it's better than last years' water and Milano cookies. I'd throw the cookies away, but then think about them in the middle of the night and fish them out. Oh, the shame. 250 points have zero calories!

Because when I'm traveling with my kids, the points aren't worth as much as the pint of Haagen-Dazs ice cream they offer. Or at non-FS hotels with a convience store, the offer to let both kids go in and choose any two items they want (which happens more often than not). When I'm traveling alone, I will be much more likely to take the points, but there are situations where the amenity is a nice alternative.

It's 200 points at CYs (at least the ones I've stayed in). As for the plat gift, only once was it not offered to me, and I gave them a second chance on it. Generally, I wouldn't ask for $100 for an honest mistake; if a front desk clerk is being rude or something like that, then I most certainly would ask for it.

The only time I've had to consider invoking was at the Marriott Pittsburgh North. Upon checking in, I was given a room with 2 double beds...when my profile states king guaranteed. Normally I wouldn't care but this was one of the rare times Mrs. Cargojon was travelling with me.
The desk clerk tried that crap with me - until I went into their business center, brought up my reservation and printed it out....brought it over to her and advised her I'd be happy to accept the double room in exchange for the $100 stipulated in the Plat guarantee.
Magically, she was able to "find" a king room open at that point, despite her earlier claim of being "full".

You should have thanked her for the king, THEN told her since it wasn't offered as guaranteed up front you'll still take the $100

Cheers.

Wow, I'm glad I ran into this thread. I'm just way too laid back when it comes to this sort of thing. I'm going to start paying better attention now.

TECHNICALLY, they would not have had to pay out the money. First, the The Guarantee states that you will receive A gift on the day of arrival. If the kitchen is closed, they can give you the points instead and be covered. Second, another technicality, they could have delivered your choice of a gift in the morning as the Gaurantee states that you will receive A gift on the day of arrival - since you arrived after midnight, there would have still be within their rights.

Nice attitude. It's traveler's like you that give the rest of us a bad name. Good job. Like others, I would have made sure you got the crudest room I could get away with giving you. Bad attitudes and lack of compassion suck!

I was stuck in an airport with thunderstorms and my original flight cancelled. I finally made it on to a later flight but knew I would be arriving at the Marriott after midnight. I called the hotel in advance to 1) be proactive about the amenity and 2) after that day of travel, I _really_ could use a nightcap.

The FD clerk I spoke with was hesitant: "The bar and kitchen close at midnight, sir and we won't be able to offer anything after that". I reminded the clerk why I was calling in advance and ended the conversation with, "...OK, I guess I could use the hundred bucks."

Well. When I finally arrive at the hotel (after midnight) and give my name, the clerk recognized it and said, "We've given you an upgrade to a full suite and I had room service put a tray of snacks and beverages to hold you." He then let me fill out the amenity card (to be brought the next day) and instead of the half bottle of wine, they delivered a full bottle (*hic*).

[/QUOTE]

Actually, this is what the terms say:
"Guaranteed Platinum Arrival Gift: Complimentary refreshments delivered to your guestroom. Available at all participating Marriott hotel brands except Marriott Vacation Club International and Horizons by Marriott Vacation Club."

The choice of points is an option for the member, not for the hotel!

By your (flawed) logic, TECHNICALLY since I arrived after midnight, I should not have to pay for that night's room since it was already the next day.


Unfortunatley, I think you take the booby prize in the bad attitude department . I was always polite (but firm) and proactive (by calling them earlier) with the hotel. I didn't just wait for them not to be able to deliver and then demand cash - unlike others in this thread, for whom invoking the guarantee seems to be a game. The hotel handled it well and exceeded my expectations.

Don't wish to get in the middle but wanted to add:

I never take the 500 points. A drop in the bucket compared to the SL of points I have a hard time using. I'll take the wine home for Saturday and maybe the snacks to brighten up a kids day when I get back - even though I can usually expense anything I want.

Many times I've arrived after kitchen closing and/or been offered to have the gift delivered the next night. Usually delivered with no problem. Once it had it delivered at noon since it was a one night stay. Usually at a normal check in time, I'll be asked pro-actively "what time do you want it delivered"?

A wiser (wo)man than me once reminded us that this is a GIFT so I've stopped looking at it in the mouth as critically as I once did.

I stay at Fairfield Inns ... remember them? And I pay my own bill.

Anyhow, I was "neglected" once at a new (to me) FI and when I called down, they offered the $25. I had it applied to the credit card. I think this was in 2003 or so.

Fast forward.

In 2007, I was staying pretty regularly at a FI in Indiana. They forgot the cookies one night, so I mentioned it the next day to the manager (who knew me and we got along fairly well). I told her I wasn't interested in hitting them for the cash, but just be careful, 'cuz the next guy might be a pr**k. She seemed a little upset and then said "Could you use some points?" And, of course, I said "Sure!".

Next week, 5000 points showed up in my account as an adjustment. Sweet!

But wait ... there's more!

The very next week, I checked in and again they forgot the cookies. The next day the manager contacted me and apologized. Nothing was said about points, but the next week another 5000 points showed up in my account.

I couldn't wait to get back there (as you can imagine ... Megabonus? What Megabonus? ), but that was the last time it happened.

Ah, good days....

and at the same property. That was a record.

Just this past weekend I was denied early check-in and told to come back at 3pm when a very nice king room will be ready for me. Ended up with a closet of a room and a queen bed. Took 'em for the money.