Phony Marriott Rate Guarantee
Apr 19, 2009 | 4:40 pm
#46
Moderator, Marriott Bonvoy & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: McKinney, TX, USA
Programs: United Silver; AA Plat/2MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,775
Apr 19, 2009 | 8:53 pm
#47
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Toronto (YYZ)
Posts: 6,285
Are you saying Marriott will match a rate with a 25% discount on a competing site but NOT include the extra bennies?
Apr 19, 2009 | 10:50 pm
#48
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 24
You think others are wasting their time on this issue.
OK. Fair enough.
Then you decide to post and advise us that we are wasting our time.
You do know that you don't have to read a thread?
Have you considered quietly moving on to other matters when you encounter
folks doing something you consider unproductive?
Perhaps you could apply for the monitors job on this site....that way your
talents and insightfull admonitions will not be wasted, and you can
fulfull your destiny and dream by becoming a professional scold.
OK. Fair enough.
Then you decide to post and advise us that we are wasting our time.
You do know that you don't have to read a thread?
Have you considered quietly moving on to other matters when you encounter
folks doing something you consider unproductive?
Perhaps you could apply for the monitors job on this site....that way your
talents and insightfull admonitions will not be wasted, and you can
fulfull your destiny and dream by becoming a professional scold.
Apr 20, 2009 | 2:20 am
#49
Join Date: May 2007
Location: NC
Programs: Marriott LT Plat, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 2,881
ohmark; Soc, I think the opposite. It's rational in the sense that Marriott is interpreting the rule literally so as to preclude its having to match a lower price. It's unethical in the sense that the rule wasn't intended for this purpose, but to preclude Marriott from having to match package prices. [COLOR="royalblue"]In other words, the right thing for Marriott to do in these situations is to match the lower price, and not necessarily provide the extras.[/
imverge: That's a good point and I totally agree
imverge: Let me just clarify something...
Are you saying Marriott will match a rate with a 25% discount on a competing site but NOT include the extra bennies?[/QUOTE]
No. I am offering a different perspective on ohmark's post (blue bold above) to which you offered agreement (orange bold above).
imverge: That's a good point and I totally agree
imverge: Let me just clarify something...
Are you saying Marriott will match a rate with a 25% discount on a competing site but NOT include the extra bennies?[/QUOTE]
No. I am offering a different perspective on ohmark's post (blue bold above) to which you offered agreement (orange bold above).
Last edited by sophiegirl; Apr 20, 2009 at 2:26 am
Apr 20, 2009 | 7:13 am
#50
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Denver, CO, USA
Programs: Sometimes known as [ARG:6 UNDEFINED]
Posts: 28,763
I can see this playing out...
--Guest books at hotels.com for $100 including internet and breakfast.
--Guest then calls Marriott and invokes BRG; Marriott says "we can do $75 without internet and breakfast." Guest says cool - I'll take it.
--Guest then checks in at Marriott and says, "where's my free internet and breakfast?!? You guys are unethical!!!!!"
I think scenarios like this are why Marriott and every other hotel brand would not directly price-match unless comparing exact apples-to-apples bookings.
--Guest books at hotels.com for $100 including internet and breakfast.
--Guest then calls Marriott and invokes BRG; Marriott says "we can do $75 without internet and breakfast." Guest says cool - I'll take it.
--Guest then checks in at Marriott and says, "where's my free internet and breakfast?!? You guys are unethical!!!!!"
I think scenarios like this are why Marriott and every other hotel brand would not directly price-match unless comparing exact apples-to-apples bookings.
Apr 20, 2009 | 12:33 pm
#51
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Toronto (YYZ)
Posts: 6,285
ohmark; Soc, I think the opposite. It's rational in the sense that Marriott is interpreting the rule literally so as to preclude its having to match a lower price. It's unethical in the sense that the rule wasn't intended for this purpose, but to preclude Marriott from having to match package prices. [COLOR="royalblue"]In other words, the right thing for Marriott to do in these situations is to match the lower price, and not necessarily provide the extras.[/
imverge: That's a good point and I totally agree
imverge: Let me just clarify something...
Are you saying Marriott will match a rate with a 25% discount on a competing site but NOT include the extra bennies?[/QUOTE]
No. I am offering a different perspective on ohmark's post (blue bold above) to which you offered agreement (orange bold above).
imverge: That's a good point and I totally agree
imverge: Let me just clarify something...
Are you saying Marriott will match a rate with a 25% discount on a competing site but NOT include the extra bennies?[/QUOTE]
No. I am offering a different perspective on ohmark's post (blue bold above) to which you offered agreement (orange bold above).
I would like to see Marriott price match on rates that include bennies even if it's just on price. The reservation can be noted by the ICC dept. stating no breakfast or internet is included.
Apr 20, 2009 | 3:51 pm
#52
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Some place in this wonderful world (usually at 39,000 ft in seat 1C)
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Posts: 13,747
ok didn't speak to my contact but did speak to the Look No Further Folks - No question about it - Hotels.com DOES qualify (as many others have said) as a valid comparison, there has to be another reason why the claim was denied is what I was told
Apr 20, 2009 | 6:37 pm
#53
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Some place in this wonderful world (usually at 39,000 ft in seat 1C)
Programs: CO Gold Elite / NW Gold Elite
Posts: 13,747
Soc, I think the opposite. It's rational in the sense that Marriott is interpreting the rule literally so as to preclude its having to match a lower price. It's unethical in the sense that the rule wasn't intended for this purpose, but to preclude Marriott from having to match package prices. In other words, the right thing for Marriott to do in these situations is to match the lower price, and not necessarily provide the extras.
Apr 20, 2009 | 7:16 pm
#54
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Toronto (YYZ)
Posts: 6,285
It got denied because the hotels.com rate included breakfast and internet and the Marriott rate didn't.
Apr 20, 2009 | 9:03 pm
#55
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 24
Not the case here.
My email message to MC stated only that the rate on Hotels.com was lower.
I said nothing about the side issues (internet, breakfast, etc.).
MC responded to me that hotels.com does not qualify for the rate match.
I am happy to send copies of the correspondence to anyone who wants --
including the MC folks.
It is clear from all the posts that the rate guarantee is not consistently applied.
My guess is that the higher up you are in the MC loyalty programs, the more likely you
are to have your rate matched. I see no other explination.
My email message to MC stated only that the rate on Hotels.com was lower.
I said nothing about the side issues (internet, breakfast, etc.).
MC responded to me that hotels.com does not qualify for the rate match.
I am happy to send copies of the correspondence to anyone who wants --
including the MC folks.
It is clear from all the posts that the rate guarantee is not consistently applied.
My guess is that the higher up you are in the MC loyalty programs, the more likely you
are to have your rate matched. I see no other explination.
Apr 20, 2009 | 10:23 pm
#56
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Toronto (YYZ)
Posts: 6,285
So what about the PM you sent me indicating the hotels.com rate included internet & breakfast?
Don't you think the ICC dept keeps records of denied claims? The LNF dept takes screen shots 
I agree that the guarantee is not always consistently applied (Although, I have benefited from this inconsistency)
That's just plain dumb.
My email message to MC stated only that the rate on Hotels.com was lower.I said nothing about the side issues (internet, breakfast, etc.).MC responded to me that hotels.com does not qualify for the rate match. I am happy to send copies of the correspondence to anyone who wants --including the MC folks.
I agree that the guarantee is not always consistently applied (Although, I have benefited from this inconsistency)
Last edited by imverge; Apr 22, 2009 at 12:21 pm Reason: quotes and spelling
Apr 21, 2009 | 9:47 am
#57
Join Date: May 2005
Location: JFK/LGA
Programs: UA
Posts: 89
Update: Booked three nights at the Sydney Marriott the other night. Went to hotels.com to read some reviews, and guess what? They had a lower rate. Filled out the form, and a few hours later, my rate was adjusted, plus 25%.
Hotels.com IS accepted.
Hotels.com IS accepted.
Apr 21, 2009 | 11:38 am
#58
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Some place in this wonderful world (usually at 39,000 ft in seat 1C)
Programs: CO Gold Elite / NW Gold Elite
Posts: 13,747
Not the case here.
My email message to MC stated only that the rate on Hotels.com was lower.
I said nothing about the side issues (internet, breakfast, etc.).
MC responded to me that hotels.com does not qualify for the rate match.
I am happy to send copies of the correspondence to anyone who wants --
including the MC folks.
It is clear from all the posts that the rate guarantee is not consistently applied.
My guess is that the higher up you are in the MC loyalty programs, the more likely you
are to have your rate matched. I see no other explination.
My email message to MC stated only that the rate on Hotels.com was lower.
I said nothing about the side issues (internet, breakfast, etc.).
MC responded to me that hotels.com does not qualify for the rate match.
I am happy to send copies of the correspondence to anyone who wants --
including the MC folks.
It is clear from all the posts that the rate guarantee is not consistently applied.
My guess is that the higher up you are in the MC loyalty programs, the more likely you
are to have your rate matched. I see no other explination.
Apr 21, 2009 | 11:40 am
#59
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Some place in this wonderful world (usually at 39,000 ft in seat 1C)
Programs: CO Gold Elite / NW Gold Elite
Posts: 13,747
Yes all claims are kept
Apr 21, 2009 | 12:10 pm
#60
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
Programs: Marriott lifetime Titanium, Delta Platinum
Posts: 5,485
Well either this is true or it isn't. If asserted Marriott rep James White so informed the poster, then it would appear that at least one Marriott rep was ill-informed. How about posting the portion of the e-mail where White allegedly makes this statement?