I do have to say, the breakfast buffet was top notch! That was impressive. I have seen better, but not many, and not a whole lot better. Also, the cooking school was amazing, so there are some pluses to the hotel.

Your trip sounds amazing! Its to bad they are not like that anymore. My impressions is that they really don't care about MR guests unless they are timeshare owners.

Multiple people have asked for updates. And there is an un-subscribe option.

FWIW, I think the OP should pursue this if they wish too. Quite often it provides satisfaction even if the outcome is does meet ones desired outcome. I did this with the Maui Ren just before they closed, and did get the satisfaction of knowing that JW Marriott's office took note. Perhaps the OP has already reached that point, but only the OP can make that assessment IMO.

As far as the JW Phuket itself, I stayed there back in December and it was an excellent stay. And yes, the breakfast buffet was included for this Plat and was by far the best I have seen at any Marriott. FWIW, I did not receive any letter or email offering 25% off at Hotel restaurants, nor did I book any "last time slot" spa services. I did book a massage package and was very happy with the massages and the spa in general.

I have no doubt that the OP encountered the problems stated, but I do believe it was probably an isolated case since we have no other reports of bad stays at this property. I am disheartened that Marriott is handling it in a manner contrary to their philosophy and summarily dismisses customer complaints to the responsibility of the hotel that bears their name.

I know Thailand is trying to build tourism business back after the recession and their annual political unrest, which last November made world-wide press due to the closing of the BKK airport. I think they would be eager to please customers and amicably settle any complaints.

Obviously we are only hearing one side. That's the case with virtually every thread on FT. There's nothing here to make me think the OP is lying.

Perhaps you should stop reading it, then.

Mike

I'm staying at the Phuket Beach club now. Staying 3 weeks in a timeshare that I own.

I've been here many times, sometimes multiple times in one year, sometimes skipping a year.

My current experience with this property is the same as in past years - excellent!

The breakfast buffet is still the best in the system. It's a bit busy these last two weeks, sometimes having to wait 10-15 min for a table in the morning, but that's all.

Housekeeping has kept our villa spotless. Unlike most MVCI properties, they come in and clean every room every day.

Breakfast is not included as a Plat in the MVCI units (it is for Gold or Plat if you stay on the hotel side). But wired Ethernet is. I bring my own small wireless router.

Right now, not all restaurants are open (for dinner) every day. This is likely due to a slow down in business.

We have eaten in every restaurant multiple times, and absolutely everything has been excellent: in service and quality of food.

On this trip, I have not used the SPA, but I have on many occasions in the past. One member of our party has used the spa for a manicure and a hair cut. The rest of us will have to do the same in the next few days (the hair cut part).

We've been using the massages at the beach, and although the "setting" isn't as pretty, it's ten times less expensive and the sound of the waves crashing on the beach actually make up for the lack of air conditioning.

One in our party arrived after major knee reconstruction 10 days before this trip. He wasn't sure he'd make it, but his Dr didn't forbid him from going. Even though this resort is not exactly what I'd call accessible, they do provide wheelchairs (as did the JW Marriott Bangkok, which we stayed two days before coming here). With that, we can pretty much get anywhere, and he can crutch around for little things. If you were in a wheelchair only, I'd suggest only the hotel, and even then some restaurants would be difficult to get to.

Probably because of his injury, and well as his personality, he's been treated as royalty at the hotel. Everyone goes out of their way to talk to him.

One employee, on her own time, purchased an English-Thai dictionary just because he mentioned he forgot his. The staff plays soccer in a field across the street from the resort. He wanted to go watch (his injury was soccer related) and so many of the employees we had already seen from many of the different places stopped by to talk. After that, so many people would stop by and ask how he's doing or if he was going to come to another game.

So, I can't talk about how they handle problems at the hotel. So far on this trip, there have been none. In the past, if I did have a problem, it was resolved on the spot.

Just another persons personal experience. Doesn't make up for what happen to the OP, but is accurate as to my experience right now.

Billy

As it must be a technical issue, the new computers they have today have the capabaility of allowing a person to pass right over a thread without viewing it.

Or you can simply ignore it on your own.

Wow - shocking to hear about this - not so much the poor experience, but the repeated "we-don't-care" attitude, extending all the way up to Mr. Marriott's office!

Seriously have to say this causes me to consider dropping Marriott - what if I had such an issue? I've never really had one in all my nights that wasn't resolved at the front desk - they've moved my room if it wasn't cleaned and otherwise satisfied me. So to find that the local management not only didn't fix it at the time, but refused to fix it later when confronted with PROOF (the email, for one, and I wonder if there are pictures of the dirty bathroom or a receipt for the "90-minute" massage that might have a timestamp on it) that there was something wrong.

Then again, you have to figure, from the OP alone Marriott has already lost many thousands of dollars - and several others in this thread have posted their concerns as well. At this point, you have to figure Marriott has lost much more revenue, goodwill and trust than the one GM in Thailand ever could think possible, I would say. Butterfly effect, anyone?

Actually, just thinking about the response AND the silence of Marriott Concierge on here, I've just in the other tab canceled my upcoming anniversary trip at a Renaissance. It's only 3 nights, about $550, but that's another $550 Marriott's lost due to this response - and Hilton will probably gain!

All I'm going to say on this matter is that I'm glad to see one poster is saying it is still good (I am stay there in December). Also I'm surprised at those of you who are taking your business away because of what you have read on this thread. It is one incident, which definately could be handled better. But have you been affected in a similar way?

As for Marriott Concierge not getting involved, they may not be allowed to. As has been suggested in the thread, the central office do not seem to want to get involved.

Yes, and as stated by a number of us, this is the most disturbing aspect of this particular situation.

I too have stayed at this resort many times, and just celebrated my 50th birthday here in the Royal Villa, with 5 villas at the Vacation Cluib booked for friends.

I have to say that as usual the resort, the staff, the acommodation and the general ambience exceeded my expectations and I just cannot wiat to get back there.

And the breakfast really is the best in the World!!!!

Hi The WGP,

While this case is bad for Marriott indeed, and I hope it gets resolved to the OP's satisfaction, isn't your reaction a bit over the top?

Someone had a problem at a Marriott, so let's stop using the whole chain. If we use this method, we would (a) not be staying at any hotel chain (did you ever read the "Starwood ruined my honeymoon" for example) and (b) we would not fly with any airline as they all have their problem stories.

Why worry about something that has not happened? I've had great stays at Marriott hotels around the world, and I've also had issues. They have always been resolved to my satisfaction. If a situation like the OP's ever happened to me personally, yes, at that point, I could reconsider my loyality to Marriott. But I will not do it based on something I've read that happened to someone else.

Just my 2 cents.

Cheers,

GenevaFlyer

You might as well stay home because you will hear isolated problems, such as this, in every hotel chain.

A friend of mine who is one of the pickiest people I know (he has had huge complaints about almost every famous resort in Sardegna for example)- BOUGHT a place at the Vacation Club after staying there a few times- he is on his way back there now and insists it is amazing... The incident of the OP sounds very frustrating- however I don't know if we can favour or dis-favour an entire chain on one report...

Good to Know about Marriott
 

I was able to talk to the Manager of my home hotel today. He explained that Marriott has a different than usually policy regarding private franchises. Basically, when a location is a private franchise, they have an exclusive contract that Marriott has no say over their operations, and Marriott cannot intervene in any customer service issues.

Edited to insert: This is basically a privately owned and operated hotel, not associated with Marriott, paying a percentage to be able to use the Marriott name. This is different than a normal Marriott Franchise. Most normal franchise have private owners, but are managed by and/or subject to Marriott's Rules, vendors, etc. They are required to respond to corporate. As they are part of Marriott.

The Private Franchise is not required to follow any rules or policies set by Marriott, and they set their own policies and rules. They simply pay Marriott a percentage of their income, and can fly the Marriott Flag. They are required to address everything themselves, and Marriott contractually cannot intervene. This does not apply to most Marriott's, who are corporately manged franchises.

It seems like a strange policy to me, and I used to work in franchise operations. But this does explain why Marriott is simply doing nothing, contractually they can't.

The Manager of my hotel said he is still shocked that the hotel would behave in the way they did. He wishes it was a corporatly managed location so that they could be forced to respond.

After learning this, I do plan to continue staying at the Renaissance, and possibly other Marriott's, but I am always going to ask first if they are a Private Franchise or not. If they are, I will not be staying there.

Like I mentioned before this was an isolated incident, and the first real problem I have had. I am still shocked by Corporate not explaining this to me, and am still going to shop and share my loyalty far more than I have been in recent years.

I am just reading through this thread today and must agree that this situation is quite disturbing on several levels.

Regardless of contractual issues regarding franchises,the Marriott name is on the property and they have the most to lose here by treating a good customer this way.The prudent response would have been to give the OP what he requested,which in my opinion is certainly within reason.

Is there a listing available somewhere showing franchised properties within the Marriott system? If this is indeed Marriott's policy not to intervene,then I'd prefer to stay away from those properties for which I'd have no recourse if something serious went wrong.