Rates changes not offered on Marriott.com
Jul 10, 2009 | 4:03 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: ASHBURN,VA,USA
Programs: UA 1K3MM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium , Hertz PC
Posts: 427
Rates changes not offered on Marriott.com
Wondering if anyone knows how to get marriott.com to give you the best rate structure for a given reservation when rate changes throughout your stay ...
For example if I am booking a Wednesday through Sunday room asking for AAA rates I would be expecting Marriott.com to offer:
-wednesday night at the weekday AAA rate (say 180$)
-thu-fri-sat nights at the 3-day weekend AAA promo (say 62$ per night)
But instead the system offers all 4 nights at a uniform rate of 160$ ...
(even though if you split the reservation weekday/weekend days the applicable rates are available and comply with the rate rules)
This makes a significant difference in total cost 640$ vs 366$ ....
Any idea how to avoid this ? is this better done over the phone and specifically requesting that the best rate combinations be used ?
For example if I am booking a Wednesday through Sunday room asking for AAA rates I would be expecting Marriott.com to offer:
-wednesday night at the weekday AAA rate (say 180$)
-thu-fri-sat nights at the 3-day weekend AAA promo (say 62$ per night)
But instead the system offers all 4 nights at a uniform rate of 160$ ...
(even though if you split the reservation weekday/weekend days the applicable rates are available and comply with the rate rules)
This makes a significant difference in total cost 640$ vs 366$ ....
Any idea how to avoid this ? is this better done over the phone and specifically requesting that the best rate combinations be used ?
Jul 10, 2009 | 4:24 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Belper, Derbyshire, United Kingdom
Programs: Marriott Rewards Silver, Starwood Preferred Guest Plus, Hilton HHonors Gold
Posts: 967
Either do it by phone or book the individual portions separately and then ask for them all to be appended.
Jul 10, 2009 | 9:31 pm
#3
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: DCA, EGE, IAD
Programs: MR LTT, BA Gold, AA LTP, UA Silver
Posts: 6,093
As GTB says book individual portions separately. I do it ALL the time. Then if the weekday rate goes down, you can go online and grab the lower weekday price. Same goes for the weekend portion.
You can also have the reservations merged the two reservations into one, but then you have to cal every time there is a rate change; AND if the weekday rate goes down, but the weekend rate goes up, you will not be able to keep the lowest rate for each as the whole reservation will reprice at current prices. But as long as they remain separate reservations, then you have the best of both worlds.
When you check in, notify the FD that you have back to back reservations, and ask them to block the same room for your second reservation, or merge the reservations at that time.
You can also have the reservations merged the two reservations into one, but then you have to cal every time there is a rate change; AND if the weekday rate goes down, but the weekend rate goes up, you will not be able to keep the lowest rate for each as the whole reservation will reprice at current prices. But as long as they remain separate reservations, then you have the best of both worlds.
When you check in, notify the FD that you have back to back reservations, and ask them to block the same room for your second reservation, or merge the reservations at that time.
Jul 10, 2009 | 10:32 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: ASHBURN,VA,USA
Programs: UA 1K3MM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium , Hertz PC
Posts: 427
thanks for the advice ... doing back to back reservations is what I have done ... wish there would be some tools like a hotel version of kvs or itasoftware that is a little more sophisticated than marriott.com ...
:-)
:-)
Jul 10, 2009 | 11:10 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 869
As GTB says book individual portions separately. I do it ALL the time. Then if the weekday rate goes down, you can go online and grab the lower weekday price. Same goes for the weekend portion.
You can also have the reservations merged the two reservations into one, but then you have to cal every time there is a rate change; AND if the weekday rate goes down, but the weekend rate goes up, you will not be able to keep the lowest rate for each as the whole reservation will reprice at current prices. But as long as they remain separate reservations, then you have the best of both worlds.
When you check in, notify the FD that you have back to back reservations, and ask them to block the same room for your second reservation, or merge the reservations at that time.
You can also have the reservations merged the two reservations into one, but then you have to cal every time there is a rate change; AND if the weekday rate goes down, but the weekend rate goes up, you will not be able to keep the lowest rate for each as the whole reservation will reprice at current prices. But as long as they remain separate reservations, then you have the best of both worlds.
When you check in, notify the FD that you have back to back reservations, and ask them to block the same room for your second reservation, or merge the reservations at that time.
I did something similar for a reservation in Ft Lauderdale in October that had a rate change on Friday and Saturday. I Paid for the first night $89. Used points for the second night (would have been $159). And used an e-certificate for the third night. If the rate drops to $89 for the second night I will cancel the points and book it for cash.
Jul 11, 2009 | 8:11 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: DCA, EGE, IAD
Programs: MR LTT, BA Gold, AA LTP, UA Silver
Posts: 6,093
I do that too. I have a Grand Cayman RC award res for Thanksgiving. I want to wait and see if pointsaver rates become available. Paid rates are currently $299. If pointsavers for this property do not show up when fall pointsavers are released, and if prices drop I then I will probably change this to a paid res. Actually $299 for that hotel isn't too bad IMO.