jakemalloy

I just got off a 30 min. call with Marriott rewards - two different grossly incompetent members who were useless in helping redeem awards for the Ritz Carlton in Kytoto. Not only had they never heard of Kyoto, but they had no idea how to explain how / when award rooms are available.

They told me that it is up to each hotel as to how many awards rooms are available. Yet when I asked if they call the hotel to request they convert a cash room to awards they said they wont do it. After more nonsensical back and forth she just hung up on me. Literally just hung up!

Thanks Marriott!

SkiAdcock

Sorry you had that experience. Were you talking to reservations? Bit surprising they couldn't pull up Kyoto in their system. Was there a reason you didn't do the awards reservation online, or is it that currently there is no award availability for your date & you were hoping they'd override it for you?

Cheers.

DJ_Iceman

Yes, all Marriotts are terrible (based on one experience of calling the wrong department and being unable to get them to force a hotel to violate the published T&Cs of the program). Best to run back to Starwood properties!

jakemalloy

They had never heard of Kyoto before - "what state is that in?"

They have one rewards room available but I am looking for two. They claim the 2nd room is at the discretion of the hotel - and the hotel can decide how many rooms they want to offer. I asked if they could call the hotel and ask them to offer a room to awards - "we dont do that". I asked if that would be good customer service. "Yes, it would". Can you do it then? "No". And the line was hung up.

I have had both Hyatt and Starwood - just recently both call the hotel and get the hotel to convert a room to an award room.

You would think with a recent merger they would go out of their way to be helpful, not the opposite.

SkiAdcock

Normally the reps are familiar w/ the int'l properties. I've not had a problem w/ them knowing where something is overseas. If I were you I'd book the 1 award room you can get right now just to secure it, and then call back to Marriott during working hours during the week to see if they can help w/ the second room. You might want to check time zones to see when Japan & Utah overlap, so that if they call for you they'll get someone during normal working hours on Japan who might be able to help.

Cheers.

jakemalloy

I am going to call the hotel in Japan directly. I assume the manager at the Ritz is better schooled in customer service than anyone in Utah.

FYI - Starwood has a simply policy. As long as there is a room available for cash you can book it for points. Marriott is a sub-standard brand.

SkiAdcock

Since you prefer Hyatt, there's a Hyatt Regency Kyoto. You could always book that instead of the RC.

Cheers.

aCavalierInCoach

This is simply false. You need a standard room available. Plenty of threads of frustration in the SPG forum about hotels playing games with classifying rooms as standard versus not.

SanDiego1K

That sounds like a frustrating call. I just checked to see if it is possible to book online. I chose an arbitrary date in December and asked for an award redemption for 2 rooms. Two were available for 70,000 points each. I take it that the issue is only one award room is available on the date of interest to you?

Best of luck calling the hotel. It looks like a lovely property.

Kacee

What? Awards are subject to availability? Do any other programs do that?

JBord

What an incredibly logical conclusion to reach after one experience trying to get a low-level employee to break the company's rules! You're obviously correct, this would never happen at Starwood! Undo the merger!!!

Kagehitokiri

starwood and hyatt were different because they were smaller
starwood is no longer small, and wanted to sell the company
whereas pritzkers will never sell hyatt nor their voting rights
but hyatt no longer has to 'compete' with SPG's offerings

FT expects a lot from min-wage entry-level (first job?) staff

jakemalloy

First, I wish I could book the Hyatt - but I have SPG points to use, not Hyatt points.

Second, my issue is only partially with the customer service worker, who while well trained in company policy, didnt seem to know that Kyoto was in Japan, not the United States. Oh, and for simply hanging up the call - not sure where that is in the training manual.

But my real gripe is with an "award" program that seems to offer its most loyal members next to no service. Why would there be a company policy against simply calling the property to ask them to extend an award room? They can always just say no. I didnt DEMAND they give me a room. I just asked they call the hotel.

Finally, anyone who doesnt believe me about the SPG policy is free to call SPG as I did today. I was told simply that when a property has a low level room available. either as designated as award or cash, the SPG team can over ride and give the award room. By the way, Hyatt has the same policy. Any room in inventory at the lowest level is available. Period.

Marriott is simply a step behind - and again, an inferior brand.

VickiSoCal

If you want help, dates would be helpful.

jakemalloy

Do you work for Marriott?