A LoyaltyLobby reader contacted me late April/early May regarding a walking situation at the Residence Inn hotel. By the time he had resolved it, the member was walked for the second time at the JW Marriott hotel in Chicago.
Marriott Rewards has very clearly written “Ultimate Reservation Guarantee” that is part of the “Marriott Rewards Elite Benefits Guarantee”. I have written an article about these that you can access here.
You can access Marriott’s web page that explains these guarantees here.
Here’s the email from the reader:
Case 1:
700+ nights at Marriott and I just got walked for the first time. Last-minute business trip and most hotels in the area were sold out. I made a reservation about an hour before showing up at a Residence Inn. I arrived around 10pm and the front desk clerk mentioned ALL rooms have been taken and they would move me to another property. Eventually, it was around 11:15pm by the time I actually got to my next hotel — total waste of time.
I had to remind her that I’m a Platinum and show her the Ultimate Reservation Guarantee description from the Marriott website on my phone. She offered to pay for the taxi to the new hotel (Fairfield Inn San Carlos … yuk). She said that the manager would issue a $100 check via the Corporate Office. I thought it was $100 cash offered on the spot, but I’ll see if they come through with this.
Also, they agreed to pay for my room at the next hotel. I’m on a business, so it would only benefit my employer and not me. Given the amount of time wasted, I would like receive the benefit and not my employer.
Later email:
Thanks for the reply. I was able to secure the 90,000 points, and spoke to the manager the following day by phone. He said the front desk clerk SHOULD have given me the $100 cash in-person. In addition, when I got to the other property they had no idea how to handle the direct billing. In the end, I paid $285 for the room at the Fairfield Inn. The Residence Inn manager took my personal credit card info and said he will issue a refund for $100 + $285. Assuming, he follows through then being walked was worth it.
Case 2:
On a side note, checked into Chicago last night at the JW Marriott and it happened again! Been staying at Marriotts for 18 years, and being walked twice in 1 week is unbelievable. They gave me $200 on the spot and registered 90,000 points. Told them I need to expense the room for work purposes. They offered me an extra 45,000 MR points in exchange for me paying for my own room for the night ($230 including taxes at another Marriott). I told them I’d get back to them today. Is that reasonable amount of points? Basically, $230 to get 1 night at any Marriott in the world. Would prefer the cash instead.
This is really tricky. I would be fine with the points but can understand if someone would prefer hard cash over them.
Conclusion
I have been only walked ONCE of my 10 years of staying full time at hotels and this was at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta Buckhead few years ago. The hotel was full of Priceline guests and walked a Diamond member that was checking in at 2AM. Hyatt doesn’t have publicized walk policy.
Marriott has very clear guarantees in a case that member gets walked and it is very expensive for the properties. It doesn’t mean, however, that the front desk agents handling the walks would be aware of the procedure as was the case with the Residence Inn above.
Overall, I think that the reader did very well by collecting lots of Marriott Rewards points in such short period of time.
Wow, walked 2x in 1 week. Phenomenal odds. He should have bought a lottery ticket with that kind of luck; he might have hit the lottery too.
His experience is why I *always* call the hotel (real voice call, talk to person) if I know I’m going to be checking in late or anything past 6pm local time to let them know I *will* be there, and they’ll ensure that I have a room(mark me as checked in).
It’s true that Marriott will favor their Platinum, Gold and Silver members over non-MR status guests, but, if every room is taken, it doesn’t matter if there are no rooms left.
Calling ahead is the safer thing to do…
I agree I always call ahead if I am going to be arriving at anytime in the evening. I remember years ago when I was flying from Baltimore to Long Island and my plane was delayed by several hours. I made sure to contact the hotel in Long Island to let them know that I would be arriving very late and to hold my room even past midnight. Sure enough it was almost midnight when I arrived and I got the last room, it was a good thing I called otherwise who knows where I would have ended up.
I agree I always call ahead if I am going to be arriving at anytime in the evening. I remember years ago when I was flying from Baltimore to Long Island and my plane was delayed by several hours. I made sure to contact the hotel in Long Island to let them know that I would be arriving very late and to hold my room even past midnight. Sure enough it was almost midnight when I arrived and I got the last room, it was a good thing I called otherwise who knows where I would have ended up.
You don’t half have some self entitled / important people that read your thread! rdrago43 was exactly right: I’d have called ahead, like any non important person would have done. Quote any policy you like: What if you’d have booked and not shown up? You’d have denied someone else that room. The hotel did the right thing.
Bullshit. I do not have to advise a hotel that I’m actually showing up. First of all most hotels already allow you to specify your arrival time at the time of reservation. Secondly, if I don’t show then the hotel can deduct the full rate from my CC. I could see this being an issue maybe in the middle of the night somewhere in a small town but 10pm is a completely normal time for a check-in. In > 1500 Hotel nights I have never ever been walked and not a single time have I advised the hotel of my late arrival apart from the reservation notes.
QED: If this was true, executive lounges would be empty at 9pm
@Sebastian – I am Marriott Platinum. Have been at that level for ~20 years. I understand your sentiment since the policy says we’re guaranteed the room reserved. Also understand your point about the hotel getting their $ if you don’t show.
All of that doesn’t matter if one shows up, and you don’t have a room.
Another reason I call ahead if I’m checking in late (even if I put it in the notes/special instructions on the reservation): most of the time, since I am Platinum, will set aside a “better” room (higher floor, away from noise, etc.).
You can stand on your principle, but, which would you rather: principle or a trouble free stay? Especially for the little effort to make a quick phone call to the people that can make your stay much nicer…
Hi!
It looks that I missed something here.
As I read from the Terms and Conditions, Ultimate Reservation Guarantee applies ONLY with for reservations booked at least 48 hours prior to arrival.
OP says he booked 1 hour before showing up, for that reason I understand that he should have received nothing.
What am I missing?
You know, now that I read this, you’re right… you have to make the reservation 48 hours ahead… so this person actually scammed Marriott out of $100!