r/marriott

I stay at Marriott properties around five nights a month for work. Wanted to share something that happened at a Courtyard last month, partly as a warning and partly because I'm curious how others would have played the aftermath.

It was a one night stay that I booked online an hour before I arrived. About an hour after check-in, I got a call on the room phone from someone claiming to be the GM. Friendly, asks how my stay is going, then says there's an issue with my payment and he needs to confirm my card details. I declined to do it over the phone and went down to the front desk to sort it out in person. The only reason I thought there might actually be a problem is that the hotel usually verifies my card at check-in, but this time the clerk just asked "is it the card on file?"

When I got there, the clerk was on the phone and told me yes, there was an issue with my card. He seemed to be having trouble, so I didn't think much of it when he went over my info with the person on the line. I assumed he was talking to his own GM. He read my card number out loud, then asked me for my zip code, which is when I started to get uneasy. He hung up and said "looks like we were just one number off." That card had been on my Bonvoy account for years. It's not one number off.

So I asked who he'd been talking to. He said "reservations." I told him I booked online and never gave my card to reservations, and that the guy who called my room identified himself as the GM. He said that wasn't the GM. I asked who he'd just read my card to. He said he didn't know, the caller was friendly so he didn't think anything of it. Turns out the caller had phoned the front desk cold and asked if anyone had recently checked in with "a last name like [mine]." The clerk gave them my full name and transferred him straight to my room.

So in one incident the front desk:

1. Confirmed to an anonymous caller that I was a guest
2. Transferred that caller to my room
3. Confirmed to me there was a real problem with my payment
4. Read my card number and zip aloud to a caller they couldn't identify

I cancelled the card and had it reissued that night. The property refunded the stay without ever contacting me, which does nothing for me since it was a work trip. They gave me 10,000 points, which I don't think is enough. Corporate got involved after I escalated, and said the property has to be the one to issue compensation. I got an email last week that another 15,000 points was deposited to my account.

I know the phone scam itself is common and not unique to Marriott. What bothers me is how easily the staff handed everything over, and that the local property never once picked up the phone to talk to me or even send an email after the event. Corporate was the only side that engaged.

Am I being unreasonable if I feel like 25,000 points isn't enough to make up for this level of security breach that put me at financial risk?

Mainly posting so the next person knows: if you get a call in your room asking to "confirm" your card, hang up and resolve it at checkout if there's really an issue or demand to speak to the manager in person.

So in early August I stayed at the Residence Inn New York Queens, which is located in the Long Island City area of Queens, NYC. The Residence Inn has come to be my favourite hotel from the various brands that I have stayed at and it worked well. Being NYC, the rooms were small and housekeeping was limited and it was crowded but can't complain, it was by modern NYC standards quite affordable

Anyway this is not a review, but rather confusion as to the branding. We have all heard for example of dual branded hotels in that they share a lobby, gym, pool, and reservation desk but each hotel has its own set of rooms.

This though was something else. The Hotel was simultaneously both a Residence Inn and a SpringHill Suites. I did not find out untill I arrived but the same rooms are part of both hotels and can be assigned to either or. It really confused me. TBH I am not familliar with the Springhill brand or how similliar they are but it literally being the same hotel, under two names I found extremely confusing. Anyone have any insight?

Hello all, I have a short singapore stay coming up.

Stuck between StR and the Edition which look to be right next to each other and have the exact same rate.

Which one would you recommend and what were your experiences like?

Hello Everyone,

I’m Titanium Elite and I’ve got a bunch of Nightly Upgrade Awards that I’d like to use before the end of the year.

In the past, when I’ve submitted an NUA request, if there are multiple suites available, I will select them all to improve my chances of getting an upgrade… however I’ve noticed that I usually end up getting upgraded to the lowest option.

So I’m hoping that some people “in the know” can weigh in on the best strategy for bidding NUAs.

Let’s say I am Titanium and I’m staying at a hotel from Monday - Wednesday. There’s also a Platinum member staying those same days. Suppose there are 2 suites available to bid for with NUAs - one “premium” suite and one “basic” suite, and the Platinum and I are the only people bidding for upgrades.

If I bid for both suites, but the Platinum only bids for the premium suite, will the system award the better suite to the Platinum and the worse suite to me, merely because I was willing to accept it? Or will it give me the best suite possible because I’m higher status, before attempting to upgrade the Platinum member?

Thanks!

For me: No conversations more than 10 seconds in the hallway. It's an echo chamber and everybody can hear it in their rooms. It's loud and annoying af. If you want to have a conversation, go into your room and close the door. At least then, you'll just annoy your direct neighbors and not the entire floor.

My fiancée and I are booked to stay at Laguna Cliffs starting this Sunday for our honeymoon and just found out, courtesy of the helpful front desk worker who took my call, that the resort is undergoing significant renovations. We're weighing whether or not to switch hotels. If you stayed there during renovations, how much of an impact did it have on your experience? If you made a switch, where did you end up staying? Looking for something 400ish a night max, doesn't have to be a Marriott property. We're there to experience Laguna Beach, so we're not committed to the Dana Point area.

Just stayed 5 nights at the St Regis Bora Bora for honeymoon on points. Have any questions please ask and will answer them! It was helpful when deciding where I wanted to use my points to have some Reddit guidance so would like to help whoever is thinking of doing the same.

I work at headquarters and heard that my department hasto cut costs by 10%… apparently other groups have a target too, anyone have more intel?

First COVID furlough, then “full potential” and now this.. it’s exhausting 😔

Four random Marriotts in four random middle of nowhere places in America. All of them charging anywhere from $5 to $15 for parking. What is this horseshit? I can't believe they're so scummy. The placement now charges $10 the girl said, the previous management company was charging $3. Absolute shitbirds. Anyway that's my rant. Enjoy your day, I'll enjoy mine. Heading out to play some disc golf in Minnesota.

Edit: I understand charging for parking. I have no problem with that when I'm someplace where parking lot rent is expensive. But these are just parking lots in random hotels on the outskirts of a city. Just feels like a blatant money grab to me. Not to mention I've been traveling for 35 years, and this is brand new. At least in the Marriott family. I get it, if I'm in Manhattan or San Francisco. Sure. Traditional. I don't know I guess I'm just a whiny baby. Work pays for it, but they discouraged us from staying places with with parking fees. And that's because they don't want us staying in downtown Chicago when we're working an hour outside of the city. But now you can be outside of any City and still pay for parking. Thank you for everyone's comments.

Hello! We switched the PoM today and a guest extended their stay and we need to get additional authorization on the card. Does anyone know how?!?

Between the Sheraton, the Marriott, and the Renaissance, which is the best near LAX?

Question, has anyone on a MMA, P or F rate not have the correct amount of nights or points credit as should?

I was on a split reservation and only 1 night of 5 posted. I had to do two separate reservations because of availability.

What should I do? Never experienced this before. Thanks for the help.

We missed the most recent 30% off July sale to get a Westin Heavenly bed.

Does anyone know how often the mattresses are on sale? Do they normally run Labor Day specials?

Thanks!