Earlier this week, a Marriott resort paid me $100 when they failed to offer a Platinum Arrival Gift. This was my first time invoking a Marriott Rewards Elite Benefits Guarantee, but now that I’ve learned how easy it can be, it probably won’t be the last time.
Marriott guarantees a handful of elite benefits by offering to pay you if they fail to deliver on them. That’s pretty awesome. Here are the guaranteed benefits:
- Reservation Guarantee (for Silver, Gold, and Platinum Elites): If they can’t honor your Marriott hotel reservation, they’ll pay for your stay at a nearby hotel and they’ll pay you for your trouble as follows:
- $200 plus 90,000 points at JW Marriott®, Autograph Collections®, EDITION®, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott® Hotel and Resorts, Gaylord Hotels, Delta Hotels®
- $100 (plus 90,000 points for Platinum members) at AC Hotels, Courtyard, SpringHill Suites, Residence Inn, Fairfield Inn & Suites, TownePlace Suites, Moxy Hotels, Protea Hotels
- $200 plus 140,000 points for Platinum members only at Ritz Carlton
- Guaranteed Room Type (for Gold and Platinum Elites): Marriott guarantees that you’ll receive your preferred room type (as set in your Marriott Rewards profile). If they fail to deliver, you can request payment as follows:
- $100 at JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection®, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott® Hotels, Gaylord Hotels, Delta Hotels®
- $50 at Courtyard, SpringHill Suites, Residence Inn, participating Protea Hotels®
- $25 at Fairfield Inn & Suites, TownePlace Suites, Moxy Hotels
- Guaranteed Lounge Access/ Breakfast (for Gold and Platinum Elites): With the exception of resort properties and a list of excluded hotels, Marriott guarantees free breakfast (or a choice of points) for Gold and Platinum elites. If they fail to deliver, you can request compensation as follows:
- $100 at JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection®, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott® Hotels, Delta Hotels®
- Guaranteed Platinum Arrival Gift (Platinum Elites): Platinum elites should always be offered a choice of an amenity gift or bonus points upon check-in (select properties only offer points). If they fail to offer this at check-in (and even if they offer it later), you can request the following compensation:
- $100 at JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection®, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott® Hotels, Gaylord Hotels, Delta Hotels®, Marriott Vacation Club
- $50 at AC Hotels, Courtyard, Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites, Protea Hotels®
- $25 at Fairfield Inn, TownePlace Suites & Moxy Hotels
- $0 at EDITION and Ritz-Carlton
Marriott’s web page describing their guaranteed benefits can be found here: Marriott Rewards Elite Benefits Guarantee.
My thoughts
To get compensated as described above, it’s usually necessary to ask for the compensation. Be prepared with the Marriott Rewards Elite Benefits Guarantee page loaded up on your smartphone. When your guaranteed Platinum arrival gift isn’t offered at check-in, you can get compensation simply by returning to the check-in desk anytime after check-in. When I did this, I was given $100 credit towards my bill. In retrospect, I probably should have asked for cash instead so that I’d earn points for that $100 worth of spend, but I was still pretty happy with the result!
Marriott’s Reservation Guarantee is the most generous of the guaranteed benefits with compensation going as high as $200 plus 90,000 points for Silver and Gold members at certain brands and up to $200 plus 140,000 points for Platinum members at Ritz properties. The only way to collect on this is to show up for your reservation and be lucky enough to learn that they oversold the hotel and that they’ll put you up somewhere else (this is known as being “walked”). Ironically I’d bet that Silver elites have the best chance of collecting on this since most hotels will walk those with low or no status before walking high level elites. This is probably most common during high demand times (such as New Years Eve) when you show up very late at night. It’s theoretically possible to book a low category Marriott with points and walk away with $200 and 90,000 points.
Overall I think it’s pretty awesome that Marriott backs up a number of their elite perks in this way. Most other chains seemingly do very little to ensure that individual hotels honor benefits appropriately. Of course it is still up to you to know about these benefits and to invoke them when appropriate. That’s fair.
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Several years ago, I invoked the guarantee once re the welcome amenity at the Marriott Château Champlain in Montreal once because it was, overall, a terrible stay. Among other issues, the bathtub was having issues in the first room and I had to be moved as a result. Also, whatever they used to wash their linens at the time was terribly irritating (and I am not sensitive).
It didn’t take too much pushing. I also got a call from the GMs office inviting me back for a free night in one of their suites – which was actually very nice. Good service recovery if you ask me.
[…] $100 in January when the resort I stayed at failed to offer me a Platinum welcome gift (see: Marriott pays up when they fail to deliver elite benefits). More recently, I was due compensation when a hotel I had booked was unable to fulfill my […]
[…] You can read more about elite benefit guarantees (under the old program, but very similar to today) here: Marriott pays up when they fail to deliver elite benefits. […]
[…] Marriott Elite Benefit Guarantees continue and extend to Starwood properties. This is a great benefit that I’m happy to see extended. See: Marriott pays up when they fail to deliver elite benefits. […]
“Marriott pays up when they fail to deliver elite benefits” My question is not quite about Marriott’s failure to deliver elite benefits but Marriott’s failure to deliver paid for conference room….I was asked to vacate a space which was paid for by contract and that I had until end of the day….My guess is the room was double booked. I was told that I would be rewarded if we could move out of the room for 3-4 hours. Quite frankly it totally destroyed the day to pack up all the equipment and items set up in the lobby, pack up again and restart set up again. It was just way past too much. So what can I expect Marriott to do to compensate for the total interruption of a two day event with an overnight stay?
I have no idea what you can expect. Playing Monday morning quarterback, I think the best way to handle it would have probably been to have negotiated that with the property manager on the spot (before agreeing to pack up).
That said, you should now reach out to that property manager and ask for what you think is fair. In a situation like this, I think it’s a lot more likely to lead to a satisfying outcome if you tell them what you think is a fair resolution. Is that a partial refund of the room? XXK extra points? I’m not sure what fits, but I’d let them know that this is what you think is a fair resolution and you look forward to hearing back from them.
My rationale on asking for what you want is that I’d have a hard time knowing how much is enough to offer. The manager doesn’t doesn’t know what you want. That’s a tough spot to be in. The manager doesn’t know if you have an unreasonable expectation, like a 100% refund of everything, where even if he offers what seems fair to him you’re going to be offended and leave an even more negative review….or if he offers 20% back and you secretly wanted 30% and you end up only semi-satisfied…yet he was willing to give 30% if you’d just asked for it…know what I mean? Give him/her a win by letting them know what would satisfy you. Then he/she has a chance to meet or exceed your expectations.
Don’t take my 20-30% numbers to mean anything – I honestly have no idea what’s fair in your situation. But you probably know where you’d feel like they made a good gesture towards making up for the mistake.
“I think the best way to handle it would have probably been to have negotiated that with the property manager on the spot (before agreeing to pack up).” I agree totally, except she appeared to be having a breakdown and the lobby was filling up with the group that I’m assuming had also booked -around 20 – 30 people. Shocked I asked when would she need us to move – it was in 10 minutes and I will give you anything you want if you will please do this….So I struggled, thinking if I go into deliberation with her at this moment – We should probably just pack up and leave and Yet while a small group of us several had traveled over 50 miles to be there and I did not want to totally destroy what they had worked on either. So we quietly packed up and set up in the lobby as the 20 or so people waited for them to make the room ready for them. Quite frankly I don’t know if the hotel can give me what I want with all the Marriott merger going on I like to have them grandfather me into the level I have been trying to achieve but that being said NOT even sure this local hotel can even off elite nights to me. AND I believe to my other guests who paid for a night and their time was destroyed as well. Apart from that or giving us another go at it with two days with elite nights in the conference room and free night stay I’m just not sure anything else “really”works for me for fairness.
Oh and by the way thanks for the quick response.
So, does this also apply to the bonus points you are supposed to get as a Plat Elite? I was given the arrival gift at check in (AC Hotel just last week) but noticed this week that they did not give me the 400 bonus points. I’ve contacted Marriott Rewards requesting the points and the $50 compensation and they seem to be baulking at it… said they are going to have to “get back to me”. Am I due the $50?
That’s an interesting situation. The bonus points are technically guaranteed (At AC Hotels you get 400 bonus points AND a Food or Beverage Amenity), but the terms regarding guarantees say this:
If an Elite Member believes that compensation is due with respect to any aspect of the Elite Benefits Guarantee, he/she must request payment of the compensation while still a guest at the hotel, prior to checking out. Failure to request such payment prior to check out will result in a complete waiver of any right to receive such compensation.
Of course there’s no way you could have known before checkout that the bonus points wouldn’t post, so I think that you should push hard for this compensation.
Excellent, that is exactly the way I read it too… I will keep you posted. Thanks Greg.
Greg,
Had to chime in here – I’m a lifetime Marriott customer w/platinum status but have stopped staying at Marriott properties when possible. Why? Because there were too many Front Desk staff who seem to have a chip on their shoulder over the folks with “Elite” status. I am always polite, never ask for anything, and the Staff at Marriott hotels have become completely rude and unhelpful over the past few years to the point that a Front Desk employee told me that they preferred paying customers when I cashed in a few points for a weekend away! Think Marriott needs to educate their employees about the Elite program and the benefits.
I have a question Greg, by any chance did you use the mobile checkin? In the app it asks what you want your amenity to be and if you choose points it’s automatically applied at checkout. It states to ask the front desk if you want something else. So maybe they will use that to get around this $100 issue if you use mobile checkin.
No, I didn’t. In the past I’ve found Marriott’s mobile check-in to be useless so I never bother anymore. I think you’re right: If you use mobile check-in you probably wouldn’t have a chance at the $100 guarantee
I just got the voucher from Alaska missing the 20 minute baggage guarantee at SFO this morning. Nobody else I could see did (and I didn’t go around advertising that they were available), but a promise is a promise.
Same situation here, be a reasonable, affable person, and if they miss it and it affects your stay, politely request that to which you are entitled. Don’t be like Lucky at UA and it’ll all be ok.
this is a hilarious debate. if i didnt know better, i would have thought this post was about Donald Trump and building The Wall. haha. i think we can all agree that there is no clear black/white answer to every “guarantee” situation. i think we can also agree that Greg has a solid moral compass w/ a highly respected blog so we can give him the benefit of the doubt here.
however, let me make one thing very clear. with any “generous” policy, if a shitload of CSR n00bs do it, then you can be damn sure marriott will change it ASAP. yes, i agree its best not to put a spotlight on “loopholes” like this. so lets not be stupid. if too many people redeem this crap like BRG then the hotels will be like “holy shit. we are bleeding.”
it just comes down to how bad did the front desk messed up. so many times, i let small things go. anything major, i collect on the guarantee like room type or bed type or they cancelled my reservation to give to someone else. those would be a wtf situation. i actually always proactively ask for the amenity to make sure i dont deal with a headache later. but now with this post, every customer will just shut up and not say anything, just WAITING for the fuck up by front desk. personally, i think thats pretty messed up for small things.
its no different than many other “guarantees” in other industries like “guarantee XYZ or your money back!” or “if the cashier doesnt give you a receipt, your meal is free!”. i feel like someone is going to get in trouble so i just let it go. however, Sears is totally different. they have a drive by online order pickup window guarantee of 5 min or you get a $5 coupon. i cant tell you how many times I had tried to collect on that and failed. i would LOVE to abuse it even just for $5. wish it was $100 tho. sears hires walmart rejects. SMH. i hate that store. i only use it for certain things.
+1 on all you said but damn……how do you REALLY feel about Sears…lol
I have found that over 50% of the time, the Marriott hotels I stay at don’t fulfill their Platinum promise. Lack of consistency in Elite recognition is the most frustrating aspect of Marriott Rewards, but I realize it stems from their corporate franchising agreements. You are made to feel like you have to beg for upgrades and regularly told half-truths about availability and benefits. When I feel like pushing a property to recognize an upgrade availability, it magically appears, but it also irks me as I shouldn’t have to insist on terms. I stay about 130+ nights at Marriott, and travel to varied locations so it may just be a function of the numbers and that I don’t have ‘go to’ hotels I like. I feel like a jerk sometimes insisting on benefits, but I also feel like the way the terms are worded beg you to act like a jerk to force the properties to own up to the terms.
The room upgrade at Marriott is frequently misunderstood, and there has been a lot of discussion about it at Insiders. Marriott’s T&C don’t guarantee an upgrade, it’s based on availability and is also at the hotel’s discretion. Other programs guarantee the upgrade if available, hence the confusion. Not being upgraded is not a violation of terms. I’ve found Marriott to be very good at proactively providing the guaranteed benefits.
yea. all elite status are going to shit now. i cant tell you how much i HATE the word “at hotels discretion”. you cant possibly be more YMMV than that. hotel elite is NOT supposed to be YMMV. it should be delivered consistently. thats why 4Seasons and Aman are known for what they are. u essentially pay for the elite status experience via crazy room rate. makes all McDonalds franchise hotel network of loosey goosey elite status totally bullshit.
Totally agree. Kimpton is another program that has (historially, pre-IHG acquisition) also had a great upgrade policy. As Inner Circle, I was upgraded to a suite roughly 75% of the time at my standard work hotel (40 nights there over the year), and even on my free night rewards in hotels I’d never been in, received top-floor rooms with the best views. They also never failed to put an amazing amenity in my room.
So yeah, if room upgrades are the most important part of elite status for you, pick Kimpton, SPG, Aman, etc. or book through any of the Virtuoso, Chase Luxury, etc. programs. I mostly choose status programs for elite-points return. Otherwise, be happy with free breakfast (sometimes, depending on property-brand) 🙂
A policy is a policy and so it was written to satisfy the “elite” patron when not acknowledged/given their benefit/amenity. Good information to know for the future but also not to be taken advantage of in my book. Also….this Leigh character never said they worked for Marriott so try not to relate the two in this ongoing debate (I also don’t work for Marriott as well…lol). Cheers!
guarantee = : an assurance for the fulfillment of a condition: such as
a : an agreement by which one person undertakes to secure another in the possession or enjoyment of something
b : an assurance of the quality of or of the length of use to be expected from a product offered for sale often with a promise of reimbursement The washer comes with a guarantee against major defects.
Marriott made the policy between their corporation and the customer. The representative who did not fulfill the guarantee is the fly in the soup. Marriott, besides rewarding loyal customers, is receiving a cheap report about customer service. Think about the cost of sending in an hotel inspector! Think about the cost of getting a poor review on Tripadvisor, Yelp, or any of the other review sites. Smart policy for Marriott, IMHO. As for the representative who did not do his/her job? Retrain, reassign, or relocate.
[…] Marriott pays up when they fail to deliver elite benefits by Frequent Miler. Never knew about this. On one hand I feel bad for the customer service reps as they no doubt get in trouble for not offering these welcome gifts but at the same time I hate when hotel chains have a published benefit that is never actually given without you having to chase it down yourself. […]
[…] I was not aware of this…Then again, I am no Marriott fan and sure as hell I do not pursue to pay for hotels to earn elite status! Marriott pays up when they fail to deliver elite benefits. […]