How does Marriott treat you as an elite?

On the morning of check-out, after a final leisurely stroll across the river to the park near the hotel, I returned to the hotel and visited the executive lounge to get a bottle of water from the fridge to drink in the room before finishing packing and then checking out. Whilst I was patiently queueing in line in front of the fridge, as soon as I got to the front and as I was reaching down to grab a bottle, suddenly from my right side a male guest violently shoved me out of the way.

This was a violent aggressive assault which knocked me off balance and also caused me to fall over. Even worse was the fact I was holding a glass bottle in my hand at the time and this could have easily been dropped or gone flying and shattered everywhere. Children were in the lounge so this could have been quite dangerous.



Shocked by the fact I had just been assaulted, I asked the man for an apology but instead the only reply I received was "**** you".

Concerned for my safety and not wanting to be violently assaulted again, I decided to leave the lounge. Meanwhile, the male lounge attendant made eye contact with me but did and said nothing. Eventually I said that he should bring the violent man into line and maintain standards of behaviour. No reply was forthcoming, although the violent thug started shouting foul language again.

Finally I noticed that about 25mins later, as I loaded my suitcase into the car to take me to the airport, the violent criminal was smoking in front of the hotel. He again made a violent gesture towards me and mouthed the words "**** you".


I took a photo of the criminal smoking in front of the hotel and send it, together with an email setting out the full facts, to the hotel and seeking their help to investigate and for contact details to file a police report. Initially I did this via the Marriott app (the concierge always answered instantly with other requests - this time I simply asked for the GM or hotel's email address). I was asked why I needed the email address and I then said I had been assaulted and needed to send a photo of the attacker (a fellow guest who was therefore a danger to everyone in the hotel) but the message was ignored and the concierge then left the conversation - I have the phone screenshots to prove this.

Through Google I found the GM's email so sent everything in. Got the out of office reply but it contained his deputy's email for urgent matters so I sent it to her.

Silence for 48 hours and all I received was a vague assurance that this was an isolated incident and a thank you for reporting the matter to them. No attempt at service recovery, and my questions about identifying the culprit, or to send me the contact details for the local police, among others, were all completely ignored. Rather miffed I then emailed Marriott HQ. They bounced the matter back to the hotel who told me that they did not get involved in "disputes" between guests, ignoring the fact that there was never any dispute and I was simply the victim of a random attack. Again, another empty apology and an offer to give me the police contact details if I wanted them (despite my first email clearly asking for them). Still no service recovery and just a pathetically expressed hope I would stay with them again and give them a second chance.

By the way, the animal smoking in the photo below is the thug who attacked me. If you see him, beware he may randomly attack you.View attachment 103138

I reckon you'll get a much more helpful response if you Tweet this to them. I'd even considering getting in touch with Loyalty Lobby. I'd imagine this is the kind of story they would take up.
 
REN-KUL on the other hand was an absolute nightmare. While I was aware of the reno that's been ongoing, the services and the staff is what makes this place a real disaster. Check in area was a zoo, no recognition at checkin, no upgrades, no explanation to lounge hours etc. Was originally given an unrenovated room, asked to be switched to a renovated room, which involves waiting for a couple of hours and switching between seperate wings. I agreed to wait since I was going to head out either way, and transferred to new room after arriving back at hotel at around 10. I waited for more than an hour and the "navigators" have not delivered my baggagess to the room, which was weird since I passed by them as I went into the lobby and it certainly wouldn't take an hour to get them up 18 floors. I called "delighted to serve" at around 1050 requesting that the baggages to be delivered and after half an hour the bags were still no where to be seen. So I called at 1130 again since I was really trying to get some rest after a long day of travelling, and nothing happened again for another good 45mins. I called the third time at 1200 and nothing happened again for another 30mins. So I had enough and had to physically went down to FD and point at the bags to have them delivered. By then it was already close to 1 before I can start settling in. Thank god I haven't left my valuables or phone chargers in the baggages. I also discovered a tub of soot and some smoked cigarettes in the living area of the room by the window behind the curtains in a non-smoking room, but it was so late at night and the hotel was already in full capacity, and given my experience with the staff I decided to just wait til the morning to complain in person. I told the lounge staff next morning about the smoking situation and they promised to air fresh the room and remove the soot. Guess what? By the time we arrive back at night the tub of soot were still there! So I told the lounge staff about it and finally the housekeeping got it done. In another occasion, since the two wings of the hotel were using different sized key cards, I had to get an extra set of key cards to access lounge in another wing. As I went back to the room I found out my key card's been disabled so I had to walk 5 mins back to the lobby to ask for the key cards to be reenabled.
I tried to made an official complaint while I was onsite but I was in a hurry so didn't have a chance to, but then I filed the complaint through MR and the lady from the hotel who replied couldn't even properly address the issues above. Definitely won't return.
 
Yeah - very poor service from Zurich Marriott. I have also noticed that Marriotts make themselves difficult to contact by not having any email information on the hotel website at all - whereas for SPG hotels the website always has email details which can be easily found. Says a lot about the difference in culture between the two organisations.

Sorry to hear of your assault story. Just on the email addresses. I noted the same thing. I have used facebook to contact Marriott. They respond within 24 hours.
 
You could send an email to here, [email protected] and CC [email protected] and then see how long the scramble to make contact with you takes? If none, then take your business elsewhere. I have always found them to be very customer focused in the past.

Funny you should mention that Irishbazz, I actually emailed both those addresses which is what prompted the 2nd lame email from Zurich Marriott.

I reckon you'll get a much more helpful response if you Tweet this to them. I'd even considering getting in touch with Loyalty Lobby. I'd imagine this is the kind of story they would take up.

Who at LoyaltyLobby should I contact?
 
Funny you should mention that Irishbazz, I actually emailed both those addresses which is what prompted the 2nd lame email from Zurich Marriott.

That is a shame, I had an issue a few years back and after repeated attempts through the direct channels to get a quality customer response, resorted to sending an email as above and within a few hours had received a reply to my satisfaction. Nothing as serious as your issue of course.
 
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Status: Platinum Elite
Property: JW Marriott Singapore South Beach
Booked: Deluxe Room King (base category - Rewards night)
Upgrade: Nada... in fact, a base category King on the lowest hotel floors, with no view, and can't open the curtains anyway, as rooms jut out either side and can look right into the room.
Received: Lounge access & late checkout, as eligible. No amenity or any other form of elite recognition.

Hotel is reasonably busy, but was still selling higher categories as I arrived. I inquired about an upgrade and they were very hesitant to do anything until pressed, at which point they said a suite had recently freed up, but it would take 3 hours to clean it. I declined as I needed to shower and get out again for dinner. Very disappointing.

Cheers,
Matt.
 
Status: Gold
Property: Marriott Sydney
Room booked: Deluxe Room
Room upgraded/type: Bridge View (partial)
Rate: Flexible
Free internet: Yes
Welcome drink: Exec Lounge access
Early check in/late out: Late checkout 4pm

very pleased with our stay
 
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Status: Pt elite life
Property: London Maida Vale
Room booked: Std Room
Room upgraded/type: Presidential Suite
Rate: 102 pound
Free internet: Yes
Welcome drink: Exec Lounge access
Early check in/late out: N/A

Almost always upgraded, but this time to the top. the place is as big as our city apartment, 2 TV's etc. A good way to end the European leg
 
Status: Platinum Elite
Property: JW Marriott Singapore South Beach
Booked: Deluxe Room King (base category - Rewards night)
Upgrade: Nada... in fact, a base category King on the lowest hotel floors, with no view, and can't open the curtains anyway, as rooms jut out either side and can look right into the room.
Received: Lounge access & late checkout, as eligible. No amenity or any other form of elite recognition.

Hotel is reasonably busy, but was still selling higher categories as I arrived. I inquired about an upgrade and they were very hesitant to do anything until pressed, at which point they said a suite had recently freed up, but it would take 3 hours to clean it. I declined as I needed to shower and get out again for dinner. Very disappointing.

Cheers,
Matt.

sounds like I best avoid that property when I visit SIN in a few days!
 
With the butchering of Hyatt Gold Passport, I'm looking to Marriott as my new go-to program from February 2019 when my top tier Hyatt status expires.

Status: Gold on Platinum challenge
Property: Renaissance Malmo, Sweden
Date: one mid-week night this month
Rate: SEK931 (~AUD160)
Booked: standard queen/king
Received: large king, very early check-in (possibly helped by the fact the check-in clerk hails from Melbourne), voucher for one bev and light snack, full breakfast (no lounge).
 
Status: Gold on Platinum challenge
Property: AC Bella Sky, Copenhagen
Date: one mid-week night this month
Rate: DKK544
Booked: standard queen/king
Received: corner queen, slightly early check-in, full breakfast (no lounge).

Property: Marriott Copenhagen
Date: three nights in December
Rate: DKK1031 per night
Booked: one king or two doubles, city view
Received: king waterfront, two bottles of water each day, breakfast in lounge, 4pm check-out plus access to the lounge after that. One evening I requested a turndown as I'd missed housekeeping due to having a lie-in. It didn't eventuate. In addition, the ice machine on my floor, the floor below (and presumably every other) wasn't working for me stay. I waltzed down to reception to let them know of my dissatisfaction (this was I'd walked 20 minutes each way to a Christmas church service that the concierge had directed me to which wasn't actually on). The gentleman apologised and that was that. Less than 24 hours after check-out I received an email from the guest relations managers apologising for both mishaps and crediting my Marriott Rewards account with some points. It was neither necessary nor requested but warmly received nonetheless.

Property: Renaissance Santiago
Date: four nights over new years
Rate: USD135 per night
Booked: Chilean/European one king or one queen
Received: European king, nightly turndown with two bottles of water and two tiny Lindt chocolates, lounge access, 4pm check-out.

Property: Courtyard Bogota Airport
Date: one night (actually only a few hours following an overnight flight) this month
Rate: USD51
Booked: superior guest room, one king, sofa bed
Received: presumably as booked, full breakfast (as for everyone), bottle of water. In the less than three hours I spent in the room I was disturbed by housekeeping twice and I made that known on check-out. Then, in an endless wait for an Uber where drivers constantly accepted the ride then cancelled (and, in one case, billed me for it) I spotted a hotel airport courtesy shuttle. The hotel's website specifically states it doesn't provide a shuttle. The manager happened to be wandering about so I made by dissatisfaction on both points known. He put me in a regular taxi to the Hilton at the hotel's expense.
 
Property: Courtyard Lima Miraflores
Date: one mid-week night this month
Rate: USD103
Booked: entry level guest room
Received: much what I booked but when I made a song-and-dance about the little keycard holder saying "We've reserved our best available room for you" not being true, I was properly upgraded.

Property: Courtyard by New York Manhattan/World Trade Centre
Date: one weekend night this month
Rate: USD117
Booked: entry level guest room
Received: apparently upgrade, water, 2k bonus points (presumably because (a) they felt bad that they didn't actually give me an upgrade and (b) I occupied the room for 15 minutes).
 
Status: Platinum Elite
Property: The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore
When: 18-23 Mar
Booked: Deluxe Room King
Upgrade: Deluxe Room King
Received: Chocolates, 30 min spa voucher (will go unused)

0 for 4 at this place... generally high occupancy, and it shows. Nice hotel with great service, though. On my last 3 visits, they were offering RC Club access for MR Gold & Plat Elite, but stopped that at the end of 2017. My office moves to another part of town before I’ll be back again, so another [standard] Marriott will get a try, then.

Cheers,
Matt.
 
Status: Gold on the final stay of the Platinum challenge
Property: Protea Hotel Johannesburg Airport (not the transit one)
Date: one weekend night
Rate: ~AUD115
Booked: entry level guest room
Received: some minor upgrade (not that there's much to give), email in advance requesting arrival time and preferences, bottle of water, typed and personalised welcoe note, email post enquiring about my stay.

I'm now Platinum until February 2020 which will give me plenty of time to evaluate World of Hurt.
 
Status: Gold
Property: JW Marriott Singapore South Beach
When: 30/03 -01/04/2018
Booked: Deluxe Room King
Upgrade: Offered low floor room and when pushed for an enhanced room bumped me up a few floors and apparent upgraded room. Doubt if it was though.
Received: Lounge access, late checkout not required but offered.

Good hotel with easy access from the airport due to being built over a MRT station.
 
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Status: Gold
Property: JW Marriott, Khao Lak, Thailand
When: 01/04 - 08/04/2018
Booked: Deluxe Room King Pool View - 7 night redemption, Cat 8
Upgrade: Premium Room King Pool View
Received: 15% Discount to all food & beverages, 25% off the Spa, two free drinks per day in the Czar bar. No lounge due to being a resort.

Hotel at full capacity but so well laid out you would think its empty, breakfast time is the key indicator due to the crowds. In need of some updating to retain a true 5 star rating but scenery and staff cannot be faulted.
 
Status: Gold
Property: Ritz-Carlton Tokyo
When: 09/04/2018 - 17/04/2018
Booked: Deluxe Room King - 7 night redemption, Tier 5 + 1 extra night Deluxe Double added last minute as changed plans
Upgrade: Deluxe room king for all 8 nights. Very early check in (10am), late check-out confirmed 2pm.
Received: Free breakfast for 1 morning at restaurant, arrival letter and chocolates (delish!) and random gifts so far (plate of small cakes yesterday).

Room is huge by Tokyo standards! Well appointed too.

Amazing views over Tokyo. Great location and staff can't be faulted. Do have to laugh that it costs more to launder a t-shirt than it does to go downstairs to uniqlo and buy a new one... But that comes with this kind of hotel, and the fact we aren't luxury hotel people.
 

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