I couldn't figure out where this thread should go, since the 'other' category seemed to have nothing but baseball references.

This article in USA Today said that free wifi will be available in 500 Marriott hotels/resorts by end of March, 2013.  Since Marriott has approximately 500 Marriotts worldwide, I'm assuming that means worldwide & not just USA. 

More hotels embrace free Wi-Fi in lobbies

But does it also mean JWs (of which there are approximately 64 give or take), as the article doesn't mention JW specifically? 

In a different article where Marriott touts free wifi in public areas in the Middle East and Africa, it mentions JW, Marriott hotels/resorts & Ren specifically.

Marriott International rolls out free Wi-Fi in Middle East hotels | Hotel Management

Michelle, anyone from Marriott - can you confirm a) the 500 Marriotts are worldwide vs USA only; b) if JW is also included w/ the free wifi in the public areas?  To me it wouldn't make sense to exclude JWs, but one should never assume anything.

Any input appreciated.

Cheers.i

As one who has accumulated quite a number of airline (especially Delta) travel points through the years, I just learned that Delta has just decided upon the death of the traveler, or points recipient,  NOT to transfer accumulated travel points to one's spouse! THIS IS A BRAND NEW POLICY and affects frequent travelers like myself, at age 70, and would prompt me to either use these soon, or transfer them to a relative, donate them to charity, while I still can.

I don't know what Marriott's policy is, but I've tried to contact them without any answer yet. Does anyone know if Marriott will transfer accumulated Award Points to the surviving spouse, or relative, automatically, or upon some form of designation?

Fred

I'm having trouble with Points Savers for Grand Cayman Marriott.  It is listed as available from April through October, but when you go to reserve it shows none during any month until the Seasonal discount starts in September.  I'm trying to book a 5 night stay starting August 25th. 

Any help is appreciated.

This analysis might have been mentioned before but I just found it.

Comments?

Hi all,

I have 5 referrals available. On the off chance any of you aren't already members or have used up all of your referrals for your friends send me a message and I can send you the link.

I'm getting closer to getting the reward points I need and every little bit helps.

Thanks for looking.

So, last year or two elites have really taken it on the chin as far as benefits go. EEOs were a specific issue for me but not the only loss.

But after registering AND COMPLETING my spring 2013 mega bonus promotion (6 stays for 3 free cat 1-4 nights) Marriott has decided to move all of the hotels that I've used these certs at in the past up to a Cat 5. wth?

I called to attempt to switch to the other version of the megabonus (that others in my office HAVE been granted)that allows cat 1-5 redemption only to be told that it (a)isn't allowed and (b) I wouldn't want to switch even if it was allowed because I could only earn 2 - cat 5 nights - which will be news to my co-workers. That was on two separate calls to the MR Gold line.

Because of the timing and misinformation via the Gold line,how is this not a classic bait and switch? I'm aware that I can book these until midMay but that wasn't what I signed up for and Marriott knows that.

Has Marriott lost its moral compass and looking at only the line? If so, I'm glad I shifted the bulk of my stays to spg and hyatt, but always wanted to keep MR in my lineup.Can  here actually help with these issues or is this board simply for ranting?

thanks for taking the time to read and allowing me to get this off my chest

I don't understand how I can call on a weekend to book a 7 Night Hotel Package and have it tell me that it's hours are M-F.

Another take on valuation of Marriott Points.

Using the Marriott Rewards Merchandise Redemption link (Marriott Rewards Merchandise | Gift Cards, Computers, Watches, Toys, iPods and More. ) and comparing these items to Amazon's prices, I came up with the following grid and point values:

My wife just received a Marriott rewards visa and with it was an offer for a free night.  Went to marriottrewards.com to look at e-certificate using my rewards card (she does not have one).  No e-certificate was there.  My activity was.  Does she need to get a separate marriott rewards account?

Are three nights straightforward, meaning we get a free night at a mattioot if we make reservations through the marriott rewards or is there a  catch such as requiring  a certain length of stay.

Also can we use her credit card but my rewards number for points in an upcoming stay?

I am a recent Marriott Platinum member with an experience I would like to share in comparison to Hyatt Platinum status room upgrades and am asking for your feedback/experiences.  My husband and I recently spent two weeks in Hawaii.  The first week we spent at the Grand Hyatt, Kauai.  Upon our arrival we were treated extremely well.  The person checking us in offered us a room and I asked if that was the best room they could offer platinum members.  He did a little searching and offered us one of three rooms.  I ended up selecting the room he initally offered as it was in the best location.  The room was amazing.  A week later we checked into the Wailea Beach Marriott location.  Upon check in we were offered a room and I asked again if this was the best room a platinum member could be offered.  He said that it was and did not do any research to see if there was a better room available.  We went to our room to find that it was located in the basement, below ground level.  It did have a sliding glass door but when you looked out the window all you were able to see was a grass embankment.  Needless to say we were quite disappointed.  I went back to the front desk and asked again if this was the best they could do.  He said that was the best.  Due to my dissapointment, daily I would check their website to check for room availability to see if the hotel was sold out of better rooms.  Each and every day, including arrival day, a variety of additional rooms were available.  I am wondering if this is how Marriott treats all platinum members like this or if others have had a better experience and would greatly appreciate any suggestions.

I stayed at Marriott properties for nearly 6 months last year and over 100 days this year.  The one time I stay at a Marriott for pleasure it finally dawned on me that Platinum status really gets you nothing.  I just got in to the Marriott Marquis in San Francisco.  It took the hotel 5 hours to get me a room.  I am on the 7th floor (out of 40) with a view of the interior of the hotel.

This is a long posting from a Platinum for Life member with over 1000 paid nights in the Marriott program and a couple thousand paid nights in other loyalty programs.

I know that Marriott staff actually pays attention to postings like this, even though they do not typically acknowledge them.  Pay attention, staff, to this one.  Mull it over.  If you see merit, implement something along the line of what I suggest.  I believe if you do, it will benefit Marriott at the expense of its competitors. 

We’re talking about whales in this posting, but not like Moby Dick, though!  Las Vegas gambling casinos love their “whales”.  The small fish are nice, but, the “whales” are another matter.  No casino wants to lose its “whales” to another and for good reason which needs no explanation.  They strive to keep the whales coming back.  It’s all about money! 

But, if a casino frequented by a “whale” is perceived as changing the game and dramatically increasing the house’s odds of winning and increasing, therefore,  dramatically the whale’s odds of losing, THEN if that whale perceives that a competing casino is now offering better odds for the whale to win relative to his/her former favorite casino, THEN a rationale “whale” will cut back gambling at the old house, probably even cease gambling there, and change casinos to the house where the whale has a perception of the odds being more in his/her favor than before. 

Hotel loyalty programs can be thought of as casinos.  When the hotel loyalty program, i.e., the “house”, changes the rules too aggressively in its favor and against the “whales” that have frequented them in the past, the rational “whales” look for a better house, a better hotel loyalty program. 

So, while all the hotel programs devalue their programs, including the Marriott, and make us all truly fee that the odds have been stacked against us with the devaluations, how can this be turned to Marriott’s advantage?

How can the Marriott’s loyalty program land the “whales” from competing loyalty programs when the competing programs devalue their programs?

How can the Marriott loyalty program keep its existing “whales” from switching to competing programs in a fit of anger when the Marriott itself devalues its program? 

Here’s my answer to my questions.

Marriott’s loyalty program could provide for its “whales” a “grandfathering” protection, making it known that when the time comes that it devalues its program,  that its “whales” will be grandfathered at least 18 months after the devaluation  in which to continue to be able to earn and to be able to redeem points under the old program rules existing before the devaluation.    

This grandfathering has two benefits:  1)  When a competing “house”, such as the Priority Club or HHonors, devalues its program, their “whales” want to find a “house” with better odds to the “whales” of not losing the value of their future stays, so that the grandfathering by Marriott would offer some “insurance” against loss to these whales and incentivize providing more business to Marriott at the expense of the other programs;  2) And even when a competing “house” is not in progress of devaluing its program but the Marriott is,  the grandfathering by Marriott to its “whales” incentivizes its “whales” to maximize their stays to build up their points within the grandfathered time span and have time to plan their reward stays without panic or haste.  We all believe, don't we, that Priority Club and Hilton and other programs are seemingly annually devaluing their programs?  So, even if the Marriott is and they aren't currently, it's just a matter of a year or less when we believe that the other programs will be doing so themselves. 

How would a “whale” be defined for this “grandfathering protection”? 

It might be those holding Platinum for Life status, or another  threshold if the Marriott so opted, something such as 500 paid nights in any consecutive 5 year period, 3 year period, etc., etc., etc.  It might include tracking referrals for which “referral bonuses” have been earned by member for having someone new enroll in the program.  You see, whales not only ARE business in their own right, they also BRING business when others in their entourage switch to Marriott away from Priority Club, HHonors, etc.  And, when whales leave one program because they’ve been abused, they TAKE not only their own business but the take with them the business of their colleagues when they can, as I have been able to successfully do. 

With roughly 3,000 paid nights at various hotels over 20 years of being on the road, with being able to document over 1,000 paid nights in each of the Priority Club and Marriott Rewards program during those 20 years, I can say in my opinion,  that  the most abusive “house” for stacking the odds in its favor is the Priority Club, and HHonors is not far behind.  It’s cause for anger. 

I can also tell you that if I’d had a known of a “grandfathering” benefit within the Marriott Rewards program as would have protected me to some degree along the lines I’ve suggested, the Priority Club would have lost many hundred of my personal paid stays I’ve provided it—and many hundred paid stays of my colleagues.  Those paid stays would have gone to the Marriott program. 

I wouldn’t say the Priority Club would have lost all my 1000+ paid nights.  Why?  Well, in many locations I’ve worked on long term projects, there are only Holiday Inns or HI Expresses and no Marriott affiliated properties.  So, Priority Club has had my business in those communities by default.   But, before I got wise to the Priority Club’s “house rules” that have left me feeling totally abused, I would favor Priority Club properties over Marriott when having a choice.  Never again!

In early February 2013, I joined the HHonors program and left a Holiday Inn property I had checked into in early January to check into a HHonors property.  I’d be in a Marriott property right now if I had one in this town in which I’m staying on a long term project that will run several hundred paid nights in 2013, and that doesn’t include the members of my crew who are staying where I am because of my telling them to avoid the Holiday Inn. 

You see, it’s this simple:  when the Priority Club announced its latest abusive devaluation of its program in January of this year—following up on the one it did the year before--I just said, “enough”. 

I’ll never again stay in any Priority Club property if I have any choice of a Marriott or HHonors property.  That is precisely the kind of damage to loyalty that the Marriott program ought not want to suffer when it devalues its program and precisely the kind of damage that other programs do to themselves for which the Marriott can take advantage with a “grandfathering” provision along the lines of what I’ve suggested.

Marriott staff, go fishing for whales!

The Marriott CEO, Arne Sorenson, recently spoke at a Hotel investment conference.  Here are the details

He (Sorenson) cautioned that the industry must fight against a public perception that travel is “frivolous, something discretionary,” that can be cut. Hotels create priceless family memories when they host weddings, honeymooners and family vacation, he said.

“We've got to be collectively unapologetic of the value of what happens in the hotel business,” said Sorenson. The hospital industry helps local economies, creating jobs.

The industry may be “at the beginning of a new golden age of travel,” Sorenson said, noting that 65 million foreigners visited the U.S. in 2012, a number that the Obama administration predicts will rise to 100 million in 2021.

If the U.S. had the same share of global travel that we had in the year 200, before 9/11, which would mean 35 million new visitors every year. Those that would book hotel rooms would stay 5-10 days, which could boost hotel occupancies by 4 to 5 points, a “transformational” opportunity.

I just recieved $100.00 Bonus Bucks, (or are they Bogus Bucks!)Am I not understanding the object of the gift from Marriott or is this just a ruse to get you to NOT use your reward points.  So,in order to use the Bonus Bucks you have to stay two nights and pay cash.  You cannot use your reward points of which I have over 500,000 of them.  Am I missing the point here?  Why would anyone try to save $100.00 with the Bonus Bucks and spend much more than that paying for a two night stay with cash instead of using points for the entire stay?  Any ideas here?

Can someone enlighten me what constitute a stay in the megabonus 2013? A quote form the megabonus 2013 webpage state "A stay is defined as consecutive nights spend at the same hotel, regardless of check-in/check-out activity."

Does a one night stay in a participating hotels constitute a stay or it must be two consecutive nights?

If two consecutive nights constitute a stay, then if staying for four nights means you paid two stays and thereby entitled to a free e-cert night?

Thanks

Okay....I don't get it.   Marriott Brand hotels have always treated their Gold and Platinum Reward members to a little something extra, at all of their hotels.  At the Fairfield, you may not get much extra, but breakfast is included with a night's lodging.  Same is true for Town Place Suites.  At the Residence Inns you get a breakfast and an evening snack/meal 3-4 nights of the week.  At the full service Marriotts you get access to the Concierge lounge and a breakfast and evening snack.  Heck, In today's world, even the low budget hotels like Days Inn will give you a free breakfast with a night's lodging.

But at Courtyard, you get NOTHING.   Oh, sure, you get your "check in bonus", but that is it.  No breakfast, no snack, no nothing.  They have recently  removed the free coffee from the rooms and lobbies.

So, my question is this:  Why would anyone ever stay at a Courtyard hotel, unless it was the only choice in town?

I know they want to promote the new cafes they have in every Courtyard; why not give coffee and pastries to your Gold and Platinum members, as a perq for staying there?

Answers, suggestions, any one???

Welcome to 2013.  Another year of week in and out stays in a hotel room.  Another year of being a MR Platinum Premier member.

As I reflect on my status, only given to the top 3% of Platinum members, I ask myself why.  Why would Marriott send me a bathroom tote as a gift?  Surely someone at Marriott must realize that I already have the travel accessories category figured out, given that I stayed over 160 nights at their hotel chain last year.  I appreciate the sentiment of a gift, but the gift itself doesn't seem to fit.  I suppose it might make more sense than a solar-powered USB charger.  Gosh, was that two years ago?  Oh yeah, last year there was an online subscription to the WSJ.

Why am I writing all this?  Am I just another ungrateful traveler and rewards snob?  Maybe I am, but maybe there's a point to this rant.

Marriott needs to put something, anything in writing that guarantees Platinum Premier members something more than everyone else.  Sure, PP gets folks to the front of the line for upgrades (if they're available), but where is the REAL bonus?  Why not offer some innovative features like what Starwood's tiered SPG program created?  Platinum level is 50 nights, but you keep earning more GUARANTEED benefits by achieving 75 nights and 100 nights.

Dare I say it, why even have a PP tier when members who achieve that level of status may or may not actually benefit?  Hilton Honors doesn't have any problem only offering 3 tiers and still has loyalty a plenty.  When Delta implemented Diamond status three years ago, they also rewarded members with some tangible benefits (arguably diminished over time, but we're not talking about bathroom totes made in China).

C'mon Marriott Rewards.  Reward me as a Platinum Premier.  Quit toying with my fierce loyalty.  This year I only plan to stay the minimum nights required to hit all the promotions (what's that, 75 nights?).  Wouldn't you rather entice me to keep staying 160 a year?  Maybe not.

Sincerely,

Steve

This is a follow-up piece on my recent posting “Catching the Priority Club’s & HHonors’ “whales” while Marriott retains its own and all because of program devaluations”  (URL: http://www.rewards-insiders.marriott.com/message/76181#76181).

The premise in my first posting is that the Marriott program can capture its competitors’ whales when its competitors undertake devaluations of their programs and it can keep its own whales even when it is devaluing its own program.  But, to do so, it has to think carefully through a marketing plan to do so. 

While I made some recommendations in that posting on how Marriott could capture its competitors whales, and keep its own too, I know that the bright people at Marriott can find that balancing act that allows them to capture whales, keep its own, but also “benefit” from its devaluations that it thinks it gets.

Regarding the Hilton, in a blog posting today by the owner of Loyaltylobby.com, titled “Last call for Hilton Awards at Old Rates:  Use them now or regret rest of your life” (URL: http://loyaltylobby.com/2013/03/25/last-call-for-hilton-awards-at-old-rates-use-them-now-or-regret-rest-of-your-life/), the author said, “If you have been accustomed to use your Hilton points for aspirational awards . . . you are really getting ‘screwed’ by . . . (the change in Hilton’s redemptions program) . . . . There is really no polite way of saying this. The number of points required for awards often doubles . . . (with program changes taking effect March 28 . . . . .” 

Whales don’t like being “screwed”, don’t like being beat up, by their “loyalty programs.”  

Are there marketing managers at such programs who think they can tell their “whales”, “Your screwings and beatings will continue until your loyalty improves?”

In my opinion, the SINGLE most destructive devaluation to its business made by a “loyalty” program is one that “screws” its whales of the ASPIRATIONAL awards they’d hoped to have had.  And the best time a competitor, such as the Marriott program, can capture someone else’s whales is when that competitor has screwed its whales out of their aspirational awards, as the Hhonors program is reported by Loyaltylobby.com as doing.

It’s simple for me. 

Raise the hotel rates I have to pay in cash for my rooms, and I’ll not sweat it.  That is a pass through cost for me and many others, a reimbursed expense. 

But, raise the points redemption costs to me for aspirational awards in such a manner I feel “screwed”?  That’s another matter.  I’ll figuratively follow a scorched earth policy afterwards with that loyalty program.  And, I’m not alone in that, I know.

While loyalty programs view devaluing their programs as a means to reduce their balance sheet contingent liability and/or as a means, for example, of theoretically making more nights available in aspirational properties for their cash paying customers by the act of reducing the nights available to program members through points redemptions, the programs cannot accurately measure the opportunity cost to their hotel loyalty programs of the whales that say, “OK.  I’ll take whatever I can get with what's left of the reduced value of my points, but, you’ll not be getting any of my paid nights’ stays in the future if there is any way I can avoid patronizing your properties.” 

It would have been for more profitable for the Priority Club to have found a way to appease me by its treatment of me with its devaluations.  For the benefit of its reducing its balance sheet liability, for the benefit of its theoretically freeing up some nights for cash paying customers at some aspirational property, was it worth the hundreds of paid nights I’ve denied it in my own paid business over the last year, the multiples of hundreds of paid nights my colleagues have denied it over the past year?  And, this isn’t just one year.   It’s forever!  Scorched earth!

And, so, to the Marriott program, the point is as well:  Be careful.  Be careful of the kind of marketing mistakes the Priority Club has made and the Hilton too.  Protect your whales.  Capture your competitors’.  And, If you don’t protect the little fish, that’s a calculation easier to make. 

=============

Unrelated but technical comment on making responses to those replying to my postings:  I cannot.  I can make a blog posting but cannot respond to your comments as I receive “javascript (0)” errors, and have not found a solution.  I do, however, read your replies and appreciate your thoughts.

Hi all:

About to head south with a family of six to Harbor Beach for third year..........we've booked suites in past -- none available this year.  We've tried. What is frustrating is that we've tried to book a poolside bungalow (I mistakenly called it a cabana initially with staff) and I emailed the office the 3/18 to see if we could secure one despite my wrong vocab initially.  I didn't hear back from central office until Friday (we arrive this Wednesday the 27th) and was told it was booked -- at this property they release pool side bungalows Friday before....  Called recreation, got two days mid-week, but told Easter weekend was booked.  Called back to see if I could get next Monday -- no luck.

My issue -- I called in time for booking; we are platinum and repeat GOOD customers and clearly response was not timely. 

Don't want to be obnoxious customer, but have 3/4 red head kids so shade in FLA is a must and husband with history of skin issues........

Advice?  Anyone? 

Very unhappy with this outcome -- think there has been change in this local office.....

Best,

KWB

Well, it looks like I will be making the Lifetime Platinum plateau within the next six weeks or so, projecting out how many nights I will be staying, bonuses, etc.  It is nice to know that after +/- 23 years in the program, they honor our loyalty.

Lord willing, I hope to have many healthy years ahead to enjoy the Lifetime Platinum status with my wife as we travel.