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Booked two separate nights as a redemption at the Marriott in Franschhoek back in April this year – the stay is for late November.
They contacted me back in August asking me to confirm my booking by email which I did and then again in early October asking the same question which I promptly responded.
On Wednesday I then received an email cancelling my two booking due to “overbooking”.
Looking to respond back to hotel asking to reinstate my booking, copying Marriot customer service.
Anyone had any experience or tips on how to proceed.
There’s no specific consumer legislation for this, however HFP reader @meta has dealt with a couple of such instances (with IHG, I think) by going down the breach of contract route (though how easy it would be to actually enforce this has yet to be demonstrated!) I think in the end this and persistent communications with the hotel led to acceptable alternatives being offered at no extra cost.
There’s no specific consumer legislation for this, however HFP reader @meta has dealt with a couple of such instances (with IHG, I think) by going down the breach of contract route (though how easy it would be to actually enforce this has yet to be demonstrated!) I think in the end this and persistent communications with the hotel led to acceptable alternatives being offered at no extra cost.
Thanks for the suggestions, copied “Marriott.bonvoychampion@marriott.com” and they have raised a case number. Lets see what happens.
Molly have you been really clear to Marriott what you want? As in, you don’t want them treating it as a bad service complaint where 6 weeks from now they apologise and bung you some Bonvoy points. You want to have clearly noted that this is not a complaint, but a request for action to address a potential misselling situation and you require 1)your booking reinstated in the hotel you booked or 2)Marriott to sort out a room in another Marriott property of equivalent standard in that same area or 3)Marriott to book an alternative hotel (non-Marriott) on your behalf. You can hurry things along by saying re Option 3, you consent to the sharing of your personal data for the purposes of securing a non-Marriott hotel.
If you are chasing Bonvoy status and need the nights, you might prefer to remove Option 3.
I wouldn’t get too hung up on legal language. You just need to sound like you’re alert, forthright and not to be messed around with. The customer service agents will then get the signals to escalate and sort.
I actually think this is a good time to pick up the phone, speak to somebody senior and ask them to reinstate. Phoning is my default way of dealing with hotels nowadays, I find them far more responsive to what I want.
@Molly – In the circumstances, do you actually want to stay at hotel any more? As suggested above, an alternative hotel might make you more welcome than an overbooked hotel forced to reinstate your booking and with occupancy at capacity, you are unlikely to get an upgrade or any decent service.
I’ve dealt with this numerous times. The hotel will usually sort you out elsewhere once you start insisting and letting them know gradually it’s not acceptable. I found that Marriott and any chain CS are usually useless. You need to persuade local staff. Be polite, but firm. It’s also good to research your options about comparable properties before calling (yes, phoning is better, but you also want a written trail in case they deny later!). Most good hotels have arrangements with nearby properties.
Thanks for the suggestions.
The hotel has a offered a room at an alternative non Marriott property but at the standard cash rate – £174 / night v’s 21,000 Bonvoy points.
My original booking was two nights using points. I guess I should cut to the chase as suggested above.We’ve decided to book our first night at Mount Rochelle property (good chance to try out an Edition property) and push for the second night at the suggested property but for the original points not the cash price.
I have also received a proforma invoice from the alternative property without giving consent to share my personal details.
Marriott Bonvoy Champions also replied raising a case number.I’ll report back with an update.
So basically they’ve just suggested you book a different hotel, which you could have found anyway?! That’s really adding insult to injury. Let us know how you get on.
Forward the invoice to the hotel, CCing Marriott CS, quoting the original booking reference and case numbers, asking them to confirm they will be paying it as you have not authorised sharing any personal details with the other hotel or alternative bookings.
So basically they’ve just suggested you book a different hotel, which you could have found anyway?! That’s really adding insult to injury. Let us know how you get on.
+ 1.
I’d expect to leave all payments, points or otherwise, at the hotel I booked and to have it in writing that they have paid all room costs for all nights at any alternative (-and ideally higher standard) hotel I accepted. I’m not going to be ambushed at checkout by receiving a bill when the hotel that messed me around didn’t pay it.
I”d also expect at least 1 night comped or a very, very serious food & beverage offering to be complementary,additionally. I’d basically want 50% of the cost of my whole stay back.
After all, the hotel is only doing this because they’re making a *lot* more money cancelling your room and selling it to someone else. And I wouldn’t mince my words in any conversation with hotel management about these things either.
And regardless, keep sharing the name of this tacky hotel that did this to you, on the internet. You won’t be a one-off they’ve done this to. Don’t hesitate to mention it locally to people you meet or the local tourist office if you meet them, either. So that others will be aware and perhaps won’t book even at times when the hotel needs the business.
After that, get what you can out of Marriott otherwise loyalty means nothing and they’re not delivering anything for it.
I was just waiting for you to come along, @LL!
As @LL says one night comp as a minimum for the hassle. I got that at every hotel that tired this on me. Plus the room at the new hotel shouldn’t cost more than the original one no matter how you paid. So how much 21k Bonvoy points is worth to you is your rate at the new hotel!
You chance of getting any more than tough luck as a response in South Africa are small. Concentrate your efforts on the UK HQ.
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