Renovation work during stay

[can2]

We are about to set off to a Marriott beach property in May.
Recently, I’ve got an email that there is an ongoing renovation work in parts of the hotel, which comes with certain pool closures etc.
In all honesty, it “sounds” like it would not impact our stay, and the tripadvisor reviews seem to agree.
But it is still an inconvenience and dishonesty on their part for not revealing it when we booked it.

It is too late (and costly) to move to a different hotel for us, but I’d like to be offered a compensation.
What are our options? We responded to the hotel, no response.

[JDB]

@can2 – it seems unreasonable to be asking for compensation for something you don’t even know will affect you and you already acknowledge it probably won’t impact your stay.

You refer to “an inconvenience” before knowing what it is, so how could you quantify the compensation you seek? If, when you are on site, you discover there is something you weren’t told and which therefore doesn’t meet the expectation of the advertised facilities, then I’m sure an appropriate complaint as soon as you become aware will yield a suitable solution.

[TGLoyalty]

How far back did you book? If it was 1 year or 6 months then it’s likely the hotel didn’t know themselves.

Anyway completely agree with JDB what are you claiming for if there’s no impact to your stay? Please don’t go looking for reasons either just in the hope that they’ll compensate you because they don’t look favourably on that either.

[can2]

my prediction is based on how “they”
described the renovation work and noise.

What makes me distrust their description is that they carefully hid the renovation until very recently, and I booked in October.
I feel cornered as they notified us late when the prices for other properties spiked.

It’s cheeky and dishonest to say the least.

Very much of a disappointment.

[TGLoyalty]

Well it sounds like it doesn’t disrupt anyone’s stay as per the tripadvisor reviews and without the name of the property it’s hard for anyone to give their opinion or experience either.

Where is it? Looked on flyertalk?

Was the work already ongoing in October or recently started? What makes you think they were dishonest in October?

[Lady London]

I think it sounds like a risk. I think my response would be to ask if it’s possible for the hotel to suggest a similar hotel very nearby that they could propose to move your reservation to. As you have just received this news in the month before your stay.

..You are concerned about the impact of building works on your stay. You are sure the hotel would understand, given the season, that it would be difficult for you to cancel and find an equivalent stay in this location at similar cost at this timing and rather short time ahead, without the assistance of the hotel..What can they propose?

Gut feeling they’re primarily telling you now and late, to cover themselves. It’s always unpredictable til you get there and see which room you have and take a look, how it will affect you but I’d sound a note of caution and feed back to the hotel as above asap. That means you stuck your flag in the sand, and it will be useful to see what they will say in response.

I will be delighted if I am wrong after your stay but there are too many horror stories.

[Lady London]

PS You could do.a first round of asking them for more details about the works but actually I think.my tack would be that you are concerned due to a previous experience or your policy generally not to stay in hotels with building works on or near site, or something. The less you know about the less they can say you knew about and accepted?

[TGLoyalty]

“I will be delighted if I am wrong after your stay but there are too many horror stories.“

Don’t know what makes you think that when OP said themselves there aren’t and you don’t know the extent or the stage of the works.

Hilton Bankside has been having works for over a year I don’t see many horror stories about it.

As I said first and foremost I’d name the hotel and check flyertalk. Might even give some tips on approach but at the moment this is all just a stab in the dark

[The Savage Squirrel]

Unless you can furnish more details I’d have to side with JDB here. You’ve already decided you want compensating when you have suffered no loss or inconvenience and before the hotel has even been given the opportunity by you to show they have mitigated any issues or to offer you a decent experience – despite all indications from others being that this is exactly what they are doing?

Above a certain size, hotels are in a Forth Bridge state of perpetual renovation/maintenance by definition. For example, the only swimming pool being closed in a resort hotel throughout your stay would be an issue that would need redress. Asking for compo because one of the six swimming pools (and not even the one nearest you) was closed on the other hand…

[Lady London]

I can’t wait to see the outcome of this.

@can2 is not a compensation hound so I’m sure we’ll get the true story after the stay 🙂

[can2]

Thank you all.
It is one of the Elegant Hotels of Marriott in Barbados.

1. First, I am really not a “compensation hound” [thanks @LadyLondon].
Otherwise I wouldn’t write here.
It was just a summer beach trip I was very much looking forward to for months. It turned out that past Christmas and Easter, we did not have a sun break, so I was stuck in gloomy weather for a little too long.

2. There is not much info on FlyerTalk, and TripAdvisor is filled with 5-star reviews. I never rely on TripAdvisor, from experience.

3. And yes, it is a risk, and I’ve had many situations like that in the past, that’s why I am a bit cautious.
And there is not much I have to say as that is all I know from their message.
For example, I don’t know yet which pool is closed: adults or family. Logic dictates it must be the adults pool, but you never know. And we’ll be there as a family. So, there is some potential risk if they are completely clueless.

So, I guess, you guys may be right, maybe I am being too pessimistic without actually seeing what is going on there.
For us it looks like the best Marriott property in the island, so I would not prefer to move to another Elegant Hotel.

I guess we’ll wait and see. Fingers crossed!

[TGLoyalty]

I still find it strange you won’t just name the property but I think you’re going to struggle to get moved before the fact and if it’s after arrival you may find yourself at one of the more down trodden Elegant properties so it is a risk.

Not sure it was hidden until your recent email 📧 as a quick google brings up

https://www.marriott.com/en-us/marriott-brands/portfolio/Elegant_Renovations.mi#:~:text=Crystal%20Cove%20and%20Turtle%20Beach,their%20renovations%20in%20early%202025. From Dec 23.

and

https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/01/05/marriott-treasure-house-elegant-hotels-barbados/ by this very site in January.

[can2]

Thank you, I completely forgot about the HfP article, where I even had asked the very question in the comments!!

Thank you @TGLoyalty

And yes, it is Waves.