I participated in the recent Bonvoy Plat status challenge (15 nts / 90 days to retain til Feb 2022) and on a recent trip to Melbourne stayed at two different properties to get a feel for my options. These were nights #14 and #15 to meet the challenge requirements so I guess I'll have to try a few more properties in 2021
Status: Platinum
Property: Westin Melbourne
Date: 5/12/2020
Booked: Westin Standard
Price Paid: $257
Received: Westin Deluxe (~$350)
A few days prior I noticed my booking had been bumped up two categories to a Deluxe. Checked in with the Bonvoy app on the morning of the stay with an arrival time 11am and check-out for 4pm. Shortly after a notification arrived that my room key was waiting at the front desk, but I then saw the category had been bumped down one category to a City room. At the front desk I mentioned that the category had been jumping around on the app. He apologised and re-upgraded to a Deluxe.
Room itself was great, bed very comfortable and huge bathroom with separate bath/shower and double basins. The only let down was the TV which was rather old, laggy, and low res. I tried plugging my laptop into the HDMI input by the work desk to watch something on Netflix, but the port only carried video (no audio) which made it unusable. It wasn't possible to switch source to the HDMI port on the TV itself.
No special status perks except a couple of drink vouchers for the Lobby Lounge (used on takeaway coffees in the morning which were passable), and the choice of 1000 points or an a la carte breakfast also at the Lobby Lounge. I took the points so can't comment on breakfast.
Status: Platinum
Property: Marriott Melbourne
Date: 6/12/2020
Booked: Grand Deluxe Guest Room, Top floor
Price Paid: $238
Received: tl;dr, 1 Bedroom Suite, City view (~$303)
The day prior to arrival I contacted the property using the Bonvoy app 'Chat with Us' function to confirm whether the Exec Lounge had reopened (it hadn't) and ask about the possibility of an upgrade. The response was a promising "we will certainly upgrade you at check in".
Fast forward to the check-in desk - the clerk makes no mention of status and hands over a paper to sign which showed the allocated room the same as booked. I queried whether an upgrade would be available and was met with a dismissive "we've already upgraded you to one of our top floor rooms". After showing the booking confirmation email, the response was "the booking is coded in our reservation system as a Premier room", and there were no higher category rooms available. There were five higher categories available for sale on marriott.com, but the clerk was adamant that those rooms on marriott.com were actually not available for guests to stay in (and then frustratingly mentioned again that I had already been upgraded, which I hadn't). They could not explain the discussion I'd had with the property via chat the day prior.
This interaction really took me by surprise and the clerk's lack of understanding/empathy was a little frustrating. I accepted there were no point arguing further but asked for the GM's email address so I could share the experience. At this point, the manager on duty popped out from a room and was immediately very apologetic. He explained no higher category rooms were available because the majority of floors were closed off due to low occupancy. He also said it was out of his hands, but altering inventory on marriott.com is particularly hard so they had left it all showing as bookable. Apparently this misunderstanding had arisen with a few Platinum/Titanium guests in recent weeks since the lockdown lifted - I wasn't the first.
I appreciated his honestly and completely understood that it wasn't viable for a hotel with low occ to keep all its floors open, but also explained the customer experience had been far from ideal and I would have appreciated the honesty from the beginning.
About 30 minutes after reaching the room (as booked) I received a call from the same manager on duty. He'd relayed my comments to the GM and been given permission to open up another floor and that a room key for a 1 Bedroom Suite would be available from reception in about an hour after housekeeping had given it a once over.
The rest of the stay was fairly good. A noticeable step down from the Westin in terms of room comfort, but not terrible. In lieu of the exec lounge the property is offering an "executive menu" which can be ordered for free via room service.
