For several years, I’ve held elite status with the IHG One Rewards and Accor Live Limitless hotel loyalty programs. Overall, I’ve been happy with the benefits and have found that IHG hotels, in particular, do a very good job of looking after me as a Diamond Elite member.
Several airline loyalty programs offer frequent flyers the opportunity to get a status match with a partner hotel chain. For example, Virgin Australia Velocity Gold and Platinum members can leverage this to get an equivalent status membership with Hilton Honors or IHG One Rewards.
Similarly, United Airlines partners with Marriott Bonvoy. As part of this relationship, United MileagePlus members with Gold or higher status can get instant Marriott Bonvoy Gold status. I happen to hold Gold status with United, so took advantage of this status match last year and thought I would give Marriott’s loyalty program a try.
Since becoming a Marriott Gold member, I’ve stayed around 10 nights at six different Marriott-affiliated hotels. Compared to the treatment I receive at IHG and Accor hotels, I unfortunately have to say my experience as a Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite member has been underwhelming.
I experienced problems at all six of the Marriott Bonvoy participating hotels where I’ve stayed so far. All of those hotels were in different countries.
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The advertised benefits of Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
Marriott Bonvoy has five elite status tiers:
- Silver Elite (earned by staying 10 nights per year)
- Gold Elite (earned by staying 25 nights per year)
- Platinum Elite (earned by staying 50 nights per year)
- Titanium Elite (earned by staying 75 nights per year)
- Ambassador Elite (earned by staying 100+ nights and spending at least USD23,000 per year)
Gold Elite is only a mid-tier status level with Marriott Bonvoy, so I certainly don’t expect to be treated like royalty. Far from it.
But according to the Marriott website, Gold members are entitled to 2pm late checkout and a room upgrade. Both of these benefits are subject to availability, so not guaranteed. Fair enough.
My stays at Marriott Bonvoy hotels
I’ve generally found the quality of Marriott’s hotels to be fine. However, I found that Marriott’s IT just doesn’t work that well. My experience with trying to access the program benefits – even simple things like earning points – has been far from seamless.
Here’s a summary of the issues I encountered on each of my stays so far…
Stay 1: A Moxy hotel in Portugal
The hotel’s computer system was down and they had no record of my booking when I tried to check in. I was able to check in after showing a printout of my booking confirmation, but the hotel didn’t know I had Gold status and didn’t offer any benefits.
Stay 2: A SpringHill Suites hotel in the USA
My status was not recognised or any benefits received here either. But my main gripe was that the hotel attempted to overcharge me. It took 45 minutes before the reception staff agreed to honour the price that was advertised when I booked on Marriott’s website. I was made to feel like a nuisance for questioning the mysterious extra charges on my invoice, even though none of the staff could explain to me what the charges were for.
I also found that the room wasn’t cleaned properly and many of the power outlets in the room didn’t work.
Stay 3: A Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Mexico
Although I booked on the Marriott website and entered my Marriott Bonvoy number, the hotel had no record of my membership. No status benefits were offered and I didn’t receive the points for this stay. I only received the points after submitting a missing points claim and following up with Marriott Bonvoy several times.
Stay 4: A Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Canada
My status was recognised at this hotel and I was upgraded to a suite. This was a very pleasant surprise and was the only upgrade I received on all my stays.
Unfortunately, my flight was delayed and I arrived at the hotel very late. I had emailed and called the hotel to advise I would be late but was still coming. Despite this, they had already given my room away to someone else by the time I arrived to check in. Ultimately, they did find me another room but it took quite a while to resolve.
Stay 5: A Moxy hotel in Germany
The hotel had no record of my Marriott Bonvoy membership when I checked in – even though I had booked direct with Marriott and included these details on the booking.
I was able to add my membership number at check in and was offered a 2pm late checkout. At 1pm, two hotel staff members knocked on my door to ask why I hadn’t checked out yet. They said there was no information in my booking about a late checkout.
Stay 6: A Moxy hotel in Italy
Again, they had no record of my Marriott Bonvoy membership and I had to submit a missing points claim after this stay. (It seems I’m not the only person who’s had regular problems with Marriott stays not crediting…)
I was not offered an upgrade, even though lots of better rooms were available to book on the hotel’s website when I checked in.
The room was also filthy, which made all the marketing about how the hotel had “enhanced” its cleaning practices a bit jarring. This message was shown on the TV when I entered the room…
None of these are big problems, but they add up…
In isolation, none of the problems I’ve described are deal-breakers. Things happen and the main Gold Elite benefits are subject to availability, so they’re not guaranteed. That’s fine.
The point of this article is not to complain. Rather, I think there’s a lesson in this for any loyalty program. If your IT systems don’t work properly and members find the loyalty program difficult to do use, they will look for alternatives. The hotel loyalty landscape is hugely competitive and people have so many other options.
There are probably many Marriott hotels out there that treat their elite members very well. And I haven’t yet stayed at any Marriott hotels in Australia, so I can’t comment on our local options.
But when 50% of the hotels I stayed at didn’t even know I was a Marriott Bonvoy member – let alone provide any sort of elite status benefits – it does make me question why I should bother being loyal to the program. Loyalty is a two-way street.
I’ve stayed over 60 nights so far this year at IHG hotels. Without exception, I’ve been thanked for being an IHG One Rewards member when checking in. I haven’t had to claim missing points from a single stay and the status recognition and benefits have been seamless.
In general, I’ve also found that Marriott hotel brands are a bit more expensive than equivalent IHG and Accor hotels. So, not only do I get treated better, but I’ve found IHG and Accor to offer better value for money.
Summing up
I’m glad that I gave Marriott Bonvoy a try. It’s great to know what other options are out there. But I won’t bother to renew my Marriott status for another year.
That said, I will continue to use the Marriott Bonvoy program to earn or buy points that I can transfer to many different airline programs. That’s a great benefit of the program!
What’s your experience with Marriott Bonvoy?
Of course, this is just my personal experience. Everyone’s experiences will be different, and perhaps I just got unlucky with the hotels I stayed at.
How are you treated as a Marriott Bonvoy member? Let us know on the How does Marriott treat you as an elite? thread!
