Hotels

Category Archives for Hotels.

Marriott Now Charges Up To 150,000 Points Per Night For Award Stays

by Gary Leff on March 25, 2023

Mar 25 2023

When Marriott launched the Bonvoy program in 2018 the most expensive redemption for any hotel was 60,000 points. Then they introduced ‘high and low season’ pricing and a new more expensive category 8, pushing up the most expensive reward to 100,000 points.

A year ago they abolished award charts altogether and promised only that price increases would be muted in the first year of the new system. Now that the first year has passed, gloves and constraints are off, and properties can cost up to 150,000 points per night.

The Lie Hotels Tell To Reduce Housekeeping Costs

by Gary Leff on March 24, 2023

Mar 24 2023

Early in the pandemic there was concern about people entering hotel rooms. If you were traveling you either weren’t concerned about Covid-19, or you wanted to isolate yourself as much as possible from others.

Hotels stick with the line that guests want choice in whether or not to have daily servicing of their room, so they ask guests to request it if they want it.

Marriott Hotel Threatened To Withhold Money From Server’s Check After CPAC Dine-And-Dash

by Gary Leff on March 16, 2023

Mar 16 2023

The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) was recently held at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, and one conference goer reported on TripAdvisor that they failed to pay a bar tab. Oops!

How they report the hotel handled it, though, is concerning.

Governor Ron DeSantis Will Revoke Hyatt Regency Miami’s Alcohol License

by Gary Leff on March 14, 2023

Mar 14 2023

Governor Ron DeSantis and his administration says they will revoke the alcohol license of the Hyatt Regency Miami over a “‘sexually explicit’ show with children” held on the premises.

Tipping Hotel Housekeeping Is A Bad Practice That You Should Do Anyway

by Gary Leff on March 11, 2023

Mar 11 2023

Hotels want guests to give tips to workers, so they can pay lower wages. The CEO of one hotel ownership group actually said the quiet part out loud.

In 2019 Hilton’s CEO said that even he didn’t tip housekeeping. But now hotels are pushing it, and we face a collective action problem. The practice pushes down housekeeper wages, but if an individual guest doesn’t do it that’s less money in a given housekeeper’s pocket on that given day.

Marriott Was Right To Host Odious Event Banned By CPAC, Calling For End To Jews, Praising Hitler

by Gary Leff on March 8, 2023

Mar 08 2023

In the fall former President Donald Trump had dinner with Kanye West and Nick Fuentes. Several Republicans denounced the meeting. The white supemacist views of Fuentes are so outside the mainstream of conservatism that he was denied a platform at the recent Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), so he set up his own meeting around the corner… at the Residence Inn by Marriott National Harbor.

Airbnb Bans Customers For Dating Someone With A Criminal Record

by Gary Leff on March 3, 2023

Mar 03 2023

Airbnb takes a Minority Report approach to pre-crime profiling, banning people from renting who they deem likely to engage in prohibited activities like house parties before they’ve done anything improper.

And, it turns out, they ban people who are associated with people ineligible to rent.

$50 Per Minute For Late Checkout And $2000 Per Extra Trash Bag, Airbnb’s Fees Can Be Insane

by Gary Leff on March 2, 2023

Mar 02 2023

I’ve seen horror story after horror story, from requiring guests to mow the lawn to losing a day of their long weekend having to wait for plumbers. But I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything quite like the listing from Corpus Christi, Texas that includes a charge of $50 per minute for late check-out and $50 per minute for early check-in (something usually offered free, if a unit is available). The property owner likes $50 charges, adding that much if guests wear shoes in the house. also

Hyatt Changing Award Prices, With U.S. Hotels, All-Inclusives And Luxury Properties Costing More Points

by Gary Leff on March 1, 2023

Mar 01 2023

Hyatt has announced its annual redemption category changes which will go into effect March 28 at 8 a.m. Central time. Overall 372 properties are changing category, with 214 going up and 158 going down.

Overall U.S. hotels are going up, while Europe and Asia should get less expensive. In general the best and most luxurious hotels are going up, even in regions where redemption categories are falling generally. And all-inclusives get more expensive.

Always Claim Up To $200 Compensation When You’re Denied Marriott Elite Benefits

by Gary Leff on February 25, 2023

Feb 25 2023

It can be a pain to ask for the benefits guarantee, and Marriott will often deny it in the first instance based on the hotel claiming to have been compliant when they obviously weren’t. But it’s worth claiming the money because – since Marriott doesn’t do enough to keep hotels delivering on program benefits – consistently having to pay out for their elite benefits misdeeds is what will keep properties in line.