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Review: San Francisco Marriott Marquis
Room Type
Two Bay Suite
Elite Status
Marriott Titanium
Date
October 2021
Rating
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8 Comments
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I’m here now. It’s below the quality of the W in my opinion. What do I value? Responsive service and big windows. The W is exponentially better in those regards. Most of the hotels around union square from Marriott are better.
Clancy
JW – older but better
The aforementioned W. My confirmed favorite hotel in downtown sf.
The marquis has treated me like an ant since I’ve booked. I’m titanium. I used suite nights. I did not get your treatment and their same suite and it’s cousins were available.
I’m leaving in the morning and finding a great experience at the at Regis because I’ve already wasted enough time going for great here. I’m not looking to spend special times in a reskinned convention center hotel.
Thanks for this read, I’m booking there next week based on your recommendation.
I’ve visited SF so many times over the decades I’ve lost count. I’ve stayed in half a dozen Marriotts there but none more than once, except the Marquis. Unless rates are hugely prohibitive (conventions, etc.) I’ll always stay there. Two main reasons, convenient location, and the Executive Lounge. Up until closing the lounge had many of the same staff for years and they remembered me on each visit. Once safe, reasonably convenient travel resumes I’ll certainly visit again but not until the lounge re-opens.
I could recommend the W just down the street for a great price, generally, just don’t park there!
I couldn’t agree with you more. I haven’t seen any reports of spectacular stays in SF and I’ve done much research so consistency and convenience win the day for me at the Marriott Marquis.
Yeah I can definitely agree. I’ve stayed at the W before, while I found it ok, I don’t know why it’s a Category 7 when cash rate occasionally goes below $180 per night. Maybe the upcoming dynamic pricing will fix that?
I do get that not being offered the choice benefit means a $100 compensation. This has happened to me a few times during my travels but I have never bothered to pursue it. Sure, I could do with $100 like anyone could. But the way I look at it, the check-in person that forgot, who is likely an entry level employee, or is working their first job from their hospitality college program, will likely be written up. And that’s at the very least. For me, it’s not worth doing that to someone who is just trying to make a living. Hey, I’m not judging, to each their own. I’ve pursued compensation when hotel stays have gone bad, because I paid good money for their service. But I’ll let some forgetfulness at check-in slide.
Steve, I can certainly understand your perspective but consider the perspective of someone that has used thousands of their hard-earned dollars to earn status with Marriott. Once you get to that status, you expect a certain level of service and consistency, and rightfully so. When you don’t get that service often you are left with no recourse except to grumble to your friends and the internet.
When that happens, the Marriott brand suffers irreparable damage to the brand and potentially loses travellers that are making a decision on which brand to choose to give their loyalty.
By offering the $100 Guaranteed Benefit, Marriott is making an effort to stem those possibilities and give assurances to existing members that they can and will receive consistent service, especially if they’ve made an effort to join the highest ranks of their loyalty program.
Sure, the rep will likely get spoken to and may get written up but I never go anywhere to check-in except the Elite desk. Those manning that desk should be very well trained and senior members of the staff and should know better.
Much like there’s not a lot of mercy shown when you eat a bag of cashews at the minibar, not realizing they are $15, I don’t feel it’s my responsibility to let things slide for a hotel if they can’t live up to the guarantees they advertise on (https://www.marriott.com/loyalty/member-benefits/guarantee.mi). Now, have I been owed $100 because of the lack of choice in the past and let it slide? Yes, but that was because the front desk staff were extremely nice to my daughter on her birthday and I decided not to pursue the matter.
I also believe that if the action isn’t corrected, future elite members will get subpar service when they check-in. For me, a $100 lesson learned for the hotel is much cheaper than losing elite members.
I’m not out to submarine some poor check-in agent’s career, but just like if you claim a free or discounted item based on the Scanning Code of Practice, you aren’t trying to sabotage some stockboy’s career – you’re just trying to rightfully claim against a commitment the store made.
This is of course my opinion, and you are justified in yours. I just wanted to give you some context so you understand my point of view.