Marriott International Complaint - Rip-off ... charging for alleged smoking...charging an extra day on credit card - hotel stay

Posted by Principissa on 2007-12-04:

Sounds to me like you got caught smoking. So why are you upset that they charged you? They have signs on the front desk at check in stating the policy and also on a sign on the door and also on a small folded card on top of the TV. We just stayed at a Mariott when we went home in the beginning of October.

Posted by *Brenda* on 2007-12-04:

You checked in, went directly to sleep and then it took you two hours to clean until you were ready to check out? Yeah right!

Posted by jktshff1 on 2007-12-04:

Princi....it's also on the paper you sign when you register. It's usually one of the spots you initial.
There is also a no smoking sign on the door of the rooms..

Posted by Lidman on 2007-12-04:

GTOgo, I don't know but I have heard of this. I too stay at a lot of hotels and I always try to get a NON-smoking room but 9 out of ten times when you turn on the AC or heater 5 minutes later it smells like a smoking room, maybe I should charge them?

Either way I think it is against the law for them to do that or it should be. You might call your CC company and dispute the charges.

Posted by killerklown on 2007-12-04:

It's not against the law for them to enforce their stated policy.

Posted by Nohandle on 2007-12-04:

GTOgo, I'm a bit confused by this. You stated you were charged for alleged smoking, I gather in a non-smoking room, and spent two hours cleaning the room. Did you in fact smoke in a non-smoking room and realize later it was a non-smoking room and there would be a $250.00 charge for this? If you are alerting other members to be aware of a new Marriott policy, many will appreciate that. I personally have never heard of a photograph being made of a room, after a guest leaves, to prove alleged smoking.

Posted by Leela on 2007-12-04:

I'm with Nohandle. I'm confused, as well. Another question -- are you sure you checked out before noon? If it was even slightly after, I could see why you would be charged an extra day.

Posted by FoggyOne on 2007-12-05:

So you smoked in the room and got caught. On their website they state they are a non-smoking hotel and being a non-smoker I know how pervasive cigarette smoke can be and how it stinks up a room. You spent two hours cleaning up the room? Did you wash the curtains, bedspread, walls, carpet - everything that captures smoke and makes it miserable for the next guest?

If you checked out at noon, didn't you get a receipt with the time you checked out? I've been traveling for over 30 years too and I always get a receipt when I charge a room. I thinkk the manager means he has pictures of you checking out after noon, not that you were smoking in the room (which you say you were not charged for). You are mixing up the smoking and the check out time.

Posted by GTOgo on 2007-12-05:

The receipt at checkout states checkout time on the actual day we checked out. Also shows balance owed as for one day.
There were no signs on the door. We were not informed at check-in of their policy. Perhaps, as several people have stated, we should have left bleu cheese and onions and cheap perfume in the room.....that certainly would not have left any kind of odor!!!!!!

Posted by jktshff1 on 2007-12-05:

Perhaps you should have taken the time to read....it's people like you that give smokers a bad name.
This is copied directly from their web site
http://www.marriott.com/marriott.mi?page=smokefree#question7
Hotel Highlights
* This hotel is nonsmoking
7. What measures will Marriott take to enforce this policy?

This policy will be part of our Quality Assurance process. We are training our associates to respond. For example, housekeepers will be taught to look out for signs of smoking in the hotel. Guests will be reminded at the point of reservations and upon arrival that smoking is not allowed. Pre-arrival email notifications will also include a reference to the policy. There will be a significant room recovery fee for guests who do not comply in order to cover the extensive cost of restoring guest rooms to a smoke-free condition
Just like your post....you aren't listening to what people say, you're too busy trying to defend yourself.

Posted by justcuz3993 on 2007-12-05:

You smoked in a non smoking room.
You spent two hours cleaning (attempting to cover up the smell of smoke I presume?)
You are upset that you got charged for an extra day and claim to have been photographed which you state is illegal. No hotel is allowed to photograph guests in their room - the manager obviously meant they have you on video checking out after 12:00.
You don't have a valid complaint against Marriott.

Posted by GTOgo on 2007-12-05:

To justcuz, just to let you know, the manager of the Marriott has just refunded the 250.00 on our credit card. We did not check out late as you hint, and apparently our complaint was valid as the Augusta Marriott quickly corrected the error!!!
Kudos to the Augusta Marriott and their prompt response by the day manager!

Posted by Lidman on 2007-12-05:

Thank you GTOgo for the up date and by the way you're welcome.

Posted by jktshff1 on 2007-12-05:

thanks for letting us know.

Posted by Lidman on 2007-12-05:

Everybody run away DB will be here in 2 minutes!!!!

Posted by GTOgo on 2007-12-05:

Thanks to all who supported standing up for certain rights.
I couldn't read the website, as this was a last minute decision to stay in Augusta, and I was no where near my computer. I then would have been aware of their policy.

Posted by jenilynne1984 on 2008-10-30:

ALL Marriotts are 100% non-smoking now so pass that along. If the hotel employees suspect you are smoking, the only way to prove it is to literally see you or for them to get pictures. They are following their policy. People with health conditions stay at Marriotts because of the smoke-free policy...they shouldnt have to get sick because you can't read sir.

Posted by goatelite on 2009-05-18:

Not ALL MARROITTS are non-smoking just all the Marriott Hotels in USA & Canada and a few Hotels worldwide. ALLWAYS READ AND UNDERSTAND THE SMOKING POLICY AND CANCELATION POLICY at every Hotel you book online or over the phone.

Posted by isabellebull on 2009-11-25:

Yes they tend to sneek up charges on you. We had $30.00 for three days parking, Not a garage valet just a parking space close to a high end mall. The topper was the cockroaches that would greet me in the morning as they momentiously ran back under the fridge! Watch the small charges and see if you are getting a deal or not. I know that I am out $2.50 for bug spray and $30.00 for parking, which was right outside my door, Come on now!!

Posted by Tman on 2012-07-01:

I/ am a non smoker-was just hit w/a 250.00 room cleaning charge in a Best Western property. Charge was added after checkout. Called and said I am a non smoker-did not smoke in room. Now I read about smoke catching in drapes it was nearly 100 degrees when I was in motel-moved drapes away from a/c to get cool air to circulate---probably cause------motel doesn't want to hear about it----far as they are concerned I am guilty-----sounds like a scam to me!!!!