Hilton is the first of the big hotel chains to make a move, and in a big way. They’ve announced changes to their elite status program and reservation flexibility that are very positive for customers. Is it enough for them to steal business from their competitors? We’re months away from having that answer.
Marriott
We Shouldn’t Need This: Marriott Adds Ability To See All Fees When You Search
Resort fees, facility fees, destination fees, urban fees and many more. Hotels across the globe charge these fees on top of room rates as a way to earn extra money per room while hoping to avoid customers noticing until after they book a room. As opposed to airline tickets, where they’ve been required for a number of years to show the full cost of a ticket, hotels are not currently bound by such legislation in the US. Marriott seems to be the first major hotel chain to offer a way […]
Marriott Furloughs Two-Thirds of Their Corporate Employees
The crisis surrounding the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread in ways that might have seemed unimaginable even weeks ago. Marriott just announced that they’re laying off thousands of corporate employees, two-thirds of the entire corporate team. It was just a few days earlier that Marriott started furloughing tens of thousands of workers around the world in hotels that were part of closures due to the drop in travel. Now, that appears to have expanded to their corporate office. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Marriott is furloughing approximately 2,600 […]
My Very Late 2019 Hotel Elite Status Recap And A Look At 2020
You might wonder why I’m bothering to write this post in late February. While I’ve always written this blog with you, the reader in mind, I do use this as a place to keep track of things. I like to look back and see if my travel ended up the way it did. I reviewed my airline elite status earlier this year, and now it’s time to take a look back at my 2019 hotel elite status achievements. As a business traveler, I value elite status. It provides me two […]
Perfect Last-Minute Booking And Two Credit Cards To Think About
We have your weekly travel news in 15 minutes or less! This week, Shawn Coomer is back in the co-pilot seat with host Ed Pizza. Shawn is the host of the Miles to Memories podcast. Up this week is the perfect last-minute flight booking, a hotel room that earns you lifetime status with just one weeklong stay and some crazy statistics about Marriott’s new loyalty program. We also discuss the new Norwegian Air credit card and the biggest sign-up bonus ever for the United Explorer Card. Links: Finally!! How […]
The Marriott Statistic I Just Can’t Wrap My Arms Around
There’s a statistic in Marriott’s quarterly earnings that I just can’t believe.
Amex Offers: Save Money In Vegas And At Marriott
A handful of really good Amex offers right now for MGM Resorts, Caesars Resorts and the complete portfolio of Marriott properties.
New Marriott Promotion Misses The Mark
Marriott’s new promotion comes down to whether you think they’ll have a big deal for you in the future. If you think they’re in a generous mood, Marriott might be worth looking at. If not, you should look elsewhere, at least beyond your second stay.
Marriott Finally Responded to My Data Breach Information Request
25 days after I submitted my request to Marriott to find out how much of my personal information was stolen during their massive data breach, I finally have an answer. Here’s what Marriott had to say: Dear Edward Pizzarello, We are in receipt of your inquiry regarding whether your personal data was involved in the recent Starwood Guest Reservation Database security incident. Based on the information you provided to us, we believe that your information was involved. Following our analysis, we believe that the following information about you was involved […]
Check To See If Your Personal Info Was Stolen In The Marriott Data Breach
Marriott now has a website where you can request if your info was stolen. They won’t tell you immediately whether you were affected. But, they might tell you someday.
