Marriott Corporation and I have made peace

After a year of back-and-forth communication with Marriott regarding an incident at one of their hotels in the Boston area last summer, they have finally relented. It took a letter to J.W. Marriott, Jr. to get action. In my most recent correspondence I stated the facts plainly and re-stated my demands, which were very simple. My principal demand was a refund for the lodging costs during the stay that went awry. They sent me a check this week, and I now consider the matter closed. My boycott of Marriott facilities has ended.

You can see Marriott's on-target, well-worded response in the letter below.



My advice for anybody who has experienced a less-than-optimal experience with a large corporation is to attempt to speak with somebody high enough up the food chain as quickly as possible. In my case, somebody in Marriott Claims Services called me the same day I reported the problem, which was the week after the incident. He immediately took a defensive tact and refused to do anything to compensate me. My next letter was to the President of North American Lodging at Marriott. He simply deferred to Marriott Claims Services and I ended up back with the individual who originally said "no." I stewed for about a year before finally writing to that individual again and copying the CEO of the company. Ah... the machinery started working and I got what I wanted. Be persistent, but be reasonable.