# How Strict is Marriott with Occupancy Numbers



## Pinko Chariot (Apr 25, 2013)

If I were to own a 2BR with lockoff that is listed as 4PAX in the 1BR and 2PAX in the Studio (6 total) could I get away with staying in the 1BR with my family of 5 (Two adults and three small children) or is Marriott very strict with those numbers?


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## BJRSanDiego (Apr 25, 2013)

*The practical side of this*



Pinko Chariot said:


> If I were to own a 2BR with lockoff that is listed as 4PAX in the 1BR and 2PAX in the Studio (6 total) could I get away with staying in the 1BR with my family of 5 (Two adults and three small children) or is Marriott very strict with those numbers?




My recommendation:
1.  Don't ask Marriott (remember the line:  "if you can't accept the answer, don't ask the question...")  
2.  Have your wife and kids wait in the car while you check in.   
3.  Ask for a bottom floor unit.  That way, when your kids are running around the unit and stomping their feet, the crabby old people upstairs won't hear them and won't call security.  

If you were 5 adults, I'd tell you to not "chinze out" and just reserve a 2 BR unit.  But with 3 small kids, your question makes more sense and you'll probably be fine.  I'm assuming that your children are well behaved.  Also, I'm assuming that the ages and sexes of your kids are such that they can all fit on the fold-out sleeper couch.


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## vacationhopeful (Apr 25, 2013)

Let me make sure how you want to handle this situation:

There is a FIRE. The firemen come and expect 4 persons in your 1bdr unit. Should they take out the 4 smallest and lightest persons. Should 1 fireman try to find and carry out 2 persons? What if they just take out the first 4 persons they find and leave the 5th person behind?

Suggest you find a 1bdr unit which has a occupancy of 5 or more. Realize that 3rd child should not be sleeping on the floor nor will there be a plate or silverware for them to eat with. Or a pillow to sleep on. Or a towel for them to dry off with. Or are you really great parents, who will do without?

By the way, I just love how some parents refer to "small" children --- some parents believe it is anyone who they can still write off on their income taxes.


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## dougp26364 (Apr 25, 2013)

Honestly, I don't think they are very strict about this. I have never seen them doing head counts at check in. The only time I've ever seen them confront anyone is when a rather air-headed couple was parading around the resort with a small cutesy little dog. They were very dissapointed when told that pets were not allowed at the resort. But that's the only time I've ever seen or heard of anyone being confronted.

The reality is we've never "over occupied" a unit so I can't answer with any certainty. Since being on TUG I can tell you I've never seen it brought up that anyone has ever been asked to leave because there were to many children in the unit. I've seen smoking issues and noise issues but not occupancy issues. If it were me, I don't think I'd really be worried about it.


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## winnipiseogee (Apr 25, 2013)

I wouldn't worry about it at all. When we recently stayed at the HGVC in Orlando there were about a dozen college kids staying the the 2 bdrm suite down the hall from us.  Despite the police showing up one night HGVC never did anything about the over-occupancy.

Also, as an EMS provider its pretty rare that we leave kids in a fire just because they exceeded the occupancy numbers.  After all how many people try and fit a family of 5 into a traditional hotel room??


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## tschwa2 (Apr 25, 2013)

There may be a few resorts during peak season (some of the HH during summer) that require bracelets to use the pools, etc. If this were the case it may be a problem.


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## NJMOM2 (Apr 25, 2013)

tschwa2 said:


> There may be a few resorts during peak season (some of the HH during summer) that require bracelets to use the pools, etc. If this were the case it may be a problem.



...or not.  We were in Hilton Head during the summer with three families at three differ locations.  Our friends at Grande Ocean was able to get bracelets for everyone by just asking at the front desk.  There was a total of total of 13 of us.  I don't even know if he needed to say why he needed them.  Guests for the day, lost originals?


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## m61376 (Apr 25, 2013)

I know many people who shared a hotel room with 3 little ones (and sometimes with 3 not so little ones) over the years. Certainly you'll all be more comfortable in a 1 BR, and I've never seen Marriott check. They ask for guest names at check-in for those guests having card signing privileges, but other than that in my experience don't know how many guests are in each villa. 

I don't think most resorts have rollaways, though, although cribs are available if your youngest is still in one. An inflatable air mattress may be a handy option to consider. You can always get extra linens and pillows.


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## hipslo (Apr 25, 2013)

Its never been an issue for us.

I also sometimes drive over 55.


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## SMHarman (Apr 25, 2013)

Pinko Chariot said:


> If I were to own a 2BR with lockoff that is listed as 4PAX in the 1BR and 2PAX in the Studio (6 total) could I get away with staying in the 1BR with my family of 5 (Two adults and three small children) or is Marriott very strict with those numbers?


With small children they often allow a cot / roll away bed to be placed in the unit for  $/day fee so that would clearly indicate 5.  Does the Marriott hotel website for this property indicate such a thing is feasible?


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## csxjohn (Apr 25, 2013)

vacationhopeful said:


> ...There is a FIRE. The firemen come and expect 4 persons in your 1bdr unit. Should they take out the 4 smallest and lightest persons. Should 1 fireman try to find and carry out 2 persons? What if they just take out the first 4 persons they find and leave the 5th person behind?
> 
> ....





winnipiseogee said:


> ...Also, as an EMS provider its pretty rare that we leave kids in a fire just because they exceeded the occupancy numbers.  After all how many people try and fit a family of 5 into a traditional hotel room??



When I was reading post #3, I was picturing the firemen going to the front desk to see how many people they should expect to find in each unit before starting to rescue people.

And just how rare is it that some get left behind due to over occupancy?:hysterical:


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## Saintsfanfl (Apr 25, 2013)

For your situation there will be zero enforcement. The max occupancy is actually just the sleeping capacity of the beds. Cribs can almost always be provided and in many cases a rollaway bed if space permits. This increases the sleeping capacity. Or, a child can join in the king bed or sleep on the floor. 

I have never once been asked by Marriott how many people are staying in my room. Another resort I own at has extremely strict limits and has been known to routinely file an eviction midweek.


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## BocaBum99 (Apr 25, 2013)

vacationhopeful said:


> Let me make sure how you want to handle this situation:
> 
> There is a FIRE. The firemen come and expect 4 persons in your 1bdr unit. Should they take out the 4 smallest and lightest persons. Should 1 fireman try to find and carry out 2 persons? What if they just take out the first 4 persons they find and leave the 5th person behind?
> 
> ...



I don't think that fireman double check occupancy levels of units when they rescue people.  If they did, the opposite would also be true which is that if a unit has an occupancy level of 4 and they only find 3, then they will keep looking for the fourth even if they don't exist.

the alternative is much worse which is to get 2 separate units and split the family.  I have done that.  You can easily lose track of who is in which room especially since they go between units to play with each other.


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## BocaBum99 (Apr 25, 2013)

Resorts don't have the time to police unit occupancy.  In reality, occupancy level only effects 3 things.

1) how many people can sleep on beds/sleeper sofas.
2) wrist bands for the pool or lazy river
3) noise level in the unit

The way that resorts catch people is the same way that RCI and II catch rentals of exchangers.  Your fellow timeshare owners will turn you in.   So, if you don't make a lot of noise, your neighbors are more likely to leave you alone.

The other place they usually catch you is at check in.  If you have a unit that sleeps 4 and you try to register 5, then the front desk needs to do something.

I once booked a 2br unit in a city thinking that it would have a max occupancy of 6.  It didn't.  It was only 4.  I tried to register my 5 family members and the front desk asked me to get a hotel room.  I told them okay, but after we get our stuff in the unit.  Then, I decided to wait until the next day.  Nobody even asked me again, so I didn't rent a hotel unit.

Even the wrist band issue is not a big one.  It is very easy to get replacement wrist bands.


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## Passepartout (Apr 25, 2013)

I agree that the chances of being booted out would be pretty slim, but IF it DID happen, is the OP prepared to get a nearby hotel room for the overflow? That would make it a _memorable_ vacation to be sure.

Don't check in with the family en-mass.

Jim


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## Saintsfanfl (Apr 25, 2013)

I think the chances of being booted are zero with the extra person being a small child. Marriott does not do that type of thing.


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## SMHarman (Apr 25, 2013)

Just picking a random VO resort on marriott.com
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/fact-sheet/travel/mcogv-marriotts-grande-vista/
Guest room information mentions crib.
So, that would mean the room can take 4 adults (in the bed and sofa bed) plus a crib bed.  
3 small children indicates one would fit in a crib.  Or else they OP could take something like this for the littlest
http://www.amazon.com/The-Shrunks-S...id=1366901650&sr=8-4&keywords=inflatable+crib
or this if they are a toddler
http://www.amazon.com/The-Shrunks-Tuckaire-Toddler-Inflatable/dp/B001EQ66WK/ref=pd_bxgy_ba_text_y
there is a great tote bag for it so littlest toddler can take it as their carry on.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Shrunks-Wheeled-Travel-Bag/dp/B002IVTPKU/ref=pd_sim_ba_3
My 2.75yr old DD loves this when she/we travel.


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## VegasBella (Apr 25, 2013)

Occupancy is generally determine by the fire code, not the number of beds, not the noise. The issue is that if there were an emergency and everyone needed to escape, there's room for everyone to get out. Consider the occupancy limit of a concert venue. That limit is set because it's been determined that a number at or below it would be able to escape the room if there were an emergency. In the case of a hotel, there are room limits, floor limits, and limits for the entire building. Cramming in extra bodies into a room might not be too risky in off season but in season when all rooms are full, it's risky.

Here is an article about it: http://sixsuitcasetravel.com/blog/2...cods-occupancy-limits-hurt-big-family-travel/


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## Pinko Chariot (Apr 25, 2013)

Thanks for your thoughts.  I have a 2BR unit and three small girls.  We've thought at least for a couple more years the 1BR portion is plenty large enough for us.  With the lockout we could split it and have plenty of room in the 1BR, but haven't done that for fear they would have a problem with occupancy rules.   Our little girls all like to be in the same place anyway.


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## LUVourMarriotts (Apr 29, 2013)

When checking into Aruba Surf Club a few years ago, a guy asked for 12 bracelets.  The front desk person quickly denied and started in that the room allows 8, and he would be fined if they found he had more.  The guy then said the rest of his family is staying at the Ocean Club, showed the reservation, and they gave the 12.  But it seemed to be a pretty significant issue to the front desk person.


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## csxjohn (Apr 29, 2013)

I have been to resorts that offer cribs for infants but I have been reminded that the infant counts as a person in the room count. So at this resort six means six including infants.

Did they check to see if we were over the limit?  Not that I could tell but we were under the limit anyhow.


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## rrazzorr (Apr 29, 2013)

vacationhopeful said:


> Let me make sure how you want to handle this situation:
> 
> There is a FIRE. The firemen come and expect 4 persons in your 1bdr unit. Should they take out the 4 smallest and lightest persons. Should 1 fireman try to find and carry out 2 persons? What if they just take out the first 4 persons they find and leave the 5th person behind?
> 
> ...



Jeez, this is rather harsh and unwelcoming comment.

The FIRE analogy doesn't make sense either, I often stay in a two bedroom with just three people occupying, hoping the fireman does not start looking for another 5 people when fire breaks out.

Pretty bitter "income-tax" ending to the comment as well.

Reminds me of some unrelated comments few years back when savvy folks would bring in routers to create an in-room wi-fi, and others felt like someone was stealing their bandwidth.


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## dioxide45 (Apr 29, 2013)

LUVourMarriotts said:


> When checking into Aruba Surf Club a few years ago, a guy asked for 12 bracelets.  The front desk person quickly denied and started in that the room allows 8, and he would be fined if they found he had more.  The guy then said the rest of his family is staying at the Ocean Club, showed the reservation, and they gave the 12.  But it seemed to be a pretty significant issue to the front desk person.



Too funny. Holding the line with one policy, but blatantly willing to ignore another???


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