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Can relatives check in early w/o Guest Certificate?

A

Aviator621

TUG Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2006
Messages
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Location
Woodbridge, VA
We have an upcoming exchange in a 3 bedroom at Grande Vista for Thanksgiving. Our parents are joining us there for the holiday, but due to schedules will be arriving before us. I though it would be a simple matter of arranging for them to check in early, but both the resort and II say it will require a $59 guest certificate. This surprised (and annoyed) me, but wanted to see--anyone else have to deal with this? Any alternative to recommend to avoid having to pay for the GC? Thanks for the help.
 
No - you have to pay for a guest certificate - that is the standard procedure.
 
Denise, most times contacting a Marriott resort in advance of an exchange check-in, explaining that you'll be one of the guests in the unit but arriving later on the check-in day than the others, works so that you don't have to purchase a GC. It's not a violation of II's terms to not obtain a GC for such stays, not in the way that not obtaining a GC for stays which are gifted to other guests would be.

Aviator, if you and your guests are all getting there on the same day I'm surprised that the resort and II are being as strict as they are about this. I'd try one more call to the resort GM and if s/he agrees to allow your guests access before you get there, ask for an email confirming it. Your only other option is to have your guests wait for you to get there before checking in.

If you're getting there on a different day then II and the resort may be more strict and require the GC but really I think that's more the exception than the norm.
 
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Thanks, Sue - Sorry, I pulled up "new," posts and didn't notice it was on the Marriott forum.
 
You can also contact Owner Services or online (via chat with rep) on the vacation club website and add their names as "additional guest". I have done that and they were able to checkin without a problem.
 
rcgrogan said:
You can also contact Owner Services or online (via chat with rep) on the vacation club website and add their names as "additional guest". I have done that and they were able to checkin without a problem.
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I would expect Owner Services to know that the confirmation is generated by II as an exchange and thus, be hesitant due to II's rules about GC's. (What you're asking for is essentially the same process an Owner uses to add a guest name on an owner stay that's not an exchange, allowed with no charge when an Owner gifts a stay to others.) That's why on an II exchange I'd deal directly with the resort GM to explain that I as the II Member will be staying in the unit as well, and request that the GM note it and send an email okaying it.
 
You are right Sue...I misread that it was an II ressie
 
Thanks all for the input. I suspect part of the reason they are getting more strict on this is they are using it as a mechanism to 'up-sell' to II Platinum Membership. When talking to the II rep, as soon as 'guest certificate' came out of her mouth, she immediately stated listing all the benefits of platinum including unlimited free guest certificates. Currently looking that over to see if it has any value for us, but will also act on your suggestions--thanks again.
 
Aviator621 said:
We have an upcoming exchange in a 3 bedroom at Grande Vista for Thanksgiving. Our parents are joining us there for the holiday, but due to schedules will be arriving before us. I though it would be a simple matter of arranging for them to check in early, but both the resort and II say it will require a $59 guest certificate. This surprised (and annoyed) me, but wanted to see--anyone else have to deal with this? Any alternative to recommend to avoid having to pay for the GC? Thanks for the help.
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We've had family check in before us without a GC a number of times at MGC. As long as you call ahead and let them know, it has not been an issue for us.
 
I have done it twice. :ignore:
 
Might it be because it is a holiday week? I've heard that various resorts (not necessarily Marriott) are more strict with holiday weeks.

Fern
 
What is to stop someone from just calling to say they have friends or relatives checking in early and then not showing up at all as another way to circumvent the $59 guest certificate fee?

If the guests are arriving the same day, I would think that they could just check their bags with the front desk and hang out at the pool. I usually don't like my guests arriving before us. I want to be there when we check in so we can put down our credit card for deposit and also get our choice of which room in the villa we sleep in.
 
dioxide45 said:
What is to stop someone from just calling to say they have friends or relatives checking in early and then not showing up at all as another way to circumvent the $59 guest certificate fee?
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This is the real problem. And my guess is many folks would do this, and actually do this to the extent they can. Not something I can condone.

OTH, when we meet family at resorts, we often arrive at very different times, and appreciate it when the early arrivers can get in the unit to relax after their travels. It's too bad there isn't a procedure where this could happen, but I realize it would be very difficult to effect reliably, and get II their fee if the exchanger never showed.
 
dioxide45 said:
What is to stop someone from just calling to say they have friends or relatives checking in early and then not showing up at all as another way to circumvent the $59 guest certificate fee?

If the guests are arriving the same day, I would think that they could just check their bags with the front desk and hang out at the pool. I usually don't like my guests arriving before us. I want to be there when we check in so we can put down our credit card for deposit and also get our choice of which room in the villa we sleep in.
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I agree. I bought a gc so that my brother could check into my unit earlier. This was at a Marriott on Kauai also. I appreciate that the resort would do this but it never crossed my mind to even ask as there could be potential for abuse. That is why I thought the guest certificates were needed in the first place.
 
frank808 said:
I agree. I bought a gc so that my brother could check into my unit earlier. This was at a Marriott on Kauai also. I appreciate that the resort would do this but it never crossed my mind to even ask as there could be potential for abuse. That is why I thought the guest certificates were needed in the first place.
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II's rules say that a GC is required when the II Member won't be staying in the same unit as his/her guests; technically you should not have to purchase a GC when you arrive later than your guests. We shouldn't be held accountable due to the II/MVW systems not being in sync such that the fee can't be later collected in the event the II Member is running a scam and never arrives.

I have no problem paying for GC's on II exchanges/Getaways when we put guests (including our adult kids and other family members) in units in which we won't be staying - we do that on a routine basis. Despite knowing that the systems allow the scam, I do have a problem with II collecting a GC fee contrary to their published rules when we're staying in the same unit but arriving later. At the least I would expect a GM to give my guests permission to use the facilities and store their luggage while they wait for me to arrive onsite, but I would prefer that they be allowed access to the unit.

I can't imagine this happens often enough for it to be a big problem. Why can't the resort require the II Member to let the front desk know s/he's arrived after the guests are checked in? And if the II Member doesn't show up during the stay, a simple telephone call or data entry from the resort to II can trigger an additional payment using the credit card info on file in the II Member's account?
 
Aviator621 said:
We have an upcoming exchange in a 3 bedroom at Grande Vista for Thanksgiving. Our parents are joining us there for the holiday, but due to schedules will be arriving before us. I though it would be a simple matter of arranging for them to check in early, but both the resort and II say it will require a $59 guest certificate. This surprised (and annoyed) me, but wanted to see--anyone else have to deal with this? Any alternative to recommend to avoid having to pay for the GC? Thanks for the help.
Click to expand...

This must be a new policy. Marriott doesn't really care what II's policy is. We did this recently (June) in Kauai with no problem. My father arrived 8 hours before me and checked in with no problem. I just informed the front desk. Try another front desk employee and report back because we want to know if they had changed procedures and policy at a Marriott.
 
SkyBlueWaters said:
This must be a new policy. Marriott doesn't really care what II's policy is. We did this recently (June) in Kauai with no problem. My father arrived 8 hours before me and checked in with no problem. I just informed the front desk. Try another front desk employee and report back because we want to know if they had changed procedures and policy at a Marriott.
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I don't think it is a Marriott policy. Much is based on the property and the GM. I believe Newport Coast Villas has gotten more strict with having a guest certificate but other properties don't care. A lot does also depend on the individual rep you deal with.
 
Have an update. First, side detail to the story: reason my parents wanted to check in early is they are currently staying a week at Harbour Lake before moving over to spend the week with us at Grande Vista. So of course they want to go ahead and move items to the new refrigerator in a straight shot. Well, for the update, my Dad (who also happens to own at Grand Vista) went over today in person to talk to the GM about trying to get an exception to the policy. They didn't budge, saying it is a contractual requirement with II now and they are not allowed to change it. They did at least agree to refrigerate the items until we arrive to check in. So at least there that.
 
Aviator621 said:
Have an update. First, side detail to the story: reason my parents wanted to check in early is they are currently staying a week at Harbour Lake before moving over to spend the week with us at Grande Vista. So of course they want to go ahead and move items to the new refrigerator in a straight shot. Well, for the update, my Dad (who also happens to own at Grand Vista) went over today in person to talk to the GM about trying to get an exception to the policy. They didn't budge, saying it is a contractual requirement with II now and they are not allowed to change it. They did at least agree to refrigerate the items until we arrive to check in. So at least there that.
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If not totally surprising, this is very disappointing to hear.
I guess I can understand that sometimes perhaps some owners might just say they are staying on an exchange week but arriving after their relatives... with no actual intention of turning up.
I imagine this is very much the exception though and should be easily manageable by the resort to clamp down on.
I would be interested to know how this would affect our son or daughter arriving before us, as they are named on our deeds (albeit not as the Primary or Secondary named owners)?
 
bazzap said:
If not totally surprising, this is very disappointing to hear.
I guess I can understand that sometimes perhaps some owners might just say they are staying on an exchange week but arriving after their relatives... with no actual intention of turning up.
I imagine this is very much the exception though and should be easily manageable by the resort to clamp down on.
I would be interested to know how this would affect our son or daughter arriving before us, as they are named on our deeds (albeit not as the Primary or Secondary named owners)?
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When you make an exchange, there is a section on the exchange certificate that indicates "No guest certificate required, when occupied by any of the following people:˜" If your children are listed in that section, they should be fine as long as they take the exchange certificate with them. They may or may not be listed on the reservation. Not sure how many owners II lists in their system. I know that section of the exchange certificate lists my wife's name when the main name on the certificate is mine.
 
Although I understand why a GC is required when owner is not staying in the resort, I think it is unreasonable to require one when someone else is checking in earlier than the owner. If MVC resorts start requiring GC's for this type of situation in the future, I will avoid II exchanges for these types of situations.

I have had no problem in the past for having other family members checking in prior to us as long as we were staying there. I don't believe the GV GM's interpretation of the II policy, and think this may be just an unreasonable GM.
 
Superchief said:
Although I understand why a GC is required when owner is not staying in the resort, I think it is unreasonable to require one when someone else is checking in earlier than the owner. If MVC resorts start requiring GC's for this type of situation in the future, I will avoid II exchanges for these types of situations.

I have had no problem in the past for having other family members checking in prior to us as long as we were staying there. I don't believe the GV GM's interpretation of the II policy, and think this may be just an unreasonable GM.
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I suppose it is hard for the GM to know. They don't want to violate their agreement with II. How does the GM know that the owner is going to show up later. After allowing the guest to checkin, they really have no way of enforcing the GC rule unless the evict the guest, something they don't really want to do. The GM is caught between a rock and a hard place.
 
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