problems with Marriott Gift cards?

[suenmike32]

Has any one had a problem utilizing the cards?
The first time I tried to used it...the clerk didn't know how to, so I had to leave it with her overnight and have her supervisor enter the charges against it. (Fairfield Hotel).

The next time at a Marriott resort, when there is a balance left on a card, (because you didn't use it all at once), it seems to automatically trigger a security function that indicates that your card reads zero balance. This necessitates a call (to the number on the back) to verify a balance.
Then...if its after hours...they ask you to call during regular business hours. Yet another call to make!

It seemed like a good deal (pointwise), but its getting to be a nuisance. I'm 3 weeks into a 5 week vacation and I can't imagain how many more extra calls I will have to make.

 

[ArBravesFan]

I have had a simliar experience in using the gift card. Two times I have used it for a hotel stay the desk clerk had that "deer in the headlights" look. Both times the night desk clerk had to "check" with the manager the next morning. Once at a restaurant, same thing: "Let me check." It was cleared each time, but the staff needs some training.

 

[tim]

I used $2000 worth of gift cards in January without a problem. And, most of these were $200 cards so I had to use many cards for my two stays. The clerk knew what to do and when there was a balance left over she was easily able to apply it to my charges. The only issue I had was that the Courtyard also charged one of my rooms to my credit card on file. That was quickly reversed when I told them about it.

 

[pwrshift]

From my vantage point these cards have been a problem. Not only did it take weeks for me to receive the cards I had to call them 3 times to get proper points credit.

The first time I used one was at a Courtyard - they had never seen one before and charged my Amex card that I used for 'credit' 3 times then didn't know how to reverse it. I called Amex and they reversed it for me. Turns out that the girl somehow charged Marriott's own VISA card (I don't have a VISA card) for the bill, as well as Amex 3 times, and they somehow got my card in their fraud division. Such a mess...but I think it's all cleared up now -- will see when I get my Amex bills.

I used one at The Orlando World hotel last night and no problem -- they used part of another card so I'll see if I have a problem using the balance in the Atlanta Marquis tonite. And then in another Marriott tomorrow during the additional points bonus program on during this quarter.

In theory they cards were a good deal but it seems to be a case where one part of Marriott issues something new that the other divisions know nothing about....something like the MR division starting the 'purchase points' program and then having to change it.

Brian

 

[KathyPet]

Blame lack of staff training by the hotel management. Last spring at Frenchmen's Reef it took three staff members at the front desk to figure out how to apply gift cards to our bill at check out and then they still charged our credit card for the full balance anyway.

We used several gift cards at the JW Marriott in Cancun last month and the staff there had no problems at all posting them to our bill.

 

[Dave M]

I haven't had a problem using them, but I admit that I have seen the blank stares.

When that happens, I ask them to "swipe" the card just like they swipe a credit card upon check-in. That should show the balance on the card and allow them to credit my account. If for some reason that doesn't work, I ask them to call the number on the back of the card to confirm the remaining balance on the card.

So far, that has worked.

 

[MOXJO7282]

I haven't had a problem using them, but I admit that I have seen the blank stares.

When that happens, I ask them to "swipe" the card just like they swipe a credit card upon check-in. That should show the balance on the card and allow them to credit my account. If for some reason that doesn't work, I ask them to call the number on the back of the card to confirm the remaining balance on the card.

So far, that has worked.

Actually they can't see how much is on the card. At least they couldn't in Maui. That was one of the problems I had, which was really my fault. I gave them a card and told them it had $400, when it had $450. They swiped it and entered $400 and kept the card thinking it was zero balance. When I went to use another card that I thought was $450 and it ony had $400, things got a little confusing but we quickly figured out what happened and he re-ran the first card, even though he destroyed it, and it took for the extra $50 and the mystery was solved. The other problem is they didn't properly credit the 10 for 1 points. I was there for 2 weeks, they got one week right, but no record of second week. I got Marriott to fax over receipt so I need to fill out missing stay form and hopefully that will settle things.

Regards.
Joe

 

[Dave M]

Oops! You are correct, Doug. The reason swiping has worked on my cards is because each time I told the desk clerk how much was remaining on the card. Thus, he/she knew how much to enter.

 

[camachinist]

FWIW, debiting the vacationcard was about the only thing the Sydney Harbour Marriott did right during our stay. Pity (for them) that they got the numbers way wrong Thanks Marriott!

The receipt looked like a VISA receipt and the amount was in AUD. Conversion rate wasn't bad

Pat

 

[suenmike32]

These things are getting increasingly MORE of a PIA!
Besides very few Marriott employees knowing what they are, or how to use them....I just reviewed my credit card statement only to find that not only have my gift cards been debited...they've charged my credit card as well!
Now, I have to go back to the same people that don't know how to use them... and ask them to fix the errors that they originally made.
I can't wait to see my rewards account...there is no doubt in my mind that I will have to scream to get the 30 pts per dollar spent on the cards.
NEVER AGAIN!!!:annoyed:

 

[pwrshift]

...I used one at The Orlando World hotel last night and no problem -- they used part of another card so I'll see if I have a problem using the balance in the Atlanta Marquis tonite. And then in another Marriott tomorrow during the additional points bonus program on during this quarter.

Brian

You wouldn't believe the problems I had with my cards at the Atlanta Marquis! They had never seen the cards before and asked me to tell them how much was left on it...because they couldn't tell by swiping the card. I didn't know exactly what was left so she tried the whole amount and it invalidated the card and said there was nothing on it. So I gave her another card and she said there was nothing on it either. There were 5 people behind me in a hurry to check out too, and it must have looked to them like my credit cards were all bouncing! So I had to pay with my Amex card again!

Next stop was in Marriott Covington, KY and called the card people myself from the room ... the gal at the Marquis had swiped all the cash off my cards but because she didn't enter here authorization number the money would 'eventually' be put back on my cards which were invalidated for security reasons. So the customer service guy said he would put back all the money on my cards and I could use them the next morning to check out.

At checkout the next morning, the front desk person called the number first (at my request) to check the amount on the cards - it said zero! I asked him to try using it on the bill and it went through. Whaaaa?

What a mess. I can't wait to get rid of these damm cards. Never again.

Brian

PS...Interesting that the service guy at the MAR card dept said my call was the first complaint. Wanna bet?

 

[dioxide45]

It sounds like the Marriott gift cards are really Visa Debit cards. Much like the ones you would get at the mall (not the individual stores) or one you could pick up at your bank. The instructions that usually come with the card will tell you that you have to tell the person running the card the exact amount to charge if there isn't enough to cover the full amount. I quite often use these types of cards at Best Buy; if I have several of them I am often able to clean up a lot of small balances off of the cards. I went in one time with two cards, one with a dollar and one with less than a full dollar. They were able to run the cards through for the exact amounts with no problems.

It doesn’t appear that the Marriott gift cards carry the Visa logo, so I am thinking that they couldn't be used at other stores. The gift cards sold my local mall have the Visa logo on them so even though they carry the malls brand name on them, the local Best Buy still takes them no questions asked.

 

[TomF]

Last year I received a $100 Marriott gift card from Marriott for participating in an owner feedback program. Got a real nice lunch out of it too! I used it in September at Ko Olina when checking out and didn't have any problem.