Question about Marriott and restricted reservation lengths

[bsohn]

So let me explain the situation I am in..

I booked a week at the Marriott Grand Chateau thinking that a friend of mine that I was providing this week would be staying the full week.. It turns out they are not going to be able to stay the full week so I figured OK I can shorten it (This is the Formula One Week(end))

Note for the following: There is no indication when making a reservation online that this is a "restricted week" So I had no idea of what happened next.

So I contact Marriott to shorten the reservation and they say Nope you have to have a week booking. So i basically stated I was never told of this restriction when making the reservation so I figured I was under my normal Chairmans terms for reservation modification. Note I have been going this week since F1 started there and haven't had an issue with this (shortening by a day or two when needed) since F1 started there as I have been getting rooms for friends (they just cant always stay a week and of course it costs me more to have to get full weeks).

The thing is I was always under the impression (from past documentation) that they have to informed you at the time of booking if there are any restrictions on the reservation you are making (I.e time limits or any issues at the resort which may impact stay, In this case that it will not be able to be shortened or modified) - Is this true or am I wrong?

I do understand that the resort can place specifics about reservations at any given time without specifically notifying owners that they are doing so and this is Marriotts position on the matter is that they can make adjustments whenever they want (Which according to documentation is true) but my concern is with not being informed that I would not be able to shorten the reservation if needed. (Might have considered other options if I knew as right now it is costing essentially two more nights than needed or are even going to be used). Its a little late to do now "I think" I haven't looked into other options as of yet (though I can still cancel the entire thing).

So right now Marriott is unwilling to budge on the reservation and stating that it must remain a full week.

Any insight on this situation would be helpful. This is the first what i would call major issue I have had in over 20 years of ownership, alond with ownership at this resort since before it was actually opened. So yea almost 20 years at Grand Chateau.

Thank you
Brion Sohn

 

[ljmiii]

You can always HUCA (Hang Up and Call Again) to your heart’s content in hopes of finding a CSR who will do what you want.

But since technically speaking MVC points reservations can’t be modified but only cancelled and rebooked the fact that you can’t get a new shorter reservation for the dates you want is unsurprising.

 

[Dean]

I'd call back but they are within their legal rights and the stated rules for this restriction. IMO they should be more transparent with the length of stay requirements but they are not. Is it available to book shorter if you cancel or on II?

 

[daviator]

"Normal Chairman's terms for reservation modification?" Reservations cannot be modified, only cancelled and rebooked (if inventory is available) subject to whatever minimum stay rules (usually undisclosed) are in place. Chairman's Club members don't have any special ability to modify reservations and, to my recollection, never have.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

So let me explain the situation I am in..

I booked a week at the Marriott Grand Chateau thinking that a friend of mine that I was providing this week would be staying the full week.. It turns out they are not going to be able to stay the full week so I figured OK I can shorten it (This is the Formula One Week(end))

Note for the following: There is no indication when making a reservation online that this is a "restricted week" So I had no idea of what happened next.

So I contact Marriott to shorten the reservation and they say Nope you have to have a week booking. So i basically stated I was never told of this restriction when making the reservation so I figured I was under my normal Chairmans terms for reservation modification. Note I have been going this week since F1 started there and haven't had an issue with this (shortening by a day or two when needed) since F1 started there as I have been getting rooms for friends (they just cant always stay a week and of course it costs me more to have to get full weeks).

The thing is I was always under the impression (from past documentation) that they have to informed you at the time of booking if there are any restrictions on the reservation you are making (I.e time limits or any issues at the resort which may impact stay, In this case that it will not be able to be shortened or modified) - Is this true or am I wrong?

I do understand that the resort can place specifics about reservations at any given time without specifically notifying owners that they are doing so and this is Marriotts position on the matter is that they can make adjustments whenever they want (Which according to documentation is true) but my concern is with not being informed that I would not be able to shorten the reservation if needed. (Might have considered other options if I knew as right now it is costing essentially two more nights than needed or are even going to be used). Its a little late to do now "I think" I haven't looked into other options as of yet (though I can still cancel the entire thing).

So right now Marriott is unwilling to budge on the reservation and stating that it must remain a full week.

Any insight on this situation would be helpful. This is the first what i would call major issue I have had in over 20 years of ownership, alond with ownership at this resort since before it was actually opened. So yea almost 20 years at Grand Chateau.

Thank you
Brion Sohn

I heard from a Grand Chateau salesperson (during a March 2026 sales presentation) that one particular owner profited over $250,000 this past year during the F1 time by somehow "gaming" the system to make many F1 reservations and then renting them out for mega megabucks. He said steps have been taken so this could not be repeated ever again..... guess you have found this out by having difficulty booking F1 time.

It's too bad this ruined things for everyone else!

















.

 

[bsohn]

So to reply to a few of the above:

@ljmiii and Dean - Yea I tried that but apparently MVCI now has a specific department that they transfer modifications to so fewer people do them and they have notes that are placed on the account as to what was done. I might try again in a few months and see but I think I have given up a bit.. However I did send a note to the Board and ask them about his situation.

@Dean - Apparently if you do try to do a reservation shorter than 7 nights it will not allow it (even though technically it is available) just with the restriction they just don't show it to as available. Of course the issue with me is that I didn't check less nights first so I just didn't know that issue was there since it was not disclosed either. I just did that within the last couple of days after discussing it with Marriott.

@ljmiii and @daviator - They do point reservation modifications, In house they can cancel and hold the reservation for modification of the reservation but they ALWAYS try to cancel and rebook first if they cant then they do the more complex manner. I have done this with other reservations before where the room type I reserved was not currently available but I wanted to add or subtract a night and they always hold their same Reservation Confirmation# which is a good indication that it is a modification as opposed to a rebooking. A full rebook has the chance of being lost to waitlists as the systems would take the availability right as it was cancelled.

@daviator - When I mention "Chairmans Terms" I mention that because different levels of ownership have differing parameters by which they can make modifications.

@TheTimeTraveler - I would honestly be surprised at that number as there is no guarantee of views or anything at the resort. They did apparently do some adjustment.. My guess is the first years they must have had alot of Thu/Fri/Sat reservation so the week wasn't even booked. Problem is the way they have it now it causes a situation for people who might want to go early in the week but not stay for the race just CAN'T. Grand Chateau has kind of always been a weekend destination resort so I am not sure what really is so different than any other time of the year that would require minimum stays (unless people were just booking Saturday) as Owners at the resort itself like myself (twice over - enrolled/deeded) pay for the full year of maintenance fees on the resort any

 

[daviator]

My point remains: while it's certainly true that they have the capability to change reservations (they just did one for me this week!) they don't have any obligation to do so, and the official position is that they don't do them. I think the real world situation is that they are basically not doing them much anymore, except in rare situations. Does being Chairman's Club (or "Pinnacle") give us the right to demand a change? No, but maybe we have a better chance at an exception to the rule. But the rule, unquestionably, is "no changes."

 

[bsohn]

My point remains: while it's certainly true that they have the capability to change reservations (they just did one for me this week!) they don't have any obligation to do so, and the official position is that they don't do them. I think the real world situation is that they are basically not doing them much anymore, except in rare situations. Does being Chairman's Club (or "Pinnacle") give us the right to demand a change? No, but maybe we have a better chance at an exception to the rule. But the rule, unquestionably, is "no changes."

Im not sure why you believe that you cant modify reservations with Marriott Vacation Clubs and they have a "No Changes"policy, it has always been an option since the beginnings of the Abound point system (and even prior to that) but the timings change as to when and how you can do it and whether or not those points (if you Shorten it) go back into your standard use points or into a holding points account depend on your Status Owner/Select/Executive/Presidential/Chairmans. You HAVE to go through an owner service advisor to make a modification though, you cannot do it through the online system without a cancel and re-book.

It isn't actually something that is done on a whim of the advisors or a demand by an owner level it is actually in the contracts that you can do it and are entitled to do it. It is actually stated for "Owners" and "Select" owners at the bottom of all of the reservation point usage confirmations.

"Owners and Select Benefit level Owners:

If a reservation is modified to result in a shorter duration than would have been permitted at the time the reservation was made, the Club Points attributed to the difference in the number of nights will be returned in a Holding Account. For example, if a Select benefit level Owner secures a 7-night reservation 12 months prior to arrival, and then modifies the reservation to shorten it to a 5-night reservation within 10-months of arrival, the Club Points used for the difference in nights will be returned in a Holding Account."

Basically the modification rules are the same as your booking rules (for your ownership level) so if you use one of the special provisions such as the "Owner" or "Select" level making the reservation in 13 - 10 month period (which requires a 7+ night reservation) and then shorten it to a 5 night later then Marriott will refund the points that you would get back into holding as you got the benefit of the earlier booking (to get the week).. But if the reservation were made in the 10 month standard window (1+ night reservation) then modifications would return your points to normal. Executive, Presidential, and Chairmans all have 13 Month - 1+ night rental ability so there are no penalties for modifications at any time except 60 days and less where points go into holding.

Marriott has never had a "No Changes Policy" when it comes to owners and reservations. They do have special cases apparently which I ran into and haven't had to deal with in 20 years prior. Well that is because Grand Chateau never had any minimum stay requirements prior to this I guess (or that I knew of).

The situation that I happened upon was that the Resort itself has an "undisclosed" minimum stay length for that particular week that I happened to be wanting to shorten into and so they refused to do so. I understand it, Not happy about the non-disclosure (as I believed they needed to disclose minimum stay information) when I made the reservation, this would be the case for any level of ownership, not just Chairmans. It is not that I am saying that Charimans club owner can override anything, just that is the level that I am at, so without the disclosure I expected to be able to modify the reservation with the rules in place for a Charimans owner, which is that an owner can modify a reservation from 13 months to 61 days prior to travel in any way they want without penalty and from 1-60 days with the points being returned to a holding account.

 

[Hindsite]

The situation that I happened upon was that the Resort itself has an "undisclosed" minimum stay length for that particular week

There are undisclosed min stay requirements all over the system, its far from a unique situation and has been discussed at length on TUG.

Feel free to add your voice to those who have been before you and request disclosure by contacting customer advocacy. Their usual excuse is that its too complex to have a disclosure, however if they can code the requirement into the reservation system, they can code notes to go with it.

 

[bsohn]

There are undisclosed min stay requirements all over the system, its far from a unique situation and has been discussed at length on TUG.

Feel free to add your voice to those who have been before you and request disclosure by contacting customer advocacy. Their usual excuse is that its too complex to have a disclosure, however if they can code the requirement into the reservation system, they can code notes to go with it.

yea that was my issue in that I would have loved to know when I made the reservation that it was in a window that could not be shortened.. A simple note just like the do with maintenance at the resort.. So yea I am sure they could do it.. This is the first time I experienced it which I guess is a little crazy since the Family has owned since 1997 (part of why I am chairmans as I inherited). How would i do that.. I did contact the board of the Grand Chateau about it.

 

[Hindsite]

yea that was my issue in that I would have loved to know when I made the reservation that it was in a window that could not be shortened.. A simple note just like the do with maintenance at the resort.. So yea I am sure they could do it.. This is the first time I experienced it which I guess is a little crazy since the Family has owned since 1997 (part of why I am chairmans as I inherited). How would i do that.. I did contact the board of the Grand Chateau about it.

email: customer.advocacy@mvwc.com

 

[bsohn]

email: customer.advocacy@mvwc.com

TY, I will send them a note to add to the list...

 

[Dean]

yea that was my issue in that I would have loved to know when I made the reservation that it was in a window that could not be shortened.. A simple note just like the do with maintenance at the resort.. So yea I am sure they could do it.. This is the first time I experienced it which I guess is a little crazy since the Family has owned since 1997 (part of why I am chairmans as I inherited). How would i do that.. I did contact the board of the Grand Chateau about it.

I think a notification each time you can't shorten is an unworkable option. Simply posting that there are minimum stays over X time frames somewhere you can check would be sufficient. This could be done at the bottom of the reservation page when you search for applicable resorts and time frames or on the HUB. I've spoken directly to a true corporate representative on this issue and their position is it's too fluid to do so but I disagree. If they can enter it, they can annotate it. Keep an eye on it, these things change all the time (both ways though).

 

[bsohn]

I think a notification each time you can't shorten is an unworkable option. Simply posting that there are minimum stays over X time frames somewhere you can check would be sufficient. This could be done at the bottom of the reservation page when you search for applicable resorts and time frames or on the HUB. I've spoken directly to a true corporate representative on this issue and their position is it's too fluid to do so but I disagree. If they can enter it, they can annotate it. Keep an eye on it, these things change all the time (both ways though).

What you mention is sort of what I was thinking is if they just posted the wording that the CSR gave when I called, as their notes basically say any reservation starting from the 16th to the 22nd has a seven night length of stay restriction. All they need to do is post that on the reservation page for the resort so you cant shorten it.

Yea kinda sounds like they just don't want to do the work on the site check a simple database of nights under restrictions, to disclose.. Im curious if renting the unit over Marriotts Hotel website states the limits as I believe at least in CA that they are required to mention these sorts of things through disclosure laws. I don't know if the timeshares actually would fall under these rules as it could be considered different. Granted only someone with money and wants to prove a point could actually do anything about it if they aren't complying it in many cases.