My Disneyland Marriott Hotel Experience...
If you want to stay at a Disneyland hotel - read this first!
Disneyland hotel reservation, but no room!
On approx. 1/16/2008 I made a hotel reservation on the Marriott.com website for a recent trip to the Disneyland Theme Park.
I have been to many Marriott hotels in the past and they are usually ok, but I have had a few bad experiences. If you travel a lot - you know this happens and no hotel chain is perfect.
I left home about 5 P.M. on 1/18/2008 and arrived in Anaheim at approx 11 P.M. local time. After being in the car a long time I was excited to get into the hotel room at the Fairfield Inn where I made my reservation.
After being greeted by a member of the front desk staff, I was told they were overbooked and they didn't have a room. They told me they would comp my first night at a nearby hotel 8 miles away!!!
On Harbor Drive, in Anaheim, I could see multiple Marriott brand hotels, but they wanted to send me 8 miles away to a Courtyard Marriott. I WAS MAD! I asked to see the manager who was no help at all and didn't seem to understand the problem.
Over the past 4 months, I have spent approx 40 nights in hotels...I love to travel! So they wanted me to drive 8 miles away in a city I have no idea how to get around - then come back the next day after check-in time and get a room for the remaining 2 nights of my stay.
I told them I'd be right back. I called the 1-800-H-Honors because I have a Silver Hilton Honors membership. They had a Disneyland Hilton Suites hotel within 1-2 miles of Disneyland. I booked it and went back in to the Fairfield Inn Marriott and told them I won't be staying at all with them.
Why does this bother me so bad?
I guess I get frustrated because they didn't live up to their promise. I could not find anywhere on Marriott's website that says - if we overbook - we'll send you to a nearby hotel. In the world we live in with the technology that is available this should not happen.
The room was guaranteed with my credit card and under my rewards account with Marriott, but some reward! There is no excuse for this and I will make sure they hear about it! If you happen to be going to Disneyland anytime soon - don't bother with the Fairfield Inn by Marriott.
I have read the book "The Spirit to Serve - Marriott's Way" by J.W. (Bill) Marriott, Jr. - This was the furthest experience one can have from the point of this book.
I would recommend staying at the Anaheim/Orange Hilton Suites. As the name suggests all rooms are suites, some have balconies, and all are very large rooms at this Disneyland Hilton. The Hilton service was fantastic and the restaurant on site is pretty good.
Disneyland Hotel - Disneyland Marriott
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