Marriott gets tough on cancellations

Bethesda, Maryland – 20 June 2017 –
CNN reported that Marriott International, the world’s largest hotel chain, announced that customers must give at least 48-hours notice if they plan to cancel a reservation – or pay a fee equivalent to one night’s stay.

Previously, guests were generally allowed to cancel reservations without a penalty up until the day before their visit.

1 JW Marriott Chicago

“Guests will now be required to cancel their room reservation by midnight 48 hours prior to arrival in order to avoid a fee,” Marriott said in a statement. The new policy applies to hotels in the United States, Canada, Caribbean and Latin America.

Marriott added that the change will not apply to Design Hotels, which are independently owned, and Marriott Vacation Worldwide hotels.

A handful of Marriott hotels already had a 48-hour or 72-hour cancellation policy in place prior to the company-wide decision, according to Allison Sitch, a Marriott spokeswoman. She said that some of those hotels with a 72-hour cancellation policy will continue that practice, and some that had previously maintained a 48-hour policy have switched to a 72-hour cancellation policy.

CNN said the new rule will impact guests staying at hotels that are a part of the Starwood network, which was acquired by Marriott in 2016. Marriott International includes W Hotels, St. Regis, Westin, Sheraton and Courtyard hotels, among others.

Marriott explained that the change will help out customers seeking reservations on short notice, adding that hotels with a one-day policy were left with “a significant number of unsold rooms” due to last-minute cancellations.