Bad Experience with Rude Marriott Marquis Staff

[betaboo.livejournal.com]

Hello! While staying at the Marriott Marquis this past Dragon*Con, I had a less-than-pleasant experience with one of the Marriott security guards. He yelled at my husband and me because we were bringing a small cooler in the hotel (with TWO bottled of beer!)... At first he wasn't going to allow us into the hotel. After presenting my room key, he growled, "you need to take that up to your room immediately!" and then barked "If I see you in the lobby with that we're going to have a problem!' as we walked away.

It is totally uncalled for to yell at a hotel guest. Especially since we were not told ANY policies about having our baggage inspected!

I talked about this in the elevator on my way out, and several other people reported that they had been treated very rudely by Marriott staffers, or the staff seemed to make up policies about alcohol in the rooms, or room guests. 

I think the Marriott needs to be made aware of the problem and insist that their employees be POLITE to guests, and COMMUNICATE any policies they may have in place so we can either follow the policies, or elect to go to a different hotel. 

I've looked on the LJ pages, and there doesn't seem to be a thread about reporting problems with rude staff... there are just stories embedded into other threads.  Please post your thoughts and stories here, and we can submit them to the Marriott. 

Comments

[orcapotter.livejournal.com]

That's really weird. When I was checking in around 7:30 AM on Thursday, pretty much every luggage cart around me had cases of beer--whole cases, and several of them. No one batted an eye.

Some of my group, though, had some communication issues with the front desk staff--with one lady telling people one thing and another person telling them another.

Overall, though, I found the staff to be very friendly all weekend. They were pushy when necessary, but in the overpowering crowds, I don't blame the need. At what point in the weekend did this happen to you?

[mrd1sturbed.livejournal.com]

I have to ask, what time of day was it that you brought in the cooler with the beer? The reason I ask is that the security at night (after 7pm) was not the hotel security, but a private company AFAIK. We didn't have any issues with the hotel security and staff, but then again we brought most of our stuff in during the show hours (before 7pm).

[womprat99.livejournal.com]

I wasn't impressed with 90% of the private security folks either. The hotel staffs were cordial at each venue, but the private security folks were incredibly rude, even down to yelling in people's faces at times.

Definitely not called for in any case.

[elvishtard.livejournal.com]

I've ran into problems with the Marriott's staff in the past. Especially with the car parking situation out in front...but this year was different...they were...laid back? We didn't even get help unloading our car this year! They just shoved a roller cart at us, and when we tried to get it over the lip into the front doors, is when someone finally came over to help.

Marriott staff has always been spotty at best. It's like 50% of them love the con, and 50% of them can't stand the sight of us, when we start pouring in. The front desk clerks can be the absolute WORST!

It might have been the hired out Dupree Security company we had this year, who yelled at you?

[dizzydame.livejournal.com]

We had the opposite thing with the rolling cart! We wanted to do it ourselves and were informed that no guests were allowed to push the carts and that unless we wanted to carry our luggage up without it a hotel employee would have to push it for us. (Not a huge deal for us either way, but every other year we've just asked for a cart and done it ourselves.)

[the-wasuremono.livejournal.com]

One of my friends had problems with the Marriott staff regarding booze, too. The bellhop helping them informed him that he couldn't bring booze in and that there was a charge for bringing in outside food/drink. After they checked in no one mentioned any of that to them so I take it that it was someone being dick-ish

[tiney.livejournal.com]

There's a charge for bringing in outside food/drink? Last year and this year we went grocery shopping on Thursday and they helped us bring our groceries into our Marriott room. XD

[betaboo.livejournal.com]

Yes, Dragon*Con can be stressful, and I do not blame anyone who does the best they can in a difficult situation.

That being said, my experience was NOT indicative of someone doing their best. This happened around 11pm on Saturday night, and I imagined that the security guards were from a third-party company. (For purposes of brevity, I left out that there were actually two rude guards) They could have been polite. Or even neutral.

It is all the more reason to notify the Marriott that the security company they use has hostile employees in need of better training. Again, the yelling and hostility was totally uncalled for, and from what I heard, I am not alone.

[altxchange.livejournal.com]

So, at a prime time when the hotel is super crowded and the security already has to be on the alert for badges/hotel keys, a staffer got pissy with you because you were bringing in a cooler?

Honestly, I'm very happy to hear this instead of the many complaints last year of people being sexually assaulted by drunken attendees or non-attendees simply there for the parties & mass quantities of alcohol.

Alcohol played a HUGE contributor in those issues in 2010 and I can't blame the hotel for cracking down on it. The hotel lobby and walkways are their responsibility so I'm sure that they would rather any alcohol that is around was distributed by their bar staff, not just for the money but to also know that the person buying it was of legal age and not already so incredibly lit that they couldn't stand.

[zaphod-groupie.livejournal.com]

I stayed at the Mariott and spent the majority of my time with others staying at the Mariott, and the staff were without exception polite, helpful and pleasant, and that includes security. The one isolated incident we had was when a friend went downstairs in his socks (no shoes) to meet a delivery guy. Staff hassled him for about ten seconds, but that was it, and honestly? I'm okay with a hotel I'm paying $200+ a night for enforcing rules that promote basic sanitation. Not that I think a guy in clean socks is a sanitation issue, it's the people who want to go barefoot in costume (and track god knows what kind of germs and nastiness in) around the hotel that make me twitch.

[iheartmyblog.livejournal.com]

I SAW SO MANY BAREFOOT COSTUMERS. WHY. WHY. PUT SHOES ON. YOU ARE GOING TO GET A DISEASE.

I know, this isn't about the original post, but seriously guys, if your character is barefoot in the original source at least get some flesh-colored flat sandals because BAREFOOT IS GROSS GUYS.

[shelly1979rhps.livejournal.com]

Wow, this was my first year at the Marriott and I didnt have any problems. My group (which showed up Thursday at about 10am) had a cooler that wouldnt fit in my car trunk (so rather large) and neither the guy who unloaded the car/the front-desk/bellhop mentioned about the oversized item filled with drinks. The only thing I can think of as a previous poster mentioned was maybe time of day.

[drkvampirelupin.livejournal.com]

When we were getting our cal valet'd, one of the bellhops told us it was hotel policy for them to take our luggage out of the car once it was parked and bring it up to our room for us. We waited 2 hours for them up in our room after giving them the number and everything, and it turns out the bellhop had left it in the lobby with all the other luggage on carts and then didn't watch it at all!! Our stuff was just sitting there. We were furious, and made several phone calls. Eventually, the top hotel manager refunded two nights of our parking and gave us 10k marriott rewards points, but it was still bullshit we didn't need to deal with.

[nyssa.livejournal.com]

I had two incidents relating to food/drink at the Marriott this year. One was relatively minor, the other decidedly less so.

When we were checking in, I had two hermetically-sealed bottles resting on top of my luggage. One contained Powerade, the other water. I was given about .02 seconds of hassle, but other than having to say, repeatedly, that it wasn't alcohol, it wasn't a big deal. One bellhop tried to take them from me, at which point I opened them and had him smell them, and there was no further issue.

The more annoying moment was when I was carrying the aforementioned bottle of water, now made into coffee, around the con fairly late at night. The security person fairly rudely told me to dispose of the entire bottle (32 oz. of coffee). This was good coffee, and an expensive-ish bottle, and I wasn't about to just throw it away. I asked if I could just put it in my room, since I was staying there, and he said no. I told him that if he was worried it was alcohol he was more than welcome to smell it, and he refused. Apparently it was throw it away, or don't come into the hotel THAT I WAS STAYING AT. Just plain coffee. Really? I ended up walking away, stashing it in a friend's bag, sending the friend in ahead of me, and then coming back through without the bottle. It was really irritating, given that I just wanted to drink my damn coffee. :(

[sparr0.livejournal.com]

When that happens, keep walking forward. If they forcibly block you from coming in, ask for a refund.

[pappastif.livejournal.com]

I have had similar problems for the past 3 years with the Marriott staff. this year they said that the no beer thing is due to some law in the city of Atlanta that says people cant bring in beer yet none of the staff can find the law but are sure it exists. Yet i can go to their bar and spend 7 dollars on a beer and have no problem walking around with it. Yet none of the other hotels have any rules like this. Also I watched their security team aggressively search people and their property looking for alcohol at the front doors. I witnessed them verbally chew out a grown 50 year old male for having ONE beer in his pocket. I was also with some friends and about 7 or 8 others in a hotel room when security came in telling us that we are not allowed to have more than 4 people in a room at ANY time. When we all moved into the hall the security told us we were not allowed to be in the hall either and if we caused anymore problems we would be evicted from the hotel and blacklisted from all downtown Atlanta Hotels. One of the guys I was with tried to go back in Sunday night to get something from his room and a security guard grabbed him by the arm so hard it left a bruise. He had his badge on and had no bottles or anything in his had yet was still assaulted by staff.

[pappastif.livejournal.com]

I sent the Marriott an email about the treatment i received and saw. This is their reply and they only commented on the beer.


Dear Mr. *******,

Thank you for contacting Marriott Customer Care regarding your recent experience at our hotel. I apologize that your experience was less than enjoyable for you during the Dragon Con Convention. The hotel has taken more aggressive steps to prevent the consumption of alcoholic beverages and maintain better control over the atmosphere of the hotel The state of Georgia does have liquor laws in place which hold the hotel responsible for consumption of alcohol in the public space of the hotel. These areas do include our bars, lobby and hallways. The law specifically says that the "owner" of the liquor License is responsible for the distribution and consumption of all alcohol within the building. The Hotel Management decided that based on the large number of guests that would be in our public space and bars, it was the best interest of the hotel to control consumption the best we could, which meant restricting distribution through hotel outlets and bars. Our intent was not to inconvenience any guest only to keep solid control over the safety of each guest while attending events at the hotel.

Mr. *******, I truly thank you for your feedback, as we will use your input to help decide how we will manage the Dragon Con Convention in the future. Our goal is for every guest to have an enjoyable and problem free stay, along with that we must protect the safety of our guests as well as the hotel assets. Again, thank you for taking the time to share your experience with you and we sincerely hope that you will choose the Atlanta Marriott Marquis for your future travel plans.

Sincerely,

Cole Wallace
Director of Room Operations
Atlanta Marriott Marquis
Direct: 404-586-6167
Fax: 404-586-6033
Hotel: 404-521-0000
Cole.wallace@marriott.com

[ectomac.livejournal.com]

I posted this in another thread, but I think it fits here as well.

We had a lot of luggage this year, so we needed to use one of the luggage carts. Unfortunately, even though they have dozens of the things sitting around, the Marriott only allows the 'bellmen' to use the carts. I grabbed an empty cart to check out with, and rolled it inside on the way to the elevator. Before I knew it, I had 6 (6!) bellmen shouting and chasing me down across the lobby to take it back and roll it over in the corner unused. One guy left a guest that he was helping to run over and grab a hold of the cart and pull it away from me. Then they tell me that I'm not allowed to use them and I have to go to the desk and request a bellman to meet me in my room. 20 minutes later, the guy finally shows up at my room with a cart. I guess the 6 guys in the lobby were too busy chasing down guests trying to use luggage carts. By the time he arrived at my room, I could have already been on the road home.

I almost understand it on Thursday or Friday when so many people are checking in. They want to clear out their front drive as quick as possible. We asked for help that day and tipped the bellman that helped us out. But on Tuesday? It was completely dead in the lobby when we checked out.

[sparr0.livejournal.com]

When this happens, I make sure to tell them they aren't getting a tip.

[mhaithaca.livejournal.com]

The third-party security guard may have been more aware than most of the hotel staffers that usually interact with guests that, even where it's not explicitly illegal, hotels create a huge liability for themselves by letting guests bring in personal alcohol.

An establishment with a liquor license could lose it if they let guests consume alcohol they didn't provide. An establishment with a liability insurance policy could have a pay-out denied if someone were injured on their premises after consuming alcohol -- whether they'd provided it or not.

This is why you hear of lots of restaurants with "corkage fees." Such a fee to let you open your own bottle of wine helps to cover the liability, and covers the staff time and resources used for the wine glasses brought to you and cleaned afterwards.

In the case of hotels, there's an understandable preference to sell you the beverages, too, either one at a time at the bar, or through a catered party. That's entirely aside from the legalities and liabilities.

Of course, no employee or temporary contractor at the hotel should ever be rude to a guest.

[moonanstars.livejournal.com]

I had issues with rude people in the Hyatt and sent my comments to their online 'tell us' thing. Never heard a peep back so getting less impressed by the moment.

[eidolon-bird.livejournal.com]

Send your comments directly to the hotel instead of through the corporate website and you will probably get a faster response. ( Unfortunately, I do not have their contact info.)

[eidolon-bird.livejournal.com]

I have had friends come in with coolers full of food and beverages and not hear a thing from staff, and I have read stories of people being charged corking fees or being outright denied entrance before (usually for open alcoholic drinks which, even if they are from a hotel bar, should not leave said bar/building). My sister thought I was being paranoid, but I stashed our small cooler of food in a suitcase, and the bottles of alcohol we later bought were brought in to the hotel in my backpack instead of in paper or plastic bags. Never heard a peep from anyone so I guess my paranoia paid off.

[deborak]

I support your paranoia. Never give any kind of cop any kind of excuse to look twice at you. ;-)

[pixiekingtom.livejournal.com]

The city generally posts more uniformed officers downtown during DragonCon, especially after last year

[wynnegruffyd.livejournal.com]

We checked in around 11am on Friday morning to the Marriott and brought our own mini fridge with us. Our bellman said it was a good idea because the Marriott charges 25 per day for one. Our roomies checked in on Friday evening around 8pm and they brought in a couple 12 packs of beer. They did not try to hide it and nothing was said to them about it. I suppose it depends on which bellhops you get and whether they want you to ante up money to keep quiet, LOL.

[zaphod-groupie.livejournal.com]

Your bellman was misinformed, it's $15/day.

[encarmencita.livejournal.com]

I had the most amazing service/treatment by the staff of each of the main con hotels and I wasn't even staying in one.

Hotel Staff

[jillmaddoxcm.livejournal.com]

While I am not a fan of rude customer service, I would like to share that I saw many of the hotel staff/contracted security being berated, yelled at and generally abused for enforcing a policy that we asked for from Dragon Con. Their job was to enforce a policy that was popular with some and not so much with everyone else.

Going through one of the sky bridges, I thanked the contract security person for their hard work. He stopped me to look at my badge b/c he could not see it. He was taken back that I thanked him and appreciated my patience. I told him, you are doing the hardest job here and I appreciate it.

Try to remember that Dragon Con is rough for hotel staff, especially new staff. While rudeness should not be accepted tolerance is appreciated.

Re: Hotel Staff

[charismaryllis.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I tried to say thanks to the badge checkers too; figured they probably got enough bad juju from some of the folks. :)

[arevanye.livejournal.com]

Just want to put in a plug for the Westin. The staff was so very very nice, we got a fridge for no extra charge (although they have a limited supply so you have to ask when you make a reservation), and extra towels and blankets were sent up within minutes of our requests.

The hotel is barely a half-block down from the Peachtree food court, and the longest wait for an elevator was about five minutes on Monday morning, I think that was because everyone was leaving at once.

We ordered some meals to go from the 5th floor cafe - the food was really yummy, not terribly overpriced, and while we were waiting for it the bartender insisted on giving us ice water and some chex mix munchie stuff for no charge.

I understand they are taking reservations for next year already.

[adolla.livejournal.com]

Someone told me they were charged $50 for a lost keycard. That's the only reason I'm hesitant to go there.

[kitt79.livejournal.com]

The only issue we had at the Marriott was that at check-in Thurs, they would not accept my marriott travel gift cards. Yes, they stipulate that they can't be applied to "Special rates", but they've taken them every year without a peep until this year. Went back down the next day and they applied them without batting an eye. Weird.

We also brought in a whole box of liquor. Not a word from the bellhop, or anyone else. I wanted to hide it in a suitcase, but hubby left it in the box from the World O' Beverage... very obvious what it was... no one cared.

Never had a problem with any security folks, unless you count them yelling at us for letting our little nyan cat toddler ride up and down the escalators too much.

[chiefsbaby.livejournal.com]

Three years ago I got tired of being treated like some kind of pariah by the Marriott staff because I attend Dragoncon. No hotel staff, in any capacity, should treat a guest as anything other than a welcomed, treasured guest. My money is hard earned, and every bit as valuable as a business person, an airline worker or whatever. The Marriott makes a HUGE amount of money on us, and do their level best to squeeze every cent out of us they can (eg., $4 for a hot dog!!). I now stay at the Hilton, where I'm treated with coutesy and respect by EVERYONE! I already have my reservation for next year. Can't wait to see you all again!!!!!!!!!!!

nothing but praise from me

[reynard.livejournal.com]

I did not have any issues with any staff of the hotels - the skybridge badge checking was efficient and as polite as could be expected given the traffic. Nobody gave me any trouble, even when I was carrying a drink (of any sort) with me.

[pneumaz.livejournal.com]

Besides the Marriott staff being very aggressive about keeping the flow of traffic going I had a delightful experience this year. I will say that after the debacle of last year's Con Crashers I welcomed the hardnose approach to keeping people in line. It might have been slighly inconvenient, but it's better than the alternative. IE: People being accosted etc...

So I have to say - minor inconveniences notwithstanding - good job on D*Con

[chibiryoko2001.livejournal.com]

For the most part I had a wonderful experience at the Hyatt this year, minus the long wait for elevators. I did have a small complaint about a staff member at the Marriott but I didn't get his name. On Sunday at con I had been running around all day existing on coffee and tea and very little food and water, and my blood pressure dropped and I got hot and dizzy and felt very ill. A friend got a hotel staff member for me who got me some water and then went to get an EMT. In the meantime another Marriott hotel employee arrived, asked if I was alright, I replied that I felt hot/sick/dizzy, and he asked me what I had been doing all day. Not a big deal, it was just the way he said it, like I was being accused of something, like drinking or what have you. He repeated the question a few times and I answered the same way each time.

[dustagorn.livejournal.com]

I actually never had a problem with security this year. The one time I WAS approached the guy was super cool. I had a can of beer on the Atrium level at the Marriott, and the guy just came up to me, very friendly and said "Man, I don't want to give you a hard time, so do me a favor. Chug that, and get rid of it before someone comes an hassles you." He could have been a huge tool about it, but he handled it very nicely. Never had another incident with hotel security for the rest of con. It was the people who took crowd control into their own hands that bugged me. Yes. We get it. Foot traffic needs to keep moving. We're trying. Shut your obnoxious mouth.