Marriott International

I called and booked directly with marriott for less than a week in june. Received a confirmation and looking forward to the trip. Received an email (written on someone's personal gmail account) that advised my reservation was cancelled due to covid 'concerns'. Prior to booking 2 weeks ago, I checked the website and called and yes, the hotel was open! The hotel had shifted us to a competitor, hampton inn in the same area. I also noticed on the email that my email address appeared in the to: line - as well as half a dozen other guest addresses! I called the hotel in question and asked to speak to a manager. I was told by the desk person answering that there was no manager nor would there be. Really. When I asked her name, she advised it was the same name that sent out the 'fake' looking email (no logo, no contact information). When I asked what the problem was she didn't answer. Finally I advised her I was outraged that my privacy was violated over the email address appearing to the other strangers/guests on the 'cancelled' list and she said she had never heard of what I suggested... Using the bcc: line to protect privacy. After a short back and forth of lukewarm insincere apologies - but never suggesting alternative options or explanation as to why we were cancelled, from carolyn crosier (marriott courtyard montrose, ohio), she finally snapped "i'm not going to listen to you all day telling me what's wrong with my email skills" and hung up.

I called the main customer service number and the rep was very professional, apologized, put me on hold while she called the hotel. She said I still had a reservation at the hotel (puzzling, right?) and if I still wanted to stay there, the manager would call me back and we would work it out. I chose this hotel because 1) I respect marriott and feel if any hotel would excel at cleanliness during the tail end of covid, it would be them, 2) I am attending a family reunion and a few of my family (none were cancelled like we were!) planned to stay in the same hotel, which was important to us all.

When I finished my conversation and having never received a response back from the manager, jordan, by phone (promised by the customer service associate) I noticed a confirmation for reservations at the nearby fairfield inn (marriott property). And guess what? It was nearly to the penny, the exact amount of my hotel fees at the courtyard. Does this get worse? Sure it does. Some of the six other cancellees have already used the obnoxious "reply all" idiot feature and now I have to read about their issues. It's like we are forced to be a group of dysfunctional relatives or friends. 100% unprofessional.

What a stressful trainwreck: I should have received a phone call about the cancellation to begin with, not an email from an associate's gmail account and should have been asked if the (if there is one) manager could call me back later to discuss the problem of part of my family staying there and me not and had I not called, I would have been shuttled to a competitive hotel - without my permission!