Cathy and Ralph Lawson sent a message to Arne Sorenson that said:
Arne Sorenson, President & CEO
Marriott International
10400 Fern Wood Rd.
Bethesda, MD. 20817
November 13, 2019
Dear Mr. Sorenson,
We are Lawson Marriage Fellowship, a non-profit organization in existence since 1993. Personally we have been members with Marriott since 1992 and for the past 5 years have been Titanium Platinum Elite members. This letter is a complaint related to our organizations upcoming contracted event on May 15-17, 2020 at the Lake Arrowhead Resort under the Autograph Collection of Marriott.
Our organization, as well as guests who have registered for our event received a communication from Marriott guest relations yesterday, 11/12/19 indicating that as of December 2, 2019 Lake Arrowhead Resort would no longer be associated with Marriott and that Marriott members would NOT receive Bonvoy points for the stay at our 2020 event.
Our complaint:
Our organization is tied to a contract, signed several weeks ago, with Lake Arrowhead Resort for our 2020 event and will now be losing connection to the Marriott organization and the benefits it offers. A factor in our organizations choice in selecting this venue for our event was the Marriott television advertisements we saw during one of our stays and the excellent reputation of the Marriott brand. It would seem that those who handled the separation did not take into consideration the members that are caught in the middle. The Marriott Corporation NOT honoring or giving the Bonvoy points to those that have already booked hotel reservations and for the event contract contradicts all that we have believed in the honorability of your corporation. The Marriott brand that has stood for integrity in our eyes is in danger of losing that standing because of this unfortunate treatment of established reservations and our event contract.
Request for resolution:
We ask that you please reconsider your position and treat your members honorably by granting Bonvoy points on the room reservations and on the event contract that was set up prior to the separation date.
Past experience with Marriott separation:
At present we are feeling disappointed and disillusioned about the Marriott brand not standing behind your word as a major company. Lawson Marriage Fellowship had an experience with another hotel separating from Marriott in 2007, the former Marriott Rancho Las Palms in Palm Desert. The Marriott Corporation left but we were not notified until a day or two before our event began. It was a horrible experience. When we arrived for our event, the resort grounds and public areas showed lack of maintenance, and the air conditioning barely functioned in the meeting rooms in 100 degree weather. The property administrator had assured us there would be NO change in the resort however, the reality of our experience was far from the truth, and all we received were apologies. It seems that when people believe they are getting Marriott upon signing a contract or booking reservations, there should be some responsibility on your part in protecting them in these separations and changeovers. Nothing was communicated in advance or timely fashion to warn or protect us so what we thought we were getting we did not receive and it reflected unfavorably on our organization!
We look forward to your response to our request. Additionally we would like to express our disappointment that our 2020 event will not be in a Marriott brand establishment as we originally contracted for. Although we know Marriott has no power over an establishments separating from your brand, we feel it would be a great service to Marriott brand lovers/members and to those who have an event contract in place for the establishment to be REQUIRED to inform people at least one full year in advance of the change. Perhaps this could be in Marriotts terms-of-separation clause in your contract with the establishment. It would go a long way to helping people decide whether they want to stay at the establishment and toward showing loyal Marriott members that you care for them.
Respectfully Submitted,
Ralph and Cathy Lawson, Founders, CEO
Lawson Marriage Fellowship, Inc.
