Booking Reservations

Front Office
SOP FO-01

PURPOSE:

General hotel requirements for booking reservations:

PROCEDURE:

1. Guaranteed No Show Reservations (GNS)

2. Cross Selling
3. Look No Further Guarantee
4. Channel Distribution
5. Guaranteed Reservations
6. Non-Guaranteed Reservations
7. Wait Listing
8. Cancellations
9. Advance Deposit Refunds

1. Guaranteed No Show Reservations (GNS)

• Hotel may charge a guest with a guaranteed reservation who has not cancelled the reservation after the
published hotel cancellation deadline and/or who does not arrive by 6:00 a.m. the following day may be
billed according to the property's reservation cancellation policy, which is typically one night's stay plus
tax.
• Hotel should establish a Local Standard Operating Procedure (LSOP) to determine exempt guest types
• If the hotel has a perfect sell, it may NOT charge for guaranteed no shows
• Marriott Rewards Redemption Stays: Hotel should charge the lowest rate of its sell strategy for the first
night of the scheduled stay, using the method of payment provided to guarantee the reservation for
settlement
◦ Opera Users: Contact Marriott Rewards property support for same day cancellations and no shows
to ensure points are returned to the member's account.

2. Cross Selling

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Hotel must not promote or refer guests to non-Marriott branded hotels

◦ Hotel associates may not divert any business or customer to any hotel that is not part of Marriott's
portfolio of lodging brands, even if such other hotel is owned or managed by the same company
as the referring hotel
• When a hotel cannot accommodate a customer's reservation request, the hotel must offer the customer
options to book another Marriott-branded hotel (where available)
◦ The order of alternative properties that should be presented to the guest as options is:
1. The closest (within 20 miles) available hotel in the same brand
2. A closer Marriott-branded hotel of the same type; such as CY (selected brand)
3. A closer alternative of any Marriott branded hotel

3. Look No Further Guarantee

Marriott’s Look No Further Best Rate Guarantee guarantees the consumer will receive the best publicly-
available room rate by going direct to Marriott.
If a lower rate is found elsewhere, a Look No Further claim can be filed against a hotel within 24 hours.
Should the claim be valid, the hotel must honor the lower rate, and take an additional 25% off the lower rate.
Marriott Rewards and SPG Members have the option to receive 5,000 Marriott Rewards points or 2,000 SPG
points, respectively, instead of the 25% discount.
In addition, a hotel will be charged an internal penalty fee for a valid LNF claim.
On-property FIT yieldable contract and Dynamic Package Program rates are for packaged distribution only.
These rates can be vulnerable to room only distribution by some wholesalers, particularly bed banks. In the
event of Marriott Look No Further® Best Rate Guarantee/LNF violations or distribution issues with these
wholesale rates, hotels should follow the steps listed below for resolution.

4. Channel Distribution
Pursuant to Marriott's Channel Distribution Standard, all Marriott hotels operating under Applicable Brands
are required by brand standard, SOP, and Manual to:

 To make rates and inventory available in Mandatory Channels as outlined in this Standards
 Comply with requirements for participation Non-Mandatory Channels
 Comply with all obligations listed under "Requirements under Channel Distribution Standard"

Applicable Distribution Channels are defined as:

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Department head Financial Controller General Manager
Booking Reservations
Front Office
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Mandatory Channels:

 MARSHA/Empower
 Marriott Digital Channels such as marriott.com, Marriott Mobile APP
 Global Distribution Systems and other switch companies Marriott utilizes to distribute inventory and
rates
 Travel agents and TMCs/consortia, which are mandatory with respect to participation in Channel
Distribution Standard but in which franchisees are not required to participate other than through
inclusion of inventory in Global Distribution Systems that the travel agents and TMCs/consortia use.
 Property front of the house departments (front office, concierge, reservations, etc.)
 Global Sales Agents

Non-Mandatory Channel:

 Other 3rd party travel providers and sites (such as Expedia.com, Booking.com, Priceline.com, etc.)
 Approved Non-Mandatory channel providers, as well as a list of such providers with whom Marriott
has negotiated a corporate agreement in which all hotels may participate, will be provided on MGS,
with periodic updates. Hotels may participate with approved distribution channels and with travel
agents and TMCs/consortia with which Marriott does not have a corporate agreement, provided that
they ensure compliance with Criteria for Approval of Online Third Party Distribution Channels (PDF)
or Criteria for Approval of Wholesale Third Party Distribution Channel (PDF), as applicable,
available at Standards and Guidelines on MGS. Managed hotels are required to utilize a Marriott-
approved template agreement for dealing with such third-party distributors, and Marriott recommends
that franchisees likewise utilize this template. If franchisees choose not to do so, Marriott strongly
recommends careful legal review to ensure compliance with all applicable laws. Marriott also
encourages independent franchisee legal review of our suggested template, and makes no
representations or warranties with respect to this template.

Qualified Rates are defined as:

 Qualified Rates are transient rates that require the customer to be associated with or employed by a
particular company or organization or order to book a special rate that is only offered to that company
or organization. Proof of eligibility is required upon check-in. For the avoidance of doubt,
participation in a non-Marriott loyalty program (such as Expedia Rewards), or signing up for a non-
Marriott managed distribution list (through email, Mobile APP notification, etc.) does not qualify for
being eligible for Qualified Rates.

Fenced Rates are defined as:

 Fenced Rates require the customer to take a specific action in order to be eligible for the rate, such as
prepayment a minimum number of days in advance, or staying a required minimum number of nights.

Requirements under Channel Distribution Standard:

 Rates in each Mandatory channel must be the same as rates in all other Mandatory channels, and must
be the same as or lower than rates in the Non-Mandatory channel.
 Rates in each Mandatory channel must have the same availability with room inventory, restrictions,
booking rules, and any extra benefits/value as in all other Mandatory channels.
 Rates in the Non-Mandatory channel must not be lower than rates in Mandatory channels, nor may
such rates offer a better value (through extra benefits, such as bounce back certificates or coupons)
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than rates in Mandatory channels, even if the rates in the Non-Mandatory channel carry more
restrictive terms.
 All non-Qualified rates must be included in MARSHA sell strategy to ensure consistent distribution.
 Qualified Rates must be accessible in all Marriott Channels (Worldwide Reservations, Area
Reservations Offices, Property and Marriott Digital Channels) to the fullest extent technologically
possible, so the customer can book through their preferred Marriott Channel to the fullest extent
possible. Qualified Rates shall not be made available through Non-Mandatory Channels.
 Fenced Rates may be made available in Non-Mandatory Channels so long as the availability matches
the Marriott Channel including all associated terms and conditions with such Fenced Rate.
 Hotels should not make Marriott Member Rates available to third party distribution channels or third
party loyalty programs (e.g. Expedia and Booking.com), or participate in other third party loyalty
program discount rate offers.

Note: Questions regarding the definition of Qualified Rates should be directed to your OFS Account
Executive for franchised hotels.

Hotels may yield (in other words, may place restrictions on the availability of) rates offered through
one or more providers in the Non-Mandatory channel even though such restrictions do not apply to
other Applicable Distribution Channels. Moreover, care must be taken not to breach any provision in
the corporate-negotiated or individual hotel-negotiated contract with respect to equal treatment of
providers within the Non-Mandatory channel. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, Hotels must not
restrict the availability of rates in the Non-Mandatory channel that are offered through a GDS, unless
such restrictions apply to all other Applicable Distribution Channels.
 Exclusions: (a) Packaged rates (rates that are inclusive of other significant goods and/or services)
offered by hotels (for example, a room coupled with entertainment, golf, or non-breakfast meals), but
only if the fee for these goods/services cannot be included in the room rate in all channels;
(b) Packaged rates offered by third parties (such as a room and a car rental or airline ticket); (c)
Opaque third-party online travel sites in which the brand is not known at the time of purchase, such as
Priceline.com.

5. Guaranteed Reservations

• Hotel must ensure the reservation cancellation policy (including fees and timing) is clearly
communicated and published (on all selling channels) at the time the reservation is booked
• Hotel Front Desk associates must be trained to take reservations through the property management
system (PMS) and/or Marriott's reservation system (MARSHA)
• Hotel must honor all guaranteed reservations
◦ A reservation is considered guaranteed for late arrival (minimally until 6:00 a.m. the following
day) if one of the following methods of payment is provided with the reservation:

◾ credit card

◾ cash

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Department head Financial Controller General Manager
Booking Reservations
Front Office
SOP FO-01

◾ check (Exception: International Continents)

◾ complimentary voucher

◾ Marriott Rewards Redemption certificate

◾ direct bill number

◾ advance deposit of one night's room and tax

6. Non-Guaranteed Reservations

• Hotel is encouraged to accept non-guaranteed reservations.

• Hotel may elect NOT to accept non-guaranteed reservations based on:
◦ business demand
◦ seasonal demand

7. Wait Listing (optional)

• When a guest requests a reservation for a night on which the hotel is completely booked, place the
guest's name on a wait list
◦ If used, property must establish direct and timely communication with guest, regardless of room
Availability

8. Cancellations

For Hotels in AP & MEA - Guests may cancel guaranteed reservations without penalty until 6:00 p.m.
hotel time on the day of arrival, unless otherwise specified on the reservation.

9. Advance Deposit Refunds

• Hotel must refund the advance deposit for a guaranteed reservation when the reservation is cancelled
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Department head Financial Controller General Manager
Booking Reservations
Front Office
SOP FO-01

prior to the cancellation time as is specified on the reservation

◦ Hotel does not have to refund advance deposits for special events functions as specified on the
Reservation.

-- End of SOP –

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Department head Financial Controller General Manager