Marriott Bonvoy: Book Hotels 4+

Marriott Corp has tried to make a good app - but problem comes to the fact little to none of the hotels use the pre-order functionality to stock your room, they don’t use the chat function if you need something while at hotel, they do not honor the checking or late checkout out function (they don’t care and still need to use old school process to know if they can accept a late checkout). App does not notify you of a room ready early either - as the hotels don’t use the feature. App is good to book and change hotels if needed - to change a reservation you are better off cancelling and rebooking as app is not flexible on honoring changes. Basically the app is good to track Marriott points and the progress each year to make Reward levels (not a perk for me as I’m lifetime Platinum member). So being lifetime Platinum you would think Marriott would listen to their customers and force their Marriott properties to use the features in the app - or do away with the features all together. FYI - I’m also an Elite member with Hilton properties and guess what - their Hotel locations use the app and it actually works really well...

Terrible tricky UI/UX. This coming from a UI/UX designer. I had 2 nights booked at the JW. I decided to look into adding a 3rd night. The app has a button that says ‘update’ after the date entry that you have to click just to see the new prices for the changed dates. The rooms show the updated price/night and also shows ‘total per room’ with another button next to each room type that also says ‘update’. So you would think, just like the first button that says ‘update’, that it would just lead to more info but NOPE - it actually just submits your change as final with no review. And worse yet, ‘total per room’ is not the final price. You don’t get to see that amount before your change is submitted unless you calculated resort fees on your own on the screen before. They’re tricky! They show ‘final TRIP total’ everywhere else in the app but here apparently. In the end I’ll end up paying more than double for my trip for just trying to add 1 night. I tried to call customer service and the lady was SO rude and can’t change it back even though she said all the history is in the same confirmation number. So if you want to add nights, just start another new reservation for those dates instead of modifying an existing one and save a few hundred. If this stay weren’t for a birthday kid, I’d cancel on this terrible experience all around!

Overall, this is a great app and even after the transition from SPG I think the app outshines. If I were rating the rewards program, I’d give SPG an A and the new program a B- But that’s not why I’m here - so I’m rating the app not Marriott, SPG or even the Bonvoy program.

Overall, the app is very easy to use and like many Marriott properties it really depends on the property you are staying on how well it integrates with he app. In my experience, about 1/3 of my stays truly honor a mobile check-in where I get a mobile key without visiting the front desk, perhaps security perhaps individual hotel preference. I will say that all properties do use the chat feature which is great when I need to communicate a non-urgent issue or perhaps let the staff know about an issue in a room for the next gift.

Mobile check-out is truly the best, it works almost all the time. Booking on the site is easy and straightforward. One of the best features that I like (might not be from the app) but how I get WiFi quickly since it remembers my device at every property. Overall, I think the app is well done, the rewards program is okay - still my brand of choice. Thanks Marriott!