I don’t know if I just have very bad luck, if this issue is just common with Marriott properties in Europe, or what, though it sure seems like Marriott could do a bit better…
In this post:
Marriott stay credit not posting to my Bonvoy account
I recently took a trip to Germany with my parents, and in total, we stayed at four different Marriott properties. I booked all of these reservations directly with Marriott, had my Bonvoy number attached to them, etc. So after a stay, it’s standard for a hotel to automatically post elite nights and points to your account.
The exact timeline of how long it takes varies. For example, I find that World of Hyatt is pretty consistent, and typically posts stays the day after you check out. Meanwhile with Marriott Bonvoy, it’s much less consistent — sometimes it takes a couple of days later, and sometimes it takes longer than that.
Marriott officially states that you should wait 10 business days before requesting missing stay credit. However, I don’t find that it usually takes that long — in my experience if a stay doesn’t post within a week, it likely won’t post at all.
Anyway, over the four stays I completed with Marriott in Europe (one at a Marriott, one at a Westin, and two at Autograph Collection properties);
- Two stays haven’t posted at all, despite it having been 10 business days
- One stay posted, but it credited the completely wrong number of points (about half of what I should have earned)
- One stay posted correctly (well, mostly correctly, though many properties seem to short points for stays)
While it seems like I’m having especially bad luck here, Marriott does seem worse than other hotel groups when it comes to promptly and correctly posting points for stays.
Does anyone understand why this is such an issue? I understand occasionally technology and systems fail, but having 50% of stays not post at all when the reservation was made direct, had my Bonvoy number on it, etc., seems like it’s indicative of a bigger issue, no?
Requesting Marriott Bonvoy missing stay credit is easy(ish)
The good news is that requesting missing stay credit with Marriott Bonvoy is quite easy. For those who aren’t familiar with the process, just go to the “Activity” page of your Bonvoy account, and underneath all your activity, you’ll see a link that says “report a missing stay.”
Then you just have to complete an easy three step form to request missing stay credit.
If this is filled out correctly, I find that typically Marriott Bonvoy customer service reaches out within a day to correctly credit the stay.
The catch is that you need a copy of your folio in order to submit this form, and if you don’t have your folio, you’ll be told to contact Marriott Bonvoy guest services to request a copy of that.
This brings up a whole additional issue (I’ve learned my lesson in the meantime), about how Marriott properties in Europe seem especially bad about emailing folios after stays, so make sure you request a printed copy. So in anticipation of my stay not posting correctly, I had already requested copies of the folios for the properties that hadn’t emailed them to me.
A Marriott representative reached out to me within a day to say that they had requested a copy from each property, and that I would hear back directly from the property with my folio within five business days. Fortunately they’ve all gotten back to me, except Roomers Baden-Baden, even though the five days has elapsed.
Honestly, I loved Roomers Baden-Baden, but I’m starting to lose my patience with this property. Do I need to fly back to Germany and show up at the hotel to pick up my folio, or why is this so complicated?
Bottom line
While I had four great Marriott stays in Germany and France, actually getting the credit for them in my Bonvoy account has proven to be quite the headache. First I had issues getting the folios emailed for the stays, and now the stays aren’t automatically posting to my account.
Fortunately Marriott’s system for requesting missing stay credit is pretty good, and is handled promptly. This assumes that you have the folio for your stay. And if you don’t, you’ll have to handle that first, and that could be quite a waiting game as well.
I’m curious, has anyone else had issues with Marriott stays just not posting in Europe? Does anyone know what could be causing this, because it seems like the world’s biggest hotel loyalty program should be able to post more than 25% of stays correctly?
Yep same issue for me. I average 4 nights per month and I have to call to get missing credit for a stay about 1 to 2 times a month on average. All of my stays are in the United States at different hotel chains owned by Marriott.
I stay at Marriot properties several times per month . At least 50% of the time no stay credit is applied! The stays are in USA for the most part. BonVoy is a complete mess in my opinion. Try filling out a missing stay report on an iPad it is a total disaster !
Forgot to add that I never had these issues with Hyatt. Miss being a Globalist with Hyatt, nights/points always credited and I actually always got really nice suite upgrades. Marriot sucks at upgrading to suites or nice rooms. Sucks my company has us chained to Marriott.
In 2023, I submitted a total of 15 missing nights throughout year with Marriott. RIDICILOUS that I have to take the time after business trips to reconcile and audit my folios, nights, and points, otherwise, I would have had 15 nights missing altogether as well as points.
It’s happening everywhere. My last four stays, all were wrong by points and aqs which caused me missing the ambassador.
It is systemic and you just can’t fix it. I emailed them so many times but always only robots are answering
Recently, I had two stays at the one Sheraton in the USA. One credited automatically and the other didn't! My IHG and Hilton stays have credited without issue for years.
I've had 50 stays this year and approximately 8 have not been registered. Various in Costa Rica, one in Colombia, and even a few inside the US. Then comes the lengthy process to make sure my stays and points are registered. I enjoy the perks but do not appreciate the hoops you have to jump through to have them recognize stays that should have been recorded by them.
Yes I can definitely relate to the experience of points not posting, stays/nights being incorrect, and folios not being sent via email automatically at the conclusion of the stay. The delay for the posting of points is also unwarranted. I've found stays outside of North America to be far worse but its running at a 40%+ error rate now with over 100 nights of Marriott stays during 2023. The error has always been remedied but the administative burden is high...
Can one complain and get compensated for the hassle?
I’ve just had this issue, and after contacting hotel for a receipt, in order to log missing stay, to no avail, waited 10days, sent message and got email back saying they will send, now 15days, still no luck
Normally, when you check in using Bonvoy app, your card is charged, when i got to hotel, they said no and charged me using my card...
Can one complain and get compensated for the hassle?
I’ve just had this issue, and after contacting hotel for a receipt, in order to log missing stay, to no avail, waited 10days, sent message and got email back saying they will send, now 15days, still no luck
Normally, when you check in using Bonvoy app, your card is charged, when i got to hotel, they said no and charged me using my card & pin, upon checkout I usually ask for my invoice to be emailed, but no staff, just a box for keys to be left in
Do the actual hotels get any bonus or penalties, or financial gain, for messing around with Bonvoy guests
I actually liked the hotel, location, parking, and local shops (Tesco, Greggs, Subway, and Kebab Shop) and would like to stay again , so I can maintain my platinum status , and talking of that; I normally get free breakfast, but that was no offered neither!
I need 10 more stays before end of 2023!
Happy travels everyone
In the last 6 months not one of my stays posted automatically. I have had to complete requests for missing stays. On the plus side I do receive the e folios!
Despite of you being able to report the missing stays they don't care because the answer always is you have already been credited for it , also when I get to rooms they only credit one
I'm moving to Hilton
I would think that problems with posting would be more common at smaller or more remote properties. It has been a while since this problem happened to me.
Same problem at a Marriott in St. Thomas. Seems to be more rampant lately. I'm still trying to get the folio from the hotel.
My experience is that somewhere around one-third of my stays do not post automatically. And almost all my stays are in the US. If it doesn’t post within four days, then it typically will not post. But when I put in a missing stay request, it posts quickly, but this puts the responsibility on the guest to make sure they post.
I have always wondered if this is a business strategy of Marriott to be...
My experience is that somewhere around one-third of my stays do not post automatically. And almost all my stays are in the US. If it doesn’t post within four days, then it typically will not post. But when I put in a missing stay request, it posts quickly, but this puts the responsibility on the guest to make sure they post.
I have always wondered if this is a business strategy of Marriott to be sloppy to save money. I also wondered if there was a class action suit possible for all members that Marriott was intentionally under-posting points.
I stayed 9 nights at the Sheraton Stockholm August 1-10
After checking out my stay was completely canceled at the Bonvoy Application
After calling 4 times sending multiple e mails and forwarding my invoice to Bonvoy my stay until today was not reinstated and no points or credit recorded
The Hotel Ass Front Office Manager has been very helpful but he as well could not resolve the issue to reinstating my stay
I stayed 9 nights at the Sheraton Stockholm August 1-10
After checking out my stay was completely canceled at the Bonvoy Application
After calling 4 times sending multiple e mails and forwarding my invoice to Bonvoy my stay until today was not reinstated and no points or credit recorded
The Hotel Ass Front Office Manager has been very helpful but he as well could not resolve the issue to reinstating my stay
The latest customer service promised to look into the booking but still no response
It's Marriott everywhere. If you think hotels are bad, try getting a timeshare stay to post at all. Have had to fight, including copying their own rules back to them, in numerous emails, before receiving credit for stays.
In the past, I typically faced this points inaccuracy issue when I mixed points + cash, or I stayed a few nights and continue stay again in the same property. All booked directly with Marriot.
I had it once in US, 2021, in Guatemala and US just 3 weeks ago.
Marriot needs to up their IT game for Bonvoy... missing point, short changed points, it takes forever, a "black box" calculation of points, and yes, sometimes, issues with getting your emailed receipt. Too many sub properties, sub franchises, international locations, etc etc.
If these properties buy into the franchise, there needs to be some expectation that they will be consistent... (including your on-site member benefits).
same experience. back from road trip through Germany, Swiss, France, Belgium. I always ask for a printed receipt just fort his reason. 1 hotel was not able to print one (France/Paris) but after persistently asking it was possible. Missing stay form is easy but even if you submit 3 (!) hours before the deadline of 10 days they will not correct it. You get a standard response. If you wait 10 days in my experience...
same experience. back from road trip through Germany, Swiss, France, Belgium. I always ask for a printed receipt just fort his reason. 1 hotel was not able to print one (France/Paris) but after persistently asking it was possible. Missing stay form is easy but even if you submit 3 (!) hours before the deadline of 10 days they will not correct it. You get a standard response. If you wait 10 days in my experience it is corrected within 24 hours. Used top be all automatic even the mailing of the folio.
Same here at a residence inn in California. I checked out on the 12th and filled out a missing points form on the 24th. The customer service rep replied the next day saying the points and nights has been credited, which they were. I wonder if it happened organically or whether my request prompted immediate response,
Same here. Never the right amount of points, but never ever too many (which seems to suggest it is a policy). And if the folio doesn’t come through while still at check-out, it almost certainly won’t come at all. And what is it with the Chase Bonvoy credit card that some properties are not automatically recognized as Marriott, which means having to call them too for a points correction?!
Agreed... it can't simply be a system error, as one NEVER gets too many points, always that 80 percent short changing of the expected points...
Hi currently a Titanium and did roughly over 100 stays last year and yes I also have had similar problems in Europe.
WHAT I STARTED TO DO every time after the stay is just mobile check out and then shoot a text to the chat that I would like a receipt sent to my email address @ bla bla bla since they usually forget to even though I have that set in my settings. I would say my points get credited 90% of the time but if not just go through the missing stay function.
I live in the UK and most of my travel is in Europe. I rarely get a Marriott stay that doesn’t post entirely, however, I’d say 50% plus of my stays post in a way that is clearly incorrect (too low number of points / eligible spend, wrong number of nights if I book two back-to-back stays, etc). I recently switched largely to Hyatt and not having the same issues. Marriott definitely need to be...
I live in the UK and most of my travel is in Europe. I rarely get a Marriott stay that doesn’t post entirely, however, I’d say 50% plus of my stays post in a way that is clearly incorrect (too low number of points / eligible spend, wrong number of nights if I book two back-to-back stays, etc). I recently switched largely to Hyatt and not having the same issues. Marriott definitely need to be aware how annoying this is, it’s infuriating if you are chasing Ambassador renewal and the points and eligible spend post as like half of what you expect.
I am almost convinced it's because of god awful IT infrastructure. I have seen sooo many billion dollar companies with 35 cents IT infrastructure because the upper brass don't know, understand nor care how any of it works as long as something is functional within 3 months. I'm willing to bet that while most of us thinks everything flows seamlessly once your reservation is in the system I'm here to tell you nope. This is...
I am almost convinced it's because of god awful IT infrastructure. I have seen sooo many billion dollar companies with 35 cents IT infrastructure because the upper brass don't know, understand nor care how any of it works as long as something is functional within 3 months. I'm willing to bet that while most of us thinks everything flows seamlessly once your reservation is in the system I'm here to tell you nope. This is especially true for companies that absorb other companies. Rarely do the 2 IT systems matches up. The CTO might feel it will take a staff of 1000 in 18 months to integrate. But the ceo will say great I'll give you 200 people and 3 months and half of those are outsourced who have never stayed in a hotel before. Happens all the time. So you end up making crazy solutions. I have seen "seamless automated" systems that relies on someone in India emailing a spreadsheet of transactions to someone in the US on a daily basis who then manually feeds it into a database. But none of these people will do anything if someone accidentally emails a spreadsheet of their xmas shopping list instead of the companies transaction in the last 24 hours. Sound crazy and horrifying?? Welcome to the overwhelming majority of companies. You can see this for yourselves. Look at cellphone apps and how bad many of them from large companies are. How many seemingly careless bugs there are and how such a large company can put out such an awful product.
Same here....I have had to request my missing stays all year. I seems to be specific hotels I stay at that do not credit.
Just started happening this year for me. In 15 years and thousands of stays (LTE), happened in London.
I just completed a 60 day trip around Argentina (with Antarctic and Carnival side trips). Stayed with Bonvoy, IHG and Hilton. Both IHG and Bonvoy were excellent and points posted within a day.
Hilton on the other hand only posted 1 night out of 7 properly and refused to credit a 5 night stay booked through their booking engine claiming it was not an eligible stay. The reps on the Diamond desk even state...
I just completed a 60 day trip around Argentina (with Antarctic and Carnival side trips). Stayed with Bonvoy, IHG and Hilton. Both IHG and Bonvoy were excellent and points posted within a day.
Hilton on the other hand only posted 1 night out of 7 properly and refused to credit a 5 night stay booked through their booking engine claiming it was not an eligible stay. The reps on the Diamond desk even state the stay is not eligible even when presented with a screen shot of future stays advertised. Don't know what is up with Hilton
I had one situation for about 2 years, that one hotel in particular (in Whistler) the points and stays would never come through. So I always had to fill the missing stay request, and as you mentioned, it would come through in about 2 days. As a Titanium member we stayed at this hotel a fair bit each year. They were doing everything correctly from the hotel end of things, and could not explain the...
I had one situation for about 2 years, that one hotel in particular (in Whistler) the points and stays would never come through. So I always had to fill the missing stay request, and as you mentioned, it would come through in about 2 days. As a Titanium member we stayed at this hotel a fair bit each year. They were doing everything correctly from the hotel end of things, and could not explain the glitch as to why stays from that particular hotel was the only one that would never post.
Same here. I recently spent like four weeks to get my credit and to get it credited right. 99% of time I book two rooms and some hotels post no credit or credit just one room.
Even when I report a missing stay the sloppy Marriott Customer Service employees still manage to post one room and you have to write them. Again!
I love the check out with the Marriott app. But German hotels would...
Same here. I recently spent like four weeks to get my credit and to get it credited right. 99% of time I book two rooms and some hotels post no credit or credit just one room.
Even when I report a missing stay the sloppy Marriott Customer Service employees still manage to post one room and you have to write them. Again!
I love the check out with the Marriott app. But German hotels would mail me my invoice maaaaybe in 1% of cases. Probably closer to 0%.
I also love the chat function but the service at German Marriott is sooo bad that you can write them anything you want it they will reply hours later if at all. I’m staying at Marriotts around the world. When it comes to bad service or no service at all Germany is a clear world leader. Munich, Frankfurt, Berlin, Nürnberg. It doesn’t matter. I tried dozens of hotels and they all suck service wise.
Sloppy processing by front desk / night auditors are the usual reasons. If the pms system does not auto interfaces to Marriott hq reporting then it’s a human issue as it requires manual processes
Aside from asking for a paper copy, if I haven’t received my folio by the end of the day I check out, I use the chat function which is still open to request it. I’ve been in a situation where they’ve had to make adjustments at check out to be approved by manager and then can’t even print it so it’s either a case of waiting around a long time for it or e-mail.
I...
Aside from asking for a paper copy, if I haven’t received my folio by the end of the day I check out, I use the chat function which is still open to request it. I’ve been in a situation where they’ve had to make adjustments at check out to be approved by manager and then can’t even print it so it’s either a case of waiting around a long time for it or e-mail.
I agree, they are generally poor with posting. I find IHG very consistent, and like Hyatt, post within two days of check out.
One thing might help: if you redeem points and have no charges on your folio, then they stay normally does not automatically post. Charge at least $1 to your room so that you earn some points for spend - this greatly increases chances of the stay posting automatically.
I was thinking the exact same thing (about how frequently Marriott is missing ENC/points for stays).
Thanks for posting about it.
I feel like it should be easy for Marriott to automate & improve this. I wish they did.
Roomers Baden-Baden is style over substance. We were there a few nights after you (I suspect) and it turned out to be a nightmare. The rooftop bar turns into a late night club with throbbing base that shakes the hotel. Staff did nothing about it and claimed that we couldn't hear it in our room. We had to convince the night manager to come to our room to prove it to him. It was an...
Roomers Baden-Baden is style over substance. We were there a few nights after you (I suspect) and it turned out to be a nightmare. The rooftop bar turns into a late night club with throbbing base that shakes the hotel. Staff did nothing about it and claimed that we couldn't hear it in our room. We had to convince the night manager to come to our room to prove it to him. It was an ongoing argument that lasted until 3 AM when they finally ended the music, and the way it was handled was terrible.
My experience aligns with yours, Ben, but also in the USA and Canada. I actively avoid Marriott now as a result, which seems kind of silly; but the last thing I want to do after I am home from a business trip is to deal with getting a stay credited. It's just too lame in 2023 to have problems over 50% of the time.
My points are wrong like 70% of the time. Almost like someone is trying to short millions of people their hard earned points for a reason.....Hmmmm....
I’ve had a version of this happen where, after initially denying the credit request, came back and credited the stay.. to someone else with the same name. That was despite providing them the correct Bonvoy number, and was a fun dumpster fire to put out
I totally agree with you and it feels like they would do it on purpose.
We stay at the Courtyard London Gatwick occasionally and they’ve NEVER provided an e-Mail invoice or points I have to go through the process of missing points every single time.
Also strange: it never shows up on my past bookings (even booked through Marriott App).
This happens to me nearly every stay. I've shifted all my business away from Marriott that I possibly can because of it. Thankful for my lifetime Titanium status so I could not care less about chasing it ever again and will still get the perks if I must. If they can just get their s*** together.
Sheraton Frankfurt airport was similar to deal with. Points didn't post within 10 days, and hotel insisted I didn't have a folio since I redeemed points for the night there. Fiasco but ultimately worked out. Was your experience there similar?
I'm a lifetime Platinum. This isn't just a Europe thing, it happens all the time in the US, too.
How do you dispute incorrect point accruals? Just had a stay where none of my 1,000 point bonuses accrued.
I call up the line every few months and tell her to clear her calendar for the next 30 minutes and we go through them all.
“I…tell her to clear her calendar for the next half hour”. This made me laugh out loud, and I wish I had thought of this line first. Totally stealing it!
I tend to email the Bonvoy stay account, which is where I receive e-mails from when I submit a missing claim online.
Standard operating procedure of Marriott properties, withold points and credit incorrect amounts, never never accept emailed invoices as you have now found out from your mistake.
Marriott is just a lousy American hotel chain that has no emphasis on customer service at all.
I too always ask for a printed copy of the folio because pre-COVID it felt like more than 25% of my global stays were not getting posted (it was higher in Europe and I also had to have points fixed). For the last six trips (one to the UK and five to Europe), I only had to chase one hotel in Rome. In the US in 2023 I haven't had to file a missing stay...
I too always ask for a printed copy of the folio because pre-COVID it felt like more than 25% of my global stays were not getting posted (it was higher in Europe and I also had to have points fixed). For the last six trips (one to the UK and five to Europe), I only had to chase one hotel in Rome. In the US in 2023 I haven't had to file a missing stay report. In 2022 it was probably only once or twice. Maybe I've just gotten lucky but in 2022 and 2023 it felt like it was getting better in the US. (for reference, currently Ambassador but generally a titanium elite)
Always get a folio on check out day, no exception. Too risky if you dont.
Happens to me all the time. I just come to expect it from Marriott. Still a fan of their properties though.
Has happened with me a few times. Not so much in Europe but moreso in North America and a time or two in Japan. Always always always get a paper copy of the receipt just in case.
This happens all the time: Marriott properties (1) not emailing folio after check-out (even after specifically requesting it), (2) stays not crediting and (3) wrong number of points posting. Super annoying, waste of time, ridiculous situation. It has to be a well-known problem to Marriott management, which they choose not to fix to save on the software upgrade and/or points/stay credit.
This just happened to me and unfortunately the stay should get me to the next level of status, and I have 3 stays in a row this coming week. Filled out the missing stay request and nothing back from them.
As a program they seem to really struggle and it’s not getting better.
I have this same issue with 9 out of 10 stays with Marriott family. I always get a paper copy of my bill before leaving the hotel for this reason. It is very frustrating.
I agree that Marriott stays don’t post consistently. I don’t keep track, but have had to request at least 2 stay credits in the past year. One was from Germany.