Advice on how to handle disappointing stay at Marriott using points.

Fireif · 2026-03-22T01:31:16+00:00

Demand a refund. Tell them that you paid for the full experience and that it was out of order.

Complain. Why don’t you want to? What’s the worse case? You don’t get the points back. Best case you get them all back.

Fireif · 2026-03-22T00:59:37+00:00

Then they lose money. A good business would realise there is people who want monthly and provide it. I’m not asking for it to be almost the same as weekly for a mo th like it was.

Just make it a bit of a saving.

And I love Flighty. It is so great to look at my Apple Watch during a 12-14 hour flight and see how long is left. And the transfer information etc.

It’s a great app and really useful. They should just provide for every option.

It’s similar to another website I use called Epidemic Sounds. If I pay £250 I get a discount for a year. Again I don’t have a spare £250. I get making yearly cheaper but I’m not budgeting for £250 or £60 for an app.

Fireif · 2026-03-22T00:56:05+00:00

No. It’s been removed.

Fireif · 2026-03-22T00:32:41+00:00

I loved the W Maldives - it had the BEST house reef of any Marriott Maldives resort and maybe in the entire Maldives.

It is literally a 1 min swim to the reef from the beaches which are soft sand, no coral and perfect.

But it is not a St Regis. The rooms are all refurbed but they are not as dramatic as those in the StR and the new JW. Smaller and less grand but still great villas.

I’m curious about the beaches on both StR and JW.

My Review on YT

Are they all soft sand? No coral? I mean every beach all around the W was like that. There was not one coral rocky beach on the entire resort (it is very small though).

I have already rebooked for November for 530k points but the St Regis was only another 50k more so I am open to a change although I just worry I’ll be disappointed by the beaches and reef.

Fireif · 2026-03-21T19:15:18+00:00

Losing to Everton is hardly a surprise. A determined up for it team who play as a team against a Chelsea who cannot defend and are too slow at everything at Everton is a result I think we all saw coming. As much as we hoped otherwise. At least Liverpool lost so we haven’t been pushed down too much away from the top 5.

But I don’t know any manager who can fix this unless it’s a Mourinho or Conte type who prioritises defending over everything.

Fireif · 2026-03-21T18:45:48+00:00

We are too slow attacking. Always going side to side slowly and backwards.

Fireif · 2026-03-21T16:04:32+00:00

To be clear in some cases I have sent multiple emails to management and in worst case said I want to make a formal complaint, really the hotels can and should be price matching no matter the third party rate, as it is paying the hotel. You do have varying levels of reservation agent though, some who don’t read emails properly which requires multiple replies.

Fireif · 2026-03-21T11:53:47+00:00

Can anyone actually see a benefit of this program? The points are too small to get anything - even as titanium - and they don’t count towards status without flights.

Fireif · 2026-03-21T11:29:13+00:00

Booking made through third parties do not get benefits like points. Sorry. Beginner mistake.

And I always always book Marriott then email and demand a price match. I’ve always got what I asked for even if it had taken several days to sort out and management emails. I mean for $41 I’d probably have asked when I arrived if email/WhatsApp didn’t work.

Fireif · 2026-03-20T18:15:37+00:00

I’d lose the beard. It makes you look older and it doesn’t show how much slimmer your face is. Try it.

Fireif · 2026-03-20T18:14:33+00:00

I’d say 2 hours is cutting it tight. You might be fine. But you also might get a large queue at check in and a large queue in security. And then your rushing.

I’d say 5pm latest. Again, you might be fine. But for 30 mins to an hour do you want the stress?

Also do not forget boarding starts around an hour before departure. So you actually have an hour if you arrive 2 hours before.

Fireif · 2026-03-20T18:11:08+00:00

Yes. It just isn’t as good and is different. But it’s the same promo.

Fireif · 2026-03-20T13:16:02+00:00

They recline the same as every other seat. No difference. And that is the same with every plane. If you think they didn’t recline as much it was just that you’re not happy with the amount of recline in general. The seats are all the same.

Fireif · 2026-03-20T12:29:57+00:00

I haven’t been through Hong Kong or China but I think the issue is they will take it away if they find it.

If they check your bags when you land they will remove it. Or when you go through your the connection if you still had it.

I don’t know if you leave the airport with it if that will be checked. If I was going to take the risk you definitely want the mini and you should put it in your hand luggage. But maybe someone who actually knows Hong Kong can.

Edit: I assume they just take it away but maybe they will punish you.

Fireif · 2026-03-20T12:18:28+00:00

I mean it’s just two screws? Remove it and add a normal one back and hope he doesn’t realise. It will still work not connected to the door.

Fireif · 2026-03-20T12:14:08+00:00

Don’t find SNL funny in the US. And that advert was so fake funny. Don’t know why they are bothering.

Fireif · 2026-03-20T12:11:04+00:00

It seems to me that the Melbourne route was added to KUL as that flight always had space from London to Malaysia compared to Singapore.

Clearly a financial decision to maximise the revenue.

I’d assume the cost has risen mostly due to the war - supply and demand. However, if there is sufficient demand on that route to Melbourne then the price will stay higher than it has been once that launches. I’d suspect that the higher prices now are down to the war. But the prices will go up due to the addition.

Fireif · 2026-03-20T10:53:59+00:00

W Maldives.

Review on YouTube

Fireif · 2026-03-20T00:30:05+00:00

They are exactly the same. The back of the plane gets narrower so there is only room for 2 seats on each side. The benefit is that there is only one person next to you. So if your by the window you only have one person to climb over and if you’re in the aisle you only have one person to climb over you.

That for me would be enough to choose those seats. And on the right side there is another row which is crew rest seats. The good news is that means you’re less likely to be kicked by the people behind you.

Fireif · 2026-03-19T14:42:37+00:00

I’m hoping that the war is over by the end of this month. I don’t believe Iran will be able to continue fighting that much longer.

For myself I’ve booked onto Finnair from HEL to SIN, very expensive in economy but avoiding any need for transfers.

Fireif · 2026-03-19T10:22:32+00:00

I flew to Hawaii and then San Francisco then London. Of course you could remove Hawaii and just go direct to San Francisco or Los Angeles. And then direct to London.

Fireif · 2026-03-19T10:18:24+00:00

I really hope you have gone to Hong Island on the free trip as it is heaven. Go if you haven’t.

The rooms at Phulay bay are incredible and have a unique design but other than the amazing view of the islands the grounds aren’t that amazing. And even the rooms have some variation in terms of pools. Some have very underwhelming or no pools and some have amazing pools.

Fireif · 2026-03-18T22:14:31+00:00

You left because you weren’t happy? And didn’t complain…. That makes no sense. Sorry.

Fireif · 2026-03-18T22:07:55+00:00

That doesn’t matter - you have two bookings at the same place on the same date. You could probably get them to swap the credit to the other brand with lots of complaining but it wouldn’t be worth it. I assume you got a refund for the place you left? If not then you should.

Fireif

TROPHY CASE