Tragic news today, as Marriott announced the passing of CEO Arne Sorenson, 62. He passed away yesterday, February 15, 2021, due to pancreatic cancer. Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson Loses Battle To Pancreatic Cancer Sorenson became the first CEO not...
Review: Accra Marriott Hotel
I spent my first night in Accra at the Marriott hotel, just a few minutes from Accra’s Kotoka International Airport. It is a modern, comfortable hotel and the service was outstanding. Accra Marriott Hotel Review This hotel is Marriott’s first...
Marriott Adds Valuable Free Nights to New Credit Cardholders
Marriott Bonvoy has a few credit cards available to new consumers, but one, in particular, has added a lot of potential value with free nights for new cardholders. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit...
Review: Westin Bonaventure Los Angeles
121pilot, our resident pilot on Live and Let’s Fly, recently stayed at the Westin Bonaventure during a crew layover in Los Angeles. He graciously composed the review below, which gives insight into how full-service hotels are dealing with the...
All-In Pricing: Marriott Deserves No Praise For What Should Be A Given
Marriott now gives you the option to see all-in pricing when making a reservation earlier in the search process than the final payment screen. Are we supposed to cheer for what should have always been the case? Oh, it’s...
Review: The Jaffa Tel Aviv, A Luxury Collection Hotel By Marriott
One night was not enough at The Jaffa, a wonderful Marriott property in the Old Jaffa neighborhood of Tel Aviv. I have nothing but praise for this pricey but luxurious hotel. The Jaffa Premises + Location The hotel does...
The Jaffa Tel Aviv: Stunning New Marriott (The Luxury Collection) Hotel
I ended my trip to Israel with a splurge in Tel Aviv at The Jaffa, a recent addition to Marriott’s The Luxury Collection portfolio. My stay was flawless. I will publish a full review as part of my Israel...
Bonvoyed: Deceptive Redemption Prices Frustrate, Annoy
Marriott’s new Bonvoy program has not been the success CEO Arne Sorenson has suggested it is. Bonvoy’s award redemption nights don’t just deceive members, they also frustrate and annoy them. If you haven’t followed us on Facebook or Instagram,...
Whew: Police Arrest Disgruntled Marriott Cook Who Planned Mass Shooting In California Hotel
Good news out of California, where Long Beach Police arrested a disgruntled Marriott employee who planned to shoot “everyone he saw” at the hotel he worked for. Rodolfo Montoya, a cook at the Long Beach Marriott hotel, was upset...
It’s About Time Someone Sued Marriott Over Sham Resort Fees…
For years I have argued that hotels and online travel agencies should be forced to disclose all-in pricing at all points of the hotel search process. We may finally be one step closer to that goal. Mandatory “fees” are...
Marriott Launches Tone Deaf Airbnb Competitor
Marriott didn’t think of Airbnb and the Homeshare market as much competition but has since launched a Homeshare program. It only goes to prove that their leadership is tone deaf, out of touch and still just doesn’t get it. ...
My Dull Sense Of Remorse Over Missed Marriott Redemption
If you have not been living under a rock, you know that Marriott Bonvoy introduced a new Category 8 for hotel redemptions on March 5th. Overnight, many awards dramatically rose in price. We knew this was coming for several months,...
I Did Drop To Marriott Bonvoy Gold Status…
Just a quick follow-up to my post last month about unexpectedly keeping Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status longer than expected. I rarely stay in Marriott/Starwood properties but received Marriott Gold status as a benefit of my 1K status on United....
I’m a Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite With ZERO Stays In 2018 Or 2019…
Just want to report a data point. We’re a few days into the Marriott Bonvoy era and I am still a Platinum Elite despite zero stays in the last couple years and no lifetime status. My Marriott elite status comes...
Review: Philadelphia International Airport Marriott Hotel
As part of a long journey, I briefly stayed at the Philadelphia Airport Marriott and ended my stay both pleased and disappointed. Location The hotel is connected to Terminal B and on-airport parking. If you are taking a cab...
Review: Renaissance Toledo Downtown Hotel (Marriott)
On a business trip, I had a chance to stay in the very contemporary and dare I say, ‘sassy’ Renaissance Toledo Downtown Hotel. This hotel had everything, except for an upgrade for a (then) gold member. Location On the...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: April 29, 2018
Greetings from the fairly remote Las Padres National Forrest about 90 minutes north of Los Angeles. It was special weekend for me: my brother is getting married next week and this weekend was his bachelor party. Heidi, don’t worry…it...
Marriott/SPG Devaluation: Fears Confirmed at Freddies
A few days ago I posted my suspicions about Marriott/SPG’s overwhelmingly positive reception. One Mile At A Time posted that there were some great new values in the new award chart that probably wouldn’t last. Friends, readers, strangers –...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: April 22, 2018
Hello from LA. I’m back from Hawaii after a wonderful, albeit brief, getaway with my wife. In terms of top news for the week, we’ve now learned more about the new Marriott-SPG loyalty program. It looks good (for the...
Chinese Cyber Police Block Marriott’s Website for Disrespecting China
Cyber Police from the city of Shanghai have blocked Marriott’s website and mobile app for one week, punishing the hotel chain for “disrespecting” Chinese Sovereignty. Marriott sent out a Mandarin-language survey to Chinese consumers which listed Hong Kong, Macau, Tibet,...
