We’ve been staying at the same JW Marriott for almost ten years now. Same yearly trip, same hotel, and honestly we never really considered staying anywhere else. The staff are still excellent, so this is not aimed at them.
What surprised me was that around two years ago, the poolside cabanas became a paid extra. The charge is about 4,000 baht++ per day, which works out to roughly S$185 for a day bed by the pool. Fair enough, resorts charge for premium extras. But on a completely busy pool day, the entire row of cabanas stayed empty.
We asked about using one, got quoted the full price, and then watched them sit unused for hours. That is the part I cannot really understand. It is not even about the money itself. It is more about the experience. You would think a hotel would rather make long-time returning guests feel appreciated instead of leaving premium spots empty all day waiting for someone willing to pay extra.
New guests probably will not notice because they never knew these used to be included. But regular visitors definitely notice these small changes, especially when repeat guests are supposed to matter most.
So I am curious if this is becoming normal across Marriott and Bonvoy properties now. Has everything shifted toward nonstop upselling, or is this specific property just being overly aggressive with extra charges?
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