Secret Marriott Website – See What’s Open Before You Book
One of the key frustrations of the pandemic (at least as far as hotels are concerned) is figuring out what’s open and functioning, and a secret Marriott website can help you figure it out. The best part is that you can figure this out before you book the property. This avoids the headache of booking, waiting for those “welcome” emails that tell you half the facilities are closed, and then looking for a new hotel. Here’s how to use this secret website to find out what’s open at that Marriott property before making a reservation.
Marriott’s “What to Expect” Website
Marriott has a website called “What to Expect” that details the current services and facilities for what’s open, restrictions, changes — what to expect during your stay. If you book a property, this will be emailed to you before your stay. That way, you get a feel for…what to expect, hey!
But you can use this same website before booking. I’d much rather know in advance whether the pool is open, breakfast is ‘room service only’, or other major changes that might change my mind about booking property A vs property B.
The website is https://whattoexpect.marriott.com/ but going to that link won’t help you. It just redirects to the Marriott reservations page. You need the Marsha Code or Property ID for the particular hotel you’re looking at.
How to Find the Marsha Code / Property ID
First, start your search like normal on Marriott’s website. Once you get a list of hotels in the city you’re heading to, this is where we start.
When I point my mouse at the hotel name, the link destination shows up in the toolbar on my browser. Look in that long address, near the end. There, you will see “propertyId=ANCSI&brandCode=SI&marshaCode=ANCSI”. The Property ID / Marsha Code for this hotel is ANCSI.
Check the Secret Marriott Website for What’s Open
Now, we go back to the ‘what to expect’ website with our Marsha Code / Property ID inserted at the end of the address: https://whattoexpect.marriott.com/ancsi.
Here’s what I see for this property.
From here, I see that the lounge and spa are still closed, which matches my experience there last month. However, the restaurant has re-opened for breakfast, rather than ‘room service only’ that we experienced during our stay.
Categories You Can Check
You can check the following categories for services and facilities to know what it would be like staying at the property right now:
- Commitment to Clean
- Shared responsibility
- Social distancing measures & contactless experience
- Enhanced cleaning protocols & housekeeping service
- Property amenities & services
- Food & beverage offerings
Final Thoughts
Knowing in advance what to expect during a hotel stay is a critical part of the experience. Using this secret website, you can figure out what’s open at a Marriott property before booking. The caveat is that this tells you what’s open right now. If you’re looking at a stay a few months from now, a lot could change between now and your check-in date. This is likely most useful for stays coming up soon or to give you an idea of possibilities. Between now and check-in, make sure to check back on the ‘what to expect’ site for any changes.
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I’ve found this to be extremely unreliable, at least in Asia.
Thanks Ryan for the great advise!
You can also use the app when booking and click on any of the hotels shown available. After you click one, it will open the app version of the hotel page. Scroll down and you will find the “What to Expect” row. Click on that and it will open the app version of the “whattoexpect.Marriott.com” webpage for that particular hotel. For many properties, that page will spell out what general services, restaurants, lounges (bars), room service, fitness room, club/lounge (Concierge Lounge, M Club, Sheraton Club, Executive Lounge, etc.), and what Elite Bonvoy benefits they are providing. I find it very useful in making a decision on which property to stay before I book. Also, since I am already in the app, it is quick and easy to book from there!
Thanks for your article!