Courtyard by Marriott Buffalo Amherst/University — Attraction in Town of Amherst

UPDATE in regards to a review published in September regarding a stay from a Friday to Sunday. Do not stay here. As you read below this hotel switched my rate unethically during my stay. I filed a report with Corporate Marriott, and although the supervisor stated what happened was unethical and wrong she could not refund my money and only “punish” the hotel internally. The supervisor had looked into Marriott’s system, and verified that the rate I had checked in with on Friday was unethically changed on Saturday. However, I got lucky with my credit card company. I filled a wrongful charge, and due to the hotel not complying with the investigation I was credited a refund for the unethical charge. So, DO NOT stay here!! If they steal your money Marriott corporate will not help, and you’d have to work with your credit card company, better business bureau, or lawyers!!

ORIGINAL REVIEW: This hotel has horrible customer services, and follows unethical business practices. I currently have a case open with corporate Marriott due to rate change after check in without notification. I stayed here as a federal government employee on business. I showed my government Id upon check in to ensure government rate, and front desk associate didn’t inform me of rate change. Also, upon mobile check in my rate was the same as when booked.

So after check out when i noticed I was charged a different amount than what the rate was upon check in, I contacted the hotel due to being charged $100 over federal government contract rate. I was informed that the general manager would call me the next day. I waited two days without hearing anything, and talked to a gentleman I believe in management. I received no apology of failed out reach and was told Marriott is enforcing strict no government travel on weekends (which is a lie because the Marriott corporate agent told me this is up to the hotel, the hotel pours the rates on the Marriott website, and if they aren’t going to honor rate they must contact person traveling on rate change before check in.). The person I spoke to refused to honor rate, and had 0 customer service care or skills. He refused to honor rate and had no sympathy or empathy in regards to this hotel being unethical and switching rate during stay.

On top of this I’m a platinum elite or higher member of over 6 years, and have been doing mobile check ins at courtyards since the app started to do so around 2017. I’ve always been able to select the food and beverage voucher gift over points, and the lady that checked me in at the front desk said mobile check in members don’t get to select gift. In 4 years no courtyard has ever told me this.

Thus, this practice is disregarding all Marriott courtyard corporate standards, and running the business unethically. I really hope corporate Marriott makes this right, or I’ll be forced to contact the better business bureau in regards to a business falsely charging someone. I feel stolen from by...

Well okay, the room was clean, and everything in the room worked. But with so many hotel options to stay in each and every evening, I choose them based on their promotions or loyalty programs. Even though this hotel flies the Marriott Bonvoy flag, tricking guests into believing they will enjoy the benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy program, this hotel confusingly doesn't deliver on Marriott Bonvoy's most important benefits guests are told to expect once they hold up their end of the required amount of loyalty to Marriott hotels. When I spoke to the front desk woman (who not coincidentally has suffered many nasty comments on this website) about the $50 compensation due from Marriott Bonvoy's published Elite Benefits Guarantee (which guarantees compensation if the welcome gift isn't offered upon arrival), not only did the front desk acknowledge their fault, I was called unethical for attempting to enjoy the earned benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy program. Why this front desk lady works for a company whose rules she deems unethical, to the point of calling her customers names, remains a complete mystery. But I digress. For the crime of attempting to enjoy the published benefits of rule 4.3(c) of the Marriott Bonvoy program, I was told my 4 pm checkout was voided, and that police would be called if I didn't leave by a certain time, even though I remained friendly and pleasant, asking what I did wrong? The manager told me that Marriott couldn't make him give me the $50 outlined in the rules of their own loyalty program. I said, "So Marriott can't make you act ethically toward your customers?" to which he actually replied "No, they can't". You just have to chuckle. Acknowledging their violation of rule 4.3(c) triggering the due compensation, the manager did offer a much reduced offer of points. I would've taken the 8000 points that would equal the value of $50, but was only offered 4000 points, which I couldn't accept. No informed consumer would. I currently have a case on file with the New York State Attorney General with this clear case of bait and switch, as the Bonvoy program clearly promises benefits they never intended on delivering or bother enforcing. Next on my long list of available remedies is the Better Business Bureau. Because with the rates hotels are charging these days to make up for their COVID losses, consumers should at least expect their loyalty programs not to cheat them, call them names or threaten to call law enforcement for asking for earned benefits. But I'm not sure what else I expected. The name of the owner on the hotel website matches the name of someone whose area restaurant was forced to close after underhanded anti-consumer dealings in addition to tax fraud. Avoid this hotel...

Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge that this review is not a false review. It is very authentic. Yesterday, my family and I checked into this establishment. We had a kind hotel representative who checked us in and we then went to our rooms. The hotel representative informed us that we could stay until 2pm tomorrow. We had an overnight stay and double rooms. In my room, there was a long black skinny insect on the window, the window seals were dirty, the bathroom floors had a brown rust in the corner near the shower, one toilet paper roll has brown stains that were previously there on the sides of the roll, there was an ant crawling on the bathroom floor, and all three dresser drawers were unclean on the inside. Due to us arriving in the evening and needing to relax, we stayed in the room. The beds were fine. This morning, my father received a call from a female hotel representative at the front desk who informed him that he is not supposed to stay until 2pm. My father kindly informed the front desk representative that he was informed by yesterday’s hotel representative that he could stay until 2pm, and if he had known that he couldn’t, he would have left at 12pm. The representative then proceeds to inform my father in a disrespectful tone and matter “It’s fine… whatever”and then proceeds to hang up the phone on him. How am I aware of the interaction? I was standing directly next to him the entire time. We are out of town guests who were here for a personal and serious family matter. I also wanted to note that when I came back into the hotel to check on my sister, she informed me that the female representative was discussing at the front desk how “An angry man wanted to stay until 2pm”. To discuss a guest at the front desk while other potential guests are there is absolutely unacceptable, but to also lie on a guest when the representative was actually the disrespectful person during the conversation is another aspect that I 110% not okay. In the event that another story is told on what truly happened, I am more than willing to relay the accurate information. We are also a family that frequently utilizes the Marriott properties in various states. To already be in a sensitive place emotionally during this time and to be treated with a lack of hospitality by the particular female hotel representative is unacceptable. Customer service should be to serve the customers and promote a positive brand as a representative and most importantly for the hotel brand. I am extremely disappointed. Thus, for those who would like to stay at this particular hotel, please reconsider evaluating...