Marriott Double-Charged Me and Took a Month to Refund. Here's How I Got My Money Back.

Marriott charged my card twice for the same stay. I noticed it three weeks after checkout when I was reconciling my expenses. The front desk said they would process a refund. Two weeks later, nothing happened.

I called Marriott customer service. They confirmed the duplicate charge but said it had been refunded already. I checked my bank statement. No refund. They said it takes 7-10 business days. I waited. Still nothing.

After a month of back and forth, I escalated to Marriott's billing department. I threatened to file a chargeback. The refund appeared in my account the next day.

Marriott's system for processing refunds is slow. But they do process them eventually if you push hard enough. The key is to stay calm, document everything, and be willing to escalate.

Always pay for hotels with a credit card. Credit cards give you better protection for billing disputes. And check your statement two weeks after checkout to make sure pending charges have cleared.