Privacy Policy
JW Marriott Austin
Marriott Rewards

Site Security Statement

Marriott has a strong commitment to providing excellent service to all of our customers and visitors of this Website, including respecting your concerns about privacy. We understand that you may have questions about how this Website collects and uses the information that you provide to us. We have prepared this statement to inform you of the privacy principles that govern this Website, including Marriott.com and other Marriott sites included within Marriott.com, which are listed in this privacy statement (“Statement”).

This Statement contains numerous general and technical details about the steps we take to respect your privacy concerns. We have organized the Statement by major processes and areas so that you can quickly link to the information of most interest to you.

At Marriott, meeting your needs and expectations form the foundation of everything we do–including protecting your privacy.

If after reviewing this Statement, you have any questions or privacy concerns please send an email toprivacy@marriott.com or send a letter to:

Marriott International, Inc

Attn: Information Protection and Privacy Dept. 52/995.63
10400 Fernwood Road
Bethesda, MD 20817
United States of America

This Statement was last updated on April 14, 2010 to describe the new Click to Chat feature, include the remember me enhancement for web-enabled mobile devices, describe the new BlackBerry and iPhone applications, and change the department number in the contact address. In the future, we may need to make additional changes. All changes will be highlighted here so that you will always understand our current practices with respect to the information we gather, how we might use that information and disclosure of that information to third parties.

Browsing

This Website does not collect personally identifiable information when you browse this Website and request pages from our servers unless you voluntarily and knowingly provide it to us. This means that we will not know your name, your email address, or any other personally identifiable information just because you browse the Website unless you:

  • access the Website from a link in an email that we sent;
  • are a Marriott Rewards member or have created a profile and you either log-in to your account or schoose to be remembered via your cookie, including on your web-enabled mobile device.

In these cases we will know who you are based on the information you previously supplied to us. When you request a page from our Website, our servers log the information provided in the HTTP request header including the IP number, the time of the request, the URL of your request and other information that is provided in the HTTP header. We collect the HTTP request header information in order to make our Website function correctly and provide you the functionality that you see on this Website. We also use this information to personalize content presented to you, better understand how visitors use our Website and how we can better tune it, its contents, and functionality to meet your needs.

Information We Collect and How We Use It

When we need to collect personally identifiable information from you to provide you with a particular service, we will ask you to voluntarily supply us with the information we need. For example, if you would like to make a reservation at one of our hotels, we will ask you for information such as name, address, telephone number, email address, credit card number, Marriott Rewards number (if applicable) and room preference to process your reservation. We will use your email address to send a confirmation and, if necessary, might use the other information to contact you for help in processing the reservation. We will also use your email address to:

  • send you a pre-arrival message summarizing your confirmation details and providing other information about the area and the hotel;
  • notify you about special offers and promotions as described in the email section of this privacy statement; as well as
  • send you periodic satisfaction or market research surveys.

You can opt out of marketing emails at any time. You can also opt out of Marriott research surveys. The same types of information would be requested to complete a gift certificate purchase, register for a Marriott Rewards promotion, enter a sweepstakes or online game, to enroll in the Marriott Rewards program or to redeem Marriott Rewards points. On occasion, we use third parties to provide us with additional contact information about you given the information you provided to us directly. For example, if we know your name and postal address, we may use a third party to provide us with your email address. We would then use this information for market analysis and marketing purposes.

Reservations

The personally identifiable information you provide to us for making a reservation is made available to the applicable hotel for the purpose of meeting your reservation request. After making a reservation or completing your stay at a Marriott hotel, unless you tell us otherwise, the information you provide will be used by us for marketing of Marriott hotels and other Marriott products. Marriott may use the services of third-party mail houses for the sole purpose of mailing materials.

Click to Chat

To assist you in quickly accessing the information you want on this Website, we use third party software to proactively initiate or offer online chat if it appears that you are having difficulties navigating the Website, if we believe you would benefit from assistance to help direct you to the desired content quicker or to make you aware of other information or offers relevant to your search. It is your choice to use the online chat feature or to close the chat window. If you choose to use the online chat feature, the person that will chat with you may access your Marriott Rewards information and your past stay and chat history, if applicable. All information you enter via online chat may be associated to your email address and will be stored in our systems with any other information you provide and any transaction details.

Accessing Marriott.com from a Web-enabled Mobile Device

You can access Marriott.com from a web-enabled mobile device to find a hotel (including clicking to call the hotel) or view or cancel a reservation. In addition, you can download an application to your BlackBerry or iPhone to provide additional functionality as described below. If you desire to view or cancel a reservation you will be required to enter your Marriott Rewards account user name and password, or Marriott confirmation number and last name. No other personally identifiable information will be requested. In addition, you can make a reservation from a web-enabled device. When you make a reservation you will need to provide certain personally identifiable information such as name, email address and credit card information. You may also enroll in the Marriott Rewards program from a web-enabled device. When enrolling in Marriott Rewards you will be required to provide certain personally identifiable information such as name, email address and point earning preference.

If you have downloaded the application to your BlackBerry or iPhone you can take advantage of finding a hotel near you that is provided via Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. No personally identifiable information is retained to deliver this service. In addition, these applications will allow you to select one touch authentication if you would like to have your Marriott Rewards number and password remembered so that you do not need to enter them every time when you are using these devices to access Marriott.com. These functions are only available from the downloaded BlackBerry and iPhone application.

Updating Your Marriott Rewards Account Information

You can access and review, update, or deactivate your Marriott Rewards information online. If you deactivate your account, all information not already required and stored as a condition of membership will be deleted.

Please note that Marriott will never send you an email requesting your password, credit card number or social security number. If you receive an email that looks like it’s from Marriott, but asks you for your credit card number or social security number, it’s a fraudulent email, or “phish.” We recommend that you do the following:

Forward the email to the Federal Trade Commission at spam@uce.gov or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) to report it. The FTC uses the spam stored in this database to pursue law enforcement actions against people who send deceptive email.
Delete the email.

If you believe “phishers” have gotten access to your personal or financial information, we recommend that you also do the following:

  • Change your password.
  • Contact credit reporting services and have a fraud alert attached to your credit report file. Please be aware that the perpetrator may attempt to use your information to establish accounts or obtain credit at other businesses in their name.

Learn more about fraudulent email or “phish” and how to protect your personal information

Marriott Rewards Communications and Use of Member Information

Communications of relevant information is important to administering the Marriott Rewards program and providing you the opportunity to maximize the benefits of membership. We will only disclose member information to:

the Marriott group of companies, person(s) authorized by you; Marriott franchisees, fulfillment houses, email service providers and mail houses that process mail for such entities; and marketing companies that provide services to the Marriott group of companies and Marriott franchisees; in each case for the following purposes:

  • in order to better service your account and preferences by keeping you informed of your account status and activities through printed or electronic statements;
  • to assess your entitlement to benefits;
  • to collect and process charges incurred by you in Marriott facilities;
  • to offer you additional products and services;
  • send periodic satisfaction or market research surveys;
  • to offer you products or services from select reputable companies with whom Marriott has a strategic relationship because we believe their offerings will be of interest to you;
  • to promote the co-branded Chase/Marriott Rewards Visa card. Based on your choices regarding how you wish to earn points (e.g., participating airlines and other company loyalty programs), we do need to transmit certain transaction information to these companies so that your point and transaction activity is accurately recorded.

When choosing to become a Marriott Rewards member, you will have consented to receive all of the kinds of information described above. However, you will be given the opportunity to define and modify your mailing preferences.

Creating an Online Password for Your Marriott Rewards Account

At your choice, you can create a password for your Marriott Rewards account in order to view your information and manage your account online. You will be required to provide your name, email address, account number, a desired user name, desired password, and password reminder. Once you have an online Marriott Rewards account, you may review, correct, or delete information online. If you do not have online access to your account please notify your local Marriott Rewards Guest Services office (www.marriott.com/rewards/csupp/csupp.mi) in writing to review, correct or delete information pertaining to your membership (there may be a charge as permitted by law), or to indicate your communication preferences.

Marriott Rewards/Chase Card Services Visa Card

The Marriott Rewards/Chase Card Services Visa card provides you with a means to earn Marriott Rewards points faster. If you chose to apply for a Marriott Rewards/Chase Card Services Visa card you will link from this Website to Chase Card Services’ (a subsidiary of JP Morgan Chase) Website and will be required to enter certain personally identifiable information as part of the credit application process. You can refer to Chase Card Services’ privacy statement posted on their Website to understand how the information you supply will be used. Chase Card Services is the issuer of the credit card, and all terms and conditions of being a cardholder are dictated by Chase Card Services.

Securing the Transmission and Storage of Information

We treat the information you provide to us as confidential information; it is, accordingly, subject to our company’s security procedures and policies regarding protection and use of confidential information. When we ask you for credit card data, it is transferred over a Secured Sockets Layer (SSL) line, provided you are using a SSL enabled browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox. We also use SSL on other pages where you would enter personally identifiable information. This ensures that your information is encrypted as it travels over the Internet. This secure mode is enabled before any such information is transmitted from your computer or web-enabled device.  You will know you are in secure mode when the padlock or key icon in the lower right-hand or left-hand corner of the computer screen appears in the locked position. In addition, when accessing a secure server, the first characters of the site address will change from “http” to “https.”

After information reaches Marriott, it is stored on a secure server that resides behind firewalls designed to block unauthorized access from outside of Marriott. Because laws applicable to personal information vary by country, our hotels or other business operations may put in place additional measures that vary depending on the applicable legal requirements. Information collected on the Websites covered by this privacy statement is generally processed and stored in the United States.

Travel Related Services

To provide you with a single source for purchasing packages that include other travel-related services such as airline tickets or rental cars, we have entered into agreements with select reputable third-party travel companies that aggregate inventory information from suppliers such as airlines and car rental companies. If you desire to purchase a package that is facilitated through Marriott.com you will be linked to a Marriott-branded Website that is hosted by the travel company. If you choose to purchase a package, it is necessary for you to provide personally identifiable information to execute the purchase. This information is then provided to the suppliers (e.g., airlines) for processing. We have entered into contracts with these third-party travel companies requiring that they secure your personally identifiable information as well as use it only to execute the transactions you request. The same security and privacy commitments have been obtained from the suppliers. However, you should be aware that any personally identifiable information you have supplied directly to a supplier in any manner, in the past or in the future, is subject to their privacy statement and practices, for which Marriott has no responsibility.

Disclosure of Information to Third Parties

In addition to the travel-related services and required information sharing described directly above, Marriott does use the services of third parties, such as market researchers, fulfillment houses, email service providers and mail houses that process mail for the Marriott group of companies, persons authorized by you, and Marriott franchisees as well as such entities and marketing companies that provide these services for the Marriott group of companies and Marriott franchisees. These parties are contractually prohibited from using personally identifiable information for any purpose other than for the purpose Marriott specifies. We do provide non-personally identifiable information to certain service providers for their use on an aggregated basis for the purpose of performing their contractual obligations to us. Except as described in this paragraph and the sections above titled “Marriott Rewards Communications and Use of Member Information” and “Travel Related Services” we do not permit the sale or transfer of personally identifiable information to entities outside of the Marriott family of companies and hotels and our third party service providers for any non-Marriott use without your approval.

Cookies

Our Website uses “cookie” technology. “Cookies” are encrypted strings of text that a Website stores on a user’s computer. Our Website requires the use of a Cookie throughout the online reservation process. Without Cookies we will not be able to keep information you enter on multiple pages together. For example, unless Marriott.com can remember the dates you used in your hotel search, we will not be able to check room availability. Cookies also enable us to customize our Website and offerings to your needs and provide you with a better online experience on Marriott.com. In addition, Cookies are used to:

Allow registered users to sign in without typing their email/Marriott Rewards number each time;
Measure usage of various pages on our Website to help us make our information more pertinent to your needs and easy for you to access; and
Provide functionality such as online reservations, Marriott Rewards transactions, and other functionality that we believe would be of interest and value to you.

The types of Cookies that we use are referred to as “session” Cookies and “persistent” Cookies. Session Cookies are temporary and are automatically deleted once you close your internet browser. Persistent Cookies remain on your computer hard drive until you delete them or are otherwise removed upon expiration. We do not use Cookies to ascertain any personally identifiable information about you apart from what you voluntarily provide us in your dealings with Marriott. Cookies do not corrupt or damage your computer, programs, or computer files.

We use third-party advertising technology to serve ads when you visit our Website and sites upon which we advertise. This technology uses information about your visits to this Website and the sites upon which we advertise, (not including your name, address, or other personally identifiable information), to serve our ads to you. In the course of serving our advertisements to you, a unique third-party persistent Cookie may be placed or recognized on your browser. In addition, we use beacon gifs (see description below), provided by our ad-serving providers, to help manage our online advertising. These beacon gifs enable our ad server to recognize a browser’s Cookie when a browser visits this site and to learn which banner ads bring users to our Website and whether a reservation on Marriott.com is executed. The information our ad-serving providers and we collect through this technology is not personally identifiable.

You may set your browser to block Cookies (consult the instructions for your particular browser on how to do this), although doing so will adversely affect your ability to perform certain transactions, use certain functionality, and access certain content on our Website.

Pixel Tags

Marriott and its third-party service providers use pixel tags (also known as “clear gifs” “beacon gifs” etc.). Pixel tags are not visible to the user of the Website and consist of a few lines of computer coding delivered with the Web page. Pixel tags are not used to collect any personally identifiable information about you apart from what you voluntarily provide us in your dealings with Marriott. Marriott and our email service provider use pixel tags to:

  • Track customer response to Marriott advertisements and Website content;
  • Determine your ability to receive HTML-based email messages. Our email service provider includes a pixel tag, which they refer to as a “coded sensor” in all of the HTML-based messages sent on our behalf. The sensor activates when the email message is opened and flags the email address of the user as one that is capable of receiving HTML-based email messages. This capability helps our service provider to send the email in a format you can read. The sensor does not collect or use any other information. If you cannot receive HTML, you will not receive a functioning sensor;
  • Know how many users open an email and allow our service provider to compile aggregated statistics about an email campaign for us; and
  • Allow us to better target interactive advertising, enhance customer support and site usability, and provide offers and promotions that we believe would be of interest to you.

Emails about Special Offers and Promotions and Opt-Out

It is our intention to only send you email communications that will be useful to you and that you want to receive. When you join Marriott Rewards, make a reservation, or request a copy of your hotel bill via email and provide your email address, we will periodically contact you via email and provide information about special offers and promotions that may be of interest to you. These communications will relate to Marriott offers which may also include the promotions of select, reputable third parties with whom Marriott has a strategic marketing relationship because they offer products or services that we believe would be of interest to you. We typically use third party email service providers to send emails. These service providers are contractually prohibited from using your email address for any purpose other than to send Marriott related email.

We provide you the ability to define and modify your mailing preferences online at anytime including unsubscribing from all marketing communications. In addition, every time you receive an email, you will be provided the choice to opt-out of future emails by following the instructions provided in the email. You may also opt-out online by updating your Marriott Rewards account, or sending a letter to Internet Customer Care – Unsubscribe, 1818 North 90 Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68114-1315 USA. Please allow 10 business days for us to process your opt-out.

eFolio

If you choose to participate in the in the eFolio program (“Program”) you will receive hotel bills by email (“eFolio”). The eFolio will be sent to you over the Internet in an unsecured (unencrypted) manner and could be subject to interception by third parties.

Once you have subscribed to the Program, your Marriott Rewards number as entered on your reservation acts as the eFolio identifier, prompting your bill to be transmitted to your email address of record. If your Marriott Rewards number is applied to another person’s room reservation, or if you make a reservation for another person and provide your email address for that reservation that person’s bill will be transmitted to your email address as well. It is your responsibility to inform that person that their bill will be emailed to you when your Marriott Rewards number or email address is attached to his/her reservation unless he/she makes alternative arrangements with a front desk associate during the stay.

Events and Meetings

If you would like to submit a request for proposal online or order a complimentary copy of our Meeting Planner brochure you will be required to provide certain personally identifiable information. All personally identifiable information you provide such as name, mailing address, email address and telephone number will be transmitted to Marriott as an email via the Internet and is not encrypted. Personally identifiable information you provide to us will be treated as confidential information and is subject to our company’s security procedures and policies regarding protection and use of confidential information. Marriott will not use this information for any other purposes.

Vacation Ownership

If you connect to the Marriott Vacation Club site please note that a separate privacy statement governs the use of that site (www.vacationclub.com/en-us/privacy/default.jsp) However, the same Marriott privacy philosophy applies.

Sweepstakes and Online Games

On occasion, we conduct sweepstakes and online games that entitle the winners to prizes. Each sweepstakes or online game has its own terms and conditions. Some sweepstakes and online games require you to choose to enter and for others you will be entered automatically if certain elements described in the sweepstakes or online games terms and conditions are met (e.g., making a reservation with a certain credit card). You will be informed before a transaction is executed if it will result in an automatic entry into the sweepstakes. As part of entering a sweepstakes or online games certain personally identifiable information such as name and email address will be required. We may use this information to send future communications about specials and offers. As stated in the email section of this privacy statement, every time you receive a marketing email you will be provided the choice to opt-out of future marketing emails by following the instructions provided in the email.

Careers at Marriott

Marriott uses select private label databases and tools hosted by third parties on their Websites to collect information from individuals that wish to be considered for potential employment. Information you provide to us via these private label services is accessible and confidential to Marriott.

Marriott will not use the information you provide for any purpose other than to allow you to conduct automated job searches or determine your qualifications for potential employment with Marriott. The third-party service providers are prohibited from using the information you provide for any purpose other than collecting it on our behalf.

Investor Relations Communications

At your choice, you can use this Website to opt-in to email communications such as notices of upcoming events. All personally identifiable information you provide such as email address will be transmitted to Marriott Investor Relations as an email via the Internet and is not encrypted. Personally identifiable information you provide to us will be treated as confidential information and is subject to our company’s security procedures and policies regarding protection and use of confidential information. Marriott will not use this information for any other purposes.

Other Sites

Marriott is only responsible for the privacy statement and content of this Website. We are not responsible for the data collection and use practices and privacy policy or the use of cookies on Websites that you have accessed this Website from and to the non-Marriott Websites that you may access from this Website.

Legal Issues

This is a United States Website and is subject to laws of the United States and the State of Maryland. Marriott will disclose personally identifiable information without your permission when required by law, or in good faith belief that such action is necessary to investigate or protect against harmful activities to Marriott guests, visitors, associates, or property (including this site), or to others. As mentioned previously, laws related to personally identifiable information vary by country.

If you are a customer who resides in the State of California, you have the right to request from Marriott a list of third parties with whom we shared personally identifiable information about you for their own direct marketing purposes during the previous calendar year. Although Marriott does not share personally identifiable information with unrelated third parties for their own direct marketing purposes, many of our hotels, which are separately owned and operated by franchisees of Marriott, are permitted to use the personally identifiable information they receive from Marriott to market the Marriott hotels that they franchise. If you would like to request information about the franchisees that may have obtained personally identifiable information about you during the immediately preceding calendar year, please send an email to privacy@marriott.com or letter to Marriott International, Inc., 10400 Fernwood Road, Dept. 52/995.63, Bethesda, MD 20817.