Occasionally, you'll find a travel narrative online that makes points-and-miles posters throughout the galaxy stop mid-scroll. This one, though, is a guest who used up a ton of Marriott Bonvoy points to stay at a hotel in London, but after opening the door, discovered that he was actually in a room no larger than a walk-in closet.

The clip has been posted on social media, where the guest can be seen shuffling (or walking) through his room, asking out loud if he has been scammed by Marriott. His suitcase couldn't even fully open. It got bumped by the bathroom door each time it closed. It was by his own admission, the smallest room he has ever laid his eyes upon and he has done lots of those.

But What Really went on Here?

The trick: It was no bait and switch. The hotel in question is the budget-friendly Four Points Flex London Euston, of the offshoot Four Points brand, also an offshoot of Sheraton. Put all these together and that's as far as luxury Sheraton can go, but still with the Sheraton name.

The accommodation he had booked was simply a "Pod 8sqm.The room type he had booked was clearly stated as a "Pod 8sqm. That's about an 86 square foot, or about the size of a small home office. And the room he had landed in, matched up pretty well with the marketing, according to the listing photos. That is, he got what was promised. But although a number can be displayed on a screen, being in that space is another thing altogether.

The Points Math Doesn't Quite Add Up

212,000 points to make what he describes as a “weekend stay” immediately raises an eyebrow, particularly at a lofty urban hotel rate. When you look at the numbers, it's a little more than 54,000 points per night for this hotel. Then times that by four nights, and if you're like Bonvoy does on some award nights, you'll get a fifth night free, and that rounds out to approximately 216,000 points to explain the difference. This was probably not a 2 night weekend vacation, but a five night vacation.

Rumors abound about the cash price of this small pod: it was about £270 a night, or about $362 USD. That's asking a lot in a room you can hardly move around in, stay or not.

A Look at the Story, and why it Keeps Happening

• This isn't about one unlucky traveler, it's a pattern that keeps showing up across hotel loyalty programs, and it's worth knowing before booking your next award stay.
• Brand name doesn't guarantee experience. Sheraton has built up years of reputation, but Four Points, which borrows that name, isn't actually a Sheraton. Loyalty programs often stretch a trusted brand across very different levels of quality.
• Room descriptions matter more than star ratings. A listing marked "Pod 8sqm" means exactly that an 8-square-meter pod. It's easy to skim past these details when you're excited about a destination, but that's a mistake worth avoiding.
• Points redeemed don't guarantee value. Using a big pile of points can feel like a win, but if the cash rate is already low, it may make more sense to just pay cash and save your points for a redemption that's actually worth more.

A wide-range of loyalty programs is better than a focused one. The idea is not designed to enhance the guest experience, but because big hotel chains realize that it helps them book more room sales at every price point.

The Actual Lesson is not "Managing Expectations," But Rather Managing Behavior

Examine the guest reviews for this particular property and you'll see something that tells you the rating is around 3.0. There's a tendency for people to come into a hotel with high expectations, even if they've been made aware of exactly what it has to offer, which is often due to the brand name. When you hear the word Marriott or Sheraton, people subconsciously think about the level of comfort they're going to experience, even if the fine print states otherwise.

It is not as if any individual traveler has been faulted, but rather as a consequence of the way loyalty programs are designed. A big brand name can only be applied to a room of a five-star hotel versus a glorified sleeping pod, and it's easy to see that people expect different things in each case. The company benefits from the recognition of their brand and the amount of bookings, whereas the gap in quality is up to the travelers to resolve.

If anything, the lesson to learn is that before using points or even paying cash for a stay you should read the room description, check the square footage if listed, and look at photos of other guest stays (and not just the official marketing images). It can save you some unwanted surprises when you arrive at the hotel.

The Bottom Line

One Marriott Bonvoy member accumulated a lot of points to stay at a Four Points Flex in London, but was surprised by the size of the room. The catch? It wasn't misleading to say that it was an 8-square-meter pod in the first place. I think what's more important here is the bigger picture that this illustrates: brand names set expectations and budget sub-brands don't always deliver; and travellers taking points have to overlook the logo and read the fine print of what they are purchasing. 

No matter which you are using, points or cash, the important thing to remember is to research the room size, the fine print, and don't just take a name for granted that it's going to be a great place to stay.