Gifting hotel stay with Bonvoy points

[Pamplemousse]

Not a timeshare question but I thought someone might know the answer.

I’m trying to decide if I should gift some of my Bonvoy points to my adult kids while the 25% more promotion is on.
They don’t have Bonvoy credit cards so I’m concerned about the points expiring if there is no account activity.

I see in the T&C that I can gift 5 stays in a calendar year.
My question- what is a stay? Is it 1 night? Or could it be more than one night- just can only gift 5 times?

Related question- if I gift Bonvoy points today can the recipient gift them back to me next year?

Thanks for any help with this question.
I’ve gifted points reservations before so I’m clear on how to do that.
I’ll give them a call tonight if I need to.



This is the section of the T&C I am referring too.
3.2.c. Gifted Award Redemption Stays (Third Party Transfers). Award Redemption Stays are valid only for use by the Member from whose Account the Award Redemption Stay was processed and are not transferable, except as set forth below:

i. A Member may request an Award Redemption Stay to be issued to another person and where the Member will not be present for the stay (each such stay, a “Gifted Award Redemption Stay” and, collectively, “Gifted Award Redemption Stays”), only when booking the Award Redemption Stay reservation through Member Support. All Award Redemption Stay Types listed under Section 3.3 are eligible to be gifted to another person, except for Free Night Awards.

ii. A Member may book a maximum of five (5) Gifted Award Redemption Stays in a calendar year on a single Membership Account.

 

[Mr. Vker]

No need to gift them the points. Just hang on to them and book the stays-they are transferrable and then you don't risk point expiration etc.

 

[deniseh]

I've recently booked two hotel stays with Bonvoy points, one for each of my adult sons. I booked online but then called customer service to put them on the reservations. Customer service did have to cancel the online booking and make new ones. Nothing was said that there is a limit on gifted award stays. After all they are our points so I feel we should be able to use them for family members. I did add suite night upgrades. The one did get an upgrade, the other did not. Neither had any problems checking in.

 

[Pamplemousse]

No need to gift them the points. Just hang on to them and book the stays-they are transferrable and then you don't risk point expiration etc.

As I said the reason to gift now is that there is a promotion for getting 25% more points if your gift or buy Bonvoy points through tomorrow.
We are limited to booking 5 gift stays- it’s not endlessly transferable.

My only question is how does Marriott define stay- one night or can it be several. Thanks!

 

[Pamplemousse]

I've recently booked two hotel stays with Bonvoy points, one for each of my adult sons. I booked online but then called customer service to put them on the reservations. Customer service did have to cancel the online booking and make new ones. Nothing was said that there is a limit on gifted award stays. After all they are our points so I feel we should be able to use them for family members. I did add suite night upgrades. The one did get an upgrade, the other did not. Neither had any problems checking in.

If you booked 2 gift stays that is less than 5 so you are within the limits for the year so there is nothing for the reservationist to say. The rules are there in the terms and conditions of the program so it’s Marriott’s right to enforce them.

My only question was does anyone know how a stay is defined? Thanks!

 

[Pamplemousse]

Ok, so a last post update on this thread.
I misunderstood the term gift vs transfer.
Gift means buy points for someone.
Transfer means give them your already owned points- which is what I wanted to do.

so in the famous words of the Emily Litella- Never Mind!

 

[rthib]

As I said the reason to gift now is that there is a promotion for getting 25% more points if your gift or buy Bonvoy points through tomorrow.
We are limited to booking 5 gift stays- it’s not endlessly transferable.

My only question is how does Marriott define stay- one night or can it be several. Thanks!

A “Stay” is a stay of one or more consecutive nights at the same Participating Property

For others when this offer rolls around again. This offer involves buying points for someone else at $12.50/1000 Points (plus 25% bonus if 2000 or more)
it is not transferring points for free. A choice but unless you have a specific location in mind and just need to top off, the return Is usually not worth the cost.

 

[NJMOM2]

I've recently booked two hotel stays with Bonvoy points, one for each of my adult sons. ..... I did add suite night upgrades. The one did get an upgrade, the other did not. Neither had any problems checking in.

I thought the Bonvoy member had to be present to use suite night upgrades. I have a reservation for my daughter, I am afraid to add the suite night upgrade request because the Bonvoy member (my husband) will not be there.

 

[StevenTing]

Don’t buy or gift points. Not worth the cost. Just book with your own points and add name to reservation.

A stay is one or more consecutive nights at the same place.

 

[billhall]

late but to answer the question: a stay is 1 reservation - i.e. 1 checkin and then a checkout - no matter how many days the 1 reservation is: 1 day, 6 weeks or any number of days.

if you check back into the same hotel on the same day that is most often counted as the same stay. I've been know to switch hotels on consecutive days to get stay credits.

 

[deniseh]

I thought the Bonvoy member had to be present to use suite night upgrades. I have a reservation for my daughter, I am afraid to add the suite night upgrade request because the Bonvoy member (my husband) will not be there.

The first reservation was for my son in Boston at the Liberty. He did get the suite upgrade. It was a corner room with a high floor river view. The second was for my other son in Little Rock. When I had called customer service to add him to the reservation, I was told that suite upgrades couldn't be used. However, on the reservation in my Bonvoy account I was able to place the suite upgrade. I believe my name was still on the reservation. He didn't get an upgrade so not sure if it was because it was a gifted stay or there just wasn't an upgrade available. When I look at my Bonvoy account the suite upgrades have not been returned either so I may need to call to ask about that. We have enough suite upgrades between my husband and me and don't do hotel stays very often so it's not a big deal.