Marriott Reward Experts -- can I.....

[Cathyb]

Currently holding reservations Marriott Springhill Suites, Seattle using Marriott Reward points. Just got my 'free' black Visa card one free night.

Am I able to switch one of my two nights reserved to the free one? Springhill is a Category 4. TIA

 

[Mr. Vker]

Currently holding reservations Marriott Springhill Suites, Seattle using Marriott Reward points. Just got my 'free' black Visa card one free night.

Am I able to switch one of my two nights reserved to the free one? Springhill is a Category 4. TIA

Yep--very easy. You can do it in a few steps online. Easiest is to call MR and have them do it. Tell them you have the (2) night award in place with points. Now you want to use your cert for one night and points for the second.

 

[wvacations]

You should be able to as long as you booked a Stardard Award. Just call Marriott reservations and they should be able to apply your free visa night to one of the nights you have booked.

It mustve a standard award and NOT one where you had to pay a nightly "Upgrade" fee with cash or extra points.

 

[GetawaysRus]

After you've converted that reward night held with points over to a reward night on your annual free night certificate, you will realize that you've learned a valuable lesson.

Let's say that next year you would like to use your annual free night certificate at a costly European hotel. But reward nights at that hotel are hard to come by and tend to sell out quickly. It's best to hold the night you want using your points and then convert it to the free night certificate later rather than waiting to make the reservation until the free night cert. hits your Marriott rewards account.

I did this last year for an award stay at the Renaissance Tel Aviv. We planned a trip for May. My annual free night cert. hits at the very end of March. My wife also has a Marriott Premier card, and her free night cert. arrives around the 3rd week of April. If we had waited until April to try to book a room in May, I doubt very much that there would have been any availability. So I set things up in advance and held a room for 2 nights on points from each of our accounts (1 night for me, 1 night for her) and then made the switch when each free night cert. arrived.

 

[sjnoble]

Suggest using free nite cert for second nite

Just a suggestion to use the free night cert for your second night, I think you have a higher chance of getting an upgrade for a "paid" night stay.

I did this when we had to stay 2 nights at the Waikiki Marriott, booked a partial ocean view night and used the free cat 5 cert for second night. Upon check-in, we were surprised to walk into an ocean view room (high floor) facing the Waikiki Beach, it was a very blessed ending for our 9-day trip to Oahu, watching sunset and the surfers from the balcony.

 

[Cathyb]

Great idea

Just a suggestion to use the free night cert for your second night, I think you have a higher chance of getting an upgrade for a "paid" night stay.

I did this when we had to stay 2 nights at the Waikiki Marriott, booked a partial ocean view night and used the free cat 5 cert for second night. Upon check-in, we were surprised to walk into an ocean view room (high floor) facing the Waikiki Beach, it was a very blessed ending for our 9-day trip to Oahu, watching sunset and the surfers from the balcony.

Thank you for the tip!

 

[Cathyb]

Thank you

After you've converted that reward night held with points over to a reward night on your annual free night certificate, you will realize that you've learned a valuable lesson.

Let's say that next year you would like to use your annual free night certificate at a costly European hotel. But reward nights at that hotel are hard to come by and tend to sell out quickly. It's best to hold the night you want using your points and then convert it to the free night certificate later rather than waiting to make the reservation until the free night cert. hits your Marriott rewards account.

I did this last year for an award stay at the Renaissance Tel Aviv. We planned a trip for May. My annual free night cert. hits at the very end of March. My wife also has a Marriott Premier card, and her free night cert. arrives around the 3rd week of April. If we had waited until April to try to book a room in May, I doubt very much that there would have been any availability. So I set things up in advance and held a room for 2 nights on points from each of our accounts (1 night for me, 1 night for her) and then made the switch when each free night cert. arrived.

Another great idea!

 

[pacheco18]

Unless we are talking about something else, the free night is only good for low category properties -- usually category 1-4. Unlikely that it can be used for most good European hotels.

My VOA routinely converts a paid night reservation to my annual free night. I usually use the free nights for airport hotel stays and book well in advance. Then when i get the free night credit, I call my VOA and he takes care of it.

 

[thinze3]

The Black 'Premier' card offers cat 1-5 certs. I just got my new cert last week.