MVC pilot / new program to use destination points for hotels - call for info!

[bwapplegate]

Greetings, I recently sat through a sales presentation (which was pretty good really), and as part of the sales pitch the sales folks informed me that MVCI was soon to release the details around a new program to allow destination points be used to pay for hotels. I know you can transfer destination points to bonvoy points at a terrible conversion rate, but this was different. They stated that there was some type of pilot program that was well received, and that there was intentions to expand this programs. What I was told was that they'd classify hotels into three levels, and have a redemption rate per night accordingly. I believe they stated that Hopper would be the vehicle to make this happen.

I've done something of a search of this and cannot find anything written. Does anyone here know of this program?

 

[dioxide45]

Heard similar things about such a program coming in the future. The ability to just use Club Points for hotel reservations. I suspect it will be a poor use of points. Perhaps better than converting to Bonvoy, but not as good as using Club Points for timeshare resort stays. They still have to convert the Club Points to cash to book the hotels at cash rates.

 

[davidvel]

I'm trying to get you to pay tens of thousands of dollars for some points, telling you that maybe one day you can do something that is probably a bad deal but can't give you details and you can't do it now.

These points must be a great product with these kind of features.

 

[Dean]

Greetings, I recently sat through a sales presentation (which was pretty good really), and as part of the sales pitch the sales folks informed me that MVCI was soon to release the details around a new program to allow destination points be used to pay for hotels. I know you can transfer destination points to bonvoy points at a terrible conversion rate, but this was different. They stated that there was some type of pilot program that was well received, and that there was intentions to expand this programs. What I was told was that they'd classify hotels into three levels, and have a redemption rate per night accordingly. I believe they stated that Hopper would be the vehicle to make this happen.

I've done something of a search of this and cannot find anything written. Does anyone here know of this program?

I wouldn't hold my breath but would be assured it'd be a poor use of points. This sounds like sales speak without any validity.

 

[mjm1]

I believe this is just an expansion of the program they already have in place for select hotels. My FIL has used points to stay at a Residence Inn in Sedona a couple of times. It is a terrible value, but he insisted on doing it. I guess if you have no other use then it’s better than nothing.

 

[jwalk03]

The sales weasels have been lying about using points for hotels ever since the points program launched. They couldn't make it work when Marriott was all one company, no way in the world they are going to make it work now IMO.

 

[goodbadugly]

The sales weasels have been lying about using points for hotels ever since the points program launched. They couldn't make it work when Marriott was all one company, no way in the world they are going to make it work now IMO.

Oh they'll make it work...for them! It's ashamed we all of the same view when MVC has a great "new" idea to share with us!!!

 

[dioxide45]

If such a program is launched its main purpose is a selling tool. Showing all the extra pins on a map that you can go. Just like using points for cruises or tours they'll gloss over the real cost to use points. Only after buying and well outside the rescission period will the buyer learn how bad of a value it really is.

 

[ljmiii]

Greetings, I recently sat through a sales presentation (which was pretty good really), and as part of the sales pitch the sales folks informed me that MVCI was soon to release the details around a new program to allow destination points be used to pay for hotels....

I can't remember exactly how soon after 2010 I heard about DPs being able to be used at Marriott hotels all over the world...but I'd bet dollars to donuts it has been at least a decade since I first heard it.

There is no particular reason Marriott Int'l and Marriott Vacations Worldwide couldn't agree on a system/valuation that allowed Abound Points to be converted into Bonvoy Points 'on demand'...but you can be confident that the conversion rate would be ruinous.

 

[LeslieDet]

Greetings, I recently sat through a sales presentation (which was pretty good really), and as part of the sales pitch the sales folks informed me that MVCI was soon to release the details around a new program to allow destination points be used to pay for hotels. I know you can transfer destination points to bonvoy points at a terrible conversion rate, but this was different. They stated that there was some type of pilot program that was well received, and that there was intentions to expand this programs. What I was told was that they'd classify hotels into three levels, and have a redemption rate per night accordingly. I believe they stated that Hopper would be the vehicle to make this happen.

I've done something of a search of this and cannot find anything written. Does anyone here know of this program?

This has been available for years. The catch is you need to speak with a CSR to book. Also, it used to be fancier or luxury hotels that could cost upwards of 1000 Club Points a night. Since at least 2018 the program has included more non-luxury hotels at more reasonable rates.

 

[bwapplegate]

Heard similar things about such a program coming in the future. The ability to just use Club Points for hotel reservations. I suspect it will be a poor use of points. Perhaps better than converting to Bonvoy, but not as good as using Club Points for timeshare resort stays. They still have to convert the Club Points to cash to book the hotels at cash rates.

This has been available for years. The catch is you need to speak with a CSR to book. Also, it used to be fancier or luxury hotels that could cost upwards of 1000 Club Points a night. Since at least 2018 the program has included more non-luxury hotels at more reasonable rates.

I am aware of this. The sales person made it abundantly clear that the proposed program had much more favorable redemption rates.

 

[LeslieDet]

I am aware of this. The sales person made it abundantly clear that the proposed program had much more favorable redemption rates.

It’s easy to verify via the owner website.

 

[BigDawgTUG]

I heard the same thing at a presentation in September from a person whom I believe to be fairly trustworthy. Unlike today, where only a few select hotels can be booked directly using Club Points, the plan is to open up all Marriott hotels to direct bookings using Club Points. I share everyone's concern that the redemption value will be fairly poor.

It cannot yet be verified via the owner website as the full expansion has not yet been rolled out. Whether in fact it will ever be rolled out remains to be seen, but there is a lot of chatter that this might be the case.

 

[bazzap]

The plan to open up all (or at least many/most) Marriott hotels to direct booking using Club Points was confidently promoted to us as being “imminent” at a sales presentation in Spain in early 2021

 

[bwapplegate]

It’s easy to verify via the owner website.

Of course. I am referring to whether or not anyone has heard or seen anything about future plans. I am simply trying to confirm what has been told to me.

 

[jwalk03]

Of course. I am referring to whether or not anyone has heard or seen anything about future plans. I am simply trying to confirm what has been told to me.

Its simply not true. The sales people have been telling this lie for YEARS. If this ever happens (I don't think it will) you can believe it when there is an actual announcement from the company not lies coming from a salesman's lips.

 

[vacationtime1]

If it's not in writing, it doesn't exist.

If it is in writing but is modifiable, it exists, but you can count on it only for the short-term.

 

[LeslieDet]

Of course. I am referring to whether or not anyone has heard or seen anything about future plans. I am simply trying to confirm what has been told to me.

Just making sure you understand that you currently have the ability to call CS and use Club Points to book hotels. The list of hotels is available at the owner website. This isn’t related to using BonVoy points. It is a direct hotel booking using Club Points. It’s not new. It’s been available for years.

The sales pitch is misleading because it’s not something using Hopper, which is a third party site, and it’s not new.

 

[dioxide45]

Of course. I am referring to whether or not anyone has heard or seen anything about future plans. I am simply trying to confirm what has been told to me.

I don't think anyone here will be able to confirm such a thing, at least not until MVC makes some kind of official announcement or a broader implementation of the existing options is available online. As indicated, using Club Points for hotels is available, but it isn't anything like it was implied to you at the sales pitch.

 

[davidvel]

Of course. I am referring to whether or not anyone has heard or seen anything about future plans. I am simply trying to confirm what has been told to me.

Going back to your original post begs the question of why/what you want to "confirm?" Are you planning on buying points for this "feature?" Exchanging club points is an expensive proposition for MVC resorts, and even a worse deal for hotels, etc.

Multiple knowledgeable people here have said that such a program exists but not to the extent you were described. People have confirmed that salespeople have been promising such a new more encompassing program years, yet it does not exist. There is no formal announcement of such a program forthcoming, so how can anyone here "confirm" what the company hasn't announced? No one here can confirm what will happen in the future.

 

[cubigbird]

Greetings, I recently sat through a sales presentation (which was pretty good really), and as part of the sales pitch the sales folks informed me that MVCI was soon to release the details around a new program to allow destination points be used to pay for hotels. I know you can transfer destination points to bonvoy points at a terrible conversion rate, but this was different. They stated that there was some type of pilot program that was well received, and that there was intentions to expand this programs. What I was told was that they'd classify hotels into three levels, and have a redemption rate per night accordingly. I believe they stated that Hopper would be the vehicle to make this happen.

I've done something of a search of this and cannot find anything written. Does anyone here know of this program?

How about they just update the CP-Bonvoy point conversion to keep up with the myriad of Bonvoy devaluations over the years. But no, let’s not, and make up a new program to get owners to think we are adding value. I’ll believe it when I see it…..

 

[Bill4728]

There may be a good reason to do this (use MVC pts to book a hotel) and it is this.

It's December and you have an extra 500 or so pts which will expire in at the end of the month and want to use them. If you live near a MVC resort you can use them there but like many of us, who don't live near a resort, we all live near a hotel.

We did this a few years ago. When into town and saw a play and stayed at a nice downtown hotel using our expiring MVC points.
PS. Got a huge room upgrade.

 

[bwapplegate]

Just making sure you understand that you currently have the ability to call CS and use Club Points to book hotels. The list of hotels is available at the owner website. This isn’t related to using BonVoy points. It is a direct hotel booking using Club Points. It’s not new. It’s been available for years.

The sales pitch is misleading because it’s not something using Hopper, which is a third party site, and it’s not new.

Correct. In the years I've come into these properties I've slowly learned the options (and just how bad a conversion those properties are). The way the sales person spoke with me indicated that Hopper was the vehicle for this "new" program. I've been going to at least a presentation a year and the language used this time was different. I believe one of the values of these forums is to compare notes on the tactics used, which is why I posed the question.

 

[bwapplegate]

How about they just update the CP-Bonvoy point conversion to keep up with the myriad of Bonvoy devaluations over the years. But no, let’s not, and make up a new program to get owners to think we are adding value. I’ll believe it when I see it…..

Yes. this really is the crux of the problem. I do understand the ownership interests don't convey easily to a hotel, but they are really doing a good job of obfuscating.

 

[daviator]

Hopper is a dying app that’s been around for a decade or so. That it would be part of a new Marriott offering is pretty laughable.