Playing the Marriott (hotel) game

[Quilter]

Is your Rewards No. on your credit card? If so, there's no reason the person checking you in should be able to say they don't have your no. I would call Rewards again and ask to talk to a Supervisor to get those nights credited.

Recently I was at a Courtyard in NC. When I checked in the desk agent didn't offer me a Platinum upgrade. When I questioned her about it she said she didn't have my rewards no. to know I was platinum. I handed her back my credit card and asked her what she saw. She looked at it rather confused and I told her my no. was right below my name. Now, for the rest of the story. . .she was new and this was a priceline reservation, hence, no rewards no. with reservationist. I didn't push the hotel for the $100 compensation for not recognizing the platinum status.

Terry

This is not necessilary true. In the summer of 2010 I traded into Newport Coast and at check-in I handed over my Marriott CC. During my stay, I, as I often do, had several drinks at the pool bar charged to the room. I didn't think anything of it until I got home and checked my rewards account. No Credit for my stay?!!! Apparently the associate at check in neglected to add my rewards # and they would not credit me the nights despite my protest.
Tough lesson to learn!
From then on I always call the resort prior to my trip, check my account for upcomming reservations prior to leaving and I ALWAYS , ALWAYS make it a point to see that the associate at check-in has my rewards # on the reservation.

 

[Quilter]

But, I have three MVCI reservartions coming, a two bedroom at SurfWatch this Easter and both a one bedroom and two bedroom at Ocean Pointe for 4th of July week.

When I have 2 rooms reserved for the same week I put one in my name/Rewards No. and one in my husband's. I've been told you don't get credit for both on one account. Even when booking 2 hotel rooms, I use the same method because if you get a "walk" it only counts for the room the Rewards member is staying in. When we stayed in England, because of the room size, we had 2 rooms. One for me and my daughter and one for husband and son. We did have a "walk" and eventually got compensation for both rooms.

 

[SueDonJ]

It's routine for me to make sure at check-in that they have the MR number on file because that's what I learned to do from reading TUG. I think there was a time, maybe five years ago and earlier?, when MR numbers weren't usually attached to the vacation club reservations the way they are now. Then, it was a pain in the neck to get your MR number attached to the MVC reservation - more times than not if you called in to get it done before a stay you'd get a rep who refused to do it.

Now it's much different - if you use the online system to make a reservation the MR number is already attached, and nine times out of ten if you call in the rep attaches it without even asking. It's much more common to have to ask for it with a 13-mos Week reservation; calling in for DC reservations seems to be as automatic as the online ones.

I think the reason it all started, though, makes some sense. There seems to be a disconnect somewhere in the automated systems between the MR accounts and timeshare reservations, because you can cancel a ts res but if your MR number was attached to it, it may still show up somewhere in your MR account.

 

[Quilter]

In addition, I made a reservation for a friend for this March at Grande Vista using one of my weeks. I would like to attach my reward number to that reservation, even though that reservation is not in my name. If I can do that, I will get another 7 days toward the next reward level.

If you get the Marriott credit card you will automatically get 15 nights each year towards status. Then a night for every $3,000 you put on card. We use the card for everything. My husband keeps trying to pay for things with cash and I remind him of the points. Now we got him the credit card too so he'll also get the 15 nights on his account.

As far as your reservation for the friend. I book the room in my name and add the friend as a guest. I make sure the front desk has attached my Rewards No. to the reservation even though the guest has attached their credit card for expenses. They get a nice room, I get the credited nights.

 

[SueDonJ]

Is your Rewards No. on your credit card? ...

Hey, I never noticed the space for that before! It's amazing how you can learn something new every day here. Thanks!

Don and I use the same credit card and MR account, plus both our names are listed as owners for the timeshare stuff. We have the two VISA cards and MVC Owner cards in our own names but only one MR card in his name. I do all the travel planning and reserving using my name but it all goes through his MR account - must be because the names are linked elsewhere. I do vaguely remember that he had to tell them on the phone once years ago that it was okay for them to talk to me about his MR account, and FWIW I've never had a problem checking in to a room that's in his name without him being there. (But we do add our kids names as guests to rooms that are booked in his name but being used by them.)

All that to say my VISA doesn't have an MR number on it - I'll have to take a look at his later to see what it looks like but you're probably right and his MR number will be on it.

 

[Quilter]

It's routine for me to make sure at check-in that they have the MR number on file because that's what I learned to do from reading TUG. I think there was a time, maybe five years ago and earlier?, when MR numbers weren't usually attached to the vacation club reservations the way they are now. Then, it was a pain in the neck to get your MR number attached to the MVC reservation - more times than not if you called in to get it done before a stay you'd get a rep who refused to do it.

Now it's much different - if you use the online system to make a reservation the MR number is already attached, and nine times out of ten if you call in the rep attaches it without even asking. It's much more common to have to ask for it with a 13-mos Week reservation; calling in for DC reservations seems to be as automatic as the online ones.

I think the reason it all started, though, makes some sense. There seems to be a disconnect somewhere in the automated systems between the MR accounts and timeshare reservations, because you can cancel a ts res but if your MR number was attached to it, it may still show up somewhere in your MR account.

As I've mentioned in a couple other posts, both my husband and I have Rewards accounts and I manage how many nights gets credited to each so we can both keep status. I have to check on my reservations to see which no. was automatically attached. I've found that our annual reservations at home resorts usually defaults to my husband's account. Last year I forgot to micro manage these and really messed up. I had 168 nights credited and he had 26. I called Rewards because he was going to lose his Platinum status and they told me how they could comp. him the status for a certain time if his account then started tracking enough stays for Platinum. Having us both the same status gives reservations in either name the same arrival gifts and elite bonus percentage.

 

[SueDonJ]

As I've mentioned in a couple other posts, both my husband and I have Rewards accounts and I manage how many nights gets credited to each so we can both keep status. I have to check on my reservations to see which no. was automatically attached. I've found that our annual reservations at home resorts usually defaults to my husband's account. Last year I forgot to micro manage these and really messed up. I had 168 nights credited and he had 26. I called Rewards because he was going to lose his Platinum status and they told me how they could comp. him the status for a certain time if his account then started tracking enough stays for Platinum. Having us both the same status gives reservations in either name the same arrival gifts and elite bonus percentage.

I'll have to remember this if ever we start earning the number of nights that you do. For now we're earning enough to reach Plat with some Rollover Nights but there's no way that we're earning enough to get that status in two accounts. Especially if they ever stop the Rollover Nights promotion - then Plat in one account might be a stretch.

 

[jdunn1]

Thanks for this information. I will need to get that Marriott credit card. I like getting airline miles is my biggest problem.

I ended up doing just what you suggested for my friend. I called the resort and they added my reward number no problem -- but I did this for all of my stayes and none of the four showed-up on line. So, I called Marriott directly and much to my happy surprise, they added my rewared number but insisted on putting the reservation in my name with my friend listed as a guest. It worked like a charm and I stumbled on this before reading your post. What I am wondering now is why bother paying for a guest certificate in II if Marriott will add your guest's name for you for free. I was ensured my guest will have no problem checking in without me. If I thought my friend would have a problem checking in, I would not have messed with the reservation, but I want those nightly credits.

Thanks for the great information.

As far as your reservation for the friend. I book the room in my name and add the friend as a guest. I make sure the front desk has attached my Rewards No. to the reservation even though the guest has attached their credit card for expenses. They get a nice room, I get the credited nights.

 

[Quilter]

Hey, I never noticed the space for that before! It's amazing how you can learn something new every day here. Thanks!

Wow. . .I'm surprised I was able to give you a tip Sue. I read your posts to glean fine details.

Don and I use the same credit card and MR account, plus both our names are listed as owners for the timeshare stuff. We have the two VISA cards and MVC Owner cards in our own names but only one MR card in his name. I do all the travel planning and reserving using my name but it all goes through his MR account - must be because the names are linked elsewhere. I do vaguely remember that he had to tell them on the phone once years ago that it was okay for them to talk to me about his MR account, and FWIW I've never had a problem checking in to a room that's in his name without him being there. (But we do add our kids names as guests to rooms that are booked in his name but being used by them.)

All that to say my VISA doesn't have an MR number on it - I'll have to take a look at his later to see what it looks like but you're probably right and his MR number will be on it.

Our main Visa is in my name, hence the reason I have my Rewards No. on it. His Rewards No. is not on his secondary card. We now have the new Visa in his name (and it has his Reward's no.) strictly to pad his Reward's account with the 15 nights towards status and however we need to divide the spending so he gets enough nights for status.

Since you only have 1 MR account, do you get credit for the nights in multiple rooms when you have them? We do most of this messing around with 2 accounts because we seem to have 2 rooms for the same week several times a year.

 

[SueDonJ]

Wow. . .I'm surprised I was able to give you a tip Sue. I read your posts to glean fine details. ...

Oh, thanks. The credit goes to all the TUGgers, though, because they're the reason I know about all this stuff. TUG really is a great resource and I'd never be able to make the most of our Marriott ownership without it.

Since you only have 1 MR account, do you get credit for the nights in multiple rooms when you have them? We do most of this messing around with 2 accounts because we seem to have 2 rooms for the same week several times a year.

It's hit-or-miss with no rhyme or reason. At different times we've gotten double nights for double rooms with every kind of stay - MVC reservations, hotel reservations, II reservations. But at other times the same kind of double stays don't earn double nights. It's a gift when it happens, no way to fight for it when it doesn't. It sounds like you probably have more double stays than we do, too - ours happen every couple of years with full weeks and a couple times a year for 1 or 2 nights.

 

[RBERR1]

I keep hearing this on TUG but it is simply not true. I have had many timeshare stays where we have nothing charged to the room and every time we have gotten full credit for seven elite nights. We have had four such stays in the past year. I would be interested in hearing from anyone who has not charged anything to the room, has not gotten elite night credit, and has checked and been told that is the reason.

I have at Cypress Harbour at my home resort. The only years that I have gotten the nights are the years when I have charged something at the room.

 

[Quilter]

Thanks for this information. I will need to get that Marriott credit card. I like getting airline miles is my biggest problem.

I ended up doing just what you suggested for my friend. I called the resort and they added my reward number no problem -- but I did this for all of my stayes and none of the four showed-up on line. So, I called Marriott directly and much to my happy surprise, they added my rewared number but insisted on putting the reservation in my name with my friend listed as a guest. It worked like a charm and I stumbled on this before reading your post. What I am wondering now is why bother paying for a guest certificate in II if Marriott will add your guest's name for you for free. I was ensured my guest will have no problem checking in without me. If I thought my friend would have a problem checking in, I would not have messed with the reservation, but I want those nightly credits.

Thanks for the great information.

Guest Certificates are a sticky thing. II says they are a must. I won't dispute that, especially here on TUG. If you are transferring the room to someone you can't completely trust, it is a good thing because it puts the liability in their name. Most Marriott's will add your guests to your reservation with no problem. If I am on the property at the same time as my guests they will not have an issue checking in. If I'm not, and especially if the resort is so far they are in a different time zone and had to fly, then we get a Guest Certificate to alleviate any problem with checking in.

 

[SueDonJ]

I have at Cypress Harbour at my home resort. The only years that I have gotten the nights are the years when I have charged something at the room.

If you sign in to your my-vacationclub.com account and click on "My Profile" in the "Manage My Account" dropdown box, do you see your MR number in the space under your name? It should be right under your MVC Customer Number. I think if it shows up there then it should automatically attach to any of your home resort reservations, at least, and you should get the Nights credit as well as any Arrival Gift Bonus (depending on your MR status.)

 

[thinze3]

When I checked in unannounced to a CY a few days ago, the first thing the clerk did was get my Rewards number of my credit card. I even asked, "Do you need my rewards number?" He said, "I got it off your card."

I always make sure they have my number, but my point above was that a simple purchase and using a MR Visa with your MR number on it can (not will) make a difference of getting night stays on a timeshare exchange. I am not insinuating anything more, just trying to put logic behind the thought of making a simple purchase at a timeshare stay that many in the past have mentioned.

Also, don't forget about elite member discounts for purchases made at Marriott timeshare gift shops.

 

[jont]

Update

Quilter

Thanks for your help. I was able to call Marriott and get the nights credited to my account. She told me there is an 18 month window they can go back and apparently i just made it. Thanks!
The lesson I take away is always ask at the front desk when you check in if they have your rewards #, even if it's on your CC. Mine was, I didn't ask, and the associate at the desk didn't bother to check.
Live and learn.

 

[RBERR1]

If you sign in to your my-vacationclub.com account and click on "My Profile" in the "Manage My Account" dropdown box, do you see your MR number in the space under your name? It should be right under your MVC Customer Number. I think if it shows up there then it should automatically attach to any of your home resort reservations, at least, and you should get the Nights credit as well as any Arrival Gift Bonus (depending on your MR status.)

Its there. I asked about it the first couple of years and they said that this resort does not give nights for timeshare stays. After that I did an experiment where I went to the marketplace and bought a coke and charged it to the room and then the nights were there. A few years later decided to not charge stuff to the room and again same problem.

Now I always buy a coke or something I needed from the marketplace and charge it to the room at all of the resorts just as a safety mechanism.

 

[jont]

Yes, but you need to make sure your rewards # is on the reservation. With II trades it's not always the case as I found out.

 

[rthib]

Recently I was at a Courtyard in NC. When I checked in the desk agent didn't offer me a Platinum upgrade. When I questioned her about it she said she didn't have my rewards no. to know I was platinum. I handed her back my credit card and asked her what she saw. She looked at it rather confused and I told her my no. was right below my name. Now, for the rest of the story. . .she was new and this was a priceline reservation, hence, no rewards no. with reservationist. I didn't push the hotel for the $100 compensation for not recognizing the platinum status.

It is good you did not ask for compensation, because you were not owed anything.

Eleite T&C state:
In order to qualify for the Elite Benefits Guarantee, the Elite Member's Membership Number, Elite Membership status, and bed type preferences must be included with the reservation. Reservations made through meeting planners, travel agents, wholesalers or other third party sources must include this information in order to be included in the Guarantee.

 

[Quilter]

It is good you did not ask for compensation, because you were not owed anything.

Eleite T&C state:
In order to qualify for the Elite Benefits Guarantee, the Elite Member's Membership Number, Elite Membership status, and bed type preferences must be included with the reservation. Reservations made through meeting planners, travel agents, wholesalers or other third party sources must include this information in order to be included in the Guarantee.

Thanks for the note rthib. The Manager must not have known that fine print either because she was ready to give it to me until I told her to forget about it.

This was my first (and only) priceline reservation. I'm not so sure I like them. We saved $45 a night, before taxes (times 3 = $135). But I missed out on a megabonus free night Cat. 1-4 certificate since priceline paid for the room, not me. I didn't get nights credited for the room or Platinum arrival points. Last night I used a free Cat. 1-4 certificate for a room in Washington, D.C. valued at $249 on marriott.com.

 

[Quilter]

Quilter

Thanks for your help. I was able to call Marriott and get the nights credited to my account. She told me there is an 18 month window they can go back and apparently i just made it. Thanks!
The lesson I take away is always ask at the front desk when you check in if they have your rewards #, even if it's on your CC. Mine was, I didn't ask, and the associate at the desk didn't bother to check.
Live and learn.

I'm so glad it was helpful. If you don't get the answer you want the first time, call someone new.

 

[thinze3]

...
With Marriott's MegaBonus promotion that ends this Sunday, I needed one more night at a Marriott hotel to get another free Cat 1-4 certificate. So, today when I went to lunch, I stopped by the CY by my office and told the manager up front that I needed a cheap night on my account in order to get a free night's cert. I also told him that I do not even need a card key to go into the room.

He laughed, and then sold me a $160/nt room for $45. I picked a candy bar and told him to charge it to my room. My folio now says $54 total.

When the new cert shows up in my account, I will call my VOA and have her apply it to one of my nights. The other will remain at a cost of 10K points.

The second cert I have is applied to an upcoming Cat 4 hotel stay.

My second cat 1-4 certificate showed up in my account today ... along with my 875 MR 'stay' points from the room.

 

[Michigan Czar]

Its there. I asked about it the first couple of years and they said that this resort does not give nights for timeshare stays. After that I did an experiment where I went to the marketplace and bought a coke and charged it to the room and then the nights were there. A few years later decided to not charge stuff to the room and again same problem.

Now I always buy a coke or something I needed from the marketplace and charge it to the room at all of the resorts just as a safety mechanism.

Marriott's policy didn't allow nights credit for owner timeshare stays a few years ago. Just like you experienced, if you charged something to the room you would get night credit for your personal owned timeshare stay.

Marriott changed the policy a few years back and owner timeshare stays do get credit now so there is no longer a need to charge something to the room to get them to post. Also, even if they still don't post with the change in policy you are allowed to call and have the nights post since you deserve those nights.

 

[NJDave]

The link for MegaBonus is in my original post. No you do not typically get credit for a timeshare stay on a MegaBonus promotion, but you never know if you play it properly.

This past summer I did not sign up since I was not staying at a Marriott hotels during the promotion. However, during a call, a Marriott rep saw my two stays at Marriott timeshares and signed me up and said "let's see, maybe you'll get a certificate for the promotion". I had charged expenses for the timeshare stays and did get the certificate for the MegaBonus promotion. So, you are right. It is possible.

 

[Quilter]

Thanks for the note rthib. The Manager must not have known that fine print either because she was ready to give it to me until I told her to forget about it.

This was my first (and only) priceline reservation. I'm not so sure I like them. We saved $45 a night, before taxes (times 3 = $135). But I missed out on a megabonus free night Cat. 1-4 certificate since priceline paid for the room, not me. I didn't get nights credited for the room or Platinum arrival points. Last night I used a free Cat. 1-4 certificate for a room in Washington, D.C. valued at $249 on marriott.com.

After I posted this it came to me that even if I had just booked one of the nights through Marriott I would have gotten the "stay" registered and received the megabonus and the Platinum arrival gift. It would have been worth the extra $45.

Now I need to let this go. . .

 

[dioxide45]

This past summer I did not sign up since I was not staying at a Marriott hotels during the promotion. However, during a call, a Marriott rep saw my two stays at Marriott timeshares and signed me up and said "let's see, maybe you'll get a certificate for the promotion". I had charged expenses for the timeshare stays and did get the certificate for the MegaBonus promotion. So, you are right. It is possible.

Our timeshare stays (II exchanges and getaway) have never qualified us toward MegaBonus. Though if you book a stay at a timeshare property through Marriott.com, those should automatically qualify for MegaBonus.

We always register for MegaBonus, regarless of our expected stay pattern.

The best way to up your chances of getting elite night credit and any other perks is to always call and have your rewards number added to the reservation ahead of time and make sure it appears in your list of upcoming reservations on Marriott.com. I don't trust the person at the front desk to do it right. At least when doing it ahead of time I can verify that it was done properly.