points question based on answers from salesperson

[Zac495]

I'm in Marbella (trip report to come!)
I did talk to a Marriott sales rep who was very nice. She gave me 20K points for 20 referrals - no pitch - just handed us the prices.

We chatted. I asked a bunch of points questions - mostly nothing new except:

Question 1: I tried to book St. Kitts with points. They only had their cat. 6 room for premium-60K per night. Rep said if I have a Marriott travel package that comes with a level 6 hotel certificate for a week, it doesn't matter that the rooms are at premium pt. level. She also said you cannot book hotels 50 weeks out IF you plan on using a hotel cert. She said one month is the rule.

Question 2: I asked why it would make sense to buy anything develper since i can just buy 100k pts. she said a family can only do that for 5 years in a row and then that's done.

she did agree the only way to make points worth it is to buy a less expensive property as I did (manor) or preconstruction and hinted that a new one is coming out soon.

Marbella is great. Any questions?

 

[Michigan Czar]

I'm in Marbella (trip report to come!)
I did talk to a Marriott sales rep who was very nice. She gave me 20K points for 20 referrals - no pitch - just handed us the prices.

We chatted. I asked a bunch of points questions - mostly nothing new except:

Question 1: I tried to book St. Kitts with points. They only had their cat. 6 room for premium-60K per night. Rep said if I have a Marriott travel package that comes with a level 6 hotel certificate for a week, it doesn't matter that the rooms are at premium pt. level. She also said you cannot book hotels 50 weeks out IF you plan on using a hotel cert. She said one month is the rule.

Two things are incorrect, when you redeem the travel package it is for an award certificate that is only good for regular reward redemption and not "stay anytime" so you would not get in with this. Second you can book rooms for the travel package 50 weeks out and I would actually say you should since availability at the normal redemption level is limited, if you do not reserve as soon as possible you may be out of luck.

Question 2: I asked why it would make sense to buy anything develper since i can just buy 100k pts. she said a family can only do that for 5 years in a row and then that's done.

I haven't purchased for five years in a row but i see no mention of this on the Marriott site and considering the answers she gave you above I have to think she is incorrect one more time.

she did agree the only way to make points worth it is to buy a less expensive property as I did (manor) or preconstruction and hinted that a new one is coming out soon.

Marbella is great. Any questions?

I really wish Marriott people would only answer if they knew what they were talking about or at least go find someone that could answer questions correctly.

 

[dougef]

Sorry, but there is some incorrect info in the response. You can get a travel package for Stay Anytime - I have done it. It is double the points for the hotel portion and than you add the points for the airline miles transfer. You may have to call Marriott for this - I am not sure if you can do it online. But again - I did it last year for a stay at The Marriott Aruba in early 2008.