Using Bonvoy Points at Marriott Hotels (NOT MVC)

[davidvel]

I know there were some comments in various threads, but just got this email after talking to a "concierge" about a sales meeting:

Please join us for our 90 minute owner’s updated presentation! Here is just a sample of the items we will cover during the presentation:

• Extended reservation windows
• How to use your Vacation Ownership Points directly into all Marriott Hotels
• New information regarding the Westin and Sheraton integration
• Improved borrowing rules
• Extended banking and election deadlines
• The launching of the Pulse Collection
• Access to over 2,000 private vacation homes through Destination Escapes
• Opening of new Resorts…………and MUCH MORE!

Glad to hear they are now launching the Pulse collection.

 

[Superchief]

I'm impressed that you received an outline of what would be covered during the presentation. I've never received anything like this in the past, and it helps to focus on the discussion points of greatest interest.

 

[winger]

Pulse Collection, is this from an old deck? I do like the "Pulse" name though, we still use that in our family ... "feel the Pulse of the city..."

 

[Fasttr]

The launching of the Pulse Collection…..that’s funny, as they already stopped using the name “Pulse” about a year or so ago. It’s City Collection now, I believe. Ahhhh salespeople.

 

[davidvel]

I'm impressed that you received an outline of what would be covered during the presentation. I've never received anything like this in the past, and it helps to focus on the discussion points of greatest interest.

I always ask them to email the offer to confirm. Never seen this though. Same "concierge" at Mountainside that we dealt with 2 years ago. Offering $200 Visa or $250 local restaurant cash, despite us doing it last time which was about 45 minutes.

 

[Fasttr]

Also Destination Escapes has nothing to do with private vacation homes….and even if it did, it would be Destinations with an “s”.

 

[dioxide45]

Take the list with you and ask the sales person to explain each item. Whenever we go, it doesn't matter what the marketing/concierge person said it would be about, it is instead always about how we can buy more points. They never bring up the stuff the concierge said we would learn.

This is especially prevalent at Club Wyndham properties. They have so many creative ways to make you have the FOMO. When you get to the presentation, whatever it was they mentioned is not even covered. When I ask specifically about it, they seem to brush it off and move on. One thing I do like about Club Wyndham presentations over Marriott is they do give you the Wyndham Reward points right away. No waiting 4-6 weeks to get your points, or longer like it does to get your Bonvoy points.

 

[davidvel]

Take the list with you and ask the sales person to explain each item. Whenever we go, it doesn't matter what the marketing/concierge person said it would be about, it is instead always about how we can buy more points. They never bring up the stuff the concierge said we would learn.

This is especially prevalent at Club Wyndham properties. They have so many creative ways to make you have the FOMO. When you get to the presentation, whatever it was they mentioned is not even covered. When I ask specifically about it, they seem to brush it off and move on. One thing I do like about Club Wyndham presentations over Marriott is they do give you the Wyndham Reward points right away. No waiting 4-6 weeks to get your points, or longer like it does to get your Bonvoy points.

Haven't decided if we will go. I love going, wife hates going. But wife is bargain hunter so another $200 for under an hour she likes. I like the idea of printing the email to ask them about each total bs thing when they ask why we came. Would be funny.

 

[Quilter]

This is embarrassing to admit...

We haven't gone on a presentation for years but I was eager to get the 45K Bonvoy points for a reservation. I begged the concierge to get me a nice sales person (not the biggest shark in the water), we went, the guy was nice. During the presentation he went to get some information, a woman came into the room claiming we had already received an offer and she had to confirm we hadn't, this took time, she went to override so he could come back with some figures, she said she wouldn't be back. Then again he had to go get something and guess what, she came back. She was the shark. All the sales moves. You get tied up listening to her personal stories and questions as she tries to develop a relationship. Then she explains you can just rescind if you're not quite sure.

Finally, when we were at the elevator after saying no I told my husband "Well that wasn't toooo bad, it just ran 1/2 hour over the 90 minutes." He corrected my math and I realized we'd been there 3 hours. Ugh!

I hear talk around the resort that some people go every year, maybe more.

How many times do you attend these presentations?

 

[Fasttr]

Finally, when we were at the elevator after saying no I told my husband "Well that wasn't toooo bad, it just ran 1/2 hour over the 90 minutes." He corrected my math and I realized we'd been there 3 hours.

I do the pre-gifting process. Then at the appointment, we tell them upfront that we committed to 90 mins and at that point we will have to leave. On our last one at Crystal Shores, they had not even made it to the numbers pitch, but their 90 mins was up, we said sorry, we had to go, and left. We have never had an issue getting the gift (usually Bonvoy or MVC points). It’s not my problem if they can’t get done what they need to get done in the 90 minutes allotted.

 

[bucs0721]

Last November we signed up at Barony in HHI when we checked in. The MVC woman in the lobby gave us our $400 gift certs good at a bunch of HHI restaurants. We went to the HHI MVC Sales Center a couple of days later for our presentation. It was busy that day - Wednesday before Thanksgiving & we were eager to keep the presentation short. Our appointment was at noon & we were out of there by 1PM. Shark came in for about 10 minutes & offered 150K Bonvoy points if we signed up for 4k MVC points. We said no & they both got up & left without saying anything. So we left.

 

[jellen613]

We usually do at least one presentation a year for the gift card or bonvoy points. We have no interest in buying more, we own a gold week in HHI and 2500 points (we briefly bought more in 2019, then rescinded). My husband was telling friends yesterday about when we go to presentations that the sales people usually learn something from me as I am fairly well versed in the program. As we make it very clear we have no interest in buying, we have not ever been kept longer than 90 minutes. Sometimes we are out of there in 60 minutes.

 

[sea&ski]

I always ask them to email the offer to confirm. Never seen this though. Same "concierge" at Mountainside that we dealt with 2 years ago. Offering $200 Visa or $250 local restaurant cash, despite us doing it last time which was about 45 minutes.

But did you get your tote bag? I like that it has a mountain theme this year.

 

[davidvel]

But did you get your tote bag? I like that it has a mountain theme this year.

Yep.

 

[davidvel]

Had our presentation at Mountainside this morning. Very experienced salesman Keith saw our sheet and tried to get us to quit. He said, “looks like you always buy resale and have never bought points. If you just want a few questions answered I can do this, but I can’t gift you unless you stay for the 90 minutes.” I told him we already had our gift, so I guess we have to stay.

He said, OK, I’ll tell you about the points system even though it looks like you’ll never use it. Showed us a bunch of places, points values, and was doing his best to drag it out. He did say direct hotel booking with Abound is coming “before summer.” He mentioned Marriott bought Hyatt but didn’t know when they would come into the system. He did the whole you don’t get to see all inventory with enrolled points, and buying points would supercharge them. He showed the 17.71 per point cost and asked if he wanted his manager to show us some specials, and mentioned the bundle deal. We said no thanks, and were out in 32 minutes.

 

[dioxide45]

Had our presentation at Mountainside this morning. Very experienced salesman Keith saw our sheet and tried to get us to quit. He said, “looks like you always buy resale and have never bought points. If you just want a few questions answered I can do this, but I can’t gift you unless you stay for the 90 minutes.” I told him we already had our gift, so I guess we have to stay.

He said, OK, I’ll tell you about the points system even though it looks like you’ll never use it. Showed us a bunch of places, points values, and was doing his best to drag it out. He did say direct hotel booking with Abound is coming “before summer.” He mentioned Marriott bought Hyatt but didn’t know when they would come into the system. He did the whole you don’t get to see all inventory with enrolled points, and buying points would supercharge them. He showed the 17.71 per point cost and asked if he wanted his manager to show us some specials, and mentioned the bundle deal. We said no thanks, and were out in 32 minutes.

So you didn't have to stay the whole 90 minutes after all.... He could have just let you go at the very start and then he could have just had an extra coffee.

 

[davidvel]

So you didn't have to stay the whole 90 minutes after all.... He could have just let you go at the very start and then he could have just had an extra coffee.

Yeah we talked about that as we left. But I guess they have to try to maintain an illusion that they don't just hand out money for nothing. Looking at our rap sheet, and us having just bought a new resale week after being enrolled for almost 15 years, he knew there was no chance we were buying points, and basically said so up front. He literally got up two times to get more water, I think just to burn some clock. I don't think he was a coffee drinker based on our conversation.

 

[dioxide45]

Yeah we talked about that as we left. But I guess they have to try to maintain an illusion that they don't just hand out money for nothing. Looking at our rap sheet, and us having just bought a new resale week after being enrolled for almost 15 years, he knew there was no chance we were buying points, and basically said so up front. He literally got up two times to get more water, I think just to burn some clock. I don't think he was a coffee drinker based on our conversation.

At least it wasn't like our presentation at Newport Coast. When he realized we weren't buying after 30 minute he said we had to put in the 90, so we sat on a sofa in the waiting area surfing on our phones.

 

[igopogo]

At least it wasn't like our presentation at Newport Coast. When he realized we weren't buying after 30 minute he said we had to put in the 90, so we sat on a sofa in the waiting area surfing on our phones.

I’ll sign up for that, no problem.

 

[davidvel]

Never received this before. Of course I responded that we just need a little more info ($200/30 min) to consider purchasing. Man that free (30 min of time) Butcher's steak was good.