Hotel Promotions Marriott - buy points with a bonus or discount

[Dr Ralph]

There's always family transfers...

50,000 limit per year? And potentially a small charge.

 

[dajop]

I'm not surprised. I'm typically finding the best value these days comes at the low category end, or the very high end. Difficult to get good value in the middle.

 

[Ktan89]

Are we able to consolidate points or send points to another member?
I need a total of 280k so will have to purchase 4 times.

 

[bjm76]

I have also found that the mid range properties arent worth it. So Le Meridien Barcelona for example - better off paying for the room. In August anyway (peak period I know).

 

[Dr Ralph]

Are we able to consolidate points or send points to another member?
I need a total of 280k so will have to purchase 4 times.

Need to confirm but note:

"Each member can transfer up to 100,000 points per calendar year, and receive up to 500,000 points per calendar year. As is the case with most point transfers, you can only move points in 1,000-point increments."

(Your Guide to Transferring Marriott Points Between Accounts)

You have to call Marriott to make the transfer.

You can only purchase a maximum of 100,000 points. So it would be impossible to purchase 4 times as the maximum purchase is for 50,000 points.

 

[opusman]

You can only purchase a maximum of 100,000 points. So it would be impossible to purchase 4 times as the maximum purchase is for 50,000 points.

Each member can purchase 100,000 though. 2 members = 200,000 + the bonus.

 

[Ktan89]

Damn it. If i can only transfer 100,000 points to another member then this wont work for me since I will be short 30,000 points. 150,000 + 100,000

Anyway around this?
I'm looking to book a place for December this year. 70k a night stay for 4 nights. (+1 free night)

 

[Dr Ralph]

Just purchased 50,000 points. Info on their website suggests it can take up to 7 business days for the base points to post and then another 48 hours for the bonus points to post.

Anyone confirm the above is accurate?

For the record, my 50,000 points posted 2 days after purchase and the 25,000 bonus posted 3 days after purchase (this time frame included weekend days)

 

[Oz_Danny]

For the record, my 50,000 points posted 2 days after purchase and the 25,000 bonus posted 3 days after purchase (this time frame included weekend days)

Praying I have the Marriott gods on my side then as I just realised that a hotel I was slightly off on points for which I hold an advance booking on for is changing categories on the 4th

If I don't get them in the next 24 hours it goes up 60k points for the entire booking making it a bad purchase.

 

[Dr Ralph]

Praying I have the Marriott gods on my side then as I just realised that a hotel I was slightly off on points for which I hold an advance booking on for is changing categories on the 4th

If I don't get them in the next 24 hours it goes up 60k points for the entire booking making it a bad purchase.

24 hours is risky.

I did make several transactions across multiple accounts and the best was 48 hrs.

But you may have more than 24 hours assuming the 4th is for New York date/time?

 

[Oz_Danny]

24 hours is risky.

I did make several transactions across multiple accounts and the best was 48 hrs.

Yeh it's my bad for not noticing. I just didn't realise it until a colleague mentioned the increase to me today.

I found an alternative option but it's nowhere near as good of a burn rate. Hotels during peak ski season seem to be a really good use of points!!

 

[Ktan89]

Which hotel are you looking at?

 

[Dr Ralph]

Hotels during peak ski season seem to be a really good use of points!!

Thanks for the info.

I can't believe how good this promotion has been for me.

I've now booked more than 30 hotels across 12 states. Every one of those bookings was cheaper buying the points vis a vis using cash.

 

[Oz_Danny]

Which hotel are you looking at?

Residence Inn Breckenridge for mid January next year is the one I don't have confirmed (140k for 5 nights). Moving from cat 5 to 6 making it not as worthwhile.

I already have a confirmed booking at anouther ski hotel over new years which is 100k for 5 nights. Given the price is nearly $750 AUD a night over the same dates if I paid for it the earn is pretty solid.

 

[Oz_Danny]

Thanks for the info.

I can't believe how good this promotion has been for me.

I've now booked more than 30 hotels across 12 states. Every one of those bookings was cheaper buying the points vis a vis using cash.

Yeh it's pretty unbelievable, I wish I had of got onto it sooner.

Still probably worth buying points, I just need to make sure I'll get value from hotels I need to book post the increase.

 

[Bell21]

Thanks for the info.

I can't believe how good this promotion has been for me.

I've now booked more than 30 hotels across 12 states. Every one of those bookings was cheaper buying the points vis a vis using cash.

Sounds fabulous. Unfortunately, it just didn't work-out for me - most of the Marriotts I was looking at were either expensive whether points or cash or were mid-tier hotels, in which case, it was borderline value for points or cash, and as cash was freely cancellable up to 2 days before, it didn't work out for me - oh well, I got v good value out of a lesser version of this promotion last XMAS!

 

[Dr Ralph]

Got a reminder email that this ends March 25. And this reminder:

'bonus points earned with this promotion do not count toward your annual limit.'

 

[Alpha7]

Thanks for the info.

I can't believe how good this promotion has been for me.

I've now booked more than 30 hotels across 12 states. Every one of those bookings was cheaper buying the points vis a vis using cash.

Wowwww you are a Marriott god!! You should be their Ambassador

 

[Dr Ralph]

Wowwww you are a Marriott god!! You should be their Ambassador

Perhaps. But let's hope I get to complete all of those stays! I may never get to the US given how many times Qantas keeps changing my bookings and other Corona virus uncertainties.

 

[Dr Ralph]

A new offer is now available, this time with a 60% bonus:

Enjoy your next trip even more. Now through June 30, 2020, receive 60% more points when you buy up to 100,000 points through the promotion’s Buy Points or Gift Points page — that’s twice the usual annual limit. Plus, bonus points earned with this promotion do not count toward your annual limit.​

Here’s what a 60% bonus could look like:​

​

BUY POINTS	GET 60% BONUS POINTS	TOTAL POINTS
10,000	6,000	16,000
50,000	30,000	80,000
100,000	60,000	160,000

I'm tempted to buy some. Even though I'm looking at a 200,000 point refund for bookings to the US later this year that are extremely likely to be cancelled.