Marriott Rewards (including Ritz-Carlton) - $100.00 Marriott Hotel Stay Certificate for $2.99 trial offer

This is an offer I received through AMEX:

As an American Express® Cardmember, a free $100 Marriott Hotel Stay Certificate* is yours! Plus enjoy a world of travel savings when you try two complimentary months of membership in Travel + Leisure Elite Traveler.
...

I will be charged a one-time club processing fee of $2.99. If I enjoy my first 2 months, and want to continue receiving the valuable benefits, I will do nothing and $29.95 will be billed to my American Express® Card for my first year of club membership, unless I call to cancel.

TERMS of CERT

* Good toward a consecutive two-night paid stay
* Accepted at any participating Marriott Hotels & Resorts, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, and Renaissance Hotels and Resorts
* Valid at more than 2,800 locations worldwide
* Valued at $100.00

I've been able to find some further terms on Marriott Bucks, but none on this type of certificate (maybe it's one in the same). It seems that with Bucks you have to make your reservation off specific 800#s and I'm wondering if those are simply Marriott reservation lines that would offer the same rates as their website, and assuming the same would apply then to this certificate.

Targeted? Link?

this would be a useful Amex offer ... why do I always get the junk :td:

Allow me to move this thread to the Marriott forum, as this isn't a low rate or other appropriate Hotel Deals topic.

--jpdx, Hotel Deals Moderator

I received the same offer through AmEx Blue - in the very next statement after I canceled the card! I had to use that card to book to be able to use the cert.

Got something similar, but it was for a $100 restaurant certificate. Since I travel all of the time alone, not very useful to me. I doubt that I could find a restaurant around here I could blow $100 on myself. I would much prefer the Marriott cert.

Checked on participating restaurants and the list is just like the various airline, hotel dining points schemes, mostly local mom & pops, no chains. Also, does not include booze. Makes it completely useless for me.

I received the same offer through AmEx Blue - in the very next statement after I canceled the card! I had to use that card to book to be able to use the cert.

I looked back at the email. Turns out I can't use my AmEx Blue to take advantage of the offer, it's for my AmEx Gold........the one I cancelled one day before I got the email offer!:rolleyes:

I looked back at the email. Turns out I can't use my AmEx Blue to take advantage of the offer, it's for my AmEx Gold........the one I cancelled one day before I got the email offer!:rolleyes:

Coincidence or are they trying to bribe you to reopen closed accounts?