Marriott Rewards (including Ritz-Carlton) - breaking stays into multiple bookings with spouse for Marriott promo?

Apologies in advance if this has already been covered.

Will be staying at a renaissance property for a few weeks with my spouse and want to capitalize /maximize the stay 2 get 1 free promo, so my thoughts were to book 1 night in my name and the next in hers, breaking our stay into a number of reservations to earn the most free nights.

Have people done this in the past and can I expect any issues or should this go ok?

Also, should my approach be to physically check out each day and check back in (and change rooms) to stay somewhat under the radar

or should my approach be to be upfront with the hotel about my intentions and ask the front desk to block the same room so we don't have to keep changing rooms?

Thanks in advance for any insight.

Is this the Summer Bonus? Read the terms of the promo...

"A 'stay' is defined as consecutive nights spent at the same hotel, regardless of check-in/check-out activity. "

Only way to make this work is if there is a different hotel close and go back and forth.

If the wife has a Marriott account with that bonus as well, it would also work I guess, but that is generally not the case.

You can always try to get the hotel to make an exception, but I have not had any luck with requests like this. YMMV.

Good luck and happy travels..

i apologize that i was not clear. Yes we both have marriott accounts and we both signed up for the summer bonus. my intentions were when I would check out she would check in on her account and when she would check out i would check in on my account.

I don't think I'm violating the t&c (ok maybe the spirit of the law, but not the letter of the law) as I would not be on the other reservations and she would not be on mine....just not sure if i should keep it under the radar or actually ask them to hold the same room for the next reservation.

Not sure it's really worth the hassle to get a few category 4 nights. At least not to me.

Not sure it's really worth the hassle to get a few category 4 nights. At least not to me.

Obviously it is worth it for the OP and it seems it can be done without much hassle.

I am not sure if the hotel cares. If you can do it in an environmentally friendly way (i.e. same room with minimal housekeeping and chemicals), I think everyone wins (except for Marriott Rewards).

This should work, but I would certainly do the physical check-out and check-in to be sure.

Yes, this should work just fine. But do make sure you go downstairs and check out and the other check in each day and KEEP YOUR FOLIOS. The front desk should not have a problem putting you into the same room. Housekeeping might get confused.

Even though you joined in 2010, you're less addicted to FT than most of us right? This question happens every promo.

Since you mention a Renaissance property, I'm assuming large urban hotel and skipping all the reasons this might be a bad idea in a small town Fairfield.

I would highly suggest being incognito and staying under the radar. Meaning, never appear together in front of the desk clerk checking in, and just don't even try to stay in the same room. This avoids the limited possibility of being confronted by a desk clerk zealot about what you are doing, or confusing housekeeping so your room does not get cleaned. Most importantly it lessens the probability of a posting error since different room numbers are involved.

The first rarely happens, but it has. The second is much more common. Neither is worth avoiding a room move. Check into the new room. Move luggage over from old room. Check out and get folio. Repeat if you really want to go for gusto, but at some point I'm not sure its worth it.

Mr. Nacho and I do the same in every Megabonus whenever we can (if moving hotel is not a possibility). We only do this for a max of 2 nights (1 night each) - because we think it's too much to do it more than this.

We sometimes show up separately and sometimes together, and we always physically check out and in, and we usually try to check in late the next day so that we won't be checked in by the same FD associate.

Once we were offered by a FD at a FFI that we could keep the same room etc. but we declined because you never know what is going to happen.

It should work. You and Mrs. are two separate members, each entitled to the promo. What I would do: reserve night 1 in your name only, night 2 in hers only, repeat to how many nights you like. Then in the morning you check out, she checks in. Then you just move to her room. Repeat for you the next day. No hassle no fuss and the hotel doesn't need to know the why.

for anyone curious to the outcome, perhaps I was lucky, or perhaps i was spending enough there for them to want to accommodate me (20+ nights) , but either way, was successful in breaking the reservation into multiple stays and didn't need to physically check out and then have spouse re-check in. just had them re-key the cards each morning and they blocked the same room for all the stays. Also, they were even kind enough to honor gold status and benefits even on my spouses reservations, as they added me as a second guest to her room. all points and free nights posted appropriately and ended up with a pile of free nights, so happy ending for me.

for anyone curious to the outcome, perhaps I was lucky, or perhaps i was spending enough there for them to want to accommodate me (20+ nights) , but either way, was successful in breaking the reservation into multiple stays and didn't need to physically check out and then have spouse re-check in. just had them re-key the cards each morning and they blocked the same room for all the stays. Also, they were even kind enough to honor gold status and benefits even on my spouses reservations, as they added me as a second guest to her room. all points and free nights posted appropriately and ended up with a pile of free nights, so happy ending for me.

Wow, that's nice, do you mind sharing which property it is?

Thanks in advance!

would rather not but will pm.

would rather not but will pm.

You did nothing wrong and the property did the right thing so nothing to worry about. But it is your choice.