Marriott Rewards (including Ritz-Carlton) - How to best obtain points for multiple rooms

My parents are planning a trip in a few months and have several other family/friends coming to stay at the same hotel. None of them are frequent travelers and I doubt they have MR accounts, so I would like to have them register under my rewards number so that the points don't just go to waste. First of all, is this against any rules? If not, how would be the best way to get the points for all of the rooms? I don't want to give them all my rewards number prior to them reserving the room, b/c I have a credit card on file with my rewards account, and if they don't give a new credit card when they check in, the stays would be charged to my card. I will be at the hotel during the stay as well, so could I just go to the desk and have them apply my number to each of the reservations? Anyone ever tried anything like this?

Thanks!

If they are coming to visit you, then you should make the reservations for all the rooms under your name and you should check-in for them. You can even pay using your Marriott Visa to get some extra points and have them pay you back.

Per the Marriott's T&Cs, you can receive points for up to 3 rooms per night. So as stated, if the rooms are in your name and you check in, you will get the points for those rooms. If you need more than 3 rooms, you can have your spouse or anyone else get a Marriott # and use that for up to 3 more rooms. This way you won't lose any points. And you can always transfer those points into your account later when it is time to order an award.

If you are one of the guests (as you say you will be), make the reservations for all of the rooms in your name and you will collect points (but not elite nights) for up to three rooms. They can check-out individually and pay for the room on their own credit card without too much drama.

Its a slightly more complicated situation in that not everyone is staying for the same days. My family will be down there for 5 nights, but the other families are all checking in/out on different days. I don't want to go through the hassle of trying to book all of the rooms for everyone else, and trust that they will (know to) change the credit card upon checkout, as most of these people are friends of my parents and not necessarily friends of mine.

I know some people on here are VERY against people gaming the system, and rightly so, which is why I started out by asking if this was against the rules. Therefore, I am trying to find the best way to accomplish this without going against the T&C. Would it not be possible to go to the front desk once we are there and have them apply my number to the reservations?

You could go to FD with person that booked the room and talk to FD to apply the MR #. They can say no but most likely they will just do it no problem.

so long as you're one of the guests, no sweat on points for up to 3-rooms

My parents are planning a trip in a few months and have several other family/friends coming to stay at the same hotel. None of them are frequent travelers and I doubt they have MR accounts, so I would like to have them register under my rewards number so that the points don't just go to waste. First of all, is this against any rules? If not, how would be the best way to get the points for all of the rooms? I don't want to give them all my rewards number prior to them reserving the room, b/c I have a credit card on file with my rewards account, and if they don't give a new credit card when they check in, the stays would be charged to my card. I will be at the hotel during the stay as well, so could I just go to the desk and have them apply my number to each of the reservations? Anyone ever tried anything like this?

Thanks!

How about planning it as an event with the hotel, with you as the meeting planner? You would have to sign a contract guaranteeing a certain number of rooms (but sounds like you already know how many you'll need, so that shouldn't be a problem), and they can have different arrival/departure dates. Everyone pays on their own credit card, so you're not responsible for that, but as long as they book as part of the group, you'll get points for all of them and get 10 elite nights for being the meeting planner. Depending on the number of rooms, you may even be able to negotiate a better rate for everyone.

You could also refer up to 5 of them as new MR members, and collect a total of 10,000 points for the stay. As far as I can see, this should be combinable with the meeting deal.

How about planning it as an event with the hotel, with you as the meeting planner? You would have to sign a contract guaranteeing a certain number of rooms (but sounds like you already know how many you'll need, so that shouldn't be a problem), and they can have different arrival/departure dates. Everyone pays on their own credit card, so you're not responsible for that, but as long as they book as part of the group, you'll get points for all of them and get 10 elite nights for being the meeting planner. Depending on the number of rooms, you may even be able to negotiate a better rate for everyone.

That is a really great idea. I will definitely give it a shot. Thanks!