Marriott Rewards (including Ritz-Carlton) - Is this bad or the norm?

I am Marriott Platinum and setup to gain SWA miles. There are about 4 Marriotts where I am staying for the next month so i have been checking in/out at a different one each night so I can obtain the most points. Is practice the norm?

It is called hotel hopping and it is done on occasion to achieve specific goal (i.e. number of stays required for a promotion).

Bad? Nah.
Among FTers it is the norm.:)

It's a personal preference.

Changing hotels daily is an inconvenience, but if you prefer to do it, then it's
not against the T&C of MR.

Some don't have the time or necessity to hotel hop. But, if you do, so be it.
It's whatever makes you happiest.;)

I am Marriott Platinum and setup to gain SWA miles. There are about 4 Marriotts where I am staying for the next month so i have been checking in/out at a different one each night so I can obtain the most points. Is practice the norm?

I am curious what advantage you are getting?
I didn't think there were any "stay" based bonuses going on.

That said, if there is something strange that will earn you points. This is the place to brag about it.
Is it normal - no.
Are most of the people of flyertalk normal when it comes to points/miles - no.

Normal people get the room they paid for, have to fly in coach and pay for their hotel rooms on vacations. May I never be normal again.

I hotel hopped four time in five nights for my last trip.

Marriott: Miles stay, 600 WN Miles
Marriott: Miles stay, 1800 WN Miles
Holiday Inn: 2 nights for 50 dollar per (2-night) stay promo
Marriott: Miles stay, 1800 WN Miles

Obviously worth it for me, and I've learned how to effectively use my carry-on bag to transport a day's worth of gear so I don't need to lug everything in and back out.

On recent trip, was asked, by coworkers on same trip, why I didn't stay at one spot. Reasoned that if I stay at a place multiple nights, I am tempted to unpack things, and end up leaving things behind that way; not completely untrue, but the real reason is the points/miles.

Tempting to try this on vacations though; rationale, let's stay at a hotel close to Legoland one day and Sea World the next, so the drive is shorter in the mornings. Have given that up lately, because it takes away from the vacation experience. Need to find nights-based promos for upcoming travel.

I am curious what advantage you are getting?
I didn't think there were any "stay" based bonuses going on.

It's a 4x bonus (on "miles" earnings), but for this particular airline (SWA = Southwest Airlines), the normal earning is a flat 600 Southwest points per stay (rather than a small number of miles for each dollar spent, as it is with most other ailrines).

So it's not the bonus itself that's "stay" based, it's earning Southwest Airlines points that's "stay" based (and thus using Southwest Airlines in a miles promo is "stay" based, even though it's "spend" based for all other airlines in the same promo).

I am Marriott Platinum and setup to gain SWA miles. There are about 4 Marriotts where I am staying for the next month so i have been checking in/out at a different one each night so I can obtain the most points. Is practice the norm?

Actually, for anyone earning SWA points directly at any hotel, it's the norm if they're smart. :)

So far, Southwest points are always 600 flat per hotel stay before any bonuses, at all hotels. Perhaps that will change at some point in the future, but before it was 600 flat point per hotel stay it was always 0.5 credits per hotel stay. And thus Southwest Airlines earnings have always been a flat amount per hotel stay in every hotel program since Southwest Airlines became a part of each said hotel program.

I never choose to earn Southwest points, in fact, on multi-night stays. If I'm going to chase Southwest points on a particular stay, I make sure it's a one-night stay.

And, btw, while there are not at this very moment any other Marriott promos that are stay based, all "free night certificate" promos at Marriott (should you be offered one) are also always stay based in my experience. And also therefore can be maxed out with minimum cost by hotel hopping.

In the last week, I have earned about 6,000 air line miles thanks to the Megabonus so that is why I have hotel hopped. Triple SWA miles plus 600 miles for my check in gift per night. I have about 20 days left this month to do this...yes it gets annonying going to different places, but lucky for me they are about 5 mins apart. :-)

In the last week, I have earned about 6,000 air line miles thanks to the Megabonus so that is why I have hotel hopped. Triple SWA miles plus 600 miles for my check in gift per night. I have about 20 days left this month to do this...yes it gets annonying going to different places, but lucky for me they are about 5 mins apart. :-)

i'm confused - are you saying that, for a Platinum check-in gift, I have miles as my earning preference, rather than getting 500 Marriott points, I'll earn 600 SW points? Over and above the SW points earned per stay (600 normally, or 1800 under MegaMiles)?

If your earnings preference is airlines miles yes I get an additional 600 miles as my check in gift in addition to the Megabonus miles 1,200.00

Adds up quick!

If your earnings preference is airlines miles yes I get an additional 600 miles as my check in gift in addition to the Megabonus miles 1,200.00

Adds up quick!

I guess that's where I'm confused... MegaMiles for SW is 1800 miles (3x 600) after your first stay. So are you getting a total of 1800? Or 1800 + 600 = 2400?

I guess that's where I'm confused... MegaMiles for SW is 1800 miles (3x 600) after your first stay. So are you getting a total of 1800? Or 1800 + 600 = 2400?

I thought only Edition offered Air Miles as checkin.

No, I am getting 1,200 miles for the stay and 600 miles for the check in gift.

I guess that's where I'm confused... MegaMiles for SW is 1800 miles (3x 600) after your first stay. So are you getting a total of 1800? Or 1800 + 600 = 2400?


Here's what the promo says:

•Base miles will be earned for each paid stay, PLUS earn triple miles every paid stay, beginning with the second stay

Meaning, that the 600 miles is not a check in bonus, it's the base miles. For SW it's always a set number of 600 miles for your base miles, + you get triple miles megabonus after the 2nd stay. [when preference is set for miles, you get no check in bonus--usually].


I have completed my summer megabonus and have switch to the megamiles. I have the 1st stay that has posted at 600 miles so my megamiles bonus should start on my next stay (which will be Sunday evening). :cool: So, I can update when that post. But, I am sure others can verify how a one night stay has posted (1800 or 2400 miles or not) for SW.

It appears lastumps is reporting his have already posted as above.

Lastumps,
is it calling your 600 miles a check in bonus? Seems odd. I don't recall that from past promos.

Also, are you reporting you already had 600 + 1200miles bonus to post?

No, I am getting 1,200 miles for the stay and 600 miles for the check in gift.

You've got that backwards.

The stay itself only posts 600 "miles".

It's the MegaMiles bonus that posts the additional 1200 "miles".

So if you were getting a check-in bonus, it would have to be yet another 600 "miles", for a total of 2400 "miles" per stay.

So it looks like you're not getting a check-in bonus, you're simply mistaking your normal 600 "miles" earning for a check-in bonus when it's actually your normal stay eraning.

Go back and see what you earned on your first stay under this MegaMiles (the first stay didn't earn the 2x, it only qualified you for earning that on subsequent stays). I bet it was 600 only, not 600 + 600.

My earnings - as you can see it's not in order:

08/12/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/08/2012 +600
08/12/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/08/2012 +1,200
08/08/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/03/2012 +1,200
08/08/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/04/2012 +600
08/08/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/03/2012 +600
08/08/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/04/2012 +1,200
08/06/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 07/31/2012 +1,200
08/06/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/01/2012 +1,200
08/06/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/01/2012 +600
08/06/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/01/2012 +600
08/04/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 07/31/2012 +600
08/04/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 07/31/2012 +1,200

My earnings - as you can see it's not in order:

08/12/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/08/2012 +600
08/12/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/08/2012 +1,200
08/08/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/03/2012 +1,200
08/08/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/04/2012 +600
08/08/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/03/2012 +600
08/08/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/04/2012 +1,200
08/06/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 07/31/2012 +1,200
08/06/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/01/2012 +1,200
08/06/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/01/2012 +600
08/06/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/01/2012 +600
08/04/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 07/31/2012 +600
08/04/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 07/31/2012 +1,200


Thanks for posting the info.
This confirms the way the MegaMiles bonus is posting.

My earnings - as you can see it's not in order:

08/12/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/08/2012 +600
08/12/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/08/2012 +1,200
08/08/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/03/2012 +1,200
08/08/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/04/2012 +600
08/08/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/03/2012 +600
08/08/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/04/2012 +1,200
08/06/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 07/31/2012 +1,200
08/06/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/01/2012 +1,200
08/06/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/01/2012 +600
08/06/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/01/2012 +600
08/04/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 07/31/2012 +600
08/04/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 07/31/2012 +1,200
This sounds like you got it from the Southwest website (which muddies everything in my experience). What does it show at the Marriott website (under Rewards Account Activity)? For mine, it shows things much more clearly there:


08/10/2012 Hotel Stay
hotel name
Check-in: 08/07/2012 Check-out: 08/08/2012
MARRIOTT REWARDS TRIPLE MILES 1,200 mls
Base Earnings 600 mls
Total 1,800 mls


08/04/2012 Hotel Stay
hotel name
Check-in: 07/31/2012 Check-out: 08/01/2012
MARRIOTT REWARDS TRIPLE MILES 1,200 mls
Base Earnings 600 mls
Total 1,800 mls


07/27/2012 Hotel Stay
hotel name
Check-in: 07/24/2012 Check-out: 07/25/2012
MARRIOTT REWARDS TRIPLE MILES 1,200 mls
Base Earnings 600 mls
Total 1,800 mls


07/26/2012 Hotel Stay
hotel name
Check-in: 07/23/2012 Check-out: 07/24/2012
Base Earnings 600 mls
Total 600 mls


(The bottommost stay was my first, ie qualifying, stay, which is why it didn't earn the 1200, only the 600.)

Btw, it shows up even more clearly at the Marriott site than here, becuase there the numbers line up in a nice chart format, while here I can't figure out how to copy it in that format to here while excluding certain information like the specific hotels.

This sounds like you got it from the Southwest website (which muddies everything in my experience). What does it show at the Marriott website (under Rewards Account Activity)? For mine, it shows things much more clearly there:


08/10/2012 Hotel Stay
hotel name
Check-in: 08/07/2012 Check-out: 08/08/2012
MARRIOTT REWARDS TRIPLE MILES 1,200 mls
Base Earnings 600 mls
Total 1,800 mls


08/04/2012 Hotel Stay
hotel name
Check-in: 07/31/2012 Check-out: 08/01/2012
MARRIOTT REWARDS TRIPLE MILES 1,200 mls
Base Earnings 600 mls
Total 1,800 mls


07/27/2012 Hotel Stay
hotel name
Check-in: 07/24/2012 Check-out: 07/25/2012
MARRIOTT REWARDS TRIPLE MILES 1,200 mls
Base Earnings 600 mls
Total 1,800 mls


07/26/2012 Hotel Stay
hotel name
Check-in: 07/23/2012 Check-out: 07/24/2012
Base Earnings 600 mls
Total 600 mls


(The bottommost stay was my first, ie qualifying, stay, which is why it didn't earn the 1200, only the 600.)

Btw, it shows up even more clearly at the Marriott site than here, becuase there the numbers line up in a nice chart format, while here I can't figure out how to copy it in that format to here while excluding certain information like the specific hotels.




Whether from the SW site or from the Marriott site, both appear to confirm it's a total of 1,800 SW miles starting with the 2nd stay (not 2,400 miles).

So, while it's nice to see the format, the information is confirmed in either format.

Thanks for posting your Marriott format as well.^

My earnings - as you can see it's not in order:

08/12/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/08/2012 +600
08/12/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/08/2012 +1,200
08/08/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/03/2012 +1,200
08/08/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/04/2012 +600
08/08/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/03/2012 +600
08/08/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/04/2012 +1,200
08/06/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 07/31/2012 +1,200
08/06/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/01/2012 +1,200
08/06/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/01/2012 +600
08/06/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 08/01/2012 +600
08/04/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 07/31/2012 +600
08/04/2012 Hotel Marriott - BTR 07/31/2012 +1,200

Whether from the SW site or from the Marriott site, both appear to confirm it's a total of 1,800 SW miles starting with the 2nd stay (not 2,400 miles).

So, while it's nice to see the format, the information is confirmed in either format.

No, look at the info I highlighted in red from the (presumably) Southwest format posting of lastumps.
It appears to show 600 + 600 + 1200 earned for the same date. What exactly is that??? And how do you figure it out from the Southwest site alone??? :confused:

That's why I think the Marriott site lets you figure out things that the Southwest site can't possibly let you figure out, and that's why I don't consider them both equally useful (at the very least, for the issue being discussed here).

Yes, lastumps' (presumably) Southwest format posting does perhaps make sense if you ignore both columns of dates completely and just look for matching 600s and 1200s wherever they may be. But it stops making sense the moment you look at any date in any column!

I am Marriott Platinum and setup to gain SWA miles. There are about 4 Marriotts where I am staying for the next month so i have been checking in/out at a different one each night so I can obtain the most points. Is practice the norm?

I do the same when the promo is based on stays. I am Plat.

One thing I like about Marriott is that the elite status is night based, not stay based. It reduces hotel hopping, which is not environmentally friendly. Think about all the chemicals and energy that have to be used to get the room ready for a new guest. Each time we get into a newly cleaned room, we are also exposed to all that stuff...

One thing I like about Marriott is that the elite status is night based, not stay based.
Indeed, but all of the free night cert promos, all of their multiplier miles promos when used for Southwest, and all of their flat miles promos (like the 2000 bonus miles per stay of early this yaer) for all airlines, are stay based, not night based.

So since I only stay at Marriott properties (and earn my status) when there's a promo going on, and up to now all I've been offered is iether miles promos or free night cert promos, it hasn't mattered that elite status qualification is night based, since I have to max out the promo at the same time I (re)qualify for status.

Only this upcoming MegaBonus cycle (the one from Sep 15 thru Jan 15) have I, for the first time, been offered a night-based points promo (rather tha a free nigh certs promo). So in September I will for the first time ever do a multi-night (non-award*) Marriott program stay! (And then another, and then another.) But as soon as I go back to miles promos, I'll have to back to hotel hopping. And if the next cycle they give me a free night certs promo again, I'll have to continue with hotel hopping for that!

(*I almost did a two-night award stay, but my plane was delayed a whole day, so I had to cancel the first night. So even though I could "afford" to do a multi-night award stay, and have tried to do one, I haven't even actually done one of those so far.)