Originally Posted by Counsellor

I doubt it was that. I think it was that the selling-on ruined Marriott's calculations on how much to charge for the Bonus Bucks.

If they can't be sold on, there will be a greater number that expire unused. If their calculations of the "breakage" (as it's called) were that 60% would expire used, they could get away with charging the merchants who were distributing the Bonus Bucks as incentives $41 for a $100 bonus buck and (except for some administrative costs) actually turn a profit. However, if the breakage turned out to be only 20% and 80% of those $41 certificates were actually used, there's a loss in the making.

(Actually, the calculations are more complicated than that, since it was reported that Marriott would not pay the property $100 for accepting the $100 certificate -- the property also had to absorb a discount -- but the general idea remains valid: if more certificates are redeemed than they calculated, this could cause a loss.)

I talked once with a merchant whose firm had used the Bonus Bucks as a marketing incentive, and he said that (as he recalled) when they first began using them Marriott sold them at about 25% - 30% of face value, but when they quit the price had more than doubled. Got to be a pretty expensive incentive. If enough merchants felt the same way, the market for Marriott would have dried up. Perhaps that's why we don't see them anymore (except occasionally as a promotion by Marriott properties themselves).

Originally Posted by iflyjetz

Bonus bucks/extra euros/premium pounds was the #2 reason behind Lifetime status that I jumped ship from Starwood back in 2005. Too bad they went the way of the dinosaur; they really made the Marriott chain a bargain.

Originally Posted by fmkgb

Bonus Bucks Rate code MRP says:

Book Your Weekend Getaway by April 15th

Now through April 30, 2013, stay two consecutive nights Thursday - Sunday at a participating JW Marriott®, Renaissance® & Marriott® hotels and enjoy:
10% off best available room only rates
$100 Bonus Bucks® towards a future stay
Deluxe accommodations


I was able to book MRP rate for ONE WEEKDAY night. When I received confirmation the Summary of Room Charges said:

Member Exclusive $100 Bonus Bucks, 10 percent off Best Available Rates, 100 USD Bonus Bucks per stay, see Rate Rules

Will hotel honor the rate and give me the bonus bucks as reservation does not fit the Rate Rules but the reservation did accept the rate code?


Thanks

Originally Posted by USirritated

I don't have an answer for your question, but I would like to know where you found that rate offer, and was there a "hotels not participating" list?

Originally Posted by USirritated

I don't have an answer for your question, but I would like to know where you found that rate offer, and was there a "hotels not participating" list?

Originally Posted by fmkgb

The promo was emailed to me by Marriott on Feb 13. There is no "hotels not participating" list in the email. I booked my res on Marriott's website.

....snip....

Originally Posted by jtp1947

Originally Posted by linsj

I got a $100 bonus buck when I checked out today. The expiration is June 17, so good for only 4 1/2 months, making it useless for me. I have a Marriott reservation in late September, and was planning to use it then. The desk clerk talked to her manager about the date, but all their bucks had the same date and they had no way to extend it there.

So my question is: Has anyone successfully got the date extended by calling Marriott?