Marriott Concierge

Good Morning, FlyerTalk Community.

I wanted to share with all of you an announcement we recently leaked on Marriott Rewards Insiders, introducing The Ritz-Carlton and EDITION to Marriott Rewards.

Starting tomorrow, the Marriott Rewards program will be expanding to include The Ritz-Carlton and EDITION brands. These additions, plus the recently added Autograph Collection, offer you new opportunities and a broader selection of unique travel experiences.

Now, in addition to being able to redeem points, you will be able to earn points while making a stay at these new brands. For participating Ritz-Carlton hotels, members will earn 10 points or 2 airline miles per US dollar spent on the room rate only. At EDITION hotels, members will earn 10 points or 2 airline miles per US dollar spent on your entire stay folio.

And you’ll continue to earn 10 points or 2 airline miles per US dollar spent on your entire stay folio at participating Autograph Collection hotels.

In order to book a redemption stay at The Ritz-Carlton hotels, please call 1-800-241-3333. Be sure to advise the reservation agent that you will be using a Marriott Rewards certificate and also give your Marriott Rewards membership number.

Please note, although this program expansion will formally launch September 15, the changes to Marriott.com may not be visible until the start of the work day…If you would like any help or assistance until then, you are welcome to contact the appropriate Member Services offices at the number on the back of your Marriott Rewards membership card, or 1-800-450-4442.

I will be sure to share a link for more detailed information as soon as it’s available.

UPDATE: Please find more detailed information here.

It is important to us to provide you with an exclusive, advanced notice update of these changes - especially because you have been talking, via these very FlyerTalk forums, about your desire to earn points on your Ritz-Carlton hotel stays. We are so happy to be able to deliver on something that is important to you.

Thank you – we hope you are as excited as we are!

To see the original announcement, feel free to visit us at Marriott Rewards Insiders!

Regards,

Andrew and the Marriott Concierge Team

NJUPINTHEAIR

Thanks, Andrew!

This is big news!

I recall that MR did offer some points at participating Ritz's in the past -- and your announcement seems to indicate that this again will be the way the program operates at Ritz properties, i.e. not all Ritz's will award points on a paid stay; therefore, could you please provide a list of which hotels will participate in the program and award points?

In addition, will status in the program count for anything in the way of perks at these select properties, and will our use of the Marriott Visa at these participating properties earn the 3x points multiplier bonus if used to pay for the stay?

traveladdictdc

I just stayed at a Ritz last week for work and was complaining about no points. I am a Marriott member. Any word on whether they would give credit for recent stays?

mapu

GREAT news! Thanks! Which RC will be participating?

Kalboz

Thank you Andrew Marriott Concierge

This and the free internet for Gold and Platinum members worldwide are great news that will make stays more enjoyable and rewarding.

Thanks again & keep up the good work! ^ ^ ^

boomdog

This rocks!

Marriott has really been stepping up to the plate...

bd

mjh5o

awesome! this will definitely change my stay patterns, especially in cities where one can find ritz properties but not marriott properties (e.g. Madrid, downtown Barcelona, Jamaica)

Great news!

NJUPINTHEAIR

Again posters, re-read the announcement.

Not all of the Ritz's will participate so don't get ahead of yourselves expecting that a given hotel will participate until we receive the word from higher on up.

I will be very much surprised that MR has thought through a number of my questions, much less other salient questions others will ask, such as use of M/R gift cards and gift checks at those participating properties to name but a few additional queries.

As I noted in the past only some R/C's participated -- as I recall the property in Montreal participated as did one in Jamaica? Anybody remember those that did participate awhile ago?

In any event, the program participation of the Ritz's was quite disjointed and did not work really well and it was soon dropped. I hope that Marriott has its hands around which properties will participate and the general outlines of the program for those properties and that is why I am trying to nail down the important facts -- not jumping to conclusions that all Ritz's will participate -- they will not, and if history is any guide, some of the most exclusive resorts will remain pointless.

mapu

Wow, where did that come from? Did I miss something here?

NJUPINTHEAIR

Yes, you did.

Look to yesterday's anonouncement.

canred

In addition to earning points, will nights count towards MR status?

hhoope01

This is definitely good news.

With RCs being more integrated into the Marriott Rewards program (i.e. points earning and burning), will RCs also be integrating into elite recognition (i.e. room upgrades, night/stay credits, etc.)?

It will be interesting to see just how tightly RCs really come into the general Marriott Rewards program. With SPG, the St. Regis brand does honor most elite benefits, so maybe Marriott will follow suit.

happymommy

I was going to ask the same thing! If so, we definitely have some extra trips to plan! I have put off some trips that involved Ritz Carlton hotels and resorts.

Also, will platinum members get club level access?

Kalboz

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...worldwide.html

http://www.marriottrewardsinsiders.m...ID=14000004975

aaupgrade

This is great news IMO. And a big ^ to Marriott. This will definitely open up new booking options for me. I have to go review all of my reservations. I suppose I should wait and see when is the effective date for including Ritz-Carlton® properties.

I agree with others, there are numerous questions, most of which are consolidated below:

1) What Ritz-Carlton® properties are participating and/or where can we find a list of participating Ritz-Carlton® properties.

2) Will we earn stay credits at Ritz-Carlton® properties?

3) What elite benefits will be recognized at Ritz-Carlton®?

4) Where are and/or how does this affect the Ritz-Carlton® Fall Pointsavers that have not yet been posted?

5) Does this change yesterday's post #1 in the Free Internet for Gold and Platinum Members Worldwide thread back to including Ritz-Carlton® in the free internet Worldwide?

6) When does inclusions of Ritz-Carlton® properties in the MR program commence?

7) Will all of the above questions be answered with clarity in tomorrow's official announcement?

Thanks in advance.