This past Monday I checked into the new (less than a month old) Marriott Hotel and Spa in Groton, Ct. I had a 8 AM meeting in New London the next morning. The hotel is really beautiful and the rooms are very nicely decorated in blues and golds. The best thing was the beds. The mattresses must have been about 9 inches thick with the 5 pillows piled up there. I turned in about 10. At 1 AM I was awakened by the fire alarm. I pulled on some clothes and exited via the stairs. 4 fire engines pulled up and everyone was milling around outside. After about 15 minutes the hotel staff said we could go back inside. There was no fire but a sprinkler had gone off in the kitches which set off the alarm. Now the fun began. No one not the fire dept or the hotel staff could get the alarms turned off. There were no alarms in the lobby so all the guests were there lying on chairs, couches and the floor trying to rest. About 2:30 AM I recalled that I had seen a road sign a couple of exits up the Tpke for a Residence Inn. I went to the front desk and asked if I could get a room up there. They said sure and they would call up there for me. I went to my room, got my stuff together and returned my key at the desk. When I asked for my bill I was told "No charge for either the hotel or the room at the Residence Inn." SO with the sounds of fire alarms ringing in my ears I headed up the road checked in at the Residence and went to bed. The next morning it occurred to me that not being charged for the room was not beneficial to me. First of all my employer would reimburse me for the room and by not being billed I would lose my reward points and my credit for my night's stay toward the current promotion for bonus points. I called the hotel and left a message for the front desk supervisor I lady called Sharon explaining all this. Tuesday afternoon I received a call frm Sharon. It seems that I am going to get 50,000 Reward points for "my inconvenience". I was just floored. After I thanked Sharon effusively I asked her about the eventual outcome of the alarm problem. THey had to call the alarm company in and the alarms were eventually turned of at 3:15 AM. I know this is long but I thought it certainly has to be the most unusual way to earn points although I would not recommend it as the best way to go.