<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Just Passing Thru:
Pinniped, I have some experience with longer-term stays (I have over 400 nights credit with Marriott this year alone), and I don't find anything unusual about this rate, assuming Eugene is correct.
You'll often find tiered rates that get lower the longer you stay. I can't speak for all properties, but the LT discounts usually kick in at 5 or 6 nights. A larger discount might kick in after 12-15 nights, and the largest discount of all generally appears after 30 nights' continuous occupancy. I've generally seen three or four sets of rates (varying with stay length).</font>
I too have done many Marriott stays where I took advantage of the long-term discount. I know (some) Residence Inn rates drop enough that a 12-night stay is about the same cost as two 5-night stays. Therefore, if I'm on business in one city for two weeks, I just book a 12-night stay even though I'm back home for the middle Friday and Saturday nights. Makes that middle trip easier because I leave some luggage in the hotel room over the weekend.
I don't mean to rant about those rates; they seem fair to me. I'm just not a fan of what appears to me to be a big movement to prepaid (nonrefundable) rates. Flexibility is my #1 benefit for NOT booking at Priceline, because the points and elite-status upgrade are more than offset by the rock-bottom prices. There is a near-zero percent chance that I will EVER book a nonrefundable rate at Marriott.com, unless that rate is truly within 10-15% of Priceline levels. (And I don't see a $200/night hotel rolling out $75 rates anytime soon.)