The Marriott veterans please excuse this question as it may seem quite simplistic. Hilton offers its elites the VIP rewards where you can book a reward stay a year prior to arrival at any hotel you choose as long as they have reward rooms available. Marriott, on the other hand, allows for elite rewards only on select hotels and then it does it by calandar quarters. I checked the website and they still do not have spring rewards posted. Am I missing something? I usually try and plan vacations 9 months out but with Marriott that's nearly impossible to do unless you use the standard reward. Is that the way this system works and if so what are the benefits of elite status for booking rewards?