The reality here is that the likes of priceline will, over 95% of the time, do a better deal on the cash rates. Points become relevant if you stay a lot, because at the upper echelons of membership you are awarded more per $ AND you get free bennies.

The problem for the leisure traveller is that the program is designed principally for the weekday business traveller, with lounges mostly only fully open on weekdays and with 72 hour override mostly "needed" to cover weekday events. The bennies make it easier for the traveller on the corporate $ to have an easier stay, and get what is in effect a backhander (points) for future travel. This works out valuable to us road warriors, with the higher rates paid by our companies on weekdays and with the bonuses etc its quite possible to earn 7000+ points per night, which over a mere 3 nights (cat 3 or 4) or 4 or 5 nights (cat 5+) will get you a free night stay. With the 5 nights award for the price of 4 its possible to get a 5 night stay at one of Marriotts best hotels (cat 7 or 8) for 15-20 nights of business stays.

Not that its cheap to those who pay the bill, to do a top hotel for 5 nights would require 160,000 points. Assuming our member is a PLT and 40,000 points came from megabonuses, the remaining 120,000 over 20 nights would be 6000 points per night, meaning a spend by our employers of $400 per night, $8,000 overall. And remember to get the 40,000 megabonus you have to do the 20 nights in 3 months, so it really only works for the regulars spending other peoples money.

To reverse this around, assuming no status and that your stays were only 4 or 5 nights per year, at weekends, on rooms averaging £100 ($150) per night it would take you about 20-25 YEARS to stay the 106 nights to get that 5 night (160,000 points) break (remember, our PLT can manage that in just 3 months!). Against that with Priceline you should get a weekend 4* room for about £70 night ($100) thus saving yourself the price of a free night once every 2 or 3 nights.

Having said all that it is fair to point out that you'll not find Marriotts best 5 star hotels lurking around on priceline, yes, I think you'll find the majority of Marriotts inventory there, but its unlikely the likes of Londons Grosvenor House and New Yorks Marquis will ever make its way there, so the only way to stay at Marriotts very top establishments is to "pay". Cash or Points. I can vouch that a lot of us do use our points for the very best of Marriotts inventory, thus squeezing a bit more value out of the scheme, but the simple fact remains that it just isn't worthwhile unless you're a regular...