Originally Posted by
CJKatl
I do not think you need for them to make a mistake. Since September 1, I've used four EEOs in four different properties in four different cities and gotten credit for the free night each time. You do not get any points, but I have always gotten the night's credit. I've surpassed 75 credited nights and don't need them to qualify, so it really makes little difference, but the nights have certainly all been credited, as have points for incidental expenses charged to the room during those nights.
I've just looked back for the year and all seven of my EEO nights have been included in the credited night's count. Including those nights, the total comes out correctly. Without those nights, I'm seven short of my credited total.
Rule is that you only get credit for a night that was paid for. I too have sometimes received credit for a free EEO night, including a recent experience. I believe this happens when the info is not entered correctly at the hotel. More often, I've not received the credit. If the OP is counting on getting credit for that night, it's chancey. The rule generally cited at properties to deny credit is this: "Reward certificate stays do not count toward Elite membership."
http://www.marriott.com/rewards/terms/elite.mi
When I've asked Marriott Rewards reps about this, I've been told that only paid nights, not free nights, count for elite credit. Obviously, your experience is to the contrary. If you've been told by a Marriott rep that such credit is proper, please post. If accurate, that would be good news and I would be owed about six additional nights credit this year.