Originally Posted by
Horace
It's good advice to avoid Marriott's Advance Purchase rates. The savings over flexible rates tend to be small. But I don't understand the need to declare a lack of sympathy and to tell the OP that such advice is a "simple solution" to the OP's current situation. It's not. It's only advice for the future.
i cant agree with this.
I save probably thousands a year using prepaid rates, and in RARE situations where I do have to cancel and or change travel plans, marriott and spg has always let me. but these cases are things like hurricanes, accidentally booking auckland instead of oakland, that sort of thing.
But one word to the wise: when using the web site you will find three rate categories at the top of the list of rooms available: regular rates, members rates, and packages. always check the packages. sometimes you can fins a special package rate that is LESS (or at least on par with) than the prepaid rate, but is fully flexible and can be canceled with no penalty.