Marriott does not charge hotel guests any monies as doing so could make the company liable for income taxes and sales tax or VAT in many tax jurisdictions all over the world, with tremendous reporting and compliance costs.

Marriott is simply an intermediary between guests and properties. It just forwards guests’ CC details to each property so that it may process directly through its own acquirer bank whatever charges may be due. And for that hotels have to pay Marriott a booking commission.

Hotels have to make monthly payments to Marriott for all commissions, fees and penalties accrued during the previous month, from which Marriott deducts any amounts it may owe the property for award stays and the sort.

I rarely, if ever, book prepaid rates. But I’ve always read that reference more as a warning than a contractual stipulation. It just means payment will be charged anytime from 24 hours after booking to the check-in date (at this point at least a hold is usually put on the card). In any case, regardless of one may read into text, this the current practice with Marriott properties, as was the case with SPG.

I rather have a hotel that waives charging a prepaid rate than one that charges a nonprepaid rate imediately after the cancellation deadline.