Boy, are you misguided. A rule, not a law, ha!

Sorry, but I wonder where you got your J.D. or M.B.A?

It means what Marriott says it means?

I have a bridge to sell you.

We all abide by rules and laws and when there is a disagreement as to that, then it needs to be explained clearly.

You have not been on this board long -- so you should hold your tongue -- but if you were familiar with the posters here, you would no doubt have seen that prior to Chris coming on board, we had an "unofficial" Marriott adviser who had indicated quite the opposite -- that the AAA rate was a puclicly listed rate.

So, who is correct?

Well, I will give you a little piece of advice -- not every promotion is well thought out and that goes double for Marriott's promotion.

On the back of each EEO Marriott 2 for 1 cert there lists various property exclusions. Most US resorts are excluded and so is the South Beach Marriott.

Why is that hotel specifically listed?

Because the folks who were doing the promotion just assumed that that property was a resort.

Not so. To this day, it is not listed as a resort.

It took yours truly here to make them aware of this -- of course, after I demonstrated to them that prior to the above incorporation of that hotel as one of those that are excluded from use with the EEO 2 for 1 certs, a EEO cert was permitted to be used at that property.

Moral of the story is that the folks in marketing are not really always on top of what is or is not to be part of their promotions and that without us on this board to point out to them grey areas or inconsistencies in their pronouncements, they may, or may not be, excluding what was not intended to be excluded.

They are not imbued with some supernatural or superhuman all knowing power to adjudicate right from wrong -- as you seem to think -- and I,for one, will not go blindly with what is a self-serving and argument that AAA rates are not considered publicly listed rates.

Moreover, are you telling me that Senior rates are not considered publicly listed, as well?

There is no organization required that you need to join, and although you may have to show an I.D. for eligibility, you are most welcome to do a search on this board to see when was the last time anyone reported that they had to show a AAA I.D to be eligible for that discount at any hotel.

Or a driver's license for a senior rate....

Or the Entertainment Card for that discounted rate....

Sorry, Bruce correctly pointed out that you have to be nearly brain dead not to be able to qualify for these discounts and I have just indicated that one is never really even challenged to prove one's eligibility for such rate.

Marriott could always tighten the "rules" of the above discounts by requiring its personnel to card for these discounts -- and I am supportive of such a change.

However, in light of these circumstances, it is not at all clear to me that the folks at promotions are correct that a AAA rate is not includable for use with the EEO certificates and that the interpretation of what it means to be a "publicly listed" rate should be accorded its plain language meaning -- i.e. a publicly listed rate is one that the public may take advantage of -- and is not one -- that a special corporate code unbeknownst to the general public, or special code word -- that a group or convention might employ -- to get a highly discounted rate.

Sorry, guys, the AAA rate is at most a 10% discount and the senior rate is a bit more, but both of these are prominently displayed on the inital welcome page of Marriott.com, and you are not going to convince me through some strained interpretation, that the term "publicly listed rate" should be given an interpretation other than what it plainly means -- that if it is publicly described on the website, then it is publicly listed. @:-)

Q.E.D.