My issue is this.. Every year Cincinnati, OH has a great fireworks display off of the Ohio River over Labor Day weekend. I have been watching the Marriott website for weeks waiting for Sep. 3rd, 2006 to post. Well now that is has (a few weeks back) the two Marriott hotels on the river have not posted yet every other Marriot hotel has. I called the Marriott Gold line (useless) and they told me it was sold out... I knew that was not the case since I never saw the schedule ever posted on the website. I called the individual hotels and asked them about rooms over the Labor Day weekend. Their response was that rooms for that weekend have not posted as of yet and it could be anytime between tomorrow and January 1st before they do post. ...!?.. They recommend I call back once a week until they do post!! So not only is it impossible to use your points when you need a room with in a few weeks but even when I try to plan a year in advance I get crap like this.. I called Marriott’s gold line again and complained about such a lax and open ended reservation system and their only response was that it was up to the individual hotel to post the schedule.
Its funny the Hilton which is close to this event as well has their rooms posted and I can book one right now.... Hell I can even convert American Miles over and get the room for free...


So again.. Why the hell do I even bother earning these points?