seawolf

CWT offers same rates and even sometimes cheaper rates for SPG/Hyatt/Marriott and can also offer AAA.

longleaf

I'm looking into booking a hotel in cancun, the CasaMagna Marriott in the fall. This hotel has a promo on the CWT website that is 4th night free. I'm curious if i can still take advantage of the 4th night free concept of the prestige card in some way.

progapanda

Yes. If it's a publicly available offer, just have them make the reservation with that promo code (and clarify it's a public Marriott offer).

If this property participates in the Mastercard World Elite program however, you won't get those additional benefits at the promo rate. FYI.

akr1970akr

It took 4.5 months to get our first credit back, with lots and lots of calling the Prestige help desk.

The second one hasn't hit still. Despite Citi promising repeatedly that it would be on 'the next statement'

The rep freely admitted that something isn't working right with this, and also gave us 5000 TYP for our troubles in dealing with this.

I would suggest that folks using this benefit be ready (and expect to) invest in follow up time chasing these credits down, and document everything via email with concierges and CWT reps, so that later on, you'll be able to point people toward the emails.

Its a valuable/useful perk, but using it is so hard (versus easy cashback/OTA portals) that I'm questioning the incremental value beyond the most expensive of holiday periods.

hbtan

Just to add another data point, I've been trying to book a stay for August. CWT originally quoted me a price higher than what is available booking through the hotel directly for the lowest category of room, but is able/willing to match the rate from the hotel's website.

The snag I've run into is that I've been trying to book a higher room category, and unfortunately the hotel doesn't allow that category to be booked by travel agencies, only directly with the hotel (I suppose this is consistent with other reports stating that the booking engine needs to allow Citi/CWT to put in an IATA number, since apparently when you enter an IATA number it removes the higher category room from the results).

I suppose I understand the limitation, but wouldn't you generally expect the opposite to be true? That booking through a "concierge" should open up more options, not take them away?

linglingfool

If the hotel isn't having any problems filling those rooms on its own, why pay an outside sales staff?

josephstern

In case anyone ever wondered about this: Frequent Miler posts that you do indeed have to use the actually card to pay for your stay to get the fourth night reimbursed.

He seems to be pretty surprised about this . . .

gmangg

I just got an email reply to a request for quotes in Kauai, at 10:30 PDT nonetheless. They want $550 a night for what is $442 on Starwood's site and $475 on the World Elite Mastercard Hotel program site, and $465 on CWT's site. I definitely want the World Elite benefits with breakfast, upgrade, and $100 resort credit, even if I have to pay $475 for that. Is there any way I should be steering the rep to make that happen? We booked the flights using the last of our Prestige companion tickets, so this really might be a bargain trip! Thanks!

mk712

You should be able to get the $442 rate from the Citi Prestige concierge. You'd save $574 compared to the World Elite Mastercard rate (4 * $475 compared to 3 * $442), are the benefits really worth that much?

To book with the $442 rate, first make sure it isn't a promotional price (no coupon, cookie from a third party site, status discount, etc.). Then call the Citi concierge and say you're ready to book. Give the quote number and they'll conference in someone from CWT who will go over the details before going through with the reservation. At that point just say that the hotel website shows a cheaper price so you'd rather get that rate. Last time I did this the CWT agent told me she couldn't see that rate in her system so she went on the hotel website to check the price and agreed to match it right away: we ended up booking on the spot.

From what I've read here some agents aren't so accommodating but people have had luck escalating to a manager. You can also quote the T&C: "Rates provided will be equal to or lower than the lowest publicly-available fare at the hotel's official website".

Let us know how it goes!

jsucool76

Book the rate (through CWT) if it's refundable, then email the hotel and see if you can do a paid upgrade =]

jsucool76

Of course you have to use the prestige card to pay for it......

You will enjoy a complimentary fourth night with no black-out dates, when you book four consecutive nights at any hotel booked by a personal travel advisor designated by MasterCard (the "designated travel advisor" is Carlson Wagonlit Travel). Bookings made through other methods such as, travel agents, websites or directly with a hotel will not qualify.

To receive your complimentary night (via a statement credit) you must:


Make a reservation for a minimum, consecutive four-night stay by contacting the Citi Prestige Concierge, to book directly with a designated travel advisor

Fully pay for your stay with a Citi Prestige Card

josephstern

I fully agree - I can't see why he'd have thought that just the referral credit would be enough to generate the night credit. He must be used to very rudimentary programming systems.

josephstern

Here's what I don't get: presumably, part of the point of this benefit is to gain customers for their travel agency services. This is a way to introduce us to the ability to book through their system.

But their system is so insanely convoluted, with the 20 minute holds or the 2 day email response. So who would do that if it weren't for the 4th night free benefit?

akr1970akr

Not to mention actually getting the statement credit back is a time consuming slog.

I can't be the only person that is happening to because the rep admitted on the phone to my SO that it was happening to lots of other people.

Seems to be happening more for folios that are non prepaid. Something on the back end where the verification between CWT and Citi that the Prestige was used is blowing up.

gmangg

Thanks for the advice mk712! They were able to match both the St.Regis website rate and the Mastercard World Elite rate and provide the fourth night free with either. For about $30 more per night, the benefits definitely are worth it! Also we are going with another couple not equipped with Prestige, so I was able to book a room on both my spouse's and my account on the same call!