markzz2

I believe these voucher supported rates are different and much cheaper than the rates offered via the TVL code and restricted to airline staff and agents with official ID's.

I am referring to the TVL internet rates.

I would not be surprised if a $50 rate does not earn points or nights but TVL rates are never that cheap!

GeorgeBurdell

TVL is the travel trade rate for travel partners like airlines, GDS, etc.
This is not a publicly available rate so the property may not give points or nights credit. It will probably also prevent you from using certificates, gift cheques, etc. If the rate doesn't allow for this it should be in the rate rules.

Although you can find the TVL rate in a lot of locations, availability is limited. Also the rate tends to be lower near airports. I would also check with your employer. I know Delta has an employee leisure rate code that's very low but the hotels are almost all near airports.

PurdueFlyer

not a frequent poster here, but looking for some advice from the regulars! OK, and maybe to vent just a little

Marriott Plat here and have been for a few years. I am an airline employee and usually book discounted travel rates right from Marriott.com (rate code: TVL). I Always make sure in the rate rules that its "travel industry" and not only limited to "travel agents" and have never had a problem getting the points or stay credit. rarely does the front desk ever ask to see my airline ID, although I always have it available incase they ask.

last month, booked a great TVL rate at one of the Vienna Austria properties for 2 nights. €59 per night. got upgraded to a great room, great lounge, great property. I get back to the states and the stay doesn't post. I fax the receipt and paperwork per the website, and wait. no credit, and no written response from Marriott. I wait another week and fax it again, and still, nothing.

Today I called the MR line and the agent says "yes we received the fax and there is a notation...you booked a "FAMtastic rate" and those are not elegible for stay credit or points. I told the rep that I book TVL rates, and have been booking these for years without issue. She says "nope its definitely a FAMtastic rate" and they can't credit anything for these rates. I tell her that there was nothing in the "rate rules" that denoted a FAMtastic rate or that the rate is not elegible for the credit. There are several properties in Vienna that I would have chosen had I KNOWN that this rate wasn't applicable for points. but everything I saw showed it as a normal, run-of-the-mill travel industry discount.

rep transfers me to customer care, CC tells me that CC can't issue the stay credit, that part has to come from Marriott Rewards (who just spoke with me and told me "no").

Not sure where I go from here. I checked the hotel property page online for October and November and found the TVL rate again, a little more money this time, but NOTHING about being a specific FAMtastic rate or that it is ineligible for credit. I don't even know how to BOOK a FAMtastic rate. is there a different code for that? If so, I don't know what it is. My beef is that it should not exist under the veil of the general "TVL" discount rates if it's really not one. To pour salt into the wound, this left me one stay short of the Mega Bonus and I should have an extra free night certificate in my account, but I don't. the MegaBonus only shows me with 5 stays instead of 6.

I feel like there was a thread on this somewhere, but I searched for it and can't find it. It might have been another discount that also ended up as "no points," much to the chagrin of the member!

anyone else have experience with rate rules that later turn out to be "inelegible for stay credit?"

thanks all!

BigE

What does your confirmation email say in the table with the heading "Summary of room charges"? (e.g., mine says "Leisure rate") That might help to prove it's not a FAM rate.

Here is a relevant thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...concierge.html

But the next question is whether the MR T&C's actually guarantee that TVL rates earn points. It sounds like people usual do earn them, but is it guaranteed or based on the whim of the property? Here's another relevant thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...hts-issue.html

P.S. At least you got a great rate. I paid 89 Euros on a weekend for a regular rate.

PurdueFlyer

BigE-

good call on the confirmation email. Amazingly I had not deleted it from my inbox yet. under "Summary of Charges" it says "Travel Industry Rate, valid ID required, see rate rules"

This is typically what the "normal" travel industry would look like. only problem is I can no longer pull up the "rate rules." but it would appear as though I would receive the benefits of this travel rate that I am accustomed to.

When reading that other thread that you linked, it confirms what I thought about the FAM rates... that they are only for travel agents and you have to redeem certificates for them. No one at the desk asked about certificates, and I certainly didn't have to log in to any special IATA / travel agent portal to book this stay!

Now, the question is, how do I get anyone at MR to listen to me? I suppose I'll just try again tomorrow and ask for a supe if I have to.

thanks again!

socrates

Fam rates are cluster coded to TVL

SkiAdcock

PM Marriott Concierge and ask for his help.

Cheers.

markzz2

I have had no problems with points and nights posting on TVL rates.

I would be surprised if you have a problem with TVL rates as to be honest they are rarely THAT cheap compared to other special rates (available by corporate codes etc). I have recently done some comparisons and without exception the IBM and other company rates are always cheaper and I am sure they do not have problems with points and nights posting.

socrates

FAMtastic rates are not eligible for points or stay credit...they are a part of XXX BUT they are specifically for TA's who must present a the correct information at check-in (yes I'm purposely being vague about what must be presented)

SkiAdcock

However, if PerdueFlyer was not on a FAM rate & was on a valid TVL rate, he should receive his points/stay credit.

Cheers.

hhoope01

I used to use the Travel Industry rate quite a bit (when I was doing contract work for airlines). The rate rules virtually always spelled out whether the rate was for TAs only or whether the rate was available for travel company employees). I would almost always check with the hotel in question when making the reservation just to make sure there would be no issues. And I never had any issues with points posting or not correctly.

socrates

Sharon,

You are confusing "cluster codes" with specific rates...the 3 digit codes are tied to many different rates within a grouping, not all rates tied to XXX are eligible for points/stay credit (FAM rates are valid XXX rates)

SkiAdcock

Then there needs to be some indication (rate rules would be a good place) that a rate is not eligible for points/stay credit. It's absurd that someone has to guess or make extra calls to a property to find out in advance, or find out the hard way afterwards, especially when their previous stays using the TVL code earned them credit.

Cheers.

socrates

The terms and conditions for this qualified discount does clearly state the terms and conditions of the program

BKKLEE

you don't really think anyone on this forum actually reads, let alone wants to abide, by the T&Cs do you? if they did, this forum wouldn't have any more posts!!