Who gets elite night credit on award stays?
 

If I were to make an award reservation using my MR points for someone else (in their name - with my name not appearing on the reservation), who receives the elite night credit for the stay?
Would it be me since I am using my points, or would it be the person who actually stays there?

Please advise.

If the booking is done with your points and in your name (with the guest staying as a secondary occupant) then it should be you. This should apply unless your friend had your number removed from the reservation at the hotel to have theirs put in to get credit for incidentals, etc.

But if the reservation was made in your friend's name and you ordered the award from your points in their name, they should get the night credit.

Also, note that there is a "risk" when booking a reservation in your name when you will not be staying there (even when using the 2nd name on the reservation approach). It is possible a hotel won't let your friend check-in until you (the name of the reservation) arrives to check-in. If you won't be arriving to check-in, that might be a problem. :eek:

Lurkers have always said that no one gets the stay credit in such a case. So if you're at a legacy Starwood property, you may not get any elite nights. YMMV.

Thank you for all the replies. I would like to clarify the situation:

- I would like to make a reservation for someone else using my MR points.
- The reservation will be in that person's name.
- My name will not be on the reservation.
- I will not be staying
- This will be at a Marriott property, not a legacy Starwood property

In this situation, will the other person receive the credits for the stay? Or will I receive the elite nights credit?

In this situation, provided it all goes according to Hoyle, no one gets credited for the stay. For one, bullet points 2 & 3 are not possible. If you make an award reservation for someone else, the reservation is going to be in your name and it will be on the reservation. Otherwise, it would not be possible for you to use your points to make an award booking for someone else. Their name can be added to the booking as a guest and they can arrive without you being there if they are prepared to give a credit card for incidentals, but there is no way for the points to be taken from your account unless your account number and name are on the booking.

As for who earns the stay/nights? No one, according to the terms and conditions of the program:

"3.1.c. Awards are valid only for use by the individual designated on the Award and are not transferable, although, if requested at the time of issuance, an Award may be issued to a third party. Third party transfers or transfers to non-Members are limited to twenty (20) Awards in a calendar year on a single Membership Account. In the event an Award is given to a third party in accordance with the prior sentence, neither the Member nor the third party will earn any Points/Miles, Elite Night Credit, Qualifying Nights, or Qualifying Stays in connection with such Award. At check-in, the guest using the Award may be required to show valid identification and provide a credit card to the Participating Property for incidental charges."

I hope this helps.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Marriott International

[email protected]

I've just made a booking with money for my sister through my account, does that mean I wont pick up any points for her stay?

Not unless you are staying in the room as well.

"2.1.d.ii. A “Qualifying Stay” is a credit pursuant to these Program Rules that counts toward earning Elite Night Credit. Members will only earn credit for each Qualifying Night which is part of a Qualifying Stay for the guest room the Member personally pays for and stays in, and not for any additional guest rooms."

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Marriott International

[email protected]

that's not o.k. Marriott occasionally audits accounts and if you do this too often you may find your account closed.

Thanks MSPeconomist and cfisher, I didn't now that. Thought Marriott would be happy to take the money. Have cancelled and booked with Hilton.

I am a frequent stayer - 40+ nights plus per year and we were going to the same hotel for Christmas and I said I'd pay as a treat.


I can't believe I'm asking this but for future reference, how do I book and pay for a hotel night for someone else? I'd imagine not logging in when I buy it? Thanks

Actually I don't think it's unreasonable that the person who pays should receive the points. I don't think you should be able to get anything other than the points, but points you should get.

2.1.b. Qualifying Charges. “Qualifying Charges” are:

i. Charges incurred during a stay in a guest room at a Participating Property by a Member on his/her folio and up to two (2) additional guest rooms, including, without limitation, charges for:

A. Qualifying Rates for Stays;


I am staying at the same hotel the same night and want to book one room for myself and one for my sister. Surely I get points for both rooms as I'm paying for both?

It's not that Marriott isn't interested in providing a hotel room in exchange for money. Rather, it's that they won't offer any benefits in their frequent guest program because you aren't a guest. It works just like airline frequent flyer programs: You must actually travel to earn miles.

Also, if you're envisioning a scenario where you aren't at the hotel but you get points, that won't happen at Hilton, either. Hilton is very clear about that fact (emphasis mine):

"To earn Hilton Honors Points or credit toward tier status for hotel stays, a Member must be a registered, paying and staying guest at a participating hotel within the Hilton Portfolio and meet all of the conditions described herein."
Source: https://hiltonhonors3.hilton.com/en/...rual_of_points

I think some of the confusion is that you may be asking about a different situation than the one posed in the initial post. That situation was one in which the person paying would not be at the hotel.

Here, you're asking about a situation where you will also be staying at the hotel at the same time as your sister. In that scenario, you can get points if you have her room added to your folio and you pay. Basically, you have to be at the hotel if you expect to get points.