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Old Jan 29, 2024, 1:50 pm
  #1  
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Award Booking for Others
My niece and nephew are traveling and I want to book award rooms for them using my points/free night certificates. Can't change the guest name when booking online. Do I need to call in to handle or is booking awards for others not permitted? Thanks!
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Old Jan 29, 2024, 2:11 pm
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Originally Posted by HofstraJet
My niece and nephew are traveling and I want to book award rooms for them using my points/free night certificates. Can't change the guest name when booking online. Do I need to call in to handle or is booking awards for others not permitted? Thanks!
Marriott Bonvoy allows you to use your Marriott Bonvoy points to book a room for someone else. This is called a Gifted Award Reservation. You must call Marriott to make a Gifted Award Reservation.

However, Marriott Bonvoy does not allow you to use a Free Night Award certificate to book a room that you will not occupy yourself.

The details are here: https://help.marriott.com/s/article/Article-22282
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Old Jan 29, 2024, 2:12 pm
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You cannot use for someone else but you can call the hotel and tell them you are traveling separate and to let them check in first. In the US they shouldnt give you a hard time, but there are no promises. There is a risk, but minimal in the US
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Old Jan 29, 2024, 11:22 pm
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Originally Posted by Schnit
You cannot use for someone else but you can call the hotel and tell them you are traveling separate and to let them check in first. In the US they shouldnt give you a hard time, but there are no promises. There is a risk, but minimal in the US
I have a similar question - am booking a couple nights in NYC (FNA+points) and meeting son from college, then going to stay with friends.
We (almost) have same last name, he's hyphenated w my wife and my last name. DL has same home address as me.

There's a chance I won't make it for the first 2 nights depending on work (I might be delayed, then we'd have friends apartment free).
Is that going to be an issue?

What happens if he has breakfast without me, will he be charged?
Last edited by tripmaster; Jan 30, 2024 at 9:27 am
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Old Jan 30, 2024, 1:53 am
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Originally Posted by tripmaster
I have a similar question - am booking a couple nights in NYC (FNA+points) and meeting son from college, then going to stay with friends.
There's a chance I won't make it for the first 2 nights depending on work (I might be delayed, then we'd have friends apartment free).
Is that going to be an issue?
What happens if he has breakfast without me, will he be charged?
Usually it shouldn’t be an issue. The property might ask that you stop by the front desk at some point during the stay to prove you’re on-site but YMMV.
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Old Jan 30, 2024, 9:24 am
  #6  
 
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Originally Posted by DiminishedSeventh
Usually it shouldn’t be an issue. The property might ask that you stop by the front desk at some point during the stay to prove you’re on-site but YMMV.
I'm worried I wont make it for the hotel part of our trip - I'm in the middle of my startup fundraise and there's a chance I have to be in Bay Area for VC meeting :-(
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Old Jan 30, 2024, 9:32 am
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Originally Posted by tripmaster
I'm worried I wont make it for the hotel part of our trip - I'm in the middle of my startup fundraise and there's a chance I have to be in Bay Area for VC meeting :-(
Then get ready for issues. It depends on the hotel. Most hotels, once '2nd guest' is added, are good with that person checking in, however, I have had issues with that as well. They sometimes indeed ask for 'the member' to stop by as soon as he or she arrives.

If you are a complete no-show, the hotel can minimally charge for all Elite benefits, such as breakfast. Honestly, I'd consider potential alternate solutions or at least be ready for a significant bill at check-out.
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Old Jan 30, 2024, 9:59 am
  #8  
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Originally Posted by Horace
Marriott Bonvoy allows you to use your Marriott Bonvoy points to book a room for someone else. This is called a Gifted Award Reservation. You must call Marriott to make a Gifted Award Reservation.

However, Marriott Bonvoy does not allow you to use a Free Night Award certificate to book a room that you will not occupy yourself.

The details are here: https://help.marriott.com/s/article/Article-22282
Thank you! Wish I was able to find that on the Marriott site. Ugh!
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Old Jan 30, 2024, 3:07 pm
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Join Date: Jan 2003
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Originally Posted by cfischer
Then get ready for issues. It depends on the hotel. Most hotels, once '2nd guest' is added, are good with that person checking in, however, I have had issues with that as well. They sometimes indeed ask for 'the member' to stop by as soon as he or she arrives.

If you are a complete no-show, the hotel can minimally charge for all Elite benefits, such as breakfast. Honestly, I'd consider potential alternate solutions or at least be ready for a significant bill at check-out.
Great - worst case maybe is I gotta pay one night (FNA) and get the 2nd night (points)? If Im late then I wont have son eat breakfast there.
And maybe i can show cancelled airline ticket / rescheduled as proof of intent even, if it comes to that.
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Old Jan 30, 2024, 3:59 pm
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Originally Posted by tripmaster
Great - worst case maybe is I gotta pay one night (FNA) and get the 2nd night (points)? If Im late then I wont have son eat breakfast there.
And maybe i can show cancelled airline ticket / rescheduled as proof of intent even, if it comes to that.
The worst case is your son won’t be allowed to check-in. But unlikely in the US, much more likely in Latin America & Asia.
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Old Jan 30, 2024, 7:00 pm
  #11  
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
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Using Boundless Free Night Award - 35K
Is it possible to make a reservation using my award for a one night stay and then allow a family member to stay in the room if I'm not there? Couldn't they just do a contactless check in and never even visit the front desk? Or if they did have to check in at the front desk, they could be listed on the reservation as an authorized guest?
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Old Jan 30, 2024, 7:31 pm
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Originally Posted by EQDsSUCK
Is it possible to make a reservation using my award for a one night stay and then allow a family member to stay in the room if I'm not there? Couldn't they just do a contactless check in and never even visit the front desk? Or if they did have to check in at the front desk, they could be listed on the reservation as an authorized guest?
The short answer is no.

See this thread: Award Booking for Others

It's likely this new thread will be merged with that one.
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Old Jan 30, 2024, 7:39 pm
  #13  
 
Join Date: Jan 2024
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Originally Posted by EQDsSUCK
Is it possible to make a reservation using my award for a one night stay and then allow a family member to stay in the room if I'm not there? Couldn't they just do a contactless check in and never even visit the front desk? Or if they did have to check in at the front desk, they could be listed on the reservation as an authorized guest?
See the previous poster’s response for your answer. Additionally, for certain rates, even though you can check in through the app, they will not activate the mobile key until you stop by the front desk to verify eligibility.
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Old Feb 4, 2024, 10:02 am
  #14  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
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Originally Posted by escapefromphl
The worst case is your son won’t be allowed to check-in. But unlikely in the US, much more likely in Latin America & Asia.
Hotel claims he'll be allowed to check in, confirmed with their FD manager.
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