its interesting to note what is no longer in use

I only have one real question

What is meant by NPR "Cluster"?

A group or cluster of rates shows up under the NPR ("national promotional rate") code. Sometimes this code produces AAA rates, sometimes Entertainment rates, sometimes Encore rates, etc.

Bruce

Forgive my ignorance but how would I go about "booking through e-mail"?

MD

Forgive mine, too, then, because I had the same question. I suspect what that means is booking through a link in a targeted email offering special rates. My personal feeling is that you can go ahead and book these any way you like. The hotel cannot tell when you check in how the reservation was made. Just my 2 cents.

Bruce

I wondered about that as well, but wanted to make sure I didn't mislead anyone so added that text per what MC gave me. But I will check and verify.

Yeah I wondered about the booking by email thing too. Sounds weird, although bdschobel's explanation makes sense. Cheers.

a group of rates attached to the NPR code

I see D50 as a Promotional Code
 

I am stunned that Marriott Concierge did not flagged LPR similar to NPR but sees restrictions by D50. IMO D50 is a (sometimes valuable) promotional code and used for several purposes like as (online) campaign code (distributed by email) and for package (eg Renaissance Chicago Hotel Package for Theatre Lovers at Heart.

The answer is quite easy if you will ask a different question like: Where did I found these flagged codes?

D50 Special Value Rate
D52 Northwest airlines specials in southwest US
D55 eCampaigns Discount in DC
D56 Family Fun pkg resorts AZ CA FL HI NV TX
D58 New York special rates
F8L Family fun in the SE USA
FXL Florida Residents Rate
M9W
N8R $50 Bonus Bucks for up to 2 nights
N9R Fall getaway
PRO Promotional Rates (Various promotional packages)
W8S Western hotels special rates
W9S LA Airport

Obviously Marriott Concierge is under the impression that these codes are distributed - like MEB - by emails and only those who recieve these emails are eligible to use these promotional codes. Independently that some promtional codes are found at "Deals at this Hotel" this assumtion is not managable for FD staff.

I do want to note that Marriott Concierge did not ask me to remove those codes (and in actuality didn't even ask me to add the "email" designation either. Since the list MC did give me included that extra info, I went ahead and added it.)

If MarriottConcierge (and presumably Marriott cuz I'm sure MC checked w/ the powers that be ;)) is ok w/ the list, then I'm ok w/ it.

hhoope01, thanks for maintaining the list & doing updates, and checking w/ MC.

Cheers.

So....sorry to be a n00b, but how does one use these codes? I mean, the list was started back in 2005 or something, unless it is being constantly updated (is it?) then surely the codes can't be any good anymore.....

Does one have to enter them into Marriott.com one-at-a-time to find out if they return a rate that is any good?

The answer to your first question is in the post below yours (#491).

And yes, you do. What I have found over time is that there are a few which "pay off" more often than others. And as I have saved anywhere from $100 to $300 per night on multiple occasions, I find it worthwhile to check each code (for which I am eligible) when I believe a better rate might be found.

And of course, there are times when none of them work a'tall! :D

Actually most of the codes are still valid. But you are right as over time some change, but that is why we recently asked Marriott Concierge to look them over and provide some feedback.

As to using them, when you search for hotels on Marriott's website, you should see an "expandable" box toward the bottom of the search window pane titled "Special Rates & Awards". Expand that box. Toward the bottom of the expanded list, you will see one option listed as "Corporate / promotional code promotional-code". Type in the code you want to search with.

So the answer to your other question is that, yes, you will have to make separate searches for each code to see if they are valid or helpful.

Beware of LPR
 

I did a search at the St. Louis Marriott West for this summer, and I tried this code. It gave me a great rate of $49 a night for my entire stay (weekday rack is $159). Then, I noticed at the bottom of the confirmation it was stated that I needed to be prepared to show proper ID, plus a certificate was required. I called the platinum reservation line, and she called the hotel to make sure it was a rate I qualified for. Glad I called - for this hotel, that rate is for the management company that manages that hotel, and it would have been an issue (that rate is even lower than the Marriott employee rate!).

I found that that code is a valid code at a full service Portland, Oregon, Marriott, but that some codes mean different things at different properties.

I would have loved to get the room for that, and could with priceline, but risk getting the Doubletree nearby (which is a very nice hotel as well, but I need the Marriott nights).

Just heads up - if you do confirm with that rate, make sure at the confirmation it doesn't say you need an incentive certificate upon check-in. The person with Platinum reservations spoke with the front desk manager, who said it was definitely NOT a public rate, and we wouldn't be able to use it.