I've used the Gift Cards (sometimes called Travel Cards) overseas a number of times, and pinniped's experience matches mine.

In my experience, the card is a stored-value VISA and is processed as such. The conversion from the foreign currency to dollars is done by the entity that processes VISA cards, not the hotel. The currency conversion charge is the same as you would pay if charging the bill to your dollar-denominated VISA credit card.

I also agree that there's no point on holding onto the card. If you bought it, you've already paid the money so might as well use it; if you got the card as a promotion (like redeeming MyPoints), again you might as well use it and avoid having to actually pay out of your pocket.

An additional thing to consider is that if the card is lost or stolen, you're out of luck; Marriott will not replace it. That's another reason to use it right away rather than putting it in the drawer where it may become lost or forgotten.

The one potential problem (outside of a cashier who doesn't know how to take the card in payment) is that you don't know until the charge is processed by the processing entity what the exchange rate was, and therefore how much value remains on the card. If your card has a high enough value that you're not at risk of exhausting the remaining value, it won't be a problem; but if you're nearing exhausting the card's value, there may not be enough on the card to pay the bill.

I plan to leave about 10% on the card when I am using it for a bill denominated in foreign currency (in other words, if I know there is $450 left on the card, I will calculate about how much $400 would be in local currency, ask them to charge that amount against the Gift Card, and use my regular credit card for the balance of the bill), then a couple days later will check to see what balance remains on the card and note that down for future use. If the value gets toward the end, I save the card to use on a stay in the United States where the bill is in dollars. That way, if you know how much is left (and you can find out on the internet or by phone), you use the card for that amount -- thereby bringing the value to $zero -- and there's no waste.

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MM=> UA 102%, AA 99.8%

Using Marriott GC to pay for stay
 

I just redeemed my ThankYou pts for some Marriott Gift cards......are these just like paying with cash? Will I still get Marriott pts?

Yes, and yes, but make sure they know when you check in that you're going to be using a gift card. The Renaissance LAX wouldn't let me pay with a gift card when I went to check out, since I hadn't informed them ahead of time.

That is just absurd!! Contrary to your experience, the last thing I would do is check-in with a GC, VC, etc. They would probably grab it all (if not more) in a credit hold and it might be a while before it becomes available again.

I run a small Internet business and sometimes folks try and pay with debit and "stored value" cards. However, the addresses rarely match-up and often the card is declined by the processor - we never see the money. But the banks take upwards of a month to return the funds and blame the merchant. I've faxed proof and signed statements on my customer's behalf in an effort to get it returned quicker and sometimes even that doesn't matter...

Just used a VC at the Tampa REN Friday for a weeklong stay (using the Marriott Visa at check-in) without a blink. No idea what the LAX REN is trying to pull and this should be escalated in a heart beat...

I have been using Marriott Gift Cards for quite a few years now and never used it at check in, always when checking out.

same here ... never an issue

+1
(and always get the Marriott Points for the stay)

excellent!...i look fwd to redeeming them at the Fairview Park Marriott in VA ...thanks all

To be clear, the check out guy at the Ren told me I had to:

1. Tell them at check in that I'd be using a gift card
2. Present a credit card for hold at check in
3. Actually use the gift card when checking out


I was steamed, and had a number of other issues with that stay. I was ticked off that I couldn't use my GC though.

Just make sure you know the balance on the GC before you go down to checkout. They cannot look up the value.

Then how would they know if it's valid and how much can be applied to the bill?

Hmm, I had mixed experience. I had no problem using them during the checkout at Marriott and Ren. However, the front desk clerks at SHS and FI didn't have any clue as how to handle them.

I think this really only applies when your gift card is less value than the amount of the hotel stay.

For example, your bill is $600 and you want to use a gift card with a value of $150. The front desk can't authorize $600 against your gift card (it will be declined) so you need to know the value on the card to have them authorize the proper amount against your card.

This becomes a bit of an accounting task if you purchase a large value gift card and use it over multiple low-cost stays, but it's far from unmanageable.

I've had "cluelessness" problems at all different brands. It's always best to make sure you leave a few extra minutes in your schedule to account for this. On longer stays, I have also had success going to the front desk the night before and having them apply the gift cards to the account and avoiding any potential morning problems.

Indyscott, I see. Thanks!