Where is the deal?

Any input on this? Can Marriott Gift Cards be used to pay for an Advanced Purchase Rate reservation?

Update:
Marriott CSR's response was that the APR rate is charged in full, in advance, and therefore there's no way to use a Gift Card with this type of reservation.

Darn.

Sorry to bring this up again. I'm confused. Are Marriott Gift cards accepted at RC or not. I just had mine denied at RC in Pentagon City.

Billy

Per the OP, you should have been able to use it. With that said, Marriott has not always been the brightest star in training. So it is possible the hotel in question didn't realize that they could have taken that card.

It might be worth giving Marriott Customer Service a call and letting them know that this particular hotel doesn't seem to know about this rule change.

Any update on this?

Just used this in China and got a terrible rate. About 5.76 per $, instead of the 6.3 nominal rate. They definitely charged me the correct amount in RMB at checkout, but checking my balance online shows the above rate. Not sure if they charged me again for something else after checkout, but hopefully the customer service will be able to tell.

If that is the exchange rate, it is terrible and I would caution against using these in China.

Marriott gift card issues
 

Last year in early November, I participated the Marriott gift card promotion, which gave 10 pt per $. I grabbed one for myself that may cover my whole year stays. Now I found it making me trouble all the time using the gift card.

My first used was in the Thanksgiving weekend, a Marriott in NJ only charged the incidental fees on my gift card. The following day I was staying in a Renaissance, the lady in the front desk didn’t know how to process gift card. I was told if I have to use gift card, I have to wait at least 30 minutes till manager coming back. I can’t afford missing the plane so I quit. The third time was the last weekend still in NJ. I stayed in a FI. During check in I told them to charge everything on gift card and they did during check out. The print out folio showed the charge on gift card. But today, I found my credit card was charged but the gift card balance was unchanged.

I am a little frustrated. Is there anything I did incorrectly when using gift card? Any experienced folks can give me some tips on how to handle issue in these cases? Your suggestions are much appreciated.

call MR customer service. They are usually pretty good about fixing those kind of things.

Same happened to me at Marriott Hamburg on Monday. We tried to pay with GC and the FD looked shocked - she didn't know what it was. Then she tried processing it and it didn't work out, then I gave her one of my old version GC that had $125 left (the room charge was 88 EUR or so and it should really be enough).

Anyway it didn't work out either, she called the Ren in Hamburg since that was their sister hotel, and they had no clue either.
The funny thing was that there is a number on the card so she could all, but she didn't do it.

She then suggested to keep my card, and I said no thanks because the card had more than USD 200 - possibly more left. I don't want to leave the card with someone because it is like cash - if you can spend it.

She also told us that they don't have the GIVEX system and they are getting it but they don't know when.

So after 30 mins at the Front Desk, we paid with our CC. Marriott shouldn't be selling things that can't be used.

I paid with GC without problem in HK back in Jan. - the FD told me about the new system and he 'apologised' that he had to do it in the office instead of in front of me. So there are Marriotts out there who have the system in place.

I bought $3000 of GCs and it's not nice if I can't use them.

Should I call the property first or go directly with MR customer service?

If such issue happens again and again, I start thinking to dump the card to some gift card exchange dealer and stand off such promotions in the future.

It is a year after the transition from Visa to GivEx, and some major hotels in the Marriott system have great difficulty processing Marriott Gift Cards. It is annoying since I use them for most stays.

I have begun to visit the FD night before checkout with the gift cards so that I will not be delayed upon departure.

Excellent advice. That's what I do too.

It was quite annoying that I have one 'visa' gift card and even then the hotel couldn't process it.

Anyway I wrote a complaint to MR and asked for 7.5K points for compensation (30 mins of my time, forex rate and interest) and I got it.

Next time I'll ask at check-in if they know how to use the GC.

This is a great point. Thanks for sharing with us. I will give a try next time.

Good advice if you follow it. I've said this to myself for various related issues but seem to always be in a "merry" mood late on the last night and not wanting to bother with the buzz kill when returning late...