Maybe "scam" is too harsh.

As I understand it (but have not been able to confirm), Marriott cheques, like the Bonus Bucks, are not credited by Marriott HQ at face value, but rather at about 85% of face, so the property incurs a cost/loss to accept them. It could be they're passing part -- or all -- of this cost along to the guest.

How would one 'challenge' this? I was in UK this past weekend and they wanted to convert $375 USD to ~217 GBP. When checking online the exchange rate had $375 USD at roughly 250 GBP. That comes out to nearly a $50 USD difference in value. I ended up putting it on my Amex instead,but in the future I'd like to know how to push them to do the correct exchange rate. I have stays coming up in Beijing in the next two months and want to ensure I get a reasonable exchange rate on my gift cards.

Ask for a givex receipt, they know what is it...And they are supposed to use the conversion rate of givex. Stayed at Marriott London WIQ feb, no issue.

Not sure I understand. Were you tendering a Gift Card, or cash, or Marriott Cheques? If it was cash or cheques you can always ask them to use the rate from MARSHA, but so far as I know they're not required to do so.

For Gift Cards, they are suppposed to go through Givex, which applies the current bank rate without a conversion fee. And as Dolphinyong recommends, you should ask for a copy of the Givex transaction report as a receipt.

I followed up with the hotel via e-mail after returning and was advised that on my day of departure the front desk were not able to access Givex and therefore used their other program (Opera?). They have advised the front desk that they are not to do that in the future so hopefully it'll be resolved. And, now I know to ask about the Givex receipt. Thanks to FT!

Stayed at CY IST. Used GC to pay. They did something not so nice: they first convert the EUR rate into Turkish Lira (of course not giving you the nice rate), then use that to deduct from the GC.

All the rates quoted are in EUR, don't know why they have to do something like that. They really ought to quote their rates in their local currency.

thanks for the warning. I'll be at the REN in April (as you know) and will keep my eyes open for such scam.

In some countries (e.g., Russia, Poland, and maybe Turkey) the hotels quote in an international currency (e.g., dollars or euros) because their currency is rather volatile, but they say their laws require them to bill in the national "legal tender", so they have to convert from the quoted price (in "foreign" currency) when they actually bill.

Of course, unless they use the international bank rate to convert from the quoted rate into their currency, you wind up paying a rate that includes a conversion fee, then when you pay with a credit card issued in dollars or euro you pay another fee to convert back.

Whether it's a deliberate scam or not can depend on which rate they use to convert the dollar/euro quoted rate into the local currency to bill you. I usually look up the international bank rate for that currency in the Financial Times or at www.oanda.com before checking out. That way, even though it may be a day-old rate, I have a pretty good idea what the bill in local currency should be. If the actual rate is way off, I'll ask abut it; occasionally I'll win the argument (they may say it was just an error, or something), sometimes not. If not, and the amount is significant, I'll write the chain after I get back from the trip.

Most major chains are fair in this regard. In Poland, for instance, the Sheraton, Westin, and the Marriott seem to use the international bank rate for their conversions without adding on any fee.

I don't mind if they list in EUR and charge in local currency, but I fully expect a fair interbank exchange rate. Sounded like Nacho had a much different experience.

using Marriott gift cards in Europe?
 

I used a Marriott e-gift card at the Brussels Marriott with Zero hassle. I enquirer about it at check-in, and after calling a manager over (as there was no physical card), I was advised to email my gift card confirmation email to them, so they could process it behind the scenes and not take up half an hour at checkout. I did so, and the credit was applied to my bill by the time I got it slipped under my door the final morning. Perfect experience!

Apologies in advance and hope I have this right.

If a have a $1000 marriott gift card to use in a London hotel it will convert the USD into GBP with whatever the rate is on givex for the day?

Is there a charge on top of that? No point redemptions available at my preferred hotel.

It supposed to. Make sure you ask for a Givex receipt - I have tried in some places where they don't give them out.

Prepaid rate with giftcards?
 

I need to get rid of some of my Marriott giftcards. Is there anyway to charge the prepay rate on a giftcard? Maybe through calling? or when at the hotel have them change it?

Ryan

Maybe as you say. Contact the hotel.

Not all pre-paid stays are charged before arrival. Maybe if you mention the property(ies) you are planning to visit someone will chime in what their experience was. If they have not charged your card then you should be able to change payment method at check-in.