Marriott Vacation Card and foreign exchange?
 

Has anybody gotten one of these discounted cards yet? Is there any fine print about foreign exchange fees and rates? I couldn't find any info about foreign exchange rates and fees on the web site.

Also, a related question: If you use a Marriott Visa to purchase one of these, does it count as a qualifying Marriott charge?

-David


[This message has been edited by LIH Prem (edited 11-21-2001).]

Back when I posted this, I also sent this as email to the special flyertalk email address that they announced during the online chat.

I didn't get an answer to that email either.

Has anybody gotten any more information on this, or successfully gotten a reply from the special flyertalk email address at Marriott?

Sigh.

I was the winner of the Vacation Card on the last on-line chat. I asked this question when I was getting information about the card I won. This was the response:

"What exchange rates are applied when traveling outside of the United States?
We actually use the Bank One's banking system to handle our exchange rates,
which are typically more favorable than those rates posted at the front
desk. When the card is applied during check-out, the hotel will used the
hotel's posted exchange rate to make sure the card is not 'over spent'. The
charge applied to the card will be done in the local currency, then
converted back to US Dollars immediately back here in the US. You can call
the Customer Service number to find out your balance at any time, as well as
your last 5 transactions. Again, the conversion rates used by our bank will usually be favorable to you when compared to the posted rates at the
hotels."

I haven't got the card yet so I have no experience with actual transactions. Hope this helps.

I was the winner of the Vacation Card on the last on-line chat. I asked this question when I was getting information about the card I won. This was the response:

"What exchange rates are applied when traveling outside of the United States?
We actually use the Bank One's banking system to handle our exchange rates,
which are typically more favorable than those rates posted at the front
desk. When the card is applied during check-out, the hotel will used the
hotel's posted exchange rate to make sure the card is not 'over spent'. The
charge applied to the card will be done in the local currency, then
converted back to US Dollars immediately back here in the US. You can call
the Customer Service number to find out your balance at any time, as well as
your last 5 transactions. Again, the conversion rates used by our bank will usually be favorable to you when compared to the posted rates at the
hotels."

I haven't got the card yet so I have no experience with actual transactions. Hope this helps.

Yes, that's a big help. Thank you!

It's a bigger help than I'm getting from Marriott .. I reposted the question on their web site 'contact us' form and did not get a very detailed reply .. in fact their reply did not give any details of how the exchange rate would be calculated, though they did say that there were no 'additional' fees.

Thanks again ...

I'm surprised you haven't received your card yet. When was that chat?

-David

The chat was at least a month ago. They said I'd have the card by December 10 but US-Canada mail service is not always predictable. I'm not in a hurry, anyway.

BTW, the card is good for 5 years. A couple of things concerned me about the 'terms and conditions" . After 24 months, they will charge a "monthly maintenance fee" of $2.50 on the balance. (As bad as the banks http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif)

And they have not been clear about whether a lost or stolen card is replaceable. In one place (the FAQs) they say it is, in another (Terms and Conditions) it isn't. I brought this to their attention and they assure me the card will be replaceable and said they would clarify the communications. That was a couple of weeks ago but they haven't been changed yet...

A courier just arrived with the card. Now I have to figure out where to use it...

A courier just arrived with the card. Now I have to figure out where to use it...

The only reason to consider this thing is because of the discount, IMHO.

I called MR CS and learned that one cannot use the card with group or corporate rates or Triple A rates, etc. The bottom line was that if you are getting any kind of discount on room rate you already had your reduction and could not use the card.

When I looked on the website under the FAQs about the card it confirmed this.

Thus, there is no incentive for me to buy the card. And I was going to buy $2000 worth for use over the next few months. . .

Marriott Gift Card and Advanced Purchase Rate
 

I find many threads about using BB for Advanced Purchase Rate.

How about using Marriott Gift Card for Advanced Purchase Rate? Do I get the credit back?

Also, the hotel I want to book is in Thailand. Room rate is listed in USD, but would Marriott be like other hotels in Bangkok where they quote rate in USD and charge in Baht? I don't want to loose out on my credit card with all these currency exchange!

Giftcard normally can not be used for advanced rate, similar to BB and PP

Though some International hotels quote the rate in US$ currency, you will still be charged at local currency while checking out and paying with credit card, thus you credit card will still charge you the foreign currency conversion fees(1%-3%)

What about advance purchase rate in an international hotel? Would that theoretically be in USD if its quoted on the marriott.com site that way?

Gift Card problems in the UK PLEASE HELP!!
 

Last week I had some problems checking out of a Hotel in Preston, United Kingdom with one of the Marriott Gift Cards bought with the Samsonite Promotions. She wrote down the number (not sure why) but looking at the Gift card balance and the credit card I used to reserve the room, I still have not been charged. I am staying there again this week and tried to 'check in' with the gift card so that I don't have the hassle when I check out and the lady at the desks claims that no UK Marriott can accept these gift cards. (which of course I know is not even remotely correct)

Does anyone know how the exact steps she needs to follow to use one of these gift cards. I spoke with central reservations and they even say that any Marriott that takes credit cards should be able to use these as they are issues just like Visa Cards. Yet the front desk lady wont budge. I have asked several times to speak to the manager but she is allegedly on vacation all week making front desk lady the most senior person there to speak to.

I know there was some talk of entering a 4 first before swiping the card. Do they have to push something first before entering the 4?

Any help would be greatly appreciated as I have $4000 worth of these cards that I planned on using from now till August at this particular Marriott.

Well the first thing I would do is printout the relevant pages from the Marriott site. The FAQ off of this page should do the trick.

https://gifts.marriott.com/giftCerti...?type=giftCard

As they obviously need to be educated in their use. So once that they accept that the cards should be accetable the problem is to get them to accept it and process correctly. Whilst this shouldn't be your job it sounds as if you may need to be proactive... if nobody here knows the correct procedure. Then what I would do is once you've proved your point about them being accepted is just to call up Reservations whilst you are standing there, and say exactly what the problem is can you please talk this woman through the procedure please and hand the phone over...

I've found this to be an effective technique when you know you're right...