OPPORTUNITY.... Wish I could edit titles :-)

I travel about 2/3 of the year and spend all of that time in Hotels. I started to get smart last year and consolidated to mostly Marriott because I generally like their product and they have properties where I need them. I work in the Arts, and Marriott is a strong supporter, so I occasionally come across a situation where rooms are comped by the local property in trade for tix to the theater events I am working on.

I was just made aware by a very professional and friendly GM at one of these locations that my stays there this year will not qualify as 'EQN's. I understand that corporate is not making $$ on these stays but wouldn't it be worth it for them to give me, the 'contractor' in this case, EQNs as a show of good faith? I've got plenty of paid visits to go around but this is certainly not going to make me push for Marriott stays in the future.

Just rambling thoughts....

John

You only earn EQN's for paid stays...maybe talk to the GM & offer them $5/night or something to get the stay credit?

I did gently offer some sort of deal with the GM, (afterall, he had been very helpful on the phone and had even contacted Marriott HQ to verify my questions and his answers) but he ultimately said that there just wasn't any way for me to get the nights. Oh well. I am now booked in corporate housing through my client as they can use the MR room nights for someone else who doesn't worry about the elite/reward nights. No loss for them or me on this stay, I just wish it could have worked out in my favor.

On another note, I did just check my MR account and found that the good people at MR upped me to Plat for 2010 out of the goodness of their hearts as I was 15 days short. I realize that this means dilution of the pool, but hey, I'll take it and try to keep it in the years to come.

Thanks Marriott.

John

You do understand that you will only not get EQN credit for comped or free nights, but that you will get it for all the nights in which you pay for the room, correct?

Oh yeah. I'm clear on that.^

The current stay in question would have been 10 comped nights, so no EQN's. But I understand the reasoning on this as well. I just wish there was a compromise that could be made so I could keep Plat without the possibility of needing MR's at the end of the year.