I've never used these, but have some trips coming up for which they'd be very valuable. Will they be extended beyond the June 6 end date?

look for a new set circa june 26

There is usually a short "dead spot" between one seasons EEO's ending and a new seasons beginning.

In this case the current EEO's end 6th June but the new ones aren't likely to commence till beginning July, so if you have trips planned between those dates you're likely to miss out, I'm afraid...

I am guessing they will be available 06/25.

Others have given you great information, but to specifically answer your question, NO; they will not be extended. And you are correct, they are very valuable, and IMO one of the best bennies of the MR program.

EEO's are valuable - but you need to compare a discount rate x2 against the generally available rate x1.

Say the EEO rate $150 for Friday night. Then Sat night is free and gets no point credit towards your night count for elite status. Thus only 1 night.

Say there was a special AAA rate for $85 per night - so that is $170 for the two nights, and you get two nights credit towards elite status.

Also - you need to watch for rates that include parking and other features. Say parking is $25/day - that's $50. You need to factor that in as well.

While the EEO rate x1 will generally be better (since it is still a weekend), you do need to make the tradeoff.

I fully agree with Cova. Weekends represent the bargain time and whilst publicly available rates go down somewhat, the special offer rates can be great value, with free parking, free breakfast and free dinner rates the value of an EEO is seldom the cost of a night.

These examples may help:-

1. We stayed at the Dalmahoy Edinburgh on a MR members special at �87 night, including breakfast and dinner on the first night. The lowest publicly available rate was the weekend rate at �110 per night. We'd have got breakfasts free anyway but the dinner was worth about �70 for 2. We intended to dine at the hotel one night and with friends the second so this saving was genuine. The cost was �174 for the 2 nights. Using an EEO it would have been... First night �110 + Second night �110 + Food �70 - Free night �110 = �180.

2. We're booked into the Hollins Hall on a MR members breakfast plus dinner on first night rate of �84 per night, plus a bottle of wine. The best public rate is the stay for breakfast rate at the same price, �84 night. Taking dinner as being worth �70 for 2 and the bottle of wine at �15 this gives added value to the package of �85, the same as the saving by EEO. If the wine weren't included then the EEO would save �14 overall.
This stay is very good because its a family get-together, 3 rooms for 2 nights with dinner on the first night for only �500 all-in. That's a VERY strong bargain, and NO arguing about breakfasts for the other rooms as its included in the rate...

3. We stayed at Durham Marriott on the global rate break with an EEO. As the global rate break was publicly available this made it �85 for the weekend. A true 50% off the best rate.

Thus EEO's can genuinely attain their 50% off, but frequently with the weekend packages don't manage it, sometimes becoming the more expensive option, although never by very much. Therefore dont blindly follow your EEO, check all rates and make sure the EEO works out the best for you.

I have never used the EEO's outside of the US, so am unsure what the policies are there.

However, on my last 3 EEO usages, (the last being on Mother's Day) I booked a rate that included breakfast and free parking. In all 3 instances, the free night given matched that rate and amenities.

From the T&C's:

#6 says: This offer is valid for the expense of a standard Marriott guest room and room-related taxes only and does not apply to food, beverage, service charges, other taxes or expenses.

But #10 states : Offer may be booked with any publicly listed room rate.

Originally I had concerns, but was told from MR CS that #6 refers to items not included in the room rate; but something like an S4B rate can be booked and will be honored. And it was, on multiple occasions; even when we had several rooms booked. (1 Plat, 1 Gold, and 1 friend)

So while I agree with cova and brightlybob in principle, my advice is to find the lowest publicly available rate and then call the 800 night to get the EEO added to your ressie.

As with so many things, YMMV.

Thanks everyone for the pointers. I'm hoping to use this for a bachelor party in Chicago in July. Our group will have several rooms. I am the only one with status (platinum), but it looks like it will work out OK anyway.

The other weekend I was looking at was a wedding in Key West, but that Marriott is excluded

I really hope they come out with a new set of EEOs by the end of June. Want to have a trip in Europe, but it would be difficult to cover without the EEOs ! (Personal Expense)

I wouldn't get your hopes up too high.

The current EEO's aren't valid for Europe, the next ones may be similarly invalid.

Even where EEO's are valid in Europe they tend to be for only named hotels.

The comparison with USA is particularly telling. In the USA EEO's are valid everywhere except a few named hotel, in Europe it works out that they're valid nowhere, except a few named hotels, AND that's only if they're valid in Europe at all...

[QUOTE=cova;13968375]
Also - you need to watch for rates that include parking and other features. Say parking is $25/day - that's $50. You need to factor that in as well.
[QUOTE]

Hi,

Just wanted to share my experience from this weekend, I originally booked a EE0 certificate with a room rate of 127 USD at a hotel in FLL, the week before I leave I always check my rate because maybe the room rate dropped or so...

At that moment I saw a package for 127 USD which included the room, parking, breakfast and 25 USD food credit. Called the reservation line with a request to switch which was honored without any problem. (the Agent told me as long as the package is available for the "general" public it should be no problem)

Went to the hotel and package was honored on the EE0 rate (After ofcourse the obliged first mistake on the invoice).

Regards,

Just to make it clear, the rates I quoted are MR members rates and therefore not publicly available. You need to pick thre rate thats best for your needs and then compare the cost between those rates that can carry the EEO to those that can't, although, as I say, EEO's are seldom more expensive than other rates, and even if they are, its usually small sums...

It really is petty of Marriott to not release the valid dates of these well in advance. Petty and annoying. It's one of the very few Gold benefits that I hope to take advantage of every year and releasing the dates for the rest of the year would cost them nothing.