You got me there. That is strange. Never heard of that. I would negotiate with the local. I have generally had good luck reducing them a little bit. Not sure about $400 to $100 but I bet you can get them to $200 with a little work.

The DC local said she refuses to rent out meeting space for anything less than 4 hours, at a cost of $400. Seems odd since I'm looking for 2 weeks away on a Sunday morning. I doubt they'll fill the space.

Book it online, it shouldn't be an issue. When I travel with my team, and we stay at the same hotel, I usually book us a small board room for use so we don't have to sit in the noisy lobby space.

I have ALWAYS received elite nights for booking. In order to ensure this, make sure it's set up as follows:
-Book online, they send contract (from regional sales) for Limited Service hotels. Sign contract, and make sure the contract says "rewarding events" and has the point clause on page 2. Here is what it should state:
"Marriott Rewards: Approximately (10) business days after the conclusion of the Event (provided that the Event is not cancelled and ****** has otherwise complied with the material terms and conditions of this Agreement), the Hotel will either award Points or submit an award for airline miles to the Member(s) identified below:
Rewarding Events program is not available in certain circumstances, including (1) for any government employee or official booking a government event (U.S. government event or non-U.S. government event); (2) for any employee of a state-owned or state-controlled entity (“SOE”) booking an event on behalf of the SOE; or (3) for any other planner or intermediary when booking an event on behalf of a non-U.S. governmental entity or SOE."

-When you check out of the room, make sure they set your bill as a meeting, and that it is submitted as a rewarding event.

-When it gets submitted as a rewarding event, the system automatically issues you the elite nights, regardless of rooms booked.

-If you run into problems of it not posting correctly, contact Marriott Rewards, show them the bill that shows the contract you signed when you booked online as well as the hotel bill showing "meeting room."

Hope this helps

Wow thanks, very helpful! Much appreciated!

Edit: The contract you agree to online says nothing about rewarding events or Marriott Rewards. It also says nothing can change this agreement. So, I'm really just going to cross my fingers and hope for the best. Otherwise I'm out $125 for nothing. I did make a note that I wanted this billed as a rewarding event.

I wonder if they drastically reduce the prices online because it's NOT considered a rewarding event and they don't have to award points, nights credits, etc. I'll keep everyone posted.

I experienced this issue in Dallas for one property and that's because the actual owner (remember Marriott is the operator, not owner for 99% of properties) had its own internal events team. I got one rate online on the MR site and another through the events team on-site. Usually, I've dealt with Marriott employed event coordinators when booking meeting rooms.

Have you not gotten a follow up from a MR event coordinator via email after booking the meeting online? They've always asked me to sign a contract. Even the Dallas property that went through a non-MR event team. You could always ask to be sent one just so you technically meet the T&C for getting the 10 nights. I think you should because of these Event Coordinators don't understand the 10 night rule. I also write in my MR # on the contract just to be safe.

Just wanted to confirm that my 10 night credit posted today along with some points; "event" was held Tuesday.

Got 10 nights credit posted in my account about 2 hours after the meeting. Amazing! I figured out that it would be a great deal for 10 meetings before end of year netting 100 nights@2014 + 100 rollover nights@2015 for merely $750 (25% discount with Amex Sync GC deal).

1) You'll only get 25 nights rollover if you earned 100 night this year and no rollover from 2013.
2) The sync offer is $50 off $200 at FS properties. Not sure where you are getting $250 off assuming you are saying book 10 meetings for $1000. Are you saying you have 5 AMEXs to sync?

1. I am at 75+ nights this year. So any one more would be rolled over on 2015.
2. Correct. I had 5+ AMEXs and paid my meeting with the GC bought from nearby Marriott front desk.

Why are you spending money now when the main benefit to you is rollover nights for next year? Are you trying to keep MR status even though you won't have any hotel stays at all next year? Or are you going for 200 nights toward lifetime status and, if so, have you earned the required points?

Need about 200 nights for Lifetime Platinum. Still need additional 500k points but it could be taken care of with CC bonus&MS next year.

I am dipping my toes into this because I am hosting a social meeting and would like to get some sort of "reward" for it, if possible.

I just got off the phone with a local hotel willing to rent me the space for $50 for an hour; however, when I asked him about the 10 elite nights, he said that is typically reserved for a group paying for the full day. Does this seem right to you? If I get a contract and put my MR Number on it, will that circumvent what this person told me? He indicated that the hotel would have to "purchase" the points from MR in order to post points for the event...but what about the elite nights? Does a hotel have to "purchase" them too?

I live in Grand Rapids, MI, so if there is anyone out there who has had success getting the 10 nights for meetings in here, please feel free to PM me.

Thanks all!

Many MI staff do not KNOW the rules but they hypothesize how they work. First thing is to read the contract to see if there is anything there one way or the other. Next contact MR to see if someone there will give a solid answer (keep in mind they may not know for a fact). If the property continues to sound wishy-washy, get them to call MR for an official ruling.

Anecdotal reports do not support it must be a full-day booking.

Good luck and enjoy the party.

I had a one hour meeting and it qualified.

Just to reiterate my husband just received the gold benefits booklet and it states:

Here are ways to arrive faster:

Hold a meeting, special event or reserve a block of rooms- earn 10 Elite nights for each event.