Using Marriott points to book for someone else
 

Guys, I have quite a few reward points with Marriott and I'm a Platinum member. I want to book a 5 night honeymoon vacation for my sister and her husband.

According to my research:

1. Marriott does not allow me to book for the hotel for someone else. So I can't book for my sister.

2. Marriott allows transfer of points to my legal spouse or domestic partner. My sister is neither (and thankfully so). I don't have a legal spouse or domestic partner. So I am not allowed to transfer points to my sister, as Marriott say on its website. Is there a loophole in this? How do they check this when my sister and myself share the same last name. I registered my sister for a Marriott reward account and put her address the same as mine, though she's actually living in another country.

Hyatt allows me to book for someone else, but then my Diamond status won't be transferred when my sister stays at their hotel.

Please help~

Thanks in advance!

Who told you you can't book for someone else? I definitely have.

1. You can book both paid and award reservations for anyone you like. I have done it many times for friends and family. No issues. Now if you are expecting that the other persons will get all your elite benefits, that might not happen as they aren't the elite members. But you shouldn't have any issues with making reservations for someone else.

2. Actually, Marriott will allow you to "combine" points between any two accounts (not just spouse accounts as mentioned in the T&Cs.) Marriott Concierge has validated that this is in fact a feature and not just a periodic mistake. Of course you will need to wait until you are ordering the award to make the point transfer. You will receive a faxed form from Marriott, fill it out, sign it, get the other account holder's signature and then fax it back. Then all you need to do is order the award.

Marriott certainly do allow this I have done it several times for my relatives and they generally get treated as me (plat prem). You cannot book on line you have to telephone to do it, so your research probably relates to on line booking.

Tom

I have booked a reward stay for friends online and then called to have the reservation put in their name. No problem. The only consideration is the credit card that guarantees the room. You can either trust that they will give the front desk their own credit card when they check in, or get a cc number from them to have placed on the reservation. I also think I've had them call and place their own cc number on file as the guarantee. I've never had a problem. They did not, however, receive my elite benefits....although for a special anniversary trip recently in Paris I requested a "nice" room for them and they were given a larger bed in a room with a courtyard view. They said it was lovely. The hotel also gave them some champagne. Way to go...above and beyond....but most appreciated.

You can and I have, I think if anything the difference is you cannot do so online, you need to call reservations. As was pointed out earlier you can probably make an online reservation then call and have the names changed if that is more convenient for you.

We all seem to agree.....points can be used to book rooms for others without issue. I do this dang near monthly it seems.

If you book a room for someone else with points and that person has elite status (e.g. Gold Elite), can you add that person's MR to the reservation so he/she can get Elite benefits during the stay (e.g. Internet, lounge access, room upgrade) or does that person have to wait until check-in and show his/her membership card to get the benefits?

They will have your status for all of that - so unless they are a higher status than you, there's no point.

This has always been the case each time I've used my points for others. They get arrival gift, room upgrade, etc.

That is not strictly true, if you are not staying then they shouldn't get your benefits and you shouldn't be on the reservation. If the reservation is in your name and you add them as guests then they would most likely get the benefits but if the hotel chooses to they could refuse until/unless you actually check in. I have done it both ways (inadvertently) but if you put your name on the reservation with no intention of staying then I think officially you are breaking the rules.

No, I always do it the official way - described above - where the guest staying is the only name on the reservation, and each time the MR desk has pointed out that they will get my benefits because I'm Plat When they checked in they always, without exception received those benefits.

thanks guys. I will try to book today and let y'all know.

Just as you guys said, through phone i was able to book for my sister! Thanks!!!!!

+1

Instead of starting a new thread ... I will just ask here. :eek:

I'm MR Plat, and I need to use a family member's (Silver) MR account to book a points reservation for me...how can I make sure I will receive my Plat benefits? Is it at all possible to add my MR# onto the reservation as well? :confused:

Any answers will be greatly appreciated.

Just have your family member call Marriott and make the reservation in your name and have them put your MR# in the reservation. Marriott will let someone use their MR points to make a reservation for somebody else. The only caveat though is I don't think you can do it online. You (or your family member) will have to call MR and have them make the award reservation for you.

Thanks hhoope01!

The Marriott rep suggested the combine points option. She went as far as giving me her direct extension + fax number to assist us in sorting this out as quickly and with her direct help. This was one of the most phenomenal customer service experiences in recent memory. I wish I could take a survey about my experience - I will send a letter to Marriott. I know it's nothing crazy, but the way this lady insisted on helping me (directly) each and every step of the way ... it is amazing.

Sorry for bumping an old thread, but is it possible to book an award stay for myself(Plat), from a friends account(silver) and receive my benefits without going through the long process of signing forms and etc?

Could he just book the award, call in and add my rewards # and name to the reservation?

I will do the points transfer thing as a last resort but I'd prefer not to..

Perhaps you should consider nominating her for the spirit to serve award at Marriott Insider:

http://www.rewards-insiders.marriott...pirit-to-serve

No you cannot use points from one account and tier status from another account.

You may try to tell the front desk at check in what your status is, but it is unlikely to have anything to do with what benefits you receive on your stay.
If it does help at the front desk, it's only a gesture of being courtesy from the hotel.

Also, you will not receive stay / night credit (at least not that I am aware of); because your MR account # will not be placed on the reservation.

Can we still do this? Book the reservation online using my name and then changing the first name on the reservation?

If you are trying to give someone else the use of your elite benefits or trying to get points from someone else's stays there are no guarantees. You can try to add their name to a reservation in your name, but it is possible the hotel won't offer your elite benefits or any points until/unless you check-in. Personally, I'd be very careful of trying this out too many times. Even if it works once or twice, it might be possible for Marriott to notice the pattern and then they might take some type of action that you wouldn't like against your account. To me, the loss of my account would be far worse than a few extra points or a friend getting a breakfast for a few trips. YMMV.

If you are in a situation where you made a reservation for yourself, your plans have changed and there is someone else that would like to have the 'no longer available' rate you received, I have been able to update a reservation name before, but doing so would take your name and MR# completely off the reservation (as if it were originally made in their name and not your's.)

I did that for a conference trip a few years ago. I was planning on going to a conference in New Orleans and was able to snag one of the "tiny" rooms at the Ren Pere Marquette Hotel for about $100/night (where everything else was over $250/night.) My plans changed and I couldn't go, but a friend was still going. So I called Marriott and we were able to transfer the reservation over to his name. So that can be done.

Given the thread title, it seems the poster wants to make a reservation for someone else using the poster's points. I did this yesterday for my sister and b-i-l on a three way conference call with Marriott reservations. The agent put my b-i-l on the reservation as the second party, knowing that I will not be checking into the hotel. We did not ask for it to be done that way, and were very clear that they would be getting a King and i wouldn't be a third wheel in the room.

Recently, I found an incredible rate for another sister. She was in the car, so I made the reservation and added her name because I was logged into Marriott's site and did not want to lose the unbelievable rate. She and her family stayed in the hotel without me, and I did not get the credit for points or nights, not that I expected to. They may have also gotten me permanently banned from the hotel, but that's another story for another thread.

Without starting a new thread, can I book a room for someone else (my wife) using my cat1-5 mega bonus certificate?

Read the terms on the cert. As I recall they are not transferable and therefore must be used when you are staying. Now that doesn't mean you won't be able to get away with booking the room in your name, adding your wife to the rez, and then not show up. There may be some risk, but may be worth a try if you won't have any opportunity to use it yourself.

Depending upon her risk tolerance level, you might want to check out how comfortable the couch is. :)

Now that MR can be transferred to anyone for $10, what is the process? I would love to be able to do this online but fear I'll need to get my dad involved in faxing b/c >50k. Or maybe you all have a better idea.

I need 120k for rez
Dad giving me 90k
I have 10k
I can transfer 20k UR for difference.

I guess I could transfer UR to my account, then transfer 30k on over to his account and have him book the MR rez in my name. The alt is he calls in to make transfer of 90k to me for this specific rez (should I go ahead and transfer UR before his transfer if doing it this way)? Trying to minimize dad's need to call/fax/deal.