RogerD408

They are not supposed to get your benefits, but too many properties mess up and don't check. If you want to be sure they get a better room, book a better room. It's going to be luck of the draw on what the FDC will end up doing.

joeags

We were 0-2 in attempting that. My wife had the status, and I was checking in a day early twice. Neither time was my key activated to access the lounge until she arrived the next night. Of course ymmv...

VickiSoCal

Definitely ymmv. We have a regular hotel we stay at for a office the husband visits abut twice a year. It's quite common for me to drop him at work then head to the hotel with the car and bags to check in and they are fine. Others want to see him in person. Note that I legitimately often arrive at hotels before him and I am not lying when I say he'll be there later.

Duke787

How does this apply to reward stays? Going to London with my parents next summer and my Dad has enough Marriott points for the 4 night stay but has no status. I have Platinum so we want to make sure we get the lounge access / breakfast (whole reason to book Marriott over comparable hotels or even AirBnB).

Can I just flash the Platinum at the desk upon check-in and get us these benefits even though we use my Dad's points?

FWIW, despite change in Marriott policy we can't just transfer points as the 4 night stay is well in excess of the 50k point transfer cap.

RogerD408

The few times I've done a stay and the room was not booked under my account, all I did was politely ask at the front desk when we were checking in and showing my Plat card. I wasn't demanding access and didn't feel I was entitled to it, but the FDC granted access.

hhoope01

First, Marriott will allow a once a year transfer of more than 50K if you need the points for an award. So that is still an option.

But with that said, just have your Dad call MR and put the reservations in your name and order the award for you. Marriott will allow someone to order an award for someone else's use.

abbydancer

I hope this is the right thread to ask this.
We're going to the Tel Aviv Renaissance in December. We're going with my mom and sister, and thus two rooms. I'm Platinum. My mom is Gold thanks to the arrangement with United.

She will have 3 stays. The first is a point reservation booked with her points. My understanding is that she will have full benefits as far as lounge and restaurant breakfast for her +1. The second is a point stay, but I gave her the points. The reservation shows up under my account with her as the guest (and me, should I change it to my sister, since I'll be in my own room?). Will she get the lounge/restaurant benefits for her status even though my points made the reservation (she tells me it's my gift of thanks for raising me. I won't tell you what I said back)?

The third stay is on her dollars, just FYI.

Thanks all.

Duke787

Thanks both of you for the advice. To follow-up I called MR and asked their advice in how to proceed. They advised me to call reservations and put the room on hold but instruct them not to pull points from my account. This would allow a record to be created and the room to held and then I was able to just have my Dad call in and transfer the full amount needed (120k) to cover the room using the once a year exception to the 50k threshold.

pinkdog

Hello all,

I'm looking to book a trip in Europe with the 3 of my friends. I'm Gold, and one other person is Gold. The Marriott we are staying at can accommodate 4 people in one room. The room will be booked under my name. I know i can access lounge and +1, but can my friend with gold access the lounge as well and bring in the 4th person?

Thank you

abbydancer

I don't know if it's official, but my husband and I were at the Rive Gauche Marriott. I'm platinum and he's gold, and we brought in my sister and her three kids (all over 13) with no problem.

RogerD408

Generally, only the registered Gold member and +1 get free access. There can be a charge for any more. Now, IME, I have never been charged for extra guests staying at the same property, in my room or otherwise. YMMV and what's going on at the property and how you act while there may decide if they wish to go beyond the rules and grant access to everyone you know. Just don't get upset if they follow the rules.

Development

My wife (different last name) is making a booking using MR points. She has no status, I have gold. Should I have her make the booking in my name in order for us both to be able to use club lounge? She cant transfer the points to me because its more than 50,000. I assume if reservation has me listed on it then I will just have to show the gold card to get lounge benefits? Thanks, D

RogerD408

The registered guest should determine what benefits are available. She can book a room under your name and then you call the property to get your number added to the rez. They may push back saying the account the points are coming from needs to be listed. The few times where someone else booked the room, I've never been denied my on-site benefits (being higher than the other). So have your card or cell app available when checking in and ask nicely.

abbydancer

I was at a Marriott suites with my sister, booked via hotels.com under her name. I didn't get points or nights, but I did get benefits (wifi, breakfast). I may have called the hotel and added my MR number, but the booking stayed under her hotels.com account.

ohmark

Any hotel staff at the lounge door or desk checking?