Is it worth joining the program?
 

I am very new to Marriott, as most of my hotel stays are with Hyatt or Starwood. I am going to spend around 25 nights at the Marriott next month on a project and I am wondering whether it makes sense to join the reward program just for that (considered that I may not stay with them that often in future).
Will I get any rewards or status at all for 25 nights (in one stretch at the same property)?
Also, will Marriott comp me to a higher level if I ask (am Starwood Platinum and Hyatt Diamond), and will this higher level bring any advantages at all?
Thanks for your insights!

I will let others, more familiar with such things, answer about specific benifits, but why not join? It is free, and you can get miles instead of points if you want, or convert the points later. You are not apt to get on junk mail lists (either e-mail or snail mail) from your enrollment -- at least I never did.

Absolutely, yes! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Yes join- I think 25 nites will make you Silver, at least get points at 10/1 or miles at 1/1. And no, Marriot is NOT into comping status

Second DOC and everyone else. However, it will be up to you which chains you wish to frequent most depending on your travel and spending patterns.

Agree with JANAZ, however to get Silver status faster, you can get the Marriott Visa card and it gives you that status, as well as extra points (2/$1) when using it to pay for your stays. In addition, it is free for the first year.

Actually, if it's a proper Marriott (not a Courtyard or lower), Silvers get points at 12/1 and miles at 3/1.

And as to the credit card, be aware that it's from First USA, which has a reputation for bad service.

Yes, of course it's worth it. The only reason it wouldn't be is if you are never going to stay at a Marriott.

After 15 stays you will be a silver. But early on I would ask for the .the manager, introduce yourself, and tell him that you are booked for 25 nights with them... and ask at the same time if there is a chance of an upgrade to concierge level. You'll probably get it.

If you are fairly certain you won't be staying at Marriotts beyond the 25 nights, then choose airline miles. But as you get beyond 25 nights, the value of Marriott rewards available to you will rise. Fairfield, Courtyard, Residence Inn, and Renaisance stays will also count toward your elite status, which with 50 stays will become gold.

Am I missing something here? If you have 25 nights in a row, it is one stay and you can get 500 miles in the airline of your choice only. Not 500 a night. Get the marriott points as Marriott counts nights, not stays, toward elite status. Also, as someone said, get the Marriott Visa even it is only for this month for the silver status.

mrnick

Marriot does airline points different than Hilton - you cant get both, only one. Depedning on you status with marriot you get btwn 10-15 points per $ spent or 1-3 airline miles per dollar spent

also marriot counts nites spent rather than stays in determining elite status

Definitively, get the card for free, credit your stays on the card, for themiles or for the points, but if you have any occasion in the next upcoming year to stay in a hotel for yourself, not for the company, use your points.With 25 nights by Marriott, I would suspect at least between 15000 and 30000 points, which is fairly a good begining for a pair of nights on Courtyard, or more on Fairfield Inn.
With the points, you may decide later on which airline do you want to transfer them into miles, if you do not want to saty in their hotel as a reward.
If you choose miles from the beginning, you will lost the opportunity fro free night immediately.

Awesome plan to sign up.

I am more and more aware how valuable hotel points are during expensive trips (vacations). Hilton, Marriott, and Starwood offer great options for using points in their hotels (even one or two nights at their budget properties come in handy during road trips)....

Sign up and enjoy the better service and free future stays.. if you are like me, you have enough airline miles http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Thanks for all your helpful comments. I think you more than convinced me to sign up with Marriott's reward program now. I was hesitant because I live in Asia and most of the places I travel to in the Region don't have a Marriott where I need it. But if 25 nights are enough for silver, I think it's worth it anyway, esp. if I can convert the points to Airmiles later if I really don't know what to do with them.
The credit card sounds tempting, but not being a US resident it doesn't make much sense for me.
What exactly is the Concierge level? Is this Marriott's club floor?

One interesting thing, though not relevant to your long stay, is that Marriott is very inconsistent with its treatment of members vs. airlines directly, in some cases.

For example, Marriott gives Qantas frequent flyers 1500 points per stay, but gives its own members points on a US$ basis. For very short stays, I earn vastly more points by giving them my Qantas card and not telling them I'm in their rewards scheme. Silly, eh?

(Other hotels that I'm aware of don't disadvantage their own members that way.)

I agree the credit card is probably not for you, as it is not for me.

The concierge level is a special dedicated level were the rooms are a little more comfortable, and there is a lounge where you can get a free breakfest for free (just the usal 1 dollar tip for service, I think), or a drink in the evening.

In some cases, Starwood does. If I set up their Airline Direct Deposit to Air Canada, I get two points per dollar. If I just give them my Aéroplan number, it's 1,000 miles at anything other than a Four Points.