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Originally Posted by aaupgrade
(Post 24378851)
Correct on both accounts. I've done this numerous times, and yes to reiterate, you need to call reservations to make this type of reservation. As long a the stay is contiguous, you can use the seven free nights scattered throughout the contiguous stay.
It lets you pick what nights are pay vs reward and recalculates down to the correct award. |
Originally Posted by CJKatl
(Post 24378956)
Just called, and was told the nights could not be split, which I'm fine with, but the explanation given was BS.
The agent explained that with the package I was getting a huge break for the points needed for the room. This confused me, so I asked how that could be, given I'm using this on a Cat 4 hotel, which would cost 140k MRPs for the week, and got 70k airline points for a total of 220k MRPs. She explained that since it was 120k MRPs for 50k airline points, if you subtracted that from the 220k MRPs used for the transaction, I was getting seven nights for 100k MRP, or even less, given I took 70k airline points, not 50k. Had she just told me the rules are the rules, that would have been acceptable. Her answer, which shifted with each question, leaves me still wondering if it can be done. (In my industry, I'm the guy brought in to work with people who think they know a rule, but don't understand the logic behind it and are misinterpreting and misapplying the rule. Once they get it, these people are thrilled to do the right thing going forward. She reminded me of the discussions I have on a daily basis.) I'm fine not splitting the nights if it isn't allowed. There is no reason, though for the phone agent to make up nonsense. No frequent traveler is going to look at it this way. The discount is on the points conversion from MRPs to airline miles, which is what makes the package a good deal. What she was telling me defied logic. I had a call where the CSR "assured" me that they don't do what I was asking. Knowing I was right, I asked for a supervisor. Her response was she was a supervisor, so I asked for HER supervisor. She put me on hold for several minutes and came back saying she'd just returned from maternity leave and had not caught up on her emails and what I was asking was doable. |
Originally Posted by CJKatl
(Post 24378956)
Just called, and was told the nights could not be split, which I'm fine with, but the explanation given was BS.
The agent explained that with the package I was getting a huge break for the points needed for the room. This confused me, so I asked how that could be, given I'm using this on a Cat 4 hotel, which would cost 140k MRPs for the week, and got 70k airline points for a total of 220k MRPs. She explained that since it was 120k MRPs for 50k airline points, if you subtracted that from the 220k MRPs used for the transaction, I was getting seven nights for 100k MRP, or even less, given I took 70k airline points, not 50k. Had she just told me the rules are the rules, that would have been acceptable. Her answer, which shifted with each question, leaves me still wondering if it can be done. (In my industry, I'm the guy brought in to work with people who think they know a rule, but don't understand the logic behind it and are misinterpreting and misapplying the rule. Once they get it, these people are thrilled to do the right thing going forward. She reminded me of the discussions I have on a daily basis.) I'm fine not splitting the nights if it isn't allowed. There is no reason, though for the phone agent to make up nonsense. No frequent traveler is going to look at it this way. The discount is on the points conversion from MRPs to airline miles, which is what makes the package a good deal. What she was telling me defied logic. Of course, for internal purposes Marriott might be calculating it differently, using the published conversion rates for the miles and applying the rest of the points to the 1 wk award. In which case what she told you was (more or less) correct. |
My guess is this: it's probably how it's coded. In their system, there's just one set of processing that handles airline conversions, so they build the Travel Package by "discounting" (steeply) the hotel room. You see this when you view your hotel award, or whenever you change your hotel category on a TP. (You'll see the redeposit and withdrawal of the discounted hotel piece.)
Doesn't really matter to us of course...we just think of it as a good overall package that is a better deal than either piece by itself. But the agent is used to seeing (and being able to manipulate) the discounted hotel piece, whereas the FF side always appears as "full price" in the system. Still, it's a bit of a training gap if an agent is communicating this to customers in a confusing manner. It is indeed a rule we live with on TP's, and they're still the best hotel award out there in any major program, IMHO. |
Originally Posted by hhoope01
(Post 24379097)
One of the problems that would occur if you try to split a single award cert across multiple stays is that the cert can only be linked to one reservation and after that "stay" occurs, the cert would be "consumed".
I will reach out to the hotel directly and see if they might be able to do this. Oddly enough, I ran to the restaurant supply store during lunch today and ran into the GM of an FS. He was wearing his nametag. I asked if he had any recommendations on how to accomplish this. He said he would do it for a PP, but it would be at the GM's discretion. If the GM at that hotel won't do it, no harm, no foul. While it would work better to split the days, it still works to do seven nights in the first hotel followed by two in the other. |
Originally Posted by rthib
(Post 24379302)
You should be able to book this online now with the "Cash+Points" option on the reward reservation screen.
It lets you pick what nights are pay vs reward and recalculates down to the correct award. CJKatl - call back and talk to another agent or try book cash and points online and see if it gives you the option of using your cert. |
Originally Posted by aaupgrade
(Post 24380309)
Good point.
CJKatl - call back and talk to another agent or try book cash and points online and see if it gives you the option of using your cert. Please note that changes to this reservation may not be made online. To make changes, call 1-877-XXX-XXXX... |
Originally Posted by CJKatl
(Post 24380586)
Can you book the vacation package stay online? If so, how? When I click "View or Modify" it says this:
It is always good to read posts in the context of the post to which they are replying. You might be able to book a vacation package online if the unused certificate is in your account. Hence the reason I said Good point, and suggested you try it, as the poster to whom I was responding said:
Originally Posted by rthib
(Post 24379302)
You should be able to book this online now with the "Cash+Points" option on the reward reservation screen.
It lets you pick what nights are pay vs reward and recalculates down to the correct award.
Originally Posted by aaupgrade
(Post 24378851)
Originally Posted by pinniped
(Post 24378403)
The way I understand it, the Travel Package needs to be consumed entirely in one stay at the hotel.
You could do, for example, 4 award nights, a paid night, and 3 award nights....a single 8-night stay. (I believe the call center would have to set up the reservation though.) Hopefully that clears up any confusion. |
Originally Posted by CJKatl
(Post 24377925)
This got me thinking; the plan is to spend seven nights in Hotel A followed by two nights in Hotel B, located a couple hours away at the beach. It would be much easier to spend five nights at Hotel A, two nights at Hotel B, two nights at Hotel A, as it gets us closer to the airport for departure day and gives us more hours at the beach. This still is a seven night redemption at Hotel A, but with a two night break in between.
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Originally Posted by aaupgrade
(Post 24382330)
Not allowed using a 7-night cert as it is not a contiguous stay at one Hotel.
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Originally Posted by hhoope01
(Post 24338155)
Definitely agree with Mr. Vker. Of course the main benefit of the TP award is the transfer of points to airline miles at a 1-to-1 ratio. As an AA EXP, I'm not sure if you need the extra airline miles or not.
If you really have more than enough airline miles, then personally, I like using points to upgrade my rooms at nice beach locations. For example, you could upgrade to a 1-bedroom Oceanfront suite at the Cayman's Marriott. So while I agree the TP awards are really one of the single best hotel program awards out there, the biggest benefit really hinges on the airline miles transfer. So if you need/want miles to get that business/first award ticket, then there isn't any hotel award I know of that is better. But if you have those miles and would rather use them for hotel stays, then there are other options. |
All 7-night certs show up as a 5 night redemption (4 + 1 free) plus a 2 night redemption. It is still a 7-night cert.
The nights do not need to be used consecutively. You can have them scattered throughout a contiguous stay at a one hotel. So for example, you can stay at the same hotel, non-stop for 11 nights, and have the 7 free nights scattered arbitrarily over that 11 night period, paying for the other 4 nights. Unfortunately, your "idea" does not change the rules. You have been told as much by us and Marriott CSR. If you wish to keep banging your head against this wall go ahead. |
Originally Posted by aaupgrade
(Post 24383778)
If you wish to keep banging your head against this wall go ahead.
So good luck in trying, just don't get your hopes up too much. ;) |
Originally Posted by hhoope01
(Post 24383825)
While I generally agree with everything you have stated, if a particular GM at a hotel was willing to work a "deal" with someone to allow them two non-contiguous award stays using that single 7-night award, more power to you. I suspect most GMs won't do that, but I've been surprised before with what some are willing to do for a Plat or PP.
So good luck in trying, just don't get your hopes up too much. ;) Years ago, a dear elderly friend told me, "Nobody will know you want something unless you ask." For those from Atlanta, she also told me her grand home on Tuxedo Road was, of course, a very nice house. After all, her daddy paid $18,500 for it. (In 1921) |
Add me to those who would expect the GM to say no to a generic request from a Plat or even PP.
It's something I could see a GM doing for one of his/her own very frequent guests. Not due to your elite status tier, but if you stay 100 nights a year at Hotel X, then Hotel X knows you by name and does little extra things for you. They occasionally leave a bottle of wine in your room, occasionally send a house car for you, and might occasionally bend a reward-program rule for you. But even then, I wouldn't expect it... |
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