And Marriott very likely already had that right. This latest move just makes it very explicit.

Bruce

Just to make it clear:

1. That is in a program (IHG) where the BRG gives someone one a totally free night on their stay (and thus the whole stay free if it's a one-night stay), no matter how small the diffference between the hotel program rate and the third-party site rate. That's far different than Marriott's LNF simply lowering the rate 25% beyond the third-party rate.

The OP in that thread got about 25 free nights during a half year where they had virtually no paid nights. Nothing remotely close to this is possible to do with Marriott's LNF.

2. That is an a program (IHG) that keeps changing its BRG rules all the time, and changed them to disallow stuff that the OP of that thread admitted to have done (but claimed to have done before the hotel program had changed their BRG rules). I'm not aware of Marriott LNFs rules constantly changing the way IHG's have.

So I'm not sure this move on Marriott's part is necessarly aimed at LNFers, given that LNFs are harder to abuse in the same way, since they never make a night (or stay) totally free, and don't even make it that much less expensive than it would have been had you booked the third-party site rate.

Of course. But if you use YOUR MR Rewards number, you MUST also be staying in the room. If you are not, then you are violating the rules and could have your MR account closed. The fact that you may never be "caught" is not the issue.

Although I fully agree with what you state herein I'm sure you've read others who not only disagree with this but brag of how they violated this rule before and intend to continue to violate it, but now I can take solace in there no longer being around as the new rules are enforced.....
Frankly its long overdue....

But of course.

And agree this is no biggie.

But I still feel that a topic like "earn Platinum status, $800, no stays required" might be this trigger if they really wanted to. When someone came up with the 10 night meeting planner promotion, they were thinking of steering serious meeting space, F&B and hotel night revenue in exchange for shortcuts towards PLT status. Can't imagine they thought someone would rent an empty SHS conference room 8 times for the sole purpose of obtaining PLT status. Just my 2 cents, not saying its right or wrong and that PLT status is even worth the effort these days...

I doubt it as in your example the meeting room rental generates income to the property (and accordingly to Marriott as well) vrs. the unethical and/or fraudulent practices of others which are only causing Marriott and its property owner to "bleed" revenue.........

Agreed. And by now, I'm sure there are plenty of Marriott execs who are aware that some people rent conference rooms in order to get plat status.

They'd have to be deaf, dumb and blind if they didn't....
wait a minute....are we talkin' about Marriott execs!?

If not for this thread, I wouldn't know about the changes

MR hasn't been to diligent in letting us know about these changes

Isn't one of the best preventative measures to let you know that there are consequences for your actions. Why isn't MR letting me know about this change?

I am thinking they are just covering their backside on this and using it as a trump card for when they run across that occasional bad guy they want to dump

Gamers are generally money losers for properties. Marriott isn't looking at this to deter people from doing stuff which common sense would suggest they shouldn't do. Rather, it's looking to get rid of those customers. So, it's made the t&c explicit.

Better software and an awareness of the gaming just has Marriott, like other programs, figuring out where they are bleeding and then stopping it.

my other post - on Bill of Rights for hotel guests - was a "pop-up" otherwise I wouldn't have known about it either, but I do see and agree w your point.......giving notice of these changes, just like when they change catagories, would have been preferred.......

This is flyertalk paranoia. I think this change is in response to phishing and hacking attempts we've heard of lately, not the "gamer" customer you have labelled. What activities do customers partake in to become a gamer? It's definitely not the platinum customer dropping $10k to $20k+ on Marriott who lets his wife check in under his account to spend more money, let's just get that straight.

so you must be among those that do..........
if so, please keep up the good work as we say bye-bye........

Not a regular occurrence, but it has happened once or twice a year. I don't think Marriott has any intention to fire me as a customer.

just keep on continuing to give them such an opportunity.............