Marriott upgrade via a friends gold status?
 

I have a reservations for Marriott GIG with NO status for 40K per night, is there a way I can transfer my points to my friend who is Marriott gold or some how add my friend who is Marriott Gold to my reservations and get some kind of upgrade?.


I'M also Hilton Diamond and SPG Gold I think, any status matches?

Thanks-

Having a "friend" who is elite does not imply that one is entitled to elite benefits.

The only way to do it is to have your friend's name and Marriott account number on the reservation as well.

Do elite benefits apply for award nights given as a gift?
 

I have a related question. I have made an award reservation for my son and his girlfriend at a Delta hotel for an upcoming trip using my points. I've called reservations and they have put his name on the reservation, showing it in their system as a gift from me to him. I have Gold status. Will he be eligible for Gold benefits on this stay? I'm especially interested in upgrade possibilities and breakfast.

I gift rooms to the family fairly regularly, by booking in my name, then call the hotel and tell them what is going on (with no mention of elite benefits) and add the other name. Recipient always gets the "thanks for being platinum" and gift and breakfast. Seriously can't remember a time when it didn't happen. At least a dozen different properties. YMMV.

+1. I've booked rooms for wife and mom on different occasions before, adding them as Guest #2.

It's never guaranteed that they'll get benefits, of course. But in practice, it happens...at least at your basic mainline Marriott where the main perk is lounge access. I don't recall them ever getting a huge upgrade, because major upgrades are rare at Marriott even for the highest Platinums. (They probably got rooms on the C-level...)

Marriott elite benefits: member must be on booking?
 

Does the MR elite member have to be on the room booking in order for the benefits to apply? (Breakfast, club access, etc) or as long as the elite member makes the booking (either online or via reps). This would be for a revenue stay.

Thank you.

Elite member must be on the reservation and it must include his/her MR number. There are a number of other threads asking the same question (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...ld-status.html) and the gist is that if you want the benefits, the elite member has to be on the reservation.

That Elite member also needs to be present during check-in?

Many thanks @bit!

The actual rules are clear. Points and benefits go to the person whose MR number is on the reservation and who stays in the room.

Many threads about how people have been successful in circumventing the rules if you care to search. However the rules are clear.

or check-out or during the stay. In reality this is seldom enforced, but be prepared to be asked to 'show up eventually'.

This might be the rule but in practice this statement is so far from true

All you need to do is have the elite person make the reservation with his rewards number and credit card then put a second name on the reservation and have that person check in and they will ask for that second person's credit card at check in

you should be good to go and the rewards member never have to step foot on the property

In the US, I tend to agree with you in that rule isn't followed most of the time. But in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia, I'm almost always asked for my passport (and for some reason they always want to photocopy it :confused:). So they want to make sure it is me checking in. I've had a few instances where I had business travel and my wife came out to visit. She tended to arrive a day or so earlier than I, and almost invariable, they wouldn't give her my elite benefits until I showed up and "checked-in". I will admit that my experiences outside the US with my wife trying to check-in earlier than me are fairly limited (i.e. 4 to 5 times), and maybe once when we were meeting in London at the Slough/Heathrow Marriott did they give her CL access before I checked in.

So my experience has been it depends on where the hotel is.