Marriott Gift Cards... what do I do with them?
May 2, 2016 | 12:55 pm
#1
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: YWG
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Marriott Gift Cards... what do I do with them?
I received a couple of Marriott gift cards as a gift a couple of years ago and I have no idea how to use them. Like everyone, I book rooms online using my credit card. I really don't use in hotel services like restaurants or room service.
I tried to book a hotel on Marriott.com using the Marriott gift cards but I can't find anywhere to use them... the site only accepts credit cards so far as I can tell.
So what am I supposed to do with these cards? They seem downright inconvenient. I'm sure the giver had good intentions but honestly buying one seems like flushing money down the toilet.
I tried to book a hotel on Marriott.com using the Marriott gift cards but I can't find anywhere to use them... the site only accepts credit cards so far as I can tell.
So what am I supposed to do with these cards? They seem downright inconvenient. I'm sure the giver had good intentions but honestly buying one seems like flushing money down the toilet.
May 2, 2016 | 1:08 pm
#2
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
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They're easy to use.
Just book your hotels like normal - with your credit card.
Then, at any time during your stay, hand over the gift card(s) you want applied to your bill. You don't need to use the restaurant, etc.
No need to book anything differently or inform the hotel in advance of your intent to use a gift card. They're like cash.
...unless you have some weird kind of gift card that has other restrictions on it...
(Obviously limitations apply: you can't use them for prepaid stays, third-party-paid stays, Priceline, etc. And you can't turn them into points to use for awards. But your typical run-of-the-mill booking where you pay the hotel at check-out, no problem...)
Just book your hotels like normal - with your credit card.
Then, at any time during your stay, hand over the gift card(s) you want applied to your bill. You don't need to use the restaurant, etc.
No need to book anything differently or inform the hotel in advance of your intent to use a gift card. They're like cash.
...unless you have some weird kind of gift card that has other restrictions on it...
(Obviously limitations apply: you can't use them for prepaid stays, third-party-paid stays, Priceline, etc. And you can't turn them into points to use for awards. But your typical run-of-the-mill booking where you pay the hotel at check-out, no problem...)
May 2, 2016 | 1:27 pm
#3
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: YWG
Programs: Aeroplan, MileagePlus, Marriott Rewards
Posts: 2,208
Thank you - that's great! I take it that using them doesn't somehow negate the possibility of earning points/nights provided that the room rate includes those?
May 2, 2016 | 2:11 pm
#4
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Join Date: Jul 2002
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No. Doesn't affect points-earning on the rooms or your elite-qualifying nights.
May 2, 2016 | 8:15 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2005
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I had a Marriott gift card that DID effect points earning and elite-qualifying nights a few years ago. It screwed me out of a mega bonus Bogo (remember all of those? 
)
The fine print on the back of my card did say I would not get points. Have not purchased a gift card since. Haha
)The fine print on the back of my card did say I would not get points. Have not purchased a gift card since. Haha
May 3, 2016 | 7:44 am
#6
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Join Date: Jul 2002
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I had a Marriott gift card that DID effect points earning and elite-qualifying nights a few years ago. It screwed me out of a mega bonus Bogo (remember all of those? )
The fine print on the back of my card did say I would not get points. Have not purchased a gift card since. Haha
)The fine print on the back of my card did say I would not get points. Have not purchased a gift card since. Haha
I was able to get it fixed after the fact (and points/nights added), but it took some phone calls with me learning a bit of a lesson about Marriott's systems.
I *think* these days they just swipe them as a credit card. But it's been a couple of years since I've used one.