Call me crazy but why don't you turn over your BB/PP and read what the T's & Cs say. Mine say "publicly available rate," which clearly means no govt. rate.

That said, I've used them on non-publicly available rates many times. It's always up to hotel and one should always cordially accept a "no" if usage is declined.

Unless the BB is specifically limited to use at a J.W. (unlikely), it can be used almost any Marriott or Ren. Check its Ts and Cs.

I've used them on AAA rates with no problem. As previous poster said, it's really up to the hotel. They're well within their rights to reject them for government rates since these are not "publicly available rates."

Like the poster above I have used them many times on rates that are not publicly available. The hotels, however, have every right to decline taking them on such rates.

You may want to try but don't get upset if they decline.

Certainly the hotel has a right to refuse to accept Bonus Bucks on a GOV rate. But I wonder about the truth of the desk clerk's statements regarding reimbursement. Does anyone know if the hotel really takes a risk that the fulfillment company won't pay? Does the hotel really have to submit the folio? Somehow I find that hard to believe.

Bruce

The fulfillment company is part of the Marriott Group and thus I don't really believe that they would take a risk of not getting paid.

IMHO the question is what percentage of the face value the property gets reimbursed.

Long ago, a hotel told me that they get 85% of face amount on Marriott certificates. I assume that was correct then, but I have no idea if it's still correct. Seems reasonable.

Bruce

all the time, hotel will get 80% of the face value
 

all this time, the hotel will get 80% of the face value of BBs and PPs, since most marriotts (specially resort locations) already offer some travel agents, tours group or some other contracts with a rate of between 70-90% of their lowest publicly rate, they prefer not let them use those BBs and PPs., that is why those BBs and PPs are printed with such T&Cs, actually many hotels don't care about it because they don't have such big groups of visitors like resort location.

Very insightful post. Explains why hotels are so reticent about converting PPs at the bank rate rather than the cash-buy rate. I'll cut them some slack from now on.

Yes someone does know :)
In the "good ole days" a folio had to be submitted with most certificates...today almost everything is electronic

To answer your first question the rules are to protect the hotels...NOT to limit the amount payed out...reimbursement is usually never 100% (I can't think of any that are 100% but could be forgetting some) so to keep the hotel from giving very cheap rooms out (rates which are already discounted and then discounted again because of the less than 100% reimbursement)....but if a hotel agrees to accept a certificate they will be reimbursed (I have called MR numerous times over the years and told them I agreed to accept a certificate for a stay which does not meet the terms & conditions...this call does not need to occur but I was telling them to go ahead and issue a lower certificate, in these occasions we did eat the loss in revenue but it was the correct thing to do for the guest with the issue)

It varies by type of cert but for the most part it's still correct

Actually had booked at a Marriot in Thailand and planned to use 100 pounds coupon. Because of their REALLY lousy exhange rate the coupon that should have been worth about US $170 would have saved me about $25 compared to the rate I could book (that wasn't allowed on the coupon) and paid using baht (at an exchange rate that where I didn't lose 15%)- so I cancelled the reservation :(

Premium Pounds w/ Entertainment Rate?
 

Has anyone ever tried to use a Premium Pounds Certificate with the Entertainment Rate? Is it possible? We are going to Florida and were wondering if this works or not?

Welcome to FT!

You might want to do a search on FT as Bonus Bucks has been covered many times over.

I personally have used Premium Pounds BB on Corporate Rates and Marriott E Break Rates. Now maybe I have just been lucky and it really depends who you are dealing with at the hotel. At the end of the day, the hotel gets it money/credit from Marriott so most front desk staff don't care.

Just call reservations and have them add a comment that you will be using Bonus Bucks. That usually helps when dealing with front desk if they mention anything at all. Good Luck :cool:

I've had no problems using PP in the US48.

I had to slug it out with management at the Renaissance HNL 12/06 before they caved.

YMMV.