I do believe when bonus bucks first started coming out they were also good on 1 night stays. I vaguely remember using them too. However, the change to 2 night stays happened a while ago... so they are definitely not as valuable and I consider their value accordingly to not be the full value of the bonus bucks but somewhere around 60-70% of the value due to the restriction.

The website does seem pretty clear to me when you book a Bonus Buck rate -- you click the T&C and it says 'Cert is good for a future 2 night stay'.

I didn't go to the website to use it, I got a very short email that I quoted above telling me I could get a $99 rate in Houston and get a $100 BB to use on my next stay. I read the entire email. Short and sweet. No rules and regs in the email about the restrictions on the BB. When I reserved the Houston hotel, there was no verbage about the BB. I guess you had to know before hand that the email was incomplete regarding the BB rules. The only reason I booked at this hotel was because I was promised the $100 BB (and no, I hadn't used one for at least 2.5 years). To me, bait and switch. But don't worry FT friends, I will not make this mistake again. Especially at this crappy Marriott in Houston. :)

And the BB I used 2 years ago did not have printed in red glitter "Only good on a 2 night paid stay".

Like I said earlier in this thread, if the e-mail read without qualifiers -- as it apparently did -- then Marriott should not be sending out such e-mails to newbies.

However, Traveller, you are not a newbie -- in fact, you list yourself as a MRWDS Gold member -- so I just find it somewhat inconceivable that a MRWDS Elite member could not know that in the past 3 years at the very least, that you were not required to make a 2 night stay. It is hard to see how you could make such a mistake, but apparently, you did.

Moreover, I don't understand how you could be a Marriott Gold member and not have used these sorts of certificates only once in the last year and a half, or received one of these in that same time-frame, or persued a set of rate offerings and not have noticed that a 2 night stay was required to use a Bonus Buck! :confused:

Anyway, they are valuable, and yours is likely good for some time now, so you should not shred it or throw it away, but use it as you are a Gold member!

Furthermore, try to really use it to the best advantage by booking a 3 day weekend with the bonus buck and an EEO B1G1 Free cert and get a free night and $100 off the remaining 2 nights when using both in tandem with one another. :)

Perhaps not, but it certainly was printed in BLACK AND WHITE that you could not use it unless you made a 2 night stay. And, that is all that is required for most people. :rolleyes:

This is only the second BB I have ever gotten, I don't worry/play/work the hotel points/promos like I do the airline ones. And I mostly stay in Hilton properties anyway. This BB is good until March 2008, not what I'd call a long time. I'm done arguing. I don't like the terms of the BB that I wasn't informed of, and that's okay.... I'll just stay at Hampton. No worries. :) Gotta go get a flight..... Later. :cool:

Given all that, I am still amazed that you managed somehow to make Gold status at Marriott.



On the contrary, that is quite a long time for a bonus buck.

Keep it. You never know -- shudder the thought -- when you might be required to stay at a Marriott before then. ;)

I couldn't agree more and it was also the first time I met her as well.

The OP might have been a bit harsh but, at least partially in her defense, I too have never seen or used a Marriott Bonus Buck.

And this from a lifetime Marriott Platinum who has well over 2000 Marriott room nights since the mid-80's. I wouldn't have the slightest clue how they worked if I didn't lurk around this forum on occasion.

So I agree she should have researched their usability and read the fine print before trying to use one.

But let's cut her a little slack as not everyone who comes into possession of a Bonus Buck is as expert on the rules and regs as are the regulars in this forum.

As another person who has never used a BB before (but I'm a basic member - will reach silver for the first time this year), can I ask, when do you actually get the certificate? Is it mailed to you? Do you get it at check-in? At check-out? When you use it, do you note that you will be using it when you make a booking?

Frontenac,

there is a humongous thread on BB dating from 2004 that you can find by doing a search that will answer all of those questions, and then some!! -- sorry, just don't know the URL right now.

In answer to your question, however, some members ask for it at check-in.

I thought this was not permissible as you had technically not paid for the room yet and completed your stay so in my view are not entitled to it, others disagree.

I felt that since they mention your using it on your next stay, then by implication, you could not use it on your present stay, which you could do, if you were actually given it upon check-in.

It depends upon your specific needs and what the hotel decides to do with respect to your request.

As for me, I usually have one with me when I check in, so it is immaterial to me using it on a 2 night or 3 night stay, as I am only limited to one, in any event!

Cholula --

Never would have guessed that it was possible to not use them, but then Marriott should have better stats for this.

In that case, as I noted above, Marriott should not be sending out these e-mails in bare-bones format.

Guess it is my innate skepticism that when a deal sounds too good to be true, I make it my business to see if there is a catch.

If I can't find one, or need advice, well then, this is the place to go for same! ^

I didn't even think much about these BB since this is the 2nd time I've ever been offered one. In 2005 and 2006 I was Hilton Diamond and Marriott Plat. 2007 I stayed Diamond and fell to Marriott Gold. I thought the email promo was to try to entice me back to Diamond, I didn't think it was an offer that "was too good to be true".
Oh well, I live and learned. Done with the subject. Since I rarely stay at FS Marriotts, I'll give the coupon away at some point. :) Or use it IF there is an ELP III Do that is centered at the ELP (cough) Marriott. :)

What I am amazed at is that you'd ever want to stay at ANY hotel in Houston? They are all crap holes. I can't believe that you're making such a big deal of this, man. I agree that maybe you were mislead, but I also believe that asking questions is the key as well as sometimes mistakes are made and that doesn't change the fact that Marriott has policies.

Sue them in small claims.

Since there is no mention of terms of usage (or a link to terms) in email offer and there are bonus bucks good for both one and two night stay minimums, you are sure to win.^

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Ok...The whole point of a bonus buck is a two night stay, where has anyone seen one for a single night stay? I would assume those were Marriott Cheques (a horse of a different color).