That's the key: I don't believe a real currency transaction takes place at the point where I redeem it at Marriott. I suppose that I theoretically could be wrong: maybe Ren Pere Marquette is required to snail-mail the certs back to Marriott's UK subsidiary, then receives a paper bankcheque in GBP a few days later, and then takes it to their local bank to convert to dollars and deposit. I just don't think that's how it happens: I think some internal money is pushed around within Marriott and nobody charges the hotel high-school cash-transaction commissions.

My credit card gets within a percent or two of the Interbank rate. If that's what we were talking about, I probably wouldn't argue. Philosophically I still think this transaction should be processed at the most unbiased exchange rate possible, but if the front desk said "we take 1% juice to process the cert", I'd probably shrug and live with it. In this case, they took a bigger chunk, and they took it a few days after the transaction took place.

That said, Marriott made it right in the end. I just posted the thread to make sure people were aware that a hotel adjusted the exchange rate after the fact and that it might be wise to look for a 2nd charge.

Each cert. says on the back:
Rule 11 PP/ Rule 12 BB: "will be converted into local currency value ät the hotel's current exchange rate." Which is usually lousy because most hotels will take the foreign banknotes to a bank or Bureau de Change to get domestic money & charge a few % to do so :( .

In an ideal world, it would be done Pinniped's way because the hotels must send cert.s to Marriott HQ in Salt Lake City to be re-imbursed--presumably at or close to the Interbank rate! At a hotel without a forex counter (probably in a burg town in the USA,) the manager would probably call HQ and give the guest that rate.

On check-in day, I print the current day's conversion from the Marriott website (and present it with the bonus bucks at check-in) and I haven't had a problem yet. I've only used Premium Pounds certs 5 times though. Today the Marriott site shows 1.76, pretty close to the 1.75 to 1.77 rates I've found elsewhere.

Where? What clicks are necessary on the Website to get the rate?

I would be very surprised if a hotel accepted the WS exchange rate
 

I use these all the time and I have never seen a hotel use the WS rate, they have always used the buy rate when I had them. Sounds like the OP pulled one over on a busy check out clerk and got caught... :p

:rolleyes:

It was at 6AM on a Monday. I was the only one in the lobby. I used the WSJ because it was the only thing handy. I wasn't about to explain the "Internet" to this guy. I'm sure I was looking at a Friday rate even though the currency had been trading for several hours that morning in Europe, so maybe I sneaked in an extra penny on the guy if the dollar was doing well that day. Or...given that I got $1.73, the lowest rate I've seen in a long time, maybe I lost a penny by not getting a fresh forex quote off of my phone or something. ;)

I've used Premium Pounds 4 times this year. We've arrived at the rate different ways on different occasions (sometimes they simly have a printout from a website, sometimes they have a Marriott.com rate, etc.), but nobody has ever implied that I need to pay a retail-cash "buy" rate or otherwise convert the certificate into actual GBP cash currency. The rate that has always been arrived at has been a fair rate within a percent or so of the market rate.

Currency Calculator
 

Choose a hotel in the area you want to know what the conversion rates are on the webpage and input todays date. If a room is available it will bring you to the screen where you can select the room type and rate you want. On the right lower section of the screen is a Currency Calculator link to their tool.

You should have no issues at all using Marriott's own conversion rate!

--DD73

:D Good to know I'm not the only one who does it this way... It seems logical that one should be able to launch the javascript in an easier manner, but I sure as heck can't figure out how!

Official answer to question on Bonus Bucks use
 

I recently sent and received the following email about Bonus Bucks:

QUESTION:
>subject:Bonus Bucks
>comments: I have received a $100 Bonus Bucks certificate and am not sure on the
details of its use. I am a government employee and generally book GOV rates
when on business and AAA rates when on vacation. Can this certificate be used
with each of these rates?
>----------- End of Message ----------

ANSWER:
Thank you for contacting Marriott. We appreciate the opportunity to provide you
with information.

Bonus Bucks are issued in denominations of 100 U.S. Dollars, ($)USD, British
Pound Sterling, (£)GBP, or Euros(?) , 50 ($,£,?) and 25($,£,?). Customers with
any of these coupons can take the amount off their total bill at check-out when
they make a two night paid stay on a publicly listed room rate.

100 ($,£,?) coupons valid at: Marriott Hotels and Resorts(MHR), Renaissance, and
JW locations worldwide.
$50 ($,£,?) coupons valid at: MHR, Renaissance, JW, Courtyard, Fairfield Inn,
Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites, and TownePlace Suites locations worldwide.
$25 ($,£,?) coupons valid at: MHR, Renaissance, JW, Courtyard, Fairfield Inn,
Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites, and TownePlace Suites locations worldwide.

Booking procedures:

Book a two night stay at any rate or combination of publicly listed room rates.
They can be used with publicly listed packages or discount rates.

Not valid with qualified rates such as: Marriott associate rates (business or
pleasure), AAA, Marriott Senior Discount, Government, Friends & Family rates,
Famtastic rates, VIP Athletic rates, Group or Convention rates, any certificate
stay including gift certificates, Marriott Reward certificates and incentive
award stay certificates.

Bonus Bucks Terms and Conditions:

1. Reservations for Bonus Bucks redemption should be made in advance by calling
1-800-899-7235 or in the U.K. 0800 221222. Customers can not use a Bonus Bucks
coupon on a stay booked on Marriott.com, or any other website including travel
agent bookings. They must call Marriott directly.

2. Must be a registered guest, and a two night paid stay is required. One Bonus
Buck coupon is applicable per two night stay. (It is possible for a customer to
use more than one Bonus Buck coupon per stay if their stay is 4 or more nights.
For example, if a customer is staying 4 nights, they can use 2 Bonus Bucks, 6
nights 3 Bonus Bucks, etc. The customer may use a Bonus Bucks coupon for every
two night element of a stay at a publicly booked room rate.)

3. Credit must be established at check in by presenting a valid form of payment
as well as surrendering the Bonus Bucks coupon.

4. Surrender coupon at check-in. A credit in the amount of the Bonus Bucks
coupon, per two night stay will be applied towards the guest bill at check out.
The bill may consist of room and tax and any additional dining, spa services
and/or gift shop purchases which are charged to the room bill.

5. Bonus Bucks coupons cannot be tendered at concessions such as the gift shop,
restaurants, spa etc. within the hotel. Transactions at concession within the
hotel not owned or operated by the Marriott hotels brands mentioned in item
number one of the terms and conditions are not applicable.

6. The coupon is issued by and is the property of MI Fulfillment Services, LLC.

7. Bonus Bucks coupon may not be acceptable at concessions within the hotel not
owned or operated by Marriott. Please confirm with the hotel prior to making the
purchase.

8. Bonus Bucks coupons are not redeemable for cash or Marriott gift
certificates. No change or credit will be given on any unused portion of the
Bonus Bucks coupon

9. Bonus Bucks are void and will not be honored if sold for cash or other
consideration or auctioned on the Internet.

10. Bonus Bucks coupons may be used for all publicly listed and available room
rates & packages, excluding catering, group, and contract rates. Bonus Bucks
coupons cannot be used in conjunction with any other Marriott certificate stays
or reservations made using a travel agency.

11. Bonus Bucks are not replaceable if lost, stolen, destroyed or expired.
Expiration dates can not be modified or extended.

12. Bonus Bucks are transferable when gifted.

13. Any tax liability, including disclosure, connected with receipt or use of
the Bonus Bucks coupon is the recipient's responsibility.

14. Bonus Bucks coupons are valid through the expiration date printed on the
front of the coupon.

15. Bonus Bucks are accepted at face value in U.S. dollars. Coupons will be
converted into local currency value at the hotels current exchange rate.

16. Participating properties are subject to change.

Special Notes:

Premium Pounds Vouchers, and Extra Euro coupons are valid in the United States.
Bonus Bucks coupons are also valid worldwide. If used at a property that does
not operate in the currency for which the coupon is issued, the property will
convert the amount to their local currency, and reduce the guests bill by that
much at check out.

As of approximately March 31, 2005, Marriott Vacation Club International, or
MVCI, is no longer listed as a participating brand on Bonus Bucks coupons.
100($,£,?) coupons with MVCI listing as a participating brand will be in
circulation through the end of 2005. If a customer has a coupon indicating MVCI
participates, you may advise the customer that they can use it as long as it is
for a rental, and not an MVCI owner stay. The rental guest must also be staying
at least two nights at a publicly listed room rate.

Bonus Bucks coupons can not be used to prepay an advance purchase rate. However,
most advance purchase rate are publicly listed rates which means that the
customer would be able to apply their Bonus Bucks coupon towards their final
bill at check out. This would mean that it would be used for any non-room and
tax incidentals charged to their room bill.

These are Marriott Incentive Awards are not Gift Certificates and can be ordered
by companies but not the general public. Use the number below for customer or
properties who have further inquiries.

General Questions: Call the Gift Certificate Hotline at 1-801-468-4167 (option
2)

You may want to check the back of the Bonus Bucks certificate for further
information.

If we can be of further assistance, we invite you to reply to this email.

Thank you for choosing Marriott.

Regards,
Marriott Internet Customer Care

Thanks for sharing this important information

How can there POSSIBLY be any more information on the back of the certificate?! I've seen less fine print on housing contracts.

Which leads me to wonder: Why doesn't Marriott just issue these things good for $100 off any two-night stay? Eliminate all the restrictions, haggling, and uncertainty. 90% of redemptions would follow exactly the T&C they already require, and allowing the other 10% wouldn't really cost them a thing in the big scheme of things. Hotels would be happier, and clearly so would the guests.

Do you think my corporate rate (i.e. the three letter code I enter when making a reservation onlin) disqualifies my stays from the bonus buck usage?

According to the rules yes, but sometimes hotels would accept it. All you can do is try to give them the certificate and worst they can say is no.

Thanks! I am going to The Lodge at Sonoma this weekend and want to mitigate some of the expense.

Just make sure to give them when you check out and do not mention that they may not be valid. I have used them with elite buy 1 get 1 offers when technically I was not supposed to be able to. Good luck.