Redeeming Points vs. Paying for Room??
 

I'm currently holding 2 reservations at the Copenhagen Marriott for 2 nights. One is using points for my 2 night stay (46,000 pts.) the other is paying which converts out to $249. USD per night. I need to cancel one. Is there a rule of thumb to know which is the best deal....paying vs. redeeming points? Thank you.

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Hi,

This has been discussed before, but its really basically up to you and how much do you value the points. 46k points vs $500 plus tax/service charge minus the base 5000 points plus elite bonus and Marriott visa bonus plus the stays.
For instance, using cash you would receive 5000 base points plus 1000 elite (if you are just silver) plus 2500 (visa points via marriott premier visa) so you basically get 8500 points for cash plus 2 nights. Is that worth it to you? You have to decide.
I try to get 2-3 cents per point for my stays.

Cheers

Do both !
 

I have a reservation at the same hotel. First day paying the OTP rate (you get a 100€ coupon for a next stay using your VISA) and 2 days with MR points. That's a good compromise decision for a tough call since that's exactly my threshold to use points.

I'm not quite following this. I am a Silver Member of Marriott but not sure if my card is the Premier Visa (doesn't say Premier on it). I rarely use it and got it just to get the initial points for first time usage and the first year is "no fee" . I didn't realize I would get extra points when using it at a Marriott.

I forgot to mention that the special rate of $249. per night does include tax and is only good when 2 consecutive nights are booked. It also includes one dinner for 2 people as well as breakfast both mornings. Redeeming points does not include breakfast or any meals. It is sounding like it may be better to pay and save the points.

I appreciate your time to help me make an important decision. This is new to me which is obvious.

Pay for the stay. It isn't even close once you throw in the meals.

Regular signature Visa scores 3 points per $ at Marriott, the new and much better Premier Visa scores 5 points per $.

To pay with $$ or use Pts
 

This question is the 1 I'm hit with more then any other. Be it for a Hotel stay or Airline tkt.

It's never an easy answer, unless the person has no interest in Elite Status with either. Why cause all too often at least for myself. I prefer to pay to make sure that I will requalify for my Status before using Pts/Miles and find out I need to do either a Mileage Run or a Mattress Run and waste the $$ when I could have gotten the needed credit had I not used the Pts/Miles. (thats except for Hilton where one still gets a Stay credit even on an Award Stay).

However if the Room or Flight will be very expensive and not worth the Credit if I paid then Id go with the Freebe and do a Run that would cost me less $$ later on.

Thank you for your responses. Unfortunately I have no status on any airlines or with any hotel chains so no concerns there.

I usually bank my miles for weekly stays. You tend to get more bang for the buck with multiple night stays. For example, with standard stay you can stay at a Cat. 6 hotel for 30k for one night. You can stay 7 nights for 130k points, a savings of 80k points over the single night "price."

That being said, if you don't travel a lot or have a loyalty card to continue accumulating points, then by all means use the points now. Every few years they tend to recategorize hotels and devalue the worth of points.

well, you must have gotten the points somewhere! :)

But seriously ... if you're going to be doing many hotel stays, it really pays off having status. Try to concentrate on one chain. You've already joined Marriott rewards -- join the rest of them, too. It costs nothing, and if you can't find your preferred chain in a given area, you can dump the points in another chain where you're also a member.

Hello MLM,

Marriott has 2 Visa Cards: the Marriott Visa and the Marriott Premier Visa

With the Marriott Visa, you'd earn 15,000 pts. with your 1st purchase, receive 3 pts. per dollar ($) spent at any Marriott hotel and a 1 pt. per $ spent on all other purchases.

With the Marriott Premier Visa, you'd earn 15,000 pts. with your 1st purchase, receive 5 pts. per dollar ($) spent at any Marriott hotel and a 1 pt. per $ spent on all other purchases. You'd also get 15 free nights credited to your Marriott Rewards (MR) account, golf certifcate, and a free hotel night certificate. You would get the 15 free nights and a free hotel night certificate each year provided that the Premier Visa account is in good standing.

As a Marriott member, you earn points for each stay that you have under the Marriott brand. All the Marriott brands (with the exception of the Residence Inns) will give you 10 base pts. per dollar ($) spent at these hotels, excluding taxes. For example, you pay the room rate of $250 for a 1 night stay. You would earn 2,500 points ($250x 10 points/$). Residence Inn Hotels give you 5pts. per $ spent. You would also earn additional bonus points.

There are 3 main Marriott membership levels:

Silver: requires you stay 10 nights per calendar year at any Marriott and you would earn an additional 20% in bonus points.

Gold: requires you stay 50 nights per calendar year at any Marriott and you would earn an additional 25% in bonus points.

Platinum: requires you stay 75 nights per calendar year at any Marriott and you would earn an additional 30% in bonus points.

As it relates to your choice, if you're willing to pay $249/night for a hotel night, then it would be best to save your points and purchase a room.

Hope this helps.

Any further questions, let us know.

Marcell