For 135,000 points, can purchase a $1,000 reward check (Code E195). This seems like a good deal since $100 checks cost 25,000 points.

Basically I intend to use the check to pay for room nights. At the hotel I usually stay (category 5) one night costs 25,000 points and I can get the room at corporate rate of about US$ 110.00

Is there a better deal???

Can I use the corporate rate and pay the bill with the Marriott Check? Opinions?

Check the fine print. Some gift checks at Marriott offer NO CHANGE, NO REMAINING BALANCE. This may have changed, but last time I checked, you still had to use all of it in one stay.

It has not changed.It is a pretty good deal IF you are planning on a stay where your folio will exceed $1,000 since you can put the rest on a Visa and have the stay count towards Mega bonus.And you will get MR points for the folio charges also.

I used my points for the $1000 gift check earlier this year. Basically, you get 20 - $50 gift checks, so you don't need to use the full $1000 in one shot. Also, as has been pointed out in other threads, you earn points back on the charges you pay for using the gift checks since they are processed as cash, making the net outlay of points less than 135,000 depending (how much depends on taxes and other fees that do not earn points).

I should have also pointed out that you should be good using them on a corp rate. I used some of mine at a CY on a corp rate and didn't have any issues. They cannot, however, be used for room rates that are an advanced purchase rate where you are charged the full amount of your stay at booking rather than paying at the end of your stay at the hotel.

Per the T&Cs from Marriott's website:

"Marriott Cheques may be used for all publicly listed and available room rates and packages, but cannot be used for convention, travel industry, tour, advance purchase, catering, or group room rates."

So I guess it depends on how Marriott looks at corporate rates as to whether they should normally except them. Given that MDXman was successful in using them on a corporate rate, I guess Marriott considers those to be "public" rates.

The other question of whether this is the "best" use of points is really a personal one. It depends on how you would have spent your money or points if you wouldn't have used them on these rewards checks.

If you have tons of points and you would have put down $1000 toward a stay for spas and other "extras", and by saving that $1000, you can now do something, buy something, or go somewhere, you wouldn't have been able to otherwise, then this may be a great use of your points.

But in terms of calculating the pure value of your use of points though, you would get more "worth" by saving your points and purchasing a travel package that included airline miles. That would allow you to take a vacation possibly worth $3-5K or possibly more even. So if you use your points to purchase $1K in checks, but then turn around and spend 4K on a family vacation that could have been "free" using points, then maybe you aren't using your points in the "best" way possible.

So again, the real answer is what value to you feel you received from your use of points? No matter what persons here or anywhere else say, if you can enjoy your use of points and come away with a smile on your face, then it was probably a good use of points.

This actually sounds like a great deal - wish I had paid attention to this in the past.

Now I am paying attention. Having stayed in a villa (actually two nights left in current stay) with family - I find it somewhat difficult to go back to just a room for vacation. I have an award stay (standard room) booked in Hawaii and am considering cashing in 270k in points to get the $2,000.00 to use towards a one 1 bedroom villa starting July 3rd ($2,800 for 7 nights).

Having a hard time deciding if getting the villa and using the E195 award is really a good use of points. The out of pocket cost would be about the same but the benefits of a villa (758sf vs 425sf)

Now only if I can get one of those anniv double points promo

I took $2,000 worth of MR cheques with me to Hawaii for my honeymoon last month. Had no problem using them. You do have to present them at checkin where they process them and issue a credit towards your bill. I just made sure that I didn't give them more than I would be able to use.

I used them because I wanted to still get the nights credit towards status and points, too. I also booked villas which I couldn't have gotten with points. So I wound up getting some very nice rooms for a very small amount of cash.

I did get all my points and nights credit just as if I had paid for the room with cash. I also received credit for the Megabonus promotion.

Just be careful traveling with these. I wrote my name on each check before leaving town and kept them in the safe. They are non-refundable and non-replaceable.

[QUOTE=GeorgeBurdell;7551113]I took $2,000 worth of MR cheques with me to Hawaii for my honeymoon last month. Had no problem using them. You do have to present them at checkin where they process them and issue a credit towards your bill. I just made sure that I didn't give them more than I would be able to use.
QUOTE]

George, I agree with everything else you said but I disagree with your statement to hand the cheques in at check-in. My approach is to drop some off during my stay after I have spent the money as needed. It is safer to hand them all in at check-in if you are sure you will use them since they are treated as cash but you never know what may come up. I prefer to keep them in my room in a safe deposit box until needed.

wow.. I wish I knew about this one. I stayed at the Marco Island Marriott last year... we waited too late to use points and we had already booked flights. I had to pay the max rate.. since it was sold out... could have used this. I will keep this in mind next time..

Wouldn't you be better off redeeming a 7-night 1-bedroom villa award, even if you have to redeem a Stay Anytime award? I forget the exact points...something like 125k for a 1-bedroom, plus another 62.5k if you have to go the Stay Anytime route.

My take is that the 7-night Travel Package with 120k AA miles is the best value in the system. On that award, I figure I'm getting around 1.25 cents per Marriott point using somewhat conservative valuations. Maybe up in the 1.75 cent range if I play a Cat 7 award very well.

But..."cash-out" type awards always have a lower value-per-point associated with them, and compared to what some other programs do to you, the $1000 Marriott award is not bad. If I were a road warrior with millions of points in the bank, this is probably how I'd burn them off. I would imagine that the acceptance on various rates might vary by state/country as some locales have pretty strict rules regarding what a merchant can do with gift cards and certificates. (In other words, some states may require that the merchant accept the card on any business done with it - and not limit the card/certificate to "full price" merchandise.)

Its not available - even as an anytime.

Aaahhh....I see...another property where Anytime isn't really Anytime. Good thing Marriott is bumping up the cost of Stay Anytime, because it's such a useful award.

In some fairness here, I do believe the Anytime awards have always been just for a base level room, not suite rooms nor for use at MVCI properties either.