A stay is defined as consecutive nights spent at the same hotel, regardless of check-in/check-out activity. So, you're stay of 16 nights in Shanghai would count as one stay.

Best regards,

Drew

I usually guarantee my upcoming reservations using my Mastercard (as stored in my profile). However during Megabonus season i check-in using my Visa and also settle the account with it when checking-out. Unfortunately this time i am not getting VISA nights credited towards the Megabonus doing that. I did however get credit when i guaranted one of my reservations directly to my VISA instead of the MC. Just wondering if anyone made the same experience ?

Starbucks -

Mr. Sophie had exactly the opposite experience -

all of our res are always guaranteed and paid via VISA. on a recent stay, he did this - but also applied a BB - which meant that his final bill was about $80 for 2 nights at an FS which was still billed to VISA.

It was NOT credited as a VISA stay, and did not originally register as such. Marriott corrected it....but we could prove that the bill was paid with VISA.

Sounds like you are getting lucky ^.....

I had problems getting Visa-nights credited as well. Stayed at a FS property shortly after the start of the Mega-Bonus promotion and paid with a Visa-Card (showing so on my invoice) which appeared flawlessly on my statement three days later, however the night was not credited to my promotion progress. Any idea how to get this corrected from Germany?

Greetings - Dirk

I just called the local Elite Service Line (069/...) and they were not only able to identify the missing stays but promised to correct it manually. ^

No, a stay is a check-in/out event. And if you try checking into and out of the hotel on consecutive nights it shouldn't count (though it might!). As such your 16 night stay in Shanghai would be one stay.

If you are very dedicated to collecting your bonus points, and willing to be inconvenienced, you could theoretically rotate within Marriott hotels in the city. So I notice that Marriott has 8 hotels in Shanghai, if you chose two (or more) hotels that are nearby and rotated between them you would get your megabonus (and the inconvenience of so many check-in/outs) - if you did this every single day you would get 16 stays.

Anyone get their 50k bonus yet?

reward stays
 

what if you are on a reward stay, check in with a visa for incidentals? count?

You should get points for the incidentals, but you won't get stay/night credits.

ONLY to FS, CY or similar no points for incidentals. No stay or night count either.

Trouble Changing Bonus?
 

Have any fellow Platinum members run into any trouble changing their bonus? I got the 5K after every third stay for up to 25K and wanted to change to the 50K after 25 nights bonus. A few times in the past, I have simply e-mailed the elite e-mail address and they have agreed to change the bonus without any problems. I e-mailed this morning and received a reply that I was specifically targeted for the 5K/3 stays promotion and that Marriott would not change it. I wrote back that I thought that the promotion could be changed based on my Platinum status – I then received a reply in which the representative stated that she noted that several MegaBonus exceptions had been made for me before, and that Marriott would be unable to offer me any more. This is probably the 4th or 5th time I’ve asked over the past couple of years, but still – never heard a word of complaint or resistance before. Anyone else in the same boat?

I have always gotten the largest available bonus as a platinum member. If I were in your shoes, I probably would have called asking for a change. When you email, you leave a written record, which could make it harder to get another opinion. You should ask Marriott Concierge to help you change your offer.

Don't give up on this issue. There is a thread somewhere where the Marriott Concierge states that Plats can have their choice of bonuses within a promo. Call back and act like you haven't spoken to anyone and nicely state that you'd like to select the 50k option. I believe that they usually calculate the new point total after the end of the promo or so I was told. In the past, my corrected totals have always posted then, if not earlier. Also, if the rep. agrees to make the change, politely insist that the rep. email you stating just that. For this promo, the rep. did not want to send me email confirmation but I was insistent and reminded him that I have always received email confirmation of a change like this. Good luck.

Here's what Marriott Concierge is doing for me
 

For the first time since making plat. I didn't receive the highest bonus and MR wouldn't change it for me. Told Marriott Concierge and here's his response:

"As you are a valued Platinum Elite member, I have made a note on your account for the requested Fall Mega Bonus offer. I will watch your account throughout the earning period and post any additional points at the end of the promotion. You must stay 25 nights between September 15, 2008 and January 15, 2009 to receive the 50,000 points."

That's nice and very appropriate. After all, if I remember correctly, Visa actually pays for these points and not Marriott itself. There is no reason why Marriott should not take care of you. Having said that, it is refreshing that the right thing was done.