Europe Sampler
 

My wife and I are headed to Europe in April and we want to take advantage of the Europe Sampler. On Marriott's Web site it says the award expires on Dec. 31.

Does that mean we have to use the certificates by Dec. 31, or that we have to redeem our points by then?

Thanks in advance for the help.

You can order up to Dec 31 and it will be valid for 12 months from date of issue. Be aware that after Dec 31, this sort of award is being discontinued but if you order one before this date, you will be able to use it at hotels which are being elevated to the new Cat 8, providing you can reserve a Standard Award stay for your dates.

Thank you, Glenn.

I've found standard award availability in Dublin, London and Paris, so I should be set.

It probably would be best to book this without delay.
Awards for next year are going to be scarce as many loyal Marriott(and soon to be ex Marriott customers)are rushing to book awards before the axe falls on Jan.15th 2009 :mad:

I agree 100%

Are these paper certificates? And do they have an expiration date on them?

Glenn....Has this been officially announced? If so I may have overlooked it in all of the other buzz concerning this "enhancement". Bad news for me. (And yet another "exciting improvement", which for me turns out to be anything but!)

Yes, they are paper certificates (3-2-2) and have an expiration date on them. Just used them last month.

Yes, Marriott Concierge has already announced that the European sampler will be discontinued. :mad:

Looking at using cashing in points for the Europe Sampler. Just to confirm, in addition to the 7 night hotel certificate, I will receive 50k in ff miles credited to my airline account of choice (United). Plus a 25% cert off of Hertz rental. More interested in the 50k points going to my United account. How soon do they post to the account?

The Euro Hopper award (EH14) does not work with a travel package. If you book the travel package and receive a 7 night certificate, all 7 nights must be consecutive at the same property. You can't receive air miles with United with a Euro Hopper award. Also, this award is for elites only. If you don't have elite status, you won't be able to find it online.

If you book a travel package prior to Jan. 15, 2009, the 7 night certificate must be used within one year and can no longer be extended. Some hotel catagories may change in 2009 so make your reservations prior to Jan. 15 if possible.

As noted above, the European Sampler doesn't come with miles.

With the travel packages (nights + miles) the miles usually post within a couple days, in my experience. However, I've had mine deposited to my American AAdvantage account, so it's possible United may be delayed. I have no reason to think so, though.

European Sampler - Marriott Concierge.
 

I agree that the European Sampler is an excellent choice provided that you find availability at some of the most demanded cat.7 hotels. So far, I can't find any at Rome or Capri for my dates.

1. Should I order the Sampler Package anyway assuming that availability will open after Jan.15th?
2. If one of those hotels currently offers Stay Anytime awards, can I book it assuming that such room should be available as Standard Reward after Jan.15th and my certificate will cover it?
3. I also understand that if I return all three certificates I have a full refund of my points, so there is no risk to give this a try, am I right?

Thanks for your prompt response.

While we are waiting for MC to respond, the above quote is of course my interpretation only and you are right to request responses to your questions from the Marriott Concierge. I would think you are 98% correct in your surmisals (there is a chance you won't get what you want next year, but it is suppose to be only a small chance), but we'll see what they say. If my recollection is correct however, the 2 properties you mention will be among a handful that can more significantly restrict availability for a few peak dates (don't have time to find the link to MC's post on this at the moment).

I'm pretty sure Capri, and maybe Rome also are "above the rules" for increasing award availability/no blackout dates.

MC I will appreciate your comments. Thank you.

3 days and still no response from The Marriott Concierge.

I'm in a similar situation to the OP, especially considering the new "downgrade". I have about a million points, so I'd think that I would be able to at least get away for a week to a few hotels next year. Also, being Plat, there is no fee for canceling the cert, right? This wasn't changed with the rest of the rules?

First of all you don't need hotel reservations now in order to cash in a Hotel Sampler award. They are paper certificates.

Secondly, there are 3 hotels exempt from Marriott Rewards award availability requirements including Rome Grand Flora and Capri JW Marriott. You can find more about this on marriott.com at item number 13 under Hotel Rewards at this link: http://www.marriott.com/rewards/terms/usetrms.mi#hotel - they will also be exempt from the new availability requirements.

Does anyone know whether this sampler (3+2+2 nights) has to be used on consecutive nights? Or can you have a 3 night Marriott stay in one place, stay with friends for a couple of nights, have a 2 night Marriott stay, etc.

Sorry if this has been covered before - I couldn't find the info with a search.

It can be used however you want to. The intended purpose was to be able to use it in different European cities.

Agreed. Just think of this as 3 separate awards. I also combined my use with a paid stay at one of the same hotels since the $ cost happened to be low enough a couple of nights that it made sense to use free nights at another property.

Someone pointed out to me this morning that I had overlooked this thread even though it specifically asked for my attention. I apologize, and here is my response:

1. Yes, this is a good plan. All hotels will have more rooms available on the 15th of January for reward redemption. Aaupgrade correctly identified which hotels will be not participating in the new no blackout date policy. Yet even though these are not participating in the new no blackout dates policy, they will open many more rooms for reward redemption than they ever have in the past.
2. You can do this. The key is to make sure you book a standard room. And then give guest services a call as soon the change takes place. Send me a personal message if you run into a problem. If you are planning to stay at one of the hotels mentioned by aaupgrade this may not work.
3. If you return all three portions of the certificate you will get a full refund on you points.

Mr. Concierge, would it behoove those of us hoping to stay in the Capri and Rome Flora Marriotts to call on, or very shortly after, Jan. 15? In other words, are those rooms first come, first served -- and therefore a call on Jan. 15 might be the first to scoop them up?

Many thanks.

Thanks, MC!

Another question. On the Marriott website, depending on how I try to find information, there are two different rewards - European Sampler (14EH) and UK/Ireland Sampler (564). Both cost the same 150,000. I am assuming that it would be better as an Elite to order the European Sampler, as that would also allow stays in UK/Ireland?

thanks again for the reply!

EDIT: Also, how far is Europe? Does Russia count for a European Sampler?

YES

NO. Anyway, you'd better spend those certificates at cat. 7 or 8 hotels while in Russia they are cat. 4 or 5.

Imagine how busy those phone lines will be during that last week?

My husband and I currently have a 7 night stay booked at the Vendome in May. He lost his job in Sept and we might not be able to make the trip until later in the year. If I understand correctly, we won't be able to change the hotel dates on our reservation after Jan 15, so for the sake of flexibility, we're better off cancelling that reservation and requesting a Europe Sampler(?)

I know we may not get the hotel we want, but at least our points won't lose value as long as we use the sampler this year. I hadn't heard of this award before, but know it's an elite award. Am I missing any angle on this?

Availability will be first come first serve, however also keep in mind that sometimes more rooms open later on, either because of cancellations or because the hotel opens more rooms.

Got in under the wire!

Looking forward to some travel in mid-September, and this should help reduce the cash-flow.

I just ordered mine...this taps out my MR rewards account before the gauntlet drops in Jan

Marriott Concierge, et al:

I have had a world of trouble today trying to reserve rooms in Capri and the Rome Grand Flora using my European Hopper certificates. I spoke today with six Marriott representatives for more than an hour, and the most frustrating part was that no one seemed to be able to tell me WHY I can't get into those rooms. I have researched that those hotels are supposedly above the new rules, which is confusing and odd in itself, but all previous information suggested that, at some point, rooms would be open there.

Here's my problem: The certificates say they're good for ANY hotel in Europe. Capri and the Grand Flora are both in Europe. One supervisor I spoke with today said she had no idea why those two (and there's another, I understand, that also doesn't play by the rules) don't have availability. She suggested I try alternate dates.

Well, using the Marriott Web site and using the Rewards search, I input that I wanted one night and searched for the rest of the year. Neither of those hotels have availability for Rewards redemption for even one night ... for the rest of 2009. If you're reserving a room and plan to pay for it, then there's plenty of availability.

In other words: These hotels just don't accommodate Rewards, which to me devalues the European Hopper and further devalues Marriott Rewards.

My question is: Is there any hope of getting into these hotels in May (or ever) or do they simply not accept Rewards -- ever? If that's the case, and you cannot, under any circumstances, get into your preferred hotels using points -- which is the basis for the Rewards system -- then I will do something between ending my 120-night-per-year loyalty to Marriott and speak to an attorney about false marketing. I'm looking at the certificate right now: "Valid for one (1) free guest room for two (2) consecutive nights at any hotel in Europe. Well, that's just not true, is it?

Mr. Concierge, I am very frustrated with the many folks I spoke to today. Each person told me different -- and inaccurate, according to my research -- reasons why I couldn't stay there. (The hotel is small and has no availability; Capri is a JW Marriott resort, which doesn't participate in the Hopper redemption; alternate dates might work, etc.) The supervisor seemed determined to get me in, but then she transferred me to a customer service rep who then couldn't get me in and then wouldn't transfer me back to the supervisor.

Is this just a lost cause? If it were my specific dates, I'd understand. But that those hotels NEVER allow Rewards redemption, to me, is wrong. I have a feeling my long loyalty to Marriott is nearing its final days.

I posted this on another thread but at around midnight Los Angeles time, all dates in June for the Grand Flora in Italy and the JW Marriott Capri were available. It was amazing to see. I was able to reserve 5nts in Flora, 5 nts in Capri and another 2 nts in Flora for which I will apply my European Hoppers. By 7 am when I awoke, all availability for the rest of the year 2009 was gone.

There was availability for both hotels but you had to be on-line and on the phone around 12 am Pacific time.

I assume that one can, if one wishes, use the 3 certs for a 7 day consecutive stay at one hotel?

You assume correctly.

watchout- the room you get in capri is a dud
 

see th other reviews- you ahve been warned:confused:

.....

You should be fine as long as the Euro Hopper certificates' expiration dates shown on the front of the certificates have not lapsed, and you aren't asking to use them for dates that are past the expiration dates printed on the certificates.

It is quite scary about their lack of knowledge. Be persistent and insist on speaking to a supervisor; or hang up and call back.

If you are still unsuccessful, I would suggest you send an email or PM to Marriott Concierge.

I called to make reservations for mine 2 days ago and the representative was talking about what a great deal the Euro and Island hoppers are. I said "yes, it is too bad you guys discontinued them" She was shocked, had no clue that they were no more.

EXACT same thing happened to me at the exact same properties and it was not resolved until I spoke to Mr. Marriott's assistant and wrote two separate letters to Mr. Marriott.