It looks like you're talking about the Courtyard downtown. When you look at the rate, it notes that it's a special event (I'm assuming a UT home game). I believe that the rules are different for special events. Per Marriott FAQ on No Blackout policy:

I see a hotel is offering rooms available for cash, but I am not able to redeem points. Why?

Every participating hotel makes standard rooms available for redemption every day. There may be times when a room is available for cash sale but not for point redemption, including:

1. No Blackout Dates only applies to standard rooms. The hotel may have sold out of standard rooms for both cash and point redemption. The rooms available for cash sale may be upgraded rooms.
2. The date is an approved Inventory Control Date. On a limited number of nights, hotels may limit the number of rooms available for redemption. You may be trying to redeem on one of these nights and the hotel has already reached its maximum number of redemptions.


I think special events are "Approved Inventory Control Dates."

you are correct tvetter. UT home game against Colorado. Just like the last 4 yrs, they hold back rooms and within a week you see inventory start to come open. I will book a backup at the hilton for 200 a night.

MNAudis4

They are not....hotels are only allowed a set defined number of inventory control dates and each must be submitted for approval...but that doesn't mean a hotel hasn't submitted a special event date to become a control date

Socrates, thanks for the correction/clarification.

Seriously, the whole 'issued statement' is a joke. The statement reads 'No Blackout Dates'. They could of just said, 'reduced number of blackout dates' but no, they stated 'No Blackout Dates' so reading this as the idiot that I am, it says 'No Blackout Dates'.

The marketing people really do a good job of selling something that doesn't really exist. It's like driving by the store and it says with a giant banner "Two for One Sale", then comes the store fine print and the register.

I am working in Northern Kentucky and was asked by my client to stay over Labor Day weekend. They just asked me to stay last week (a week prior to the holiday). I normally stay at the Springhill Suites near CVG. My client told me that I should try to go to the Riverfest Fireworks on Sunday night. They told me it was "way too late to get a hotel near the river". I checked into staying at the RiverCenter Marriott just for Sunday nite. To my amazement, not only were paid rooms available, but awards were also available. I called the Plat Prem desk and not only got an award room, but the hotel confirmed a riverfront view!!! I was reading prior posts on here regarding that and people have had trouble getting awards much earlier than this at that hotel.

I feel lucky!!!

I hear that these fireworks are amazing...

Could someone please check out the Residence Inn, in North Conway, NH for 3/11-14 or 3/12-14. I might be doing something wrong, but it looks like there should be an award room available.

Call Marriott Rewards and see what they can do for you. Yes there should be award availability per the new program info: http://www.marriott.com/rewards/lra-faq.mi

If you do not have success there, then contact Marriott Concierge.

in this specific case my recommendation is to contact the Marriott Concierge here or contact the Marriott Rewards desk for further details....(just to be clear because I dont want anyone to read into what I'm saying or am not saying...the hotel is doing nothing wrong and I'm not trying to inferring that they are...if you are unable to find inventory and you believe you should see inventory then contact either of them for assistance)

I've been trying to book using points at the Rome Marriott Grand Flora with no luck. I finally contacted Marriott and got this response.

Thank you for contacting Marriott. We appreciate the opportunity to
provide you with information and value your loyalty as a Marriott
Rewards member. Please accept our apology for the inconvenience you
experienced when attempting to redeem your Marriott Rewards points. The
Rome Marriott Grand Hotel Flora is one of five Marriott hotels that do
not participate or do not fully participate in "No Blackout Dates" at
this time. The information can be found at the following link:

http://www.marriott.com/rewards/terms/usetrms.mi#hotel

The entire list of hotels is included below:

- Rome Marriott Grand Hotel Flora, Rome, Italy
- Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
- Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, Hawaii
- Camelback Inn, A JW Marriott Resort and Spa, Scottsdale, AZ
- JW Marriott Capri Tiberio Palace Resort & Spa, Capri, Italy

Interesting... The link only has 4 hotels. The JW Marriott Capri Tiberio Palace Resort & Spa, Capri, Italy is not listed on the web site.

No longer flies the Marriott flag.