PHL

Prior to the merger, it was SPG policy to not honor any benefits to elites when staying at a property on a discounted rate like Priceline, Expedia, Hotels.com, etc. rates. But Marriott did continue to recognize elite benefits on such rates.

Has this changed? I don't see anything in the T&C that explicitly denies perks based on rate. But I may not have read it too closely.

I ask because there is an SPG property I had stayed at a few times(pre merger) and initially they were offering me benefits but then stopped, citing the Starwood policy.

If the new and improved MR program hasn't changed in this regard, is it conceivable that I go back to that SPG property and should expect benefits to be offered (platinum breakfast, late check out, etc.)?

3Cforme

It's directly and amply covered in the T&Cs. https://www.marriott.com/loyalty/terms/default.mi#elite

'2.1.f Non-Qualifying Rates. A “Non-Qualifying Rate” is a rate a Member pays for a Stay in a guest room at a Participating Property which does not qualify to earn Points or Miles, as well as membership tier benefits. Non-Qualifying Rates are those booked using the following methods:

i. The guest room was booked through a tour operator, online travel channel or other third-party channel including, without limitation, expedia.com, hotwire.com, priceline.com, orbitz.com, booking.com, travelocity.com; '

4.1.c. Benefits of Elite membership apply to stays on Qualifying Rates (as described in Section 2.1.e.) and are reserved for Members only and apply solely to the one guest room in which the Elite Member stays.

Orange County Commuter

Thanks! I was just looking at a travel package to Paris later this month. If I had benefits I was going to do the Marriott, but now... I have a feeling I will go with another option.

dnkywhisperer

I'm looking at Sheraton lake Buena vista resort. I can use 6,000 Chase Ultimate reward points per night or pay $90 through their portal, I will have to pay the resort fee directly to the hotel. Marriott website has a price of about $150. In the past because of elite status I would receive 50% off the parking and resort fee, saving about $20 a night. If I don't get the 50% off resort fee and parking still come out ahead booking through Chase portal. I an trying to talk myself into booking through Marriott, thinking it is worth the 6 nights credit I will get. I feel sad that I have lost faith in Marriott that I don't really value the elite benefits, at least not the "Ultimate Reservation Guarantee" that I found to be a sham.

Would you spend the extra $30 a night (six nights) just to receive credit for the stay?

SkiAdcock

Yes, because you also get free wifi, PAG, etc, which you don't get through a portal. I don't need night credit, but I'm staying at a MAR property tomorrow where it was a toss-up btwn booking directly & the other. Price wasn't that huge (maybe $30 dif), but I get free breakfast, free enhanced wifi, late check out, upgrade, etc, & I earn points. No brainer for me. Realize you're at a resort so it's diff, but sit down & do the math beyond price to figure out if it makes sense for you.

Cheers.

MePlatPremier

zack14

Marriott still provides elite benefits on 3rd party bookings.

MePlatPremier

BLG

All the above plus one other consideration -- My experience is that it's much easier to deal directly with Marriott (and other hotels and airlines) for changes and/or cancellations. My son just ran into exactly this problem when trying to make some changes he should have been able to make easily but not with a third party reseller as opposed to dealing directly with the hotels and airlines. I can't quantify this but experience has convinced me that it's worth it to me to deal directly.

SkiAdcock

Agree. I've been at front desk checking in when I've heard another Priceline/Expedia guest want to make changes & the property can't do it/has to redirect them to PL/Expedia. Like you, I think it's easier for the property if the guest has booked directly through MAR, because they can change dates, cancel w/o penalty (if they choose), adjust rate, etc.

Cheers.

barracuda93

How does an extra booking with Marriott through Expedia nullify 50+ nights per year booked directly with Marriott?

Kacee

Nope.
Yep, expressly excluded in the T&C.
Per the T&C, that's how.

barracuda93

I was not arguing about the new T&C. Please look at the post which I have replied to. There is a logic to offer benefits regardless of booking way:

– status still has to be earned, and especially in Marriott it means huge spending; so the argument "oh where is loyalty here" is not legit;
– number of bookings via OTA done by elite members is supposedly very small anyway, since as long as BRG is in place, there are very few cases where booking via OTA would still make sense (even with all status benefits given, one is foregoing points on spending and night credit): perhaps occasional promos from Kaligo etc or redeeming account credit like Orbucks; consequently, it doesn't cost much for Marriott.

That's what I wanted to say. Of course it's up to Marriott to decide. And then up to us whether to stay with Marriott.

By the way, IHG Ambassador provides full status benefits on any paid stays. So there is a positive example.

Kacee

And they already have. You think they "should" provide benefits on any booking. They think you should book through a Marriott channel because they make more money that way. Guess who wins?

barracuda93

For the time-being. It may (or may not) change any moment.

I did not say they should provide elite benefits on any booking. But it makes sense to provide, which was done in legacy Marriott program.

As for "winning", depends on definition. It's their program so they can make anything with it. But it doesn't mean any step they take will be a win in terms of profit (and bad publicity may affect profits as well).

I can only say for myself: no benefits on OTA booking means that in a rare case when I have to make a booking via OTA in a Marriott price-range, I will not book a Marriott anymore. Normally I will book directly anyway, and giving elite benefits on OTA bookings won't change that. Why would I forego points on spending even if lounge access and upgrade are honored? For any significant rate differences there is BRG. So Marriott wins nothing here. It loses, though just a few bookings a year.