Marriott Rewards will continue its elite rollover nights promotion for the fourth year since the recession of 2009. This means nights earned in 2012 for elite qualification over the number needed for Marriott Rewards Silver (10), Gold (50) or Platinum (75) elite membership will carry over to 2013.

Rollover nights from 2011 will post to Marriott Rewards accounts sometime in January 2012 according to Marriott Concierge. Rollover nights from 2011 expire in 2012 and do not carry over to 2013 calendar year.

Rollover Nights Example:

2011 Silver Elite member with 33 nights at end-of year.

The 33 nights in 2011 included 15 nights from rollover of 2010 nights.

The 15 rollover nights from 2010 are subtracted from the 2011 total nights (33) when calculating rollover nights into 2012.

This Marriott Rewards elite member starts 2012 with 8 rollover nights (33 – 15 = 18 nights) which are the nights the member earned in 2011 in excess of Silver elite qualification (18 – 10 nights silver elite = 8 rollover nights).

The 8 rollover nights from 2011 will be subtracted from the 2012 nights total when calculating rollover nights for 2013.

Confused?

Marriott Rewards has an FAQ page explaining Elite Rollover promotion, but the page has not been updated yet for 2012.

This FlyerTalk thread discusses elite rollover night extension for 2012.

Marriott Rewards maintains elite rollover nights is a promotional offer even though this is the fourth year of the promotion. It wasn’t until this past week that word first spread that elite rollover nights will continue for the 2012 calendar year.

Club Carlson hotel loyalty program was overhauled in March 2011 and made elite rollover nights a standard program benefit for all elite members. No other hotel loyalty programs offer members elite rollover nights.

Another piece of Marriott Rewards news is a reversal on the decision to discontinue $1,000 Marriott Gift Cheques December 31, 2011 as reported in this Loyalty Traveler thread from December 29, 2011. Marriott Rewards changed their minds and these Gift Cheques will continue for 2012 as reported on FlyerTalk by Marriott Concierge on Dec 30, 2011.

R.I.P 2012 Hilton HHonors Point Stretcher Rewards.  The Point Stretcher 40% discount on standard rewards for HHonors room nights appears to have been officially discontinued although there is no published word on that fact from Hilton HHonors. The link for HHonors Point Stretcher Rewards simply states:

“The are currently no Point Stretcher Reward options available. “ 

HHonors even looks like they outsourced the grammar for the webpage announcement.

The Point Stretcher thread on FlyerTalk had some discussion the past week on the lack of any hotel list update. Long-time FlyerTalk member Kempis reports this response from the HHonors Diamond agent:

With the recent launch of Points & Money Rewards the Point Stretcher rewards have been discontinued. Our new Points & Money Rewards option lets you get away faster than ever using fewer HHonors points.

Points & Money might actually be a more favorable reward opportunity as long as the Points & Money Rewards are expanded throughout the system. Point Stretcher Rewards were so restricted by date in most properties offering these rewards that their usefulness was limited.

Some of my best Hilton stays were on Point Stretcher Rewards in places like Rotterdam, Singapore and Budapest.

RIP HHonors Point Stretcher. I enjoyed using you.

Related Loyalty Traveler post: Hilton HHonors Points & Money Rewards Analysis (October 3, 2011)

Carlson Wagonlit Travel customers can register to earn a fast-track to Hilton HHonors Gold elite membership after four stays within 90 days of promotion registration. HHonors Gold normally requires 16 stays or 36 nights in a calendar year. This offer is exclusively for Carlson Wagonlit Travel customers, but I am posting this fast-track HHonors Gold offer since there are millions of you out there across the globe who book travel with CWT.

Register by phone with Hilton Reservations and Customer Care by requesting Promotion Code ‘CFTE’.

Online registration is here.

HHonors member must complete the four qualifying stays within 90 days of enrollment to earn HHonors Gold membership. Elite membership status will be valid for the year earned and the subsequent year.

Loyalty Traveler analysis:

This is an offer targeted exclusively to Carlson Wagonlit Travel customers. The wording of this offer states member will have Gold elite after four stays within 90 days of promotion enrollment and maintain that status for the calendar year Gold elite is earned and the following year. This means you can earn Gold elite after four stays in early 2012 and maintain that status for two years through end of March 2014.

HHonors Gold Member Benefits

Benefits include:

• Complimentary breakfast at all brands except Waldorf-Astoria. Hilton’s breakfast benefit unmatched by any other mid-tier level except Marriott Rewards Gold (50 nights) and that benefit does not apply to 800 hotels in Courtyard by Marriott brand or at Marriott resorts.
• Room upgrades (as available) and when given Executive Floor room upgrade, lounge access included.
• Free in-room internet.
• 25% bonus on all HHonors Base Points earned.
• Complimentary access to hotel-owned-and-operated health clubs.
• Access to VIP Elite only rewards like 4 to 14 night reward stay discounts of 15% to 25% off standard free night rate.