Marriott Rewards – Redeem 3 nights for Price of 2 Resorts Promotion

Hooray for Marriott Rewards. 

Just two months after increasing the rates across the board on virtually all multi-night hotel awards using your points, the marketing team has come up with a multi-night redemption discount – redeem a three night stay at the points level for a two night redemption for select resort properties globally.

The offer: Redeem points for a 3-night stay and only pay points for two nights at participating Category 4, 5, 6, and 7 Marriott properties.  Link to Marriott Rewards offer.

·         3 for 2 Resort Redemption Special at participating Category 4 resorts = 40,000 points

·         3 for 2 Resort Redemption Special at participating Category 5 resorts = 50,000 points

·         3 for 2 Resort Redemption Special at participating Category 6 resorts = 60,000 points

·         3 for 2 Resort Redemption Special at participating Category 7 resorts = 70,000 points

Promotion Dates: March 24 – September 7, 2009

Participating Hotels: This promotion is limited to 55 Resort hotels globally, fewer than 10% of Marriott’s approximately 700 hotels globally in the category 4 to 7 hotel stay redemption range.  

Camelback Inn, JW Marriott Resort, Scottsdale, AZ

Promotion value

Essentially the 3-for-2 resort redemption special is the same discount a member would receive with a PointSavers rate of 33% off the regular per night redemption rate.  At this redemption rate you can stay at these resort hotels over the next six months for less than a 3-night stay would have cost at the regular redemption rate last year, before the Marriott Rewards changes.

Undeniably some resorts are a great value at this redemption price. Others will require a cost comparison since hotel rates have plummeted in many locations by more than 50%.

JW Marriott Ihilani Resort in Hawaii – 3 night award at this category 7 hotel is 70,000 points.

The lowest available rate is $249 per night for a stay May 12-15, 2009.

$750 room rate + tax or 70,000 points? This is a redemption value of a little over 1 cent per point.

How to get Marriott Rewards points if you don’t already have a stash

Marriott Rewards members can purchase up to 50,000 points per year at $12.50 per 1,000 points.  You need to compare the cost of a desired 3-night stay on points with the $625 cost to purchase 50,000 points if you choose this route.

The long duration of this promotion means you can apply for a Marriott Rewards Visa credit card and receive a signing bonus of 20,000 points in time to use for this promotion.

American Express Membership Rewards card members can transfer Membership Rewards points to Hilton HHonors, IHG Priority Club, and Starwood Preferred Guest, but not Marriott Rewards.

Diners Club Rewards 1,250 DC Rewards points = 1,500 Marriott rewards points.  This is a relatively poor exchange rate compared to using Club Rewards for airline miles:

1,000 DC points = 1,000 airline miles for most participating frequent flyer programs.

Is this Marriott promotion a good redemption value?

Certainly Marriott is offering members an olive branch after the outcry over the January 2009 changes to the Rewards free night redemption table changes making almost all hotel awards more costly in points in 2009.

This special redemption opportunity may be the incentive to pull some members into Marriott hotels over the next few months.  There is hope of earning sufficient points with paid hotel stays and promotional bonus points to get a real resort vacation with Marriott in 2009 rather than a staycation with the brother-in-law who has the pool and BBQ set-up in his backyard resort.

I just wish this promotion included more properties within the Marriott family of hotels.