For the past week Marriott has returned their popular promotion of buying gift cards at a 20% discount and today is the lady day to take advantage of this offer.
Marriott is selling its $50, $100, $250, $500, and $1,000 USD electronic gift cards at 20% off through May 17, 2020 (in the past gift cards were issued with a bonus but now it’s a straight discount).
You can access Marriott’s page for buying gift cards here.
READ MORE: Marriott Bonvoy Rate & Bonus Points And Miles Promotions
Before considering a purchase please note that you cannot use Marriott gift cards at Bulgari, Design Hotel, Homes & Villas, and Ritz-Carlton Destination Club properties. You can buy up to $5,000 worth of gift cards per person per credit card per day (basically unlimited).
They can be used at the following brands however:
Gift cards still have limitations in terms of the rate and charge process.
Officially you cannot use gift cards for stays that require prepayment. You also cannot use them to guarantee the stay (you can always settle the stay at the time of checking in and then use a credit card for incidentals).
If the credit card entered for the stay guarantee/prepay rate doesn’t go through however usually hotels then process it upon arrival at the property at which point one could use the giftcard again. While hotels have every right to cancel prepaid reservations if the saved card doesn’t work I only had that happen once in the past ten years.
Conclusion
20% are a decent amount of savings however keep in mind that hotel associates very often have no clue how to process them and it will take a long time to get the payment process done. I remember last year when Marriott sent out the $50 cards to members and I tried to use it at the Sheraton Hong Kong, took them forever to apply it.
Depending for what kind of stays you use them it might also look a bit strange if you then add gift cards as form of payment, especially with corporate rates. Of course if you can’t (at least by the book) reserve prepaid stays which could have significant savings and have to book a flex rate instead then you forego the entire 20% or maybe even more in which case buying the cards makes no sense.
Here are the terms and conditions of the offer:
Marriott’s GiftCard promotion is limited to eGiftCards in denominations of $50, $100, $250, $500 and $1,000 (United States Dollars). Offer is valid from May 11 through May 17 while supplies last.
- Marriott GiftCards may be used at Hotels operating under the following Marriott brands and at participating retail, spa, golf and food and beverage outlets:
- AC Hotels by Marriott®, Aloft®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Courtyard®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, EDITION®, Element®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, Four Points® by Sheraton, Gaylord Hotels®, JW Marriott®, Le Méridien®, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Hotels®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Moxy Hotels , Protea Hotels by Marriott®, Renaissance® Hotels, Residence Inn®, Sheraton®, SpringHill Suites®, St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, The Ritz-Carlton, The Ritz-Carlton Reserve® hotels, TownePlace Suites®, Tribute Portfolio™, W®, Westin®
- The following brands in the Marriott portfolio DO NOT accept Marriott GiftCards:
- Bvlgari Hotels and Resorts, Design Hotels™, Homes & Villas by Marriott International™, The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club®, The Ritz-Carlton Residences.
- Marriott GiftCards and the Marriott Shop Retail Gift Cards may be redeemed on participating retail sites toward the purchase of Marriott retail branded merchandise:
- Marriott Hotels, shopmarriott.com; Courtyard Hotels, shopcourtyard.com; JW Hotels, curatedbyjw.com; Gaylord Hotels, gaylordhotelsstore.com; Renaissance Hotels, collectrenaissance.com; Fairfield Inn & Suites, shopfairfieldinn.com
- Card carries no value until activated. Card is a prepaid card, not a credit card or debit card, and is the property of and issued by MI Fulfillment Services, LLC.
- Card is available in United States Dollars only.
- Card does not expire.
- Card is not redeemable for cash in any amount except when otherwise required by applicable law.
- Card becomes inactive upon use of all card value.
- Card may not be used for deposit, advance purchase or to secure or confirm a reservation.
- Each transaction will be debited against card balance, if transaction exceeds balance, user must pay the difference.
- Lost, stolen or damaged cards will be replaced only if previously registered on gifts.marriott.com. Value of replaced card will equal balance on card at the time it was reported lost, stolen or damaged.
- To check card balance, visit gifts.marriott.com.
- For Customer Service call +1 800.442.6132 or email Gifts@marriott.com.
