Marriott Rewards Members Will Get Reduced Hotel Rates
Last month, Hilton rolled out a 10% discount when HHonors members book stays directly through the chain, and now it appears that Marriott's planning something similar.
Beginning April 11, Marriott will offer special members-only rates that'll be available to anyone with a free Marriott Rewards account. Basic members will also receive other benefits, such as points earning, mobile check-in and check-out, plus free Wi-Fi, while elite members get a host of other valuable perks.
The chain is offering this new discount as an incentive for members to book their stays directly through Marriott.com or a Marriott call center, in which case Marriott doesn't need to pay a commission to a third party for your stay. It's unclear how much of a discount these new rates will offer, but it certainly won't hurt to have another booking option.
We'll dig into the new rates once they go live on April 11, but it's quite possible that you'll save more by taking advantage of other discount programs, such as corporate or AAA rates — in other words, don't blindly book the Marriott Rewards member rate assuming it's the most generous. Of course, we also don't know if this discount will extend to Starwood properties following the merger — for now, check AAA rates when booking SPG hotels, since AAA tends to provide a sizable discount over basic refundable rates.
Another advantage of booking your stay directly with Marriott is that you'll earn extra bonus points with the chain's co-branded credit card. The Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card is currently offering a bonus of 75,000 points after you spend $3,000 in the first three months, so now's as good a time as any to sign up.
[card card-name='Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card' card-id='221210955' type='javascript' bullet-id='1']
TPG featured card
at Capital One's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 5X miles | Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| 2X miles | Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day |
Pros
- Stellar welcome offer of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year upon account opening.
- You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories
- Rewards are versatile and can be redeemed for a statement credit or transferred to Capital One’s transfer partners
Cons
- Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Top rated mobile app