Last year was an exciting one for Marriott. In just one quarter, Marriott added 120 properties and 17,903 rooms. Luxury offerings were a focal point, especially after the third-quarter results showed that high-end hotels boosted both revenue and profit.
“Globally, RevPAR growth was again strongest at the higher end as high-end consumers have demonstrated resilience to macroeconomic uncertainties and continue to prioritize traffic,” said Marriott International CEO Anthony Capuano during the earnings call.
Over the last few months, Marriott made several special deals and offers to satisfy its members.
In November, it made official a long‑standing “soft landing” policy for elite members, where guests who don’t requalify for their exact status level won’t drop all the way to the bottom tier but only down one level, helping retain loyalty.
Then in December, Marriott Bonvoy launched a 25% off Cyber Week sale for its loyalty members, letting people save on stays at thousands of hotels worldwide if they book through the Bonvoy app during the promotion period.
Marriott is making headlines again for positive changes to its terms and conditions and for a special deal with Chase Bank, an arm of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM).
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Marriott changes how elite nights count for some of its limited-service brands
Marriott recently updated its terms and conditions to introduce a change that many loyal members are likely to appreciate. Under new terms, elite nights for some of its limited-service brands will now be counted as half a night, first reported Ben Schlappig of One Mile at a Time.
Previously, Marriott would provide a full elite night credit (1 night = 1 elite night) for stays at the majority of its hotels.
However, for several limited-service brands, such as City Express by Marriott, Four Points Flex by Sheraton, Protea Hotels, and Series by Marriott, members received one elite night for every two nights stayed. Further, a one-night stay did not count toward status under the old terms.
This has now changed, and each night at these brands will earn members 0.5 elite night credits.
Marriott Executive Apartments still uses the old rule of one elite night for every three nights stayed, and that hasn’t changed.
The change is important because it rewards short stays with some progress toward elite status, rather than offering no credit at all. As Schlappig, an expert on maximizing airline miles and hotel points for luxury travel, notes, this is a “good change to a bad policy.”
Some Marriott loyalty members agreed with this takeaway, arguing in comments that the new half-night credit is a small improvement and a minor fix for a flawed system. Many felt that Marriott should award one elite night per night at all properties.
Meanwhile, the hotel giant introduced another upgrade.
Chase rolls out 5 free Marriott nights on one card after spending $3,000
The Marriott & Chase partnership offers co-branded Marriott Bonvoy Credit Cards for earning points, elite status, and free nights, plus the ability to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1 ratio.
In the most recent development, Chase has updated the Marriott credit card offers to reward more free nights. Now, with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card, after spending $3,000 in the first three months, cardholders can get a free night, each worth up to 50,000 points, reported Gary Leff of View From The Wing.
Prior to the update, the free night offer was smaller, so the new bonus is an easier way to earn free stays.
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“That’s a bigger offer than with any other hotel card, and there’s never been a bigger offer for this card. You might normally expect a couple of free nights with a card’s bonus offer. This is a free vacation stay (though of course some hotels have resort fees),” writes Leff, a recognized expert in miles, points, and business travel.
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold card gives two free nights after a $1,000 spend.
These extra free nights can be combined for longer or more expensive stays, and they expire after one year. More importantly, members should remember that Marriott does offer a fifth night for free anyway, so using it for all the nights together wouldn’t use up all the points on a five-night stay.
In addition, these cards award extra “Elite Night Credits,” which count toward Marriott status. In other words, using the card not only gets you a free night, but also moves you closer to higher status with more luxurious offerings and bonus points.
Marriott’s recent controversies and setbacks
Marriott has more than 30 leading brands and nearly 9,600 properties in 143 countries and territories, according to its website. As a hotel of this magnitude, it is bound to occasionally make mistakes or create policies that will not satisfy all members’ demands.
Just as some view the elite night count for limited-service brands as a “bad policy,” the chain has made other moves that sparked controversy recently.
For example, in November, the Maasai ethnic group filed a lawsuit to demolish a new Ritz-Carlton luxury safari camp, claiming it blocks a key Serengeti wildlife migration route.
Meanwhile, a Fairfield by Marriott posted a sign stating that complimentary bottled water isn’t included, even for elite members, unless they select a “market item,” drawing mockery online, according to Veronika Bondarenko of TheStreet.
In December, Marriott drew guest criticism for signs at its New Orleans property that said “benches are for Marriott employees only,” a move many travelers saw as unfriendly or exclusionary toward guests.
In online comments, many questioned the message the New Orleans hotel signs sent regarding hospitality and how the hotel handles enforcement of rules prohibiting loitering.
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