Marriott International announced a new program that would award points for resort fees, in addition to the usual room cost. The problem is they’re not telling you about this on their website and guests have found out by word of mouth or through social media. Marriott’s response has been mixed, with many people saying it doesn’t fix anything because the reward system remains unfair.,
The “marriott reward redemption charge” is a fee that Marriott charges when you redeem rewards points. The fee is charged even if the hotel charges you for the same service.
To add insult to injury, Marriott defrauds you of points when you pay for resort fees.
on November 14, 2021 by Gary Leff
The resort fees are a ruse. They keep part of the cost of a hotel stay hidden until you check out, making it harder to compare prices. However, by converting a portion of the room tariff into a resort or destination fee, hotels can:
- Make oneself seem less expensive than they are.
- In certain areas, you may save money on taxes.
- Spend less on commissions (where only the room rate is commissionable)
There are a variety of built-in motives for a hotel to engage in misleading techniques such as this. Another similar incentive has been created by Marriott for its properties.
- These fees are levied by hotels in order to compensate reward guests.
- The resort charge element of a room tariff does not require hotels to pay for points.
Hotels profit more from redemption stays by charging Bonvoy members a charge that neither Hilton nor Hyatt levy on its members redeeming points. Because you can’t opt to spend your points outside of the Marriott ecosystem, they may levy a fee on member redemptions.
It is, nevertheless, a hotel cost-cutting tool. “Rates for Stays” is listed as a qualifying expense in item 2.1.b of the program’s conditions. While I feel the better case is that a resort or destination charge is included in the hotel rate since it is not voluntary, it is part of the cost of being in the room (!) Marriott does not see it in this light. Instead of awarding points for resort fees, they do not do so, and hotels do not have to pay Marriott Bonvoy for these points.
They’ve saved hotels money by inflating hotel redemption payments by forcing a cash co-pay on members (who aren’t redeeming a cash and points reward) and by restricting member points-earning for hotel stays. Bonvoy was supposed to be more cost-effective for hoteliers, and resort fees – which are levied to members while depriving them of points – are one way they accomplish this. As a consequence, Marriott doesn’t simply accept, but actively encourages resort fees at its properties.
And it’s for this reason that even a little triumph makes me happy. I contacted Marriott on Twitter after an award stay during which I was not given any points (even for food and beverage paid to the room). The meal costs were listed, but not the resort fee. I argued that resort fees are part of the tariff and so qualifying charges, and they credited me with the points since Marriott customer support often gets their rules incorrect.
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Marriott is a hotel chain that has been in business for over 50 years. They offer a wide variety of hotels and resorts. However, they have recently come under fire for charging resort fees on top of their regular prices. This means that if you’re staying at a Marriott property, you’ll be charged an additional fee when you check out. You can avoid this by using the “marriott bonvoy” coupon code to get 10% off your stay with no resort fees.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does Marriott waive resort fees?
Can I refuse to pay resort fees?
A: Unfortunately, resorts are private entities and do not allow refunds. If they choose to refund you it would be at their discretion, but in most cases they will not offer a refund.
Can you refuse to pay resort fees in Las Vegas?
A: Unfortunately, most properties in Las Vegas do not allow guests to decline their fees.
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