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Im a marriott gold holder (through AMEX). I stay at marriotts worldwide regularly. My company usually negotiates rates and its all pre-paid.
Every time i get to reception and flash my card i get told i can’t get points, can’t get night credits and can’t get any gold benefits.
It this normal?
Yes
Points / nights / status benefits are usually only awarded on direct bookings only.
The corporate agreement negotiated by your employer will likely exclude employees benefiting from collecting nights / points in favour of the lower rates they have negotiated.
Yes it’s normal depending on the way the stays are booked. Some corporate travel agencies do get status credit/points but anything that gets booked via expedia or affiliate brands wont. It really depends on what your negotiated rate is.
Marriott are very clear on the subject as are all the chains.
When your corporate rate is booked, do those reservations show up in your marriott account under future stays?
I would have to disagree – I get my status recognised, and get all the perks and points at every hotel I book through our corporate travel agent (Agiito, formerly Capita Corporate Travel).
I do not stay at Marriott properties, but the above is the case at IHG, Hilton, Accor and Radisson properties I stay at. So you must be extraordinarily unlucky!
I would have to disagree – I get my status recognised, and get all the perks and points at every hotel I book through our corporate travel agent (Agiito, formerly Capita Corporate Travel).
I do not stay at Marriott properties, but the above is the case at IHG, Hilton, Accor and Radisson properties I stay at. So you must be extraordinarily unlucky!
Same for me. My system tells me if a rate is loyalty point eligible or not, asks me for my membership number, and once booked the trips appear in the hotel chain apps
Corporate bookings are usually eligible, but some companies book via Expedia / Agoda etc and these are not.
My company usually negotiates rates and its all pre-paid.
This is key. Your company has negotiated a discount in lieu of the benefits.
If you are a regular guest (eg 50+ nights a year), there’s nothing to stop you negotiating directly with the hotel for some benefits. If there’s a Marriott, then chances are there’s an IHG or Hilton a short walk away in competition and Marriott would probably rather they got the income than their competitors.
That comes with the caveat though, if the hotel is next to your company’s office and it looks like half of the people at breakfast are wearing a company lanyard – negotiations won’t work.
Book direct yourself and claim back via expenses? If the member rate is lower than the rate in your corporate system, then you’re (on the face of it) saving the company money.
Book direct yourself and claim back via expenses? If the member rate is lower than the rate in your corporate system, then you’re (on the face of it) saving the company money.
One of the few ways to get severely reprimanded at my company! 🙂
Book direct yourself and claim back via expenses? If the member rate is lower than the rate in your corporate system, then you’re (on the face of it) saving the company money.
Only on the face of it.
It’s more than likely the company has a rebate deal with thresholds and people going off piste means they miss a threshold and then a rebate you’re going to be costing the company money.
Book direct yourself and claim back via expenses? If the member rate is lower than the rate in your corporate system, then you’re (on the face of it) saving the company money.
Only on the face of it.
It’s more than likely the company has a rebate deal with thresholds and people going off piste means they miss a threshold and then a rebate you’re going to be costing the company money.
And costing the person who did the negotiating with hotels including any kickbacks.
Or costing your company actual money, because they bill the client the full-whack rate but the parent then gets a chunky rebate at the end of the year in our case…
The receptionist at my work used to do all our hotel bookings via her hotels.com account, giving her loads of free stays. I only found this out after she wasn’t too happy when I started booking my stays direct and claimed through expenses.
Booking direct using my status to get free breakfast and lounge access would probably save the company a lot of money.
The receptionist at my work used to do all our hotel bookings via her hotels.com account, giving her loads of free stays. I only found this out after she wasn’t too happy when I started booking my stays direct and claimed through expenses.
Booking direct using my status to get free breakfast and lounge access would probably save the company a lot of money.
If it’s a small company where such sensible arguments can reach the right person, then raise it. Larger corporates have such complex hierarchies that any such argument would simply never reach beyond functionaries.
I am Hilton (and Marriott) Gold through Amex. Our (large) company gets negotiated and heavily discounted rates but I get both the points and a free breakfast at Hilton. The latter definitely saves the company money as it means I don’t get close to spending the daily meal allowance – but still get a very good breakfast.
I think it’s less of a Marriott Gold issue and more of trying to get to the bottom of how your stays are actually booked.
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