Marriott sent me an email today titled Your Account: See Your 2017 Year in Review.
I earned 50 Marriott Rewards points so far in 2017. I don’t even bother with the free social media point giveaways.
Marriott actually took me to 2 cities in 2017. Pilsen, Czech Republic on a 2-night reward stay last July at the category 1 hotel Courtyard by Marriott Pilsen at 7,500 points per night was a redemption deal I have had in my mind for a couple of years. Drank plenty of Pilsner Urquell while hanging out in the 1842 birthplace of lager beer.
Loyalty Traveler – Marriott Courtyard Pilsen CZ category 1 reward stay.
My other Marriott brand hotel stay was Riviera Marriott La Porte de Monaco for two nights on a certificate I won for $115 in the 2016 Omaha Marriott Business Council Children’s Miracle Network fundraiser auction.
Loyalty Traveler Marriott Riviera La Porte de Monaco on the waterfront.
I won 9 more nights in auction certificates for hotels in Germany, Australia and Atlanta during the recent November 2017 Marriott auction. I guess those nights will not be part of my official Marriott 2018 Year in Review either.
Marriott MegaBonus 2 stays earn 1 free reward night (up to category 5 hotels).
This weekend I reworked hotel stays for an upcoming trip to complete two 1-night stays at Marriott hotels and earn the Marriott MegaBonus free reward night. The value proposition looked good considering alternate bookings I already made.
I changed a 2-night IHG stay for $226 total to one free IHG reward night at a different, more upscale hotel and one $100 total paid Marriott night. These changes place me in a better IHG hotel and trade earning the IHG Rewards Club $50 MasterCard promotion by Feb 1, 2018 for 1 of 2 hotel stays needed for the Marriott free reward night for up to a category 5 hotel valid for six months (through June 2018).
The second Marriott stay will cost $140 total, which is more than I generally spend for a hotel night. However, the specific hotel is one I have wanted to stay at for a couple of years due to its unique architectural style.
The alternative hotel plan was a $116 Club Carlson hotel on a date when I would not earn any significant added bonus points.
I also have a Best Western Rewards night booked with 24,000 points as another option, but I can get better value out and 2 or 3 free hotel reward nights with 24,000 points at a different hotel on another trip and justify spending a little extra for the Marriott brand hotel stay at $140.
There are actually some good quality low cost Best Western hotels I stayed over the past year in Nice, France in October for 8,000 BWR points and Krakow, Poland Dec 2016 for 12,000 points per night.
Loyalty Traveler – Best Western Nice So’Co
Loyalty Traveler – Best Western Premier Q Hotel Krakow, down by the River Vistula
Marriott MegaBonus free night for $240 in hotel spend is a reward night certificate I hope to get some good value from by June 2018.
Loyalty Traveler – Marriott Rewards: Free night Marriott MegaBonus and weak SPG Fall 2017 offers Sep 12-Jan 15, 2018
Sopot Marriott Resort near Gdansk Poland is a Marriott Rewards category 5 hotel I’d like to stay in early summer 2018.
If my hotel stay plans work out as predicted over the next month, then my Marriott Year in Review for 12 months will include 6 hotel nights in 4 different Marriott brands, about 2,000 Marriott Rewards points, and one free category 5 reward night for 2018.
