Credit Cards

[UFGuy2006]

I'm interested in the Marriott Premier card myself but am concerned I won't qualify for the sign up bonus since I had a regular marriott reward card 2-3 years ago. Anyone sign up for the new card and still receive the bonus after previously having a marriott card? 

[distantarray]

usually your up for the sign on bonus again after 18 months is usually fine, some cards are at 3months but becoming more and more rare

[jamesdwi]

I find the best deal is to book through hotels.com, every 10th night you get one free, and never had a hotel/motel beat the price that hotels.com gave me even after staying 5 nights a week at a motel for a month straight, the hotel manager said ask for him or the asst. manager when I had time to discuss beating the internet rate, talked to the asst. manager and said he couldn't beat the rate when you add in the free night after 10. I think the hotel backed cards are only a deal if you are traveling on someone else's money. Then you get free nights and perks on other people's money. 

Perhaps its different on the 3 and 4 start hotels, but at comfort suites type motels, it was the best deal I have found.  

[SwiftTone]

Does Marriott Rewards have something similar to Priority Club's Pointbreaks program where you can get rooms for 5,000 points a night at certain locations? I think thats one of the big selling points of Priority Club program.

[hardworkrebuilding]

I have the Marriot Rewards Premier Visa Signature and I have to say it is a fantastic card.  It takes very few stays a year  (although I really rack them up with my job) to build up a few stays and as you achieve Elite status each year as a bonus you receive bonus points on top of your Marriot Rewards points on top of your Marriot Rewards Visa points.  Plus Elite status benefits range from bonus points gifts (on top of all the other points), to free "real" breakfast (not continental), to free room upgrades on arrival.  Besides, Marriot has an enormous array of brands. Check this out...

One stays worth of rewards:

MR points for rate of the room (10X dollar amount of room rate)

MR Visa points (5X dollar amount of total bill charged)

Elite Status Bonus ponts (20%-Silver, 30%-Gold, 50%-Platinum of your room rate)

Bonus Arrival Gift points (Platinum only - 200 pts)

My last overnight stay got me 3,101 points.  The number of points needed for a CAT 1 free night is 7500.  For every 4 nights redeemed you get a 5th night free. Not bad!

[SwiftTone]

Looks like Priority Club recategorized the hotels. Heard it's for the worse but I haven't looked much into it. Anyone know much about it? I'm still considering this for my April app spree.

[isoldmyatlas]

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SwiftTone wrote:
Looks like Priority Club recategorized the hotels. Heard it's for the worse but I haven't looked much into it. Anyone know much about it? I'm still considering this for my April app spree.

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Where do you see that?  That card is on my short list for this year.

[ryanbush]

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jamesdwi wrote:

I find the best deal is to book through hotels.com, every 10th night you get one free, and never had a hotel/motel beat the price that hotels.com gave me even after staying 5 nights a week at a motel for a month straight, the hotel manager said ask for him or the asst. manager when I had time to discuss beating the internet rate, talked to the asst. manager and said he couldn't beat the rate when you add in the free night after 10. I think the hotel backed cards are only a deal if you are traveling on someone else's money. Then you get free nights and perks on other people's money. 

Perhaps its different on the 3 and 4 start hotels, but at comfort suites type motels, it was the best deal I have found.  

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I just booked my honeymoon and hotels.com beat the best price for 6 nights by over 200$, i was shocked.... they also allow me to cancel up until 24hrs before check in for free and i got 6 points per dollar using my CSP

best deal around by far

[SwiftTone]

Does the Hyatt card have a system similar to Priority Club's Points Break system? Theres a link for 80,000 points after $1000 spent for Priority Club, which is worth 16 Points Break nights. Can't really beat that if one is flexible with location.

[MrShush]

50,000 points added to my Marriott account already. Met the $1000 spend in January. The statement ended 01/26 and the points were added today. Very quick considering the 6-8 week estimates on the disclosures and by the Chase rep upon activation.