Marriott Sending Out Gift Cards To Some Elite Members

Marriott Sending Out Gift Cards To Some Elite Members

109

In mid-April I wrote about how it was leaked that Marriott was running a “surprise and delight” campaign for Marriott Bonvoy members. The Bonvoy program has gotten its fair share of negative publicity, so I’m guessing they’re trying to generate some goodwill with members.

This surprise and delight campaign consists of two things:

  • Between April 22 and July 31, 2019, Marriott will surprise select Ambassador Elite members staying using points, by refunding the points they redeemed for one night of their stay
  • Starting May 1, 2019, certain elite members will receive an electronic Marriott gift card via email

There weren’t a lot of details regarding how widespread either of these promotions would be, and up until today I hadn’t heard of any members receiving gift cards. Well, that has finally changed.

Many Marriott Bonvoy elite members have reported receiving an electronic gift card by email today. The email came with the subject line “Your Gift from Marriott Bonvoy,” and the text of the email reads as follows:

It appears as if these gift cards range from $30 to $50, and don’t seem to be tied to any particular status level. That’s to say that Silver Elite members all the way up to Ambassador Elite members are receiving these.

The emails being sent out with these read as follows:

On behalf of the Marriott Bonvoy team, I’d like to take a moment to thank you for being a Marriott Bonvoy Elite member. Your loyalty means the world to us.

We are delighted to give you a small gift. Below is a [$30/50] USD Marriott Gift Card that may be used at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels and at participating hotel outlets for retail, spa, golf, and food and beverage.

The gift cards don’t expire, and while you can’t use them to pay the room rate, you can use them to cover most other incidentals. Here are the terms & conditions for the gift card.

Bottom line

This is a nice gesture on the part of Marriott Bonvoy. While I wasn’t targeted for this promotion, it seems like a lot of other members were. Given that we saw members of various elite tiers receive this bonus, I’d be curious what their selection criteria was.

I feel like the internet has changed the concept of surprise and delight campaigns:

  • Many who received gift cards probably already knew they might receive one of these, given that the concept of this campaign was leaked
  • Some of those who didn’t receive a gift card may be feeling left out for not being targeted

This is something I give Marriott credit for, personally…

Did you receive a gift card from Marriott Bonvoy? If so, for how much, and what’s your status?

Conversations (109)
The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.
Type your response here.

If you'd like to participate in the discussion, please adhere to our commenting guidelines. Anyone can comment, and your email address will not be published. Register to save your unique username and earn special OMAAT reputation perks!

  1. Merium Guest

    Lifetime gold, currently plat - $50

    For people who didn't receive anything, I would suspect that other people will probably receive other gifts of some types at other random times. I'm generally appreciative of the great assistance I get from Customer Service etc. when I need it. A gift is great! I'm looking forward to taking someone to lunch on Marriott. Thanks!

  2. Chef Mark New Member

    Lifetime Titanium Elite, Charter Marriott Ambassador and Current Ambassador.
    No Card, No Points Refund...60+ nights this year

    #NotSurprisedAtAll

  3. alden Guest

    Ambassador Elite. 119 Nights. Lifetime Titanium: Nothing

  4. surski808 Guest

    Lifetime Titanium Elite, 17 years plat, 1260 nights.

    Did Marriott send me a gift card? Don't know and don't care. I added them to junk mail filter back in March.

    Bonvoy-age Marriott.

  5. Scott Guest

    Lifetime Titanium Elite, 17 years plat, 1260 nights.

    Did Marriott send me a gift card? I don't know and don't care. I added them to my junk mail filter back in March.

    Bonvoy-age Marriott.

  6. Shirokuma Guest

    Send to everyone or no one at all! How do think those loyal customers who got nothing feel?

  7. Jack J Guest

    lifetie plat/titanium. 29 years MR. 1400 nights. Zilch.

  8. Justin Yeck Guest

    $50 and Titanium...

  9. Champ Kind Guest

    Ambassador Elite - Lifetime Platinum: Nothing. But, I did get the two decent pens and the awful laptop case last month, so that's something.

  10. Jason Soulier Guest

    Lifetime Platinum (Titanium), $50. Re-focused the last three months to Hyatt so I reduced Marriott use. So frustrated by Marriott!!! The transition was terrible. Lots of missing points. Good news is Hyatt promotion of extra points per stay (just ended May 15) gave me a huge points bump with Hyatt and I am on my way to globalist, true free breakfast at all properties and actual upgrades. Hyatt has been awesome after 1,000+ nights with Marriott.

  11. Michele Guest

    Platinum: nothing. I feel torn...sad I didn't get one, but I also see what they are trying to do...sort of...I have Diamond with Hilton, and only last year started staying in Marriott enough to get platinum. I'm finding the use of "Bonvoy" a an adjective to be somewhat true.

  12. Marija Member

    Canada: lowly silver (dubious gold) with 0 nights (only credit card status) - $30.

  13. dmodemd Guest

    Titanium, LT Gold - nothing yet. Only a couple award stays this year otherwise I have been all on Hilton. I am awaiting the offers to come back. I do have the double elite night offer queued up to activate when I am ready to come back.

  14. Mark S Member

    Lifetime Titanium.......zero

    This is not a smart concept in today's social media and blogging world. You make 20 "elites" happy and piss off a thousand.

  15. Dwight Cannon Guest

    Lifetime Titanium, already at 136 nights this year.

    Nada.

  16. Jackson Guest

    Gold. Nothing. Although to be fair my email solicitation is turned off by default...

  17. Andrew Diamond

    Titanium at 100 nights last year. Only 3 nights this year because I've switched to Hyatt. $0 gift card.

    It wouldn't have influenced me, but find it odd they're not even trying.

  18. Tim Guest

    Gold and nothing was looling for the final straw to go back to Hilton. Being left out was it.

  19. Ken k Guest

    Titanium $50
    From singapore

  20. arnold semmons Guest

    $30, Gold by having Plat Amex card, but hardly any acrivity on spg or marriott accounts

  21. Paolo Diamond

    LTPPE ( or whatever that’s called these days), Ambassador. Nothing ( and not the laptop thing either).

  22. Michael Member

    Life time titatium , 2000 nights plus- also top tier at Hilton with about the same

    Nada

  23. Jamie Root Guest

    Platinum, lifetime silver. $50. Saw it in my email and was surprised.

  24. Killol Kamani New Member

    Titanium....Nothing !!

  25. Sam Guest

    Nothing like a program known for inconsistency giving our gifts this way. Par for the course really.

    I’m platinum with $0.

  26. Lisa Guest

    Maybe they're targeting those who's stays are below last year's. Mine are doubled or more - could be, I didn't receive anything that's ok I'll just go back over to the Hilton. Quit complaining if you're tired of being Bonvoyed just move along as they apparently don't care about all of us.

  27. Ian M Guest

    Received $50 and I'm a Titanium.

    On 48 nights so far this year.

  28. Mike Jones Guest

    Titanium Elite 6 years. $50

  29. Rodney Scott Guest

    Thanks Marriott - Lifetime Titanium Elite $50

    Live in Canada

  30. Dmodemd Guest

    I am not sure this can't be applied to room rate. It seems to say you can use it at their brands or at outlets for the various other services.

  31. Sam Guest

    Titanium, nothing in my email.

    Is this promotion targeted to US-based members? I'm from Singapore.

  32. Mary Dillard Guest

    Platinum $50. - Thanks Marriott

  33. Stuart Diamond

    @Aaron. "Read Matthew 20: 1-16???"

    I prefer the passage from Stuart 01: 5-29....it says, "If you take my money alike as others - give back the same to me as you do others."

  34. Stuart Diamond

    Titanium. Nothing

    I would never offer something to some and leave others out in my own business. While yes, seems like a nice gesture of you got one. I find it actually insulting given I did not.

    I mean, what, is loyalty a slot machine now?

  35. Shelton Ammons Guest

    Lifetime Titanium with 40 paid nights this year and 122 paid nights last year.....Bonvoyed with a Zero

  36. Anon Guest

    Titanium, got 50.

    Would not have known about it, nor ever seen it (it did not go to junk, but I don’t use that email, Marriott is in my don’t read email address).

    I am at 29 nights , including 15 credit card nights, and 14 award nights. Last year at this time I was at 30 award nights and no credit card nights, all on the Starwood side. If my health is ok I...

    Titanium, got 50.

    Would not have known about it, nor ever seen it (it did not go to junk, but I don’t use that email, Marriott is in my don’t read email address).

    I am at 29 nights , including 15 credit card nights, and 14 award nights. Last year at this time I was at 30 award nights and no credit card nights, all on the Starwood side. If my health is ok I will make titanium again this year, and be an inch away from lifetime platinum with points in my piggy bank.

    Thank you marriott. Thank you for a painless call earlier today when I changed the dates of some bookings and cancelled a couple of other ones. What I ask from Marriott going forward is accurate and honest record keeping, and competent csr. I am resigned to big devaluations, so that I will live with.

  37. Marsh Guest

    Ambassador and 77 nights this year. I checked in this past weekend to a hotel and they said Marriott was giving me 60000 bonus points bc of my loyalty. I was shocked and not sure I heard correctly. I asked again on checkout and they said it would come from Marriott. Almost a week later and nothing has posted lol. Kinda new it was prob too good to be true.

    Gift cards seem like...

    Ambassador and 77 nights this year. I checked in this past weekend to a hotel and they said Marriott was giving me 60000 bonus points bc of my loyalty. I was shocked and not sure I heard correctly. I asked again on checkout and they said it would come from Marriott. Almost a week later and nothing has posted lol. Kinda new it was prob too good to be true.

    Gift cards seem like such an odd choice. Especially at 30 and 50 dollars. Why don’t they just hand out points or free nights awards?

  38. pam Guest

    Platinum Elite -$50 gift card

  39. NGupta Guest

    I would happily return any gift card if Marriott and Starwood Hotels go their separate way. Love Starwood, hate Marriott.

  40. N Guest

    Lifetime Titanium Elite.....$0

  41. Mark3 Guest

    Lifetime Titanium - 0
    Not surprised, they have yet to send me a number to call for reservations.

  42. Tony Guest

    70 paid nights this year.
    Goose egg

  43. Kyle Guest

    Maybe I’m a jerk for thinking this way, but now I’m just pissed I didn’t get one. Platinum, already at 52 nights this year, well on way to Ambassador. Wife is gold with 20 nights. Wish “rewards” programs didn’t just selectively sent out gift cards. Doesn’t make me feel very valued for my loyalty.

  44. Eskimo Guest

    This is probably the best time fpr many people to say it.

    "I got nothing. I'm a lifetime ..... and this is how they repay my loyalty. I will never stay at Marriott ever again"

    And I call BS.

  45. Michael Guest

    Titanium and $50 !
    Surprised and delighted !

  46. John Sousa Guest

    Lifetime titanium and Ambassador....nada, zilch, zero....Not feeling the love!

  47. Tyler Guest

    Titanium, 52 nights this year. $50 gift card.

  48. Pat Guest

    Plat..... 58 nights so far this year. Nada

  49. Zebraitis Guest

    Lifetime Titanium ("unobtainium")

    ... nada.

  50. Will Guest

    Titanium that came from SPG and I'm at 26 nights for the year: zero gift card.

  51. kp Guest

    Lifetime Platinum Elite...(19 years SPG Plat)....$50

  52. JoeJV New Member

    Titanium elite, on my way to ambassador this year. $50. Wonder if it is tied to nights/revenue thus far?

  53. lovetospendit Guest

    ambassador : no crappy laptop case, no voucher gift. i can say i feel bonvoyed.

  54. Pio007 Guest

    Titanium + LTP, Goose Egg.

  55. The Real Paul Member

    Titanium. 67 nights thus far. $0 gift card

  56. GW Guest

    lifetime plat...titanium 60 nights $50

  57. David S New Member

    Has anyone outside the US received anything ? I sometimes think all members outside the US get neglected

  58. Colin Guest

    @Aaron - Especially weird are those that wish that everyone else "suffer" if they have to suffer. It makes no sense.

  59. Aaron New Member

    For all of you grumbling about not receiving anything, you should go read Matthew 20: 1-16 in the Bible. Nowhere in their terms and conditions are you guaranteed a gift card just for the sake of it. If they feel like giving someone something, then so be it. If you don't like it, then great, take your business everywhere. Being angry at this is just misplaced anger.

  60. Steve Member

    Lifetime Platinum Elite but the email went to junk. I wouldn't have found it without your post.

    Thank you Lucky.

  61. C5W Guest

    Titanium, lifetime platinum. $50. Had no idea they were doing this

  62. dwondermeant Guest

    Lifetime Titanium 50 dollars
    It will help pay for a few of their stingy elite breakfasts they starve us with for our loyalty (roll eyes) better than nothing I suppose

  63. dmodemd Guest

    Patience people... Maybe give it a few days? Emails are often done in batches.

  64. Justin Guest

    Platinum/Lifetime Gold - $50

  65. Greg Guest

    I am currently Platinum and 14 nights away from Lifetime Platinum (which I will have by early July) -- and nothing as yet.

  66. Bonvoyed Guest

    Titanium 81 stays this year so far. Nothing.

  67. tv Guest

    Ambassador, laptop sleeve and pens.

  68. Dirk Disco Guest

    Plat, got nothing, this ticks me off.

  69. Tom O Guest

    @ Andrew: Titanium, 73 nights this year, nada.

    Guessing this is targeting people who've reserved at a lower rate than years past...

  70. chris New Member

    Titanium, 0
    24 nights so far (39 including CCs)
    1 suite upgrade
    2 room upgrade
    2 requests for late check out, 2 refusals
    Bonvoy is a waste of time. Will probably requalify to platinum and then move to hyatt

  71. Dick Guest

    Plat, $50, didn't even know about it

  72. steve Guest

    @colin - okay then - good one.

  73. LAXJeff Guest

    Not a damn thing, Bonvoyed

  74. Colin Guest

    @steve - Move to Venezuela.

  75. steve Guest

    Give me a break. Send one to all or none at all. Decide how much based on tier or other details. This actually pisses me off not getting one. Plat.

  76. Ric Guest

    Ambassador - Nada
    But I did get a Bonvoy Membership card and 2 pens and a laptop case last month

  77. Daniel Guest

    ambassador- no gift card, but I was sent a leather laptop case with Bonvoy branding + branded pens.

  78. ktc Guest

    Plat + LTG, $0.
    I am a LTZ (lifetime zero) when it comes to any of these goodies.

  79. UA-NYC Diamond

    Buying back burned-off loyalty, One Dollar At A Time (ba-dum, bum)

  80. Andrew New Member

    Titanium, already at 75 nights for the year.
    Zero gift card.

Featured Comments Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ).

The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.

Merium Guest

Lifetime gold, currently plat - $50 For people who didn't receive anything, I would suspect that other people will probably receive other gifts of some types at other random times. I'm generally appreciative of the great assistance I get from Customer Service etc. when I need it. A gift is great! I'm looking forward to taking someone to lunch on Marriott. Thanks!

0
Moti Guest

Platinum 50$

0
Chef Mark New Member

Lifetime Titanium Elite, Charter Marriott Ambassador and Current Ambassador. No Card, No Points Refund...60+ nights this year #NotSurprisedAtAll

0
Meet Ben Schlappig, OMAAT Founder
5,163,247 Miles Traveled

32,614,600 Words Written

35,045 Posts Published

Keep Exploring OMAAT