Marriott DOES have a points plus cash option, but it isn't always available. We just used points + cash at Renaissance in Lucerne Switzerland last month. I don't get offered this option very often, so I was surprised we could do it.

i was going to suggest nov to you but then i held back as i assumed you had a reason for 1st of the year..

some of us will be in bkk when you are: hawaiiantraveller, us, mcbeanie snd maybe more..

karen and i will be at the anantara (former marriott) until nov 5 when we go to khao lak... why don't you come to the jw marriott there with us??

ok, carol, now you have to come the 1st of november!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bob Bob Bob.... You don't understand about scheduling. The 1st of November is not easy for me to manage!!! Mostly, it's impossible. I wish I could do it. I have to be at home the first part of every month, for all sorts of financial stuff...

Bob- looks like the only day we will be able to meet up with you guys would be the 4th of November as we get in early on the 3rd and no doubt would feel the jet lag by early in the day.

Bill - Jeane and I will be there on the evening of the 6th. We're going to try to hook up with Pook and head to Gaggan for dinner, which is one or two BTS stops away for you and Olive. It would be great if you could join us. Too bad we'll miss Bob and Karen...

Craig - sounds good we will connect with you as we get closer to our trip.

Works for me...

Carol- looking thru the Marriott website one cannot find anything that talks about a cash and points option.

I wish Bob would chime in here.... He does it all the time. I've only had the opportunity to do it in Lucerne. I was surprised that the option came up.... maybe because we did an upgraded room?? We had a jr suite.

i have not seen any cash and pts with marriott, just with sheraton/starwoods. i do think recently that i did see something however, but i don't know where..

i've been doing lots of marriott res lately but none with C&P--shucks..

which one of you is having the "senior moment"?

No senior moment here... I know for 100% certain that I used points plus Swiss Francs to get our junior suite in Lucerne. I have been offered (or it has been suggested) that I book with points and then pay cash to upgrade, I think it was in Pattaya at the Marriott Resort, but I did not follow through with that one, so I don't know what the offer would have been. I think the girl at check-in might have said something like "... you know you have to pay extra baht to get ???"

HT, I have plenty of senior moments, but this one is not one of those times. We just were in Lucerne a few weeks ago, so it's very fresh in my mind. The Pattaya one was several years ago, during our New Year beach retreat away from BKK. I always book with Marriott points because we are paying for our apartment hotel in BKK while going elsewhere for 2 days. I hate to pay for two rooms on the same night(s).

often the hotel offers upgrades at check in, is that what you are thinking?? i don't think the marriott on line site offers you that-- carol is too good a friend for us to battle.. at least she does not always stay at ROS...haha

The deal was 'settled' at 30k points plus 90 Swiss Francs per night at some point when I made the reservation! It was not at check in. The Pattaya instance was indeed at the check-in desk, when we were checking out (I was asking about a future visit and trying to secure a certain suite) but we did not make it any further than that.

Swiss Francs???? Aren't they on the Euro. I have been all over the Marriott site like white on rice. If there is a cash and points option they have it well hidden!

Switzerland has never gone to the Euro. (they are SMART)

Maybe a phone call to Marriott??

So far as November goes, we leave IAH on Oct 30 and will be in BKK Oct 31 - Nov 2. We leave Nov. 3 for Bali, but will be back in BKK around Nov. 21. Of course, even tho' all reservations have been made, there's no guarantee that we won't move some dates around ~~ they have already changed 3 times since we made resvs. The only guarantee is leaving IAH. Look forward to seeing any and all Fodorites while we are there.

Sandra

Hmmm, IF I can get to S E Asia in October, I have to head for home by Nov 2 at the very very very latest. MAYBE we'll see each other?? How was Hong Kong? Didn't you go there for a week in May, Sandra?

This is a copy and paste from the Marriott site (rewards pages). I guess we paid Swiss Francs for our upgraded room, which we knew about at booking because the only class of room available at booking was the junior suite?? I had not intended to book a jr suite (but it was really lovely, tho small).

Upgrade Rewards

1.
When using Points for a hotel stay, Members may need to redeem additional Points to reserve an "upgraded room," such as a suite or ocean view room. This “Upgrade Reward” may be required for certain room types in addition to a standard hotel Reward.


2.
There are two types of Upgrade Rewards, "point upgrades" and "paid upgrades":

•"Point" Upgrade Rewards: Point Upgrade Rewards, where Points are used to upgrade a standard hotel Reward, generally “cost” 5,000 Points each. Most upgraded rooms require one or two Point Upgrade Rewards per night, however, some hotels and resorts require three or more Point Upgrade Rewards per night, depending on the view or room type. Availability varies by hotel; check the details for your selected hotel when making a reservation.


•"Paid" Upgrade Rewards: At select hotels, Members may pay for an upgrade to a standard Reward reservation on a cost per night basis. Upgrade Rewards price varies by hotel and will be charged to the room folio during the guest’s stay. Additional Points are not required with Paid Upgrade Rewards.

yes, i have seen those upgrade options, but i did not consider them a true cash and points system..

What's a 'true cash and points system' then? I guess this has been my only experience with using points and paying out some cash as well.

like they have at starwoods... on the website they offer rooms 3 ways: for cash, for points and cash or for points only---3 ways to pay

i guess mcbeanies would be gone by then, but...