The Deal Kids hang out with some familiar friends at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, VA 2010
Are you thinking of getting out of town for Memorial Day or over the summer for two nights or more, but haven’t made any plans yet? I have a scenario for you that could also get you out of town for free later this year! It involves a bit of creativity, but I’ve laid out an example here for you to follow.
Marriott has a Unexpected Bonus deal: Stay twice between May 15 and Sept 2 and get a free night in a category 1-5 hotel. Note this says “stays”, not “nights”, so the best strategy is two one night stays. Even if you’re spending two nights in the same town, you can do what is known as “mattress hopping” (it sounds more exciting it is!), staying one night in two different Marriott chain hotels. This promo is good at Marriott chain properties, so you could stay at a cheapie Fairfield inn and still get the bonus. Remember, you have to register by July 15 to qualify! To find the deal, log into your “Marriott Rewards” account. Don’t have one? No worries: it’s free.
Next, go back to Marriott and book two one night stays in two separate hotels. There are literally thousands of ways to do this, but I’ll present this easy example for a weekend getaway right around Memorial Day in Williamsburg, VA:
Friday: Drive down to Williamsburg, get checked in, have a swim, then have a stroll and a nice dinner at Gabriel Archer Tavern inside the Williamsburg Winery. No worries- it’s casual and family friendly…and it you’re really lucky you’ll spot a celeb that’s performing at Busch Gardens (we spotted the Bangles at the next table).
Saturday: Check out early and stash the bags in your car. Head over to Busch Gardens right at open. I was shocked at how much I enjoyed this park! It’s simply beautifully landscaped and easy to navigate. Tip: Be sure to check out the annual passes, especially if you’re a VA resident as they may be terrific value. Check in late to the 2nd Marriott just down the street.
Sunday: Cool off at Water Country USA, then drive home.
Spend Example:
Night 1 (May 24) Fairfield Inn & Suites Williamsburg $143.90
Night 2 (May 25) SpringHill Suites Williamsburg: $154.90
Total: $298.80
I could have done this weekend for a lot cheaper, but I wanted to include a real-life example of a trip someone would actually want to take.
Then, you’ll get a free room from Marriott up to a Category 5 room! There are hundreds of hotels that you could use, my example is a December night Christmas week at National Harbor, MD for the ICE festival.
Free Room example:
Residence Inn National Harbor December 22-23: $393.24
So Marriott is giving YOU $94.44 in hotel stays on this deal! Last year I also ended up ahead on this promo as I redeemed my free night in Montreal in a room that cost over $300 a night.
Please share how you could use this great promo!
Where are they sending you a check?
You might be saving some money versus booking the room rates listed, but they certainly aren’t paying you.
Hi Seth,
Point taken. You are saving money versus Marriott cutting you a check. However, I went out of my way to find properties that families I know would actually visit (at rates most families I know would book –meaning cancellable vs. say a Hotwire/Priceline type rate) during times they would actually visit to make this a “real life” example. Using the criteria of the 99% (and speaking metaphorically), I think the post is fair.
Marriott is not paying you anything, you are paying Marriott $300 for three nights. It’s a very misleading title.
And your certificate is not valid for the Gaylord National. It goes up to a Cat 6 the day this promo goes live.
Hi Tim,
Thanks for the catch. I changed the hotel to the Residence Inn, which is a cat 5 after the change. It is actually more expensive than the Gaylord! Apologies if the hyperbole offends. I’m trying to convince new travelers to register for these very lucrative promotions, that “pay” you for doing things you would normally do. Many people I know are planning to go to at least one weekend out of town this summer, and planning to go at least one overnight in the fall. I’m trying to show them how one of these trips could be free if they took five seconds to register for the promo and planned their stays strategically instead of just booking on the fly. Those of us who are familiar with miles/points do this reflexively, but it is new to many, hence the dog-whistle headline.