Marriott Hotels & Resorts (Marriott Bonvoy)

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Current State of Co-branded Hotel Credit Cards in Canada

The situation continues to deteriorate with the recent closure of grandfathered Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Visa. Last year, I wrote a post about the Best Hotel Loyalty Program for Canadians to Collect, but with another shift in the industry, it looks like that post was due for an update. 

In the past few years, I have exclusively redeem hotels points for all my stays. Rarely have I had to pay for a hotel night. However, as hotel partnerships continue to terminate with credit card companies in Canada, this trend will be very difficult to continue in the near future. 

Below are the top ways to earn hotel points without actually staying at the hotels to accumulate points. 

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Marriott’s Cyber Monday Sale

Marriott’s is jumping on the Cyber Monday Sale ahead of time. Between November 23, 2017 and November 27, 2017, you will be able to book exclusive low rates at over 3,500 Marriott hotels across the Americas, which includes Canada, Caribbean, Latin America and the United States.

You will be able to find member rates starting at $89 at:

Marriott’s Renaissance Hotels Hosting “Diner En Couleur”

The Renaissance Montreal downtown hotel is set to host an exciting event as part of the global brand’s week-long dinner series that gives guests access to brag-worthy culinary experiences. 

WHO: Anne-Marie Withenshaw, a Canadian television and radio personality, hosts “Dîner en Couleur,”, a twist on a “Dîner en Blanc.”

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Gwen Stefani Performs for Loyalty Members in Dubai

Global superstar Gwen Stefani will perform her last international concert of 2017 exclusively for members of Marriott Rewards, The Ritz-Carlton Rewards, SPG and VIP guests on December 4, 2017 at the brand-new Renaissance Downtown Hotel in Dubai.

Marriott Reward Moments has 2 Ultimate Gwen Stefani Fan Experience packages on Marriott Rewards Moments and SPG Moments platforms.

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[INTERVIEW] 100,000 Trees Planted by Delta Hotel Guests

Delta Hotels by Marriott is expanding its mission to fill Canada with trees planted by hotel visitors. Launched in February 2015, Delta’s GreenSTAY program aims to combat the effects of global warming. Guests have the option to plant one tree for each night they opt out of housekeeping. With 100,000 trees planted in the province of Alberta, Delta teamed up with WEARTH in the Niagara region of the province of Ontario to plant another 100,000 trees. This region was chosen due to the destructive effects of the Emerald Ash Borer Beetle. On October 23, 2017, Don Cleary, President of Marriott International in Canada was in Niagara to plant the first of many trees to come. Below is my interview with him. 

Marriott Moments – David Foster Foundation’s 30th Anniversary Miracle Gala & Concert

Marriott Rewards Moments has teamed up with American Express Membership Rewards where you can bid for tickets at the David Foster Foundation’s 30th Anniversary Miracle Gala & Concert. The annual event will include an impressive list of entertainment stars including Steven Tyler, Robin Thicke, Jay Leno, the TENORS, Matteo Bocelli, and Laura Bretan.

The following day, there will be a red-carpet event at the Rogers Arena. The David Foster Foundation is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to providing financial support for non-medical expenses to Canadian families with children in need of life-saving organ transplants.

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[DISCONTINUED] Chase Marriott – Discontinuation Confirmed

I wrote a post earlier today about the Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Visa possibly discontinued. According to my contacts at Marriott International Canada, effective September 5th, 2017, no new customer applications are being accepted into the credit card program, but existing card members will continue to be serviced. Note that this only applies to applications in Canada and does not impact the US program.

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[DISCONTINUED] Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Visa Discontinued?

I was hoping that this is just a temporary glitch, but all the Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Visa links are broken. 

I called Chase Canada customer service to confirm what was going on and they said that they are “no longer offering the Chase Marriott credit card for the moment”. When I asked what she meant by “for the moment”, she said it may or may not come back, but I would need to ask Marriott Rewards to find out. 

Marriott #RewardsPoints and Redeem on Mobile App

Marriott Rewards changing its #MRPoints program to #RewardsPoints. I think maybe this is another move towards integrating Ritz-Carleton and SPG into one rewards program. They may not longer want to only refer to their program as Marriott Rewards?

Social Media

The good news is that you can now earn even more points through social media. In the past, the earning potential was 2,500 points per year. The new potential is 45,000 points per year for engaging on social media.