Marriott Bonvoy member benefits might not include Mary Poppins’ services, but the conveniences they provide can be more helpful than any supernanny: Relaxation. Childcare. Snacks. Entertainment. A good night’s sleep.
Read on to learn how to make the most of your Marriott Bonvoy member benefits on your next family vacation.
Stealthily Contact the Hotel with the Marriott Bonvoy App
The only way to coax kids to sleep when you’re in the same room is to make absolutely no noise or sudden movements. Luckily, while you’re maintaining motionless, ritual silence, you can stealthily use the Mobile Chat feature in the Marriott Bonvoy App to message your hotel with questions about amenities, local sightseeing ideas or dinner recommendations.
You can even use the feature to message before you arrive. If you have a question or need to request a crib, rollaway bed or other kid necessities for your stay, you can reach out to the hotel directly using Mobile Chat within 24 hours of check-in. It doesn’t get much easier than that.
Rack Up Points at Mealtimes
There are several ways to earn Marriott Bonvoy points while dining, including spending at participating on-site restaurants. Bringing your family to the hotel restaurant or ordering room service together can build up points quickly — especially when everyone orders dessert.
Plus, at the time of day when you’re usually cooking dinner for hungry littles constantly asking you when it will be ready, you can let your relaxation levels soar as you kick back and let professional chefs do the work.
Snag an Enhanced Room Upgrade
Would your family be more comfortable with an upgraded room? If you’re a Marriott Bonvoy® Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite or Ambassador Elite member, you may be eligible for an Enhanced Room Upgrade (subject to availability).
If you don’t have Gold Elite status or higher, you can redeem points for a room upgrade, if available, at select properties.
Never Lose a Room Key with Mobile Key
No matter how many toys you lavish on your toddlers, their favorite playthings are often the contents of your purse or wallet, dumped on the floor. If you’re the parent of a purse-rifling youngster, never worry about losing your room key again because Marriott Bonvoy members enjoy Mobile Key access through the Marriott Bonvoy App.
Like a physical room key, the Mobile Key lets you access other guest areas of the property, such as a fitness centers, pool spaces and parking garages. You can also share your Mobile Key with a travel partner if they’re a Marriott Bonvoy member.
Now, if you could only wrestle your phone away from the tyke. Still, it’s one less thing to keep track of on vacation.
Convince Your Kids You’re a Rock Star with Lounge Access
If you’re a Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite or Ambassador Elite member, your Marriott Bonvoy benefits give you and one guest in your room access to exclusive lounges at select properties, with free breakfast, snacks and beverages galore. Your kid will think you are extremely cool when you escort them into the lounge and gesture expansively at the buffet. In their eyes, you made this bounty appear.
That is, until they reach about age 11, when they’ll have doubts — but even then, they’re not going to turn down snacks.
Earn Points by Booking Family-Friendly Tours and Activities
What’s better than dutifully answering the millions of questions your kids barrage you with when they travel to a new place? Booking a tour with a guide whose entire job is to answer every single question. Even if that question is just “Why?” 30 times in a row.
When you book an experience for the family through Marriott Bonvoy Tours & Activities, you’ll earn Marriott Bonvoy points. Whether your kids enjoy cooking classes, guided sightseeing tours, sunset sails, surf lessons or something else, there’s something for everyone to love. Just enter in your next vacation destination and see what’s available.
Use Points to Splash in a Swimming Pool of Kids’ Dreams
What vacationing parent hasn’t used pool time as a bargaining chip? “If you’re nice to your sibling, we’ll go to the pool. If you stop jumping on my back, we’ll jump in the water instead.” The secret parents keep from their kids is that adults are just as eager to have fun at the pool as kids are, and as a bonus, splashing in a pool is a surefire kid-tiring activity.
When choosing a hotel in the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio, you can search for properties that can be booked with points and have pools. Choose a hotel with incredible views or one with waterpark features like waterslides, lazy rivers, splash zones and waterfalls. Relish a family day at the pool and enjoy the deep sleep to follow.
If you don’t want to use points, you can earn them on your poolside vacation instead. Save up your points and put them toward the next getaway of your dreams, whatever it may be.
Guard Precious Naptime with a Late Checkout
Kids’ naptime is parental nirvana. It’s when you can catch up on tasks, grab some downtime or sink into your own nap. But the whole world doesn’t run on nap schedule. Use your Marriott Bonvoy benefits to score a late checkout that won’t interfere with naptime.
Gold Elite members can request to push checkout until 2 p.m., based on availability, at participating properties. Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite members can request to wait until 4 p.m. to check out, based on availability, at participating properties.
Having Too Much Fun to Leave? Score an Extra Night of Vacation
If your family vacations are so much fun you can’t bear for them to end, why not stay an extra day? For every five consecutive nights you book with points at a participating property, members receive one night free with Stay for Five, Pay for Four.
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