Marriott Bonvoy often has sales for its members of various types with which you can earn extra points at no extra cost — and those promotions can be potentially valuable and lucrative — and you can earn an additional 2,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points for every night booked at participating Courtyard by Marriott hotel properties across the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and Latin America through Monday, July 3, 2023, as the Courtyard 2K Everyday Promotion has been extended yet again for 2023.
Courtyard 2K Everyday Promotion Extended Yet Again for 2023 — But…
The terms and conditions for this promotion are quite simple: You must book your reservations using promotional code 53M in order to receive Marriott Bonvoy bonus points. This offer applies to one regular room per stay, per member; and is not available during special events; tax is additional; special offers cannot be combined; blackout dates may exist; advance reservations are required. This offer does not apply to groups of ten or more rooms. Members of the Marriott Bonvoy frequent guest loyalty program who elect to earn frequent flier loyalty program miles are not eligible for this promotion.
That seems pretty simple, right? What am I waiting for? Let me book my future reservations now!
Not so fast…
Not Quite the Deal You Might Have Initially Thought
Almost five years ago — when this promotion was in its nascency — I decided to randomly choose the Courtyard Houston Brookhollow hotel property for one night, checking in on Wednesday, November 7, 2018 and checking out on Thursday, November 8, 2018.
The rate I received is $169.00 per night through this promotion — that does not include $28.73 in taxes and fees, which increases the rate to $197.73 per night in total — but look near the top of the graphic where different rates are shown.
Standard room rates begin at $146.00 per night if you are a member of the Marriott Bonvoy frequent guest loyalty program, which is obviously a requirement if you want 2,000 bonus points per night.
Pay the rate in advance and the member rate drops further to $131.00 per night. That does not include $22.27 in taxes and fees, which increases the rate to $153.27 per night in total. Remember that advance reservations are required for the Courtyard 2K Everyday promotion.
Even the rate which includes breakfast for two adults and children who are younger than 12 years of age is ten dollars less expensive than the Courtyard 2K Everyday promotion rate.
Fast forward to the same dates in 2023 at the Courtyard Houston Brookhollow hotel property for one night, checking in on Tuesday, November 7, 2023 and checking out on Wednesday, November 8, 2023.
The rate I received is $129.00 per night through this promotion — that does not include $23.73 in taxes and fees, which increases the rate to $151.73 per night in total — but look near the top of the graphic where different rates are shown.
Pay the rate in advance and the member rate drops to as low as $98.00 per night. That does not include $17.27 in taxes and fees, which increases the rate to $115.27 per night in total. Remember that advance reservations are required for the Courtyard 2K Everyday promotion.
Final Boarding Call
Through this promotion, you could be paying as much as $44.46 per night for 2,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points when you include taxes and fees — and that is only at one specific hotel property. That works out to 2.223 cents per point, which is hardly a bargain when you consider that the purchase rate directly from Marriott Bonvoy is $12.50 per 1,000 points, which is 1.25 cents per point…
…and the rate could vary more or less, depending on the hotel property — and if the rate is more expensive, then expect to pay more in taxes and fees, which potentially increases the discrepancy even more.
The only reason I can see wanting to take advantage of the Courtyard 2K Everyday promotion is if you have reached the maximum limit of purchasing 50,000 points per year and you still want to earn more Marriott Bonvoy points — and you are willing to overpay by 0.973 cents per point, or almost one cent per point at this particular hotel property — but even that rationale does not mitigate the specious nature of this offer.
GL — who is a reader of The Gate — posted this comment: “I feel like these rates makes sense for business travelers whose companies pay for or reimburse their travel.”
Either this promotion is so popular that it continues to be extended — or it continues to be extended because it is not so popular. I do not know.
Regardless, shop carefully to compare room rates to ensure that you really are getting value for your money if you are thinking about taking advantage of this promotion.
Photograph ©2022 by Brian Cohen.
