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Using a Marriott Gift Card ($) in Europe

Question asked by martinr on Sep 23, 2019
Latest reply on Sep 27, 2019 by martinr

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A few months ago I received a $50 Marriott Gift Card by email from Marriott. (It was one of the Bonvoy Elite loyalty thank-you emails back in May.) It's not a physical card, just an email from Marriott with the card number and PIN.

I checked the Terms and it says the card may be redeemed at "any participating Marriott brand hotel globally."

The gift card was issued in USD. Has anyone been able to redeem the card outside the US, in another currency (eg. euros or pounds sterling)? I understand there would be a conversion from USD to the local currency (although probably at a less than favorable rate). I'm going to Germany & France next week, hence my interest in the matter.

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fistuk Sep 23, 2019 2:32 PM
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Why do you think conversation will be "probably at a less than favorable rate"?... Are you speculating or stating?
The card is a digital card to be redeemed electronically, so obviously currency conversion will be done automatically by the Bonvoy system according to the hotel's local currency. They're not a bank so no reason not to use the official conversion rate.
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- martinr @ fistuk on Sep 23, 2019 6:40 PM
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  " ... so obviously currency conversion will be done automatically by the Bonvoy system according to the hotel's local currency ... ."
  
  Automatically or not, there will be a currency conversion at the hotel, and it will be at the hotel's exchange rate.
  
  Having changed USD into pounds, francs, marks, krona, yen, euros and other currencies at hotels numerous times over the years, I can tell you that hotel exchange rates are never as good as the "official conversion rate" aka interbank rate published in the WSJ, OANDA or the like. The hotels use their own retail rate plus they embed a conversion fee into the rate, so the outcome is a less than favorable conversion for the consumer. It's on a par with what you would get at an average exchange on the street. Exchange rates on VISA/MC/AMEX charges are considerably better, much closer to the "official conversion rate," but even they are not quite at the interbank rate.
  
  I expect that the gift card - denominated in USD - and redeemed at the hotel - would be changed at the hotel's exchange rate.
  
  But that's not my question. What I asked was if anyone has actually had a Marriott brand hotel outside the USA accept a USD-denominated Marriott Gift card.
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  - pluto77 @ martinr on Sep 24, 2019 4:59 AM
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    Yes, I tried to use a Marriott gift card at a Marriott in France, they would’ve accepted it, however I ultimately chose not to use it when the conversation turned and I found out that they treated it like foreign cash and would apply their own, unfavorable to me, exchange rate. It was a big enough difference for me to put my Marriott gift card (in essence, cash) back in my wallet and instead gave them my credit card.
    
    That was just one hotel in France and about 5 yeats ago. Still, I think you’ll have no problem using it if you want to. You’d of course need to email or call the hotels if you require more certainty.
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    - martinr @ pluto77 on Sep 27, 2019 10:57 PM
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      Thanks. I'm just going to keep it for use sometime here in the USA.
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pey Sep 23, 2019 10:07 PM
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I have struggled getting Marriott gift cards accepted in both Europe and in the USA. Sometimes it works but other times not so much. It is not that they wont eventually be accepted it is that the staff are not trained to deal with them.
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pluto77 Sep 24, 2019 4:39 AM
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I almost did it once in France, until I found out from the hotel that they consider it the same as using cash, and apply their own conversion rate, which is never good. Hotel currency conversion rates are notoriously bad, which is why you should never pay with foreign cash. Abroad, Marriott gift cards (issued in USD) are treated as foreign cash. Save your Marriott gift card for a stay in the states. Always use your credit card abroad. And of course when they ask if you want your card charged in USD’s or local currency, always tell them local currency.
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- martinr @ pluto77 on Sep 27, 2019 10:57 PM
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  Agreed on all points!
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Using a Marriott Gift Card ($) in Europe

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