How Much Is the Marriott Friends and Family Discount? A Comprehensive Guide to Maximizing Savings
Marriott International is renowned for offering high-quality accommodations worldwide, but their loyalty programs and discount offerings make their properties even more appealing. Among these offerings is the Marriott Friends and Family Discount, a lesser-known but significant opportunity to save on hotel stays. Whether you’re planning a getaway or a business trip, this discount can provide substantial savings if you’re eligible. In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about the Marriott Friends and Family Discount, from how much you can save to the eligibility requirements, booking process, and terms of use.
What is the Marriott Friends and Family Discount?
The Marriott Friends and Family discount, also called the MMF code, applies to a multitude of variables of your booking: This is part and parcel of the initiative by Marriott to offer travel privileges not only to their employees but also those in their near circle. I used the discount — which enables those who qualify to book rooms far below rack rates for others — and was still irked.
What the Program Will Offer
- Marriott Employee Discount: This is the employee only referral rate which can only be used with an associate sign up, and guarantee your lowest room rate on Marriott.
- Special Rate Code: Employee provides an exclusive rate code at the time of the booking for this discounted booking.
- Worldwide Benefits: The Friends and Family Discount represents savings at Marriott properties globally, including their high-end brands such as Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis, to more affordable choices like Courtyard or Fairfield Inn.
How Much Can You Save with the Marriott Friends and Family Discount?
Depending on things like the location of the hotel, the season and how long you’ve booked in advance, your savings from using Marriott Friends and Family Discount will differ. But with the discounts, I usually pay somewhere between 15% to 50% off the normal room rate. Standard rates will be reduced by an average of 20-30%.
Examples of Savings:
- Luxury Hotels: Peak discounts could bring stays at plush Marriott brands like The Ritz-Carlton down by as much as a half.
- Lower to Mid-Range Hotels: Lower end properties like Courtyard or Fairfield Inn will frequently offer a minimum of 15-30% discounts.
- Travel Times Of The Month: At busy travel times of the month (particularly during peak tourist seasons) you might come across lower percentage discounts in major tourist destinations and downtown areas.
Although knowing how to use these discounts is key because although this discount makes purchasing a room at 1/3 the cost of standard pricing easier for family and friends of Marriott employees, other details could make or break that good deal.
Eligibility for Marriott’s Friends and Family Discount
Only individuals with a formal relationship to a Marriott employee are eligible for the Marriott Friends and Family Discount. This includes:
- Direct family: Marriott Employee Spouse, child, brother or parent.
- Friends: A direct referral of a Marriott employee.
- Extended Family: In some instances, extended family members such as cousins or in-laws may be eligible but this would depend on the employee ranking and corporate policies.
The eligible individual must receive a unique Friends and Family rate code from the referring Marriott employee. This code is the only way you can avail of discounted rest.
Note: This offer is not available for business-related stays, so if you are in a business trip or something similar, you will have to pay the normal hotel bill.
How to Book a Stay Using the Marriott Friends and Family Discount
Booking a stay using the Marriott Friends and Family Discount is a straightforward process, but it does require some additional steps compared to a standard reservation. Here’s how to secure your discounted stay:
- Get the Discount Code: You’ll need to request the Friends and Family rate code from the Marriott employee who is referring you. This code is essential for applying the discount.
- Go to Marriott’s Website: Head over to the official Marriott booking portal.
- Enter the Rate Code: On the booking page, look for the field where you can enter a special rate code (usually under “Special Rates” or “Corporate/Promo Code”).
- Search for Your Stay: After entering the code, search for available hotels and rates at your desired destination.
- Confirm the Discount: Once the search results appear, verify that the Friends and Family discount has been applied to the available rates.
- Complete the Booking: Proceed to finalize your reservation.
You may need to present a validation format check-in, which can be provided by the referring employee.
Terms and Conditions of Marriott Friends and Family Rates
The savings with the Marriott Friends and Family Discount are fabulous, but everything that comes to their terms and conditions has a disadvantage.
- Not transferable: The discount code shall not be transferred to any third party and cannot be exchanged for cash.
- Transforming results: The rate is valid for business or corporate travel and not applicable for leisure stays.
- Availability: Reduced rates currently being offered are subject to restrictions and are not applicable at all resorts, may be restricted during peak travel periods.
- ID Check: Marriott properties can require you to provide ID proving the referred employee is your relative at check-in.
- Cancellation Policy: Please note that the timeshare cancellation and modification policies for Friends & Family bookings may differ from regular rates so read all the terms carefully before finalizing your stay.
How the Marriott Friends and Family Discount Compares to Other Discounts
The Marriott Friends and Family Discount is a solid choice, but here are some other ways to get discounts through Marriott:
- Marriott Bonvoy Member Rates: Members can save between 5% – 10% on reservations, a more modest discount than Friends and Family rates.
- Corporate Discounts: Some corporations have special deals with Marriott and oftentimes it’s just up to a 20-30% discount.
- Senior Discounts and AAA Rates: Well unfortunately for some reason even consider senior discounts or AAA and Friends and Family rates are usually better. Thankfully most huge.
At the end of the day, it is ultimately one of the most beneficial discounts you can get besides elite status, but again, only if you know a Marriott employee on a personal level.
How to Maximize Your Savings with Marriott’s Friends and Family Discount
To ensure you get the most out of the Marriott Friends and Family Discount, consider the following tips:
- Book in Advance: While availability for Friends and Family rates is limited, booking early can increase your chances of securing a room at a desirable property.
- Travel Off-Peak: Discounts tend to be higher during off-peak travel seasons when hotels have more rooms available at discounted rates.
- Stay at Luxury Properties: Using the discount at premium Marriott properties, such as The Ritz-Carlton, can provide the most substantial savings, allowing you to experience luxury at a fraction of the cost.
Can You Combine the Friends and Family Discount with Marriott Bonvoy Points?
Unfortunately, you cannot combine the Friends and Family Discount with Marriott Bonvoy points for further savings. These are two separate programs with distinct rules. If you’re looking to maximize points or use your accrued points for free stays, you’ll need to forgo the Friends and Family discount.
However, you can:
- Earn Bonvoy Points: Even if you book a stay using the Friends and Family rate, you can still earn Marriott Bonvoy points for eligible stays.
- Use Points on Other Stays: Consider using the Friends and Family Discount for paid stays and save your Bonvoy points for other occasions where discounts aren’t available.
