Marriott accidentally includes a redemption fee on certain award bookings – The Points Guy

In 2021, TPG began getting reports of incorrect redemption surcharges on certain stays reserved with points or free night certificates from the Marriott Bonvoy program.

Regrettably, more readers have reported other properties that have enforced these fees.

To summarize, if you’ve used Marriott points (or redeemed certificates) for a hotel stay in recent years, it’s advisable to review your bills to ensure you weren’t accidentally charged for using them. If you find that you were, you may be eligible for a refund of the surcharges and any related taxes.

Here’s all the information we have at the moment, along with steps you can take if you were billed.

Summary of these additional fees

As previously mentioned, several TPG readers experienced incorrect charges when booking award stays with Marriott. In these cases, utilizing points or certificates resulted in a line item titled “Rm Chrg — Reward Redemption” appearing on the final bill for each night of the stay.

It’s essential to make it clear that these are not resort or destination charges.

Although Marriott does not waive these fees for award stays, they are legitimate charges that most travelers generally dislike. Moreover, resort fees are usually shown on the final booking screen.

Ultimately, these reports also contrast with the events at certain resorts during the summer of 2021 — when three properties were promoting “Marriott Bonvoy redemption fees” for award stays that were evidently inconsistent with Marriott’s terms and conditions.

According to a Marriott spokesperson in an email to TPG, these fees result from a “clerical error by the property,” and you should be able to get them reversed either at the front desk or by contacting the hotel after your stay.

Where have we encountered these additional fees from Marriott?

This problem was initially brought to TPG’s attention in mid-2021 by a reader who used points to book a stay at the Perry Lane Hotel in Savannah, Georgia, which is a part of Marriott’s Luxury Collection. The reader reserved a three-night stay, paying for one night with cash and the other two with points. However, upon reviewing the bill after departure, she was taken aback to discover two $129 charges marked as “Rm Chrg — Reward Redemption” for the two nights booked with points.

Please observe that the screenshot above clearly indicates the $32 “Destination Amenity Fee” as well as the supplementary redemption surcharge.

Then, just a few weeks later, another report of these surcharges surfaced. This time, TPG reader Shannon stayed two nights at the Westin Kansas City at Crown Center in Kansas City, Missouri, and was surprised with two $53 charges.

In December 2021, TPG reader Nicholas observed that he was also charged a $37 fee when redeeming points at the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Regrettably, reports have still been received as recently as this month.

In 2024, readers have reported these incorrect charges to TPG at the following locations:

• Sheraton Sioux Falls
• Le Meridien Dallas near the Galleria
• Element Arundel Mills
• St. Louis Midtown Element
• Sheraton Suites in Downtown Wilmington
• Elevated New Orleans City Center
• Four Points by Sheraton near Nashville Airport
• Sheraton Hotel in Salt Lake City
• Sheraton Hotel at Crown Center in Kansas City
• Sheraton Overland Park Hotel at Convention Center
• The Westin Wilmington

Each instance included an identical description (“Rm Chrg — Reward Redemption”) for the additional charge, indicating that it is not a compulsory resort fee.

According to a statement TPG obtained from a Marriott spokesperson, these charges are entirely inaccurate.

Such situations are usually the result of an administrative mistake by the property. In such cases, members should reach out to the front desk or the manager on duty to have it corrected and removed from their account.

While Marriott did not specify the exact nature of these charges, industry experts informed TPG that they are likely associated with the fee that Marriott’s corporate office pays the hotel for the award stay.

After we updated this story in June 2022, the management at the Renaissance St. Elm Dallas Downtown contacted TPG, stating that they were unaware of this error until they read our article.

We were unaware of this issue until it was brought to our attention through this story. We have since discovered a clerical error affecting a few folios. We are addressing this promptly and will credit anyone who was incorrectly charged. We apologize to our guests for the mistake.

Fortunately, you should be eligible for a refund on these charges.

How to review your own stays

If you have used points at a Marriott property over the past few years, it’s advisable to check your folios to ensure these charges are not listed. You can look through your email history or use the Marriott Bonvoy app to do this.

1. Launch the Marriott Bonvoy app (and sign in if needed).
2. Tap the “Account” option located at the bottom right corner, then choose “Account Activity.”
3. Switch the filter at the top from “All Types” to “Hotel Stays” to display only your completed stays.
4. Select the stay in question and then choose “Hotel Bill” to view a detailed list of charges.

Regrettably, digital receipts are accessible solely for stays concluded in the past few months, so you might need to match your emails and credit card records to obtain information from previous stays.

Another option is to go to the “Contact Us” section on Marriott’s website to obtain your receipt for any stay in the past year. Choose “Copy of Hotel Bill” from the drop-down list, enter your stay information (including a required comment), and then click “Submit.”

What if Marriott imposed a fee on you?

If you discover a fee for using your points, your initial step should be to reach out to the specific hotel. Aim to speak with the financial office or billing department, and make sure you have all the details of your booking — such as the confirmation number and the dates of your stay — readily available.

If that approach doesn’t yield results, consider reaching out to Marriott Bonvoy customer service. I suggest beginning with the online form, as this will create a case number for your inquiry and email it to you. This enables you to track the status in case you need to follow up with a phone call.

Here’s the procedure to submit that form:

1. Visit Marriott’s website and navigate to the “Contact Us” section.
2. Choose “Compliments/Concerns About a Stay” from the drop-down list, and then pick “Concern.”
3. From the “Question/Issue Sub-Topic” menu, choose “Billing Accuracy.”
4. Look up your hotel, then input the specifics of your stay – this includes your confirmation number and any detailed remarks regarding the charge.
5. Click “Submit.”

This real-world scenario highlights the importance of thoroughly reviewing your hotel invoices before checking out. It’s generally much simpler to correct any mistakes on the spot rather than after you’ve left.

I would like to emphasize once more that this does not pertain to any fees identified as a resort, destination, or amenity charge. This advice is specifically for guests who notice a “Rm Chrg — Reward Redemption” entry on their bill from a stay they booked with Marriott points or certificates.

Bottom line

Using hotel points for redemption can significantly cut travel expenses, particularly when cash prices surge during high travel periods. However, numerous TPG readers have encountered incorrect redemption fees on certain stays at Marriott Bonvoy properties over recent years.

If you recently used Marriott points for a stay, you might have been mistakenly charged a fee. Fortunately, this isn’t a change in the Bonvoy program, but a clerical error at specific properties.

If you notice a charge like this, report it to the hotel management right away. If you’ve already left, contact the property’s billing department to request a refund.

We’re also eager to receive your reports of these erroneous fees. Please email a screenshot or attachment of your hotel bill displaying the charge to [email protected].