This week only: 20% off Marriott gift cards

If you have an upcoming stay at a Marriott hotel, you might want to pay attention to this deal. This week only, through May 17, you can purchase Marriott eGift cards at a 20% discount. This is a promotion that typically only comes around with the yearly Daily Getaways — which isn’t happening this spring — and are typically extremely hard to purchase. With this promotion, everyone is eligible to make the purchase and the only cap is that you are limited to buying up to $5,000 per person per credit card per day. Ultimately, this means you can purchase as many as you’d like.

I personally will be sitting this one out though. I do not have any upcoming Marriott stays and right now I do not foresee myself traveling any time soon. I actually wouldn’t be surprised if I do not get on a plane for another year. And if I stay more locally, I have a decent amount of points to burn. But, if this deal works fo you, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• If you are booking a pre-paid rate you will not be able to use Marriott Gift Cards as your payment method. Marriott eGift cards can only be redeemed at the property during check-out.
• I’ve never found the exchange rate to be favorable when using hotel gift cards internationally — most likely you will lose some value.
• If you have a stay booked on points, you can still use the gift certificate for other incidentals on your bill, such as dining charges, spa, etc.
• The gift certificates do not expire.

I personally have purchased Marriott eGift Cards in the past and using them have been quite easy. If you know of a more immediate need, then this is a great deal. But, I do not recommend holding onto Marriott gift cards for a trip too much into the future. There are just too many unknowns right now.

Are you a buyer at 20% off?