Marriott hotels in Thailand selling gift certificates with up to 50% bonus

There’s a positive deluge of hotel deals coming through now, as properties try to entice visitors to return as soon as travel restrictions are lifted. 

Marriott hotels in Thailand have now launched an offer of their own. From now till 31 August 2020, selected properties are offering up to a 50% bonus on gift certificates. This includes some pretty aspirational ones like the Vana Belle Koh Samui and the Phulay Bay Ritz-Carlton Reserve. 

All hotels are selling the same three denominations:

• Pay THB 1,000 for a THB 1,250 voucher (25% bonus)
• Pay THB 3,000 for a THB 4,050 voucher (35% bonus)
• Pay THB 10,000 for a THB 15,000 voucher (50% bonus)

The catch is that the most vouchers must be used by 30 December 2020. There are a handful (see below) that have validity up till June 2021, but otherwise this should give people reason to pause. 

It’s still unclear when leisure travel will become possible, and even if Thailand lifts their ban on foreign visitors (which I think they will ASAP, because they’re so dependent on tourism), that counts for very little if you’ll have to do a 14-day stay-home when you return to Singapore. 

Each property has their own T&Cs, so be sure to navigate to the relevant hotel’s landing page and read them before you buy. In general, the vouchers can be used for any room charges, dining, or spa expenses. The entire voucher must be used in a single stay, and leftover value will be wasted. 

Which Marriott properties are participating?

In the table below I’ve listed the participating properties and voucher validity date. Do note that additional blackout dates may apply within the validity period (e.g the Vana Belle blacks out 29 and 30 December), so once again, check the T&Cs before you buy. 

As mentioned, the vast majority of these are valid until 30 December 2020, but at least the Le Meridien Chiang Mai and Le Meridien Chiang Rai are offering validity till June 2021. 

It’s worth doing a little additional research before pulling the trigger – a week ago, the Renaissance Bangkok Ratchaprasong was selling vouchers at 50% off (better than 50% bonus) which were valid till April 2021. Before you buy a particular voucher, you might want to visit the hotel’s Facebook page and see if they’ve got a better offer. 

What card to use?

These transactions will be processed online in foreign currency, but I’m not sure whether they will code as hotel expenditure (which is good for some cards like the DBS Altitude, and bad for others like the Citi Rewards). Therefore, I’d recommend the following cards:

	Earn Rate	Remarks
UOB Visa Signature Apply here	4 mpd	Min FCY spend of S$1K per s. month, cap at S$2K per s. month
DBS Woman’s World Card Apply here	4 mpd	Cap S$2K per c. month
SCB X Card Apply here	3 mpd	Until 30 Jun 20. Min spend S$2K per c. month
SCB Visa Infinite	3 mpd	Min spend S$2K per s. month
BOC Elite Miles	3 mpd	Until 15 Jun 20
S. Month= Statement Month | C. Month= Calendar Month

Conclusion

A 50% bonus is mighty tempting, but the wild card, as always, is not knowing when travel will once again be possible. If you’re comfortable with taking that risk, then this could be a great way to save on a future vacation. 

Will you be taking the plunge?

(HT: Loyalty Lobby)