Marriott Bonvoy accruals at Protea Hotels, one of Marriott’s lesser-known brands primarily found in Africa, are about to get significantly devalued.
If you’re checking out of a Protea property on or after March 1, you’ll earn just 5 points per dollar (instead of 10 points per dollar) and half an elite night for each night you stay. This news was communicated to some Marriott Bonvoy members via email Wednesday.
Here’s what you need to know.
Point earnings get halved
Marriott Bonvoy rewards its members with 10 points per dollar at most brands. The following brands earn fewer points per Marriott.
Brands that earn 2.5 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar spent on qualifying charges:
- Marriott Executive Apartments.
Brands that earn 5 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar spent on qualifying charges:
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- Element.
- Homes & Villas by Marriott International.
- Residence Inn.
- TownePlace Suites.
- Protea Hotels (for stays with a checkout on or after March 1).
Related: Your complete guide to Marriott hotel brands
Half an elite night
This is an entirely new concept for Marriott Bonvoy. For each night you stay at a Protea property, you’ll earn just half an elite night once the changes take effect next month. For Marriott Bonvoy guests who stay at Protea hotels, it effectively becomes twice as hard to qualify for Marriott Bonvoy status.
To earn Titanium Elite status exclusively at Protea-branded hotels, which requires 75 elite nights in a calendar year, you’ll have to stay a stupendous 150 nights. Of course, you can earn elite nights with a Marriott cobranded credit card, and it’s unlikely North American-based Bonvoy customers would solely stay at Protea hotels.
Regardless, this is an unfavorable update for Marriott elite-status chasers, and we hope it does not roll out to other brands in the Marriott portfolio.
Related: Register now to earn double Marriott elite nights and bonus points on all paid stays
Bottom line
You’ll earn half the points for Protea stays checking out on or after March 1.
More concerning, Marriott will award just half an elite night for each night you stay at this brand. While Marriott hasn’t applied the half-elite-night framework to its other brands that earn less than 10 points per dollar, it sets a worrisome precedent.
