Marriott Bonvoy Halves Elite Night Credits at Protea Hotels

Marriott has announced a major change to part of its loyalty program. Beginning March 1, 2023, Marriott Bonvoy members staying at Protea Hotels will only earn one elite night credit for every two nights stayed.

This is not only strange, but also unprecedented, as it’s the first time a loyalty program has introduced partial elite night credits. In addition to this, the number of points earned per dollar spent at Protea Hotels will also be cut in half, with the rate going down to 5 points per dollar spent.

Marriott Reduces Elite Night Credits at Protea Hotels

If you’ve never heard of Protea Hotels, it’s one of Marriott’s 30 unique brands that’s primarily based across 10 countries in Africa. You won’t find them in any other part of the world, so this change only affects travellers who earn the majority of their elite nights in Africa.

As of March 1, 2023, Marriott will be only crediting one elite night for every two nights stayed at Protea Hotels, with no partial nights given. The new rate will apply as long as your check-out date is on or after March 1, 2023.

If you’re staying at a Protea Hotel during this period, it’d be wise to split the stay into two reservations, with the first checking out on February 28, 2023 to maintain the current earn rate of one elite night per night stayed.

With the elite night rules changing, staying one night at a Protea Hotel won’t earn any elite nights, and staying three nights at a Protea Hotel would earn one elite night. Therefore, if you’re staying for an odd number of nights, you’d earn elite nights at a rate of 1/3, and if you’re staying an even number of nights, you’d earn nights at a rate of 1/2. 

Recall that the standard amount of elite nights provided is one per night stayed, and this applies across all of Marriott’s other brands, and all other loyalty programs, for that matter. Therefore, elite night rates going down to 1/3 for some stays is quite a severe devaluation.

As part of this change, Marriott will also be reducing the base number of points earned per dollar spent at Protea Hotels, going down to 5 points per dollar spent rather than the current 10.

Compared to the reduction in elite night accrual, reducing the points earned is a minor…