Marriott promo: 30% off room & food and beverage in Africa and Middle East

Marriott has a nice offer with some very attractive rates in Africa and the Middle East — with 30% off room rates and 30% off food and non-alcoholic beverages. Note that the food & beverage discount applies to “participating restaurants & lounges only” and does not include room service. Still, the list of participating properties is pretty extensive — if you have an upcoming trip to the Middle East or Africa, this promo is worth a look.

The Offer

• 20% off room rates for non-members, 30% off for Marriott Rewards members
• 30% off at participating restaurants & lounges (non-alcoholic beverages only)
• Promotion page with full list of countries & participating properties can be found here.

Key Details

• Valid for bookings made between May 1, 2017 and August 31, 2017
• Valid for stays between May 21, 2017 and September 9, 2017

Two examples

I see several properties on the list that I have stayed at this year — and these prices are among the best I’ve seen for these properties. For example, I previously wrote about the Protea Hotel Stellenbosch Dorpshuis & Spa in the heart of South African wine country (outside of Cape Town). As a Gold member, I was proactively upgraded to a 2-level suite that was comfortable and spacious.

At the time of my stay, I wrote that it was a great use of Marriott Rewards points. As a Category 1 property, it was just 7500 points per night versus the cash rate of over $200 a night for Marriott Rewards members.

The current sale is for stays from May 21-August 31st, which is winter in South Africa and as such low-season pricing is in full effect. Still, average daily high temperatures in July are in the mid 60’s. I haven’t visited at this time of year, but at the current prices I kind of wish I could. With this promotion, that same hotel would run about $77 USD per night.

At that rate, you can afford to splurge for the “Majors Tasting” flight at Ernie Els Wines (at a whopping ~$4.50 in USD).

A second property that caught my eye was the Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi. I also stayed there this year and the property is drop-dead gorgeous. These are a couple of photos I took one night.

They have a faux Venetian Village, complete with a number of different restaurants and a large spa. This is also low season for Abu Dhabi due to the extreme heat. Daytime highs average 104 in June — but if you can brave the heat, rates are great for this property, at about $155.19 per night with this promotion. At this particular resort, with its Venetian village and restaurant choices, I think 30% off dining could really add up.

Still, if you’re willing to prepay, the discount is even better — the nonrefundable prepaid rate is just $127.42. However, I believe that rate does not come with 30% off food and beverage. If you only have a one night stay, you might do better with Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts, as ~$170 includes both dinner for 2 breakfast.

If your stay is longer than a single night, I think you would come out better with the current promotion.

Final Thoughts

Those are just a couple of examples that stood out at me because the rates are significantly better than the high season rates I saw during my stays — and they appear to be better than what I see elsewhere for the same dates at this time of year. If you have a stay coming up in the region, check out this promotion to see if you can save.

H/T: Loyalty Traveler

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