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After our most recent stay at a Courtyard by Marriott property, I was reminded of one hidden perk of Marriott Bonvoy status. It’s also the benefit that a property is least likely to deny.

Here’s the list of benefits for Platinum Elite members from the Marriott Bonvoy website:

The benefit that’s not on the list

They don’t mention another benefit, and it’s one of those #IYKYK (If you know, you know) things. I’m not talking about late checkout or enhanced room upgrades, which hotels often deny. I’m talking about preferred parking spots.

For the 125 rooms at this Courtyard by Marriott, there were spots reserved for:

• 2 Ambassador Elite
• 3 Titanium Elite
• 3 Platinum Elite
• 2 Gold Elite
• 1 Silver Elite

That’s approximately 10% of hotel guests who have preferred parking. This isn’t an airport or cruise port hotel, so there are not many people parking cars for a long period of time. The parking lot is considerably large, but I have seen it overflow when the hotel is at capacity.

And it’s respected!

The incredible thing is that guests heed the signage. Most evenings, the reserved spots were empty when the closest parking spots were all taken.

Since we are Platinum Bonvoy members for at least the rest of 2024, we parked in the Platinum spots.

It wasn’t until the last day that all the parking spots were full except for the one reserved for a Silver Elite. I couldn’t bring myself to park in this spot. Honestly, there were other spots in the lot closer to the entrance than this one.

As a Platinum Elite, I could take this spot. But why steal the one moment of joy from someone who’s a Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite? pic.twitter.com/l7VLL0DisP

— YourMileageMayVary (@YourMileageVary) June 16, 2022

I don’t give much value to having Marriott Bonvoy status. We’ve been lucky to have some of our upgrades cleared, but dropping down to Gold or Silver will not change our stays.

A reminder

When we parked in the Platinum Elite spot, Sharon (my wife) reminded me that SHE’S the one with Platinum Elite Marriott Bonvoy status, and without her, I’d only be able to park in the Gold Elite spots.

Whatevs.

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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary