What are hotel payment methods?

What are hotel payment methods?

A hotel payment method is simply the instrument used to settle the balance on a folio. That balance usually brings together the room rate, taxes and service charges with anything charged to the room during the stay, so the payment question is about the whole bill rather than the headline rate. Properties commonly take payment by card, and some accept cash, a bank transfer or a redemption of loyalty points. Because the accepted set, and the point at which payment is taken, are handled property by property and can be narrowed by local rules, the same brand name does not guarantee the same payment handling in every country. A traveller who depends on a particular method should confirm it with the property in advance, and travellers comparing total costs can use the pre-booking fee checklist and the notes on hotel deposit policy.

Payment method matters for a second reason in hotel loyalty programmes. The record of who paid, and how, is often what decides whether the spend is credited at all, so the card or account used at the desk can affect earning as much as the rate that was booked. The card itself belongs to a wider payments system, described under card network. The worked examples below come from Marriott Bonvoy's published rules.

How does the payment method affect Marriott Bonvoy points?

Marriott Bonvoy defines Qualifying Charges as charges a member incurs during a stay in a guest room at a participating property, as the registered guest, on their folio, plus up to two additional guest rooms with the same check-in and check-out dates. [2] For those charges to count, the member must give their membership number at reservation or at check-in, must stay in one of the reserved rooms as the registered guest, and must pay for the charges. [2] Qualifying items include food and beverages, excluding alcoholic beverages or tobacco where prohibited by law, direct-dial in-room telephone and fax, and in-room movies and video games. [2] At All-Inclusive Resorts, charges that form part of the all-inclusive package qualify on the same basis, provided the member pays them. [2] Charges from food and beverage outlets managed or operated by a third party may not be eligible. [2]

For guests who would rather not pay from their own account, the rules also matter in the other direction: Marriott may cancel, suspend, restrict or audit an account where the member has failed to pay amounts owed to Marriott, a participating property, or an applicable vacation ownership or residence club entity. [2] Members are also responsible for taxes, duties and disclosures connected with earning, receiving or using points and awards. [2]

How do you earn points when you pay at a hotel restaurant or bar?

Marriott Bonvoy also credits spending at Participating Outlets — hotel restaurants, bars and similar venues listed by Marriott where a guest can earn without staying the night. [2] The rate is five base Points for each U.S. dollar, or currency equivalent, on the total bill after applicable discounts have been applied and exclusions removed. [2] The member must either provide the membership number at the time of payment at the outlet, or pay with a payment card that is linked to the membership number. [2] In some markets, if a payment card is linked to more than one account, only the most recently linked account will earn points. [2] Elite bonus Points may be awarded depending on how payments are processed at the outlet, so the same bill can produce different results at different properties. [2] A member may be required to show a valid form of picture identification matching the account name, and points can take up to ten days after each transaction to post. [2]

Can you pay for a Marriott stay with points or cash plus points?

Within Marriott Bonvoy, a stay can be settled with cash, with points, or with a mixture of the two. Cash + Points rates are found by selecting “Use Points/Awards” in a hotel search and choosing the Cash + Points rate at participating hotels that display one. [5] Free Night Awards can be redeemed at thousands of properties worldwide, with point values that vary by property. [5] Marriott lists points stays starting at 12,000 points per night. [5] At select hotels and resorts, points can be traded for a room upgrade or cash paid for a paid upgrade. [5] PointSavers rates offer up to 20% off at participating hotels. [5]

Points are a payment method only inside the programme, not outside it. Marriott Bonvoy points and awards have no cash value and may not be sold, bartered, transferred, assigned, exchanged or purchased except as the programme rules expressly permit. [2]

What are the exceptions and limits?

• Who pays decides the credit. A member who books rooms for other people still has to stay in one of the reserved rooms as the registered guest and pay for the charges for those rooms to count as Qualifying Charges. [2]
• Third-party operators. Outlets managed or operated by a third party may not be eligible for points, and charges at outlets outside the property are not eligible. [2]
• Restricted items. Alcoholic beverages or tobacco are excluded where prohibited by law, and some charges may be excluded at the company's or the outlet's discretion. [2]
• Linked-card rules are market-specific. The most-recently-linked-account rule applies in some markets only, so identical card set-ups can behave differently from one country to another. [2]
• Payment history follows the membership. Amounts owed to Marriott or a property can trigger account action, including forfeiture of points and benefits. [2]

Frequently asked questions

Does the payment method change whether a Marriott stay earns points?

It can, because a charge qualifies only where the member is the registered guest, the charge sits on their folio, and the member pays for it. [2]

What happens if my payment card is linked to more than one Marriott Bonvoy account?

In some markets only the most recently linked account will earn points on that card's spending. [2]

Can I earn Marriott Bonvoy points at a hotel restaurant without staying overnight?

Yes, at Participating Outlets, at five base Points per U.S. dollar or currency equivalent, provided you give your membership number at payment or pay with a linked card. [2]

Can I split payment between cash and points for a Marriott stay?

Yes, where a participating hotel offers a Cash + Points rate, which is booked by selecting “Use Points/Awards” in the hotel search and choosing that rate. [5]

Related pages

Hotel pre-booking fee checklist, hotel deposit policy, card network, hotel minimum check-in age, and the full glossary of frequent flyer terms.

Sources

Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. Payment policies for Hilton Honors, World of Hyatt, IHG One Rewards and individual hotel properties are not covered here.

1. Marriott Bonvoy Loyalty Program Terms & Conditions, checked 18 October 2026
2. Redeem Marriott Bonvoy Points, checked 18 October 2026