Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
FREQUENT FLYER GLOSSARY
What is an incidental hold?
An incidental hold is a temporary authorisation a hotel places on a payment card at check-in to cover possible extras during a stay — meals charged to the room, the minibar, parking, telephone calls or damage — kept separate from the charge for the room itself. It sets aside part of the card's available balance rather than billing the guest, and it is settled or released once the bill is closed at check-out. Hotel programmes work from the folio, the running bill for the stay, and Marriott Bonvoy's earning rules define Qualifying Charges as charges incurred during a stay on that folio and paid for by the member. [3]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- An incidental hold is an authorisation, not a bill: it runs alongside the room rate and is settled against the final hotel folio.
- Marriott Bonvoy Points are earned on Qualifying Charges — charges incurred during a stay on the member's folio and paid for by the member — which is where extras such as food and beverages can appear. [3]
- Not every extra qualifies: charges from third-party outlets may be excluded, and at Atlantis, Paradise Island an Award Redemption Stay covers the standard room rate and room tax only. [3]
How does an incidental hold work at check-in?
At check-in a hotel estimates what a guest might spend beyond the room rate and asks the card issuer to reserve that amount. Nothing is billed at that moment; part of the card's available balance is set aside instead. At check-out the charges actually incurred are added to the folio and the bill is settled against the reserved amount, with the unused portion released.
Because the folio is the record of what was really spent, hotel loyalty rules attach to it rather than to the authorisation. Marriott Bonvoy defines Qualifying Charges as charges incurred during a stay in a guest room at a Participating Property by a member, as the registered guest, on their folio, and paid for by the member. [3] A member's own room qualifies, and so do up to two additional guest rooms with the same check-in and check-out dates. [3]
Three conditions are attached: the member provides their membership number at the time of reservation or at check-in, stays in one of the reserved guest rooms as the registered guest, and pays for the charges. [3]
Which hotel charges earn Marriott Bonvoy Points?
Extras that reach the folio earn Points when they fall inside the Qualifying Charges definition. The rules list 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. [3] The base earning rate depends on the property, as follows.
| Property or brand | Base Points |
|---|---|
| Most Participating Brands | 10 |
| Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy, City Express, Element, Four Points Flex, Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy, Protea Hotels, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites | 5 |
| Series by Marriott in the United States, Canada and Greater China | 10 |
| Series by Marriott in other locations | 5 |
| StudioRes | 4 |
One brand sits outside this structure: at Marriott Executive Apartments, members do not earn Points on Qualifying Charges, only on Qualifying Rates, so incidental spending there does not earn. [3] Rates are quoted in US dollars or the currency equivalent. [3]
Do incidental charges at all-inclusive resorts earn Points?
At All-Inclusive by Marriott Bonvoy resorts, and at Participating Properties that offer all-inclusive packages year-round and are designated by the company as all-inclusive, Qualifying Charges are assessed on the all-inclusive package. They include the Qualifying Rate, premium food and beverages bought at the property in addition to that rate, extra-person charges on paid stays, spa, golf and other resort-run activities managed by the property, and taxes, service charges and gratuities that form part of the qualifying room package rate. [3] In certain limited cases, taxes, service charges, gratuities and fees relating to other incidentals charged to the room bill may also be eligible for earning Points. [3]
Exceptions and limits
- Award stays. A Free Night Award is a points redemption available at thousands of properties worldwide. [5] At Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas, an Award Redemption Stay includes the standard room rate and room tax only; extra-person charges, resort fees, service charges and other property charges are the member's responsibility and are not included. [3]
- Charges that do not qualify. Complimentary services and Award Redemptions are listed among the charges that do not qualify for Points. [3] Food and beverage outlets managed or operated by a third party may not be eligible, and charges at outlets not located within the Participating Property or All-Inclusive Resort are not Qualifying Charges. [3]
- What the hold itself is. How large the authorisation is, when the card issuer releases it, and how a debit card or a card in another currency handles it are matters for the property and the bank, and vary between them. It is the settled charge on the folio, not the reservation of funds, that the programme rules describe as earning Points. [3]
- Adjustments. Marriott states that it may correct, adjust, cancel or reconcile Points, Qualifying Nights, status, benefits or transactions at any time, including where a benefit was issued in error or a member was not eligible. [3]
Frequently asked questions
Is an incidental hold the same as the room rate?
No. The room rate is the price of the accommodation, while the hold is an authorisation for possible extras that is settled against the final bill. Marriott Bonvoy assesses Points on charges incurred on the folio, not on the authorisation. [3]
Do incidental charges at a hotel earn Marriott Bonvoy Points?
Yes, when they qualify. The charge must be incurred by the member as the registered guest on their folio and paid for by the member, with the membership number given at booking or check-in. [3] Food and beverages are listed as Qualifying Charges, though alcoholic beverages or tobacco may be excluded where prohibited by law. [3]
Are incidental charges included when I stay on an award night?
Not always. At Atlantis, Paradise Island, an Award Redemption Stay covers the standard room rate and room tax only, and extra-person charges, resort fees, service charges and other property charges remain the member's responsibility. [3]
Do restaurant charges at a hotel always earn Points?
No. Outlets managed or operated by a third party may not be eligible, and charges from outlets outside the property are not Qualifying Charges. [3]
Do extras earn Points at Marriott Executive Apartments?
No. At Marriott Executive Apartments members earn Points on Qualifying Rates only, not on Qualifying Charges. [3]
Sources
Sources checked on 18 October 2026. It covers Marriott Bonvoy programme terms; the incidental-hold practices of other hotel groups and of individual properties are not covered here.
- Marriott Bonvoy Loyalty Program Terms & Conditions, checked 18 October 2026
- Marriott Bonvoy points redemption page, checked 18 October 2026