January Update: Rookie Mistakes, Snowy Adventures, and a Bump in the Road

January kicked off my journey toward Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite status with a mix of travel wins, lessons learned, and an unexpected twist, literally.

We started the year with a snowboarding trip to Stowe, Vermont, staying at the Courtyard Burlington Williston. We booked two rooms for three nights each—one for my husband and me, and the other for our 21-year-old son. In my mind, that meant six elite night credits, right? Wrong.

Rookie Mistake: A Lesson in Elite Night Credits

I’ve been in the Bonvoy program for 14 years, but I still learned something new: Marriott only awards one elite night credit per day, no matter how many rooms you book. So instead of earning six nights, I earned just three.

At first, I felt like a rookie for missing this detail. The account activity shows three nights for each room, which can be misleading.

My account activity in the Bonvoy app.

In the past, when I booked multiple rooms, it was later in the year when my elite night count was higher, making it less noticeable. This time, with a nearly empty tracker in January, it stood out.

Honestly, I’m glad I figured this out now instead of discovering it in November when I’d be counting every night to reach 100. Lesson learned early = crisis averted later.

Burlington Highlights: Bagels, Bistros, and Breaks (Literally)

While in Burlington, we had breakfast every morning at the Burlington Bagel Bakery—highly recommend for their fresh egg and cheese sandwiches made with jalapeño cheddar bagels. For dinner, we enjoyed Leunig’s Bistro on Church Street, a classic spot with a warm, bustling atmosphere and excellent food.

Unfortunately, the trip ended with more than just memories—I broke my arm snowboarding on the last day. Not exactly the kind of souvenir I had in mind.

The Ripple Effect: Canceled Stays and Adjustments

The injury meant canceling a few upcoming hotel stays:

• Two nights in NYC for work, which would’ve added to my elite night count.

• One night in Hartford, CT, tied to plans to attend a UConn women’s basketball game—another missed experience and hotel night.

But not all was lost. I managed to gain an elite night credit by booking a stay at The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park for my son and his visiting girlfriend as a special treat using rewards points. Even award stays count toward elite nights, so that helped balance things out.

January by the Numbers

Despite the detours, January wasn’t a total loss for my Ambassador goal:

• 3 nights from the Courtyard Burlington Williston stay

• 1 night from the Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park award booking

• 15 elite night credits from my Bonvoy credit card’s annual award

• 3 additional elite night credits from Bonvoy credit card spend

Total elite nights and spend at the end of January.

Looking Ahead

While a broken arm wasn’t in the travel plans, I’m grateful it happened early in the year when I still have plenty of time to adjust my strategy. Plus, every misstep (and snowboard mishap) comes with a lesson—whether it’s understanding Marriott’s elite night rules or simply appreciating the journeys, bumps and all.

Here’s to February bringing smoother travels, more elite nights, and zero broken bones.