Beware of Marriott Bonvoy Program (Formerly SPG)

[markc]

A group rate is not the same as booking through a third party, though. Or are you saying you could book the group rate through the third party?

I think they're saying that the only 3rd party booking engines which do accrue points are those meant for business travel, which is correct. The hotel chains all accept business travel bookings as ones that will earn points. That's the only exception to the rule. In many cases, a group rate is used for those bookings - but again, the hotels consider those as eligible for earning points as they want to encourage business travel bookings.