SacTownGuy

I am normally negative but are there are devaluations that are good? Were any hidden gems created? Probably not but trying to be positive!

nova08

I initially had the same thought. Some of the Aruba properties dropped. But other than that you really have to go to some far out destinations (from a US perspective) to find properties that dropped (Cairo, Guam, Doha, Bogota, Amman, a few Japan props, Kuwait, Jeddah, Mumbai)

Deemus7

In case anyone is wondering, I count 96 properties going from 4 to 5 (and thus out of the MegaBonus redemption level). I plan on letting Marriott know that I will be cancelling 2 upcoming stays with them as a result of these changes (specifically to the Courtyard Philadelphia Downtown, in my case).

I appreciate at least some advance notice, but this is VERY hard to swallow for those of us who based future Q1 stays on the ability to use the certificates at one of those 96 locations. I currently only have 1 certificate and won't be able to get my second prior to March 15th. Why not announce these changes prior to the start of the MegaBonus so we can plan accordingly? Definitely not happy...

I doubt this means much coming from a lowly Silver, but they should know that this will directly impact upcoming stays and will give me even more incentive to switch to SPG (as if Hilton's recent devaluations wasn't enough).

(Ok, rant over...flame away )

david_33

Unfortunately Bogota went up, not down.

yoonny

not a hidden gem but I like the Ritz Grand Cayman moving down from Tier 4 to 3.

SkiAdcock

Bogota did both. One property went up; one went down.

Like others I appreciate the heads up, although being picky it would have helped to have more than 2 weeks notice. Still, any advance notice is appreciated.

And I appreciate Marriott (finally) providing the entire list of properties changing.

Sniff, sob, sob - I knew my beloved Grosvenor House wouldn't stay a 7, but thought we might be able to eke one more year out with it staying a 7. But looks like London all around is going up.

Also noticed both AMS properties went up a category.

Cheers.

NJUPINTHEAIR

This was my point by linking to the SPG list. At least they are honest about raising and lowering properties -- Sorry Socrates, but this time I am not in your camp.

SPG lowered the following resort and downtown city properties that are near and dear to North American travelers who likely still make up the majority of SPG members:

The above proves the lie that all desirable resort or downtown city hotels must go up.

No longer any Category 4 properties in downtown Montreal? Sheraton just lowered their large central city hotel with a lounge that is open 7 days a week to a Category 3.

No more Category 4 properties in downtown New Orleans? Sheraton likewise lowered that similar property to a Category 3, as well!

As for Tucson resorts, the Westin La Paloma is head and shoulders above Marriott's Star Pass resort and it has a better location, as well, than that of the more isolated Marriott resort.

I will not even hazard a guess as to the number of North Easterners and Canadians who would like to visit the Bahamas, let alone during the high Winter Season!

Going to San Antonio during Cinquo de Mayo, or any other time? Two (2) SPG properties have been lowered to a Category 2, including the historic Gunter hotel!

And, what about the 2 locations in Los Angeles and San Diego that are at or near the core areas of those cities?

Finally, I did not even research the Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center but it is not likely to be stuck in the burbs where Marriott has most of its remaining Category 4 properties.

This is a doggone shame!

aaupgrade

Not surprising Japan properties cat/tier went down with the melt down last year.

Grand Cayman RC went from tier 4 to 3! ^ So did St. Thomas RC. They're pretty close.

London properties are the ones that affect me the most, but they are the only ones where I am currently getting in excess of 1.5˘/point burn rate (already booked SPR at Cat 7) so it really doesn't surprise me that it and the JW are going to Cat 8. FWIW, I have been going to London each year and this is the first year I am using points because rates have gone up so much. The past 3 years I was able to get London props (SPR and RCC) for Ł132, Ł160, Ł150/night - no more as prices are now in the mid Ł200s. Huge difference and the inflation in prices is something to complain about it, but we all just seem to accept it. Or maybe I should say expect it, whereas with points we don't.

I think rates will continue to rise as occupancy levels rise. The good thing about that is that MAR will be a good investment, you will earn more points when you pay cash (which you will need for the higher hotel cats/tiers), and your burn rate will be much better and easily more justifiable.

So for all of those who have been paying for stays during this recession, now is the time to start using some of those points. In the last 4-5 years I have used points once for a NYE stay at Sydney Harbour Marriott in 2010. I've got just under a million points to enjoy in the next couple years. I figure the next big devaluation will come in about 3-5 years. Now that will be something to complain about. Then I will be posting links back to this post.

Since increase in category is based on number of award stays, it really doesn't surprise me in the least that a boatload of Cat 4s went to 5s with all the Megabonus certs being used at Cat 4 properties.

I also wonder if they look at award stays booked or stayed. In other words do they take into account future award stays that have already been booked but not yet stayed in determining the demand for increase or decrease of a hotel's category/tier?

joshua362

Just sad. Huge devaluation no matter how its justified and spun.

If 25% of your paycheck was suddenly gone (i.e 20,000 points to 25,000 points) basically "overnight" there would be mass outcry. This is what just happened to our "spending" power.

And I don't buy that suddenly everyone flocked to Boston and Philadelphia this year, it wasn't quite a American Revolution bi-centennial year, was it?

Face it, they do it because they can. Its funny money. Making us use more points mean less liability they have to carry. And few people get outraged or care outside our very tiny, but highly educated, forum.

Sad again.

Mr. Vker

I do like Aruba Renn being back to a 5. Nice use of Chase Cert. That property bounces up and down like a yo yo.

holtju2

Here's the same in graphical format.

Mr. Vker

See--we had a net gain of cat 4's for the use of the megabonus certs.

rylan

Wow... Boston Long Wharf going to Cat8? I'm sorry, even if everybody staying there is using points, that hotel is not worth 40k/nt. When I see a Cat8 hotel, it better be cream of the crop in terms of rooms, service, restaurant, and lounges... and while this is a nice hotel, it certainly is not JW level.

Same goes for the multiple other Boston hotels that are going up... Copley Place to cat7? No thanks, won't be staying there anymore.

Also seems that most of the MVCI locations are going up a category. Not like I'd ever use points at those, since its a horrible value considering you have to dish out even more to get a villa.

Overall, more devaluations especially for the Visa Cat5 cert. They just made it so I can't use it at any decent FS hotel in the area now.

WHEN DOES THE BOGO COME BACK, IF EVER?!?!?!?!

NJUPINTHEAIR

holtju2 thanks for the time it took to take the graphs!

So, excluding those hotel that are moving from Cat 3 to Cat 4, and only focusing on the Cat 4's and Cat 5's of last year, there has been a net loss of 88 Category 4 properties = 96 Cat 4s moving up and only 12 Cat 5s moving down! The results for Categories 5 and 6 are almost as dismal, 72 and 49, respectively!

But, remember everyone that in the interests of space, the y axes for both the graphs are not the same.

Had he kept the scale the same, holtju2 would have had to make the y axis of the graph for those moving up a category 4 times as high!!

holtju2

This was more to illustrate in which categories the hotels went up/down.