Jul 26, 2016, 5:56 am
Last edit by: Jaenks
Post great vacation hotels worth saving certificates for. Include the State/Country and category and reason.
Canada
Residence Inn Montreal Westmount Category 4
Located right outside the busy downtown but a quick walk or train ride away. Right near shopping center.
Malaysia:
JW Marriott Hotel Kuala Lumpur Category 4
Great value for a JW, in the heart of the city and excellent service
Phu Quoc, Vietnam:
JW Phu Quoc - Cat 5 - beautiful beachfront resort with rates from $350-$650 ++/night
Bangkok, Thailand:
Three of the full service Marriott properties are Cat 5. All three have central locations and reputation for good elite recognition:
Florida:
Courtyard Fort Lauderdale East Category 5
One of the closest hotels to the beach that is available for cert use and has a free shuttle to take you to the beach
Curacao, Netherlands Antilles:
Renaissance, DT Willemstad. Category 5.
On an ocean harbor, not a swimmable beach, but in the center of the action for nightlife, also for NYE, Mardi Gras, etc. festivities.
Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles:
Courtyard, Category 4!
Brand-new hotel. 5--10 minute walk inland from the ocean beach. It's the only major chain hotel on that island, so all other hotels are available only by paying real money.
Quito, Ecuador
JW Marriott, Category 5
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Renaissance Săo Paulo, Cat.5 Very good location,excellent quality of service,pre-confirmed suite upgrades,executive lounge F&B.
Canada
Residence Inn Montreal Westmount Category 4
Located right outside the busy downtown but a quick walk or train ride away. Right near shopping center.
Malaysia:
JW Marriott Hotel Kuala Lumpur Category 4
Great value for a JW, in the heart of the city and excellent service
Phu Quoc, Vietnam:
JW Phu Quoc - Cat 5 - beautiful beachfront resort with rates from $350-$650 ++/night
Bangkok, Thailand:
Three of the full service Marriott properties are Cat 5. All three have central locations and reputation for good elite recognition:
Renaissance Ratchaprasong
Marriott Suk 57
Marriott Marquis
USAMarriott Suk 57
Marriott Marquis
Florida:
Courtyard Fort Lauderdale East Category 5
One of the closest hotels to the beach that is available for cert use and has a free shuttle to take you to the beach
Curacao, Netherlands Antilles:
Renaissance, DT Willemstad. Category 5.
On an ocean harbor, not a swimmable beach, but in the center of the action for nightlife, also for NYE, Mardi Gras, etc. festivities.
Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles:
Courtyard, Category 4!
Brand-new hotel. 5--10 minute walk inland from the ocean beach. It's the only major chain hotel on that island, so all other hotels are available only by paying real money.
Quito, Ecuador
JW Marriott, Category 5
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Renaissance Săo Paulo, Cat.5 Very good location,excellent quality of service,pre-confirmed suite upgrades,executive lounge F&B.
How are you using your Cat 1-4/5 certs?
Aug 15, 2013, 3:41 am
#61
Join Date: Feb 2005
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium (former PP), Hilton Silver, UA Silver, AS Member, Hertz 5*
Posts: 3,906
BTW I'm using my Cat 1-5 certs to actually stay in nice FS Marriott hotels. From the sounds of the complaining on here, one would think these are just entirely worthless scraps of e-paper. Yes, you can't use them in Manhattan, but other cities worth traveling to certainly exist.
I'll be using mine at the Renaissance Suites O'Hare, Marriott O'Hare, Renaissance Grand St. Louis, Marriott at the Renaissance Center Detroit, Cleveland Airport Marriott, etc.
I'll be using mine at the Renaissance Suites O'Hare, Marriott O'Hare, Renaissance Grand St. Louis, Marriott at the Renaissance Center Detroit, Cleveland Airport Marriott, etc.
Aug 15, 2013, 8:31 pm
#62
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Southern California
Programs: UA Platinum, Marriott Gold, SPG Gold, Club Carlson Gold
Posts: 317
I picked up two cat 1-5s via cheap one-night stays throughout Florida this summer and will use them next summer at the Athens Ledra. I have an expiring cc cat 1-5 so my family is going to take a 5-hour road trip next week to Phoenix for the Chargers-Cardinals preseason game. Hey, better than letting it expire (although with the way the Chargers have been playing tonight against the Bears...)
Aug 16, 2013, 6:51 am
#63
Join Date: May 2012
Programs: Hilton Diamond DL Platinum UA 1K, DL Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 500
Aug 16, 2013, 8:15 am
#64
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Thailand
Programs: Marriott - P; HH - G; Hyatt - P; Avis - LT First
Posts: 5,023
Aug 18, 2013, 5:38 pm
#65
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: LAS
Programs: Southwest, United, Marriott
Posts: 160
Aug 19, 2013, 10:36 am
#66
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: DL DM 2MM, Marriott LT Titanium, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 15,166
Aug 19, 2013, 10:39 am
#67
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: DL DM 2MM, Marriott LT Titanium, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 15,166
Well, much of California, Florida, PHL, SEA, PDX, and DC are off limits if you want the FS properties for a category 5 certificate. Some places are good with category 5 for FS properties, but I don't know if I would put Detroit and Cleveland as highly desirable places to visit. I'm not saying that those hotels are not useful. It is just that Cleveland and Detroit do not rank high as must visit places for most people.
Aug 19, 2013, 11:35 am
#68
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Canada
Programs: Marriott LT Gold, IHG Club, Hertz Gold, Aeroplan, Avios, SkyMiles, Thrifty, AMEX
Posts: 985
Actually, if it's a Cat. 1-5 cert, they could use it at the FS Marriott Peabody or, further up the road, Marriott Burlington. As well as the nearby SHS or RI. North of Boston is actually a pretty good spot for burning the certs.
Aug 19, 2013, 3:27 pm
#69
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: LAS
Programs: Southwest, United, Marriott
Posts: 160
It's a 1-4 Cert (VIA Marriot Rewards Primier). Courtyard isn't bad, it's adequate. In Arizona, New Mexico or Georgia I could have stayed somewhere nicer. I need to use the certificate before it expires. I wasn't planning on going anywhere before the expiration.
Aug 19, 2013, 3:36 pm
#70
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: MCO, DCA, IAD
Programs: UA GS 1MM, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,134
Does anyone have a recent experience in converting a cat 1-4 cert into points?
I know it's been done in the past, I called and tried to do it to no avail.
Want to know if someone has recently done it so I can keep trying or forget about it.
Thanks.
I know it's been done in the past, I called and tried to do it to no avail.
Want to know if someone has recently done it so I can keep trying or forget about it.
Thanks.
Aug 19, 2013, 6:22 pm
#71
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SEA, YVR
Programs: Alaska MVPG, Flying Blue Gold, BA Silver, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 567
I'm using mine at the Courtyard Omaha downtown - not a FS, but given that I'm staying over Berkshire weekend and rates start at $399/night, I think I'm getting pretty decent cash value!
Aug 20, 2013, 4:45 pm
#72
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: DL DM 2MM, Marriott LT Titanium, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 15,166
Oh and no you can't convert a cert into points.
Aug 24, 2013, 10:43 pm
#73
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: RDU
Programs: AA LT Gold, DL SM, HY Disc, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 12,503
Used a Cat 4 at the Courtyard Denver Downtown on a Thursday night. Cash rate would have been > $175, and bidding for 3.5* on Priceline wouldn't have worked as the trip was one that had a reasonable probability of being cancelled.
Given that I paid about $130 for the two one-night stays near IAD which yielded the cert, I was pretty pleased.
Given that I paid about $130 for the two one-night stays near IAD which yielded the cert, I was pretty pleased.