Churnman

That's exactly why many of the hotels in China and even in other business cities in other parts of the world where Chinese business/government people travel to have seen a drop in their category designation. Nothing changed inside the hotel, just the cat. # to show those on business aren't overspending on luxury hotels.

3rdworldresident

im glad i did make a booking at sheraton maui this march. 31200 points for 5 nights is quite a good deal for me.

skimple

Nice move on the downgrade for Niagara Falls. Will likely make an extra weekend trip this year because of it. Hotels are OK, but a little run down.

linsj

So glad I emptied my account for six nights on Maui this fall. However, I was planning to add on one more night once the credit card initial bonus hits my account. With the 8,000 points increase, I won't have enough points in time. But I do have enough Marriott points for that night although I'm not fond of changing hotels for one night.

Reisen

QFT. These changes hit me pretty hard. We've used SPG points several years in a row in Hawaii, and would have considered going back to the Sheraton Waikiki and Westin Kaanapali. Not now, though. It'll either be splurge for the Royal Hawaiian / SR Princeville, or look to another chain (GH Kauai, 4S, some of the Hilton properties).

The only move down that appeals to me is Wildwood Snowmass. In addition to the HI properties, the following moves up will be tough on my travel plans:

- Both Avon properties (can you tell I'm a skier?)
- Sheraton Suites Plantation
- SR Atlanta
- All the BWI airports. BWI is close to us, but we often spend a night there before an early flight.
- Sheraton Edison Raritan Center. This one really hurts. One of the only decent redemptions in the NYC area, and I stay there a lot on points or C&P. Their non-points rates suck (often higher than hotels in the city), so that will be the end of that.
- Both Pittsburgh properties.

I'm surprised people are so positive on this change. Sure, it could have been worse, but for me at least, far more bad than good.

I would have liked to see at least one NYC property go down.

UA-NYC

Surprised about the Sheraton in Chicago...IMO that's definitely a "rising tide" situation

mahasamatman

I'm really surprised with the Four Points Bay Bridge moving up. The rates there are typically quite low, so I have no idea where their average room rate is coming from.

MSPeconomist

This and I think many of the hotels in China were being priced too aggressively. IME they don't seem to be fully booked very often, except for special events.

anchor79

Sheraton Garden Grove is up to category 3 again? When the property first opened they wanted to be category 4 and then bounce between 2 and 3, where the rates are still below 100 during weekdays.

Le Meridien Taipei, as most predicted, went up to category 6.

Good to see Japanese properties moving down, poss. due to JPY weakening?

MSPeconomist

Given the Japanese hotels moving down, I'm a bit surprised that the Westin Tokyo isn't on the list. OTOH, the Tokyo Park Hyatt recently jumped up in category.

I too expected to see downward movements in Greece, Thailand, and maybe Spain.

So many of the category changes reflect very consistent patterns over regions.

el_tigre

The Westin Tokyo is on the list. Moving from a cat. 6 to a 5.

CPRich

Let the outrage begin!!!! Points devaluation!!!! I'm leaving!!!!!


Oh, wait..... What? "More down than up"? "Reasonable"?

This is still FT, right?


Kudos, SPG.

CPRich

I was surprised Avon, CO and Hawaii has stayed where they were for so long. I've taken advantage of both numerous times, and this will prompt me to evaluate next year's skiing plans, but I can't complain too much as they were probably (over-)due for an increase.

Everything else seems to about net out/be accounted for by normal inflation (assuming the BWI Airport Sheraton has significantly upgraded since I was there many years ago).

KENNECTED

You guys know I hate and I mean HATE that property and it's a rip off on several levels.

anchor79

I feel Westin Tokyo is long overdue for moving down a category. Its location, room condition (haven't been renovated for years), room rates were all seems to be an indicator of moving down a notch (compares to other major hotel chains hotel like Hyatt, Hilton, and Marriott in Tokyo, SPG is rather very weak).

European properties are on the hike..I guess economy is doing much better over there?