While you think it's a waste to use points on a lower cat property, sophiegirl's points are valid. Not everyone wants/needs/can find a high end property & there are many circumstances where using them at lower cat categories can come in handy - illness such as she described, visiting the kids at college (not everyone goes to Harvard), change in financial circumstances, staying at a property/doing a mini-vacation in an area where there aren't any hi-end properties, using them at a lower-end property that has extremely high rates due to an event, etc, etc.

Here's my take on points. They're valuable when you need them, whether that's for a stay at a lower cat property or a high cat property/hotel. Each person's circumstances is different. What is one person's waste is another person's priceless.

flannbarr, sounds like you're doing a good job analyzing your travel & how best to use points, whether *Wood or Marriott.

Cheers.