First time poster.
Made Diamond for the first time in 2012 and ended the year with a balance of nearly half a million points. Knew I wanted to redeem at one of the aspirational properties, so have today blown my balance on two consecutive 6 nights stays at Labriz and Northolme at 225,000 each to for late 2013:-)
With the new regime, where points-rates more closely reflect case-rates and points-rates will be 95,000 for these properties as well as the other aspirationals, i.e. Conrads in Maldives, Koh Samui etc, I see myself redeeeming for European and American properties outside London, NYC, Paris, etc in the future. E.g. Conrad Miami and Hilton Sorrento Palace.