Originally Posted by
pinniped
I usually look for 1.2 to 1.4 cpp out of Marriott when I redeem Travel Packages.
I call it 1.5 cpp for the airline miles and then estimate what I'd really spend on a hotel room in the destination if I didn't have Marriott points. Usually the hotel cert portion itself is a penny a point, maybe a little better, but that's partly because I wouldn't regularly book a Ritz at retail rates using cash if I didn't have points.
But this requires 300-400k points. If I *only* had 45k, maybe I'd think differently, but I think I'd still want closer to a penny a point.
Exactly--its all relative. I regularly book Ritz for business (great corporate rate). For personal stays, I am usually at RI. I redeem at anything that is interesting. I redeemed two travel packages this year for two 7-night cat-7 certificates and 284,000 points. However, I usually wouldn't have the time for 7 nights in any place.