Thanks. I'm a SPG Platinum and matched to Marriott PP, so perhaps they'll give me a bit of leeway also. I did notice that the terms said that I had to have the points in my account 8 days prior to check in, so I guess I could book now and then "switch" the reservation 8+ days out.

I think my question #2 wasn't clear. There are a couple of hotels where I can get a standard room for 300k points-- OR I can get a suite for the same 300k points. Are you saying that is the "going rate"? That doesn't seem quite right... My concern is that if I book the suite with points, and then try to switch it to a free night cert., the rep handling the reservation will notice and downgrade me to a standard room.