A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 102,617
Marriott categories are largely based on the demand for free nights by MR program participants during the previous year. It doesn't have anything, except indirectly, to do with hotel quality or features (unlike some stars or rating systems) and might not correlate very well with rates, which tend to be based on availability for the particular nights you're staying.