I was trying to book the Luxury Collection in Kyoto using points for the end-of-November fall foliage season. The SPG website said I should call and I did.

The agent and I could both see the base room (Moderate double) but the system ddid not allow for booking that on points. She switched to her advisor and the adivsor said no. The agents then read some policies (which I don't know where they are from) and said that there is nothing they can do with Cat 7.

So can anyone come and clarify if this is true? The no-black out policy does not apply to Cat 7 properties?