I would be happy to use my 35k certs for $200 rooms, but I find it harder and harder to actually find such rooms.

For example, I was looking at Vancouver BC - most Marriott’s hotels are $220-$250 in cash, but points rates are 44-48k. It’s a pretty expensive top-up for a 35k cert, and complete waste of a 50k cert.

Yes, I know, all depends on your travel patterns. A year ago I had to burn a cert at what would otherwise be a $100 stay in Flagstaff, and it was so terrible, a week later I just let my other cert expire and stayed at Hyatt Place instead. I envy people who have no problems finding uses for these certs.