I think that was a normal spread. I redeemed one earlier this year at the Fairview Marriott and got $1.733 when a pound was $1.87-$1.88. You have to look at it from a percentage basis.

Some hotels will give you the rate in the WSJ, but I would not expect that all the time. I did get the Forex rate ($1.908 at the time) at the Washington Dulles Marriott Suites for a long stay earlier this year.