Some diversification to Starwood might be a good consideration for some areas, like Italy, where Marriott has very few locations. Two years before going to Italy for the first time I took out the Starwood card with lots of bonus points (Master Card Canada), but personal and corporate purchases through and had enough points for penthouse stays in Venice at the Danieli and at Westin Excelsior in Florence. Got in the Marriott Villa Flora in Rome for a 7 nighter, a rarity it seems these days.

Packages are the way to go, for sure. Occasionally you'll find point use (standard) at a hotel where the nightly cost is very high compared to the $0.0125 cost per MR point when buying or using them, but a week's stay in a European Cat 7 can have a very high value, especially these days with the low dollar.

Brian