Best Western Huge devaluation!
Nov 16, 19, 6:57 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 662
Best Western Huge devaluation!
Saw it in Reddit 
. Just Copy&Paste
Looks like there was a Best Western point devaluation at select hotels.
Just looking at July and August at the Banff BW, it cost 70,000 points per night. (Last week it was 36,000), June remains at 36,000 per night, meanwhile September cost 56,000 points per night.
If you have any plans to book with BW, now might be a good idea, as more devaluations could be coming . You can always cancel!
Wow !
It seems they added new categories at 40K, 56K and 70K
Maximum amount of points used to be 36,000pts per night.
It still says that 36K is the maximum in their FAQ : Free nights range from 8,000 to 36,000 points !
Not the first time Best Western devaluates its program without any anouncement.
. Just Copy&PasteLooks like there was a Best Western point devaluation at select hotels.
Just looking at July and August at the Banff BW, it cost 70,000 points per night. (Last week it was 36,000), June remains at 36,000 per night, meanwhile September cost 56,000 points per night.
If you have any plans to book with BW, now might be a good idea, as more devaluations could be coming . You can always cancel!
Wow !
It seems they added new categories at 40K, 56K and 70K
Maximum amount of points used to be 36,000pts per night.
It still says that 36K is the maximum in their FAQ : Free nights range from 8,000 to 36,000 points !
Not the first time Best Western devaluates its program without any anouncement.
Almost a 50% devaluation at certain hotels!
BW is still updating the website, many hotels I click on show 36,000 points on the list of hotels, but once you click on a specific hotel it shows the new rate.
Yeah I saw the Tofino one now is 70K/night during summer... used to be 20K in low season and 36K in high season...
This is badly managed by BW
Nov 19, 19, 6:40 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2012
Programs: AA Gold, HIltonHonors Diamond, KrisFlyer Silver, BW Diamond
Posts: 104
I only use BW if I need a low cost option. If there isn't a Hilton or IHG brand hotel at a decent prices within range, then I look at BW.
Rewards never play into my planning. When I get points, I redeem them for a gift card I can use for gas or Amazon so I don't forget about them. Easy.
Rewards never play into my planning. When I get points, I redeem them for a gift card I can use for gas or Amazon so I don't forget about them. Easy.
Nov 20, 19, 6:57 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: Marriott Platinum, Hilton Gold, Best Western Gold
Posts: 31
Originally Posted by ecgz88
Saw it in Reddit . Just Copy&Paste
Looks like there was a Best Western point devaluation at select hotels.
Just looking at July and August at the Banff BW, it cost 70,000 points per night. (Last week it was 36,000), June remains at 36,000 per night, meanwhile September cost 56,000 points per night.
If you have any plans to book with BW, now might be a good idea, as more devaluations could be coming . You can always cancel!
Wow !
It seems they added new categories at 40K, 56K and 70K
Maximum amount of points used to be 36,000pts per night.
It still says that 36K is the maximum in their FAQ : Free nights range from 8,000 to 36,000 points !
Not the first time Best Western devaluates its program without any anouncement.
. Just Copy&PasteLooks like there was a Best Western point devaluation at select hotels.
Just looking at July and August at the Banff BW, it cost 70,000 points per night. (Last week it was 36,000), June remains at 36,000 per night, meanwhile September cost 56,000 points per night.
If you have any plans to book with BW, now might be a good idea, as more devaluations could be coming . You can always cancel!
Wow !
It seems they added new categories at 40K, 56K and 70K
Maximum amount of points used to be 36,000pts per night.
It still says that 36K is the maximum in their FAQ : Free nights range from 8,000 to 36,000 points !
Not the first time Best Western devaluates its program without any anouncement.
Almost a 50% devaluation at certain hotels!
BW is still updating the website, many hotels I click on show 36,000 points on the list of hotels, but once you click on a specific hotel it shows the new rate.
Yeah I saw the Tofino one now is 70K/night during summer... used to be 20K in low season and 36K in high season...
This is badly managed by BW
Ditto New York. I stayed in September at the BW Hospitality House for 36K/night. (Great hotel BTW.) Now it's 70k/night! Maybe 70K is their new max redemption?
Nov 20, 19, 10:25 am
#5
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: SW Florida
Programs: HHDiamond, Regular Joe Everywhere Else
Posts: 50
Originally Posted by wolfie52
I only use BW if I need a low cost option. If there isn't a Hilton or IHG brand hotel at a decent prices within range, then I look at BW.
Rewards never play into my planning. When I get points, I redeem them for a gift card I can use for gas or Amazon so I don't forget about them. Easy.
Rewards never play into my planning. When I get points, I redeem them for a gift card I can use for gas or Amazon so I don't forget about them. Easy.
Nov 20, 19, 2:21 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: Marriott Platinum, HH Diamond, BW Diamond Select
Posts: 453
Wow...this is really crazy and not even an announcement about the devaluation!! From 36k max to 70k is an almost 95% increase!!
Just "spent" all my points on gift cards since I don't have a need for a BW in the near future and don't want for them to devalue my points some more.
Just "spent" all my points on gift cards since I don't have a need for a BW in the near future and don't want for them to devalue my points some more.
Last edited by lasnowgirl; Nov 21, 19 at 12:33 am
Nov 20, 19, 5:22 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 662
same here, I save some points waiting for redeem in US national park in future, right now looks like worth nothing, even their CC welcome bonus 50K can't get 1 night
Curious to see when the 2020 Daily Getaway sales comes, BW will continue to sell 10K points for $70, then who is gonna buy it?
Curious to see when the 2020 Daily Getaway sales comes, BW will continue to sell 10K points for $70, then who is gonna buy it?
Nov 21, 19, 12:36 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: Marriott Platinum, HH Diamond, BW Diamond Select
Posts: 453
Yep, that was the plan for my points, too...they have some decent properties near national parks. I checked a few that I stayed at before (for some time next year) and I definitely see the increase.
Nov 21, 19, 6:56 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: YVR
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy, Aeroplan, Best Western, IHG Rewards, AAdvantage, Executive Club
Posts: 166
This is extremely brutal to hear. I am really disappointed. They already switched to low and high season rates recently enough.
It's so brutal, that's probably why there is no public announcement. It would decimate them.
It's so brutal, that's probably why there is no public announcement. It would decimate them.
Nov 22, 19, 12:00 pm
#10
Moderator: Southwest Airlines
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 20,816
I hope I will at least break even on the points I bought in this year’s Daily Getaway. I got about 1 cent per point in value in September but I doubt that will happen again.
Nov 22, 19, 1:32 pm
#11
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 97,927
I didn't notice this until today. I had maintained a low 6 figure balance of BW points but fortunately was down to the high 5 figures in BW points before this sneaky devaluation. I was expecting my remaining balance to get me 3 decent hotel nights but may now have to count on a (perhaps now less likely) 10k/night promo or just cash them out. 
Nov 24, 19, 8:18 pm
#12
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,354
I booked a night in Palm Beach Lakes @24,000 points for January. Checked my reservation and it shows the booking remains confirmed at that point level, but when I look at booking a room at the same hotel today, it has gone up to 36,000 points. Will I be asked for more points at check in, or will they honor the original points rate at time of booking?
Nov 25, 19, 9:03 am
#13
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: California
Programs: Marriott Gold (1st choice) BW Diamond (2nd)
Posts: 299
Originally Posted by transportprof
I booked a night in Palm Beach Lakes @24,000 points for January. Checked my reservation and it shows the booking remains confirmed at that point level, but when I look at booking a room at the same hotel today, it has gone up to 36,000 points. Will I be asked for more points at check in, or will they honor the original points rate at time of booking?
Nov 29, 19, 4:17 am
#14
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Walcott IA
Programs: Hilton LTD, Hyatt Glob, Marriott LTTE, AA LTP, Avis PC, National EE, Seabourn DE
Posts: 2,946
Status match earlier this year to diamond elite or whatever they call top tier. 10 nights YTD. Pursued the free night award for a few stays earlier this year and the 2 night promo ending in October. Still waiting for the October stays reward to post. The free night bonus promo run on occasion entices me to stay. Never signed up to accumulate points, so the devaluation does not bother me. We all know to expect wide variation between properties, but the non compliance between hotels and the program terms they write make it easy to skip in the future. I can see how you can find an occasional favorite BW, but.....the program itself has very limited appeal.
Nov 29, 19, 9:43 am
#15
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Monterey, California
Programs: Affiliated with all, participate in some
Posts: 2,180
Another aspect I see with changes:
Some hotels are 5,000 points per night. This is new low rate from 8,000 points.
But I also see multiple points rates at some hotels with higher category rooms priced at higher reward rate. One of the perks of BWR in past years was the ability to book higher category rooms and even suites at whatever the standard reward rate was for that date.
Some hotels are 5,000 points per night. This is new low rate from 8,000 points.
But I also see multiple points rates at some hotels with higher category rooms priced at higher reward rate. One of the perks of BWR in past years was the ability to book higher category rooms and even suites at whatever the standard reward rate was for that date.
