I booked Dec 14, so unfortunately we will not get full board and activities. OTOH, I’ve managed to get to stay at this amazing property for a mere 60K points/night. And as a Platinum, I’ll still get full breakfast. So I have to merely pay for $50-75 activities and lunch and dinner like I would anywhere else. There is no problem.

What was true before was outrageously generous, and what’s true now is still extremely generous.

The change of award policy is completely reasonable and understandable, especially with all of us trying to take advantage of the short-term discounted 60K points award rate! Considering this award with SPG was usually 70-100K Starpoints—or 210-300K Marriott points! Considering this award still covers a free room at a property that costs upwards of $750-1000 a night. Give me a break!

Anyone now getting a “room only” award now (like me) should still be thrilled that this opportunity is available on points at all.

The complaints about this change reinforce exactly why so many luxury travelers disdain “points people” and discount such luxury hotels that participate in these loyalty points programs.

Sorry: these complaints are all about looking a gift horse in the mouth because the horse is slightly smaller. Talk about ungrateful.

Bhrubin, I would agree with you that the new policy is not that unreasonable (though i’d rather have a points option which really covers the reality that it’s an all inclusive), but I would make sure you’ve correctly understood the costs.

As per my my estimate above, you’re looking at $500-800 a night for the food and activities which used to be included. On nights where the rates are anywhere below $1,100 or so, it is clearly a better deal to pay cash - so when you say it could be a good deal for a $700 a night room, it might actually be more expensive on cash and with 60,000 points on top than to just pay for the room with cash only.

Not much different than any luxury resort in a remote location. Again, still perfectly fair and reasonable for anyone who wants to stay at a 5 star luxury property.

Whether people want to pay cash or award rates is a personal choice. My guess is that most people redeeming for awards cannot afford the cash rate. And for a mere 60K points/night, the award rate IMO still is the best and most incredible deal.

I don’t think you understood my point. If the room is at $700 a night cash you will literally pay more cash if you make a points booking unless you bring your own tinned food and avoid all activities. Nobody would choose to pay more money and points over less money and no points, to follow your example.

I’m not trying to annoy you or to create another argument, i’m simply trying to ensure that you fully appreciate the costs which both your first post and response suggest you do not.

I understand your points. I just don’t agree with your conclusion. Sorry! (I’m not annoyed by your posts at all. I’m annoyed by the wildly unfair and ridiculous complaints.)

People pay as much if not more cash on meals and activities when they go to the W or StR Maldives. Or the StR or LM Bora Bora. Expensive properties in expensive locations are...not surprisingly, expensive. If one doesn’t want to pay for the meals or activities in remote locales, one won’t go.

That Al Maha used to include all meals and activities on award bookings was crazy generous. Now their award bookings are more sensible for their own bottom line. But it’s still no different than the other exotic locales I’ve mentioned. And at 60K points/night, it’s still extremely generous. At the new 70-100K points, it’s still extremely generous, too.

I’m not going to keep repeating myself, but from your response it’s clear that you’re still missing something.

The points vs. cash comparisons with other expensive ex-Starwood resorts are not in any way valid because none of them are all inclusive resorts.

It is never more expensive in cash to book the St Regis Maldives on points because your cash is simply substituted for points. Comparisons between other Starwood resorts, other options etc are irrelevant - there is no situation where paying $800 plus 60,000 a night is preferable to paying $700 a night. I appreciate you naturally tend towards unusually colourful language in discussions, but I don’t see how this is either “wildly unfair” or “ridiculous”.

I’m going to leave this here. I don’t really understand how this could possibly be a disagreement and of course if you prefer to use points under any circumstances, then that is entirely up to you. Our discussion will have ensured nobody else does without weighing up the options.

When Al Maha got the much fairer and more appropriate 210-300K equivalent of points redemption value from SPG award stays, including meals and activities made sense. Now that Marriott has changed that equation, it doesn’t make as much sense. It’s that simple to me.

I wish that things had stayed the same with Starwood, but they didn’t. And the new regime allows a much easier and cheaper redemption than ever was available before.

I understand and yet completely reject the complaints as ungrateful noise. It was great while it lasted. I wish I’d have been able to take advantage of Al Maha under SPG. But it is a much cheaper award under Marriott. And I’m OK with that. And if it’s much cheaper award, I’m also OK with it not being all inclusive as it once was.

They want all-inclusive? Pay for it.

They want an award stay? Pay for their own meals and activities.

Don’t like it? Go somewhere else. If they’re legacy Marriott, they’re lucky to even have such an award opportunity. If they’re legacy SPG, they’re lucky to have such a cheap award opportunity.

I find the above perfectly reasonable and fair.

Okay, I’ll play along. Are there any other hotels in any other program that are entirely all inclusive when booked with cash, but are room only when booked with points? Or is Marriott letting this one hotel make its own rules?
Regardless of the answers tp those questions, the fact remains that this hotel has made changes to reservations that were already booked and no matter how good or bad a deal it is now, that is not alright.

BHR- Maybe I am missing something.

I agree that 60K per night for a Luxury room plus the cost of food and activities is a great deal (and one I am quick to pounce on at top tier properties).

But if $700 per night at this hotel includes all meals and activities (with no point expenditure) it is a better deal than using 60K points a night and then spending $800 daily. Especially since there aren’t any other reasonable options.

In the cash example you are paying $700 a night for everything- room, meals and activities.

In the points example you are paying whatever you value 60K points a night plus $800. I don’t see how you come out ahead.

In such a circumstance, I agree that one wouldn’t come out ahead. Of course, I don’t believe that cirumstance is as realistic or common as suggested. I don’t believe that meals and activities on average cost as much as stated, nor do I believe it is that common that room rates are less than $1100 a night. So to me, that entire hypothetical calculation is nothing more than a red herring.

Gotcha

This isn’t a property on our list but I still find the thread very interesting, especially since this is such an iconic hotel in the Marriott collection.

I believe $1100 is the rate I got for August stay ..... not very friendly weather wise.
still amazing place though

I don’t know how you can claim that the meals and activities covered under the cash rate might not cost what is stated. The hotel has literally quoted that figure to a number of people. There is no average to be dealt with, it is a fixed charge to replace the full board and activities for two people that are included in the cash rate.