Sep 16, 2018, 1:41 pm
Last edit by: SanDiego1K
Book future Category 8 hotels (85,000 points) at the Category 7 rate (60,000 points) until March 2019.
These were 35K SPG points or the equivalent of 105K Marriott points, with the all suite properties being at least twice that points level.
https://points-redemption.marriott.com/category-change
Save up to 25,000 points per night when you book future Category 8 hotels at the Category 7 rate until March 2019.
How far into 2020 can we book?
Marriott opens up award availabillity one week at a time on Saturdays. On 1 March 2019 we can book thru 15 Feb 2020.
Hotel list: (thank you, CPRich)
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai
Blue Palace, a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa, Crete
Cristallo, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Cortina d'Ampezzo
Domes of Elounda, Autograph Collection
Giardino Ascona, A Member Of Design Hotels
Giardino Mountain, a Member of Design Hotels
Gramercy Park Hotel, New York, a Member of Design Hotels™
G-Rough, Rome, a Member of Design Hotels
Hotel Cala di Volpe, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Costa Smeralda
Hotel Danieli, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice
Hôtel de Berri, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Paris
Hotel Pitrizza, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Costa Smeralda
Hotel President Wilson, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Geneva
Hotel Romazzino, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Costa Smeralda
Kenoa Exclusive Beach Spa & Resort, Barra de Sao Miguel, a Member of Design Hotels
Le Méridien Bora Bora
Mystique, A Luxury Collection Resort, Santorini
PalazzinaG, Venice, a Member of Design Hotels
Parklane, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Limassol
Phoenician Residences, a Luxury Collection Residence Club, Scottsdale
Prince de Galles, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Paris
Santa Marina, a Luxury Collection Resort, Mykonos
Schloss Fuschl, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Fuschlsee-Salzburg
Sir Joan Hotel, Ibiza City, a Member of Design Hotels
Suiran, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Kyoto
The Canyon Suites at The Phoenician, a Luxury Collection Resort, Scottsdale
The Chatwal, a Luxury Collection Hotel, New York City
The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice
The Miami Beach EDITION
The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho, a Luxury Collection Hotel
The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour, Miami
The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park
The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch
The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman
The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong
The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto
The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe
The Ritz-Carlton, Naples
The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas
The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo
The St. Regis Aspen Resort
The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico
The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort
The St. Regis Bali Resort
The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort
The St. Regis Deer Valley
The St. Regis Florence
The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort
The St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort
The St. Regis New York
The St. Regis Osaka
The St. Regis Princeville Resort
The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort
The St. Regis Rome
The Wellesley Knightsbridge, a Luxury Collection Hotel, London
The Westin Golf Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal
Vana Belle, a Luxury Collection Resort, Koh Samui
W Koh Samui
W Maldives
W South Beach
W Verbier
These were 35K SPG points or the equivalent of 105K Marriott points, with the all suite properties being at least twice that points level.
https://points-redemption.marriott.com/category-change
Save up to 25,000 points per night when you book future Category 8 hotels at the Category 7 rate until March 2019.
How far into 2020 can we book?
Marriott opens up award availabillity one week at a time on Saturdays. On 1 March 2019 we can book thru 15 Feb 2020.
Hotel list: (thank you, CPRich)
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai
Blue Palace, a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa, Crete
Cristallo, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Cortina d'Ampezzo
Domes of Elounda, Autograph Collection
Giardino Ascona, A Member Of Design Hotels
Giardino Mountain, a Member of Design Hotels
Gramercy Park Hotel, New York, a Member of Design Hotels™
G-Rough, Rome, a Member of Design Hotels
Hotel Cala di Volpe, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Costa Smeralda
Hotel Danieli, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice
Hôtel de Berri, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Paris
Hotel Pitrizza, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Costa Smeralda
Hotel President Wilson, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Geneva
Hotel Romazzino, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Costa Smeralda
Kenoa Exclusive Beach Spa & Resort, Barra de Sao Miguel, a Member of Design Hotels
Le Méridien Bora Bora
Mystique, A Luxury Collection Resort, Santorini
PalazzinaG, Venice, a Member of Design Hotels
Parklane, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Limassol
Phoenician Residences, a Luxury Collection Residence Club, Scottsdale
Prince de Galles, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Paris
Santa Marina, a Luxury Collection Resort, Mykonos
Schloss Fuschl, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Fuschlsee-Salzburg
Sir Joan Hotel, Ibiza City, a Member of Design Hotels
Suiran, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Kyoto
The Canyon Suites at The Phoenician, a Luxury Collection Resort, Scottsdale
The Chatwal, a Luxury Collection Hotel, New York City
The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice
The Miami Beach EDITION
The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho, a Luxury Collection Hotel
The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour, Miami
The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park
The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch
The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman
The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong
The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto
The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe
The Ritz-Carlton, Naples
The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas
The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo
The St. Regis Aspen Resort
The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico
The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort
The St. Regis Bali Resort
The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort
The St. Regis Deer Valley
The St. Regis Florence
The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort
The St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort
The St. Regis New York
The St. Regis Osaka
The St. Regis Princeville Resort
The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort
The St. Regis Rome
The Wellesley Knightsbridge, a Luxury Collection Hotel, London
The Westin Golf Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal
Vana Belle, a Luxury Collection Resort, Koh Samui
W Koh Samui
W Maldives
W South Beach
W Verbier
Booking high end (aspirational) properties at reduced points til 5 March 2019
Sep 15, 2018, 7:01 pm
#76
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Chicago
Programs: Hyatt Glob; UA 1K; BonVoyage LTT (RIP SPG); HH Dia; JX Insighter
Posts: 1,642
The previously announced categories included a number of properties that will be Category 8 beginning in January. Until then they are Category 7.
Sep 15, 2018, 7:29 pm
#77
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Leesburg, VA
Programs: UA MP (DH is MM 1K, so yeah! so am I!), SPG Platinum/LTG, Marriott Platinum Premier/LT Platinum
Posts: 163
Just asking about all Cat 8 properties, which go up in points?
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai
Blue Palace, a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa, Crete
Cristallo, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Cortina d'Ampezzo
Domes of Elounda, Autograph Collection
Giardino Ascona, A Member Of Design Hotels
Giardino Mountain, a Member of Design Hotels
Gramercy Park Hotel, New York, a Member of Design Hotels™
G-Rough, Rome, a Member of Design Hotels
Hotel Cala di Volpe, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Costa Smeralda
Hotel Danieli, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice
Hôtel de Berri, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Paris
Hotel Pitrizza, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Costa Smeralda
Hotel President Wilson, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Geneva
Hotel Romazzino, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Costa Smeralda
Kenoa Exclusive Beach Spa & Resort, Barra de Sao Miguel, a Member of Design Hotels
Le Méridien Bora Bora
Mystique, A Luxury Collection Resort, Santorini
PalazzinaG, Venice, a Member of Design Hotels
Parklane, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Limassol
Phoenician Residences, a Luxury Collection Residence Club, Scottsdale
Prince de Galles, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Paris
Santa Marina, a Luxury Collection Resort, Mykonos
Schloss Fuschl, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Fuschlsee-Salzburg
Sir Joan Hotel, Ibiza City, a Member of Design Hotels
Suiran, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Kyoto
The Canyon Suites at The Phoenician, a Luxury Collection Resort, Scottsdale
The Chatwal, a Luxury Collection Hotel, New York City
The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice
The Miami Beach EDITION
The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho, a Luxury Collection Hotel
The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour, Miami
The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park
The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch
The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman
The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong
The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto
The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe
The Ritz-Carlton, Naples
The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas
The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo
The St. Regis Aspen Resort
The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico
The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort
The St. Regis Bali Resort
The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort
The St. Regis Deer Valley
The St. Regis Florence
The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort
The St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort
The St. Regis New York
The St. Regis Osaka
The St. Regis Princeville Resort
The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort
The St. Regis Rome
The Wellesley Knightsbridge, a Luxury Collection Hotel, London
The Westin Golf Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal
Vana Belle, a Luxury Collection Resort, Koh Samui
W Koh Samui
W Maldives
W South Beach
W Verbier
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai
Blue Palace, a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa, Crete
Cristallo, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Cortina d'Ampezzo
Domes of Elounda, Autograph Collection
Giardino Ascona, A Member Of Design Hotels
Giardino Mountain, a Member of Design Hotels
Gramercy Park Hotel, New York, a Member of Design Hotels™
G-Rough, Rome, a Member of Design Hotels
Hotel Cala di Volpe, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Costa Smeralda
Hotel Danieli, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice
Hôtel de Berri, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Paris
Hotel Pitrizza, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Costa Smeralda
Hotel President Wilson, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Geneva
Hotel Romazzino, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Costa Smeralda
Kenoa Exclusive Beach Spa & Resort, Barra de Sao Miguel, a Member of Design Hotels
Le Méridien Bora Bora
Mystique, A Luxury Collection Resort, Santorini
PalazzinaG, Venice, a Member of Design Hotels
Parklane, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Limassol
Phoenician Residences, a Luxury Collection Residence Club, Scottsdale
Prince de Galles, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Paris
Santa Marina, a Luxury Collection Resort, Mykonos
Schloss Fuschl, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Fuschlsee-Salzburg
Sir Joan Hotel, Ibiza City, a Member of Design Hotels
Suiran, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Kyoto
The Canyon Suites at The Phoenician, a Luxury Collection Resort, Scottsdale
The Chatwal, a Luxury Collection Hotel, New York City
The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice
The Miami Beach EDITION
The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho, a Luxury Collection Hotel
The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour, Miami
The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park
The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch
The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman
The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong
The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto
The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe
The Ritz-Carlton, Naples
The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas
The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo
The St. Regis Aspen Resort
The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico
The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort
The St. Regis Bali Resort
The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort
The St. Regis Deer Valley
The St. Regis Florence
The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort
The St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort
The St. Regis New York
The St. Regis Osaka
The St. Regis Princeville Resort
The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort
The St. Regis Rome
The Wellesley Knightsbridge, a Luxury Collection Hotel, London
The Westin Golf Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal
Vana Belle, a Luxury Collection Resort, Koh Samui
W Koh Samui
W Maldives
W South Beach
W Verbier
Decisions decisions.
Sep 15, 2018, 7:36 pm
#78
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Leesburg, VA
Programs: UA MP (DH is MM 1K, so yeah! so am I!), SPG Platinum/LTG, Marriott Platinum Premier/LT Platinum
Posts: 163
As someone who collects wine, I sooo understand this. 😝
Sep 15, 2018, 10:00 pm
#79
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 31,005
Every time I see that list I cringe. The few good properties that Marriott is bringing to the party are the ones that you get no benefits at, unless you get excited about 1000 pt welcome amenity. 
It's like going to a party and you bring the really expensive wine that everyone shares and your neighbor brings the swill which is all you can have. The neighbors have good stuff (albeit not much of it) but you can only get a sniff.
It's like going to a party and you bring the really expensive wine that everyone shares and your neighbor brings the swill which is all you can have. The neighbors have good stuff (albeit not much of it) but you can only get a sniff.
Last edited by CPRich; Sep 15, 2018 at 10:07 pm
Sep 15, 2018, 10:12 pm
#80
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,521
Sep 16, 2018, 1:13 am
#81
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: somewhere north of stateside...
Posts: 4,153
There was some history with the Ritz not really providing benefits, but I'm surprised that Marriott did the same when establishing EDITION... it makes the brand far less competitive both within and outside of the Marriott family. (I look forward to see the new Bangkok EDITION will offer benefits beyond brand standard - its a crowded hotel market, and elite recognition at Bangkok hotels across brands is generally extremely good).
Sep 16, 2018, 4:04 am
#82
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: BKK
Programs: World of Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Bonvoy LTP; IHG Plat
Posts: 2,232
There was some history with the Ritz not really providing benefits, but I'm surprised that Marriott did the same when establishing EDITION... it makes the brand far less competitive both within and outside of the Marriott family. (I look forward to see the new Bangkok EDITION will offer benefits beyond brand standard - its a crowded hotel market, and elite recognition at Bangkok hotels across brands is generally extremely good).
Sep 16, 2018, 8:39 am
#84
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,167
PPs will be suite-upgrade eligible. Though not via SNAs which is a downgrade for folks like me who would probably be staying at an RC on vacation & using one of them.
Sep 16, 2018, 12:24 pm
#85
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
Every time I see that list I cringe. The few good properties that Marriott is bringing to the party are the ones that you get no benefits at, unless you get excited about 1000 pt welcome amenity.
It's like going to a party and you bring the really expensive wine that everyone shares and your neighbor brings the swill which is all you can have. The neighbors have good stuff (albeit not much of it) but you can only get a sniff.
It's like going to a party and you bring the really expensive wine that everyone shares and your neighbor brings the swill which is all you can have. The neighbors have good stuff (albeit not much of it) but you can only get a sniff.
Just as I wish that Design Hotels offered more elite benefits but still love having them as an option, I think it’s great to have the new RC options—regardless of the lack of comparable elite benefits.
I’ll be in Zurich in October and could have enjoyed the better elite benefits at the Autograph Kameha Grand Zurich. But I chose the better luxury benefits of the Design Atlantis by Giardino. That’s no different than the choice between some luxury RC options and the other Marriott and even legacy SPG options available.
I’ll be in San Francisco in November, and my favorite StR is starting at $800+ a night, compared to only $500+ at the RC. (Even the Palace is $700+!) So I’ll gladly be staying at the RC for the first time. I order room service for breakfast almost always, so the lack of breakfast benefit or Club Lounge upgrade is not a factor at all for me. I hate lounges, anyway, because to me they are not luxurious in the least. I’m Ambassador level so I still am eligible for a suite upgrade based on availability. And I’ll save some dough and still get a beautiful and luxurious stay (hopefullly).
I honestly could care less about Edition. The very few Edition hotels eventually will lose to W in just about every market where both exist. Why? They’re essentially the same hotels...but W offers much better elite benefits. Eventually, Marriott will have to correct its stupidity (and/or owner arrogance) and capitulate with the same elite benefits at Edition as are on offer at W. Or else the Edition brand will die a slow death.
Last edited by bhrubin; Sep 16, 2018 at 12:36 pm
Sep 16, 2018, 1:45 pm
#86
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,450
Overall, I prefer SR and LC brands to RC. There is a pretension to RC style of service which kind of annoys me. Although I got a bunch of that at SR San Francisco earlier this year, too (hint: tacking "sir" onto every sentence does not turn poor service into good service).
So yes, I agree, SPG brought more to the table at the high end. In fact, it's my experiences this year at SPG properties that's keeping me from bailing on the whole program.
Sep 16, 2018, 3:11 pm
#87
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,521
I’ll be in San Francisco in November, and my favorite StR is starting at $800+ a night, compared to only $500+ at the RC. (Even the Palace is $700+!) So I’ll gladly be staying at the RC for the first time. I order room service for breakfast almost always, so the lack of breakfast benefit or Club Lounge upgrade is not a factor at all for me. I hate lounges, anyway, because to me they are not luxurious in the least. I’m Ambassador level so I still am eligible for a suite upgrade based on availability. And I’ll save some dough and still get a beautiful and luxurious stay (hopefullly).
Sep 16, 2018, 3:14 pm
#88
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,521
Sep 16, 2018, 3:25 pm
#89
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
It’s also good to remember that we’re discussing some of the most amazing luxury hotel options. Even when elite recognition isn’t as good as it might be elsewhere, it’s still pretty amazing that we can stay at places like these using our loyalty points.
Sep 18, 2018, 2:15 pm
#90
Community Director Emerita
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,743
Who can figure out the latest date we can book in 2019? What we know: this discount will be available thru 2018. It's possible this will extend into early 2019, but we don't know that. So let's say that Dec 31 is the final day we can book at this rate. I found this 2015 post by CPRich where he said that we can book 50 (perhaps 51) weeks in advance. Further, he said that Marriott opens up space every Saturday for an additional week at a time. That would mean that we see the furthest dates available on Saturday, Dec 29. 50 weeks ahead would take us to 14 Dec 2019. Who has better intel on this?