Sep 16, 2018, 1:41 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

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

Booking high end (aspirational) properties at reduced points til 5 March 2019

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May 25, 2018, 11:47 am

#16

Troopers

Join Date: Sep 2015

Location: SFO

Posts: 3,878

Quote:

Originally Posted by SanDiego1K

Interesting! I didn't realize there are opportunities with Ritz. Is it, too, capped at the 60,000 Marriott points level later this year? I'll need to research their properties. Thank you.

I think so. Won't all SPG/Marriott properties be subject to the new award chart in August? That's my understanding.

ETA: There are 13 Tier 5 properties; 7 in the US, 3 in Asia, 2 in Caribbean and 1 in the Middle East.

SanDiego1K likes this.

Last edited by Troopers; May 25, 2018 at 12:09 pm

May 25, 2018, 1:37 pm

#17

remymartin

Join Date: Jan 2012

Location: HEL

Programs: SPG LTP, hotels, OWE, STE+, *G, Octopus

Posts: 5,783

I have a few ideas but two main concerns:
1) blackout dates are dead and buried, meaning no availability (as mentioned by @UA-NYC)

2) the plethora of MaRiot meeting room+CC opportunists swarming these properties, destroying any chances of upgrades (most iconic hotels’ base rooms can be a bit too small)

May 25, 2018, 1:42 pm

#18

MaxFlying

Join Date: Dec 2010

Posts: 495

Quote:

Originally Posted by SanDiego1K

Marriott has let us know that we can book level 7 Starwood properties at level 6 point redemption levels between August and December 2018. For ease of discussion, let's talk Starwood points. This means that a property that currently costs 35,000 points will cost 20,000 points during that window. Marriott equivalents are 105,000 and 60,000. I have some questions:

What about all suite properties such as Al Maha? Currently Starwood charges double points for all suite properties. Does this mean there is not a multiplier? That would mean that a room (suite) at Al Maha, normally 70,000, would be 20,000 during this window. I believe there are all suite properties in the Maldives and French Polynesia; perhaps in Thailand.**
Will we be able to book out to the end of the booking window? This would mean by late December 2018 we can book to late November 2019.
Do we need to make a fresh booking from August 1? This is my current assumption. Otherwise, I could book Las Alcobas (Helena) today for spring 2019, then call and ask for points to be returned.
If a fresh booking, how fast do you think award nights will go once the booking window opens?

**PLEASE NOTE: Free Night Awards at the following locations require higher Starpoint redemption amounts either because the hotel does not have standard rooms or the standard rooms it offers have a mandatory Full Board requirement in peak seasons: St. Regis Resort Bora Bora, and Le Méridien Bora Bora, Bora Bora, French Polynesia; W Maldives, Maldives; Sunset Key Guest Cottages, A Westin Resort, Key West, Florida; Mystique, Santorini, Greece; Pine Cliff Residences, Albuferia, Portugal; and Cala Di Volpe, Hotel Pitrizza, and Hotel Romazzino, Porto Cervo, Italy. The minimum number of Starpoints required for a free night at The Resort at Singer Island, a Category 5 property, ranges from 24,000 to 64,000 Starpoints; the minimum number of Starpoints required for a free night at the Pine Cliff Residences, which is a Category 6 hotel, is 40,000 to 100,000 Starpoints; and the minimum number of Starpoints required for a free night at the other listed properties, which are all Category 7 properties, ranges from 60,000 to 140,000 Starpoints depending on the hotel, its category, its room types, the time of year, and/or its mandatory requirements. Redemptions at these hotels must be booked through your local customer contact center.

Here is a list of Starwood's level 7 properties. There are 51 properties. There are 10 properties that currently are special cases. Note list above. Should they remain special cases, there are still 41 properties to consider.

I definitely want to try Las Alcobas in Helena, Napa Valley. I loved St Regis Punta Mita and might want to return. Those are both easy access from where I live. I'm looking at the Gritti Palace in Venice and Cristallo in the Dolomites as part of a European trip in 2019. Where do you hope to book?

"If you have a booking that goes down in price under the new chart, you can call to get a refund of the difference in points price. It doesn’t even require cancelling and rebooking (so you’re ok even if there’s no award space left). Marriott explains,Members would need to call, but they can then order and attach the new award certificate at the lower price. So, keep the reservation, but change the award “certificate” attached to the reservation. Members could also cancel the reservation and rebook if they so desire given in most cases there aren’t unique asks [attached to a reservation]."

I have St Regis Punta Mita over Xmas and am hoping to get a points refund.

SanDiego1K and damon88 like this.

May 25, 2018, 2:31 pm

#19

UA-NYC

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by remymartin

2) the plethora of MaRiot meeting room+CC opportunists swarming these properties, destroying any chances of upgrades (most iconic hotels’ base rooms can be a bit too small)

Eh, I think anyone going the meeting room route is doing at Your Local CY/RI/SHS/FI or whatever, and not the iconic properties

May 27, 2018, 3:41 am

#20

Kacee

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by SanDiego1K

What about all suite properties such as Al Maha? Currently Starwood charges double points for all suite properties. Does this mean there is not a multiplier? That would mean that a room (suite) at Al Maha, normally 70,000, would be 20,000 during this window. I believe there are all suite properties in the Maldives and French Polynesia; perhaps in Thailand.**

Staying at Vana Belle Koh Samui right now, it falls in the all suites category, and I'm curious about this as well.

Because I would definitely pay 60k Marriott for this:

[private infinity pool on terrace]

SanDiego1K and damon88 like this.

Last edited by Kacee; May 27, 2018 at 6:14 am Reason: ETA photo

May 27, 2018, 10:39 am

#21

kaizen7

Join Date: Feb 2018

Programs: Bonvoy :Ambassador , ALL :Diamond, Skywards :Silver, Krisflyer :Silver

Posts: 2,808

I dont have enough starpoint but I do plan to book (paid booking) Al Maha around the end of Aug and RC Al Hamra beach in the Sep

May 30, 2018, 9:06 am

#22

shoelessj

Join Date: Nov 2011

Posts: 130

Just got off the phone with SPG and I saw no reduction for their Venice props nor was agent aware of this 'sale'. We will be in Venice on 10/1-10/6 so based on your info there should have been something in class 7 at 80,000 points (4 nights plus one free). Props were available but at full point levels. I am Marriott Plat. Am I missing something?

Last edited by shoelessj; May 30, 2018 at 9:07 am Reason: spelling

May 30, 2018, 9:09 am

#23

SanDiego1K

Community Director Emerita

Original Poster

Join Date: Oct 2000

Location: Anywhere warm

Posts: 33,742

Quote:

Originally Posted by shoelessj

Yes. This points reduction cannot be booked until August when the programs merge. From my first post:

Quote:

May 30, 2018, 9:37 am

#24

shoelessj

Join Date: Nov 2011

Posts: 130

Thanks for your response! I thought it was for stays during that period. May give it a shot for Gritti Palace. I currently have JW Marriott booked at 160,000 points so am covered (hoping for free breakfast there as part of Plat bene improvements).

Last edited by shoelessj; May 30, 2018 at 9:38 am Reason: spelling

May 30, 2018, 10:04 am

#25

bccrws

Join Date: Apr 2011

Location: New Jersey

Posts: 2

Don't forget that the "5th Night Free" promotion applies! That's a great value. . . .

May 30, 2018, 1:14 pm

#26

onlysuites

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Sep 2003

Programs: BA Silver, EY Gold, HH Diamond, IHG Plat

Posts: 12,210

If anyone managed to get a Maldives one please do post. I recently stayed at the STR Maldives and would love to go back.

Jun 28, 2018, 9:54 am

#27

Troopers

Join Date: Sep 2015

Location: SFO

Posts: 3,878

Quote:

Originally Posted by Troopers

Not an SPG property nor an aspirational property, but I booked Ritz Tahoe during ski season (President's Day long weekend in February). Rates start at ~$1500/night that weekend. It's a currently a Tier 5 property (70,000 Marriott points)...it will likely land as a new Cat 7 (peak season at 70,000 Marriott points) but maybe as a new Cat 8 (peak season at 100,000 Marriott points).

The Ritz Lake Tahoe is mapped to new Cat 8 costing a whopping 100k during peak season. Ouch! 60k is a deal ^

Jun 28, 2018, 9:56 am

#28

SanDiego1K

Community Director Emerita

Original Poster

Join Date: Oct 2000

Location: Anywhere warm

Posts: 33,742

Las Alcobas (Napa Valley) is dropping to 60K from 90K - and that has nothing to do with the window of opportunity between August 1 and end of year when the top category hotels are available at the next to top level.

Also, someone has reported that the all suite properties where Starwood charged 2x points will now be redeemable at the level assigned to the hotel. (I have not seen this confirmed but am hopeful.)

Jun 28, 2018, 10:02 am

#29

damon88

Join Date: Jun 2003

Location: La Jolla, CA

Programs: Marriott Ambassador, Lifetime Titanium, Delta Plat, Hilton Diamond , Hyatt Globalist

Posts: 2,615

Quote:

Originally Posted by SanDiego1K

Las Alcobas was the first Hotel I noticed- that seems like a good value.

Still curious if bookings at hotels like St Regis Princeville have to be rebooked to take advantage of the points drop or if we will receive refunds as Marriott originally indicated.

Jun 28, 2018, 10:03 am

#30

MilesTalk

formerly known as daveland

Join Date: Oct 2003

Location: NY, NY, USA

Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LTP, Delta Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Wyndham Diamond

Posts: 2,969

Quote:

Originally Posted by SanDiego1K

Also, someone has reported that the all suite properties where Starwood charged 2x points will now be redeemable at the level assigned to the hotel. (I have not seen this confirmed but am hopeful.)

This is confirmed, though the lowest room type may be narrowed (so fewer available for redemptions) but every hotel, even current SPG double points hotels, will have a room type bookable for 60k Aug-Dec.

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