Feb 9, 2019, 3:52 pm
Last edit by: swag
It's out now: https://points-redemption.marriott.com/category-change
PDF of properties sorted by brand: https://lacek.hs.llnwd.net/e2/marrio...ogram=marriott
PDF of properties sorted by brand: https://lacek.hs.llnwd.net/e2/marrio...ogram=marriott
Annual Award Category Changes - Effective March 5, 2019.
Feb 27, 2019, 5:49 pm
#136
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: New York
Programs: MB-LTT , HH-Diam., HGP-Expl.
Posts: 778
Mar 3, 2019, 11:11 am
#137
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Canada
Programs: SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum, IHG Spire
Posts: 155
The timing of Hotel Bristol's category change could be perfect for me. I was planning on booking a 7-night award stay in Vienna for later this year anyway, so the change to a 35,000 point per night rate is the clincher for me to stay there. I have 2 Category 5 certificates sitting in my account (which I could now use for Hotel Bristol in a couple of days time) and since you can get 5 award nights for the price of 4, I can turn all of that into 7 nights for only 140,000 points. The average cost per night for a standard room for the dates I'm looking at is currently 390 EUR (589 CAD), so I'm loving the value that I can get out of those 140,000 points (+2 certificates). Now I just have to hope that 1 award night remains available for all 7 nights for the next 2 days! 
Mar 4, 2019, 2:09 am
#138
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: In the air
Programs: Occasional RTW club
Posts: 6,924
In the past, it was a royal mess for when properties changed categories (it seemed to be based on the property’s timezone, and not the program or user). Is this still the case? So March 5 for Japan properties would be March 4 for North American users?
Mar 4, 2019, 8:52 am
#139
Join Date: Jul 2018
Programs: Starriott Plat Premier
Posts: 258
Does this mean my free night certificate (valid for 40k points) can now be used for "Category 6 - off peak" redemptions? How do i find out when that property considers it as "off-peak" ? Thanks.
Mar 4, 2019, 8:56 am
#140
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Brooklyn
Programs: Delta Diamond, Bonvoy something good; sometimes other things too
Posts: 5,050
A 40K point certificate would be valid for such hotels, but peak and off-peak pricing isn't yet available. We've just been told that it will launch sometime this year. Until then we have no idea when peak and off peak dates will be, though I suspect that when it does launch, we'll just have to search for awards and see what price pops up (unlike with the old SPG Cats 5-7 peak pricing, where there was a central list of the applicable dates at each property).
Mar 4, 2019, 10:14 am
#141
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: DAY
Programs: Rapid Rewards, Skymiles, Hilton HHonors, SPG/Marriott Rewards
Posts: 4,944
A 40K point certificate would be valid for such hotels, but peak and off-peak pricing isn't yet available. We've just been told that it will launch sometime this year. Until then we have no idea when peak and off peak dates will be, though I suspect that when it does launch, we'll just have to search for awards and see what price pops up (unlike with the old SPG Cats 5-7 peak pricing, where there was a central list of the applicable dates at each property).
Mar 4, 2019, 10:49 pm
#142
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SFO
Posts: 4,914
Just made another reservation at a property where it was suppose to change but the lower rate is still available, unlike past years where on US time some properties already changed the day before. Good IT system, good IT. 
Mar 4, 2019, 11:38 pm
#143
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: UK/TZ
Programs: QRPC Plat; Marriott Plat; Hilton Gold
Posts: 353
My reservations made prior to 5th March now all show the increased Cat 8 rate rather than the Cat 7... is this something that I can call up and rectify or will this stick?
Mar 4, 2019, 11:50 pm
#144
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SYD, Australia......Hotels: HHon LT Diamond, Hyatt LT Glob, Marriott AMB (LT Gold), IHG AMB (20 years of SCC and RoyAMB dropped 2024)...Airlines: BA GGL (OW Emerald), LH FTL (*S), QF Plat (LT Gold), VA, UA Silver (*S), SQ Silver (*S)
Posts: 2,101
What time zone are they using for the 5th of March? All hotels now show up with the old pricing initially but once you click to book the new higher pricing is charged in points....even for hotels that are located in a time zone e.g. US West Coast where it is still not the 5th of March?
Mar 5, 2019, 12:53 am
#145
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kan@da
Programs: Anything with sweet spots
Posts: 1,790
Marriott's category increases countered !
Multiple speculative and concurrent points bookings placed for the hotels I may want to stay at by March 2020 that are going up in category
based on EST
Multiple speculative and concurrent points bookings placed for the hotels I may want to stay at by March 2020 that are going up in category
What time zone are they using for the 5th of March? All hotels now show up with the old pricing initially but once you click to book the new higher pricing is charged in points....even for hotels that are located in a time zone e.g. US West Coast where it is still not the 5th of March?
Mar 5, 2019, 12:57 am
#146
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Bangkok, Thailand. No longer Palm Coast, FL though still exiled, again, from the Bay Area.
Programs: Only the good ones
Posts: 5,153
Lucky me...
My MegaBonus brands got manually posted after 2 phone calls, and my AMEX free night cert showed up in my account on the 4th, so was able to get the lower points rates at my reservations I held.
Mar 5, 2019, 1:58 am
#147
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
You can’t “rectify” the reservation as hotel is now a Cat 8.
Last edited by margarita girl; Mar 5, 2019 at 5:29 am
Mar 5, 2019, 3:31 am
#148
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 235
An agent just told me PA booking are subjected to new category and original booking points rate were not guaranteed. My suggestion is keep trying with different agent.
Last edited by kodansha999; Mar 5, 2019 at 3:49 am
Mar 5, 2019, 3:48 am
#149
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: UK/TZ
Programs: QRPC Plat; Marriott Plat; Hilton Gold
Posts: 353
If you already applied your pointsto the reservation, there is nothing to do. (If you cancel, you will get back what you paid.) If you made a points advance reservation, you will have to call and have an agent apply the correct number of points assuming Marriott doesn’t change its mind on honouring PA reservations.
You can’t “rectify” the reservation as hotel is now a Cat 8.
well the above really does not fill me with confidence...
Mar 5, 2019, 5:12 am
#150
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 didn’t chance it and applied points to all my PA reservations, but my comments were based on what was posted here
Will existing "Points Advance" reservations raise in price on March 5th???
Will existing "Points Advance" reservations raise in price on March 5th???