Feb 5, 2020, 10:22 am
Last edit by: CodeAdam10
https://points-redemption.marriott.c...arriott-bonvoy
Annual hotel category changes will take effect March 4, 2020
Official notification :
Category Changes
This year’s category changes will take effect on March 4 giving our members a month’s advance notice to make informed decisions about redeeming their points for stays. Access the complete list of hotels for each redemption category and learn more here.
Across the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio of participating hotels:
· 71% will remain unchanged while 29% will be affected by the 2020 annual category change process with 7% of hotels decreasing in points needed for a free night and 22% are increasing.
· Most of the 2020 annual category change movement (84%) takes place between categories 1-5 for a standard redemption stay.
In the next month, take a look at your upcoming stays to see if you should lock in rates now (make sure to attach a certificate to your stay), or redeem after March 4 at some great hotels that are moving down in category, like JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach or W Aspen.
Inventory Controls
Every hotel participating in our travel program offers members standard rooms for award redemptions every day of the year. However, during the busiest times of the year, participating hotels may limit the number of standard rooms available for redemption, but only for a predetermined number of days annually.
Previously, only some hotel brands had access to inventory controls. This tool will be extended to all hotels beginning today. With this modification we’ve also added restrictions. The number of days hotels can use inventory controls is being reduced. This will result in fewer days in total subject to inventory controls portfolio-wide in 2020 compared to 2019. This change will have no impact on stays that are already booked.
2020 Category Changes : effective March 4, 2020
Feb 5, 2020, 6:21 pm
#62
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: Aeroplan, Amex AeroPlat
Posts: 977
Feb 5, 2020, 7:00 pm
#63
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: BKK
Programs: World of Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Bonvoy LTP; IHG Plat
Posts: 2,233
This is really bad change. however I have no tons of point anyway. In my country there is no co-branded credit card to rack them up. (Just earned points from hotel stay only.)
it seems to me that marriott is trying to promote their legacy branded hotels to higher category and demote spg legacy branded hotels to lower category.
Ex. 28 hotels entering cat 8, 17 of which are marriott legacy branded hotels.
4 hotels leaving cat 8, all of them are spg legacy branded hotels.
anyway, this year is the last year that i will give most of my hotel stay to marriott as i want 1 more year to achieve lifetime platinum status with them. In 2021 i will go back to Hyatt and chasing their globalist status.
it seems to me that marriott is trying to promote their legacy branded hotels to higher category and demote spg legacy branded hotels to lower category.
Ex. 28 hotels entering cat 8, 17 of which are marriott legacy branded hotels.
4 hotels leaving cat 8, all of them are spg legacy branded hotels.
anyway, this year is the last year that i will give most of my hotel stay to marriott as i want 1 more year to achieve lifetime platinum status with them. In 2021 i will go back to Hyatt and chasing their globalist status.
Feb 5, 2020, 7:17 pm
#64
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: CLE/RSW
Programs: Marriot Lifetime Plat
Posts: 206
Feb 5, 2020, 7:34 pm
#66
Join Date: Dec 2010
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Globalist, M life Gold, IHG Spire
Posts: 918
It means hotels can block awards on some nights. Now limited to 10 nights a year.
Feb 5, 2020, 7:42 pm
#67
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: California
Posts: 241
The 10 nights a year limit is a fig leaf. They can chop a day each out of all the big peak travel weeks (e.g. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Spring Break) or for sports towns the night before each big home game and still effectively eliminate redemptions with an above average value.
Feb 5, 2020, 8:16 pm
#69
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 116
I'm gonna book a cat 7 at peak rate that is going up to cat 8. Hopefully, after the category changes take effect, their wonky IT will lead to me being eligible for a points adjustment
Feb 5, 2020, 8:55 pm
#70
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Atlanta but Washington DC will always be home.
Programs: Marriott LTP, Hilton Diamond, Accor Gold, Hyatt Explorist,, Delta Plat,
Posts: 2,074
Feb 5, 2020, 9:09 pm
#71
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 18
Going to have to book some stays before March to draw down my ~1.1M balance, and glad I’ve burned ~700k the past year...RC Kapalua, Marriott Wailea and Mauna Kea all going up a category. StR Punta Mita too.
Am somewhat tied to Marriott based on availability, but will start to ALWAYS look for something Hyatt in the future. Seems awfully short-sighted.
Am somewhat tied to Marriott based on availability, but will start to ALWAYS look for something Hyatt in the future. Seems awfully short-sighted.
Feb 5, 2020, 9:21 pm
#72
Join Date: May 2016
Location: searching FT for a J deal
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Unobtainium, Delta Diamond
Posts: 268
Going to have to book some stays before March to draw down my ~1.1M balance, and glad I’ve burned ~700k the past year...RC Kapalua, Marriott Wailea and Mauna Kea all going up a category. StR Punta Mita too.
Am somewhat tied to Marriott based on availability, but will start to ALWAYS look for something Hyatt in the future. Seems awfully short-sighted.
Am somewhat tied to Marriott based on availability, but will start to ALWAYS look for something Hyatt in the future. Seems awfully short-sighted.
Feb 5, 2020, 9:33 pm
#73
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SFO/YYZ
Programs: AC 25K, AS MVP Gold, BA Bronze, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,469
Feb 5, 2020, 10:27 pm
#74
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: In the air
Programs: Occasional RTW club
Posts: 6,924
I’ve literally never been in this situation, but I’m holding a reservation for a hotel (the Ile des Pins) that’s going down a category. Will the Lurkers be able to refund me the difference? As there’s no more availability for my dates, I can’t cancel and rebook.
Feb 5, 2020, 11:19 pm
#75
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,455