FlyerTalk Forums - 2020 Category Changes : effective March 4, 2020

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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.