pentiumvi

Are you 100% sure about that? Was this changed since the peak/off-peak program was introduced?
I recalled when this was first launched, what was communicated was that the peak/off-peak dates are determined by Marriott, and that individual properties aren't able to change these on their own.
Has this changed since then?


https://www.marriott.com/loyalty/red...free-nights.mi
Looks to me like the off peak rates have been reduced by 10% across all category levels

Keyser

not sure if there has been any change....i always recall that individual properties could determine when to offer off-peak rates & it was based on demand....i would be happy to be proven wrong but i don't recall ever reading that marriott would determine peak/off-peak dates....

i see what you mean....so in theory it should be 10% cheaper to book off-peak rates during the booking period....sounds good but still pales in comparison to the previous 2 promos where off-peak rates were available throughout the booking period....here we are relying on if & when the individual properties want to offer off-peak rates....

danger

Hear, hear.

And the trade-off to that trade-off is that the US has significantly more properties to reach the required number of stays.

pentiumvi

Went and dug up some travel blog posts back when the peak/off-peak awards were launched.

"..peak and off-peak dates are determined by an algorithm at the program level and will be adjusted monthly “to reflect market conditions” per a statement from Marriott — individual properties aren’t able to change these on their own.."
https://thepointsguy.com/news/marrio...icing-arrives/

Now.... whether what they wrote about what Marriott said back in 2019 is still accurate today.....

Keyser

interesting....i have spoken with a number of managers at different properties who have confirmed the opposite....they said they themselves determine how many rooms they will offer for redemption, what days will be peak or off peak....this is further evident from the fact that 2 properties in the same category, in the same location, offering similar rates on the same day, continue to differ on days they offered standard or off-peak rates...

marriott also had a policy whereby if a standard room was available then the property would offer it for redemption stays....but this is no longer the case anymore....i would be extremely surprised if the individual properties could not determine what days they would offer redemption rates at what levels....

Kacee

This has been eviscerated by allowing properties to choose what Marriott describes as "a limited number" of blackout dates. Ironically, Marriott calls this its "No Blackout Date Policy."

X-ON

hmmm " peak and off-peak dates are determined by an algorithm at the program level and will be adjusted monthly to reflect market conditions ", either the algorithm is so benign and trivial that most hotel managers can manipulate it OR the "algorithm" is just that properties request a peak/.off peak date distribution and the answer is always yes .. I am always skeptical when such vague wordings as algorithm .is being used in corporate communications ... usually a euphemism for arbitrary

Kacee

Yeah the same way that properties have "no control" over the SNA process

nexusCFX

Properties don’t get paid more or less depending on the number of points to redeem for a given night. The algorithm is for Marriott’s benefit to spike the price on days where the data shows they end up paying the property the ADR for your point stay because occupancy was above the 9X% threshold.

Hotels have their own mechanisms to limit or prevent redemptions altogether on certain dates. On dates where they do allow you to redeem the number of points required isn’t really of much consequence to them.

In general most properties in a given area follow more or less the same peak calendar. There was also a major recalibration of that calendar a few weeks back that saw many off peak dates shift to normal or peak, and normal dates shift to peak.

Based on that I think Marriott’s claim that it’s handled at the program level is pretty solid. It’s for their own benefit after all. They’re paying the properties for your award stays.

volabam

No more than 365 (366 in leap year) days per calendar year are allowed to be blacked out by properties.

kaizen7

Nah, its really no blackout day policy, however hotel just allow 1 room for point redemption for those supposedly "blacked out" night

cre95

Or if you consider your expenditure at $200 per night as fair for ambassador level, you can stay for 70 nights and attain your goal. A 30% reduction in the number of nights

ChurnieEls

I don't think there's many cases that justify the incremental benefits of Ambassador over Titanium.

You could reasonably get Titanium for ~$8k if you use the 5 x ENC and hold one of the credit cards.

I'm not sure what the extra $6k gets you apart from a dedicated Marriott specific concierge? I mean, honestly just get the Amex Platinum if you need one of those.

Can someone make a compelling case for the incremental to me?

Flying for Fun

Hmmm, I finished 2020 with 103 nights and my spend was less than $4K. Don't forget about redemptions. I also had a stay on December 31st. The night posted to 2020 while the spend posted to 2021. I started 2021 with 15 CC nights & $202 dollars. By the time the promotion kicks in, I will already have 60 nights. At 50 nights, I will choose the 5 SNAs. I have already used 3 2021 SNAs in 2020 (1 & 2 nights) for full-suite upgrades selecting only the highest category available and all cleared at T-5 days.

James

Sohan

I finished with 103 nights also, but with spend around $5500. 40 of those nights were from cards/given to me by Marriott.

Now living in Marriotts full time, I will easily hit Ambassador. The room rates in Thailand are so low, however staying for such extended periods will help me hit the 14k.