susanita3333

[QUOTE=friedablass;34024334] My question is if this increase to 130k is only for 2022 stays and then for stays in 2023 the sky is the limit? Or will we be able to book in 2022 for stays on 2023 at the 130k cap just like we can currently book stays at the beginning of 2023 using the current award chart rates (i.e. 100k for peak top tier hotels)?

Same question - can we book post march 29 for stays in 2023 and expect (relative word) things to be similar to as they are now except for the 200 on the list?

Happy

I find it quite amusing that a SpringHill at Orange Beach, AL is on the 10K increase list. Last night I was looking at this property and the Fairfield at the same area but a better location on the beach. Finally decided to book Fairfield despite it is an old property while the SpringHill is fairly new looking, but its location is rather away from the beach while on a Wharf by the river but the Beach is the draw in that area. The cash rates of these, even during Spring Breaks, are $95 for SH and $80 for FF. Both are Cat 4 IIRC, and now SH will go up by another 10K?! Who would be stupid enough to spend 50K for a property even at Spring Breaks is at $105 incl taxes?!

And the SH at Ocala also is on the 10K list... Dont understand why Ocala can be popular.

Some of the properties on the 10K list dont make any sense, such as the Fairfield at West Palm Beach, Residence Inn at Palm Beach Garden and the Four Points at Orlando.

Herb687

I was expecting half that number to be on the list.

Herb687

Marriott properties already shut off award stays entirely on certain dates. Award blackout dates are already very common.


List items #1 and #4 seem a decent plan but why bother with items #2 and #3?

PhillyPhlyer40

I am a loyal hotels dot com (due to booking a few hundred nights a year for others that work for me...and most dont have credit cards to "front the money" so it works out for both of us ) user. I have around 65 nights right now "banked" with them. I have been trying to use them quickly, as my understanding is now that they are owned by the same company as booking dot com, the program may/will change!

Careful what you wish for!

gudugan

I already have 350 nights and 8 years platinum. Currently at Royal Hawaiian in a non-junior suite (booked on points with SNA). I like the program and Hilton Diamond doesn�t give the benefits I like (upgrades, breakfast, 4pm checkout).

I only like Hotels dot com for the 10% rebate, Booking has tons more properties especially in Europe

randomdude

are you guys keeping track of the devals?
the ones i remember:
- from 1:3 to 1:2 earning ratio on spg cards
- introduction of cat 8
- off peak / regular / peak
- frequent category bump
- removal of non-blackout policy
- and now, dynamic pricing
all that in the span of 3-4y? that hurts

1120

I agree, but I think you missed the worst deval of all, which was the destruction of Travel Packages a few years ago. I realize they lived on until recently, though the value was long gone.

It�s been pretty clear for a while where MR was headed. I had about four million equivalent (MR + SPG) points at the time of the merger and I�ve been burning them ever since. There were many years where Mrs. 1120 and I only booked Marriott properties for both business and personal travel. I�m lifetime Ti and she is lifetime Pt so we are (presumably) the kind of customers that Marriott wants to keep.

Honestly, I�m fine with what they�ve done since it kind of made me remove my blinders and the grass really is greener as a free agent.

I�m down to about 300K points and I�ll see if I can get one more good redemption before the next set of devals.

I love the Hotel Park City (which is on the list) and maybe we can pull off one more trip next ski season with points.

As a final word to Marriott (and yes, I get that they don�t care) I anticipate spending about $40K between hotel and Airbnb this year. Right now, less than $2K of that will go to Marriott.

It was good while it lasted.

beachfan

I thought for sure the Cat 8s in Italy would get slammed - Gritti Palace, Excelsior Florence. DId I miss it?

I booked 12 nights between the two - but I really wanted to go 2023 as I had other plans this year.

St

kb1992

I was planning to save points for some Maldives properties.

260K for Westin, 385K for Ritz, 385K for St.R. and 370K for W. Five nights. Cash value: $5,000-$18,000

Now I see this.

I am redeeming 240K miles for Aruba JW next month. The cash value isn't great ($3,300).

But, upcoming MB dynamic pricing might require 1 million points at Maldives Ritz.

BearX220

That's like saying I should buy, own, and maintain a Greyhound bus, getting 5 mpg on my grocery runs, because once or twice in my lifetime I may have to transport 47 people somewhere.

The cost of achieving that capability far outweighs the value of its very, very occasional use.

Super Mario

See though, there is so much more here. A "50% devaluation" is a deceptive assessment, at-best.

Let's remember how much of a percentage of return these points truly are. For the sake of math, what would this truly cost you? 2-3% of your spend? No need to remind where inflation is at. Let's also remember, not all properties have increased that much. Some not at all. The beauty of the large chains is that there are so many options. Let's be honest, many times there are reasonably priced properties no matter what happens. If you only stay at properties that took the biggest hit, then I get it that stings. However, it would also sting to lose such a large portfolio of aspirational properties altogether. All while chasing the greener grass that another chain has all of these deals that will never change.

When you factor in benefits, including lifetime statuses, chasing said statues, credit card rewards, footprint, and so much more, the 2-3% "loss" seems to disproportionately outweigh the rest of the discussion. I'm a Hilton guy at the moment. I hear the same stuff all of the time. "I'm done with Hilton. I'm going to Marriott". While the Marriott people talk about the greener grass at Hilton. Wash, rinse, and repeat forever. Meanwhile, the price at many aspirational properties is through the roof altogether. The dollar inflation causes less emotional distress in this place than a point inflation does. We lose our minds about penny on the dollar points.

People are overly obsessed with free stuff. For many, it's rarely about what did I actually spend vs what I was looking for. It's more about "this was included, this was free, this was a deal". We've all sat through countless boats of family or friends, which have made no sense whatsoever. As I also know, you will never convince someone that their choice isn't as god-sent as they believe it was.

eponymous_coward

No. The threat is that the �buy 10 get 1 free at the rate you paid for 10� goes away if/when Hotels.com is converted to Expedia Rewards (hotels.com is rebadged Expedia).

https://viewfromthewing.com/can-expe...-service-oops/

Sorry for the diversion, we take you now back to your Marriott devaluation with complimentary sackcloth and ashes, already In progress.

gudugan

Even worse than I thought. I can�t do Airbnb because most have inflexible cancellation policy and I change my mind a billion times.

Also above forgot the change that stopped letting you get multiple nights for 3 rooms booked as well as getting nights for meetings. Sadly never used either.

Hilton is fine for points redemption I guess but Hilton Diamond == Marriott Gold as far as I�m concerned, both are worthless

margarita girl

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