happymommy

I have a slight dilemma. Am staying in 2 rooms at a category 3 soon, and paying for one room (need the night credits). The other room we've cashed in 60,000 points for 5 nights. Husband is in the hoarding mode for a few years (he has about 500,000 so far, joined MR 2 years ago, platinum so he's earning the extra points). I can get the room for $110 gov't rate (husband is military reserves), but it adds $550 to our bill. One the one hand, he's getting more points, but he's not earning any extra room nights since we've got connecting rooms. Is saving that much (or little) worth it? We'd like to use a bundle later for a trip to either a nice Ritz or the Carribbean AI, so saving right now. We need 2 rooms, since we've got two kids, and this Marriott is very nice, but the rooms are too small for 4 of us! I can't sleep in a double bed.

I need to decide whether to change this to cash or use the points.

SaintsFan

That's not even $.01 per point which doesn't seem like a good tradeoff.

I feel your pain re the double beds. We have four kids and it's getting expensive to travel always having to get two rooms.

happymommy

Is it $0.01 per point the common understanding for decent trade-off? I gues it's about that when you factor in tax, plus he's not getting any additional night credits (since we have two rooms). I know, my sister has 4 kids and travel is NOT cheap for them anymore! Didn't know how good we had it when the kids were really little and one room was no big deal!!

hhoope01

I've never been big on the " $ per point" assessment. I tend to ask myself: what does paying cash for the room cost me in terms of the vacation itself? Can I afford to pay cash or will that hinder the enjoyment of the vacation or our ability to have it at all?

I also ask myself what am I saving my points for? What is the opportunity cost of using points now rather than for the next vacation? If using points now means you won't have enough for that Carribbean vacation, then maybe its better to pay now and use the points later.

BTW, what is the Cat. 3 property you are staying at? I ask as I've been very lucky with non-FS hotels giving me night/stay credits for multiple rooms. (I haven't had that happen much as FS properties though. Just the non-FS properties.)

Actually, this brings up another possiblity, have you checked to see if there are any RIs or TPSes close by? You might be able to get a larger room (i.e. 2bedroom suite) upgrade. As a Plat, when I've made RI reservations, I ask the Plat agent to call the hotel up and see if they will comp me a 2 bedroom suite upgrade. I have had quite a bit of success doing this and usually the hotel will instantly upgrade the room, not wait until check-in time.

joshua362

I'm in the same boat often, paying 20,000 for a RI that I could probably get for $99 at times. Problem is that I have too many points, too little time and they sit there devaluating. So I treat other families to rooms when traveling on weekends for kids sports, often they drive me and treat me a bit so its a little nicer.

My answer is NO if you are confident of using the points in the near future for something better, nicer, bigger, longer, etc and YES if you feel they are going to sit there unused & waiting for a period of time.

And about one cent per point seems to be the bare minimum earn / burn ratio most folks try to use. But you have to do what makes sense for you at your particular stage in life... Waiting for retirement like I previously thought is a lose-lose situation with annual / bi-annual "enhancement" devaluations.

happymommy

Thanks, everyone! The FS Marriott is the St. Louis Marriott West - and I do know that, although there is a RI closeby (and a Springhill Suites), I really really like this particular Marriott. The staff is very good, and we'll be there for 8 nights. We booked their presidential suite (basically, the only suite in the hotel) at a decent rate of $169, but need an extra room as the suite only has one king room, and one bathroom. The regular rate weekdays here is $159, but gov't is $110. The closeby RI is in dire need of remodeling I hear, and I like interior corridors. The Springhill is probably nice, but 8 days in a suite without a door is too much for me, I'm spoiled.

The points we're accumulating will be used within a couple of years, as my husband is earning at least 200,000 or more per year now. I just thought that a million would take us on an extra trip somewhere nice, and we do like Ritz hotels a lot

I really don't think he'll get credit for both rooms, but if he did, I would DEFINITELY pay cash. He still needs another couple weeks this year for plat. That would tip the scales for sure.

Another thing that was so cool, last time we stayed there we got concierge level and also two breakfast buffet coupons per night. Turns out, I just found out that it wasn't his plat that got the buffet coupons, it was the gov't rate! Those came in handy, as I had family stop by to join me for breakfast a couple of times, as we enjoyed the buffet in the restaurant (which was nice). So we won't get those on points I guess.

Why oh why am I being indecisive on this one? Those poor Marriott folks, the second room is already a mess. 5 nights on points, then 2 nights on weekend rate (with BOGO) then the last night our visa cert. I'm leaning towards saving those points.

frankhi

For me, I would keep the points and pay the $550. For example, I was just looking at the central park RC, the difference between 3 nights and 5 nights is 50k points.

qazw1

If you are not into fancy hotels and stay at places with multiple Marriott properties, then the points are worth more. Usually can find a cat 1 or 2 properties that are decent. But you are only spending 12,000 points a night. Not sure if one can do better than that. I would use the points and save the money.

wbl-mn-flyer

If the alternative to spending the points is that you will NOT spend the dollars, then spend the points and enjoy your stay in 2 hotel rooms rather than 1.

For the future, try to burn your points at higher than cat 3 properties.

And don't hoard the points - they're perishable goods which can be devalued at a moment's notice. Use or give away a several nights stay at a top category resort hotel at least once per year.

Airline and Hotel points are not something you "save for your retirement years" - the programs are far too volatile for that sort of thinking

RogerD408

$100 a night is my tipping point. I have no plans for a big trip and just converted a ton of points over to AA for the bonus miles.

Another consideration would be to book the second room under your name, or set up an account for your oldest child to start them into the program. That way both accounts will earn credit and you still have what you need.

Smart Shopper

@ happymommy

I enjoy reading your query! As you wrote precisely what you want and which options you prefer, it makes fun for me to sound of:

• According to rate rules Government Rate includes buffet breakfast for one guest and one cocktail/night.
• As a five nights stay must include at least one weekend night, please check rates for weekend night(s) independently. The hotel in question also offers packages that might be appealing to you.
• If you choose GOV rate for a five nights stay, your cash out will be $ 634.84. If you pay with points (as you said not 100% comparable because you are not entitled to buffet breakfast) you have to spend 60K MR points and surrender 8.25K MR points you don’t earn. This levels one MR point .93 cents.
• A five nights reward stay at a tier 2 RC cost you now 200K MR points (= 40K MR points/night, if you spend seven nights in a row it’s about 35K MR points/night). If you look now at RC rates, you will hardly find a room for less than $ 372 (tax including) at peak times.
• BUT: The future is not ours to see!

Enjoy your stay!

SaintsFan

Feel free to donate points to the SaintsFan family travel fund!

bitburgr

Any chance you can just bring along a couple of air mattresses and leave them in the living room? I know it doesn't solve the one bathroom but it may help.

megtravels

or the megtravels travel fund

SaintsFan

Hey, get your own points sugar daddy! I asked first!