This is my 10th year being plat at *wood, and only my second year being MR plat. Little things like releasing the list of hotels moving category, customized photo album as year end gift, the excellent help from Lurkers I,II & III, makes me feel more appreciated at *wood than Marriott.

Maybe it's just me, but little things like these does matter to me. The main thing going for Marriott would be the number of Props compared to *wood.

It would be nice to hear directly from Marriott on this matter. I have started my #Marriott campaign again on Twitter.

I really do not have a vested interest personally in Marriott Rewards, but as a consumer analyst and advocate, I do not like the argument from Marriott that members have no right to know which hotels are increasing in points cost in 5.5 days.

Points are a currency with tangible cash value and I believe from a consumer standpoint that Marriott Rewards members have the right to know the value of their points and members should demand transparency with regard to the impending devaluation of Marriott Rewards currency.

It is all nice and fine to be given a heads up on resorts and high category changes, but the vast majority of Marriott Hotels are low category 1 to 4 hotels.

A member might wish to book the category 2 hotel at 10,000 points per night this week rather than learning the hotel is a category 3 hotel at 15,000 points per night or even a category 4 hotel for 20,000 points per night next week.

Hey Marriott - is a little transparency and gesture of courtesy for your members really too much to ask?

Will a few hundred reservations booked this week at the lower category level, if even that many were to result, really make a financial impact on a multi-billion dollar company with a net income of $458 million in 2010?

Is Marriott so concerned as a corporate entity about its bottom line that it wants to keep its members from saving 5,000 points on a hotel reward night?

Secrets, nondisclosure, proprietary information and lack of transparency is what we have come to expect from big corporations as consumers today.

I just hope for something better from a company in the "hospitality" business.

Since we announced the category changes taking place March 8th, some of you have requested we publish the entire list of category changes. We truly appreciate the candid feedback that we have received.

We have traditionally only listed the changes in Categories 5-8 as these typically include our most popular redemption destinations. Based on your feedback, we have decided to publish the entire list of 2011 changes. To specifically address those with concerns about changes between Categories 4 and 5, please note that there is a net change of 20 hotels moving up, out of almost 900 hotels in the two Categories.

As always please feel free to send me a personal message if you have any questions about how this may affect you individually.

Regards,
Ira

Changing From a Category 7 to 8

MVCI Marriott's Aruba Surf Club
MVCI Marriott's Aruba Ocean Club
Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino

Changing From a Category 6 to 5

Athens Ledra Marriott Hotel
CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa
Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club

Changing From a Category 6 to 7

Grand Cayman Marriott Resort
Zurich Marriott Hotel
Vail Marriott Mountain Resort & Spa
JW Marriott Hotel Washington, DC
Key West Marriott Beachside Hotel
Courtyard Ocean City
Residence Inn Virginia Beach Oceanfront
SpringHill Suites Virginia Beach Oceanfront

Changing From a Category 5 to 4

JW Marriott Hotel Beijing
Courtyard San Juan Miramar
Courtyard Page at Lake Powell
Fairfield Inn Orlando at SeaWorld(R)
Courtyard Orlando Lake Buena Vista in the Marriott Village
Marriott's Villas At Doral
Doral Golf Resort & Spa, A Marriott Resort
Boca Raton Marriott at Boca Center
Renaissance Boca Raton Hotel
Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza
BWI Airport Marriott
Renaissance Cleveland Hotel
Franklin Marriott Cool Springs
Residence Inn San Antonio Downtown/Alamo Plaza
JW Marriott Hotel Caracas

Changing From a Category 5 to 6

Renaissance Aruba Beach Resort & Casino
Brisbane Marriott Hotel
Melbourne Marriott Hotel
Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown Hotel
Courtyard Quebec City
JW Marriott Hotel Shanghai at Tomorrow Square
Courtyard Paris Neuilly
Renaissance Okinawa Resort
JW Marriott Hotel Lima
JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa
Courtyard San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf
Courtyard Washington Convention Center
Residence Inn Washington, DC/Capitol
Renaissance Washington, DC Hotel
Residence Inn St. Petersburg Treasure Island
Courtyard Boston Copley Square
Courtyard Cape Cod Hyannis
Courtyard New York JFK Airport
Residence Inn Newport Middletown
Fairfield Inn Virginia Beach Oceanfront

Changing From a Category 4 to 3

Renaissance Beijing Capital Hotel
Beijing Marriott Hotel City Wall
Beijing Marriott Hotel West
Renaissance Beijing Hotel
Courtyard San Jose Escazu
Torreon Marriott Hotel
Courtyard Istanbul International Airport
Courtyard Phoenix Chandler/Fashion Center
Fullerton Marriott at California State University
Residence Inn Huntington Beach Fountain Valley
SpringHill Suites West Palm Beach I-95
Fairfield Inn Fort Myers
Residence Inn Tampa North/I-75 Fletcher
Residence Inn Tampa Downtown
Greensboro-High Point Marriott Airport
Renaissance Woodbridge Hotel
Residence Inn Long Island Hauppauge/Islandia
Oklahoma City Marriott
Residence Inn Portland Airport at Cascade Station
Greenville Marriott
Dallas/Addison Marriott Quorum by the Galleria
Dallas/Fort Worth Marriott Solana
Dallas/Fort Worth Airport Marriott
Residence Inn San Antonio Airport
Fairfield Inn San Antonio Downtown/Market Square
San Antonio Marriott Northwest
Residence Inn Salt Lake City-City Center
Residence Inn Salt Lake City Sandy
Norfolk Marriott Chesapeake

Changing From a Category 4 to 5

Renaissance Sao Paulo Hotel
Toronto Marriott Bloor Yorkville Hotel
JW Marriott Hotel Cairo
Renaissance Cologne Hotel
Courtyard Munich City Center
Renaissance Sapporo Hotel
Renaissance Naruto Resort
Courtyard Moscow City Center
Bristol Marriott City Centre
Cardiff Marriott Hotel
Portsmouth Marriott Hotel
Swansea Marriott Hotel
Courtyard Anaheim at Disneyland Resort
Courtyard San Diego Airport/Liberty Station
Residence Inn San Diego Mission Valley
Residence Inn Washington, DC/Vermont Avenue
Residence Inn Miami Aventura Mall
Residence Inn Delray Beach
Atlanta Marriott Downtown
South Bend Marriott
Louisville Marriott Downtown
Courtyard Boston Brookline
Courtyard Boston Logan Airport
Renaissance Boston Hotel & Spa at Patriot Place
Portland Marriott at Sable Oaks
East Lansing Marriott at University Place
Renaissance Raleigh Hotel at North Hills
Residence Inn North Conway
Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe
Courtyard Jersey City Newport
Courtyard New York LaGuardia Airport
SpringHill Suites State College
Renaissance Providence Hotel
Fairfield Inn Rapid City
Crystal Gateway Marriott

Changing From a Category 3 to 2

Fairfield Inn Kelowna
Courtyard Hua Hin at Cha am Beach
SpringHill Suites Little Rock
Fairfield Inn Phoenix Chandler/Fashion Center
Fairfield Inn Phoenix Mesa
Courtyard Phoenix Mesa
TownePlace Suites Phoenix Metrocenter Mall/I-17
Courtyard Pleasant Hill
Courtyard Fort Lauderdale Plantation
Courtyard Jacksonville Airport/Northeast
Courtyard Jacksonville Flagler Center
SpringHill Suites Port St. Lucie
Courtyard Orlando East/UCF
SpringHill Suites Orlando North/Sanford
Courtyard Miami Lakes
Courtyard Tampa Brandon
TownePlace Suites St. Petersburg Clearwater
Courtyard Columbus
Courtyard Macon
Courtyard Detroit Dearborn
Courtyard Charlotte Ballantyne
Fairfield Inn Woodbridge
Springhill Suites Las Vegas Henderson
Courtyard Dallas Market Center
Courtyard San Antonio North/Stone Oak at Legacy
Fairfield Inn Salt Lake City Airport

Changing From a Category 3 to 4

Sao Paulo Airport Marriott Hotel
Residence Inn Moncton
Residence Inn Toronto Markham
Courtyard Toronto Vaughan
Residence Inn Whitby
Courtyard Montreal Airport
Courtyard Hong Kong
Renaissance Shanghai Yuyuan Hotel
JW Marriott Bogota
Bogota Marriott Hotel
Stuttgart Marriott Hotel Sindelfingen
JW Marriott Kuwait City
Courtyard Panama Real Hotel
Cebu City Marriott Hotel
Madinah Marriott Hotel
Residence Inn Birmingham Downtown at UAB
Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center
Courtyard Phoenix West/Avondale
Courtyard Los Angeles LAX/Century Boulevard
Residence Inn Los Angeles LAX/El Segundo
Courtyard Los Angeles Pasadena/Old Town
SpringHill Suites Temecula Valley Wine Country
Residence Inn Palo Alto Los Altos
Courtyard San Diego Mission Valley/Hotel Circle
Residence Inn Palo Alto Mountain View
Residence Inn Milpitas Silicon Valley
Fairfield Inn Santa Maria
Residence Inn Colorado Springs South
Courtyard Boulder
Residence Inn Denver North/Westminster
Courtyard New Haven at Yale
Residence Inn Dover
Courtyard Wilmington Newark/Christiana Mall
SpringHill Suites Gainesville
Courtyard St. Augustine
Courtyard Jacksonville Northeast/Kendall Town
Courtyard Miami at Dolphin Mall
Residence Inn Pensacola Downtown
Augusta Marriott Hotel & Suites
SpringHill Suites Athens
Courtyard Valdosta
Des Moines Marriott Downtown
Residence Inn Des Moines West at Jordan Creek Town Center
Indianapolis Marriott East
Courtyard South Bend Mishawaka
Fairfield Inn South Bend Mishawaka
Residence Inn South Bend Mishawaka
SpringHill Suites South Bend Mishawaka
Residence Inn South Bend
Courtyard Salina
Residence Inn Lexington North
Residence Inn Lexington South/Hamburg Place
SpringHill Suites Lexington Near the University of Kentucky
Residence Inn Louisville Downtown
Residence Inn Louisville Airport
SpringHill Suites Louisville Downtown/Medical District
Baton Rouge Marriott
New Orleans Marriott Metairie at Lakeway
Residence Inn Boston Franklin
Residence Inn Worcester
Courtyard Boston Waltham
Courtyard Worcester
Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center
Residence Inn Ann Arbor
Fairfield Inn Frankenmuth
Courtyard Benton Harbor St. Joseph
Fairfield Inn New Buffalo
Residence Inn Minneapolis Downtown at The Depot
SpringHill Suites Rochester Mayo Clinic Area/Saint Marys
Residence Inn Springfield
SpringHill Suites St. Louis Brentwood
Fairfield Inn Fayetteville I-95
Fairfield Inn Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach
Courtyard Hanover Lebanon
TownePlace Suites Gilford
Residence Inn Neptune at Gateway Centre
Residence Inn West Orange
Courtyard Wall at Monmouth Shores Corporate Park
Residence Inn Mt. Laurel at Bishop's Gate
Residence Inn New Rochelle
Residence Inn Plainview Long Island
Rochester Airport Marriott
SpringHill Suites Cincinnati Midtown
Dayton Marriott
SpringHill Suites Medford
Fairfield Inn Harrisburg Hershey
Residence Inn Harrisburg Carlisle
Courtyard Harrisburg West/Mechanicsburg
Fairfield Inn Philadelphia Airport
SpringHill Suites Pittsburgh Mills
SpringHill Suites Pittsburgh Airport
SpringHill Suites West Mifflin
Residence Inn Providence Coventry
Fairfield Inn Sevierville Kodak
SpringHill Suites Knoxville at Turkey Creek
Residence Inn Amarillo
Residence Inn Houston The Woodlands/Market Street
Courtyard San Antonio SeaWorld(R)/Westover Hills
Fairfield Inn St. George
Residence Inn Herndon Reston
SpringHill Suites Norfolk Virginia Beach
Fairfield Inn Christiansburg
Courtyard Alexandria
Residence Inn Springfield Old Keene Mill
Residence Inn Alexandria at Carlyle
Courtyard Seattle Bellevue/Downtown
Fairfield Inn Spokane Downtown
Courtyard Seattle Kirkland
Courtyard Tacoma Downtown
Courtyard Beckley
SpringHill Suites Cheyenne
Venezuela Marriott Hotel Playa Grande

Changing From a Category 2 to 1

Fairfield Inn Plainville
Fairfield Inn Jacksonville West/Chaffee Point
Fairfield Inn Fort Pierce
Fairfield Inn Hinesville Fort Stewart
Fairfield Inn Chicago Lombard
TownePlace Suites Chicago Lombard
TownePlace Suites Charlotte Mooresville
Fairfield Inn Oklahoma City Quail Springs North
Fairfield Inn Tulsa Woodland Hills
Fairfield Inn Dallas Plano
Fairfield Inn Dallas Plano/The Colony
Fairfield Inn Texarkana
TownePlace Suites Dulles Airport
Fairfield Inn South Boston
TownePlace Suites Richmond
Fairfield Inn Weirton

Changing From a Category 2 to 3

Courtyard North Ryde
Courtyard Brussels
Courtyard Mississauga-Airport Corporate Centre West
Courtyard Santo Domingo
Courtyard Duesseldorf Seestern
Courtyard Hannover Maschsee
Courtyard Dothan
Courtyard Fayetteville
Fairfield Inn Fayetteville
SpringHill Suites Kingman Route 66
TownePlace Suites Tucson Airport
Fairfield Inn Temecula
SpringHill Suites Victorville Hesperia
Courtyard Milpitas Silicon Valley
Fairfield Inn Anaheim Placentia
Courtyard Costa Mesa South Coast Metro
Courtyard Denver Southwest/Lakewood
Courtyard Boulder Louisville
SpringHill Suites Denver North/Westminster
Courtyard Hartford Windsor
SpringHill Suites Milford
Fairfield Inn Dover
Fairfield Inn Gainesville
Fairfield Inn Clermont
Fairfield Inn Melbourne
Fairfield Inn Tallahassee North/I-10
TownePlace Suites Tampa Westshore/Airport
Courtyard Dalton
Fairfield Inn Chicago Gurnee
Fairfield Inn Chicago Tinley Park
Fairfield Inn Mt. Vernon Rend Lake
Fairfield Inn St. Louis Collinsville, IL
Fairfield Inn Indianapolis Airport
SpringHill Suites Terre Haute
Courtyard Lafayette
Fairfield Inn Salina
Fairfield Inn Lexington Georgetown/College Inn
Fairfield Inn Lexington North
Courtyard Louisville Airport
Fairfield Inn Elizabethtown
Fairfield Inn Louisville Downtown/Medical District
SpringHill Suites Louisville Airport
Courtyard Louisville Northeast
Fairfield Inn Kenner New Orleans Airport
SpringHill Suites Shreveport-Bossier City/Louisiana Downs
Fairfield Inn Amesbury
TownePlace Suites Baltimore BWI Airport
Fairfield Inn Cumberland
Fairfield Inn Germantown Gaithersburg
Fairfield Inn Laurel
Fairfield Inn Mt. Pleasant
SpringHill Suites Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport/Eagan
Fairfield Inn Kansas City Independence
Fairfield Inn Kansas City Downtown/Union Hill
SpringHill Suites New Bern
Courtyard Fayetteville
Fairfield Inn Lumberton
Courtyard Statesville
Fairfield Inn Elkin Jonesville
Fairfield Inn Elizabeth City
Fairfield Inn Bismarck North
Fairfield Inn Bismarck South
Courtyard Concord
SpringHill Suites Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
Courtyard Newark Elizabeth
Courtyard West Orange
Courtyard Ewing Hopewell
Fairfield Inn Binghamton
Fairfield Inn Rochester East
Fairfield Inn Syracuse Clay
Fairfield Inn Cleveland Avon
Courtyard Newark Granville
Courtyard Dayton-University of Dayton
TownePlace Suites Medford
Courtyard Portland Hillsboro
Fairfield Inn Bedford
TownePlace Suites Erie
Fairfield Inn Carlisle
Fairfield Inn Uniontown
Fairfield Inn Kennett Square
Courtyard Philadelphia Valley Forge/King of Prussia
Fairfield Inn Philadelphia Valley Forge/King of Prussia
Fairfield Inn Pittsburgh Neville Island
Courtyard Reading Wyomissing
Courtyard Columbia Northwest
Courtyard Charleston Coliseum
Fairfield Inn Sioux Falls
TownePlace Suites Sioux Falls
Fairfield Inn Chattanooga I-24/Lookout Mountain
SpringHill Suites Fort Worth University
Courtyard Houston Downtown/Convention Center
Fairfield Inn Lubbock
SpringHill Suites Laredo
Courtyard Waco
Fairfield Inn Wytheville
Fairfield Inn Fredericksburg
Courtyard Herndon Reston
SpringHill Suites Herndon Reston
Courtyard Norfolk Downtown
Fairfield Inn Chesapeake
SpringHill Suites Chesapeake Suffolk
Courtyard Newport News Airport
SpringHill Suites Hampton
Courtyard Newport News Yorktown
SpringHill Suites Richmond Northwest
SpringHill Suites Centreville Chantilly
TownePlace Suites Falls Church
Fairfield Inn White River Junction
Fairfield Inn Seattle Bellevue
Fairfield Inn Burlington
Residence Inn Appleton
Fairfield Inn Madison East
Fairfield Inn Fairmont
Fairfield Inn Charleston
Fairfield Inn Morgantown Granville

Changing From a Category 1 to 2

Fairfield Inn Fresno Clovis
Fairfield Inn Vacaville
Fairfield Inn Visalia
Fairfield Inn Wilmington Newark/Christiana Mall
Fairfield Inn Jacksonville Orange Park
TownePlace Suites Tallahassee North/Capital Circle
Fairfield Inn Atlanta East/Lithonia
TownePlace Suites Atlanta Kennesaw
TownePlace Suites Columbus
Fairfield Inn Ottumwa
Fairfield Inn Joliet South
TownePlace Suites Joliet South
Fairfield Inn Moline
Fairfield Inn Rockford
Fairfield Inn Fort Wayne
Fairfield Inn Indianapolis Northwest
Fairfield Inn Terre Haute
Fairfield Inn Lafayette
Fairfield Inn Frankfort
Fairfield Inn Mt. Sterling
Fairfield Inn Louisville East
Fairfield Inn Ruston
TownePlace Suites Baltimore Fort Meade
TownePlace Suites Clinton at Andrews Air Force Base
Fairfield Inn Lexington Park Patuxent Naval Air Station
Fairfield Inn Jackson
Fairfield Inn East Lansing
Fairfield Inn Bay City
Fairfield Inn Mankato
Fairfield Inn Joplin
Fairfield Inn Kansas City Airport
TownePlace Suites Fayetteville Cross Creek
Fairfield Inn Asheboro
Fairfield Inn Greensboro Airport
Fairfield Inn Minot
Fairfield Inn Mt. Laurel
Fairfield Inn Canton
Fairfield Inn Ontario Mansfield
Fairfield Inn Middletown
Fairfield Inn Warren Niles
TownePlace Suites Portland Hillsboro
TownePlace Suites Columbia Northwest/Harbison
Fairfield Inn Hartsville
Fairfield Inn Dallas DFW Airport North/Irving
Fairfield Inn Dallas Mansfield
TownePlace Suites Dallas Lewisville
TownePlace Suites Fort Worth Southwest
Fairfield Inn El Paso
Fairfield Inn Houston Westchase
Fairfield Inn Midland
TownePlace Suites Stafford
TownePlace Suites Chesapeake
Fairfield Inn Kennewick
Fairfield Inn Yakima
Fairfield Inn Appleton
Fairfield Inn Milwaukee Airport
Fairfield Inn Oshkosh
Fairfield Inn Gillette

Thank you!

Thank you Ira. That list is very helpful in planning trips using points for the rest of this year. I appreciate the info & your efforts to keep us informed.

Thank you very much Ira! Glad to see that the decision was made to release the list and that you all responded to our feedback.

Thank you Marriott. Transparency with your members is the right thing to do.

Thank you Ira.

FYI, the lists seem to be sorted by country and then by state (even though only the city is spelled out).

Hmmm, 35 hotels increasing from a 4 to a 5. 15 changes decreasing;
so in actuality, those Cat 1-4 certs just became more valuable....

:eek:

There are actually 35 hotels moving from Category 4 to 5 and 15 hotels moving from Category 5 to 4.

The "net" change is 20 hotels. Members already knew the 15 hotels going down.

The important information released is the 35 hotels increasing to category 5 next week. These are the hotels to consider whether or not to redeem a free night category 1-4 certificate before March 8.

Oh-so-thank U, Ira & PWMFlyer!
+1 Satori!
The change that applies to me is the Marriott Toronto Bloor Yorkville, which has been 2 good 2B true at Cat. 4 in 2010 & which I strongly suspected would go to 5 which it is!

But South Bend, IN?? FS Marriott 4--> 5 & several lesser brands in suburban Mishawaka 3--> 4?? Come on!!

Thank you Marriott Concierge and the Marriott team.

It is nice to know that you are responsive to your members' requests. ;) ^

+1

Time to re-check the whine list and order something new...:D

Here, let me help:

Pick one from Column A and one from Column B.
DYKWIA's get an extra pick from each column.

...I don't think hotel X is worth that many points, what were the dunderheads thinking

...I can't ever get a res at the hotel I want, so their policy is a sham. At *wood...

...PLAT's should get free breakfast at CY. And resorts. And on the weekend. And for their family of 12.

...X happened to me 10 minutes ago, and I think the hotel should have given me 5,000,000 points, but the GM hasn't called me back, so what is Mr Marriott's address/phone?

... It isn't right. I spend XXX nights and think I should get suite upgrades. And free parking. And free internet..oh wait, got that, so what else was it I wanted?