CJKatl

The points offer requires 25 nights within the period to get 50k points, which is the equivalent of the two certs given for four nights. The obvious point is the four nights gets a cert for inventory that otherwise wouldn't be used. Certainly Marriott isn't going to give 50k points for four nights, if they're presently requiring 25, and nothing is stopping anyone from asking to be switched to the points offer. Given 20 night gives you 35k points, four nights would be 8750 points. That's not much a MegaBonus, and wouldn't be the same impetus to get the masses to stay at Marriott in the way the certs seem to do.

imverge

I'm cancelling my Marriott Chase Visa even with a free night at cat. 5 the card is not worth the annual fee. If I want to use my certificate I'll have to stay at airport hotels... no thanks!

sdsearch

Actually, no, the 2 certs are given for four stays, not four nights.

Now, the experienced hotel hopper can turn four nights into four stays, but the average person out there is not able/willing to change hotels each night, so they tend to stay way more than four nights while pursuing those four stays.

It's hard to calibrate this in Marriott alone, but if you look at programs that let you qualify for elite status with either stays or night, it's typically between a 2.0 and 2.5 ratio between the number of stays needed and the number of nights needed. However, at Marriott, stays are only used for MegaBonus certs promotions and some MegaMiles promotions, not for elite status qualifcation, and thus it's hard to see what the average relationship is between nights and stays if you only are familiar with the Marriott program, because what you earn on stays and what you earn on nights are different "currencies".

JW6130

I just looked at the Renaissance Aruba to book any week in January or February at the current point levels, given the upcoming devaluation.

I'm glad to see that not even one night is available for points in January or February 2015. But I can pay $700/night+ for the honor of staying there. It's less expensive to stay at the brand new Ritz for some weeks!

Is anyone noticing this happening with any other properties that are moving to a higher category? Seems like a ploy to prevent reservations at the lower points levels by not loading 2015 inventory until after April 7.

I'm seriously considering cancelling my Marriott Visa. I never thought I would say that.

BrightlyBob

The majority of Marriotts are in the category 1-4 ranges, hence the 1-4 certs continue to have value. Not as wide a choice as they were 2 years ago, but then what was the cash rate 2 years ago?

As previous posters have pointed out, on megabonus these certs require little commitment to receive, 2 stays=1cert, compared to $1000+ spend required to earn 20,000 points. In my view these certs are of some use, though much less now than they were. The offer of these certs certainly won't drive my stay behaviour now, and with more customers taking that view, it could leave Marriotts megabonus stay/cert offering failing in its promotion objective.

Now the cert with the MR card... Well we don't get that here in the UK, but I'd certainly be questioning renewal when my fee becomes payable...

CJKatl

Granted, it's stays, not nights, on the certs, but my point is someone can stay four nights and get the certs. Having the bonus for those four nights be the same as the bonus for 25 nights would be ridiculous. It's not going to happen, and those who suggest it are being unrealistic.

My vantage point is a little skewed by the fact my stays are usually one night. I'm in different cities each day. I'm about to get this period's MegaBonus having stayed in 18 different hotels in different cities.

Putting that to the side, there are many people who will mattress run four nights to get the certs. Staying four nights at $49/night hotels can turn into certs that can be used for $300/night hotels.

hhoope01

Maybe not as easy to find those $300/night hotels in a couple of weeks.

But I do agree with your assessment. Marriott won't allow those Megabonus certs to be "upgraded" to higher level categories just by adding the extra points required. They are too easy to get when compared to the number of nights required to get the points instead of those night certs.

Mr. Vker

I wouldn't worry too much about this. I love the Ren. Aruba. But, they are slow at loading discounted and Reward inventory. I would give them a couple of months. I have been able to stay on points there anytime I wanted. I doubt its a ploy. But, the impact will be a higher category. Honestly, I thought this property might return to a cat 5. Its bounced back and forth between 5 and 6 for the past several years. I was very surprised to see it moving to a 7.

NJUPINTHEAIR

Name 4.

MileageGoblin

You're missing JW6130's point. The reward inventory won't be loaded in time before the point devaluation that is imminent.

MileageGoblin

And name one person that is going to make 4 separate stays to save less than $100 on a one night award stay!

Frequent Freak

I don't do strict "mattress runs" as in stay at Marriotts solely to get points or certs, but I will choose Marriotts over other chains. If the goal is to incentivize me to stay at Marriotts more often, at the expense of cheaper chains, they've succeeded immensely.

luckypierre

This set of transitions from Cat 5 to 6 has certainly devalued the worth of the Megabonus certs for me. Virtually all of my potential "go-to" locations have been promoted out of reach

jr1202sr

Florida Hotels took a beating. Lost about 10 Spots.

darthbimmer

Same thing here-- as a UA 1MM I effectively have lifetime MR Gold now. It's funny how the UA/MR tie-up creates a disincentive for some of us to stay as frequently with MR as we used to.