Preview 2016 hotel category changes
Feb 17, 2016 | 10:00 pm
#16
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 635
56 hotels leave category 5 for a move up to category 6. 21 move to category 5 from category 6.
FI Moab is my biggest hit since I had a cat 5 travel package aiming at that for next year. Maybe have to push it to this summer if possible.
FI Moab is my biggest hit since I had a cat 5 travel package aiming at that for next year. Maybe have to push it to this summer if possible.
Feb 17, 2016 | 10:23 pm
#17
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP; UA 1MM & PP; Marriott AMB; Hyatt Globalist; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 62,274
Some nice changes in latin america . . . JW Marriott Mexico City drops to 6 and Marriott Bogota to 4.
Feb 17, 2016 | 11:28 pm
#18
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 3,359
I'm really curious: Marriott seems to have the worst award devaluations year after year after year. My heart sinks when I learn that the changes have been announced, and they're usually worse than even my worst expectations. Why do people keep voting for Marriott to win the Freddie award every year?
Feb 17, 2016 | 11:50 pm
#19
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: California
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Marriot Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 2,297
I always find it hilarious how people get fired up about the category changes. Here's what it comes down to. Like a monetary system, the value of Marriott rewards change, and there's nothing you can do about it. Use your points where you want and if you don't want to stay thereon points, find something cheaper. It's a free market and a rewards program is not exempt from this.
Feb 18, 2016 | 12:01 am
#20
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 827
Marriott Rewards has routinely alleged (and you can read the blogs both here and on Insider as well as 3rd party blogs) that the catagory changes are based upon redemptions so popular props with high redemptions can be expected to increase, and vice-versa.
While I "might" buy into this theory, it still does NOT account for how they establish the catagory of new properties because they would have no redemption history! For instance, the soon to be opened Hua Hin Marriott is now listed as a Cat 4 (the demolished one was a Cat 5) - great deal especially for New Years Eve when the buy rate is well over $300/night++
Great advice - just like airline miles - earn and burn.................
While I "might" buy into this theory, it still does NOT account for how they establish the catagory of new properties because they would have no redemption history! For instance, the soon to be opened Hua Hin Marriott is now listed as a Cat 4 (the demolished one was a Cat 5) - great deal especially for New Years Eve when the buy rate is well over $300/night++
Great advice - just like airline miles - earn and burn.................
Feb 18, 2016 | 1:52 am
#21
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 9,954
Preview 2016 hotel category changes current categories are still available until March 24, 2016.
As anticipated, we have a sneak peek of our annual update to hotels categories for 2016, so you have an opportunity to take advantage of the 2015 hotel categories before they change on March 24, 2016.
See the full list of hotel category changes. If you book by March 24, you can redeem for your stay under the 2015 rates even if you stay after that date.
How many hotels are affected?
82% of the properties remain unchanged.
62% of all the properties will remain in Categories 1-4.
18% of the hotels are changing. Of those changing, 30% are decreasing by one category and 70% are increasing by one category.
*NEW!* March 24, 2016 is also the day you can begin mixing cash and points for reservations of one night or more using the NEW Cash + Points.
Please note:
-All redemption reservations booked on or before March 24, 2016 will be honored at the current point price, even if the stay occurs after March 24, 2016. If you have not ordered your certificate prior to March 24, 2016, contact Guest Services prior to your stay to request the lower-priced certificate.
-As always, you may book redemption reservations up to 50 weeks in advance of your stay, even before having the required points in your account.
The listings for the Courtyards in Bradenton/Sarasota Florida area are sort of mixed up. There is a Courtyard Bradenton/Sarasota Riverfront, and a Courtyard Sarasota University Park.
The exhibit you linked to show a Courtyard Bradenton University Park, and a Courtyard Sarasota/Bradenton. Can you tell me which is which? Thanks!
Feb 18, 2016 | 6:25 am
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: DL DM 2MM, Marriott LT Titanium, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 17,186
Wow the CY and FFI Boston-Cambridge going to Cat8, insane. No FFI is worth that many points. Along with the CYs and FFIs out in the suburban area an hour from Boston are all going up 1 cat.
Good new though, the Marriott Kazakhstan is moving down a level to Cat 2!
Good new though, the Marriott Kazakhstan is moving down a level to Cat 2!
Feb 18, 2016 | 8:17 am
#23
Moderator, Marriott Bonvoy & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: McKinney, TX, USA
Programs: United Silver; AA Plat/2MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,775
I would think they make their best "educated" guess as to what the redemption levels might be and assign the initial category level from that. After a period of time (i.e 6 months, 1 year, etc.) they will re-evaluate based on actual redemptions and make any category level changes required.
How do they get that "educated" guess? They could ask the GM what s/he wants the category level to be and go with that. They could look at similar hotels either close by or in similar location types and use their category levels. There are a number of ways they could do it. But none of those reinforces or invalidates how their on-going category level changes would occur.
Feb 18, 2016 | 8:48 am
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus, HH Gold, Hertz PC, National Executive, etc.
Posts: 31,670
I'm really curious: Marriott seems to have the worst award devaluations year after year after year. My heart sinks when I learn that the changes have been announced, and they're usually worse than even my worst expectations. Why do people keep voting for Marriott to win the Freddie award every year?
Winning awards tends to support the argument that they don't "seem" to be the worst to the vast majority of the (voting) public.
Feb 18, 2016 | 8:58 am
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus, HH Gold, Hertz PC, National Executive, etc.
Posts: 31,670
Thanks for the tip.
The listings for the Courtyards in Bradenton/Sarasota Florida area are sort of mixed up. There is a Courtyard Bradenton/Sarasota Riverfront, and a Courtyard Sarasota University Park.
The exhibit you linked to show a Courtyard Bradenton University Park, and a Courtyard Sarasota/Bradenton. Can you tell me which is which? Thanks!
The listings for the Courtyards in Bradenton/Sarasota Florida area are sort of mixed up. There is a Courtyard Bradenton/Sarasota Riverfront, and a Courtyard Sarasota University Park.
The exhibit you linked to show a Courtyard Bradenton University Park, and a Courtyard Sarasota/Bradenton. Can you tell me which is which? Thanks!
Of the other two, one has University Park in the name, so I suspect that matches the one one the list with University Park in the name.
So, while they should correct this, as it's just sloppy, I'd wager its:
- Courtyard Sarasota Bradenton = Courtyard Sarasota Bradenton Airport
- Courtyard Bradenton University Park = Courtyard Sarasota University Park/Lakewood Ranch Area
Feb 18, 2016 | 9:00 am
#26
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 9,108
I agree there is nothing to do but smile, smile, smile
And burn before you can be burned but some of us just can't get up and go that often due to life's circumstances.
Feb 18, 2016 | 9:00 am
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus, HH Gold, Hertz PC, National Executive, etc.
Posts: 31,670
Feb 18, 2016 | 10:23 am
#28
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,338
Here's an idea. How about getting your incompetent MR team find a way to tweak the system with the franchisees and owners to do this every 3-5 years instead of this ridiculous annual charade?
Feb 18, 2016 | 11:18 am
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 26,113
At Marriott or elsewhere? Each chain may do it differently.
At Marriott, I routinely find low-redemption high-cost properties in some places and high-redemption low-cost properties in other places. I see no correlation between redemption and cost. I do see correlation between redemption and redemption demand. (People who are on business trips rarely do redemptions. People who are on leisure trips much more often do redemptions. People don't necessarily go for the same hotels in all areas for leisure trips as business trips, and thus a divergence between hotels with cash demand vs hotels with redemption demand.)
There are some other programs, however, where it's much harder to find a divergence between typical cash cost and redemption cost. So I don't doubt that some other programs may do it based on ADR or such.
At Marriott, I routinely find low-redemption high-cost properties in some places and high-redemption low-cost properties in other places. I see no correlation between redemption and cost. I do see correlation between redemption and redemption demand. (People who are on business trips rarely do redemptions. People who are on leisure trips much more often do redemptions. People don't necessarily go for the same hotels in all areas for leisure trips as business trips, and thus a divergence between hotels with cash demand vs hotels with redemption demand.)
There are some other programs, however, where it's much harder to find a divergence between typical cash cost and redemption cost. So I don't doubt that some other programs may do it based on ADR or such.