I would use Priceline for that stay. Since you are talking suburbs and Fairfield, you're probably talking about a zone with a handful of the standard 2, 2.5, and (maybe) 3 star hotels. Don't spend $106. Don't spend 7500 points. Spend $35 instead.

If you've already explored this option and there truly are no other hotel options besides a $106 Fairfield (that had better be a spectacular Fairfield!), then I would use the points. 1.4 cents is a great return on a small award.

I think SkiAdcock is right on target here. With only one or two exceptions, I've always redeemed points for nights at higher-end properties. And I would never redeem points for a stay at a property if it wasn't a Ritz, Ren, JW or full-service Marriott property. My last award stay was at the Boston Long Wharf property, but it was during the week of the 2000 Presidential debates, so our room was going for $550 a night. The points were a bite, but I felt that we were getting good value.

Here's what I recommend: find a reasonably-priced Marriott-family property near your destination and pay out-of-pocket. Rack up the points and nights. Take egregious advantage of promos. Repeat all these steps until you have accumulated a few hundred thousand points.

Then redeem a slug of the points at a nice, expensive, exotic Marriott property and congratulate yourself for being so sly.