Category Changes for 2012
Feb 17, 2012, 8:01 am
#76
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
Feb 17, 2012, 8:16 am
#77
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: YYZ
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, AC Elite, Airmiles Gold, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards
Posts: 785
Feb 17, 2012, 8:28 am
#78
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: coastal Croatia
Programs: BAEC Gold, M&M Senator
Posts: 2,181
For me the most depressing stats come from the upper half of the charts. Only 8 hotels moving down from categories 7, 6 or 5 but 122 hotels moving up to those categories. That's a ratio of 15 to one! One lone hotel going from 6 to 5 but 17 in the other direction! Four hotels from 5 to 4 but 98 from 4 to 5 (that's a ratio of almost 25 to one)! And obviously, the nicer hotels are the ones most people want to spend their points at, so it's not just the raw numbers of 141 down and 180 up but what those numbers mean for vacation redemptions from SPG's portfolio.
Feb 17, 2012, 8:30 am
#79
Moderator, El Al and Marriott Bonvoy, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ*G, Mar LTT, Hyatt Glb, AA LTG, LY, HH, IC, BA, DL, UA SLV
Posts: 12,018
Category 1 - Aloft
Category 2 - FourPoints
Category 2 - Royal Orchid Sheraton
Category 3 - Westin Grande Sukhumvit
Category 3 - Plaza Athenee, Royal Meridien
Category 3 - Le Meridien Bangkok
Category 4 - Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit
Category 6 - St. Regis
Feb 17, 2012, 8:37 am
#80
Moderator: GLBT travelers, India-based Airlines and India; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Asia
Programs: Yes!
Posts: 15,512
Probably not many others.. but BKK is one of them. After the changes:
Category 1 - Aloft
Category 2 - FourPoints
Category 2 - Royal Orchid Sheraton
Category 3 - Westin Grande Sukhumvit
Category 3 - Plaza Athenee, Royal Meridien
Category 3 - Le Meridien Bangkok
Category 4 - Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit
Category 6 - St. Regis
Category 1 - Aloft
Category 2 - FourPoints
Category 2 - Royal Orchid Sheraton
Category 3 - Westin Grande Sukhumvit
Category 3 - Plaza Athenee, Royal Meridien
Category 3 - Le Meridien Bangkok
Category 4 - Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit
Category 6 - St. Regis
Feb 17, 2012, 9:16 am
#81
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: YYZ
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, AC Elite, Airmiles Gold, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards
Posts: 785
There 3 completely different props on the list: Padova (Padua), Firenze (Florence) and Catania (Sicily).
Feb 17, 2012, 9:27 am
#82
Join Date: Jul 1999
Programs: QF WP, AA EXP
Posts: 3,520
W Hong Kong going 5 to 6. Ouch. That's always a painful increase. 4 to 5 not so bad, but 5 to 6 is.
Feb 17, 2012, 10:00 am
#83
Join Date: Sep 2010
Programs: SPG Plat, HH Silver, UA 1K, DL Silver
Posts: 190
Glad I got into the Westin Costa Rica last month. That was the exact reason I went when I did because I knew there was no way that an All Inclusive was going to stay Cat 6.
Feb 17, 2012, 10:13 am
#84
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: NYC.
Programs: Hyatt Platinum, SPG Gold, HHonors Gold, MileagePlus Silver & Others.
Posts: 222
All of my usual locations in NYC have moved up and are priced out of sensible redemption rates, especially on a C&P. I love the Westin Times Square at a 5, but it's a no go at a 6. The W New York at 6 is just laughable--I rate it below the Helmsley (which is perhaps the only shift that actually seems reasonable, albeit I am disappointed in its move up). Ah well--I foresee a lot more stays with Hyatt instead while in NYC!
Feb 17, 2012, 10:22 am
#85
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: AL
Programs: All of the Above
Posts: 1,374
+1. I'm booking it this week for sometime later. I may book 2 different dates and see when I can get down there. Also, take a look at the AI in Panama. It's going up too. Probably going to book that this week also. I'm going to burn a lot a points this week.
Feb 17, 2012, 10:47 am
#86
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Dmd,Hyatt Glbl,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat,Accor Gold
Posts: 10,820
Thanks very much, William and Starwood, for the head's up! I'm pleasantly surprised by the number of properties that are moving down a notch.
While SPG and HH (the other hotel family I mainly use for work and play) each have their respective strengths and weaknesses, I continue to be impressed by how much more transparent SPG is at informing its members about what's going on in the program and in providing some consistency and clarity regarding various points redemption options. Those are a couple of factors why I'll be shifting more business to SPG.
While SPG and HH (the other hotel family I mainly use for work and play) each have their respective strengths and weaknesses, I continue to be impressed by how much more transparent SPG is at informing its members about what's going on in the program and in providing some consistency and clarity regarding various points redemption options. Those are a couple of factors why I'll be shifting more business to SPG.
Feb 17, 2012, 10:58 am
#87
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: MSY; 2-time FT Fantasy Football Champ, now in recovery.
Programs: AA lifetime GLD; UA Silver; Marriott LTTE; IHG Plat,
Posts: 14,518
Question for Lurker (or anyone else with experience with prior increases).
I understand that reservations made before the change are honored at the old rate, but that changes require repricing, right? Would that apply to just dropping a night?
I have a reservation for a 12 night stay booked in a cat 4 that's going up to cat 5. I may want to drop the last night of that stay, but won't know for sure until after Mar 1. If I drop that night after Mar 1, can I just get the 10K back? Or would that reprice the whole thing, effectively increasing the total cost?
(The hotel is currently sold out for the whole period, so if I drop the night now, I might be unable to add it back later.)
I understand that reservations made before the change are honored at the old rate, but that changes require repricing, right? Would that apply to just dropping a night?
I have a reservation for a 12 night stay booked in a cat 4 that's going up to cat 5. I may want to drop the last night of that stay, but won't know for sure until after Mar 1. If I drop that night after Mar 1, can I just get the 10K back? Or would that reprice the whole thing, effectively increasing the total cost?
(The hotel is currently sold out for the whole period, so if I drop the night now, I might be unable to add it back later.)
Feb 17, 2012, 11:07 am
#88
Company Representative - Starwood
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Question for Lurker (or anyone else with experience with prior increases).
I understand that reservations made before the change are honored at the old rate, but that changes require repricing, right? Would that apply to just dropping a night?
I have a reservation for a 12 night stay booked in a cat 4 that's going up to cat 5. I may want to drop the last night of that stay, but won't know for sure until after Mar 1. If I drop that night after Mar 1, can I just get the 10K back? Or would that reprice the whole thing, effectively increasing the total cost?
(The hotel is currently sold out for the whole period, so if I drop the night now, I might be unable to add it back later.)
I understand that reservations made before the change are honored at the old rate, but that changes require repricing, right? Would that apply to just dropping a night?
I have a reservation for a 12 night stay booked in a cat 4 that's going up to cat 5. I may want to drop the last night of that stay, but won't know for sure until after Mar 1. If I drop that night after Mar 1, can I just get the 10K back? Or would that reprice the whole thing, effectively increasing the total cost?
(The hotel is currently sold out for the whole period, so if I drop the night now, I might be unable to add it back later.)
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Feb 17, 2012, 11:11 am
#89
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Northwest NJ
Programs: Starwood Platinum,Marriott Platinum, United Silver
Posts: 2,313
Our "go-to" hotel in NYC is the Parker Meridien. The rooms were getting a bit stale, old crappy TVs, unimpressive bathrooms - but at 12,000 points per night plus the automatic Platinum upgrade to a Junior Suite, it worked well for us.
But at 20,000 per night? Not really close. I get most of my points from credit card spending and would MUCH rather charge $22,000 to the Hyatt card and get a night at the Andaz 5th Avenue. And if I can spend $11,000 on the Chase Sapphire card, that would earn me those same 22,000 Hyatt points.
I know things go up and down (mostly up!) but the Parker Meridien will have to get serious about renovation to be worth those extra points.
But at 20,000 per night? Not really close. I get most of my points from credit card spending and would MUCH rather charge $22,000 to the Hyatt card and get a night at the Andaz 5th Avenue. And if I can spend $11,000 on the Chase Sapphire card, that would earn me those same 22,000 Hyatt points.
I know things go up and down (mostly up!) but the Parker Meridien will have to get serious about renovation to be worth those extra points.
Feb 17, 2012, 11:16 am
#90
Moderator: GLBT travelers, India-based Airlines and India; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Asia
Programs: Yes!
Posts: 15,512
Our "go-to" hotel in NYC is the Parker Meridien. The rooms were getting a bit stale, old crappy TVs, unimpressive bathrooms - but at 12,000 points per night plus the automatic Platinum upgrade to a Junior Suite, it worked well for us.
...
I know things go up and down (mostly up!) but the Parker Meridien will have to get serious about renovation to be worth those extra points.
...
I know things go up and down (mostly up!) but the Parker Meridien will have to get serious about renovation to be worth those extra points.
Despite what you maythink are stale rooms / SCART TVs etc, the Parker Meridien still routinely goes for rates more than the Sheraton New York and theWestin Times Square!
I too am disappointed it is a 6 now, but I am certainly not surprised.