Annual Category Change Announcement 2014 [effective March 4, 2014]
#91
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: a hotel room, somewhere...
Posts: 962
why did you think Chiang Mai would go up? expecting CM to be the new seat of govt. of the Republic of Red Shirts sometime this year?!? without such an event, seems it's priced correctly to me.
agree i cannot imagine anyone staying at the SR on points.
the reality of Thailand is that when the event that nobody is allowed to talk about occurs, chaos exponentially greater than recent years is assured, and civil war is a real possibility.
#92
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,017
Thanks SPG, looks decent to me - and most of the changes seem reasonable. I've stayed in many - and the move places them in their more appropriate category.
One that doesn't... The Four Points Bourbon Street is going up?! Ha! That property is the worst SPG property in New Orleans and now it's redemption is the same as the Sheraton and Westin. Good luck to them.
One that doesn't... The Four Points Bourbon Street is going up?! Ha! That property is the worst SPG property in New Orleans and now it's redemption is the same as the Sheraton and Westin. Good luck to them.
#93
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: SPG,HH,IHG
Posts: 786
IMO BKK
Aloft should be down to Cat 1 compare with location to 4P Bkk
St.R down to Cat 5 (award night is not logical)
W ,ROS also step down 1 Cat
Aloft should be down to Cat 1 compare with location to 4P Bkk
St.R down to Cat 5 (award night is not logical)
W ,ROS also step down 1 Cat
#94
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: a hotel room, somewhere...
Posts: 962
As I said last week, I was afraid of SPG gutting the only value left on their chart- the low end. Glad that didn't happen.
I guess they, perhaps, see it as it is: SPG points are not easy to earn or MS vs say Hyatt (or Marriott, IHG) with UR points being so easy to generate. There is no reason to add categories- the high end is obscenely priced already, or not priced at all with the 'limited participation' properties that will maybe let you have a room for 70k+ a night. compare that to Hyatt maxing out at 30k (again easy to obtain points) for only 6 properties, and the likes of PH Maldives at only 25k a night AFTER devaluation and... massive devaluation of SPG at the top end happened well before 2014. HEven with Hilton's devaluation bloodbath last year, their high end properties are still a much better value based on my calculations.
I really like SPG properties and service, so i am glad that i still have a section of the chart (cat 1-3) that makes the program valuable to me.
I guess they, perhaps, see it as it is: SPG points are not easy to earn or MS vs say Hyatt (or Marriott, IHG) with UR points being so easy to generate. There is no reason to add categories- the high end is obscenely priced already, or not priced at all with the 'limited participation' properties that will maybe let you have a room for 70k+ a night. compare that to Hyatt maxing out at 30k (again easy to obtain points) for only 6 properties, and the likes of PH Maldives at only 25k a night AFTER devaluation and... massive devaluation of SPG at the top end happened well before 2014. HEven with Hilton's devaluation bloodbath last year, their high end properties are still a much better value based on my calculations.
I really like SPG properties and service, so i am glad that i still have a section of the chart (cat 1-3) that makes the program valuable to me.
#95
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: San Jose
Programs: SPG Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 24
Thanks, fireworksboy. I have a pretty thick skin. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and we've never regretted our purchases. We spend all of January each year at the villa, another week at the St. Regis Princeville, one or two weeks a year at another a high-end Starwood hotel and any leftover weeks of the villa get rented to friends for the maintenance fees. Haven't paid cash for a hotel room in 14 years and we still accumulate a boatload of Starpoints (currently have close to 1 million). I'll need to go to the "Best Upgrade" thread and post our experiences.
#96
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: YYJ
Programs: SPG, AP
Posts: 12
Thanks for the heads up Lurkers ^
Almost booked The Laguna and Senggigi last week....glad I waited!
Almost booked The Laguna and Senggigi last week....glad I waited!
#97
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: SPG Lifetime Platinum, Hyatt Diamond, JetBlue Mosaic, AA Platinum, National Executive Elite
Posts: 599
Not too bad, overall. I feel like the sad thing is that we dread these annual lists every year, because we know they'll hurt, it's just a question of how much.
Having said that, the Sheraton Waikiki (despite being a well-managed hotel) as a Cat6 is completely insane! I have a feeling the hotel will regret the bump, because I bet they essentially made the same $ for Cat6 points as being a Cat5 + resort fee. That hotel has a lot of rooms to sell and losing on SPG point stays (especially in the low season) will bite them.
Having said that, the Sheraton Waikiki (despite being a well-managed hotel) as a Cat6 is completely insane! I have a feeling the hotel will regret the bump, because I bet they essentially made the same $ for Cat6 points as being a Cat5 + resort fee. That hotel has a lot of rooms to sell and losing on SPG point stays (especially in the low season) will bite them.
#98
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Toronto,Ontario,Canada
Posts: 132
I was hoping the Aloft Buffalo Airport when it opens later this year would be a Cat 2, but with the changes in Niagara Falls I may never try the Aloft unless I am flying out of BUF (or it is a Cat 1!).
#99
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: LAX
Programs: UA (1MM); SPG Plat
Posts: 335
I thought this year's movement is quite fair. Looking at Japan with yen's recent devaluation. As people have suspected LM Taipei moving up to 6, given the room rate, it should be at that level (even though I would not book them over W Taipei). It's nice to see china lowering as well (even though I won't be there anytime soon). W Westwood moving to a 6? I would stay at SLS before using the 20/25K at Westwood.
#100
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Palm Springs, CA
Programs: AA EXP / Marriott AMB & LT Titanium
Posts: 377
Phew, that goodness I already booked St Regis Rome for points including 35%
#101
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: SFO
Posts: 210
If I'm staying at a hotel on Mar 3 which is dropping a category, any way to request the new rate?
#102
Join Date: Oct 2000
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, Marriott Ambassador/Lifetime Titanium, Accor Silver, Club Carlson Gold, BW Diamond
Posts: 2,432
.........
Having said that, the Sheraton Waikiki (despite being a well-managed hotel) as a Cat6 is completely insane! I have a feeling the hotel will regret the bump, because I bet they essentially made the same $ for Cat6 points as being a Cat5 + resort fee. That hotel has a lot of rooms to sell and losing on SPG point stays (especially in the low season) will bite them.
Having said that, the Sheraton Waikiki (despite being a well-managed hotel) as a Cat6 is completely insane! I have a feeling the hotel will regret the bump, because I bet they essentially made the same $ for Cat6 points as being a Cat5 + resort fee. That hotel has a lot of rooms to sell and losing on SPG point stays (especially in the low season) will bite them.
#103
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: From: PWM
Programs: United GS, Fairmont Platinum,SPG LTPlat, Hilton Diamond, MarriottGold..like the rest of the world
Posts: 4,401
#104
Join Date: May 1998
Location: australia
Posts: 5,762
Nice to have a Sydney property dropping down to Cat 4 - 4P Darling Harbour
#105
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Times Square
Programs: SPG Gold, AAdvantage
Posts: 1,397
Ouch to Hawaii.
Yes the Four Points Niagara Falls moving back to category 2. That's my go to hotel when I have to be in Buffalo.
Though I'd rather be in Hawaii.
Yes the Four Points Niagara Falls moving back to category 2. That's my go to hotel when I have to be in Buffalo.
Though I'd rather be in Hawaii.