Annual Category Change Announcement 2014 [effective March 4, 2014]
 

Our hotel Category adjustments for 2014 will soon be in effect, and we would like to provide you with an advance look at the preliminary list of changes. Please note that we are not adding new categories or changing category pricing.

Just over 20% of hotels are changing category, of these 56% are moving down and 44% are moving up. We want to make sure you’re able to maximize your Starpoints®, so please review the information to decide if it makes sense to redeem before or after the changes take place starting March 4, 2014. Please note that Category changes are always subject to change, and while we make every attempt to provide you the latest, most accurate information, there may be adjustments necessary before or after the March 4, 2014 date.

Click here to view the list of changes.

Click here to view existing hotel categories.

When you’re ready to book, visit spg.com or contact one of our Customer Contact Centers.

Best regards,

Christopher Carman
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

Thanks as always for the heads up.

After perusing the list, I have to say that I'm ok with these changes. I understand the changes made to all of the hotels I stay at, except one. I'm very surprised that the Sheraton Baltimore City Center went up from a Cat 2 to a Cat 3. Rooms can be had during the week, often as low as $59.

I would've liked to see the Le Centre Sheraton Montreal drop to a 4 as it's rates are consistently lower than the Westin and W (Cat 5), but I'll live.

Thanks for the heads up, Christopher & co!

I'm happy to see:
- no Cat 8
- more properties going down than up
- a lot of Japanese properties going down
- a lot of Balinese properties going down

I'm surprised to see:
- no changes in Thailand
- properties in Athens and some Greek islands going UP

I'm sad to see:
- some nice Portuguese Spanish properties going up
- St Regis Rome jump to Cat 7
- Schloss Fuschl going up to Cat 7

Nothing here moves me to go and book now. Seems this year was less inpactful for me. Some are interesting but nothing I deem too bad.

I'm going to miss you St. Regis Atlanta
 

The St. Regis Atlanta was one of the better values as a category 5. I have enjoyed multiple stays using their low dates at 12,000 points per night. At 12,000 points per night it was a great option for the Atlanta area. At 20,000 - 25,000 points per night I'm no longer sure if that's the case for that particular market. I suppose I'll start staying at one of the W's either downtown or midtown but I do appreciate the announcement. Perhaps I'll scheduled a few stays prior to the change.

This change is actually pretty surprising to me, considering it might be one of the lowest-priced (rate-wise) St. Regis properties in the system.

I also think the 4pts Miami Beach going up is the pinnacle of hilarity.

Otherwise, totally reasonable change list. ^SPG

Thanks for the heads up. Impressed that you've managed to have more hotels drop a category than go up. ^ ^ ^

Thrilled personally to see at least a half dozen properties I want to visit drop a category, and only 1 or 2 go up... Won't tell you which ones so you don't change your mind! :D

It's nice to see no program devaluation by adding extra categories like Hilton did. But so many properties are going down a category. It this indicative of a point devaluation? Will we see an increase in required number of points for a free night in the coming year? I certainly hope not.

Actually, I'm not. In my mind, balancing that 1) Thailand is an incredibly popular tourist destination, 2) which right now and for the indefinite future is experiencing occasionally quite violent political unrest aimed at regime change, thus driving tourists away resulting in very low hotel occupancy rates, I had guessed that those factors would balance out to no net change.

OK, two examples: St Regis Bangkok, ROS. Both need to go down to be able to compete with other properties. I was also expecting LM Chiang Mai to go up a notch.

thank you, lurker.

Agreed. My only wish was that the properties moving down a categories weren't so concentrated in the China/India/Japan, but all in all everything seemed okay with one exception -- the Sheraton BWI which we booked all the time for the night before trips is going from Category 2 to 4. Yikes!

Glad to see only 1 increase for the San Francisco properties, but ouch, the W going from 5 to 6 is going to hurt.

The Four Points Sheraton Miami Beach moves up? :confused::confused::confused:

Giant ...!