Jun 28, 2018, 12:52 pm
Last edit by: Oxon Flyer
Official announcement from Starwood Lurker V :
Maximize your points as our programs become one this August.
As you may already know, SPG®, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® will become one program this August. You’ll be able to redeem for free nights and unforgettable experiences at over 6,500 participating hotels across 29 brands.
Our Free Night Award Chart will be updated and give you more power to redeem your points. Even better: More hotels are moving down in redemption rates than up – so chances are that you’ll be able to redeem fewer points for free nights at the hotels you love.
Here are our top eight tips to help you maximize your points:
• Plan ahead. Explore the full list of hotel category changes and decide if you want to plan your trip before or after the updates take effect. Here are just a few examples of hotels that are moving to a lower category in August:
- REDEEM FREE NIGHTS FOR 10,000 FEWER POINTS
Hotel Talisa in Vail, Le Méridien Barcelona, W Punta de Mita, The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Ka'anapali, The Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota, and Le Méridien San Francisco
- REDEEM FREE NIGHTS FOR 5,000 FEWER POINTS
The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, Renaissance Paris Republique Hotel, The St. Regis Princeville Resort, Courtyard New York Manhattan/Midtown East, Autograph Collection’s Hotel Punta Islita, and Las Alcobas, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Napa Valley
See the complete new award chart here.
• Take advantage of future Category 8 hotels. Future Category 8 hotels will be available at Category 7 rates from August until 2019. Redeem now to save up to 20% and guarantee your rate even if the stay occurs after new rates take effect. Explore future category 8 hotels.
• Use Cash + Points. Stay for as little as $55 and 3,500 points at more hotels than ever. Your next vacation may be closer than you think. See the Cash + Points Chart.
• Stay five nights, pay for four. Get a complimentary night when you redeem four consecutive nights.
• Save more with PointSavers. Enjoy up to 20% off when you redeem points at top destinations. All 29 brands participate, all you have to do is enter the city, state or country along with your dates to find participating hotels. See the PointSavers Chart.
• Upgrade your stay. Use points to upgrade your room (think suite or a room with a picture-perfect view) during your stay.
• Enjoy Travel Packages. Travel Packages now include all SPG hotels. Until now, SPG Nights & Flights applied only to SPG Category 3 and 4 hotels. Starting in August, Marriott Rewards and SPG members can redeem points for airline miles and hotel stays at any of the 6,500 participating hotels. This offer continues to be one of the richest offers among travel loyalty programs.
• Get instant gratification. Instantly redeem points for cocktails, meals, spa treatments or anything else you can charge to your room at participating hotels. Each US$1 is valued at 250 points, so if you would like a spa treatment worth US$50, you would redeem 12,500 points.
Explore all the changes happening in August and read FAQs now by visiting members.marriott.com. In the meantime, please feel free to share your feedback and we’ll do our best to answer your questions.
Maximize your points as our programs become one this August.
As you may already know, SPG®, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® will become one program this August. You’ll be able to redeem for free nights and unforgettable experiences at over 6,500 participating hotels across 29 brands.
Our Free Night Award Chart will be updated and give you more power to redeem your points. Even better: More hotels are moving down in redemption rates than up – so chances are that you’ll be able to redeem fewer points for free nights at the hotels you love.
Here are our top eight tips to help you maximize your points:
• Plan ahead. Explore the full list of hotel category changes and decide if you want to plan your trip before or after the updates take effect. Here are just a few examples of hotels that are moving to a lower category in August:
- REDEEM FREE NIGHTS FOR 10,000 FEWER POINTS
Hotel Talisa in Vail, Le Méridien Barcelona, W Punta de Mita, The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Ka'anapali, The Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota, and Le Méridien San Francisco
- REDEEM FREE NIGHTS FOR 5,000 FEWER POINTS
The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, Renaissance Paris Republique Hotel, The St. Regis Princeville Resort, Courtyard New York Manhattan/Midtown East, Autograph Collection’s Hotel Punta Islita, and Las Alcobas, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Napa Valley
See the complete new award chart here.
• Take advantage of future Category 8 hotels. Future Category 8 hotels will be available at Category 7 rates from August until 2019. Redeem now to save up to 20% and guarantee your rate even if the stay occurs after new rates take effect. Explore future category 8 hotels.
• Use Cash + Points. Stay for as little as $55 and 3,500 points at more hotels than ever. Your next vacation may be closer than you think. See the Cash + Points Chart.
• Stay five nights, pay for four. Get a complimentary night when you redeem four consecutive nights.
• Save more with PointSavers. Enjoy up to 20% off when you redeem points at top destinations. All 29 brands participate, all you have to do is enter the city, state or country along with your dates to find participating hotels. See the PointSavers Chart.
• Upgrade your stay. Use points to upgrade your room (think suite or a room with a picture-perfect view) during your stay.
• Enjoy Travel Packages. Travel Packages now include all SPG hotels. Until now, SPG Nights & Flights applied only to SPG Category 3 and 4 hotels. Starting in August, Marriott Rewards and SPG members can redeem points for airline miles and hotel stays at any of the 6,500 participating hotels. This offer continues to be one of the richest offers among travel loyalty programs.
• Get instant gratification. Instantly redeem points for cocktails, meals, spa treatments or anything else you can charge to your room at participating hotels. Each US$1 is valued at 250 points, so if you would like a spa treatment worth US$50, you would redeem 12,500 points.
Explore all the changes happening in August and read FAQs now by visiting members.marriott.com. In the meantime, please feel free to share your feedback and we’ll do our best to answer your questions.
New Marriott Awards chart for SPG properties, published 28 June 2018
Jun 28, 2018, 1:01 pm
#91
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Marriott Bonvoy
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Englandshire
Programs: SPG LT Plat, BA G, BD*LG, MG Blue+ ...
Posts: 16,032
The first hotel I checked shows this :
Pine Cliffs Hotel, a Luxury Collection Resort, Algarve, Luxury Collection, Portugal
Current Points Required : 60,000
New Points Required : 60,000
Points Difference : 0
New Category : 7
The current SPG award rates are :
SPG Category 5
Peak 16,000
Off Peak 12,000
Is there an explanation as to why the "Current Points Required" is shown as 60,000 (thus understating the actual rise), when it's actually 48,000 / 36,000 ?
Pine Cliffs Hotel, a Luxury Collection Resort, Algarve, Luxury Collection, Portugal
Current Points Required : 60,000
New Points Required : 60,000
Points Difference : 0
New Category : 7
The current SPG award rates are :
SPG Category 5
Peak 16,000
Off Peak 12,000
Is there an explanation as to why the "Current Points Required" is shown as 60,000 (thus understating the actual rise), when it's actually 48,000 / 36,000 ?
Jun 28, 2018, 1:15 pm
#92
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
I don't know about everyone else but I found the award chart to be some good news in the recent devaluation of the MR program. In particular, I'm a Gold and don't look forward to the loss of lounge access, 2 PM late checkout and the devaluation that occurred by Marriott earlier this year.
From what I can tell, for the places I go to (Toronto, Canadian Prairies, London, UK, South Africa) and the hotels I choose (mainly Fairfields and Courtyards) the number of points have dropped! Sure your full featured hotels have gone up in points (i.e. Marriott, Westin, J.W. Marriott, etc.) but to quote a wise women, "I really don't care! Do u?" What's the point of staying at these full featured hotels anymore if Marriott no longer gives you the courtesy of breakfast/lounge access? Sure the beds and in room amenities at a Westin are slightly better than a Courtyard but experience wise they're similar enough, especially when factoring in the point savings.
Safe Travels,
James
From what I can tell, for the places I go to (Toronto, Canadian Prairies, London, UK, South Africa) and the hotels I choose (mainly Fairfields and Courtyards) the number of points have dropped! Sure your full featured hotels have gone up in points (i.e. Marriott, Westin, J.W. Marriott, etc.) but to quote a wise women, "I really don't care! Do u?" What's the point of staying at these full featured hotels anymore if Marriott no longer gives you the courtesy of breakfast/lounge access? Sure the beds and in room amenities at a Westin are slightly better than a Courtyard but experience wise they're similar enough, especially when factoring in the point savings.
Safe Travels,
James
Jun 28, 2018, 1:35 pm
#94
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Rotterdam
Programs: AMEX Platinum, BA Gold, Flying Blue Platinum, Marriott Platinum Elite, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 1,280
Well I didn't want to wait and bought a Air + Travel Package yesterday and I'm glad I did. boy! My package would go up from 270.000 to 330.000 Reward Points and I would receive 20.000 LESS miles.
Sjees.
Luckily I will be able to use my certificate after August 1st to pay for a SPG stay (A)
Sjees.
Luckily I will be able to use my certificate after August 1st to pay for a SPG stay (A)
Jun 28, 2018, 1:36 pm
#95
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: GVA
Programs: BA Silver (OW Sapphire), A3 Gold (*G), Bonvoy LTTE, HHonors Diamond, LeClubAccor Silver, UA Silver
Posts: 1,778
Biggest candidate to jump up a couple of categories as early as August: Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott Boston Cambridge (Cat 1). Cash rates around $200 make this a total bargain.
Jun 28, 2018, 1:59 pm
#96
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: San Jose, CA USA
Programs: UA Platinum 2MM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 632
Just my guess...…..
Jun 28, 2018, 2:08 pm
#97
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
The first hotel I checked shows this :
Pine Cliffs Hotel, a Luxury Collection Resort, Algarve, Luxury Collection, Portugal
Current Points Required : 60,000
New Points Required : 60,000
Points Difference : 0
New Category : 7
The current SPG award rates are :
SPG Category 5
Peak 16,000
Off Peak 12,000
Is there an explanation as to why the "Current Points Required" is shown as 60,000 (thus understating the actual rise), when it's actually 48,000 / 36,000 ?
Pine Cliffs Hotel, a Luxury Collection Resort, Algarve, Luxury Collection, Portugal
Current Points Required : 60,000
New Points Required : 60,000
Points Difference : 0
New Category : 7
The current SPG award rates are :
SPG Category 5
Peak 16,000
Off Peak 12,000
Is there an explanation as to why the "Current Points Required" is shown as 60,000 (thus understating the actual rise), when it's actually 48,000 / 36,000 ?
there are clearly issues and at least one missing entirely
Jun 28, 2018, 2:09 pm
#98
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: BDU
Programs: DL:MM, Marriott:LTT
Posts: 8,779
Category assignment has nothing to do with the rate per night, perceived opinion of the hotel or services offered. It is based on how many redemptions people make at the hotel. With that said, a Cat 1 in the Boston area would seem like a bargain but it was already Cat 2, which makes me wonder why people do not want to redeem there, given most properties in the Boston area seem to be much, much higher.
Jun 28, 2018, 2:12 pm
#99
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: TUL
Programs: AA EXP 2MM; Marriott Titanium; Hilton Diamond; Hyatt Explorist; Vistana 5* Elite; Nat'l Exec Elite
Posts: 6,177
You will receive the amount you paid in points (x3). This is no different that the way it is handled today.
Jun 28, 2018, 2:16 pm
#100
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
starwood based category on ADR, no idea re others
starwood would also pay almost full ADR to hotel when almost sold out, for an award booking
starwood would also pay almost full ADR to hotel when almost sold out, for an award booking
Jun 28, 2018, 2:40 pm
#101
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: GVA
Programs: BA Silver (OW Sapphire), A3 Gold (*G), Bonvoy LTTE, HHonors Diamond, LeClubAccor Silver, UA Silver
Posts: 1,778
Category assignment has nothing to do with the rate per night, perceived opinion of the hotel or services offered. It is based on how many redemptions people make at the hotel. With that said, a Cat 1 in the Boston area would seem like a bargain but it was already Cat 2, which makes me wonder why people do not want to redeem there, given most properties in the Boston area seem to be much, much higher.
As to why it hasn't been so popular for redemptions, my guess is: uninspiring neighborhood and facing railway.
Jun 28, 2018, 2:54 pm
#102
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Toronto,Ontario,Canada
Posts: 132
Let's say I currently spend $3,000 a month on my SPG American Express.
I receive 3,000 SPG points and am able to redeem these for a free Friday or Saturday night at the (Category 2) Aloft Buffalo or Four Points Niagara Falls (USA).
Starting soon, I will receive 6,000 points for my $3,000 credit card spend and a free night at these properties requires 17,500 points in the combined program. For me, instead of one free night every month it will take nearly 3 months?
Am I missing something? This seems really bad.
Please move my post if there is a better forum topic.
I receive 3,000 SPG points and am able to redeem these for a free Friday or Saturday night at the (Category 2) Aloft Buffalo or Four Points Niagara Falls (USA).
Starting soon, I will receive 6,000 points for my $3,000 credit card spend and a free night at these properties requires 17,500 points in the combined program. For me, instead of one free night every month it will take nearly 3 months?
Am I missing something? This seems really bad.
Please move my post if there is a better forum topic.
Jun 28, 2018, 3:31 pm
#103
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,879
Let's say I currently spend $3,000 a month on my SPG American Express.
I receive 3,000 SPG points and am able to redeem these for a free Friday or Saturday night at the (Category 2) Aloft Buffalo or Four Points Niagara Falls (USA).
Starting soon, I will receive 6,000 points for my $3,000 credit card spend and a free night at these properties requires 17,500 points in the combined program. For me, instead of one free night every month it will take nearly 3 months?
Am I missing something? This seems really bad.
Please move my post if there is a better forum topic.
I receive 3,000 SPG points and am able to redeem these for a free Friday or Saturday night at the (Category 2) Aloft Buffalo or Four Points Niagara Falls (USA).
Starting soon, I will receive 6,000 points for my $3,000 credit card spend and a free night at these properties requires 17,500 points in the combined program. For me, instead of one free night every month it will take nearly 3 months?
Am I missing something? This seems really bad.
Please move my post if there is a better forum topic.
Jun 28, 2018, 4:23 pm
#104
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 31,008
No one has disputed that each individual is affected differently. But my going down to Walmart and finding that a TV I wanted has gone up by 20% this month doesn't mean the government's monthly CPI number is flawed and US inflation is actually wildly out of control.
I'll leave it to others to decide whether a quick perusal or a complete analysis of all 6800+ properties is a better evaluation of the impact of the new awards chart to the MR/SPG program.
Jun 28, 2018, 4:27 pm
#105
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 31,008
Let's say I currently spend $3,000 a month on my SPG American Express.
I receive 3,000 SPG points and am able to redeem these for a free Friday or Saturday night at the (Category 2) Aloft Buffalo or Four Points Niagara Falls (USA).
Starting soon, I will receive 6,000 points for my $3,000 credit card spend and a free night at these properties requires 17,500 points in the combined program. For me, instead of one free night every month it will take nearly 3 months?
Am I missing something? This seems really bad.
I receive 3,000 SPG points and am able to redeem these for a free Friday or Saturday night at the (Category 2) Aloft Buffalo or Four Points Niagara Falls (USA).
Starting soon, I will receive 6,000 points for my $3,000 credit card spend and a free night at these properties requires 17,500 points in the combined program. For me, instead of one free night every month it will take nearly 3 months?
Am I missing something? This seems really bad.