Points for all suite hotels after August 2018 program unification?
Jul 23, 2018, 2:05 pm
#16
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,670
I have not received any information regarding these types of properties. It is probably something that will have to wait until after the programs are merged to find out.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts LLC
[email protected]
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts LLC
[email protected]
There is great skepticism among many (myself included) that any rooms at all at these properties will be available for anything close to 60,000 points per night.
So, not that I expect to hear anything about this until post-August 1, that's where this line of questioning is coming from.
Jul 23, 2018, 4:25 pm
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 31,008
Specifically, The St. Regis Bora Bora is currently listed at 90,000 points there, but will be available at some point in August for 85,000 points. Then, at some point in January 2019, it appears to me that it is scheduled to go to 70,000 points (off-peak) or 100,000 points (peak) as a Category 8 property. There's no mention of a 60,000-point redemption that I can find after the programs are combined, so if that exists now, I can't imagine why anyone would wait.
At least, that's how I read it, but maybe I am missing something.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts LLC
At least, that's how I read it, but maybe I am missing something.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts LLC
"book future Category 8 hotels at the Category 7 rate until 2019".
Category 7 is 60,000 points.
Why wouldn't Category 8 be available for 60,000 points from August xx through December 31?
This is separate from the skepticism seen above that, even though it's listed as a Cat 8, with 70K, 85K, 100K rates in the long-term, there's no way a former 270K/night property will actually be available for these rates. Folks are waiting for the equivalent of the current SPG "Free Night Awards at the following locations require higher Starpoint redemption amounts either because the hotel does not have standard rooms " fine print. I don't think anyone doubts you don't have further info, but they expect it to be forthcoming. We will indeed just need to wait to find out.
Last edited by CPRich; Jul 23, 2018 at 4:41 pm
Jul 23, 2018, 5:00 pm
#18
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
This. Until I hear differently.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts LLC
[email protected]
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts LLC
[email protected]
Aug 11, 2018, 5:37 pm
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 31,008
Sadly, but not surprisingly, this is not the case. A week out, this change is leaked (still not announced, AFAIK).
So listing all of these with 2018 and 2019 point requirements was just deception.
Free Night Awards at the following locations require a higher amount of Points either because the Participating Property does not have standard rooms or the standard rooms it offers have a mandatory full board requirement in peak seasons: Vana Belle, a Luxury Collection Resort, Koh Samui, Thailand; The Naka Island, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Phuket, Thailand; Sheraton Steamboat Resort Villas, Steamboat Springs, Colorado; The Westin Golf Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal, Costa Rica; The St. Regis Bora Bora and the Le Méridien Bora Bora, Bora Bora, French Polynesia; Mystique, a Luxury Collection Resort, Santorini, Santorini, Greece; The St. Regis Bali Resort, Nusa Dua, Indonesia; Hotel Cala di Volpe, Hotel Pitrizza, and Hotel Romazzino, Costa Smeralda, Italy; W Maldives, North Ari Atoll, Maldives; W Koh Samui, Surat Thani, Thailand; Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai, U.A.E.; St. Regis Residence Club, Aspen, Aspen, CO; and Phoenician Residences, a Luxury Collection Residence Club, Scottsdale, AZ.
Aug 11, 2018, 6:45 pm
#20
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: AA PP, OZ *G, Hyatt Expl, Marriott Gold, Lots of Ex-statuses
Posts: 318
That quote excludes the St Regis Maldives but includes W Maldives, so definitely something is off. I agree with your assessment though that some hotels may just be excluded.
Aug 11, 2018, 11:44 pm
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 31,008
St. Regis Maldives was also not on SPG's "Higher redemption" list previously, so it's always been an oddball
Pine Cliff Residences has been dropped from the list.
Added to the list:
Vana Belle, a Luxury Collection Resort, Koh Samui, Thailand;
The Naka Island, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Phuket, Thailand;
Sheraton Steamboat Resort Villas, Steamboat Springs, Colorado;
The Westin Golf Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal, Costa Rica;
W Koh Samui, Surat Thani, Thailand;
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai, U.A.E.;
St. Regis Residence Club, Aspen, Aspen, CO;
Phoenician Residences, a Luxury Collection Residence Club, Scottsdale, A;
The St. Regis Bali Resort, Nusa Dua, Indonesia.
So not only was the "you can redeem the new Cat 8's cheap" misleading, but the number of "this will cost you more than we stated" properties appears to have doubled.
Oddly, no MR properties listed. Yet.
Pine Cliff Residences has been dropped from the list.
Added to the list:
Vana Belle, a Luxury Collection Resort, Koh Samui, Thailand;
The Naka Island, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Phuket, Thailand;
Sheraton Steamboat Resort Villas, Steamboat Springs, Colorado;
The Westin Golf Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal, Costa Rica;
W Koh Samui, Surat Thani, Thailand;
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai, U.A.E.;
St. Regis Residence Club, Aspen, Aspen, CO;
Phoenician Residences, a Luxury Collection Residence Club, Scottsdale, A;
The St. Regis Bali Resort, Nusa Dua, Indonesia.
So not only was the "you can redeem the new Cat 8's cheap" misleading, but the number of "this will cost you more than we stated" properties appears to have doubled.
Oddly, no MR properties listed. Yet.
Aug 12, 2018, 1:16 am
#22
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 301
St. Regis Maldives was also not on SPG's "Higher redemption" list previously, so it's always been an oddball
Pine Cliff Residences has been dropped from the list.
Added to the list:
Vana Belle, a Luxury Collection Resort, Koh Samui, Thailand;
The Naka Island, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Phuket, Thailand;
Sheraton Steamboat Resort Villas, Steamboat Springs, Colorado;
The Westin Golf Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal, Costa Rica;
W Koh Samui, Surat Thani, Thailand;
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai, U.A.E.;
St. Regis Residence Club, Aspen, Aspen, CO;
Phoenician Residences, a Luxury Collection Residence Club, Scottsdale, A;
The St. Regis Bali Resort, Nusa Dua, Indonesia.
So not only was the "you can redeem the new Cat 8's cheap" misleading, but the number of "this will cost you more than we stated" properties appears to have doubled.
Oddly, no MR properties listed. Yet.
Pine Cliff Residences has been dropped from the list.
Added to the list:
Vana Belle, a Luxury Collection Resort, Koh Samui, Thailand;
The Naka Island, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Phuket, Thailand;
Sheraton Steamboat Resort Villas, Steamboat Springs, Colorado;
The Westin Golf Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal, Costa Rica;
W Koh Samui, Surat Thani, Thailand;
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai, U.A.E.;
St. Regis Residence Club, Aspen, Aspen, CO;
Phoenician Residences, a Luxury Collection Residence Club, Scottsdale, A;
The St. Regis Bali Resort, Nusa Dua, Indonesia.
So not only was the "you can redeem the new Cat 8's cheap" misleading, but the number of "this will cost you more than we stated" properties appears to have doubled.
Oddly, no MR properties listed. Yet.
Aug 12, 2018, 3:48 am
#23
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: somewhere north of stateside...
Posts: 4,153
I can understand the argument for some of these properties require a premium, such as Al Maha (which includes meals and activities) but for others it seems a bit crazy.
For example, The Naka Island is a (new program) Category 7 property, so it should cost 60,000 points going forward. It can be booked this week for THB 7100 (~USD215) and for a random night in December for THB 8400 (~USD250), which is more high season. It really makes little sense for some premium to be charged for a base 'Deluxe Room' at a property like this - and frankly makes the property completely non-competitive from a points perspective.
I'm not too worried - the list is short regardless - and look forward to seeing the finalized terms and conditions.
For example, The Naka Island is a (new program) Category 7 property, so it should cost 60,000 points going forward. It can be booked this week for THB 7100 (~USD215) and for a random night in December for THB 8400 (~USD250), which is more high season. It really makes little sense for some premium to be charged for a base 'Deluxe Room' at a property like this - and frankly makes the property completely non-competitive from a points perspective.
I'm not too worried - the list is short regardless - and look forward to seeing the finalized terms and conditions.
Aug 12, 2018, 6:16 am
#24
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,720
I was keeping half an eye on the Pitrizza for a late August stay, but expecting a night to go from 140,000 to just 20,000 for a base room was always somewhat optimistic.
Aug 12, 2018, 8:58 pm
#25
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 1,230
All these are properties that due to their aspirational character (they are wonderful for marketing materials) had some leverage when negotiating with Starwood and were able to include in their contracts higher cash rates for award stays. Of course, this in turn trickles down to higher point redemption rates. Marriott can’t just renegotiate these contracts out of sheer will and is not willing to take a hit on its bottom line. So higher redemption points rates are here to stay. Obvious.
Aug 12, 2018, 10:22 pm
#26
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR/PHL/BWI
Posts: 4,412
As hhoope01 pointed out correctly, on Marriott side, any suites or vacation properties require base certificate and upgrade certificate. For standard vacation property, it is 5,000 MR/day for one bedroom, 10,000 MR for two bedroom etc. Not sure about special aspirational properties. So after 8/18 to the end of the year, the base rate for the new Cat-8 will be at Cat-7 rate. But very likely properties like St. Regia Bora Bora would require upgrade certificates. No one knows how many upgrade certificates are required. Each upgrade certificate is 5,000 MR. Otherwise, we all jump on those aspirational properties.....
Below is from one of the vacation club property. The base is Cat-6, 30,000 MR.
Below is from one of the vacation club property. The base is Cat-6, 30,000 MR.
Aug 13, 2018, 12:42 am
#27
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: SPG-Plat, Hilton-Diamond, Club Carlson-Silver, Cathay-Diamond, Virgin-Gold
Posts: 2,183
I don't think it comes as a surprise to most that more points are needed for these properties, what is disappointing is that Marriott have willingly let alot of publicity build up on how amazing properties that will be Cat 8 will be available at Cat 7 and in most cases websites, blogs and even the press have associated the truly amazing properties to this. The likes of St. Regis Maldives etc etc. It has earned them some very good publicity and made it clear to people Marriott have some amazing properties you can use points to book for, certainly using the halo effect to its fullest.
The shame is Marriott could have stopped this and come clean at the start but prefers it seems to mislead by lack of communication. At the start of the merger I was actually quite happy with Marriott and the way they were handling things, what has become clear to me more recently is that Marriott has a very low opinion for how it actually needs to treat it's members due to its footprint in America and now the world.
The shame is Marriott could have stopped this and come clean at the start but prefers it seems to mislead by lack of communication. At the start of the merger I was actually quite happy with Marriott and the way they were handling things, what has become clear to me more recently is that Marriott has a very low opinion for how it actually needs to treat it's members due to its footprint in America and now the world.
Aug 13, 2018, 1:32 am
#28
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,720
I don't think it comes as a surprise to most that more points are needed for these properties, what is disappointing is that Marriott have willingly let alot of publicity build up on how amazing properties that will be Cat 8 will be available at Cat 7 and in most cases websites, blogs and even the press have associated the truly amazing properties to this. The likes of St. Regis Maldives etc etc. It has earned them some very good publicity and made it clear to people Marriott have some amazing properties you can use points to book for, certainly using the halo effect to its fullest.
Aug 13, 2018, 2:23 am
#29
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 278
They've had years to think it over and have promotional materials SPECIFICALLY catered towards advertising exact point costs for these properties.
This is poor form..
This is poor form..
Aug 13, 2018, 5:00 am
#30
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 301
Marriott has buyer’s bias — they’re the ones buying so they know better. I’m sure it has never crossed their mind during the planning process that SPG had this all-suites and full-board properties and they only realized that after the initial presentation of the new program last April.