lincoln841

Hi All,

Am I crazy, or is everyone doing this already?

I'm using my SPG points to book Category 8 hotels right now for 5 days. I've booked the St Regis Bora Bora, Princeville Maui, and Prince de Galles Paris. Plan on doing another 10-20 reservations in the next week.

After 8/18/2018 but well before 12/31/2018, I plan on asking them to refund the point difference, so instead of paying 150,000 points per night at the St. Regis Bora Bora, I pay 20,000 points per night. As the date of the reservation gets closer, I might still cancel. However, by doing it now:

1. I can do it easily and without having to deal with the craziness of what will happen post 8/18; and
2. I can lock in the dates, because I'm sure a bunch of people will be reserving post 8/18.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

CPRich

There are several threads on this topic, started long ago. I'm sure many people have considered and/or acted on this strategy.

myko85

I was under the impression that they will not "refund the point difference" while letting you keep your existing reservation. Instead, they will ask you to cancel your reservation and to rebook.

lincoln841

Even if that's the case, you'll probably still lock down a room and may be able to cancel/rebook so fast that no one takes your reservation!

zachary

For whatever it's worth, View From the Wing says you won't have to cancel and rebook, you'll just be able to get a refund. https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...und-in-august/

I'm not sure that I'm a fan of the OP's strategy to make 13-23 of these reservations, but to each his or her own, I guess.

Troopers

From the lurker:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starwood Lurker

In answer to

escape4

I am assuming you have over 1m starpoints in your account in order to make this work?

porkie

Ambassadors can make award reservations without deducting the points from balance at the moment of booking.

escape4

Thanks, that is useful to know. I wish my ambassador had been proactive about this - I asked for booking for certain dates and she told me we'll wait in August until I have points in my account!

UA-NYC

Source as to this benefit? I have never heard of it anywhere in this forum, nor it has been offered to me.

(That seemed to be a Marriott benefit for a long time)

escape4

I agree that this could be done with Marriott, and it was available for everybody. Never heard of SPG100 Ambassadors being able to book points redemptions without taking points out. If true, I will request my reservations at cat 8 hotels now rather than wait for August 18.

porkie

My ambassador Not really a published benefit, though if you ask they can do it for you. IIRC plat line agents are also able to make reservation without points, though then you need to get the required points within 7 days or the reservation will be cancelled, ambassadors are able to override it.

UA-NYC

OK that makes sense - a nice benefit but also very different from MR allowing you to book months & months ahead and then not fund the rez til a week out.

MR's policy is probably one of the biggest positive enhancements most SPGers aren't even aware of.

hhoope01

A note of caution on this. Hopefully all the reservations are cancellable without any penalties. It is very possible that while the total points costs for these hotels will be less, it may well not be just a base "20K" per night either or "60K" per night with MR points. If all the rooms at a hotel are suite or any other upgraded room type, then there will most likely be some type of "upgrade" points charge as well. For example, a base hotel room at a Marriott resort might only be 40K/night, but to get an ocean front, suite room, you might also have a 25K+ per night upgrade charge as well.

So yes, all those Cat. 8's in the merged program are temporarily only Cat. 7s, and I suspect they will be had for less points per night (maybe even a lot less points in some cases). But there may still be a chunk of more points added on to that base 60K/night award room charge. Just want to temper those expectations a little.

azepine00

i sure hope ambassadors will take a closer look if someone has "10-20" of such reservations without points to back it up...