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SPG/Marriott points

T

Transit

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The major changes in the Marriott reward program look alot like the SPG program .I'm wondering how Starwood will respond. Marriott seems to be matching some of the perks that kept Starwood up in certain categories in the Freddies .The yearly SPG hotel category changes(devaluation) should be out soon.
 
Transit said:
The major changes in the Marriott reward program look alot like the SPG program .I'm wondering how Starwood will respond. Marriott seems to be matching some of the perks that kept Starwood up in certain categories in the Freddies .The yearly SPG hotel category changes(devaluation) should be out soon.
Click to expand...

Yup, I can't wait to hear how much more they are going to devalue our points this year. Category 8 perhaps, like Marriott ??

Katherine
 
It may make Marriott more like Starwood, but their hotels still cost much more per night. For those who earn their points by staying at hotels, it's a good deal as Marriott gives 10 points per night versus Starwood's 3. But for those of us who amass most of our points by the credit card, still not even close.

The only thing they did is cater to their elites, but only at the highest level. Still firmly in the Starwood camp but still have to figure out (as a Starwood Platinum) what to do with my 500,000 Marriott points!
 
If you had a Marriott 7-night Category 7 certificate to use/book prior to the changes, where would you go?? I don't think it can be broken up because it was part of a travel package (serious devaluation if I don't use it "as is").

Suggestions needed ........ thinking about Costa Rica (only has category 6 but they look nice).
 
jerseygirl said:
If you had a Marriott 7-night Category 7 certificate to use/book prior to the changes, where would you go?? I don't think it can be broken up because it was part of a travel package (serious devaluation if I don't use it "as is").

Suggestions needed ........ thinking about Costa Rica (only has category 6 but they look nice).
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Are you sure Marriott will not honor the 7 night stay cert if you book after January 15th?


Terry
 
jerseygirl said:
If you had a Marriott 7-night Category 7 certificate to use/book prior to the changes, where would you go?? I don't think it can be broken up because it was part of a travel package (serious devaluation if I don't use it "as is").

Suggestions needed ........ thinking about Costa Rica (only has category 6 but they look nice).
Click to expand...
Paris, London....
Rome.....

Barcelona!

Closer to home - really nice property in Marco island FL.....

Or the JW Marriott in Cancun - VERY nice property.

I just purchased a travel package with 120K FF miles and a cat 6 cert - I will stay at the Shelbourne in Dublin instead of my TS.....this is the worst devaluation since the major screwing they gave us in 2002 :mad:
 
thinze3 said:
Are you sure Marriott will not honor the 7 night stay cert if you book after January 15th?


Terry
Click to expand...

No ... I have no idea what Marriott will do. I'll feel safer once I book something -- would rather be safe than sorry!
 
GrayFal said:
Paris, London....
Rome.....

Barcelona!

Closer to home - really nice property in Marco island FL.....

Or the JW Marriott in Cancun - VERY nice property.

I just purchased a travel package with 120K FF miles and a cat 6 cert - I will stay at the Shelbourne in Dublin instead of my TS.....this is the worst devaluation since the major screwing they gave us in 2002 :mad:
Click to expand...

Thanks Pat -- the Europe ones are definitely on my list. Rome is my absolute favorite place ... but I've been there many times so I should try something new. Same with London. Have only been to Paris once and I remember being very tired (jetlag) so I don't think I enjoyed it as much as I probably should have.

Have you been to the Shelbourne? That's HIGH on my list!! Which months are best? Need to avoid May and the months right before/after if I want to keep my job (sneaking in a 2-week trip to Harborside/WSJ).
 
I still have 100k MRs still sitting in my account. I've been treated to a lot of free nights in Marriott hotels courtesy of my MR Plat Visa. (Those double dining points really add up.) Last year we flew to Arizona for the weekend and stayed at the Marriott Camelback Inn. We treated ourselves to massages and breakfast at the Spa, all on points.

While I'm bummed that Marriott adjusted their award chart, I've gotten way more out of Marriott than they've gotten out of me. My total cash-out for all my stays was $130 (annual fees x 2 as first year was free). Ditto for my Delta gold Amex. For less than $1000 in annual fees, we've flown to Hawaii and back 9 times, 3 of them in first class. They've increased the number of points they require dramatically now. Bummer. But how can I complain since my cash out is so small? (If anyone has room to complain it's the vendors who are paying the service charge to the cc companies every time I swipe my card.)

Adjusting these award charts is necessary for these companies to turn a profit. Along with the rest of the world, the leisure market is struggling. And I'd rather them inflate the number of points needed than to go out of business.
 
Oh, and my totally free sage advice echoes the wisdom of Flyertalkers: Don't hoard miles/points!!!! Use your miles/points as soon as you can in order to maximize your return on them because they'll NEVER be worth more than they are today. And don't buy timeshares with the expectation that you'll convert them to hotel points because there is a negative correlation to MFs. As your MFs increase, your return will decrease, even if the award charts remain static and most especially when the award chart is adjusted!

Folks who bought Starwood and Marriott TSs are learning this lesson the hard way. If you buy a TS from the developer, you should assume that the amount of points you'll get for converting your TS will remain static. Net result is that over time the conversion will get you fewer and fewer hotel stays.

Which, of course, means that buying from the developer makes less and less sense. Resale rocks!
 
jerseygirl said:
Thanks Pat -- the Europe ones are definitely on my list. Rome is my absolute favorite place ... but I've been there many times so I should try something new. Same with London. Have only been to Paris once and I remember being very tired (jetlag) so I don't think I enjoyed it as much as I probably should have.

Have you been to the Shelbourne? That's HIGH on my list!! Which months are best? Need to avoid May and the months right before/after if I want to keep my job (sneaking in a 2-week trip to Harborside/WSJ).
Click to expand...
Avoid the tourists in July August - Sept/early Oct is nice if u can't do May/June.... The Shelbourne is a renovated/restored older hotel - I have only been in the lobby so far - now I have a room.
 
jerseygirl said:
No ... I have no idea what Marriott will do. I'll feel safer once I book something -- would rather be safe than sorry!
Click to expand...

Once points have purchased a certificate, that certificate should be good for 6 months from date of issue, irrespective of how points may have been devalued since the issue date.
 
Thanks Pat and Fred. The certificate has already been extended once ...
 
Are you sure Fred? I thought the certificate was good for 12 months and is usually extended for another 12.
 
stevens397 said:
Are you sure Fred? I thought the certificate was good for 12 months and is usually extended for another 12.
Click to expand...

Oops! Sorry for the miscue.

Funny how the mind works. 6 months is the lead time notice if Marriott cancels the Rewards program altogether.
 
Found an early October week at Marriott Grand Hotel Flora (Rome) -- but now have to pray Marriott will grant me a second extension. Supposedly the policy is extensions will be granted through 2009 -- keeping my fingers crossed.
 
jerseygirl said:
Found an early October week at Marriott Grand Hotel Flora (Rome) -- but now have to pray Marriott will grant me a second extension. Supposedly the policy is extensions will be granted through 2009 -- keeping my fingers crossed.
Click to expand...

Nice catch - hope it works out.
 
Thanks Pat -- Marriott granted the extension -- yippee! The very nice customer service rep told me I could wait until just before expiration (March) to request the extension, which would have bought me more time (my new extension runs out a year from today). But, I don't trust any of the information at this point -- she wasn't sure if I would still be able to use the certificate for 7 nights if I waited until after Jan 15th -- and the Rome property will probably become part of the new Category 8. So, I'm just relieved to still have full use of it, and to have found the Rome availability during a month I should be able to travel.

Ireland in 2010 ????!!!!
 
Still hoping they give the 20% bonus Starwood gives when changing for ffmiles. Won't hold my breathe though.
 
Cathyb said:
Still hoping they give the 20% bonus Starwood gives when changing for ffmiles. Won't hold my breathe though.
Click to expand...

You mean 25%, right? 20K Starpoints = 25K miles
 
The Costa Rica Marriott San Jose...

jerseygirl said:
If you had a Marriott 7-night Category 7 certificate to use/book prior to the changes, where would you go?? I don't think it can be broken up because it was part of a travel package (serious devaluation if I don't use it "as is").

Suggestions needed ........ thinking about Costa Rica (only has category 6 but they look nice).
Click to expand...

...is a spectacular hotel, built in the middle of a coffee plantation with a wonderful view of the mountains behind the hotel. The staff are friendly and professional. It's one of the nicest Marriotts I have ever visited (was there last July for my son's wedding).
 
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