Book your difficult Reward stays now - lots of availability!

[winger]

I received 120,00 miles from Marriott. And, I had some miles in my FF account with Delta that made up the difference.

I think what wegottago was saying IF there are no FF seats to get him to Europe, then he has to pay an arm/leg for airfare

 

[m61376]

This is a very exciting thread to read all about your MR bookings. Keep them coming - let us all live vicariously.

Brian

ps... the point nay-sayers are amazingly quiet right now!

Ouch
Actually, it is nice to read about everyone's wonderful plans, and I hope you all have great trips!

 

[winger]

Price as shown on Marriott.com

When booking without pts, you can see price per room per night.

For example, for one hotel (Paris), I see Best Available rate $469 + 1.50 Estimated government taxes and fees = $470.50 (Euros).

This seems VERY LOW for taxes. Am I reading this right?

 

[IngridN]

Just booked St. Petersburg w/ a 7 night package (250K) and Moscow for 5 nights for 130K points (at $835US a night ). Unfortunately, FF are in coach as no bus class tickets are available.

Dave...many, many thanks for the reminder to book now!

Ingrid

 

[steve1000]

Dave - thanks for your note about the recently available inventory. Last summer I considered booking a travel package but the hotel I wanted (Paris Champs Elysees) wasn't available using standard points and with the weak dollar I just decided to pass on it. Having seen your note about the available inventory combined with the improved dollar and the impending devaluation of MRPs - I decided to look into this again. Surprisingly, it all came together last minute.

Booked the 270k package for 7 nights at the Marriott CE in late May/early June and transferred 120k points to my NW Worldperks account. We got standard FF airline tickets - business class one way and coach the other - but will keep checking and if BC becomes available will pay the change fee and book it. We will be celebrating DW's 50th birthday at the French Open tennis tournament - very exciting as tennis is a mutual passion. Its been many years since we were in Paris and there are so many sights to see and great museums. After Paris we are going to visit Venice (using Hilton points) and Lake Como, Italy. These are my favorite, most romantic places to visit! Now we're just hoping for good weather

 

[vincenzi]

Thanks for the Heads Up

I am so glad I booked my travel package to Paris Marriott Hotel Champs-Elysees prior to January 15th. I used 150,000 points for 7 nights. Today it would take 360,000 points. I used 90,000 points for an extra 3 days totaling 240,000 points. Today, it would take 480,000 points. I also received 120,000 FF for my flights. I have already booked my flights. I could not have taken this trip if I had waited.

May thanks to Dave and Tug!

 

[Michigan Czar]

I didn't save as much as you did but I ordered the Hawaii hopper and I am using it on two rooms at the Waikoloa Marriott, so it cost me 150k for the hopper, those two rooms would have cost 210k today.

Off topic - I did however save at least 100k NW miles by booking flights before Delta "enhanced" the NW award structure today.

 

[crjask]

Thanks Dave,

Just wanted to say thanks for the information on increased availability. Last August I booked a travel package to Paris before notice of the devaluation. My first and second choice hotels (Renaissance Vendome and Champs-Elysees) were only available with Stay Anytime points so I settled for the Marriott Rive Gauche.

When I saw Dave’s message this weekend, I checked and saw the CE was available for my time frame (late June). I called and booked and was able to upgrade my package to a Category 7 for another 20K points.

We used our miles to book with British Air with a 3 day layover in London--going to Salisbury this trip. After Paris, we go to Amsterdam for 4 nights.

I am a newbie to this website so it is great to find so much useful information.
Thanks Everyone!

 

[taffy19]

Dave - thanks for your note about the recently available inventory. Last summer I considered booking a travel package but the hotel I wanted (Paris Champs Elysees) wasn't available using standard points and with the weak dollar I just decided to pass on it. Having seen your note about the available inventory combined with the improved dollar and the impending devaluation of MRPs - I decided to look into this again. Surprisingly, it all came together last minute.

Booked the 270k package for 7 nights at the Marriott CE in late May/early June and transferred 120k points to my NW Worldperks account. We got standard FF airline tickets - business class one way and coach the other - but will keep checking and if BC becomes available will pay the change fee and book it. We will be celebrating DW's 50th birthday at the French Open tennis tournament - very exciting as tennis is a mutual passion. Its been many years since we were in Paris and there are so many sights to see and great museums. After Paris we are going to visit Venice (using Hilton points) and Lake Como, Italy. These are my favorite, most romantic places to visit! Now we're just hoping for good weather

What a nice trip, Steve! Lake Como is one of my favorite places too. I hope you'll visit Lake Maggiore too while you are there. How about Lausanne at Lake Geneva which reminds me of San Francisco or rather the other way around.

We could have booked Rome or Paris for September but Capri wasn't available so we decided to go to Prague instead. I know that it isn't an expensive city but still one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. I have been trying to get Vienna but couldn't even get it if I wanted to pay for it. I have tried again today now the points have gone up but it is still not available but I booked a Marriott in Amsterdam and we will go to Cologne and Frankfurt too but stay with friends. Dave gave me the incentive to book this trip.

 

[Eli Mairs]

We have benefitted greatly over the years with Marriott Rewards packages - when we could get world trips for four for 425,000 points and trips for two for 200,000 points.
We have been exchanging our platinum Barony week for points every other year for the past few years, and have almost 500,000 points.
Since we have several cruises and timeshare vacations booked within the next year, we were unable to book a trip using points before the latest devaluation.
We will probably use the points we have in dribs and drabs. We certainly won't be exchanging our week for points any longer. It is no longer cost effective.