Did you see all the hotel availability at midnight? -Wow!

[Latravel]

I couldn't believe my eyes when I looked at 12am California time for hotel availability at the Rome Grand Hotel Flora using points. EVERY SINGLE DAY was available for points redemtion! It's unbelievable!

I was so happy to change my Rome hotel reservation in June to 7 nights at the Grand Hotel Flora and I added a couple more nights to my Capri reservation since it was now available. Since I got all of my hotels of choice in Italy, I can attach my European hoppers to my hotel reservations.

If any of you have the European hoppers, you may want to look at hotel availability now because you'll be able to get whatever hotel you want. Maybe these changes won't be so bad.

 

[m61376]

Under the new points program, do they still offer the European hoppers and, if so, how many points are they now?

Were you able to change your Rome reservation using the old certificate or did you have to "pay" the new rate?

 

[thinze3]

Under the new points program, do they still offer the European hoppers and, if so, how many points are they now? ...

It is my understanding that they do not!

I don't even see the 5 day Hotel & Air packages. I only see the 7 day packages.

 

[pwrshift]

Blackout is a Bust

I used Marriott Grand Flora in Rome to judge the new 'no blackout days' program this morning and was quite disappointed. I couldn't even find one night to stay there, let alone 5 or 7 nights, during May and June --- BUT in every case there were rooms if you wanted to pay cash. What a let down.

Brian

 

[Mr. Vker]

I used Marriott Grand Flora in Rome to judge the new 'no blackout days' program this morning and was quite disappointed. I couldn't even find one night to stay there, let alone 5 or 7 nights, during May and June --- BUT in every case there were rooms if you wanted to pay cash. What a let down.

Brian

Prior to this hotel becoming a Cat 8, we had two Cat 7 seven night certs we had to reserve before Jan 15. We checked every week and did not find anything until Nov.

I fear what they mean by "no blackout dates" is that every day IS available but may have very limited inventory depending on season etc.

 

[pwrshift]

Prior to this hotel becoming a Cat 8, we had two Cat 7 seven night certs we had to reserve before Jan 15. .

Did you manage to get something else?

 

[Latravel]

Brian - They're ALL GONE - there's not one night available. All the rooms were taken from midnight to 7am. I expected the most availability to be right when the program switched over but I did not expect all the reward stays would be gone so quickly.

European hoppers are no longer available. Last day to buy them was Dec. 31. They are not category specific so when the change occurred on Jan.15, you could still reserve a category 8 hotel. I did not have to "pay" extra points. The best option was to purchase them before Dec 31 and then wait until midnight of the 14th/15th to get the best availability. It worked for me but i'm sort of bummed for those who won't be able to get what they want.

The change is so drastic from just a few hours ago that if I didn't have my email confirmations, I would have thought I was imagining everything.

 

[thinze3]

Prior to this hotel becoming a Cat 8, we had two Cat 7 seven night certs we had to reserve before Jan 15. We checked every week and did not find anything until Nov.

I fear what they mean by "no blackout dates" is that every day IS available but may have very limited inventory depending on season etc.

I HAVE POSTED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THAT MARRIOTT HAS STATED "AT LEAST 10%" AVAILABILITY AT EACH HOTEL.

IT IS A JOKE!

 

[Michigan Czar]

I monitored two hotels, Louisville Marriott for the Kentucky Derby, before it was stay anytime, after the change no reward rooms.

Waikoloa Marriott over Christmas/New Years, stay anytime before and it had regular rewards available after the change.

So 50/50 on the two properties I was watching, luckily i redeemed for an Hawaii hopper award and I was able to save 60k on the Waikoloa stay over the winter holidays in 2009.

 

[Latravel]

They must make some modifications to the system. There's no way they can let all the reward stays go so quickly.

But, just like they stated, every day in June for both the Grand Flora, the JW Capri and the Marriott Champs Elysee (the only hotels I checked) was available for reward stays.

 

[m61376]

They must make some modifications to the system. There's no way they can let all the reward stays go so quickly.

But, just like they stated, every day in June for both the Grand Flora, the JW Capri and the Marriott Champs Elysee (the only hotels I checked) was available for reward stays.

I wonder what others found last night. I am not doubting you; I just wonder if you happen to luck out during a period when they were updating the system and there was a glitch of some sort.

 

[Latravel]

It wasn't luck or a glitch in the system. I thought the process out and concluded the best availability for reward stays should be right at midnight. Every hour/day after that should show less availability. What I didn't realise is how quickly the stays would be gone.

When I wrote this thread at 1am, every day in June was available in Italy and the Paris CE. By 7am, all availability was gone. Maybe the glitch in the system had something to do with how quickly availabilty was taken. Maybe they took some reward days out of the system for later dates?

 

[Mr. Vker]

Did you manage to get something else?

No, we ended up reserving two rooms (concurrent weeks) at the Grand Flora in Nov 2009. One room for wife and me, one for son and my mother.

We are looking forward to the trip. One benefit was that this is low season for AA Awards. Got 4 tickets for 40K miles each.

 

[pwrshift]

I suppose if they have a limit, say 10% of rooms, for MR stays, that perhaps the reason we're not seeing many right now is that the rush before Jan 15 gobbled up the 10% and there could be nothing left for some time -- hopefully not all of 2009. Grand Flora has always been very difficult for a 7 night MR stay - guess I was just looking forward to see if it actually improved with no blackout days.

Can't believe that hotel is a Cat8 hotel ... it must be based on business volume more than it is size or quality, as I've found other Marriott's, even Cat6 ones, more impressive than Flora wity its smallish rooms. But, from a location point of view and being the only 'downtown Rome' game in town for Marriott it's always packed with paying customers.

Brian

 

[Latravel]

Every day, except June 30, in June 2009 is available at the Paris Champs Elysee Marriott hotel for reward stays right now!

 

[IngridN]

Availability under the new program is very promising, indeed. We booked Russia on the 13th...for a 250K points package, got 7 days in St. Petersburg and 120K FF miles. In Moscow we booked 5 days on points for 130K points (4 nights at 20K and one night at 50K). One of the nights had to be anytime award points or $830US! DH just called them a little while ago and they adjusted the points downward to 100K as that one night was now available...great news . They were checking to see what the 5 night package would cost and if it was worth getting the additional FF miles. The rep stated he only saw 7 day packages and suggested DH wait a couple of days for things to settle down.

Ingrid

 

[pwrshift]

You lost me there...if you paid 100k MR points for one night that's $1250 in cost value from Marriott at $0.0125 per point.

...One of the nights had to be anytime award points or $830US! DH just called them a little while ago and they adjusted the points downward to 100K as that one night was now available...great news .
Ingrid

 

[m61376]

Brian- I think she meant that the 5 nights now cost her a total of 100k pts, rather than 4 @20K each and one at 50K.

 

[IngridN]

Brian- I think she meant that the 5 nights now cost her a total of 100k pts, rather than 4 @20K each and one at 50K.

That's correct...4 nights @ 20K points each night and one night at anytime awards of 50K = 130K. Now the anytimeaward night is booked at 20K for a total of 100K points for the 5 nights. DH is on his computer doing some research on the new award structure and it looks like this is the most economical way for us to go.

Ingrid

 

[Michigan Czar]

That's correct...4 nights @ 20K points each night and one night at anytime awards of 50K = 130K. Now the anytimeaward night is booked at 20K for a total of 100K points for the 5 nights. DH is on his computer doing some research on the new award structure and it looks like this is the most economical way for us to go.

Ingrid

Shouldn't you have reserved the 5 nights at an award level under the new structure and only requested a 4 night award at 80k since the 5th night is now free as of January 15. More details please unless I am misunderstanding you should have the 5th night free. See this.

 

[thinze3]

Shouldn't you have reserved the 5 nights at an award level under the new structure and only requested a 4 night award at 80k since the 5th night is now free as of January 15. More details please unless I am misunderstanding you should have the 5th night free. See this.

If you request 5 nights using MR Rewards the computer will automatically charge you for only 4.

 

[Michigan Czar]

If you request 5 nights using MR Rewards the computer will automatically charge you for only 4.

But she mentioned she is paying 20K for 5 nights so I wanted to be sure she was getting as good of deal as she can. She called and didn't do it online so it appears to me she is not getting her 5th night free.

 

[IngridN]

Shouldn't you have reserved the 5 nights at an award level under the new structure and only requested a 4 night award at 80k since the 5th night is now free as of January 15. More details please unless I am misunderstanding you should have the 5th night free. See this.

Michigan Czar, Thank you for the reminder...I totally forgot about the buy 4 nights, get one free under the new program . I was so thrilled we got the cost reduced from 130K points to 100K points, I totally overlooked that under the new program, it should only cost 80K points! I was not aware that you could make changes online after booking points and ordering the e-cert. I'll look into it later today.

I'm pretty savvy about all things timeshare with the Marriott program, but not the reward points. Have only used a reward package once to Aruba about 5 years ago and have been accumulating points ever since.

Ingrid