Marriott Rewards - Hotel Categories 2012

[SueDonJ]

Marriott Concierge posted on flyertalk this morning, all changes effective with reservations made 3/15/12: Marriott Rewards 2012 Hotel Category Changes

There's a link to the PDF file in MC's first post in that thread.

 

[jdunn1]

Looks like some of the MVCI resorts went up a level, but most stayed the same? Was wondering how reward points work for the resorts that only have two bedrooms or one bedrooms work.

 

[m61376]

I thought this was interesting: "Marriott Rewards has 8 hotel categories which are determined by prior year redemption volume at each hotel and are not determined by brand, rate, amenities, location, or services offered."

So it appears that the category is purely based on demand rather than relative hotel/resort quality. I always thought it was the latter.

 

[Nickfromct]

They pushed up the Fairfield Inns at JFK and LGA to Cat 5 properties. I used to use alot of the cat 1-4 certificates before an early morning flight at these two properties. And apparently, alot of others did too.

 

[SueDonJ]

Looks like some of the MVCI resorts went up a level, but most stayed the same? Was wondering how reward points work for the resorts that only have two bedrooms or one bedrooms work.

Here's the FAQ on marriott.com with info about using MR Points at the timeshares. (Not sure if you'll have to sign in to your account to view it.)

from the FAQ:

How many points are required for 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom & 3-bedroom villas?

A 1-bedroom is an additional 5,000 points per night, a 2-bedroom is an additional 10,000 points per night, and a 3-bedroom is an additional 15,000 points per night.

 

[SueDonJ]

They pushed up the Fairfield Inns at JFK and LGA to Cat 5 properties. I used to use alot of the cat 1-4 certificates before an early morning flight at these two properties. And apparently, alot of others did too.

I was hoping at least one of the nicer Boston properties would go down a level after they'd all gone up last year but no dice. I think one or two actually went up again. It's really impossible to use free night certs in Boston, probably the same with the other big cities, too.

 

[jdunn1]

Sue, thank you for this link, and the summary. Exactly what I was curious about.

In looking at the resort, MOW and the ski properties stayed the same but a lot of the other MVCI resorts went up a level. I'm trying my hardest to earn enough points by next year at this time for one of the 300k travel packages. I have a long way to go but with bonus awards for nights stayed and presentations and buying points, I think I will ge there -- but this is all depending on the hotel I want staying at catagory six.

I also remember reading that if you order a travel package and don't use the hotel certificate, you can return it and get a refund of some points? Anyone know how many points are refunded if you turn in a catagory six 7 night certificate? I thought it wasn't many points, 50k or so... Am I making this up or have others heard about this, too? Just currious to know as I enter this exciting Marriott reward points world.

Here's the FAQ on marriott.com with info about using MR Points at the timeshares. (Not sure if you'll have to sign in to your account to view it.)

from the FAQ:

 

[Mr. Vker]

I can use my Visa Cat 5 cert at Aruba Renn. again

All of the Aruba props. went down. Ritz Carlton is well underway in construction.

 

[winger]

...
I also remember reading that if you order a travel package and don't use the hotel certificate, you can return it and get a refund of some points? Anyone know how many points are refunded if you turn in a catagory six 7 night certificate? I thought it wasn't many points, 50k or so... Am I making this up or have others heard about this, too? Just currious to know as I enter this exciting Marriott reward points world.

Yes, you can return the hotel portion of an air-hotel-car travel package, but the return of points is not even half of the equivalent cost (in MR points) of the nights alone, IIRC. This is b/c Marriott has to pay for the airmiles somehow.

 

[m61376]

I can use my Visa Cat 5 cert at Aruba Renn. again

Are they hotel only or timeshare units? If the latter, can size be upgraded with additional points while using the free certificate?

 

[scrapngen]

Thanks for posting this!! I need to make a couple ressies quick before the category changes. I plan on using a Cat5 in Portland, OR and the hotel is about to change to a 6. Plus several Hawaii properties are also changing upward, and have plans to stay on points (!)

Now I need to make the decision by Mar15, but you saved me!!

 

[Mr. Vker]

Are they hotel only or timeshare units? If the latter, can size be upgraded with additional points while using the free certificate?

They have both. Usually you can not couple points with a Cert to upgrade. You do get full benefits if you are platinum including free Internet and breakfast. Plus use of their private island. We will often stay at the SC seven nights and then the Renn a night or two. Hey- it's on the way to the airport.

The relationship between Marriott and the Renn timeshare is interesting. They book them by night, as they do the rooms. But exchanges are not actually Marriott because Sonesta still owns the weeks. You can add your rewards number on arrival for points on incidentals and platinum arrival gift.

 

[jlr10]

This is why we don't buy into the DC points system (one of many reasons) as there is concern Marriott will change point values to make our unit worth less, and others worth more.

Basing this on occupancy is silly. We have stayed at the Fairfield Anaheim resort several times. To say this is a 'catagory 6 hotel' is absurd. It is a nice place to rest after Disneyland but not worth the 30,000 points to stay there on rewards points for a night. Just one example.

We recently booked a trip to Wailea. I guess it is good we got the reservation in early.

 

[Mr. Vker]

This is why we don't buy into the DC points system (one of many reasons) as there is concern Marriott will change point values to make our unit worth less, and others worth more.

Basing this on occupancy is silly. We have stayed at the Fairfield Anaheim resort several times. To say this is a 'catagory 6 hotel' is absurd. It is a nice place to rest after Disneyland but not worth the 30,000 points to stay there on rewards points for a night. Just one example.

We recently booked a trip to Wailea. I guess it is good we got the reservation in early.

Our biggest fear too. Old way: You bought a week at SC for $20k. Each year you had a week to use. As they raised prices, my week was still a week.

Today, they say (making up numbers) "SC is 3000 points for a week." Now they have two ways to raise prices. 1) Points cost more OR 2) Next year SC is 3200 points. Now my 3000 points don't get me a week at my "home" resort.

Am I missing something?

 

[dioxide45]

Am I missing something?

You sure are, you don't have to use points at all as an enrolled owner. If you have other ownerships that you exchange, you can save on fees. If you still want to travel week for week, you will do far better in weeks. If you want to stay at your home resort, you book it, you don't use points.

If you only own one 2BR in HHI and stay there most years, enrolling is probably not a good idea.

 

[Mr. Vker]

You sure are, you don't have to use points at all as an enrolled owner. If you have other ownerships that you exchange, you can save on fees. If you still want to travel week for week, you will do far better in weeks. If you want to stay at your home resort, you book it, you don't use points.

If you only own one 2BR in HHI and stay there most years, enrolling is probably not a good idea.

Agreed. I was talking about buying points. (They can utilize inflation to make a purchase not "usable" for the week it was.) We go to Aruba 2 out of 3 years and Thailand every three years. The rest we exchange. We cannot enroll Phuket, but are considering SC.

 

[Superchief]

Ultimate Skim

Talk about skim, most of us get only 110k MR points if we redeem our Royal Palms Red (Plat) week for points, similar to many other MVC resorts. It now costs 210k MR points for a 1 week stay. I doubt that there will be many weeks available for redemption. I will definitely no longer redeem for points.

15% of Marriott properties went up by and average of 20% per reward stay.

 

[m61376]

They seem to be basing it similar to the way they allocated DC points. I said it there and I think it applies here- reward categories should reflect the quality and location, etc. and not an actuarial analysis of demand only. The true reflection of value is what the average person is willing to pay, again in my opinion, which is reflected in pricing.

I still say, if Marriott charges more to rent a week they should allocate more DC points, charge more DC points and the property should be in a higher reward category, and the reverse is also true.

I think one of the reasons you see so much bouncing around is that when you lower the reward cost, demand likely increases, so next year the category increases and the flip is also true.

In line with what Mr. Vker queried- what happens when DC demand for lower redemption resorts increases? Or Marriott simply want to make more money?

 

[jtp1947]

Sue, thank you for this link, and the summary. Exactly what I was curious about.

I also remember reading that if you order a travel package and don't use the hotel certificate, you can return it and get a refund of some points? Anyone know how many points are refunded if you turn in a catagory six 7 night certificate? I thought it wasn't many points, 50k or so... Am I making this up or have others heard about this, too? Just currious to know as I enter this exciting Marriott reward points world.

I have a cat 5 certificate, five nights, and if I return it I will receive 40K points. You can also upgrade your certificate for additional points. The amount of points you receive for the return of a certificate should be in the my account section on the Marriott website.

 

[jdunn1]

Thank you for this information. I have no reward certificate, yet. Will probably take me a year to work up to the travel pacakge I would like to get. Good to know where to find out how much the travel certificates are worth.

I have a cat 5 certificate, five nights, and if I return it I will receive 40K points. You can also upgrade your certificate for additional points. The amount of points you receive for the return of a certificate should be in the my account section on the Marriott website.

 

[winger]

I just looked at the list. From the surface, it appears that the floodgates are now opening on further MRP devaluation, again. Look at all the new category 8 hotels and the many ones moving up to 6's and 7's. Turning in timeshare weeks for MRPs no longer seems like a good thing to do for those with plans to churn TS weeks for points since the amount of MRP's given per TS week is fixed.

 

[SueDonJ]

You can make a reservation for a room before 3/15 and if the Cat goes up after that date you'll still only be charged the points for whatever the Cat was at the time of booking. (And I think, if the Cat goes down you can call after the stay for a partial refund.) But, can you reserve something with Points now, before 3/15, for a date after your annual Visa Free Night Cert is issued, and then apply the cert when it's issued? My certs are issued in July, so I'm thinking I'll make a Points reservation now (for September) at a Cat 5 that's going to be Cat 6, and apply the cert later. Will this work?