When Marriott introduced the award chart for the merged Marriott/SPG/Ritz program, the new top tier became Category 8. Cat 8 standard awards were slated to cost 85,000 points per night. However, it was announced that Category 8 properties would be bookable for the Category 7 price of 60,000 Marriott Rewards points per night “until early 2019”. We haven’t previously had a clear indication as to when that would be, but Doctor of Credit and a reddit user point to a change Marriott made on its site indicating that you’ll be able to book Cat 8 properties for Cat 7 prices until March 2019. That’s great news for those who still have their eye on some of the most aspirational properties in the combined Marriott portfolio.
Remember that Marriott offers the 5th night free on award stays, so a 5-night stay at a top-tier property currently costs 240K Marriott points, or 48K points per night. That’s a phenomenal value for many of the chain’s top properties. You’ll remember that the top end of Starwood’s award chart was the equivalent of 105K Marriott points per night. Furthermore, some properties didn’t even exist on the chart as they were classified as all-suites, costing the equivalent of as much as 270K Marriott Rewards points per night to book a room. You can now book those properties for 60K if you find availability — or 48K per night for a five-night stay.
In fact, a reader reached out just the other day with a success story, having booked a stay at such a property that had a cash rate of over $24,000.
He booked those 6 nights for 300K Marriott points (240K for the first 5 nights + 1 additional night).
It looks as though you’ll have a few more months for that kind of thing, which some will certainly find exciting. Remember that this means you can lock in stays through the end of the booking calendar at current pricing. For example, in February 2019 you should be able to book those high-end properties at Cat 7 prices for stays into February 2020 — so you’ve got about 14 months of booking calendar that is yet to come to enjoy the lower rates.
Greg and I both have similar stays booked next year at formerly off-the-charts Starwood properties and I for one look forward to the opportunity to check out a couple of hotels I wouldn’t have considered at the previous prices for quite a discount over those former rates.
Overall, this is exciting news.
H/T: Doctor of Credit
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Is it until end of March 2019 or the beginning? Planning a honeymoon for March 1-15 of 2020 and this will make all the difference!
Could I book the rooms first and then change the dates to some time later (without making up more points), let’s say the end of 2020?
You could try, but I’m pretty sure that they would reprice the award at that time.
[…] 13 nights coming up in 2019. Perhaps this is why Marriott has chosen to extend the ability to Book Marriott Cat 8 for Cat 7 price until March 2019 as shared by Nick Reyes at Frequent Miler. Do you frequent Marriott/SPG properties? What’s […]
[…] Book Marriott Cat 8 for Cat 7 price until March 2019 […]
You guys still doing Domes if Elounda?
I am. At least, that’s the plan.
we are thinking of the domes, too, but is it worth using up points on or using the 4th night citi prestige. what about sardinia for using some points.
Well, Greg and I each redeemed when the price was 45K per night (and actually, I think both of us did it as an old Cat 9 Travel Package, where we got 120K airline miles and a 1-week certificate for the old Category 9, which was 45K per night. Now the Domes is 60K and will go up to 85K in March (or more during peak season). Is it worth that? I really don’t know. Reviews and pictures look great. I felt like it was well worth the old price. After I go, I’m sure I’ll have more thoughts on it.
As far as Sardinia, I haven’t looked at what points options there are. I went to Sardinia before we discovered this world of miles and points. We stayed one night at a family-run farm where they made a huge meal with free-flowing wine that was included in the price if I recall. The folks who ran it spoke very little English, so we didn’t know much of what we were eating, but there was a couple from Austria at the next table over that did speak English (but not much Italian), so we had a blast laughing with them over the many pitchers of wine we were brought (without requesting any more I’ll note). I am not much of a drinker — a glass or two of wine a small handful of times a year generally. That night was a notable exception and a memory that my wife and I enjoy laughing over. If you Google “Sardinia Agriturismo”, you’ll find a lot of similar-looking places.
Sardinia is quite large (as is Crete). With either island, perhaps one thing to do is to take a look at what you hope to do there and choose your accommodations around that. In Sardinia, we flew in and out of Alghero but drove across the island to the Costa Smeralda and back. We were only there a few days, so it was a whirlwind.
Based on the paid rates that Domes of Elounda typically sells for (usually just over $300 per night in the summer), I don’t think it makes much sense to use Marriott points at the 60K award price and definitely not at the higher price once category 8 kicks in. If you really want to stay there, the Citi 4th night free option is probably best.
Are Ritz cat 1-4 certs going to continue to work at all properties until then as well?
It seems reasonable to assume that.
I called about Ritz cat 1-4 certs and was told Ritz only — even had the rep ask her supervisor. That said, I’m still assuming that my Ritz cat 1-4 certs are good everywhere. Can’t believe they’d really limit them. Lots of confusion about those certs — would like to see reports of them being used outside of Ritz.
They do work everywhere. It’s really easy to prove it. Go through the steps of booking a Marriott award stay and you’ll see that by default it will try to use your Ritz certificates for two of the nights.
I’m not seeing this turn up on a Le Meridien booking unfortunately. Which hotels have you seen Greg where the RC certs show up for non-RC hotels?
Oh wow, that’s surprising. Try a Marriott property rather than SPG. I know I saw it at a Renaissance hotel
I used mine at the St Regis Florence. No problem at all
Oh cool didn’t know that. I didn’t see it when using the mobile app so I just called in and had them do it.
I have two questions…
1) Do you expect peak vs. non-peak pricing to be implemented in March as well?
2) If I have a cash reservation for a Garden Villa at the St. Regis Bora Bora, will I be able to convert that reservation to points?
Which property was going for that rate? I’m a little bit too obsessed with CPP to not ask haha