The terms & conditions of the Marriott Bonvoy program have just been updated to add something that could at first glance be alarming. But how much should we read into this? Redemption Rates May Exceed Category 8 Pricing The Bonvoy terms have been updated to add the following regarding award redemption rates, which wasn't previously…
Continue reading: Marriott Updates Bonvoy Terms To Hint At Higher Award Costs
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The most outrageous programme is Hilton in terms of Award pricing.
Just have a look at how many Hilton Honors points are needed to book a night in a Hiton property in Tokyo... I have seen 256000 points per night LOL
I'm curious who is even loyal to Marriott any more, I'd think the savvy traveler would have left them years ago (which I guess means I'm calling myself savvy)
100,000 points per night for a Category 10 peak. Think you mean category 8 peak.
I think it also means they will return to having a handful of properties at higher redemption rates, such as the Al Maha was under the old SPG program.
I can't imagine a significant change in redemption points, simply as (a) so many hotels redemption rates have gone up in the past year, and (b) the rate bands offer a lot of flexibility to the hotels.
On the other hand, using 100 000 points for a high category Marriott property is a terrible waste/idea/value since lounge access and breakfast are not always offered for Top Elite members in these top category properties
I get so irked reading the comments of these entitled travelers. They always want more. Complain that takes more points to obtain their freebies when over half of them if they had to pay for a room out of their own pocket would go for the cheapest rate they can find but when their company pays for their stay the expect the world and complain when they don't get what the feel they deserve. People you can't get everything for free!
Take a look a current rates for the St Regis Maldives. A basic room ($757 a night) can be had for standard category 8 rates (which is definitely an improvement from the old SPG program where you would have had to pay double that because it's a 1500 sq. ft. suite). That's 70,000 a night (I picked a random date which happened to be low season).
The largest suites are the same 70K points a night plus a copay of $35,000 for the week OR 7,000,000 additional points or a copay of $42,000 OR 8.4 million additional points. (so they're valuing points at 1/2 cent). So if North Island is really $8000 a night, I think you can expect prices in the millions.
@Robert: what alternative? Hilton’s program sucks. There’s never a Hyatt where you need it. Maybe Choice Hotels?
Today I had my last problem with a Marriott hotel. I am in the Marriott Resort Puerto Vallarta, when I checked in as a welcome gift they didn’t want to give me the free breakfast at the restaurant (I’m Titanium), just a continental breakfast or at the restaurant paying $10 more per person per night. I showed them the terms and conditions and after 30 min they came with a screen shot of the terms, but other part of them (related to lounge access, that is not the case at all)... so really trying to rip me off. When I said that I wanted the $100 compensation then, they were almost laughing at me... I sent an email to the hotel director, let see what happens...
i have stayed in fairfield inn at key west on Christmas eve a few years ago, over 100K points IIRC.
@Gtellez : Good Luck with PV Marriott and their Breakfast! I had the same problem earlier and Marriott did not do anything.Resorts are Exempt from Breakfast so I paid the extra $10.00 and that was the worst thing I could have done,Canned Juice,Beans and more Beans and Plenty of Tortilla. there is a whole trail of articles related to Breakfast at PV Marriott on Flyer Talk.
Thanks for letting me know how bad the PV Marriott is. I am now so thoroughly convinced that my Diamond status with Hilton is so valuable.
As I sit on the deck of my upgrade suite watching the sun set I raise a glass and chuckle "Bonvoy".
@Tim: “People you can’t get everything for free!“
No one using points is getting anything for free - there was a monetary outlay involved in earning the points in the first place.
@Gtellez
Please follow up on your story...I (and many others) are interested in the outcome. Don’t forget to use public social media to get your concerns voiced!!!
You’re fighting OUR Fight!!
It is really a joke... no answer from the hotel director two days later...
It is my third time in PV, the last two in the Westin and this for the first time in the Marriott.
Although in the photos the Marriott looks better, it is not. So I paid for more for nothing.
The worst: the $20 resort fee, that is completely worthless. Even I tried to used a paddle board yesterday and they told me all were booked, they only have 4 and it is a big hotel...
breakfast is disgusting and for the regular price ($23) very expensive for Mexico... good than I’m “only” paying $10...
So true. Points are purchased one way or another. The days of "free points" are long gone.
I travel on points. Not being American I have very little access to CC points other than Aeroplan Visa or Amex. So I buy the points. My 'reward' is that travel is probably 50% cheaper but then I am only allowed access to flights that are either inconvenient or lightly loaded.
Points are a win-win for the user and provider. When the pendulum swings too far one way or the other they will cease to exist.