About a month ago, both Marriott and Starwood announced that their annual category changes would be taking place on March 6. While this is a common practice with hotel chains year after year, this year seems to be very unfavorable on the travelers side. Unfortunately many more hotels are moving up a category then down. This means that TODAY, March 5 is your last day to lock in the lower level of points required at MANY Marriott and Starwood properties. As long as your reservation is made today for a future date, you’ll be able to stay under the lower category points required. However, if you need to change your reservation to a another day you’ll have to pay the current points required at the time (thus a higher number of points). As of today, you can make Marriott reservations through February 23, 2019 and Starwood reservations through February 18, 2019. through February 23, 2019.
Marriott Hotels Changing
While you can check out all the hotels changing categories, here are some notable ones to pay attention to:
Categories going up a category:
- Hotel Park City, Autograph Collection – moving from category 8 to 9
- JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes – moving from category 7 to 8
- JW Marriott Washington, DC – moving from category 8 to 9
- Marriott Marquis Washington, DC – moving from category 7 to 8
- Marriott’s Mountain Valley Lodge at Breckenridge – moving from category 8 to 9
- Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa – moving from category 8 to 9
- Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel – moving from category 8 to 9
- Salt Lake City Marriott University Park – moving from category 5 to 6
- San Francisco Marriott Marquis – moving from category 8 to 9
- Savannah Marriott Riverfront – moving from category 7 to 8
- The Vinoy® Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club – moving from category 7 to 8
- Washington Marriott Georgetown – moving from category 7 to 8
- Washington Marriott Wardman Park – moving from category 6 to 7
- Marriott Vacation Club at Surfers Paradise – moving from category 7 to 8
- Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa – moving from category 7 to 8
- Atlantis, Coral Towers, Autograph Collection – moving from category 7 to 8
- Courtyard Bridgetown, Barbados – moving from category 5 to 6
- The Algonquin Resort St. Andrews by-the-Sea, Autograph Collection – moving from category 5 to 6
- El Mangroove, Autograph Collection – moving from category 7 to 8
- JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa – moving from category 7 to 8
- Renaissance Curacao Resort & Casino – moving from category 6 to 7
- Amsterdam Marriott Hotel – moving from a category 8 to 9
- Lisbon Marriott Hotel – moving from category 5 to 6
- JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa – moving from category 7 to 8
- Renaissance St. Croix Carambola Beach Resort & Spa – moving from category 7 to 8
And there really aren’t too many “notable” hotels going down a category. Although I would definitely pay attention to the hotels that are moving up from a category 5 to a category 6 as well as those moving down from a category 6 to a category 5. The reason is because the free night certificate that comes with the Marriott credit card as well as many of their MegaBonus promotions are capped at a category 5 hotel. So if you are looking to use one of those free night certificates and the hotel is moving out of the category 1-5 zone, make sure to look in that reservation now.
Starwood Hotels Changing
Fortunately, Starwood wasn’t hit as hard as Marriott, in my opinion. While there are definitely hotels moving up, it almost evens out with the properties moving down. You can view a list of all the hotels changing categories here, but my personal selection of ones to look out for include:
- Sheraton Tel Aviv Hotel – moving from a category 5 to category 6
- Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Bangkok – moving from a category 4 to a category 5
- Le Méridien Chiang Mai – moving from a category 3 to a category 4 (when I stayed at this hotel a long time ago it was a category 1!)
- The Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa – moving from a category 5 to a category 6
- King George, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Athens – moving from a category 5 to a category 6
- The Westin Palace, Madrid – moving from a category 5 to a category 6
- The Westin Resort & Spa, Whistler – moving from a category 5 to a category 6
- Four Points by Sheraton Niagara Falls Fallsview – moving from a category 2 to a category 4
- Walt Disney World Dolphin – moving from a category 4 to a category 5
I am personally going to make a reservation at The Westin Grand Cayman, although no idea if we will actually keep the reservation, but I have been wanting to check it out. And I really really really want a trip to Whistler, so I am making a speculative reservation there, but I still think my kids are too young to make a trip out West worth it.
Overall…
Remember, TODAY, March 5, 2018, is your last day to lock in these properties at the current/lower rate so do not forget! If there are any properties going DOWN a category, you can start booking them at the lower rate starting tomorrow.
Where will you be booking?
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Stayed at the Le Meridien Chang Mai last fall. It’s lovely. Excellent property.
Now the one for Niagara Falls that jumped 2 categories. From a 2 to a 4. That’s interesting.
Just finished booking 3 nights at JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa, for next week, taking advantage of the Fall mega bonus certs we earned and the free night she got for becoming a new Marriott rewards member. Would have cost about $1600 after taxes! Moving from a cat 5 to a 6. Still have my annual cert for the Chase cc, should I book a 4th night?