@NRB525 wrote:
@jsucool76 wrote:
The true value of marriott points lies here...
https://www.marriott.com/rewards/usepoints/morepack.miMaybe. I took a look at those, but the places I looked at where they want to charge you that weekly rate, the hotels in those categories seemed to be discounting their points requirements, if one could actually book on points and not get hit with a $200 per night overage fee in high season. I just get frustrated trying to see how to redeem Marriott points at Marriott locations. Airline miles are so much simpler
Right, in general, hotel redemptions are much more nuanced.
I don't stay at Marriotts often, but their points system isn't as intuitive for me as, say, SPG. For instance, duirng the time of year when I'm in London, I can pull up a hotel with a rate of $450 usd per night or 12,000 SPG points--simple calculation places this at 3.75 cpp. Or, another redemption, the advertise price for my stay in a Denver hotel is $423, or "5,000 pts & $75 cash" with nights counting towards elite status--simple calculation places this at 6.9 cpp. Sure, maybe the rates may be better on Orbitz or hotwire; but, with Plat status, I'm virtually assured an upgrade to a corner suite, along with free wifi, etc...
Some redemptions are just poor. For those, I'll just either pay, or use nother hotel. I'm not as familiar with Marriott as I am with SPG, but the above is an example where I usually defer non-bonus spending to my SPG card.
Marriott works exactly the same way? There's no seasonal pricing or anything like hilton has. There is sometimes pointsavers, but the redemption cost goes down, now up. 
Marriott will allow you to use points for some upgraded rooms but those are ridiculous at times.
Marriott will allow you to use points for some upgraded rooms but those are ridiculous at times.
@woodyman100 wrote:I received an email this afternoon explains quite a few upcoming changes to the Marriott rewards program
I didn't get the memo, so googled it. Looks like some good changes, most relevant being that hopefully the "points + cash" awards get more transparent and available. And better redemption rates 
@jsucool76 wrote:
Marriott works exactly the same way? There's no seasonal pricing or anything like hilton has. There is sometimes pointsavers, but the redemption cost goes down, now up.
Marriott will allow you to use points for some upgraded rooms but those are ridiculous at times.
Of the hotel programs I have points in, Marriott is definitely where I'm the least familiar. However, if it works similar to SPG, I should be pretty comfortable in finding redemptions.
Just curious, will the new changes for the Marriott also apply to the Ritz?
All of the changes also apply to ritz. Cash and points changes (though not sure about the value when it gets that high), the EQN for award stays, points advance (which we always had) and points sharing is between accounts so doesnt really apply to hotels