The good news is this preview of category changes for the highest reward levels in Category 6, 7, and 8, shows more hotels dropping a level than increasing.

Here is the preview of changes posted by Marriott Concierge on FlyerTalk this morning.

Approximately 350 hotels will decrease by one category and approximately 300 hotels will increase by one category. Ninety-five percent of the hotels changing categories are in categories 1-5. The positive news is that many of our most popular locations will be available for fewer points.

Below is a list of all hotels changes in categories 6-8:

Current Cat 6-8 Hotels Moving Down a Category Level

Current Cat 8 moving to Cat 7
Le Merigot, A JW Marriott® Beach Hotel & Spa, Santa Monica
Renaissance® London Chancery Court Hotel
South Beach Marriott®
Renaissance Paris Arc de Triomphe Hotel

Current Cat 7 moving to Cat 6
Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel
JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa at Ko Olina
Marriott’s Ko Olina Beach Club
Courtyard® New York Manhattan/Midtown East
Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa*

Current Cat 6 moving to Cat 5
JW Marriott Hotel Buckhead Atlanta
JW Marriott Hotel Beijing
Dalmahoy, A Marriott Hotel & Country Club
Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa
JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa
Marriott’s Grand Chateau® 1&2
Kaua’i Marriott Resort
Marriott’s Kaua’i Beach Club
Marriott’s Waiohai Beach Club
Orlando World Center Marriott Resort & Convention Center
The Buttes, A Marriott Resort
Rome Marriott Park Hotel
JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa
Hanbury Manor, A Marriott Hotel & Country Club
JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa
The Rosseau, A JW Marriott Resort & Spa
Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino*
Renaissance Curacao Resort & Casino*
Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa*
* Indicates hotels that have recently lowered categories and are available to be booked at the present time.

Current Cat 5-8 Hotels Moving Up a Category Level

Current Cat 7 moving to Cat 8
No Hotels

Current Cat 6 moving to Cat 7
Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort
Wentworth by the Sea, A Marriott Hotel & Spa
Marriott’s Frenchman’s Cove

Current Cat 5 moving to Cat 6
Courtyard Key West Waterfront
Hamburg Marriott Hotel
Residence Inn® Virginia Beach Oceanfront
Berlin Marriott Hotel
Courtyard Cape Cod Hyannis
Courtyard Carolina Beach
Moscow Marriott Royal Aurora Hotel
Courtyard Virginia Beach Oceanfront/South
Courtyard Virginia Beach Oceanfront/North 37th Street
SpringHill Suites® Virginia Beach Oceanfront
Courtyard Ocean City

Marriott hotel brands are offering a Visa Gift Card for Friday and Saturday night stays at 2,300 participating Marriott brand hotels in the US and Canada when you pay with any Visa credit card. Offer is valid for weekend stays from February 11 to April 18, 2010. Hotel stays must be booked by April 4, 2010.

Earn $25 per night (only Friday and Saturday nights qualify for credit) for stays at Marriott, J.W. Marriott and Renaissance Hotels. A maximum $50 Visa gift card may be earned regardless of length of stay.

Earn $15 per night for Friday and Saturday night stays at all other Marriott brands: Courtyard, Residence Inn, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites, and TownePlace Suites. $30 maximum Visa gift card value per stay.

Fine print says guest must reserve NAP promotion code to receive offer. My check of San Francisco hotels showed this rate as the lowest rate in the default search without entering any promotion codes. The gift card rate showed up without breakfast (Feb 26, $99), or for $20 more breakfast included at the Courtyard San Francisco (Feb 26, $119). This is essentially $5 to receive breakfast for two in the hotel restaurant after the gift card rebate.  Sounds like a great deal.

You will receive a coupon code at the hotel and within 30 days you must register online for the Visa gift card.

Marriott Visa Gift Card Promotion link.

I just saw this post on FlyerTalk from Marriott Concierge stating hotel category shifts are happening on March 8, 2010. Approximately 350 hotels will drop a category and about 300 will increase a category. The good news is the hotel changes  for Category 6 to 8 previewed in this post show more high end hotels are dropping than are increasing.  

J.W. Marriott San Francisco