Starwood Preferred Guest has enhanced its Night After Night promotional offer with an additional 500 points per night for stays at select hotels in the US and Canada, French Polynesia, and Asia.

Now, SPG members will receive 1,000 bonus points per night at about 30% of Starwood Hotels.  Stay 10 nights by April 30 and the bonus comes out to 1,500 points per night.

The first quarter SPG promotion, Night after Night, offers 500 points per night and a 5,000 points bonus after 10 nights for stays through April 30, 2009. Registration is required by April 15, 2009.

This promotion had value before, but not enough to make my stay.

Now SPG has my attention.

Two weeks ago I stayed at the Westin Market Street in San Francisco on a $99 rate.  I earned the 500 points for the Night after Night bonus.  As a SPG Platinum elite, I also received a 500 Starpoints amenity gift for the stay.  The $99 stay earned 297 base points + 1,000 bonus points = 1,297 points.

For SPG members without elite status the points earned for Westin Market Street with this additional 500 points per night bonus will be 1,198 points on a $99 stay.  The points work out to about a $42 rebate if you get a redemption value of 3.5 cents on a future stay.

I regularly receive 3.5 cents per point when I redeem points.  The past couple of years I have used most of my Starpoints for Cash & Points awards. Last year at the Westin Kierland Resort in Scottsdale I stayed for 4,800 points and $90 for a night when the lowest available rate for the hotel was something like $420 per night after tax.  Spending 4,800 points instead of $330 cash is nearly 7 cents per point redemption value.

Even better, the Westin Kierland upgraded me to a full suite.

Points Math for SPG

I am looking to rack up hotel points for our trip to Australia this summer.  My wife and I would like to return to the Sheraton Noosa for a five night stay.  Noosa is dropping from a Category 5 to a Category 4 hotel in the 2009 SPG Category realignment going into effect next week.  This hotel was a category 3 when we stayed there in 2003.

I need 40,000 points for a five night stay at the Category 4 Sheraton Noosa using the 5^th Night Free award stay option. The hotel is currently offering rooms for around $200US per night.

I tend to approach hotel promotions with a points earning target and a hotel redemption goal in mind. I have a summer vacation in Australia and I want to estimate how many Starwood nights I need to earn 40,000 points with a projected redemption value of $1,000.  That is only 2.5 cents per point and below my average redemption rate, but then again spending $1,000 is more money out-of-pocket this summer.  I will go with a Cash & Points rate, available now, rather than free nights if I have that option later in the year.

In the San Francisco area there are at least five hotels with weekend rates in the $80 to $120 range over the past month on the select hotels list offering the additional 500 points per night.  Category 5 Le Meridien San Francisco ($119) and Sheraton SFO and Four Points SFO are frequently around $80 per night on weekends.

Assume I get 10 nights with SPG during the promotion at an average $100 per night.

10 nights  x 1,000 points per night = 10,000 points for Night after Night + 5,000 points for 10-nights bonus = 15,000 Night after Night bonus points.

$1,000 x 2 points per $1 = 2,000 base points

1,000 elite bonus points (Gold and Platinum members)

If I have 10 separate one night stays x 500 platinum amenity points per stay = 5,000 points.

10 nights could earn 23,000 points for $1,000 as a platinum elite.  A Gold member could have one 10-night stay and earn 18,000 points and a non-elite would earn 17,000 points.  I am well short of the 40,000 points for five free nights, however, SPG is offering Cash & Points for my projected hotel stay dates.

Category 4 Cash & Points = $60 + 4,000 points per night.  In this instance, I would spend $300 + 20,000 points for 5 nights.  My 20,000 points would save $700 on the current room cost of $1,000 for 5 nights and my redemption value increases to 3.5 cents per point.

Value of points earned with 10 nights at the select hotels offering 1,000 bonus points per night in the Night After Night SPG promotion (based on $100 average room rate).

Non-elite = 17,000 points x 3.5 cents = $595 in SPG future hotel value.

Gold elite = 18,000 points x 3.5 cents = $630 in SPG future hotel value.

Platinum elite (earning 500 points per stay and all 1 night stays) = 23,000 points =$805 in future hotel value.

Your hotel choice and stay pattern is often dictated by necessity, but even for a discretionary investment, there is high rebate value in this offer.

I see SPG potential for my hotel stays over the next two months.  My analysis here shows me I can spend $1,000 and with the right combination of hotels and low rates I will see a potential of receiving nearly $2,000 in room value for about $1,150 after taxes expenditure. And I am not even factoring likely room upgrades for most of the hotel stays.

Or from another viewpoint, I can spend 10 nights in hotels here in the USA ($1,150 assuming $100 average room rate + 15% tax) and I will earn sufficient points to effectively receive a 70% rebate on my spending now that I can apply to my summer vacation hotel stays.

The rebate value drops if your average daily room rate is higher, however, even a $200 per night spender with no elite status could see a 30%+ rebate value through this promotion.  Spend $2,000 and receive points good for about $600 in future hotel stays.

The amended SPG Night after Night promotion offer has got my attention now.  This promotion has gone from just average in SPG historical terms to a recommended investment in my opinion.

Fountain Glass Sculpture at Sheraton Noosa, Queensland, Australia

Earn a Marriott $50 Bonus Bucks Certificate after just one weekend night at a Residence Inn during 2009.

Promotion Offer: Simply stay a Friday or Saturday night at a Marriott Residence Inn in the continental USA or Canada and you will receive a $50 certificate good towards a minimum two-night weekend stay (Thursday through Sunday) at any Marriott property globally.

Promotion dates: February 13 – December 31, 2009

Promotional Code: use RPN when searching Residence Inn rates.

Marriott Residence Inn 50 Bonus Bucks promotion link. 

Terms of promotion link.

Promotion Value: Marriott has 15 Residence Inn properties within 50 miles of San Jose throughout the Silicon Valley and San Francisco Bay. Rates are between $89 and $149 for this next weekend. This deal is good for Marriott Rewards members.  There are more than 500 Residence Inn hotels in the USA.

You earn only 5 points per $1 for Residence Inn stays instead of the normal 10 points per $1 for most Marriott hotel stays.

Anyone anticipating a two-night weekend stay at any Marriott in 2009 will get a good rebate on a future stay with this offer.

 

Marriott Residence Inn, Pleasanton, California

Extended-Stay Hotels Beginning to Feel the Downturn

A recent industry report on the extended-stay hotel market segment states profits fell for the first time in six years.  The extended-stay market segment are apartment style hotels, generally a kitchen with one or two bedrooms. 

The extended-stay market was seen as one of the most profitable market segments during the hotel boom of the past few years and new hotel developments started in the good years are now in the opening phase. 

2009 should see an increase in extended stay rooms that outpaces demand.  Price pressure in this segment may lead to good bargains for the traveler seeking a home away from home in 2009.

Brands in the extended stay hotel sector include Marriott Residence Inn, IHG Staybridge Suites, Hilton Homewood Suites, and Starwood’s new brand, Element by Westin.

 

Last year I spent my tax rebate stimulus money on Hyatt Hotel stays during the Stays Count Double Gold Passport promotion. I earned Diamond status during the last two weeks of March 2008. I figured the investment would be worthwhile if I stayed about 20 more times before my Diamond status expires in February 2010.  

I also earned SPG Platinum elite in 2008. I now have the ability in 2009 to choose hotels between these two programs while maintaining maximum benefits.

Is maintaining hotel loyalty a good value in 2009?

That question is foremost for many travelers in this economic climate.

I have grappled with the question of the value of hotel loyalty myself in these tough economic times.

Do you know the way to San Jose?

Loyalty Traveler is hotel hopping in San Jose for the week.  I am almost ashamed to say that the last thing I worked on before taking K to the hospital for surgery last Friday was an analysis of the best hotel program for stays this week in San Jose.

Kaiser San Jose is at the southern end of San Jose, a city of one million people.  San Jose Airport and most of the major hotels are at the north end of San Jose, and in the cities north of San Jose like Santa Clara, Milpitas, Fremont, Sunnyvale, and Palo Alto.

Like many places around the USA, there are Holiday Inns, Marriott Courtyards, and Hampton Inns scattered around the metropolitan area. In the vicinity of the hospital, within a 5 to 15 mile distance are some IHG, Hilton, and Marriott hotels.  Hyatt and Starwood hotels mean a 20 to 25 mile drive north of the hospital.

Last week I analyzed the Priceline option for this week’s hotel stays.  I don’t need to be wasting money and I could have probably landed a place closer to the hospital with Priceline.

Bidding forTravel.com showed Holiday Inn San Jose as a possible $39 per night winning bid from someone who had posted previously and just posted again Friday, Feb. 20.  This hotel is just off Highway 101 at the San Jose Airport exit and used to be the Hyatt San Jose Airport.

$39 plus around $12 for booking fees = $51 for a hotel night, and likely the San Jose Holiday Inn through Priceline.

 

Can a loyalty program beat that rate?  In my opinion, yes.

Here are my hotel stay expenses for Friday and Sunday nights.

Friday Feb, 20 Hyatt Regency Santa Clara $98 room rate, and $108 after tax

Sunday Feb, 22 Hyatt Place $71 room rate, and $78 after tax.

So what kind of analyst argues paying $186 to Hyatt for two hotel nights works out to be a better deal than $102 to Priceline for two Holiday Inn nights?

I paid $84 more than I would have paid using Priceline for two hotel nights due to my loyalty program preference with Hyatt. 

In my analysis, Gold Passport points more than make up the difference in price between Hyatt and Priceline.

Here is my analysis:

Hyatt Santa Clara $108 after tax vs. Priceline Holiday Inn San Jose possibly at $51 through Priceline.

Points Math:

$98 room rate Hyatt x 5 points per $1 = 490 points

I made my reservation using the Hyatt Gold Passport bonus offers.  Hyatt Santa Clara is offering 1,500 points for stays checking in on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday through May 2009. 

Diamond amenity gift of 1,000 points for the Hyatt stay = 1,000 points

I could have opted for a movie, snacks, or an alcohol gift as my diamond amenity for this hotel stay, but after 11 hours at the hospital waiting for K to get through surgery and recovery, I just wanted a bed for the night.

My Hyatt Santa Clara stay earned 2,990 Gold Passport points.

Value of Hyatt Gold Passport Points

I value Gold Passport points at 2 cents per point. 

This Hyatt Regency Santa Clara $108 hotel stay provided a $59.80 future Hyatt hotel stay value.

Priceline would probably have given me a room for $51 for the night, and probably among the lower quality rooms at the Holiday Inn San Jose hotel since I have no Priority Club status and I booked a cheap Priceline rate. I am thinking 101 freeway side of the hotel.

The overall rate was about the same for the Hyatt Santa Clara as it would have been for the Holiday Inn San Jose using Priceline considering the $60 rebate value for points earned on the Hyatt hotel stay. 

I had to drive an extra 7 miles past the Holiday Inn San Jose to get to the Hyatt Santa Clara.

Hyatt Place Fremont $78 after tax rate vs. Priceline Holiday Inn at $51.

Hyatt Place $71 room rate x 5 points/$1 = 355 points.

Diamond amenity gift = 500 points for Hyatt Place.

Remember that Hyatt Summerfield Suites and Hyatt Place are lower tier earning hotels for Diamond amenity points at 500 points per stay. Park Hyatt, Grand Hyatt, and Hyatt Regency earn 1,000 points diamond amenity per stay.

Hyatt Gold Passport’s current 20,000 bonus points promotion from Jan 9 –April 30, 2009 earns 2,000 points after two nights.  Hyatt Place Fremont earned the second night for this promotion in my account.

Hyatt Place Fremont points = 2,855 points or in my analysis a $57.10 future value on a hotel stay.

The objective part of this analysis is the points earned =5,845 points. 

The subjective part of this analysis is the value of these Gold Passport points.

I state these points are worth about $117 for a future Hyatt stay.

Is that precise or accurate?

I repeatedly state that points have no value unless redeemed. There is a potential that I will never use these points and I ultimately paid $84 more for hotels than was necessary.

On the flip side, I could redeem 5,000 points for the Hyatt Place Fremont for tomorrow night and get a free room that would otherwise cost $123 plus tax.

Last year for the Freddies Awards night I stayed in Phoenix at the Hyatt Regency for 8,000 points when the lowest rate was $240 or so.  I know I will get at least $20 in room value for every 1,000 points I earn, and possibly even better redemption value.

Am I being consistent in logic? 

Holiday Inn San Jose would be just $153 for three nights through Priceline. 

So haven’t I still overpaid $33 to Hyatt Hotels for three nights at $186?

The Diamond factor

I am a traveler who typically spends 50 to 80 nights per year in hotel rooms.

Here is the subjective part of hotel stays that loyalty traveler elites get, but the Priceline crowd typically does not comprehend.

Hyatt Regency Santa Clara wasn’t just a 1,000 point diamond bonus perk. I also received a coupon for free breakfast in the Tresca Restaurant. 

Saturday morning I had a leisurely hour breakfast reading the paper in a fine dining atmosphere.  I was supposed to have paid $4 extra for the full buffet breakfast, but since I only ate fruit and oatmeal with a scoop of roasted red potatoes, the waitress did not even charge the extra $4 for the meal.

Hyatt Regency Santa Clara Club Lounge

The lounge in the Hyatt Regency Santa Clara is a large room with seating for 50 or more and a computer center.  I would have been charged $9.95 for computer access during my stay, but I had lounge privileges as a diamond elite benefit and access to free internet.  I was able to send off a few emails and check the Tour of California cycling race results. 

The lounge operates Monday through Thursday for evening drinks and appetizers and morning breakfast service is offered Monday through Friday. When I arrived Friday afternoon I was still able to access the lobby lounge, use the computers, and get juice, soda, and water bottles. This benefit is available all weekend.

 

Hyatt Place Fremont

Hyatt Place in Fremont offered me a free hot breakfast due to electronics issues when the room I was assigned had no remote control for the TV and the phone wasn’t working.  A nice compensatory measure for what amounted to an elevator trip downstairs to get a remote control.  A staff member fixed the phone after three minutes in the room.

Normally you have free continental breakfast in the morning with coffee, juices, bread, fruit, yogurt, and cereals. Cook-to-order meals are available for a fee, mostly $6.50 for omelette, breakfast burrito, or French Toast at the Fremont Hyatt Place.

I am now only 23 hotel stays from renewing my Gold Passport Diamond status in 2009 with Hyatt.  I have earned nearly 6,000 points this weekend. 

 

Hotel loyalty programs have privileges for a price.  Priceline has rooms, possibly for a lower price.  In my analysis based on actual circumstances this week, I think I got a better deal with Hyatt while paying $84 more for two hotel nights.

And the next two nights will be a 4,000 points bonus to make the analysis weigh more heavily to Hyatt hotel stays.

 

Hyatt Regency Santa Clara Club lounge computer room

 

On an unrelated personal note:

A month ago I had wanted to do a cycling-fan vacation around the Tour of California that ended yesterday.  Instead, I took on a writing gig last month to make some extra money since K was diagnosed with cancer and she is going to have her pay reduced by 10% or more for this school year.  The project deadline was last Wednesday which kept me from working on the Loyalty Traveler blog last week.

Still, I took off from writing during the afternoon hours to watch the Tour of California race with K. I felt so French with a three hour lunch break and beer, watching the cyclists race through San Francisco and Santa Cruz. 

What a rain storm we had last week here on the Central Coast of California.  Monday’s rain on Highway 1 was quite a contrast to the beautiful weather for our coastal drive K and I made from San Francisco to Santa Cruz the Monday before.

We could tell the race announcer was from southern California since he kept referring to Highway 1 as PCH-Pacific Coast Highway. We watched the race Monday through Wednesday.  K went to the hospital Thursday and back again Friday for cancer surgery We didn’t see any more of the Tour of California cycling.

K and I watched Lance Armstrong race the Tour de France while living in hotels in Europe for the last six years of his consecutive wins.  K is a huge Lance Armstong fan.  I saw at the Hyatt Regency Santa Clara that Lance posts on Twitter.

And this year K celebrates Lance’s “Livestrong” comeback with her own cancer surgery and recovery during the Tour of California. She was wearing her yellow bracelet up until surgery time.  I hope she lives strong from here on out.

     “Pictures on the nightstand, TV’s on in the den
     Your house is waiting, your house is waiting
     For you to walk in, for you to walk in
     But you’re missing, you’re missing
     You’re missing when I shut out the lights
     You’re missing when I close my eyes
     You’re missing when I see the sun rise
     You’re missing”

“Missing” – Bruce Springsteen

Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort and Spa in Dana Point, California is on the current PointSavers list for discount award nights using points from March 1 through April 30, 2009.  That property caught my eye.

Marriott PointSavers are discount hotel stay awards where the limited time special offer is one redemption category reduction in the cost of points for a free night.    

Laguna Cliffs Marriott is a Marriott Rewards Category 6 and regularly 30,000 points per night.  For the upcoming two months the nightly PointSavers rate is the regular rate for a Category 5 hotel or 25,000 points per night.  Even Ritz Carlton hotels participate in PointSavers.

The new 2009 Marriott Rewards redemption chart has the feature of a 5^th night free.  The Rewards member only pays points for 4 nights on hotel stays of 5 nights.  Fifth night free also applies to PointSaver hotel rewards. 

Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort is only 100,000 points for 5 nights during the March-April PointSaver Reward period.  A Marriott Rewards Category 6 property for 20,000 points per night is even lower than the regular 2008 redemption rate.  

The 2008 rate would have been 110,000 points for a 5 night stay at the Category 6 Laguna Cliffs Marriott during regular redemption periods or 95,000 points during a PointSavers period.  The 2009 redemption changes are not bad for this particular example of a Category 6 hotel for five nights on a PointSaver rate.

Although for a reality check, consider a four night stay at a Category 6 hotel on a PointSavers will cost 100,000 points now and would have only been 80,000 points in 2008.  A 25% increase in points hurts.

Redemption Castles in the Sand

Last month Marriott Rewards introduced  its new redemption chart for free hotel nights using points.  The change eliminated, from a consumer viewpoint, the strong competitive advantage Marriott Rewards had over Hilton, IHG, and Starwood for discounted multi-night hotel stays at high end hotels. 

In 2008 the high Category 7 hotels were 35,000 points for one free night using points.  Discounts on multi-night stays using points reduced the rate for a 7 night stay to 150,000 points.  Marriott Rewards was the bastion of the great one week bargain vacation when you could get a hotel stay redemption for a top category hotel vacation at 150,000 points. 

The drawback to Rewards members’ dream getaways was capacity controls for hotel redemptions at the lower points rates and the possibility of needing double points for a StayAnytime Reward – a whopping 300,000 points for a 7 night stay at a Category 7 resort — was a real obstacle at times to getting your hotel reservation.

A Category 7 Marriott brand hotel at 35,000 points per night is now 140,000 points for 5 nights in 2009 and 210,000 points for a 7 night stay.  60,000 additional points, a 40% increase in the cost of a one week award at a Marriott Hotel, is a real hit in the account balance of Marriott Rewards members.

And if your dream getaway was one of the 14 hotels to move up to the newly established Category 8 level, then a 5 night stay will now be 160,000 points.  The Marriott Rewards member will pay 10,000 more points than required for a 7-night stay in 2008 for two fewer nights in 2009. 

That beach resort vacation may take several more thousands of dollars in hotel spending in 2009. The consumer takes another one on the chin in 2009.

The bright side for 2009 is beach resort rates are plummeting. This may be the year to concentrate points spending on the low tier properties which are holding average room rates much better than resorts. 

You might be surprised at some of the incredible room rate bargains in 2009 where spending a large amount of points on a high category hotel could provide a relatively low value.

Marriott Rewards says your consumer advantage for the 2009 changes is greater access to those hotel rooms in the Marriott system.  When so many hotels are at 50% occupancy I really wonder how much of a concession “No Blackouts” is in these economic times. 

 

Related link: Marriott Rewards Analysis of 2009 Program Changes 

This report has a modified chart showing both 2008 redemption points and 2009 redemption points.

The beginning of the calendar year is the time to consider your hotel loyalty plan for the year.  All the major hotel programs are currently offering promotions and Marriott Rewards kicked off the 2009 promotions with the start of the 25,000 points Megabonus yesterday.

Marriott Residence Inn, Pleasanton, California

February is here and so is your opportunity to earn 2,500 Marriott Rewards bonus points with every Marriott brand hotel stay, beginning with your second stay.  Promotion dates are February 1 through April 30 and promotion registration is required.

Marriott Rewards – up to 25,000 points

Promotion dates: February 1 – April 30, 2009

Registration required.

 

https://www.marriott.com/rewards/promotionRegistrationInstructions.mi?promotion=MGS9&psrc=MRTR

 

Offer: 2,500 points per stay starting with second stay. 

 

Some Marriott Rewards members may receive a different offer for earning between 15,000 to 50,000 points, and some members have a bonus based on nights stayed.  My wife has no elite status with Marriott Rewards and she received a 25,000 points offer.

 

Some Marriott Rewards elites have mentioned on FlyerTalk being able to successfully get their promotion changed by a customer service representative to a promotion based on nights stayed.  This can be more lucrative in earning power for members who have longer multi-night stays and will not particularly benefit from 2,500 bonus points per stay.

 

25,000 bonus points is equivalent to points normally earned with $2,500 spending for a member without elite status.

 

Toughest Kid on the Hotel Block

Marriott Rewards has the toughest qualification standards for reaching top tier elite membership of the major US upscale hotel loyalty programs.

	Marriott	Hilton HHonors	Hyatt Gold Passport	InterContinental Hotels Group Priority Club	Starwood Preferred Guest
Lowest elite tier	Silver 10 nights or 2 events	Silver 10 nights or 4 stays	Platinum 15 nights or 5 stays	Gold – $50 or 15 nights or 20,000 points	Gold – 25 nights or 10 stays
Middle elite tier	Gold 50 nights or 5 events	Gold 36 nights or 16 stays or 60,000 base points* in calendar year
Highest elite tier	Platinum – 75 nights or 7 events	Diamond – 60 nights or 28 stays or 100,000 base points* in calendar year	Diamond – 50 nights or 25 stays	Platinum – 50 nights or 60,000 points earned in calendar year	Platinum – 50 Nights or 25 stays

*60,000 HHonors base points is equivalent to $6,000 in eligible hotel spending; 100,000 HHonors base points = $10,000.

Marriott Rewards has a high threshold for elite qualification at 75 nights for top tier Platinum in contrast to the 28 stays qualification requirement for HHonors Diamond elite in the comparably sized Hilton Hotels chain. 

The recent change in Marriott Rewards with a 50% elite bonus for Platinum members places Marriott Rewards on an equivalent elite bonus earning level to HHonors Diamond. 

Double Dip allows the HHonors Diamond member a Points & Points option to earn 20 points per $1 with the Diamond elite bonus.  Marriott Rewards Platinum members earn 15 points per $1 with the new 50% elite bonus.

A frequent guest can reach top elite in any of the other four hotel loyalty programs for less than half of the 75 night requirement for Marriott Rewards Platinum, depending on your hotel stay pattern. 

Hyatt Gold Passport and Starwood Preferred Guest both ran Double Stay promotions in 2008 allowing a member to reach top elite status in as few as 13 nights.  IHG Priority Club allows multiple points bonuses to be earned for a single stay and it is possible to earn Priority Club Platinum elite in fewer than 10 nights if hotel stays are planned to maximize bonus point opportunities.

Something to Talk About: Marriott v. Hilton

FlyerTalkers sound off on Hilton and Marriott in this thread from October 2008 (before the Marriott rewards 2009 changes were announced.)

Reasons frequently cited for choosing Marriott Rewards:

1.    Number of hotels globally and throughout USA

 

2.    Quality of Full Service Hotels: Marriott and Renaissance brands

 

3.    Competitive prices for Fairfield Inn, Courtyard, and Residence Inns compared to other chain hotels.

 

4.    MegaBonus promotions occur a couple of times annually for bonus points

 

5.    5^th Night free award redemption.

6. Marriott Hotel and Air Travel Packages

Reasons cited for favoring Hilton HHonors over Marriott included:

1.    Free breakfast on most full-service hotel stays every day of week for HHonors Gold and Diamond elites either at hotel lounge or restaurant.

 

Marriott Rewards Gold and Platinum members receive hotel lounge access and breakfast, however, at hotels without a lounge the complimentary breakfast in the hotel restaurant is only offered on weekdays. No complimentary breakfast for weekend stays at full service hotels (JW Marriott, Marriott, Renaissance, Courtyard) without a lounge or hotels designated as resorts (and Marriott promotes its program stating it has over 225 Resorts). 

 

2.    Some frequent guests prefer Hilton’s Hampton Inn and Hilton Garden Inn properties over Marriott’s Fairfield Inn and Courtyard.  On the flip side, some guests find upper upscale properties are more consistent with Marriott/Renaissance than Hilton/Doubletree.

 

3.    HHonors award stays count towards elite qualification.

 

4.    Discount on awards for 6 or more consecutive nights.

 

5.    Earn Points and Miles for hotel stays. Points are earned at faster rate with Points & Points preference (15 points per $1, plus elite bonus with HHonors.  Marriott is 10 points/$1, plus elite bonus.)

 

Related Loyalty traveler posts:

Analysis of 2009 Marriott Rewards changes – http://boardingarea.com/blogs/loyaltytraveler/2008/10/22/marriott-rewards-analysis-of-2009-program-changes/

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/loyaltytraveler/2008/12/17/marriott-rewards-2009-changes-hastens-elite-hopper-redemptions/

 

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/loyaltytraveler/2008/05/15/marriott-rewards-hotel-and-air-vacation-packages/

Here is my Loyalty traveler analysis of Marriott and Hilton hotel categories and my argument for why I think Marriott will see a major hotel category shift for free night redemption.

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/loyaltytraveler/2008/10/31/my-prediction-is-major-marriott-category-shift-in-2009/

The bottom line for the hotel traveler is “How much will my room cost?”

I read a post on *Wood blog about the Mobil Five-Star Award conferred upon the St. Regis San Francisco recently.  I then noticed yesterday the lowest rates I’ve ever seen for the St. Regis San Francisco. 

St. Regis San Francisco, Metropolitan Suite

A spreadsheet I made in August 2007 for hotel rates in San Francisco allowed me to make a comparison to current hotel rates and illustrate the impact of the current economy on the high end hotel market.

San Francisco hotel rates are typically lower during holidays due to the central business district location of most major hotels.  Labor Day weekend rates in 2007 were near the low rates for the entire year from my observations of hotel rates in San Francisco.  There is a certain amount of rate fluctuation due to seasonal rate adjustments with February being near the lowest rate month for San Francisco, however, rate decreases year round are typically tempered by frequent conventions and conferences in the city.

I made a comparison of rates for same hotels for February 13-16, 2009 with the Friday-Monday Labor Day 2007 weekend. Rates for several high-end Starwood hotels were checked on August 22, 2007 for the 3-day Labor Day weekend Friday, August 31-Monday, September 3, 2007.  Several rate types were checked including group rates like AAA and senior rates, hotel special offer rates, and Starwood multi-night discount rates. 

In general, the lowest rates for the Valentine’s weekend 2009 are typically found using Starwood Hotels special rate offer for the Third Night Free on a weekend stay. 

 

St. Regis San Francisco, SPG Category 6
	Deluxe Room	Grand Deluxe	Executive premier	Astor Suite	Metropolitan Suite
February       13-16, 2009         (3-night stay)	$227/night internet rate	$313/night  (average rate with 3rd night free)	$339/night  (average rate with 3rd night free)	$400/night  (average rate with 3rd night free)	$600/night  (average rate with 3rd night free)
August 31-Sep 3, 2007 rates	$331/night	$459/night	$489/night	Not Listed	$945/night

St. Regis did not offer the 3^rd Night free rate for 2007 stay.  Rates shown for 2007 were either nonrefundable internet rates or hotel special offer rates. Rates are generally 30%+ lower in 2009.

W San Francisco, SPG Category 5
	Spectacular Room	Cool Corner	Fabulous Room	Fantastic Suite	WOW Suite
February       13-16, 2009         (3-night stay)	$153/night (average rate with 3rd night free)	$173/night  (average rate with 3rd night free)	$199/night  (average rate with 3rd night free)	$460/night  (average rate with 3rd night free)	$1,150/night  (average rate with 3rd night free)
August 31-Sep 3, 2007 rates	$229/night	$259/night	$289/night	Not Listed	Not Listed

Peculiar Starwood clause in the room description for a Fantastic Suite: “700 Square ft, Floors 23-28, unobstructed views, No Parties or Meetings Allowed!”  Rates are about 30% lower in 2009.

 

Palace Hotel courtyard restaurant, San Francisco

The Palace Hotel, San Francisco, SPG Category 5
	Superior Room	Deluxe Room	Grand Deluxe Room	Junior Suite	Superior Suite
February       13-16, 2009         (3-night stay)	$119/night special offer	$129/night  special offer	$173/night  (average rate with 3rd night free)	$159/night  Special Offer	$459 Grand Deluxe Suite special offer
August 31-Sep 3, 2007 rates	$229/night	$259/night	$289/night	$250/night Special Offer	$275/night Superior Suite Special Offer

The Palace Hotel has dropped rates near to 2006 levels when the hotel was still going for as low as $99 on slow weekends.  2007 and 2008 rates hovered around $200 for the lowest category rooms.

The $159 rate for a Junior Suite is quite a discount on average rates at the Palace over past two years.  Rates are generally 30% to 50% lower in 2009.

Le Meridien room category types have changed so much in the room descriptions that I can’t easily match room descriptions now with descriptions from 2007.  

Do you live an InterContinental life?

 

InterContinental Hotels has a weekend Sunday night free offer for select hotels.  Click the link to see participating hotels.  This offer is for Friday only check-in for a 3-night stay (Check-out Monday) through April 30, 2009.  The reservation must be prepaid for two nights at time of booking.

 

My surprise was finding the InterContinental Mark Hopkins Hotel, San Francisco with a 3-night weekend rate lower than the rate for just two nights.  The February weekend I checked had $199 rates for a Friday-Saturday 2-night stay, however, the 3-night special rate totaled only $378 for Friday check-in and Monday check-out.

 

 

InterContinental Mark Hopkins, atop Nob Hill, San Francisco

 

Now that is a deal when 3 nights cost less than 2 nights.  Unfortunately, I did not find this anomaly in any other InterContinental Hotels when checking rates using the 3 nights for the price of two special offer link.

 

This offer can also be used to buy up to a suite for 3 nights at a 33% discount at a participating InterContinental Hotel.

Scottsdale More Your Style?  20,000 Points for a 3-night stay

Camelback Mountain in Scottsdale is resort hotel nirvana in the desert. Think JW Marriott and The Phoenician of the Starwood Luxury Collection.  InterContinental Hotels Group has the InterContinental Montelucia, recently remodeled, and at a price much lower than the Marriott or Phoenician.

InterContinental Montelucia Resort & Spa between December 1, 2008 and June 14, 2009 is offering a 10,000 points bonus for a 2-night stay or 20,000 points for a 3-night stay.

 

Registration is required.  Stay must be booked by March 31 and completed by June 14, 2009.

 

Rates start at $190 per night and a $300 resort credit offer is available at little additional cost to the lowest minimum nightly rate ($195/night).  A 20,000 points bonus after a 3-night stay and you are well on your way to a free night.  InterContinental Hotel stays regularly earn 2,000 points per stay through the InterContinental Hotels Group Priority Club program. 

 

This offer awards 22,000+ points for your $600 hotel stay, in addition to your resort vacation.  There is a good chance a 3-night stay will also earn 3,000 points with IHG Priority Club Rewards current promotion for 3,000 points for every 3 nights through April 30, 2009.

 

Priority Club Gold Gold elite membership is earned after a member earns 20,000 Priority Club points in a calendar year.

 

Consider purchasing InterContinental Ambassador loyalty program membership for a complimentary upgrade and additional amenities if you plan to participate in this offer.  Your $150 membership will pay for itself with a one category room upgrade on this stay.

Priority Club Rewards is offering 15,000 bonus points for a 3-night or longer stay at the Holiday Inn Club Vacations Orange Lake Resort property in Kissimmee, Florida, near Orlando through December 18, 2009.

Registration is required for this offer.  Stay must be booked by 6/1/09.

I see offers all the time for big bonuses of loyalty points on resort destination vacations.  The numbers typically work out to spending $1,500 to $3,000 in Hawaii, Mexico, or the Caribbean and you might earn enough points for a free hotel night.

Here is a promotion with real value.  The hotel can currently be booked for February stays for as low as $84 per night.  A 3-bedroom villa with one King and three Queen beds is only $156 per night.  Take some friends or family and get them to chip into the cost.  Your reward for booking the cool deal is a lot of bonus points.

$468 x 10 points per $1 = 4,680 points + 15,000 Bonus points + 3,000 points for 3 nights = Gold Elite status (earned upon reaching 20,000 points in a calendar year) and nearly enough points for a 25,000 point free night at a Crowne Plaza Hotel.

 

Portland’s new Starwood luxury hotel has dropped its rates 60% since opening in October 2008.

The Nines from $99 for 99 days through April 18.  Rate Code “99NINES”.

View of The Nines 8th Floor Lobby and Restaurants, Portland, OR

Times are hard for luxury hotels.  I was just reading how two luxury hotels in Dublin have shut down within two years of opening. Last October when I planned my road trip up the west coast, I stayed at The Nines, Portland, Oregon’s new downtown Starwood Luxury Collection premier hotel.  Rates were $249 minimum when I wanted a reservation.  I redeemed 1,000 Starpoints for a Starwood Preferred Guest 50% off rack rate award to bring the nightly rate down to $199.

The room was finely furnished, but this Starwood hotel was the only Starwood property this year where I had a room I would not consider to be in the top 25% for best rooms for the Nines hotel. My room was a standard size with an exterior view, however, a minuscule window in an architecturally old building with some rooms having huge window views to the center city streets of Portland. 

The Club lounge was the highlight of the hotel and a complimentary amenity for me as an SPG Platinum member.

The $249 rates disappeared in November, just a few weeks after the hotel opened and within a couple of weeks of my stay.  Now the hotel can be booked for regular internet rates as low as $159.

Even better, The Nines is running a 99-day promotion for a $99 room rate.

The bath amenities are probably a $20 value.  And if you have Platinum status for complimentary Club lounge access then you may have the additional treat of several services throughout the day, beginning with morning breakfast, mid-day snacks, early evening appetizers and complimentary alcohol, followed by dessert in the evening. 

The Nines, a Starwood luxury Collection Hotel, Portland, OR

The Nines is a luxury getaway at a bargain price with this $99 special rate.

 

Related links: http://boardingarea.com/blogs/loyaltytraveler/2008/11/12/the-nines-starwood-luxury-collection-portland-oregon/