Marriott Rewards has hotel redemption offers exclusively for elite members.  The changes to Marriott Rewards is prompting many elite members with 150,000 points or more to take advantage of high value elite redemptions with regional hotel sampler rewards before the 2009 calendar date change.

Marriott Rewards elite members (Silver, Gold, Platinum) have the option to purchase 7-night multiple hotel stay Sampler rewards called Hawaii Hopper or Europe Hopper for 150,000 points.  These Marriott Rewards hotel redemption certificates are issued as three paper certificates for 2-night, 2-night, and 3-night combination of hotels and are valid for 12-months from issue date for any participating Marriott hotel within the Marriott-defined region of Europe or Hawaii.  There are also Sampler Rewards for Florida and UK/Ireland. 

Marriott Rewards elite members have the opportunity to redeem Europe or Hawaii Hopper awards under the 2008 award rules and benefit from the “No Blackouts” rules changes in effect January 15, 2009.  The Hopper does not require advance reservations and is valid for any Marriott Rewards category of hotel redemption, including the soon to be Category 8 hotels. 

The Marriott Rewards member can order these certificates (Europe Hopper must be ordered by December 31; Hawaii by January 14, 2009) before the 2009 change at the low rate of 21,429 points per night.  2009 per night redemption rates will be 30,000 for a Category 6 hotel; 35,000 points for Category 7; and 40,000 points for Category 8 hotels with a 5^th night free on longer hotel stays.

There are 14 Marriott Hotels listed for the new Category 8 redemption level beginning January 15, 2009.  Nine of these hotels are in Europe (none in Hawaii):

List of Category 8 Hotels: http://www.marriott.com/rewards/lra-faq.mi#question16

Category 8 Hotels in Europe

• Paris Marriott Hotel Champs Elysees
• Renaissance Paris Vendome
• JW Marriott Capri Tiberio Palace Resort & Spa
• Rome Marriott Grand Hotel Flora
• London Marriott Hotel County Hall
• London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square
• London Marriott Hotel Marble Arch
• London Marriott Hotel Park Lane
• Renaissance Chancery Court London

 

Marriott Rewards Elite:  Europe Hopper 7-Night Reward  

Elite members of Marriott Rewards can redeem 150,000 points for a Europe Hopper 7-night award with three paper certificates issued for 2-, 2-, and 3-night hotel stays at any participating Marriott in Europe.  (Russia and Turkey are not participating hotels for this award.)  The value of this redemption is the savings in Marriott Rewards points for hotels in 2009 by having Europe Hopper certificates once the hotels in London, Paris, and Rome are established in a new redemption Category 8 hotel for 40,000 points per night. 

The Europe Hopper award must be ordered by December 31, 2008 and the award will be valid for 12 months for any European participating hotel, according to posts by Marriott Concierge (Marriott Rewards representative) on FlyerTalk.  Current Category 7 hotels joining the new Category 8 will still be available for new reservations after January 15, 2009, if using the Europe Hopper certificates.  Beginning January 15, when the new Marriott Rewards rules take effect, the cost for a Category 8 hotel night using points will be 40,000 points.  The new 5^th night free option will mean 7 nights at category 8 hotels will cost 240,000 points. 

Redeeming 150,000 points now for 2009 Europe hotel stays can potentially save 90,000 Marriott Rewards points on a trip including Marriott Hotels in London, Paris, or Rome.  Any combination of Category 6, 7, or 8 hotel redemptions using the Europe Hopper certificates will save points compared to the upcoming 2009 redemption changes for standard awards and 5^th night free.

A shout-out to FlyerTalk member GrizShel who put together a detailed FlyerTalk thread to assist Marriott Rewards members with consolidated information from a Marriott Hotels representative and included analysis on the Marriott Rewards changes that will impact members hotel redemptions in 2009.  This thread also contains useful information about redeeming for Marriott Rewards Air and Hotel Packages before January 15, 2009.

 

Credit Card Fast-Track to Marriott Rewards Status

Marriott low level elite starts at Silver based on 10 nights of Marriott hotel brand stays in a calendar year.  The Marriott Rewards Visa Signature credit card gives Silver Elite membership through an annual 10 nights credit towards Marriott Rewards elite status as long as you maintain card membership in good standing.

Upscale Your European Stays with Discount Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn Hotels

InterContinental Hotels Group has updated its ongoing offer for a second night free or 2-nights-for-the-Price-of-1-night  promotional offer. The reservation period is for stays between December 12, 2008 and March 31, 2009 for these discount rates.

 

 

Note: This rate needs to be searched through the InterContinental Hotels Group “2 Nights for the Price of 1” promotion page. 

 

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/exclusive

These rates do not show up in a regular search through Priority Club or IHG hotel-branded websites.  You must search through the dedicated webpage for this offer and the rate plan should show Rate Preference “Exclusive 2 for 1”. See screenshot below.

 

Crowne Plaza Bridal Suite, Amsterdam

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Dec 25-27, 2009

Amsterdam City Center Crowne Plaza hotel with a 2-for-1 nightly rate as low as 62.50€ for December 25-27, 2008.  The two night total is 131.25€ after tax, or $166.40USD.   

$83 per night for City Centre Amsterdam is back to 2002 Priceline rates for this expensive European city.

My favorite find for the IHG 2-for-1 special is the Bridal Suite at the Crowne Plaza Amsterdam over the Christmas Holidays.  That will tell her you love her.  I’m sure there are many other hidden jewels in the European IHG world awaiting the 2-for-1 traveler.

The bridal suite is available for the two night Christmas Holiday (Christmas lasts two days in Amsterdam) for 187.50€ per night.  A two night stay after tax is 393.75€ or $499.20USD. 

The bridal suite is 309.50€ per night to reserve through the regular IHG website reservations for these dates.

This deal could be one of the best $500 memories you ever bought.

 

London, United Kingdom

London Mayfair Holiday Inn

Fri-Sun Jan 23-25, 2009. 

 

2-for-1 rate for a King Executive NonSmoking Room comes out to £201.25 or $298.40USD at today’s exchange rate after tax for two nights.  This is a couple of room categories above the cheapest standard room type at a rate of under $150 per night in central London. The regular booking channels for IHG reservations show an advance purchase, nonrefundable rate for King Executive NS Room at £301.88 or $447.61USD. 

 

The 2-for-1 IHG rate saves $150 on this two night London hotel stay at the Holiday Inn Mayfair in an upscale room category for this hotel.

London The City – Crowne Plaza

Fri-Sun Jan 23, 25, 2009

 

2-for-1 rate for a Deluxe Room is £70.00 per night.  After tax the two night rate is £161.00 or $239USD.  A city center hotel room for almost any major city in the world at $120 per night all in is a reasonable deal.  For London – this is a great deal. 

 

The Deluxe room is not even the lowest category style room at The London City Crowne Plaza.  A regular search finds the lowest rate for a Standard room at £79.00 per night.  The Deluxe room available for £70.00 through the 2-for-1 promo rate is £105.00 if you search London, The City Crowne Plaza through the regular IHG website reservation links.  The 2-for-1 offer gives you a better room category – a hotel upsale – at a lower price than otherwise available for the lowest room category at the hotel. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 2-for-1 rate for a one bedroom suite with hotel club lounge access is £147.50 per night.  After tax, your two day room total for an upscale London suite at The City Crowne Plaza is £339.25 or $503.02.  A suite in central London with Club lounge access for $250 per night is a good deal.

 

 

London Crowne Plaza Docklands

Sun-Tue Jan 25-27, 2009

 

2-for-1 rate = £54.50 per night or £125.35 ($185.86USD )for a Queen Bed room.  Americans fret about the price of visiting Europe and here is a deal for urban London in an upscale Crowne Plaza for under $90USD per night during the business week.  New York City isn’t offering rates like this.

 

A full two room suite with balcony at the London Crowne Plaza Docklands will run a total of £297.85 ($441.63) for two nights.  A full size suite in London for under $225USD per night is a great deal for this winter travel season.

 

The benefit of using this deal in London is a variety of IHG hotels offer 2-for-1 rates and most of the participating hotels in London offer the deal every night of the week.  You can stay in central London at 4 different hotels over 8 nights at these bargain rates.

 

Geneva, Switzerland – No special rates found in my searches

Paris, France – No City Center Special Rates Found

Berlin, Germany – No City Center Special Rates Found.  Holiday Inn Express at Schonefeld Airport (Schonefeld Airport is scheduled to become Berlin’s primary airport in 2011) is only 29.50€ ($37.40USD, tax included) per night for Jan 23-25.  This is one cheap hotel room.

 

Munich, Germany (These are the biggest discounts on the regular rates I found in my searches)

Holiday Inn Munich, Effnerstrasse

Sun-Tue, January 25-27, 2009

47.00€/night Standard Room ($59.60 USD tax included)

Regular nonrefundable advance purchase rate is 86.50€ ($110USD)

Holiday Inn City Centre, Hochstrasse

Sun-Tue, January 25-27, 2009

 

2-for-1 rate = 67.50€/night Standard Room ($85.58 USD, tax included)

Regular nonrefundable advance purchase rate is 115.00€ ($146USD)

2-for-1 rate = 107.50€/night Queen Bed Junior Suite ($136.29USD, tax included)

Regular nonrefundable advance purchase rate is 183.00€ ($232USD)

 

Budapest, Hungary – InterContinental Budapest, Jan 25-27, 2009

2-for-1 rate is 54.50€ ($69.10USD) for a standard room.  The regular nonrefundable advance purchase rate is 82.00€ ($104USD) for a standard room. 

An upgraded room with a view of Castle Hill and the Danube is 74.50€ ($94.45) using the 2-for-1 rate.  The regular nonrefundable advance purchase rate is 112.00€ ($142USD) for the Danube/Castle Hill view. 

One rate qualifier for this hotel is the 2-for-1 rate costs an additional 40€ ($50.72) for a second person in the room.

 

 

IHG “2 NIGHTS FOR THE PRICE OF 1”

TERMS & CONDITIONS:

 

1) 2 for 1 offer is based on the Best Flex Rate and consists of two consecutive night stays for the price of one, based on two adults sharing a standard twin/double room (max.2 adults per room) at participating hotels only.

 

2) Stays are available over Fri, Sat and Sun nights with many hotels offering midweek availability – please check at time of booking.

 

3) Full payment must be made at time of booking; no cancellations or amendments permitted; no refunds given.

4) Up to 2 children under the age of 18 stay free when sharing a room with up to 2 adults, if suitable accommodation is available.

 

5) Single supplement will be charged at the full room per night price.

 

6) Offer applicable for bookings and stays made from 12th December 2008 up to 31st March 2009.

 

7) Limited availability may be applicable over public holidays.

 

All rooms are subject to availability with a limited number of rooms available at these offer rates.

 

9) Rates may vary by date of booking.

 

10) Offer not available to groups and can not be used in conjunction with any other offers or special promotions.

 

11) A booking made pursuant to this offer is non transferable.

 

12) Offer only available at participating hotels in the UK & Europe

 

 

Hilton Rome Cavalieri Rebranded as Waldorf=Astoria

Waldorf=Astoria Collection, The Cavalieri, Rome, Italy  (photo courtesy of Hilton)

The Rome Cavalieri has been the premier European hotel property of Hilton International for years.  This hotel was one of the few HHonors Category 6 hotels when I started looking in 2000 for wonderful Hilton Hotels to spend my points.  Unfortunately my plans to Italy were canceled twice and I have never made it to Rome to visit this prestigious hotel.

Rome Cavalieri Free Nights Using Points

Don’t Delay and Book Today while you can still get a free night at the Rome Cavalieri for 40,000 points or even better, a VIP-only GLONP2 6-night reward for 175,000 points. 

I was able to find availability for a 175,000 points, six-night GLONP2 on my first selection of dates for November 13-19, 2008 when I called HHonors reservations today.

Stays at the Waldorf=Astoria Cavalieri beginning after February 28, 2009 will require 60,000 points per free night or a VIP-Only Waldorf=Astoria Collection award will cost 265,000 points for a 6-night stay. 

The HHonors redemption level increases to 60,000 points per night from March 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009.  This Loyalty Traveler does not expect to see the redemption rate drop back to 40,000 points per night again. [link here for Rome Cavalieri redemption chart]

Get more value out of your Hilton HHonors points and plan that Italian getaway.

You don’t really want to spend $400 for a paid night, do you?

November 17-20, 2008 Monday to Thursday stay:  $1,200USD for the 3-night stay

Nonrefundable internet rate = 275€/night (tax included) or about $400USD per night.

There is a long-running FlyerTalk thread on the Rome Cavalieri.  This link goes to page 77 of this discussion with comments about the hotel from September 2008.

Hilton links:

Waldorf=Astoria Collection Rome Cavalieri home

Links to HHonors information at top right of Rome Cavalieri home page or use links below and navigate from the benefits page to pages showing Colosseo lounge and free night redemption levels:

Rome Cavalieri HHonors benefits selection

Rome Cavalieri Colosseo Lounge

News Story on Rome Cavalieri rebranding from Hotels’ Daily News Service

 

I could have really benefitted from this FlyerTalk list by SanDiego1K of the Best Hilton Hotels in Europe back when I had one million HHonors points. In 2002 six-nights at any Hilton-family hotel up to Category 5 level was only 100,000 points and in 2008 these hotels are 150,000 points for six night stays using points.  There weren’t that many Category 6 HHonors hotels in 2002 when the cost was 150,000, and in 2008 there are many more Category 6 hotels at the rate of 175,000 points for six nights. For stays shorter than six nights the rate is 40,000 points per night.

Amsterdam Hilton is one of my favorites.

The Budapest Hilton stay is one I repeatedly rave about as one of the greatest views I ever had at a hotel.

While I have not stayed at the Hilton Dresden, I photographed the hotel last year.  The Hilton is located right in the center of the Altstadt, near the newly rebuilt Frauenkirche.  This Lutheran church is considered to be one of the most historically prominent cathedrals in Europe due to its association with Martin Luther.

The massive allied bombing of Dresden in February 1945 created a firestorm which destroyed most of the city center and the Frauenkirche.  Kurt Vonnegut, the American novelist, was a POW in Dresden at the time of the bombing.  As a young teenager I became aware of Dresden through Vonnegut’s novels and the Dresden bombing is a central feature of Slaughterhouse Five.

I visited Dresden in 2000 and again in 2007.  The Hilton Dresden is a great resting point for a moving cultural experience in this historical city and surroundings.  There has been vast reconstruction in the vicinity of the Hilton this past decade and in many ways it seems like a Disneyland set with old-style new buildings and blackened older facades still tarnished from the 1945 firestorm.

If you make it to Dresden, be sure to allocate time to explore the countryside of Saxony along the Elbe River.  Once you leave the main cities of Leipzig and Dresden, the region really has limited international tourism.  I was amazed at how few people spoke English when I visited in 2000.  I loved it.

The region between Dresden and the Czech Republic border is known in English as Saxon-Switzerland.  This is one of my favorite regions of Europe for hiking and biking.  Bike paths along the Elbe River make for a great ride from Dresden all the way to the Czech border.

Dresden also has the Westin Bellevue and Four Points Konigshof hotels where I have stayed on my trips to the region.

An integrated loyalty program travel plan provides numerous opportunities to use airline miles and hotel points for travel savings. The knowledge of equivalent exchange values for points and miles between loyalty programs allows the traveler to save money on travel. This loyalty traveler is always looking for a good exchange of hotel points and airline miles for an economical 5-star vacation.

Hilton HHonors advertises itself as the only program letting members earn both hotel points and airline miles for a hotel stay. This feature is what HHonors calls “Double Dipping”. Starwood, Marriott, IHG, and Hyatt loyalty programs all allow the member to select in the member’s guest profile an earning preference for either hotel points or airline miles.

An even more impressive feature of Hilton HHonors is the ability to exchange airline miles into HHonors points. Airline miles to points exchange can be done with the following airlines: American, Hawaiian, Mexicana, Midwest, South African Airways, and Virgin Atlantic Airways.
http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/points/milesforpoints.do

Exchange rate is 5,000 frequent flier miles = 10,000 HHonors points for all these airlines except Virgin Atlantic which has an even exchange of 5,000 miles = 5,000 HHonors points.

Over the past ten years I have exchanged nearly 1,000,000 airline miles from American Airlines, LatinPass, and TWA into hotel points with Marriott Rewards and Hilton HHonors. The option to transfer airline miles into Marriott points was discontinued several years ago.

I discovered the value of this strategy for exchanging airline miles into hotel points when I planned a trip to Spain and the Netherlands in 1999. Hotel prices were about $150/night at the Hilton hotels in Amsterdam and Barcelona. I exchanged 50,000 TWA miles into 100,000 Hilton HHonors points. The miles could have been exchanged for an economy class airline ticket to Europe ($500 value) whereas the 100,000 HHonors points were good for 9 hotel nights ($1,300 value).

Currently in 2008 it  is also possible to purchase up to 40,000 points in a calendar year for $400. http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/points/purchase.do

If you purchase more than 10,000 points at one time the price is $0.01/point and $0.0125/point if less than 10,000 points are purchased. Points will appear in account in about 30 minutes.

Extending Frequent Flier Mile Accounts with Hilton Stays

A strategy I have frequently used for stays at Hilton Hotels was to change my airline miles earning preference to frequent flier programs holding miles in accounts I might not use for the year. Losing your frequent flier miles for inactivity is cheaply avoidable. A Hilton-brand hotel stay allows the guest to maintain an active account with 500-miles earned for most Hilton-brand hotel stays. And, you also get HHonors points for your stay.

Paradise with an Ocean View

In 1995, when I worked as a special education teacher in Maine, I received my classroom’s first Mac computer. The desktop picture I selected for the monitor was a beautiful white sand island with palm trees. The island paradise was my fantasy image when the day-to-day grind of behaviorally impaired special education students had me feeling whipped. The picture title named the location as the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean, a thousand miles off the coast of Africa.

My dream of an Indian Ocean resort getaway has eluded me to this date. I have had opportunities to fly British Airways using miles and stay for free at the Hilton Mauritius on points, but my vacation fantasy was not my wife’s ideal vacation. The resorts of the Maldives, the Seychelles, and Mauritius in the Indian Ocean are still a trophy travel dream of mine. These locations are about as far as a person can travel from the USA.

Nearly every year the resorts in these island locations go up in price (at least for Americans exchanging devalued dollars) and the Category rating for many of these hotels continues to rise in various loyalty programs.

Which brings this discussion around to Hilton HHonors PointStretcher discounted hotel stay awards.

Hilton HHonors PointStretcher Award Chart
http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/rewards/pointstretcher.do

HHonors PointStretcher Participating Hotels for 2008
http://hhonors.hilton.com/en/hhonors/rewards/stretchers/

Hilton Mauritius Resort, [Pointstretcher dates: May 25-June 30, 2008]
Category 6 HHonors hotel = 40,000 points/night or 175,000 points/6-night GLON2P award
PointStretcher Award is available for 24,000 points/night
Monday, June 16 –Sunday, June 22
King Deluxe room = 144,000 points/6-nights

Cash price is 13,696 MUR/night = $472/night for the nonrefundable internet only lowest rate or 17,120 MUR/night flexible rate. In this instance, 24,000 HHonors points can be redeemed at a value of almost 2 cents each for a $472/night room.
A complimentary upgrade for an elite status member may be even more rewarding with a PointStretcher stay in a Corner Suite = $772/night or Deluxe Suite = $868/night.

Other PointStretcher Opportunities:
Hilton Prague, Czech Republic, PointStretcher dates: March 8-14, 22-28; April 20-26
HHonors Category 4 hotel, standard award = 30,000 points/night or 150,000 points/6-nights GLON2 award.
PointStretcher Award = 18,000 points/night
March 22-28 PointStretcher award is available for 108,000 points/6-nights.
Pointstretcher saves 42,000 points on regular GLON2 award.
Paid rate = 158€/night = $235/night compared to 18,000 points/night ($180 value)

Hilton Waikiki Prince Kuhio, Hawaii- Rated #11 of 85 Honolulu hotels on TripAdvisor.
HHonors Category 6 = 40,000 points/night
PointStretcher dates = April 1-7, 2008
24,000 points/night and 5 night award available for 120,000 points. This saves 80,000 points on regular award rate.
Internet only paid rate = $172/night.
Even at a pointstretcher award rate the value of points redeemed is worth less than one cent each and is a low redemption value for hotel points compared to other hotel options. This hotel may be a better value for a paid stay and save your points for a higher value redemption.

Hilton Waikiki Prince Kuhio - $172 night vs. 24,000 points/night ($240 value)
Hilton Prague - $235/night vs. 18,000 points/night ($180 value)
Hilton Mauritius - $472/night vs. 24,000 points/night ($240 value)

Also, for a more accurate comparison, the traveler needs to calculate the points not earned on award stay that would be “added value” for the cost of a paid stay. (Another outstanding and unique feature of Hilton HHonors is an award stay counts as a stay for elite status qualification – terrific added value for elite status seekers.)

Hilton Prague $235 night = 2,350 points + 1,175 points = 3,525 HHonors points for non-elite with Points&Points preference selection) = $35.25

The value of points not earned for a PointStretcher stay compared to a paid stay at Hilton Prague is about $35.00. A comparison of the value of using a free hotel award must include the “added value” that would have been earned if paying for the room. The 18,000 points for a free night have a $180 purchase value. The “added value of a paid stay would be $35. Together, $180 + $35 = $215, the points value and the missed opportunity for “added value” from a paid stay, can be compared to the going room rate for a comparison of award value to paid stay value.

$180 + $35(added value, if paid stay) = $215 value of using PointStretcher Award. Even considering the “added value” of the HHonors points notearned for an award stay, the PointStretcher award option is still a higher value alternative than a paid stay.
Hilton Prague PointStretcher = $215/night
Hilton Paid Stay Nonrefundable internet-only rate = $235/night

The Conde Nast Traveler Gold List describes itself as the “Best Places to Stay in the World, selected by readers of Conde Nast Traveler.”

Loyalty Traveler has examined a subgroup from this list to determine the hotels which also are part of major hotel loyalty programs. These hotels have the attribute of being available using hotel points.

Europe

Hilton Gold List Hotels with links to CN Traveler ratings and description.
Reserve Hotels listed in the print magazine do not appear to be online.

Mount Juliet Conrad, County Kilkenny, Ireland
HHonors Category 6
Free night = 40,000 points/night or 175,000 points/6-nights

Rome Cavalieri Hilton, Rome, Italy 

HHonors Category 6
Free night = 40,000 points/night or 175,000 points/6-nights

Conrad Brussels, Belgium (Reserve List)
HHonors Category 5
Free night = 35,000 points/night or 150,000 points/6-nights

Conrad Istanbul, Turkey (Reserve List)
HHonors Category 4
Free night = 30,000 points/night or 150,000 points/6-nights
PointStretcher Awards for 18,000 points/night may be available
PointStretcher Dates Jan 1-12; Feb 10-17; Mar 9-16

Hilton Budapest, Hungary (Reserve List)
HHonors Category 5
Free night = 35,000 points/night or 150,000 points/6-nights
My wife commented recently that our stay at the Budapest Hilton was the best hotel room we ever had. That is a big claim. We stayed in the King Duna Suite on a PointStretcher award.

Hyatt Hotels available with Gold Passport Points

Park Hyatt, Milan, Italy
Gold Passport Category 5
Free night =18,000 points

Park Hyatt, Zurich, Switzerland
Gold Passport Category 5
Free night =18,000 points

Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome, Paris, France (Reserve List)
Gold Passport Category 5
Free night =18,000 points

InterContinental Hotels Group

InterContinental Carlton, Cannes, France
Priority Club Rewards Free Night = 40,000 points

Ceylan InterContinental, Istanbul, Turkey
Priority Club Rewards Free Night = 40,000 points

InterContinental Amstel, Amsterdam, Netherlands (Reserve List)
Priority Club Rewards Free Night = 40,000 points

Marriott Corporation Brands

JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel, Bucharest, Romania
Marriott Rewards Category 4
Free night = 20,000 points/night to 105,000 points/7-night stay

JW Marriott Tiberio Palace, Capri, Italy
Marriott Rewards Category 7
Free night = 35,000 points/night to 150,000 points/7-night stay

Marriott Berlin, Germany
Marriott Rewards Category 5
Free night = 25,000 points/night to 115,000 points/7-night stay

Renaissance Chancery Court, London, UK
Marriott Rewards Category 7
Free night = 35,000 points/night to 150,000 points/7-night stay

Ritz-Carlton Berlin, Germany
Marriott Rewards Tier 1 Partner Hotel Award
Free Nights = 45,000 points/night to 175,000 points/7-night stay (25,000 points/night)

Ritz-Carlton Hotel Arts, Barcelona, Spain
Marriott Rewards Tier 2 Partner Hotel Award
Free Nights = 70,000 points/night to 250,000 points/7-night stay (35,714 points/night)

Starwood Hotels Brands

Le Meridien Beach Plaza, Monte Carlo, Monaco
SPG Category 5
Free Nights = 12,000-16,000 points/night or 48,000 – 64,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $90 + 4,800 points/night

Le Meridien, Vienna, Austria
SPG Category 4
Free Nights = 10,000 points/night or 40,000 points/5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $60 + 4,000 points

Le Royal Meridien Bristol, Warsaw, Poland
SPG Category 3
Free Nights = 7,000 points/night or 28,000 points/5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $45 + 2,800 points

Hotel Imperial, The Luxury Collection, Vienna, Austria
SPG Category 6
Free Nights = 20,000-25,000 points/night or 80,000 – 100,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $150 + 8,000 points/night

Hotel Kamp, The Luxury Collection, Helsinki, Finland
SPG Category 5
Free Nights = 12,000-16,000 points/night or 48,000 – 64,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $90 + 4,800 points/night

Hotel Villa Cipriana, The Luxury Collection, Asolo, Italy
SPG Category 4
Free Nights = 10,000 points/night or 40,000 points/5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $60 + 4,000 points

Hotel Bristol, The Luxury Collection, Vienna, Austria
SPG Category 5
Free Nights = 12,000-16,000 points/night or 48,000 – 64,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $90 + 4,800 points/night

Hotel Alfonso XIII, The Luxury Collection, Seville, Spain
SPG Category 6
Free Nights = 20,000-25,000 points/night or 80,000 – 100,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $150 + 8,000 points/night

Hotel Maria Cristina, The Luxury Collection, San Sebastian, Spain
SPG Category 5
Free Nights = 12,000-16,000 points/night or 48,000 – 64,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $90 + 4,800 points/night

Hotel Grande Bretagne, The Luxury Collection, Athens, Greece
SPG Category 5
Free Nights = 12,000-16,000 points/night or 48,000 – 64,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $90 + 4,800 points/night

Hotel Gritti Palace, The Luxury Collection, Venice, Italy
SPG Category 7
Free Nights = 30,000-35,000 points/night or 120,000 – 140,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = Not Available

Hotel Goldener Hirsch, Salzburg, Austria
SPG Category 5
Free Nights = 12,000-16,000 points/night or 48,000 – 64,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $90 + 4,800 points/night

Westin Palace, Madrid, Spain
SPG Category 5
Free Nights = 12,000-16,000 points/night or 48,000 – 64,000/ 5-night stay Cash & Points Night = $90 + 4,800 points/night

Westin Excelsior, Florence, Italy
SPG Category 6
Free Nights = 20,000-25,000 points/night or 80,000 – 100,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $150 + 8,000 points/night

Westin Europe & Regina, Venice, Italy
SPG Category 5
Free Nights = 12,000-16,000 points/night or 48,000 – 64,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $90 + 4,800 points/night

Westin Turnberry Resort, Ayrshire, Scotland, UK
SPG Category 5
Free Nights = 12,000-16,000 points/night or 48,000 – 64,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $90 + 4,800 points/night

The Lanesborough, St. Regis Hotel, London, England, UK
(This Starwood Hotel does not participate in SPG loyalty program).

Blue Palace Resort & Spa, The Luxury Collection, Crete, Greece (Reserve List)
SPG Category 6
Free Nights = 20,000-25,000 points/night or 80,000 – 100,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $150 + 8,000 points/night

Hotel Cala di Volpe, The Luxury Collection, Porto Cervo, Sardinia, Italy (Reserve List)
SPG Category 7
Free Nights = 30,000-35,000 points/night or 120,000 – 140,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = Not Available

St. Regis Grand, Rome, Italy (Reserve List)
SPG Category 6
Free Nights = 20,000-25,000 points/night or 80,000 – 100,000/ 5-night stay Cash & Points Night = $150 + 8,000 points/night

Westin Excelsior, Rome, Italy (Reserve List)
SPG Category 6
Free Nights = 20,000-25,000 points/night or 80,000 – 100,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $150 + 8,000 points/night

Hotel Points Exchange Rate Theory

A common question is “How much are hotel points worth?”

A frequent guest wants a variety of strategies for reducing the cost of a hotel stay. Your choices are dictated primarily by the investment of time you are willing to make to find the best deal. Traveling with a big picture view of your frequent hotel stay plan allows you to consider a variety of strategies to find lower hotel rates. A knowledge base of the different ways to earn hotel points combined with knowing your options for hotel points redemption is the basis for understanding and applying Hotel Points Exchange Rate Theory.

Hotel Points Exchange Rate Theory
Principle #1

Hotel Points have real value only when redeemed, or exchanged for an item in lieu of cash.

Principle # 2

Hotel points sitting in an account only have potential value.

Principle #3

The potential value of your hotel points is not a constant value.

[Note: The Hotel Points Exchange Rate Theory is my own Loyalty Traveler construct so you won't find it in Wikipedia]

Hotel loyalty program changes throughout the membership year due to factors such as hotel category classification changes, hotel redemption changes or promotions, and special offers using hotel points creates a dynamic potential value for hotel points that rises and falls as redemption exchange rates and conditions change.

Applying the Theory in Consumer Hotel Travel

What is the value of 25,000 Priority Club points?

The cost to buy 20,000 Priority Club points is $200. There is a 20,000 point purchase limit per calendar year. If extrapolated, 25,000 points has $250 value based on simple purchase price of points through Priority Club. This is the elementary answer to value of points.

What is the potential value of 25,000 Priority Club points?

The potential value of hotel points is a range depending on money saved at time of redemption. 25,000 hotel points will have no value if they are never redeemed and expire from member’s account. 25,000 hotel points may have a value of $500 or more if redeemed for an award with that purchase price using cash.

Principle # 3 is the focus of my hotel loyalty program work.

The potential value of hotel points is dependent on the exchange rate when you decide to use them. My work involves keeping track of current exchange rates and sharing my analysis of the more favorable exchanges for your hotel points.

Enough with the theory.

Here is how Exchange Rate applies to real world hotel travel:

The simple value of 30,000 hotel points is $300. The potential value depends on timing and location.

Two examples of timing and location:

Example 1: Priority Club advertises the program feature allowing a member to use Priority Club hotel points for any hotel anywhere. The fact is true, but the details show the real value of hotel points. 29,000 hotel points can be exchanged for a $100 American Express gift card.
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/pc/1/en/c/2/content/dec/pc/0/en/points/us/anyhotel.html
This is a poor hotel points exchange rate. The potential value of 30,000 Priority Club hotel points is much higher than $100 if used differently.

Example 2 Scenario:

Michael Palin’s Eastern Europe travelogue made Romania look like an interesting destination. 30,000 Priority Club points have been sitting in a traveler’s account.

Will 30,000 points get a free night in Bucharest, Romania?

There happen to be two IHG hotels in Bucharest, the Crowne Plaza and the InterContinental. The security of a major hotel in a large foreign city is comforting. The hotel points exchange rate needs to be compared for different options at these hotels to determine which hotel offers the best value for 30,000 points.

First, look at the redemption levels for the two hotels.

Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and Starwood all categorize hotels by a number system to determine the amount of points for a free hotel night.

Priority Club structures hotel redemption by hotel brand and there is only variation in the redemption point level for InterContinental, Holiday Inn, and Holiday Inn Express hotels. Some InterContinental Hotels require 40,000 points, while others are only 30,000 points. All Crowne Plaza hotels are 25,000 points for a free night standard redemption.

InterContinental Bucharest takes 30,000 points for a free night. My simple value calculation tells me that my points are worth $250 to use 25,000 points for the Crowne Plaza or $300 to use 30,000 points for a night at the InterContinental.

Second, check the hotel room rates for anticipated date of arrival to see if they are above or below the simple value of $250 per night for Crowne Plaza or $300 per night for InterContinental.

Hotel rates for April 15, 2008
Crowne Plaza, Bucharest is 743 RON/night (Romanian New Lei) = $299 USD/night +12% tax
InterContinental Bucharest is 300€/night = $437/night + 12% tax

The InterContinental Bucharest appears to be a better value with a hotel points exchange rate value of close to $500 for the 30,000 points. (Award nights generally include the hotel tax in the award redemption.)

Depending on my time I may have stopped my analysis here, checked some hotel reviews, and booked the InterContinental. (TripAdvisor shows Crowne Plaza ranks #8, however only 4 hotel reviews which is too low for statistical validity in my opinion, and the InterContinental ranks #10).

When you check hotel points redemption for Bucharest you should find that the Crowne Plaza has a PointBreaks special redemption offer available for April 15, 2008 for only 5,000 points.

Priority Club PointBreaks Hotel Award- 5,000 hotel points for a free night. http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/pc/1/en/c/2/content/dec/pc/0/en/points/us/hre/pointbreaks.html?rateCode=IVANI

The potential value of Priority Club hotel points redeemed for the Crowne Plaza has increased to about $335 for 5,000 points compared to the potential value of $500 for 30,000 points used for a free night at the InterContinental. The real value of the hotel points exchange is $67/1,000 points if redeemed at the Crowne Plaza, Bucharest using a PointBreaks award compared to the real value of $17/1,000 points if redeemed for a free night at the InterContinental Bucharest.

The value of 30,000 Priority Club hotel points potentially is over $2,000 if used for a 6-night stay at the Crowne Plaza Bucharest.

Hotel Points Exchange Rate Theory shows there is no real value of hotel points until they are redeemed. Points only have potential value when sitting in a member’s account. The real value of hotel points when redeemed is all a matter of timing and location.

The Loyalty Traveler seeks out and writes about the higher potential values for hotel points.

Le Meridien San Francisco, center and to left of pyramid TransAmerica building.

This hotel was formerly a Park Hyatt.

I was looking back at the Le Meridien Journey for free nights promotion running from December 1, 2007 through March 31, 2008. I drafted a piece December 13th and from this draft developed a piece for the December Hotels-and-Points report. The Le Meridien promotion is a 5-star promotional opportunity for free nights.

There have been some changes in the terms and conditions of the promotion since I wrote the December pieces. One major change is good — Le Meridien Cambridge in Boston, Massachusetts is listed as a participating property. I have tried to update the articles to reflect changes.

The main point for rehashing these pieces is I believe this is one of the best SPG promotions we will likely have this year. There are still 7 weeks to get your Le Meridien 7 stays to maximize the offer. There is a high value benefit relative to the cost of maximizing this offer.

Offer: (Free nights may be redeemed at most Le Meridien hotels through Mar 31, 2009.)

· Earn one free night after first 3 stays at Le Meridien hotels

· Earn one more night after 5 stays at Le Meridien hotels (2 free nights total)

· Earn two more nights after 7 stays at Le Meridien hotels (4 free nights total)

Dates: Le Meridien hotel stays through March 31, 2008, participating hotels only

Brands: Starwood Le Meridien Hotels—View list for participating properties as most hotels in the brand are eligible, but some properties are not participating.
Le Meriden participating hotels

Registration link: https://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/promotions/registration/landing_page.html?promoID=LEM

Starwood Category 6 Hotels cost 20,000 to 25,000 per free night using points. Opportunities to earn free nights at a Starwood Category 6 hotel do not come around often which makes the Le Meridien-brand promotion for up to 4 free nights after 7 Le Meridien stays an intriguing offer.

The frequent guest needs to get to San Francisco, Boston, Miami, Cancun, Toronto, or Montreal if you want to do the promotion in North America. These are the participating Le Meridien hotels for stays qualifying for the free nights.

Sample rates for North American hotels for this Saturday, February 16, 2008

Le Meridien Cambridge, Boston, Massachusetts $189

Le Meridien Cancun, Mexico $238

Le Meridien Sunny Isles Beach, Miami, Florida $319
(Rate for Feb 21; No Availability for Feb 16.)

Le Meridien Versailles, Montreal, Quebec, Canada $159 CAD

Le Meridien San Francisco $289

Le Meridien King Edward, Toronto, Ontario, Canada $179 CAD

View of North Beach and cruise ship arrival at dawn, May 2007

Le Meridien San Francisco 22nd floor

The following piece is an idea seed for people who have the time and inclination to plan an international Le Meridien getaway for March. When I wrote this in December, I took the time to actually plan a schedule and go through the reservations process to find out the total hotel cost for 7 stays in Germany over a two-week period. This methodology allowed me to see how to plan the routing around Germany to plan for lowest cumulative cost of the hotel nights. Laying out the daily rates for all the hotels in the country allowed me to visualize an itinerary where the trip would take the traveler to Nuremberg when the price for a room at the Le Meridien was under 100 Euros and avoid Cologne when the price was over 300 Euros.

Airfare is still relatively low for travel to Europe in March and the hotel prices are not prohibitive, even when paying in Euros.

A Le Meridien Romance 7-stay (days) planner

Some people look at the Le Meridien promotion and think “No good for me!” San Francisco, Boston, and Miami are the only participating hotels in the USA and I don’t live near these places. A weekend in Canada doesn’t help me get 7 stays.

Loyalty Travelers think outside the box.

Do you want to visit Germany and drink beer in Munich and Nuremberg? Try a late winter/early spring volksmarch in the forest hills and river valley villages of Bavaria.

Do Egyptology and the Pyramids rock you? Sunning in the Seychelles or Bora Bora your fantasy? A week in a 5-star London hotel your cup of tea?

Le Meridien hotel chain was originally established by Air France in 1972. A couple of years ago Starwood purchased the hotel chain and has worked to integrate and showcase the unique flair these hotels offer to the Starwood frequent guest. I personally have stayed in 4 Le Meridien properties in San Francisco, Singapore, and the Netherlands, and I noticed a different style in each hotel that was interesting and memorable for each of my experiences.

Europe, particularly Germany and Italy, are the best represented region for Le Meridien hotels. Egypt is another location with multiple properties. The choice of several Le Meridien properties makes Egypt, Germany, or Italy a great vacation destination for fulfilling the Le Meridien 7-stay promotion requirements.

To reduce the frequency of changing hotels, a couple can book consecutive reservations under each individual’s name. In the past, I have booked one night under my name and the next night under my wife’s name. It might require changing rooms, but keep your loyalty program focus on the objective of earning free nights. Even with a room change possibility, the advantage of two nights in one hotel is a budget minded solution and both SPG members will earn credit as long as the reservations are maintained separately.

[Note: This hotel rate data is from Dec. 12, 2007] I checked a sample week of hotel rates from February 16-23 for Le Meridien hotels in Germany and found prices ranging from 80 Euros/night at Le Meridien Nuremberg and up to 199 Euros for Le Meridien Munich. My sample itinerary would cost about $225US/stay = $1,575 for 7 stays.

Use the points for a high-value hotel redemption such as 4 free nights for a hotel with lowest available rates around $400/night. This Le Meridien promotion allows a frequent guest to stay 11 nights for about $1,600. The fair market rate of $3,200 would be double the actual paid rate for the loyalty traveler who plans the promotion well.

[The math: Traveler pays $1,575 for 7 paid nights at Le Meridien hotels and earns 4 free nights with a $400/night value. $1,575 + $1,600 = $3,175 value received in hotel rooms.]

Egypt has four Le Meridien hotels and prices range from $90 to $130 per night on most dates I checked.

7 nights in hotels will cost about $225/night average. A couple can pay for 14 nights and earn 8 free nights for about $3,000. The free nights can be redeemed for rooms that you would not be able to get for under $400 per night otherwise, even if you had 50% off rack rate. Basically, you can have a two-week vacation in Europe and consider all of your hotel expenses to be credited and applied to a future luxury resort hotel vacation worth at least $3,000 for the 8 free nights in Le Meridien hotel resorts. There are several beach resort Le Meridien properties.

Le Meridien Singapore

Hotels-and-Points article excerpt:

Offer: (Free nights may be redeemed at most Le Meridien hotels through Mar 31, 2009.)
· Earn one free night after first 3 stays at Le Meridien hotels
· Earn one more night after 5 stays at Le Meridien hotels (2 free nights total)
· Earn two more nights after 7 stays at Le Meridien hotels (4 free nights total)
Dates: Le Meridien hotel stays through March 31, 2008, participating hotels only
Brands: Starwood Le Meridien Hotels—View list for participating properties as most hotels in the brand are eligible, but 11 properties are not participating.
Registration link: https://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/promotions/registration/landing_page.html?promoID=LEM

Voyage of Discovery Promotion

2008 is upon us and Starwood has the jump on the other hotel loyalty programs with the first “free nights” of the new year with a Le Meridien-brand promotion.

7 Stays at Le Meridien hotels earns 4 free nights.

Four nights are worth 80,000 to 100,000 points at a Category 6 hotel. This offer is potentially a huge bonus for 7 hotel stays. SPG Category 6 properties in Bora Bora, Seychelles, and London and several expensive Category 5 resorts that normally run about $400 to $500/night in peak season are participating in free nights redemption.

“You can earn the free nights up until 31st March 2008, but you have up until March 31, 2009 to utilize the free nights you earn.”

Potential Value of Le Meridien Free Nights used April 22-26, 2008

Nightly Low Rates for Luxury at these Le Meridien Hotels
(12-15-07 SPG.com)
Bora Bora, French Polynesia (SPG Category 6) 45,000 XPF = $543/night
Fisherman’s Cove, Seychelles (Indian Ocean)(SPG Category 6) 485€ = $698/night
Beach Plaza, Monte Carlo, Monaco (SPG Cat 5) 395€ = $567/night
London Piccadilly, United Kingdom (SPG Cat 6) 269 GBP = $544/night

Potential Value of Le Meridien Free Nights used July 22-26, 2008
Bora Bora, French Polynesia (SPG Category 6) 48,500 XPF = $585/night
Fisherman’s Cove, Seychelles (Indian Ocean)(SPG Category 6) 485€ = $698/night
Beach Plaza, Monte Carlo, Monaco (SPG Cat 5) 445€ = $641/night
London Piccadilly, United Kingdom (SPG Cat 6) 279 GBP = $564/night

Potential Value of Le Meridien Free Nights used October 12-16, 2008
Bora Bora, French Polynesia (SPG Category 6) 48,500 XPF = $585/night
Fisherman’s Cove, Seychelles (Indian Ocean)(SPG Category 6) 485€ = $698/night
Beach Plaza, Monte Carlo, Monaco (SPG Cat 5) 240€ = $346/night
London Piccadilly, United Kingdom (SPG Cat 6) 279 GBP = $564/night

The primary obstacle to fulfilling this promotion is the relatively small number of participating properties combined with the number of frequent stays to maximize the promotion for its potential value.

The challenge is to either travel to several places over the early months of 2008 or design a vacation to frequent Le Meridien hotels in one region over a week or two of vacation nights. There are only about 120 Le Meridien hotels worldwide. Only 6 hotels are located in North America. Miami, Cancun, and Guadeloupe, in the Caribbean, are all high season rates in winter. Le Meridien hotels in San Francisco, Toronto, and Montreal have hotel rates from $130 to $230 for many dates.

Europe is feasible for hotel hopping this winter with Germany, France, Portugal, and Italy having sufficient hotels at reasonable rates to travel within a region and limit the geographical distance traveling between hotels.

A tour of Le Meridien hotels in Asia can find reasonable rates in Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore. Egypt’s three Le Meridien hotels have lowest average rates in the world.

Winter time in the urban centers of Germany may not be the “Sound of Music” vision you had for a European vacation, but keep the objective in mind of luxury free nights. Stay 7 nights bouncing around western Germany, north and south. Your Le Meridien hotel hopping can take you to Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Munich, Nuremberg, Cologne, and Hamburg. (Sorry, no LMs in eastern Germany). Plan a two-week trip for a couple and earn 8 free nights and then stay at expensive Le Meridien resort hotels for your next vacation in 2008.
Flights are abundant and airfare is low this winter to Germany. Plan on an average nightly rate of about $225 for your 7 stays. About $1,600 for 7 one-night stays.

A couple spending $3,000 to $4,000 for hotel nights to maximize this promotion can earn another $3,000 to $4,000 in free hotel nights—a two-for-one. A couple can earn 8 free nights for a Le Meridien island resort like Bora Bora, Sardinia, or the Seychelles with a value of $500-$700 per night. Essentially, you can earn free trophy travel by taking a winter European vacation tour with Le Meridien hotels guiding your locations.

Le Meridien Des Indes, The Hague, Netherlands  July 2006

Three participating Le Meridien Hotels are in the United States. Sunny Isles Beach, Miami, Florida is in high season with rates regularly $300+. Le Meridien San Francisco is in the low season months and rooms are as low as $129 in December, and $209 rates available many dates in Jan to March. Le Meridien Cambridge, Boston has rates under $200 on some nights.