Over the next few weeks I will compare aspects of different hotel loyalty programs. While it is easy to look at the different websites and compare member benefits, the proportion of hotel brands and their market segment as a proportion of hotels participating in a hotel loyalty program tends not to be as well known.

Hotel Chain Scales are used by hotel industry analysts at STR.com to segment hotel brands into luxury, upper-upscale, upscale, upper midscale, midscale and economy categories.

The largest hotel loyalty programs for the US are Hilton, Marriott and IHG in terms of the size and broad range of hotels in different market segments. Wyndham Rewards, Choice Privileges and Best Western Rewards are comparable megachain hotels, but there are far fewer hotels in the upscale to luxury segments in these three brands. Starwood (1,100 hotels) and Hyatt (500 hotels) have a high proportion of upscale to luxury hotel brands in their portfolios, however, the number of hotels are far fewer in these chains and not as useful for travelers needing wide geographic coverage.

Hotel Brands and Market Segments

What is a luxury hotel or an upper-upscale hotel?

Price is generally the defining line between hotel market segments. I do not work in the hotel industry and I am an amateur analyst interpreting numbers from hotel industry data. STRGlobal.com provides industry data reports and I gather statistical data about the hotel industry regularly from the free data provided online.

STR has a list of hotel brands in different chain scale segments based on the average room rate data for thousands of hotels worldwide.

This post uses the 2011 STR US Chain Scales  along with the latest hotel properties data for each brand from the hotel chain’s websites to compare market segments for hotel brands of Hilton, IHG and Marriott.

Basically I want to see how the hotels in Hilton, IHG and Marriott segment out in each chain and compare to each other when looking at the number of luxury, upscale and midscale hotels in each hotel loyalty program.

Hilton Worldwide Hotel Brands with Market Segment and Number of Hotels

• Hilton Worldwide has 3,712 hotels in this list, but this is only an estimate. New hotels open every few days.The percentage of hotels in each brand is listed in ( ).
• Conrad Hotels (luxury) = 18 hotels (<1%).
• Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts (luxury) = 23 hotels (<1%).
• Hilton Hotels and Resorts (upper upscale) = 540 hotels (15%) in 78 countries including 70 Resorts.
• Embassy Suites (upper upscale) = 201 hotels (5%) with 193 in US and 8 international.
• Hilton Grand Vacations (upper upscale) = 50 properties (1%).
• DoubleTree by Hilton (upscale) = 250 hotels (7%) in 17 countries.
• Homewood Suites (upscale – extended stay) = 309 hotels (8%) in North America.
• Hilton Garden Inn (upscale) = 515 hotels (14%) with 130 in development.
• Hampton Inn (upper midscale) = 1,800 hotels (48%) with more than 1,700 in US and growing international expansion recently.
• Home2 Suites (upper midscale – extended stay) = 6 hotels (<1%).

Marriott International Hotel Brands with Market Segment and Number of Hotels

• 3,747 properties in 13 brands in 72 countries. This total does not include Marriott Executive Apartments which earn Marriott Rewards points, but are extended stay contracted properties and not a typical hotel stay.
• Ritz-Carlton (luxury) = 81 hotels (2%).
• JW Marriott (luxury) = 62 hotels (2%).
• Marriott Hotels & Resorts (upper upscale) = 521 hotels (14%).
• Renaissance (upper upscale) = 160 hotels (4%).
• Autograph Collection (upper upscale) = 29 hotels (<1%).
• Marriott Vacation Club (upper upscale) = 59 properties (2%).
• Marriott Conference Centers (upper upscale) = 7 hotels (<1%).
• Courtyard (upscale) = 926 hotels (25%).
• AC Hotels (upscale) = 82 hotels mostly in Spain (2%).
• SpringHill Suites (upscale – extended stay) = 299 hotels (8%).
• Residence Inn (upscale – extended stay) = 627 hotels (17%).
• Fairfield Inn (upper midscale) = 689 hotels (18%).
• TownePlace Suites (upper midscale – extended stay)= 205 hotels (5%).

InterContinental Hotels Group

• 4,452 hotels (as of September 2011)
• InterContinental Hotels (luxury) = 171 hotels (4%).
• Crowne Plaza (upscale) =  401 hotels (9%).
• Hotel Indigo (upscale) =  38 hotels (<1%).
• Staybridge Suites (upscale – extended stay) = 195 hotels (4%).
• Holiday Inn (upper midscale) = 1,238 hotels (28%).
• Holiday Inn Express (upper midscale) = 2,103 hotels (47%) with 1,866 in Americas.
• Candlewood Suites (midscale) = 300 hotels (7%).
• Holiday Inn Club Vacations = 6 properties (<1%).

I have some issue with the broad segmentation of Crowne Plaza and DoubleTree as Upscale rather than Upper Upscale for some locations and Holiday Inn as Upper Midscale for some locations where the Holiday Inn is more upscale.  Keep in mind in the real world of travel there will be some Crowne Plaza and DoubleTree hotels that will be just as nice or better than the nearby Marriott, Hilton or Embassy Suites.

How the hotel chains stack up when brands are compared by market segment.

Luxury market segment

• IHG = 171 hotels (InterContinental)
• Marriott = 143 hotels (Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott)
• Hilton = 41 hotels (Conrad, Waldorf Astoria)

Upper Upscale market segment

• Hilton = 791 hotels (Hilton, Embassy Suites, Hilton Grand Vacations)
• Marriott = 776 hotels (Marriott, Renaissance, Autograph Collection, Marriott Vacation Club)
• IHG = 0 hotels (based on STR chain scale rankings, but in reality many Crowne Plaza hotels are upper upscale).

Upscale market segment

• Marriott = 1,934 hotels (Courtyard, Residence Inn, AC Hotels)
• Hilton = 1,074 (Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites, DoubleTree)
• IHG = 634 hotels (Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Staybridge Suites)

Upper Midscale market segment

• IHG = 3,341 hotels (Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express)
• Hilton = 1,806 (Hampton Inn)
• Marriott = 894 (Fairfield Inn, TownePlace Suites)

Midscale market segment

• IHG = 300 (Candlewood Suites)

The key point here is to consider what market segment you desire for your travels. IHG Priority Club will tend to be lower room rates, but Priority Club does not offer frequent guest elite members the level of defined benefits provided by Hilton HHonors or Marriott Rewards to their md-tier and top-tier elite members.

Another point to add is the practice of placing branded hotels in the same chain adjacent to each other. This is really common with Marriott where Courtyard and Residence Inn are literally adjacent hotels in many places. I have seen three Marriott properties in the same location in places. Geographic coverage is not as extensive as you might think when all the locations with multiple properties are considered. On the other hand, the placement of hotels in the same chain next to each other makes hotel hopping for loyalty promotion stay credit an easy task when you want to earn free Marriott MegaBonus nights.

Comparison of hotel loyalty program benefits across these hotel brands will be discussed in future posts.

Marriott Hotels has several promotion offers for gift cards now through January 8, 2012. Gift card shipping is $1 for U.S. addresses.

10% Bonus on Marriott Gift Card Value

Amtrak promotion code AMT or Marriott Associate Friends & Family promotion code MMT both offer 10% added value to a Marriott Gift Card. You can purchase any gift card amount from $25 and up. The 10% added value means the actual value on the card will be $1,100 when you pay $1,000 for a gift card.

Earn 10 Marriott Rewards points per dollar for buying Gift Cards - up to 25,000 bonus points.

Another gift card promotion offers 10 Marriott Rewards points per dollar in gift card value purchased, up to 25,000 bonus points. This could be a better than 10% value depending on how you use points. There are Ritz-Carlton Hotels for 30,000 points per night that are more than $300 per night.

Hertz Rental Car Marriott Gift Card Offer 

Get $50 Hertz rental car voucher with $250 Marriott Gift Card purchase. Promotion code = Hertz.

Save 10% on Marriott VacationCards and earn up to 10,000 Delta Skymiles bonus miles.

A Marriott VacationCard promotion with Delta Airlines gives a 10% discount in the cost of a $1,000 or $2,000 VacationCard and 1,000 Delta Skymiles bonus miles for each $1,000 in VacationCard value, up to 10,000 bonus miles. This offer is only available through January 1, 2012.

What is the difference between Marriott Gift Card and Marriott VacationCard?

See this FlyerTalk thread where Counsellor posted the difference between Marriott Gift Cards and VacationCards.

This is a reminder that October 31, 2011 is the last day you can register for Marriott Rewards MegaBonus offer. The main offer is one free night at a category 1-4 hotel after two hotel stays paid with VISA (any VISA credit card) between September 15 and January 15, 2012.

This offer is one of the highest value hotel promotions currently available, especially if you just need two one-night hotel stays over the next 11 weeks. Hotel rates during the Thanksgiving week, Christmas/New Year’s week and the second week of January are typically among the lowest hotel rates of the year in many locations, particularly where hotels are business traveler oriented like many urban centers.

I think of this offer as the opportunity to spend $100 at two hotels and get a free certificate that might be a $200 value at some other Marriott hotel. The certificate received after two hotel stays is valid only for the lowest four hotel reward categories, but Marriott is bottom heavy meaning a large percentage of the 3,400+ hotels in Marriott are in these four lowest reward categories in Marriott Rewards eight categories of hotel rewards.

Register online or call 1-888-627-7468 and register by phone through October 31, 2011. You must have your account earning preference set to “points” to see the Fall MegaBonus promotion offer.

Here is my Loyalty Traveler post on the MegaBonus promotion from August 16.

Marriott Rewards More Stays, More Miles

For guests who do not use Visa, there is also the Marriott Rewards “More Stays, More Miles” offer. This offer does not require a Visa payment. There is also no registration deadline for Marriott’s Miles promotion.

Earn up to 30,000 bonus miles starting with 1,000 miles on your second stay, 1,500 miles on 3rd and 4th stays and 2,000 bonus miles on additional stays through December 31, 2011. Here is my Loyalty traveler August 31 write-up on Marriott’s miles offer.

Marriott Rewards members choosing miles instead of points have the option to earn up to 30,000 bonus miles for hotel stays from September 1-December 31, 2011. Unlike MegaBonus, this promotion does not require VISA payment. There are six participating airlines and members must select one of these partners when registering for this bonus miles promotion:

• Delta Airlines SkyMiles
• United Airlines Mileage Plus
• British Airways Executive Club
• Lufthansa Miles & More
• GOL/Varig Smiles
• LanPass

Bonus miles earning begins with the second stay after September 1 based on the following earning chart.

• Stay 1 = regular base miles of 2 miles/$1 (JW Marriott, Marriott, Renaissance, Ritz-Carlton, Edition, Autograph Collection) or 1 mile/$1 at Courtyard, Residence Inn, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites, TownePlace Suites).
• Stay 2 = Base Miles + 1,000 bonus miles.
• Stay 3 = Base Miles + 1,500 bonus miles.
• Stay 4 = Base Miles + 1,500 bonus miles.
• Stays 5 to 17 = Base Miles + 2,000 bonus miles.
• Maximum 30,000 bonus miles is reached after 17 stays.
• All Marriott brands worldwide, including Ritz-Carlton participate in this promotion. LT Note: the new Marriott AC brand in Europe is not listed on the Marriott miles earning page or in this promotion’s terms.

Loyalty Traveler Analysis:

This “More Stays, More Miles” offer is an alternative promotion to the Marriott Megabonus for Fall 2011 running Sep 15, 2011 to Jan 15, 2012 for members who choose to earn miles. This miles promotion does not require VISA card payment. Your Marriott Rewards account earning preference must be set to miles rather than points to view this offer.

New members must enroll in Marriott Rewards and existing members must register for this promotion either online at www.MarriottRewards.com/MoreStays-MoreMiles or via the Marriott Rewards service center in the U.S. and Canada at 800-859-0686.

The primary points offer for Marriott’s MegaBonus is a possibility of one free night at a category 1 to 4 hotel after two stays, with a maximum bonus of two free nights after four stays when payment is VISA. You must register for MegaBonus by October 31.

MegaBonus is a targeted offer and Marriott Rewards frequent guests are likely to have a points based offer for 15 to 25 nights. There is also a version awarding 5,000 points every two stays. Here is my August 16 Loyalty Traveler post on Marriott MegaBonus.

Since Marriott Rewards members must choose between earning either points or miles and members have the ability to switch earning preference between stays, there may be potential to earn both MegaBonus and More Stays, More Miles bonuses by switching earning preference from miles to points during the overlapping promotion period of Sep 15-Dec 31 for these two offers.

I’d love to hear Marriott Rewards member input about the feasibility of earning miles for some stays, switching to points and earning MegaBonus credit for some stays, and switching back to miles again for other stays. Does it work to switch earning preference and alternate between a miles promotion and points promotion with Marriott Rewards for different stays?

Marriott Rewards More Stays, More Miles for up to 30,000 miles Sep 1-Dec 31, 2011

Marriott Rewards Megabonus from September 15, 2011 - January 15, 2012 offers most “low stay activity” members the opportunity to earn one free night after two Marriott brand stays paid with VISA for a maximum of two earned free nights at Category 1-4 hotels for redemption from September 15, 2011 – May 31, 2012.

Paid with VISA means any VISA card is acceptable. You do not need to use a cobranded Marriott Rewards Visa card.

MegaBonus promotion registration is required by October 31, 2011.

Why I like Marriott Rewards MegaBonus for my primary backup promotion.

Not all Marriott Rewards members receive the targeted two stays earns one free night offer. Infrequent guests with Marriott typically get the free night as a default offer. More active Marriott Rewards members may have a targetted points version for meeting a nights threshold.

This Loyalty Traveler post is written for people like me who rarely stay at Marriott Hotels. Marriott Rewards MegaBonus is a high value rebate for the infrequent Marriott Rewards guest.

This is the third Marriott Rewards MegaBonus promotion for 2011. Marriott Rewards does not seem to put a whole lot of effort in designing clever promotions since MegaBonus has basically been the same deal all year for the infrequent guest with two stays earns one free night at a category 1 to category 4 hotel for a maximum of two free nights during the promotion.

Marriott Rewards is my primary backup hotel plan.

This is the third time this promotion has run in 2011 providing an opportunity to earn 6 free nights with just 12 paid nights at Marriott brand hotels. The redemption restriction of category 1 to 4 hotels in the Marriott Rewards system prevents using the free nights in many major cities where most hotels are category 5 or 6 and the top of line resorts and luxury hotels at category 7 and 8. But there are plenty of $200 per night hotel redemption opportunities in the category 4 hotels and it is quite easy to earn a free night with Marriott Rewards MegaBonus for less than $200 with two one-night sub-$100 rates.

Marriott MegaBonus 2011 #1 – Earn February 1-April 30, 2011. Redeem free nights by September 30, 2011. Register by March 31, 2011.

Marriott MegaBonus 2011 #2 – Earn June 1-August 31, 2011. Redeem free nights by December 31, 2011. Register by June 30, 2011.

Despite Marriott Rewards being two-time Hotel Program of the Year in the Americas winner at the Frequent Traveler Awards 2010 and 2011, my stays at Marriott brand hotels are rather infrequent. I like the Marriott brand hotels I visit and I have seen plenty of new build Fairfield Inn properties alongside the new Holiday Inn Express and Hampton Inn hotels dotting the American landscape.

I only have need for so many hotel nights in a year and Marriott takes 50 nights to reach mid-tier Gold elite. Most hotel loyalty programs offer routes to top elite level with high value benefits for far fewer hotel nights in a year. That makes Marriott Rewards a backup program for me. Free nights are a valuable asset to have in reserve and Marriott Rewards free nights are easily earned with MegaBonus. Marriott currently has more than 3,000 hotels in the USA and over 500 international hotels with plenty of choices for paid and free nights.

Marriott Rewards MegaBonus is a recurring promotion for infrequent Marriott Rewards guests to earn one free night after two hotel stays.

Other targetted variations of MegaBonus promotion offer bonus points with VISA payment. Here are some other offers posted on FlyerTalk.

• 5,000 bonus points every second stay, up to 20,000 bonus points (8 stays) - Marriott Rewards Platinum member.
• 25,000 bonus points after 15 paid nights + additional 15,000 bonus points after 20 nights – Marriott Rewards Platinum member.
• 35,000 bonus points after 20 paid nights + additional 15,000 bonus points after 25 nights – Marriott Rewards Platinum member.

Finding the Fall MegaBonus promotion:

Register online or call 1-888-627-7468 and register by phone through October 31, 2011. You must have your account earning preference set to “points” to see the Fall MegaBonus promotion offer. When I did not see this offer last week I checked my account and saw it was set to miles. Once I changed my account earning preference to points the Fall MegaBonus offer for one free night after two stays paid with VISA showed up immediately in “Promotion Central” under “My Account”.

Loyalty Traveler Promotion Rating = 4 keys out of 5. This is my primary backup promotion for a high value rebate when I can’t find higher value in any other hotel program. Over the course of 2011 it has been possible to stay 12 nights and earn six free nights. Marriott Silver elite requires only 10 nights in Marriott Rewards and earns 20% bonus points for hotel stays.

Marriott Rewards MegaBonus Fall 2011 - Earn one free night after two stays.

Marriott Resorts offers an “Endless Summer” value package at 30 properties that might be a good value package for hotel stays from August 1 through September 16, 2011. Endless Summer packages are promotional code rate ZXO available at 30 select hotels for bookings made by September 11. The package includes:

• breakfast for two adults and up to two children under 12 in same room
• $50 resort credit per room night
• room or view upgrade based on availability

Participating Hotels:

Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa

• 5350 East Marriott Drive
• Phoenix, Arizona 85054

• From $149-$319
• Check Availability

Scottsdale

JW Marriott Camelback Inn® Scottsdale Resort & Spa

• 5402 East Lincoln Drive
• Scottsdale, Arizona 85253
• From $139-$339
• Check Availability

Tucson

JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa

• 3800 W. Starr Pass Boulevard
• Tucson, Arizona 85745
• From $149-$299
• Check Availability

California

Coronado

Coronado Island Marriott Resort & Spa

• 2000 Second Street
• Coronado, California 92118
• From $269
• Check Availability

Indian Wells

Renaissance Esmeralda Indian Wells Resort & Spa

• 44-400 Indian Wells Lane
• Indian Wells, California 92210
• From $129-$229
• Check Availability

Los Angeles

JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE

• 900 West Olympic Boulevard
• Los Angeles, California 90015
• From $219
• Check Availability

Palm Desert

JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa

• 74-855 Country Club Drive
• Palm Desert, California 92260
• From $129-$329
• Check Availability

Sonoma

The Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort & Spa

• 1325 Broadway at Leveroni & Napa Roads
• Sonoma, California 95476
• From $309-$329
• Check Availability

Colorado
Vail

Vail Marriott Mountain Resort & Spa

• 715 West Lionshead Circle
• Vail, Colorado 81657
• From $159-$219
• Check Availability

Florida

Fort Lauderdale

Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa

• 3030 Holiday Drive
• Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33316
• From $269-$379
• Check Availability

Fort Myers

Sanibel Harbour Marriott Resort & Spa

• 17260 Harbour Pointe Drive
• Fort Myers, Florida 33908
• From $159-$239
• Check Availability

Key Largo

Key Largo Bay Marriott Beach Resort

• 103800 Overseas Highway, MM 103.8
• Key Largo, Florida 33037
• From $189
• Check Availability

Marco Island

Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort, Golf Club & Spa

• 400 South Collier Boulevard
• Marco Island, Florida 34145
• From $239-$379
• Check Availability

Miami

Doral Golf Resort & Spa, A Marriott Resort

• 4400 NW 87th Avenue
• Miami, Florida 33178
• From $184-$234
• Check Availability

Miami Beach

Eden Roc Renaissance Miami Beach

• 4525 Collins Avenue
• Miami Beach, Florida 33140
• From $259-$399
• Check Availability

Orlando

JW MarriottOrlando Grande Lakes®

• 4040 Central Florida Parkway
• Orlando, Florida 32837
• From $239-$369
• Check Availability

Orlando World Center Marriott

• 8701 World Center Drive
• Orlando, Florida 32821
• From $224-$374
• Check Availability

Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld®

• 6677 Sea Harbor Drive
• Orlando, Florida 32821
• From $169-$269
• Check Availability

Panama City Beach

Bay Point Marriott Golf Resort & Spa

• 4200 Marriott Drive
• Panama City Beach, Florida 32408
• From $139-$219
• Check Availability

Ponte Vedra Beach

Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa

• 1000 PGA Tour Boulevard
• Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida 32082
• From $129-$179
• Check Availability

Singer Island Riviera Beach

Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa

• 3800 North Ocean Drive
• Singer Island Riviera Beach, Florida 33404
• From $259-$384
• Check Availability

Stuart

Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort & Marina

• 555 NE Ocean Boulevard
• Stuart, Florida 34996
• From $165-$215
• Check Availability

Hawaii

• Honolulu – Oahu
• Kapolei – Oahu
• Lihue – Kauai
• Waikoloa
• Wailea – Maui

Honolulu – Oahu

Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa

• 2552 Kalakaua Avenue
• Honolulu – Oahu, Hawaii 96815
• From $354
• Check Availability

Kapolei – Oahu

JW Marriott Ihilani Ko Olina Resort & Spa

• 92-1001 Olani Street
• Kapolei – Oahu, Hawaii 96707
• From $399
• Check Availability

Lihue – Kauai

Kaua’i Marriott Resort

• Kalapaki Beach, 3610 Rice Street
• Lihue – Kauai, Hawaii 96766
• From $279-$459
• Check Availability

Waikoloa

Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa

• 69-275 Waikoloa Beach Drive
• Waikoloa, Hawaii 96738
• From $259-$334
• Check Availability

Wailea – Maui

Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa

• 3700 Wailea Alanui
• Wailea – Maui, Hawaii 96753
• From $430-$520
• Check Availability

Nevada
Las Vegas

JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa

• 221 N Rampart Blvd
• Las Vegas, Nevada 89145
• From $159-$269
• Check Availability

Texas

• Horseshoe Bay
• San Antonio

Horseshoe Bay

Horseshoe Bay Resort Marriott

• 200 Hi Circle North
• Horseshoe Bay, Texas 78657
• From $301
• Check Availability

San Antonio

JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa

• 23808 Resort Parkway
• San Antonio, Texas 78261
• From $259-$389
• Check Availability

Loyalty Traveler Rate Analysis

Hotel revenue managers have a variety of strategies for getting more money out of the customer at less cost to the hotel. One of the strategies commonly used is to combine value-added components to package rates. Marriott frequently uses the value-added package rates strategy.

Some of these package deals can be good value rates for the guest and save money if you plan to use some of the hotel services during your stay. Often these rates are not very good deals. The revenue managers know many guests will not take sufficient time to compare all the available rates. Package rates tend to improve hotel revenue more than guest savings.

Marriott’s Endless Summer package rates might be a good deal as long as you have two adults for breakfast and you will use your $50 daily credit.

Analysis of Endless Summer ZXO rate for JW Marriott Camelback Inn, Scottsdale, Arizona

Monday, August 1 – Thursday, August 4, 2011

Endless Summer Package Rate = $169/night (includes free breakfast and $50 daily resort credit and potential upgrade).

Marriott Rewards member exclusive offer = $118/night (includes $25 daily resort credit). This offer is better for an elite guest who already receives complimentary breakfast benefit or for a single guest who won’t benefit from complimentary breakfast for two adults and two young children.

JW Marriott Camelback Inn has 14 other rate packages available during these dates offering complimentary golf for one to four persons, spa services, free breakfast for kids, free appetizers at restaurants, dinner packages, and all sorts of options that may better fit your specific needs. The golf packages look like they could be big savings.

Endless Summer rate Aug 1-4 JW Marriott Camelback Inn, Scottsdale, AZ

Conclusion: Marriott’s Endless Summer rate might be a good value for your stay, but be sure to check out the variety of package rates available at Marriott Resorts to see if there is a better package rate suited for your hotel activities and interests.

Marriott Rewards offers members 4x miles from June 1 through August 31, 2011 beginning with your second hotel stay during the promotion period. The design of Marriott Rewards site requires your member account be set to earn miles rather than points to enable the 4x miles promotion page to load. Promotion registration begins June 1.

Marriott Rewards members on FlyerTalk state the miles promotion and points promotions can both be earned if you switch your earning preference and register for both promotions. This makes it possible to toggle between earning points for the MegaBonus offer of one free night at a category 1 to 4 hotel after two stays which is great for one night hotel stays and then earn miles for longer, more expensive stays when the bonus miles will add up quickly. You just need to manage your earning preference by switching between  miles or points  to maximize the best earning option for each hotel stay.

Earn 8 miles per $1 for most charges at these hotel brands:

• JW Marriott
• Marriott Hotels & Resorts
• Renaissance
• Autograph Collection
• Marriott Vacation Club
• Edition

Earn 4 miles per $1 on room rate only at these hotel brands:

• Courtyard
• Residence Inn
• Fairfield Inn
• TownePlace Suites
• SpringHill Suites

Participating Airlines for 4x Miles:

• Aeroplan (Air Canada)
• British Airways
• Cathay Pacific Airways
• Delta Air Lines
• Frontier Airlines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• JetBlue Airways
• Jet Airways JetPrivilege
• Kingfisher Airlines
• LifeMiles (Avianca-TACA)
• Southwest Airlines
• United Airlines
• US Airways

Southwest Airlines normally earns 600 points per stay for any Marriott hotel brand, so quadruple points = 2,400 points per stay at any hotel brand.

JetBlue with this promotion earns 4 points per $1 at upper tier brands (Marriott, Renaissance) and 2 points per $1 at the lower tier hotel brands (Courtyard, Residence Inn) shown above.

Marriott Rewards 4x Miles Promotion link (registration begins June 1).

4x Miles Promotion Terms & Conditions.

Please note: You must have your Marriott Rewards member account earning preference set to earn miles in order to load the webpages in these links. They will not load if your account is set for earning points.

Related Loyalty Traveler post: Marriott Rewards MegaBonus June 1-August 31, 2011 (May 16)

Marriott Rewards Quadruple Miles

Save up to 40% at ten Marriott Resorts in the Caribbean and Mexico for stays to September 30, 2011. Must book by April 30. Promotion code LLF.

Participating Resorts:

Aruba Oranjestad

Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino

• From $176.40 USD 

Aruba Palm Beach

Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino

• From $209 USD 

 
Grand Cayman

Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort

• From $144 USD 

 
Cancun, Mexico 

JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa 

• From $149.25 – $314.25 USD 

 
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico 

CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa

• From $107 USD 

 
Netherlands Antilles

Curacao

Curacao Marriott Beach Resort & Emerald Casino

• From $119.40 USD 

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Frigate Bay

St. Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino

• From $122 USD 

Virgin Islands (US)

St. Thomas

Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort

• From $214 USD

Loyalty Traveler rate analysis:

In a sample rate check of Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort for May 17-23 for six nights the LLF promotion rate is $209 (lowest advertised rate for LLF promotion is $144) for a 30% discount on the standard rate.

Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort Oceanfront balcony room is $279 per night for $2008.80 total after tax.

Cancellation policy is 7 nights in advance of stay for no penalty or 1 night penalty (plus 20% tax) for cancellation within 7 days.

AAA rate for Oceanfront balcony room for these same dates is $316 per night or $2,275.20 after tax.

This promotional sale rate is a $266.40 discount on the AAA rate with the same cancellation policies for a real LLF promotional savings of 12% on the comparable AAA rate.

Purchase Marriott Travel Cards at 10% to 20% face value discount Monday, April 11, 2011 at DiscoverAmerica.com. The sale begins at 12 noon ET (New York time).

DiscoverAmerica.com Daily Getaways link.

• $50 Marriott Travel Card for $44.   (Maximum purchase = 5 cards.)
• $100 Marriott TravelCard for $89.   (Maximum purchase = 5 cards.)
• $250 Marriott TravelCard for $222.   (Maximum purchase = 2 cards.)
• $500 Marriott TravelCard for $445.   (Maximum purchase = 2 cards.)
• $1,000 Marriott TravelCard for $890.   (Maximum purchase = 1 card.)
• Get an extra 10% off purchase price for payment with any American Express card.
• You can buy up to five $100 cards and up to five $50 cards and so on.
• Marriott TravelCards will be delivered via U.S. mail within 10 days.

The primary advantage to Marriott TravelCards over buying Marriott Rewards points is the ability to earn hotel stay credit for points and promotions when paying for Marriott stays with Marriott TravelCards. The terms and conditions for these cards appear to have restrictions for rates and state no Marriott points earned, but in practice based on anecdotal evidence from last year’s DiscoverAmerica sale (FlyerTalk 2010 thread), the Marriott TravelCards are accepted for rates like AAA and points are earned.

There are few restrictions associated with Marriott TravelCards. The main thing is to treat the card like cash and not lose the card since it will not be replaced. Otherwise, the Marriott TravelCard value does not expire and may be used to pay for any Marriott brand hotels worldwide.

DiscoverAmerica.com Daily Getaways

A similar month-long Daily Getaways sale was offered last May 2010. Last year’s sale offered some of the greatest discounts of the year for hotel points in programs like Hyatt, Starwood, Choice and IHG points.

Last year I purchased several Daily Getaway offers for discount priced hotel loyalty points. The rates last year were actually closer to the American Express discount for this year without the need to use American Express for payment. 

These hotel discount sales are high value discounts and some items sell out quickly. You need to be ready to make a purchase at the start of the sale if you really desire one or more of these items. 

About DiscoverAmerica.com

DiscoverAmerica.com is the official travel and tourism website of the United States. The Daily Getaways are sponsored by American Express and prices are discounted by 10% when using American Express as payment. DiscoverAmerica.com has 25 days of discounted travel opportunities with a focus on hotels and car rentals through its “Daily Getaways”.

Hyatt Gold Passport points Daily Getaway offer, Friday, April 15 – 12 noon ET

Hyatt Gold Passport points are available at a significant discount through DiscoverAmerica.com ($9.38/1,000 points with American Express discount at $225 for 24,000 points) compared to the purchase price through Hyatt Gold Passport ($24/1,000 points).

Currently the first three weeks of DiscoverAmerica.com DailyGetaways offers have posted.

Week 1: April 11-15, 2011

Week 2: April 18-22, 2011

Week 3: April 25-29, 2011

Related Link: Marriott Gift Cards (essentially same type of card).

Marriott Rewards PointSavers discount the cost of a hotel reward night by one category level.  PointSavers are available only at select hotels at any given time. There are currently 45 hotels listed with PointSavers dates.

A Marriott  PointSavers Reward at a category 5 hotel only requires the category 4 reward price – 20,000 points instead of 25,000 points per night so a 3-night stay is 60,000 points rather than 75,000 points for a 20% discount.  

The 5^th night free reward rate also applies to PointSaver Rewards for extended stays.

United Kingdom has 32 hotels for the vast majority of participating hotels on the current PointSavers Reward list with many of these hotels posting available dates into December 2011. There are nine hotels in the U.S. and just five more hotels in four other countries including Austria, Denmark, Germany and Costa Rica.

Ritz-Carlton Hotels also participate in PointSavers, however, there has either been a dramatic decline in participation since the September 2010 launch of Ritz Carlton Rewards or the hotels simply do not appear online. The Ritz Carlton Seoul Korea was on a previous 2011 PointSavers list only for two single night dates in January and February.

Marriott PointSavers Reward Chart

The Marriott Rewards system for PointSavers means the discount trends to lower percentage discount overall as the reward category increases. Marriott Rewards category 3 and Ritz-Carlton Rewards category 1 hotels are the sweet spot in the Marriott PointSavers system for the maximum 33% points savings.

At the top three Marriott categories of 6, 7 and 8 and Ritz-Carlton Tiers 4 and 5, the PointSavers discount falls below 20% overall.

Marriott PointSavers List on April 10, 2011

United States

Arizona

The Buttes, A Marriott Resort (Category 5)

Where nature’s beauty, and a warm Arizona welcome create the perfect escape!

• - May 23 – September 5, 2011
• - November 18-27, 2011
• - December 16 – 25, 2011

California

Marriott’s Desert Springs Villas II (Category 6)

A uniquely stylish retreat offering spacious villas and alluring amenities in beautiful Palm Desert.

• - April 30 – May 13, 2011

Marriott’s Shadow Ridge I-The Villages (Category 6)

A spectacular resort featuring spacious villas with all the c omforts of home and the luxuries of Palm Desert.

• - April 30 – May 25, 2011

Warner Center Marriott Woodland Hills (Category 4)

At the Warner Center Marriott you can recharge, refresh, rediscover yourself…

• - January 7, 2011 – December 30, 2011 (weekends only)

Florida

Fairfield Inn Orlando Airport (Category 3)

Relax and save at the Fairfield Inn Orlando Airport!!

• - April 1 – May 31, 2011
• - June 1 – July 31, 2011
• - August 1 – September 10, 2011

Ft. Lauderdale – Coral Springs Marriott (Category 4)

Stay at a world class golf resort where hotel guests receive discounted greens fees and just minutes from South Florida’s premier beaches.

• - April 3 – May 1, 2011

World Golf Village Renaissance St. Augustine Resort (Category 4)

World Golf Village is home of the one-and-only World Golf Hall of Fame and the Renaissance Resort

• - April 3-7, 10-15, 22-27, 2011

Hawaii

Kaua’i Marriott Resort (Category 5)

 Discover Kauai and find Paradise.

• - May 1-15, 2011
• - June 1-15, 2011
• - August 15-31, 2011

North Carolina

Renaissance Charlotte Suites (Category 4)

Perfect for business & pleasure, offering all the southern charm Charlotte has to offer

• - April 7-10, 14, 17-18, 20-25, 27-28, 2011
• - May 1, 6-9, 20-22, 26, 29-30, 2011
• - June 2, 5, 9-12, 18-20, 24-26, 2011
• - July 2-4, 2011

Country

Austria

Courtyard by Marriott Linz (Category 3)

Linz is culture! Linz is movement! Linz changes!

• - April 1 – June 24, 2011

Costa Rica

Costa Rica Marriott Hotel San Jose (Category 6)

Experience luxury with total relaxation and discover Costa Rica.

• - April 16 – 25, 2011

Denmark

Copenhagen Marriott Hotel (Category 6)

Winter PointsSavers special for your accommodation in Copenhagen

• - December 10, 2010 – April 10, 2011

Germany

Cologne Marriott Hotel (Category 5)

More Life. More Flexibility. More Taste. Welcome to an inspiring stay in Cologne.

• - April 18 – May 1, 2011 

Renaissance Cologne Hotel (Category 5)

Enjoy Cologne with its bustling shopping area and stay in the most comfortable home away from home.

• - April 18 – May 1, 2011

United Kingdom  

Aberdeen Marriott Hotel (Category 4)

• - March 27 – April 24, 2011
• - May 6-20, 2011
• - July 1,2, 15, 24-31, 2011
• - September 4, 2011
• - October 7, 2011
• - December 11, 15-28, 2011 

Birmingham Marriott Hotel (Category 5)

• - April 18-30, 2011
• - May 1-2, 2011
• - August 1-31, 2011
• - October 21-30, 2011
• - December 22-30, 2011 

Breadsall Priory, A Marriott hotel & Country Club (Category 5)

• - April 25-28, 2011
• - May 2-5, 2011
• - July 25-31, 2011
• - August 1-31, 2011
• - October 23-28, 2011
• - November 17-20, 25-27, 2011
• - December 27-30, 2011 

Cardiff Marriott Hotel (Category 5)

• - December 18-22, 2011
• - December 27-30, 2011 

Cheshunt Marriott Hotel (Category 4)

• - April 3, 7, 10, 15, 17, 20-22, 24-25, 2011
• - May 1-3, 5, 8, 15, 22, 27, 29-30, 2011
• - June 5, 12, 19, 26, 2011
• - July 3, 17, 24, 28, 31, 2011
• - August 8, 11, 14-15, 17-18, 21-25, 28-30, 2011
• - September 2, 9, 30, 2011
• - October 15-16, 23, 2011
• - November 27, 2011
• - December 4, 11, 18, 21-22, 26-30, 2011 

Dalmahoy, A Marriott Hotel & Country Club Edinburgh, Scotland (Category 5)

• - April 1, 7,8,10, 11, 17, 18, 24-28, 2011
• - May 1,2, 8, 15, 30, 2011
• - June 5,19, 26, 2011
• - July 3, 10, 17, 18, 31, 2011
• - September 4, 11, 25, 2011
• - October 2,9,16, 23, 30, 2011
• - November 6, 13, 20, 27, 2011
• - December 2, 4, 9, 11, 15-30, 2011 

Durham Marriott Hotel Royal County (Category 5)

• - April 1, 3, 10, 14, 15, 17, 2011
• - May 1, 2, 5, 8, 15, 22, 2011
• - June 26, 2011
• - July 31, 2011
• - August 11, 2011
• - September 2, 30, 2011
• - October 23, 31, 2011
• - November 6, 24, 27, 30, 2011
• - December 4, 8, 11, 18 – 30, 2011 

Edinburgh Marriott Hotel (Category 5)

• - April 7, 10, 17, 21, 25, 2011
• - July 31, 2011
• - October 9, 23, 31, 2011
• - November 6, 13, 20, 27, 2011
• - December 1,2,4,11, 16, 18-30, 2011 

Forest of Arden, A Marriott Hotel & Country Club , Birmingham, England (Category 5)

• - April 18-30, 2011
• - May 1-2, 2011
• - July 22-31, 2011
• - August 1-31, 2011
• - October 21-30, 2011
• - December 22-30, 2011 

Hanbury Manor, A Marriott Hotel & Country Club (Category 5)

• - April 1, 3, 8, 10, 12-13, 17-21, 25-27, 2011
• - May 2-3, 5-6, 8 15, 20, 22, 26-27, 30-31, 2011
• - June 2, 5-6, 9-10, 12, 19, 26, 29, 2011
• - July 1, 3, 6-7, 10, 13-14, 17-21, 24-28, 2011
• - August 1-5, 7-12, 14-15, 21-25, 28-31, 2011
• - September 2-3, 5-6, 9-10, 16-17, 23-31, 2011
• - November 4, 6, 11, 13, 17-18, 20, 25, 27-29, 2011
• - December 4, 11, 18-22, 25-30, 2011 

Hollins Hall, A Marriott Hotel & Country Club (Category 4)

• - April 17-28, 2011
• - May 2-8, 2011
• - May 26 – June 2, 2011
• - July 24 – August 11, 2011
• - August 18 – December 30, 2011 

Huntingdon Marriott Hotel (Category 4)

• - April 18-30, 2011
• - May 1-2, 2011
• - August 1-31, 2011
• - October 21-30, 2011
• - December 22-30, 2011 

Leeds Marriott Hotel (Category 4)

• - May 24 – April 8, 2011
• - August 7-25, 2011
• - December 18-30, 2011

Leicester Marriott Hotel (Category 4)

• - April 18-30, 2011
• - May 1-2, 2011
• - August 1-31, 2011
• - October 21-30, 2011
• - December 22-30, 2011 

Liverpool Marriott Hotel City Centre (Category 5)

• - April 14-21, 24-27, 2011
• - May 2 – 5, 2011
• - May 29 – August 25, 2011
• - December 18-30, 2011 

London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square (Category

• - April 1-3, 8-10, 21-27, 2011
• - May 1-2, 6-8, 2011
• - August 5-7, 12-14, 19-21, 26-28, 2011
• - December 18-30, 2011 

Manchester Airport Marriott Hotel (Category 4)

• - December 18-30, 2011 

Manchester Marriott Victoria & Albert Hotel (Category 5)

• - July 24 – August 25, 2011
• - December 18 – 29, 2011 

Newcastle Marriott Hotel Gosforth Park (Category 4)

• - April 3, 7, 10, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 24, 25, 28, 2011
• - May 29, 2011
• - June 26, Jul 3, 10, 17, 21, 24, 2011
• - August 7, 14, 18, 21, 28, 2011
• - October 2, 3, 21, 30, 2011
• - November 6, 10, 13, 20, 21, 2011
• - December 5, 18 – 29, 2011. 

Northampton Marriott Hotel (Category 4)

• - April 18-30, 2011
• - May 1-2, 2011
• - August 1-31, 2011
• - October 21-30, 2011
• - December 22-30, 2011 

Peterborough Marriott Hotel (Category 3)

• - April 18-30, 2011
• - May 1-2, 2011
• - August 1-31, 2011
• - October 21-30, 2011
• - December 22-30, 2011 

Preston Marriott Hotel (Category 4)

• - April 3 – 21, 2011
• - April 25 – May 13, 2011
• - July 25 – August 25, 2011
• - December 18 – 30, 2011 

Renaissance London Heathrow Hotel (Category 4)

• - April 8-24, 2011
• - July 22 – September 5, 2011 

Renaissance Manchester City Centre Hotel (Category 5)

• - July 24 – September 4, 2011
• - December 18-29, 2011 

Sprowston Manor, A Marriott Hotel & Country Club (Category 5)

• - December 27-30, 2011 

St. Pierre, A Marriott Hotel & Country Club (Category 5)

• - April 18-22, 2011
• - April 25-29, 2011
• - May 2-6, 30, 2011
• - June 3, 2011
• - July 17-21, 2011
• - July 25-26, 2011
• - August 1-4, 2011
• - August 8-11, 2011
• - August 15-18, 2011
• - August 22-25, 2011
• - August 29- September 1, 2011
• - September 5-8, 2011 

Sunderland Marriott Hotel (Category 4)

• - April 3, 4, 7, 10, 14, 17, 24, 25, 2011
• - June 19, 26, 2011
• - July 3, 4,10, 11, 17, 24, 2011
• - August 1, 7 – 11, 14, 21, 28, 2011
• - September 1, 4, 11, 15, 18, 25, 2011
• - October 2, 3, 9, 16, 20, 30, 2011
• - November 3, 4, 6, 10, 13, 17, 20, 27, 2011
• - December 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 18-22, 26-29, 2011 

Swansea Marriott Hotel (Category 5)

• - July 1-31, 2011
• - August 1-26, 29-31, 2011
• - September 1-30, 2011
• - December 1-10, 13-30, 2011 

Swindon Marriott Hotel (Category 3)

• - April 1, 3, 8-10, 17, 24, 2011
• - May 1-2, 6-8, 13, 15, 20, 22, 29-30, 2011
• - June 3-5, 10, 12, 19, 26, 2011
• - July 1-3, 8-10, 24, 29-31, 2011
• - August 5-7, 12-14, 19-21, 26, 28-29, 2011
• - September 2-4, 9-11, 16-18, 23-25, 2011
• - September 30 – October 2, 2011
• - October 7-9, 14-16, 21, 23, 28-30, 2011
• - November 4-6, 11-13, 18-20, 25-27, 2011
• - December 2-4, 9, 11, 18, 2011 

Waltham Abbey Marriott Hotel (Category 4)

• - April 3, 7, 8, 10, 11, 17, 18, 21, 22, 25-27, 2011
• - May 1-5, 8, 12, 15, 22, 24, 30, 2011, June 19, 26, 2011
• - July 1, 3, 11, 17, 21, 24, 27-31, 2011
• - August 1-4, 7-11, 14-15, 18, 21-24, 26, 28-31, 2011
• - September 4-5, 11, 15, 18, 25-26, 29, 2011
• - October 2, 9, 16, 23, 24-27, 30, 31, 2011
• - November 3, 6, 13-14, 17, 20-22, 27-29, 2011
• - December 4, 11, 15, 18-23, 27-30, 2011 

Worsley Park, A Marriott Hotel & Country Club (Category 4)

• - April 17- 23, 2011
• - July 17 – September 4, 2011
• - December 18 – 30, 2011 

York Marriott Hotel (Category 5)

• - October 30 – November 20, 2011
• - December 19 – 24, 2011

http://www.marriott.com/rewards/marriottRewardsPointSavers.mi

Today, Monday March 7, is the last day to book reward nights at 351 hotels being assigned to a higher  hotel reward category on Tuesday, March 8. Most of these hotels will cost 5,000 points per night more for hotels rising one category level.

There are 35 hotels rising from category 4 to category 5 which will make them ineligible for free night certificates earned from Marriott Rewards MegaBonus and Marriott Rewards Visa credit card enrollment free night certificates limited to category 1 to 4 hotels.

Loyalty Traveler Analysis of Marriott Rewards 2011 hotel category assignment changes

First trend – Aruba, Netherland Antilles Caribbean island is the Marriott hot spot.

5-night Marriott stay = 140,000 points today or 160,000 points tomorrow.

Marriott’s Aruba Resort & Stellaris Casino, along with two Marriott timeshare properties, Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club and Aruba Ocean Club, leap to the prestigious category 8 reward level. 

Category 8 has been the exclusive domain of world class destinations like New York, London, Paris and Rome.

Now Aruba ties London and New York for most Marriott category 8 hotels at three each. Paris is only two and Rome just one.  

The Asians must be getting a team ready for 2012 competition. Australia can’t be far behind.

Marriott Aruba has a 23.74% hotel tax.

For now, dock the yacht in Aruba at 40,000 points per night, or possibly more points if you want to see the ocean from your hotel bedroom when you’re off the boat. Of course, go Dutch and you can live social in Aruba at 20,000 points per night each for two. Unfortunately you need 160,000 points in one account to get the Marriott Rewards 5^th night free rate, so going Dutch might not be so practical or economical if you need to buy points to reach 160,000 points.

Actually Marriott Rewards allows free transfer of points for spouses and domestic partners from one account to another to reach the amount needed for a specified award redemption level.

You can buy 50,000 points in a calendar year for $625. That is a fairly high price for buying points. For a location like Aruba the points might be worth the cost if you had 60,000 points and could buy 100,000 for $1,250 and redeem for a 5-night vacation. Aruba is a place where $500 per night is not uncommon.

Renaissance Aruba Beach rises to category 6 on March 8. 120,000 points for 5 nights makes this Aruba location the poverty jetsetter’s retreat.

Hey babe, Virginia Beach, Virginia or Zurich and Vail?

Category 7 hotel rewards share the realm of New York, London, Paris, Boston, Miami, South Lake Tahoe and San Francisco.

People must really like Virginia Beach.

I went to Virginia Beach once in 1973 when I was in 7^th grade and lived at Fort Eustis, north of Newport News, Virginia. My memory is a beach of jelly fish.  The area might be appealing to me now if I were to return, but I don’t know about a Residence Inn and SpringHill Suites moving from category 6 to category 7 in 2011.

Hotel names like Grand Cayman Marriott Resort and Key West Marriott Beachside Hotel and Zurich Marriott in Switzerland sound like places for legal and illegal financiers to mingle with pirates in the lobbies. Vail Marriott Mountain Resort is a jetsetter vacation getaway. JW Marriott Washington D.C. has fantastic location near White House and IHG’s The Willard and Starwood’s W hotel.

Then, there are the Residence Inn and SpringHill Suites Virginia Beach Oceanfront properties rising to category 7 and 35,000 points per night. Fairfield Inn Virginia Beach rises to Category 6 on March 8.

Hotels rising from Category 5 to Category 6 reward nights are evenly divided between 10 international and 10 domestic hotels. Aruba, Australia and Canada are places where room rates have risen and the dollar has weakened. The domestic hotels look like popular tourist destinations and of course Courtyard JFK Airport has a high traffic location.

Hotels rising from Category 4 to Category 5

Important: Book today if you want to use certificates for these Category 4 hotels rising to Category 5 hotels.  These hotels are rising from 20,000 points to 25,000 points per night.

Toronto, Munich and Cologne in Germany, Sao Paulo, Cairo, Moscow are places with rising hotels.

In the U.S. are Disneyland, San Diego, Miami, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Boston, Boston Logan, Raleigh, La Guardia (LGA) airport.

The majority of changes involve current category 1, 2 and 3 hotel assignments.

112 hotels increasing from category 3 to category 4.

About half of the 15 international hotels include full-service Marriott and Renaissance properties in  Shanghai, Bogota, Sao Paulo Airport, Stuttgart, Germany, Kuwait City, and Cebu City. Canada has several Courtyard and Residence Inn hotels rising.

97 of the hotels rising from category 3 to category 4 are in the U.S. The interesting aspect of these changes is the rates at U.S. hotels have actually been lowest of all the global regions. The changes affect Courtyard, Residence Inn, Fairfield Inn and SpringHill Suites across the country.

115 hotels are rising from category 2 to category 3. These are nearly all in the U.S. and geographically diverse.

There is a net loss of 42 hotels from the category 1 level at 7,500 points per night. With all but 3 hotels of about 250 in category 1 located in the U.S., the loss of 42 hotels is a significant shift of hotels out of the bottom category for U.S. travelers. The blow is only an additional 2,500 points.

The shift of 227 hotels from categories 2 and 3 to categories 3 and 4 is not balanced in any way by the 55 hotels moving down from categories 4 and 3 to catagories 3 and 2. This is a net shift of 172 hotels, about 7% or 1 in 15 Marriott brand hotels in the U.S. going up 5,000 points per night tomorrow.

The past two years have seen room rates fall across the U.S. and the U.S. has one of the lowest average daily room rates across the globe. Looks like Marriott is picking up some of the rate difference through higher hotel reward cost for U.S. travelers.

See  March 2 Loyalty traveler post for a complete list of hotels changing category March 8.

The good side of the hotel category changes

89 hotels decrease in reward cost on March 8.

There are no hotels currently in category 7 or 8 that are decreasing a category level.

Dropping from Category 6 to Category 5 (3 hotels)

Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg, Florida Golf just isn’t the same with Tiger Woods a fallen angel, but this golf resort goes for less in 2011.

Ledra Marriott Athens, Greece.  You might sense a little anti-American  sentiment, but you can get it for a little less per night as this hotel drops from 120,000 points for a 5-night stay to just 100,000 points.

Casa Magna Marriott Puerto Vallarta for a zinging beach experience. A high floor should keep you out of target. I jest of course. VallartaToday.com, the English language local newspaper, says your chance of being a crime victim in the U.S. is 8% compared to 1.3% in Mexico.  I avoid those 8% neighborhoods around California.

Dropping from Category 5 to Category 4 (15 hotels)

JW Marriott Beijing or JW Marriott Caracas are a little bit cheaper on March 8. You can tell me all about the joys and authenticity of hostels, home rentals and couch surfing. When I am in Caracas, I’ll take the JW Marriott as a top recommendation. Although the Renaissance La Castellana Caracas is also category 4 and is ranked #1 on TripAdvisor today for Caracas hotels.

Boca Raton and Doral are the cheap vacation reward destinations with four full-service Marriott and Renaissance hotels dropping category. Renaissance Hotels in Tampa and Cleveland drop too. BWI Airport Marriott will cost less for a layover.

Dropping from Category 4 to Category 3 (29 hotels)

Beijing is the cheap place to be with two Marriott and two Renaissance hotels dropping to category 3 at 15,000 points per night. These hotels are 60,000 points for a 5-night stay. Getting that visa into China should go a little easier when your hotel address is an extended stay with Marriott Hotels.

Florida locations, Dallas and San Antonio Texas, Salt Lake City and full service Marriott hotels in Oklahoma City and Greenville, South Carolina are all dropping category. Norfolk Marriott at 60,000 points for 5-nights is a 10-mile drive to the category 7 Residence Inn of Virginia Beach.

Dropping from Category 3 to Category 2 (26 hotels)

Looking at these hotel names is like reading the Case-Shiller Home Price Indices for worst performing housing markets in the U.S. – Phoenix, Las Vegas, Orlando, Jacksonville, Tampa-St. Pete, Ohio and Michigan.

Dropping from Category 2 to Category 1 (16 hotels)

Rural, suburbs, undesirable locations that you do not want to find yourself staying overnight. I actually am not familiar with any of these locations. Enough said.

Check the list, study it twice and see if there are any last minute reward nights you want to book before the hotels increase in category level on Tuesday March 8.