Things with the SPG/Marriott merger were pretty rosy for a while. There was the 1:3 SPG to Marriott transfer ratio. For a long time, we skated through without any massive devaluations. Well, the bottom is about to fall out because starting in August, we’re going to start seeing some unfortunate changes to the new award chart. Free nights are going up and next year, there will be peak pricing that will set a top-tier free night at 100,000 points! Needless to say, you’ll want to start planning ahead to take full advantage while things are still good. Here are 5 redemptions you should make before the SPG/Marriott Merger
Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay
I’ve stopped by the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay on several road trips and it’s always majestic and beautiful. Around sunset, an employee dresses up and plays the bagpipes while standing over a cliff that overlooks the ocean. The scene makes you think you’re actually in Scotland. It feels more like being in a vast estate than a hotel. The best part is that there aren’t any other properties nearby, so you’re truly in a unique setting. A paid night at the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay will set you back $650 – $1,100 or 60,000 Marriott points per night. With the 1:3 transfer ratio, this becomes a real bargain at 20,000 SPG points per night.
Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotel & Suites
The Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotel isn’t the fanciest place to stay, but it is a bargain when you consider the type of room you get at a standard rate. A
1,722 sqft 2-bedroom, 2.5 bathroom suite with a living room, kitchen and dining area goes for just 40,000 points per night. Transfer in your SPG points and you’ll pay less than 14,000!
Domes Noruz Resort
Marriott has tons of beautiful properties worldwide. Whether you’re traveling to common tourist destinations or slightly more off-track, you’ll find great hotels to stay. The Domes Noruz Resort in Chania, Greece is one of them. For just 45,000 points per night you’ll get an incredibly spacious room with a private plunge pool! That’s just 15,000 SPG points per night. Can you say score?
Discounted SPG Hotels
Starwood Preferred Guest has a list of top-tier hotels that do not fully participate in the SPG program. These hotels go for upwards of 90,000 points per night. However, SPG does run these 35% off promotions where you can book these resorts for as little as 26,000 points per night (i.e. the Naka Island Resort). I’d venture to guess that this is probably going away during the merger. It would really suck to pay 100,000 Marriott points per night for one of these resorts during peak travel times. I say book ahead while you still can.
Marriott Air + Hotel Bookings
Marriott’s Air + Hotel packages can be a real bargain. Starting at 200,000 points, you can book 7 nights at a Category 1- 5 hotel plus receive at least 50,000 airline miles. So essentially, you can get a 7-night vacation along with domestic airfare for two at 66,000 SPG points. That’s an insanely good deal, considering SPG Nights + Flights awards will set you back 60,000 – 70,000 points and get you just 5 nights.
How do you plan on redeeming your SPG and Marriott points before the merger?
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