On March 4, 2020 Marriott Bonvoy will raise the reward category for 1,700 hotels. There are currently about 400 hotels in Marriott Bonvoy Category 1 priced at 7,500 points for a standard reward night. 185 of these hotels will rise to category 2 next week. In category 2 there are 558 of 1,404 hotels rising to category 3 next week. There is a limited time opportunity to buy discount Marriott Bonvoy points and book hotels at these low categories before the category change on Wednesday, March 4.
The current buy points promotion allows Marriott Bonvoy members to buy up to 150,000 points for $8.33 per 1,000 points.
Category 1 Hotels
5,000 points off-peak = $41.65
7,500 points standard = $62.50
10,000 points peak = $83.35
Category 2 Hotels
10,000 points off-peak = $83.35
12,500 points standard = $104.17
15,000 points peak = $125.00
Spain and South Africa are two countries where a significant number of Marriott Bonvoy category 1 and 2 hotels will rise to category 2 and 3 on March 4. There are also low cost ticket airfare deals to Barcelona and Cape Town available today.
AC Hotel Burgos, Spain
July 19-24, 2020 = $99.31 per night.
83 EUR per night is the price before tax for a flexible cancellation rate. A nonrefundable rate is lower at 75 EUR.
456.50 EUR for 5 nights works out to an average nightly rate = $496.54 USD or $99.31 per night.
AC Hotel Burgos, Spain for $50 per night if booked as Category 1 hotel by March 3.
July 19-24, 2020 = 7,500 points Standard Reward night, reduced to 6,000 points per night with Marriott Bonvoy 5th night free reward stay.
Buy 30,000 points for $250 and book by March 3 for a $50 per night rate with same flexible cancellation terms as $99.31 per night best flexible rate.
Protea Hotel Cape Town Waterfront Breakwater Lodge, South Africa
Currently Marriott Bonvoy Category 2 Hotel rising to Category 3 on March 4.
Thursday March 19 – Tuesday March 24, 2020 = $136.43 per night nonrefundable rate.
5-night advance purchase rate = 10,384 ZAR = $682.14 USD = $136.43 per night.
5-night Best Flexible rate = 12,869 ZAR = $847.57 USD = $169.52 per night.
5-night Marriott Bonvoy reward stay = 50,000 points = $416.65 USD = $83.33 per night.
Currently my travel plans for summer 2020 include Spain and Portugal. With 10 of the 20 category 1 hotels in Spain rising to Category 2 next week, the purchase of Marriott Bonvoy points look like a good investment for me at this time.
Loyalty Traveler – Budget travel at 20 Marriott Category 1 AC Hotels across Spain (Nov 18, 2019).
Loyalty Traveler – Marriott Buy Points deal for 20 category 1 AC hotels in Spain at $35 to $44 per night (Nov 18, 2019).
Loyalty Traveler – Analysis of Marriott Bonvoy Hotel Category changes March 4, 2020
Loyalty Traveler – Airfare Deal – Swiss $580 LAX to Cape Town, South Africa (Feb 25, 2020).
