Redeem your free night certificate at the Ritz Carlton St. Thomas by March 19, 2015
Yesterday, Marriott announced its annual category changes, which will go into effect on March 20, 2015. Over 1,300 hotels will be affected. I got pretty dizzy scrolling through the list, so my count may be slightly off, but it looks like 986 hotels are moving up one category while 359 are moving down. Quite a few of the hotels moving up are currently Category 4/Tier 4 properties on the Marriott and Ritz Carlton rewards chart. So if you picked up a free night certificate (good at Category/Tier 1-4 hotels) through the Chase Marriott Rewards or Ritz Carlton Visa, you may not be able to redeem it for the hotel of your choice after March 19.
On the same note, there are 21 hotels moving down from Category 5 to 4, so if none of the current Category 4 hotels appeal to you, then simply wait until after March 19 and you’ll have a few more options to choose from. I’ve done the dirty work and gone through the entire list of 1,300+ hotels, picking out the ones you will and won’t be able to book with a free night certificate after March 19, 2015:
Ritz Carlton Hotels Moving up from Tier 4 to 5
Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne
Ritz Carlton South Beach
Ritz Carlton Bal Harbour
Ritz Carlton Naples
Ritz Carlton St. Thomas
What’s interesting is that three Edition hotels are moving from various categories to tiers, which could mean they are being rebranded as Ritz Carlton hotels. In this case, the Edition Istanbul and London, which were not previously bookable with the free night certificate earned as a sign-up bonus from the Marriott Premier Visa, can now be booked with the free night earned through the Ritz Carlton Rewards Visa.
Edition Istanbul from Category 8 to Tier 3
Edition London from Category 9 to Tier 3
Edition Miami Beach from Category 9 to Tier 5
Marriott Hotels Moving Down from Category 5 to 4
Courtyard Seoul Pangyo
Spa do Vinho Hotel & Spa, Autograph Collection (Bento Goncalves, Brazil)
Renaissance Minsk Hotel (Minsk, Belarus)
Courtyard Cologne (Cologne, Germany)
Sochi Marriott Krasnaya Polyana Ski Resort (Sochi, Russia)
Residence Inn Halifax Downtown (Halifax, Canada)
Little Rock Marriott (Little Rock, AK)
Fairfield Inn Wytheville (Wytheville, AZ)
Courtyard Sunnyvale Mountain View (Sunnyvale, CA)
Courtyard Palm Beach Jupiter (Jupiter, FL)
Residence Inn Orlando Airport (Orlando, FL)
Residence Inn Champaign (Champaign, IL)
Fairfield Inn Bozeman (Bozeman, MT)
Residence Inn Omaha Aksarben Village (Omaha, NE)
Residence Inn Santa Fe (Santa Fe, NM)
Fairfield Inn Syosset Long Island (Long Island, NY)
Fairfield Inn Erie (Erie, PA)
Pittsburgh Marriott North (Cranberry Township, PA)
Residence Inn Chattanooga Near Hamilton Place (Chattanooga, TN)
SpringHill Suites San Angelo (San Angelo, TX)
Courtyard San Marcos (San Marcos, TX)
Marriott Hotels Moving up from Category 4 to 5
JW Marriott Hotel Shenzhen (Shenzhen, China)
Courtyard Bali at Nusa Dua (Bali, Indonesia)
Bangkok Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit (Bangkok, Thailand)
Courtyard Duesseldorf Hafen (Duesseldorf, Germany)
Courtyard Aberdeen Airport (Aberdeen, Scotland)
AC Hotel Ciutat de Palma (Baleares, Spain)
AC Hotel Ciudad de Pamplona (Navarra, Spain)
AC Hotel Zizur Mayor (Navarra, Spain)
AC Hotel Atocha (Madrid, Spain)
Istanbul Marriott Hotel Asia (Istanbul, Turkey)
Bristol Marriott City Centre (Bristol, UK)
Courtyard Edmonton West (Edmonton, Canada)
Fairfield Inn and Suites St John’s Newfoundland (St John’s, Canada)
Toronto Airport Marriott Hotel (Toronto, Canada)
Renaissance Riverview Plaza Hotel Mobile (Mobile, AL)
Fairfield Inn Auburn Opelika (Opelika, AL)
Montgomery Marriott Prattville Hotel & Conference Center at Capitol Hill (Pratville, AL)
SpringHill Suites Phoenix Glendale/Peoria (Glendale, AZ)
Residence Inn Phoenix Glendale/Peoria (Peoria, AZ)
SpringHill Suites Prescott (Prescott, AZ)
Residence Inn Scottsdale North (Scottsdale, AZ)
Residence Inn Pasadena Arcadia (Arcadia, CA)
SpringHill Suites Pasadena Arcadia (Arcadia, CA)
Courtyard San Jose Campbell (Campbell, CA)
Fullerton Marriott at California State University (Fullerton, CA)
SpringHill Suites Irvine John Wayne Airport/Orange County (Irvine, CA)
Courtyard Los Angeles Pasadena/Monrovia (Monrovia, CA)
Courtyard San Jose South/Morgan Hill (Morgan Hill, CA)
Courtyard Oakland Airport (Oakland, CA)
Residence Inn San Diego Oceanside (Oceanside, CA)
Pleasanton Marriott (Pleasanton, CA)
Residence Inn Pleasanton (Pleasanton, CA)
Fairfield Inn San Francisco San Carlos (San Carlos, CA)
Courtyard San Jose Airport (San Jose, CA)
Fairfield Inn San Jose Airport (San Jose, CA)
Residence Inn San Diego Rancho Bernardo/Carmel Mountain Ranch (San Diego, CA)
TownePlace Suites San Jose Cupertino (San Jose, CA)
Fairfield Inn Santa Clarita Valencia (Santa Clarita, CA)
Residence Inn Sunnyvale Silicon Valley I (Sunnyvale, CA)
Residence Inn Sunnyvale Silicon Valley II (Sunnyvale, CA)
Residence Inn Santa Ana Tustin (Tustin, CA)
Courtyard Santa Clarita Valencia (Valencia, CA)
Residence Inn Los Angeles Westlake Village (Westlake Village, CA)
Courtyard Los Angeles Woodland Hills (Woodland Hills, CA)
Colorado Springs Marriott (Colorado Springs, CO)
Residence Inn Colorado Springs South (Colorado Springs, CO)
Courtyard Denver Airport (Denver, CO)
Residence Inn Denver Cherry Creek (Denver, CO)
Renaissance Denver Hotel (Denver, CO)
Residence Inn Denver Downtown (Denver, CO)
Courtyard Fort Collins (Fort Collins, CO)
Courtyard Denver West/Golden (Golden, CO)
Residence Inn Denver West/Golden (Golden, CO)
Denver Marriott South at Park Meadows (Lone Tree, CO)
Residence Inn Loveland Fort Collins (Loveland, CO)
Fairfield Inn Greeley (St. Greeley, CO)
Residence Inn Denver North/Westminster (Westminster, CO)
Residence Inn Milford (Milford, CT)
Residence Inn Southington (Southington, CT)
Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa (Stamford, CT)
Courtyard Boynton Beach (Boynton Beach, FL)
Courtyard Bradenton University Park (Bradenton, FL)
Courtyard Miami Coconut Grove (Coconut Grove, FL)
Residence Inn Miami Coconut Grove (Coconut Grove, FL)
Courtyard Fort Myers at I-75 and Gulf Coast Town Center (Fort Myers, FL)
Residence Inn Fort Myers (Fort Myers, FL)
SpringHill Suites Fort Myers Airport (Fort Myers, FL)
SpringHill Suites Gainesville (Gainesville, FL)
Courtyard Miami Homestead (Homestead, FL)
Fairfield Inn Jacksonville Beach (Jacksonville, FL)
Courtyard Miami West/FL Turnpike (Miami, FL)
Residence Inn Miami Airport West/Doral Area (Miami, FL)
SpringHill Suites Miami Arts/Health District (Miami, FL)
Fairfield Inn Orlando at SeaWorld (Orlando, FL)
Fairfield Inn Orlando International Drive/Convention Center (Orlando, FL)
SpringHill Suites Orlando Airport (Orlando, FL)
Palm Beach Gardens Marriott (Palm Beach Gardens, FL)
Residence Inn Sarasota Bradenton (Sarasota, FL)
SpringHill Suites Sarasota Bradenton (Sarasota, FL)
Courtyard St. Augustine (St. Augustine, FL)
Courtyard Tallahassee Capital (Tallahassee, FL)
SpringHill Suites Tallahassee Central (Tallahassee, FL)
Courtyard Tampa Brandon (Tampa, FL)
Courtyard Tampa Downtown (Tampa, FL)
Courtyard Bradenton Sarasota/Riverfront (West Bradenton, FL)
Atlanta Marriott Alpharetta (Alpharetta, GA)
Renaissance Waverly Hotel (Atlanta, GA)
Renaissance Concourse Hotel Atlanta Airport (Atlanta, GA)
Fairfield Inn & Suites Atlanta Downtown (Atlanta, GA)
SpringHill Suites Atlanta Airport Gateway (College Park, GA)
Residence Inn Savannah Midtown (Savannah, GA)
SpringHill Suites Savannah I-95 South (Savannah, GA)
Residence Inn Idaho Falls (Idaho Fall, ID)
SpringHill Suites Rexburg (Rexburg, ID)
Fairfield Inn Chicago Midway Airport (Bedford Park, IL)
Overland Park Marriott (Overland Park, KS)
Courtyard Lexington South/Hamburg Place (Lexington, KY)
Courtyard Lexington Keeneland/Airport (Lexington, KY)
Fairfield Inn Lexington North (Lexington, KY)
Residence Inn Lexington Keeneland/Airport (Lexington, KY)
Residence Inn Lexington North (Lexington, KY)
Residence Inn Lexington South/Hamburg Place (Lexington, KY)
Courtyard Louisville Northeast (Louisville, KY)
Fairfield Inn Louisville Downtown/Medical District (Louisville, KY)
Fairfield Inn Louisville East (Louisville, KY)
Louisville Marriott East (Louisville, KY)
SpringHill Suites Louisville Hurstbourne/North (Louisville, KY)
Renaissance Baton Rouge Hotel (Baton Rouge, LA)
Residence Inn Monroe (Monroe, LA)
Courtyard Boston Foxborough (Foxborough, MA)
Residence Inn Boston Framingham (Framingham, MA)
Residence Inn Boston Woburn (Woburn, MA)
Residence Inn Arundel Mills BWI Airport (Hanover, MD)
SpringHill Suites Arundel Mills BWI Airport (Hanover, MD)
Fairfield Inn Portland Maine Mall (Scarborough, ME)
Minneapolis Airport Marriott (Bloomington, MI)
The Henry, Autograph Collection (Dearborn, MI)
Detroit Marriott Troy (Troy, MI)
Springhill Suites Minneapolis Bloomington (Bloomington, MN)
Courtyard St. Louis Downtown (St. Louis, MO)
Residence Inn St. Louis Downtown (St. Louis, MO)
SpringHill Suites Billings (Billings, MT)
Residence Inn Kansas City Country Club Plaza (Kansas City, MO)
Courtyard Charlotte Concord (Concord, NC)
Residence Inn Charleston North (North Charleston, NC)
Courtyard Charleston Coliseum (North Charleston, NC)
Fairfield Inn and Suites Charleston Airport/Convention Center (North Charleston, NC)
Residence Inn Charleston Airport (North Charleston, NC)
Courtyard Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach (Wilmington, NC)
The Cornhusker, A Marriott Hotel (Lincoln, NE)
Fairfield Inn North Platte (North Platte, NE)
Courtyard Newark Downtown (Newark, NJ)
Courtyard West Orange (West Orange, NJ)
Hanover Marriott (Whippany, NJ)
Courtyard Las Vegas Convention Center (Las Vegas, NV)
SpringHill Suites Las Vegas Convention Center(Las Vegas, NV)
Courtyard Newburgh Stewart Airport (Newburgh, NY)
Courtyard Oneonta (Oneonta, NY)
SpringHill Suites Tarrytown Greenburgh (Tarrytown, NY)
Renaissance Westchester Hotel (West Harrison, NY)
Courtyard Cleveland University Circle (Cleveland, OH)
Residence Inn Cleveland Downtown (Cleveland, OH)
Residence Inn Columbus Downtown (Columbus, OH)
Cincinnati Marriott North (West Chester Township, OH)
Residence Inn Eugene Springfield (Eugene, OR)
Residence Inn Portland South/Lake Oswego (Lake Oswego, OR)
SpringHill Suites Portland Airport (Portland, OR)
Fairfield Inn The Dalles (The Dalles, OR)
Courtyard Altoona (Altoona, PA)
SpringHill Suites Medford (Medford, OR)
Courtyard Harrisburg Hershey (Harrisburg, PA)
SpringHill Suites Philadelphia Langhorne at Sesame Place (Langhorne, PA)
Courtyard Philadelphia Airport (Philadelphia, PA)
Fairfield Inn Philadelphia Airport (Philadelphia, PA)
Residence Inn Pittsburgh University/Medical Center (Pittsburgh, PA)
Fairfield Inn Lancaster (Lancaster, PA)
Courtyard Providence Warwick (Warwick, RI)
Residence Inn Providence Coventry (West Greenwich, RI)
Fairfield Inn Aiken (Aiken, SC)
Courtyard Columbia Downtown at USC (Columbia, SC)
Fairfield Inn Hilton Head Island Bluffton (Okatie, SC)
Spartanburg Marriott at Renaissance Park (Spartanburg, SC)
Fairfield Inn Sevierville Kodak (Kodak, TN)
Courtyard Memphis Downtown (Memphis, TN)
Residence Inn Memphis Downtown (Memphis, TN)
SpringHill Suites Memphis Downtown (Memphis, TN)
Fairfield Inn Murfreesboro (Murfreesboro, TN)
Courtyard Nashville Airport (Nashville, TN)
Courtyard Dallas Arlington by the Ballpark (Arlington, TX)
Courtyard Austin Airport (Austin, TX)
Fairfield Inn Austin South (Austin, TX)
SpringHill Suites Austin North/Parmer Lane (Austin, TX)
Austin Marriott North (Round Rock, TX)
Courtyard Austin North/Parmer Lane (Austin, TX)
Courtyard Austin Northwest/Arboretum (Austin, TX)
Residence Inn Austin North/Parmer Lane (Austin, TX)
Fairfield Inn Bryan College Station (Bryan, TX)
Courtyard College Station (College Station, TX)
Dallas/Fort Worth Airport Marriott (Dallas, TX)
Dallas Marriott Suites Market Center (Dallas, TX)
Renaissance Dallas Hotel (Dallas, TX)
Courtyard Houston Medical Center (Houston, TX)
Courtyard San Antonio Northwest at The RIM (San Antonio, TX)
Fairfield Inn St. George (St. George, UT)
Salt Lake City Marriott University Park (Salt Lake City, UT)
Residence Inn Arlington Pentagon City (Arlington, VA)
Courtyard Charlottesville North (Charlottesville, VA)
Fairfield Inn Charlottesville North (Charlottesville, VA)
Courtyard Fredericksburg Historic District (Fredericksburg, VA)
Fairfield Inn Roanoke North (Roanoke, VA)
Residence Inn Roanoke Airport (Roanoke, VA)
Washington Dulles Airport Marriott (Sterling, VA)
SpringHill Suites Bellingham (Bellingham, WA)
Fairfield Inn Seattle Bellevue (Bellevue, WA)
Residence Inn Seattle North/Lynnwood Everett (Lynwood, WA)
Residence Inn Seattle East/Redmond (Redmond, WA)
SpringHill Suites Seattle South/Renton (Renton, WA)
Residence Inn Seattle South/Tukwila (Seattle, WA)
Fairfield Inn Spokane Downtown (Spokane, WA)
Courtyard Seattle Southcenter (Tukwila, WA)
Madison Marriott West (Middleton, WI)
Courtyard Bridgeport Clarksburg (Bridgeport, WV)
Fairfield Inn Morgantown Granville (Morgantown, WV)
TownePlace Suites Bridgeport Clarksburg (Bridgeport, WV)
Do these category changes affect your free night certificate redemption?
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The post Marriott and Ritz Carlton Hotels You Can’t Book with a Free Night Certificate After March 19, 2015 appeared first on PointChaser.