Some SPG Award Changes to Take Note in Southeast Asia
Your SPG Starpoints could be worth a lot more (or less) from 01 March 2016! In case you haven't heard, Starwood will be implementing some changes to the 2016 Award Category for hotel room night redemption.
| Hotel | Old Category | New Category |
|---|---|---|
| Increase in Category | ||
| The Westin Singapore | 5 | 6 |
| W Retreat & Spa Bali - Seminyak | 6 | 7 |
| The St. Regis Osaka | 5 | 6 |
| Sheraton Samui Resort | 3 | 4 |
| Decrease in Category | ||
| Four Points by Sheraton Brisbane | 4 | 3 |
| Le Méridien Bali Jimbaran | 4 | 3 |
| The St. Regis Bangkok | 6 | 5 |
Here are some properties to take note with the upcoming changes (especially if you have plans to redeem for room nights). Within Singapore, The Westin Singapore will move from Category 5 to Category 6, making it a bad idea to redeem for room nights since it is relatively affordable on weekends. The redemption for Four Points by Sheraton Brisbane is a good move however since room rates in Brisbane may fluctuate quite a bit depending on occupancy.
Photo Credit: Starwood
The new changes do not seem like a good move to us folks in the Asia-Pacific region especially with the uncertainty that lurks with the SPG programme now that Marriott has acquired the company.
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