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Re: Marriott System (by Kenneth K.):

Terry: I found this on the Marriott Rewards website. I believe a few companies had completely changed their rewards systems. I believe Marriott would feel justified to do this as well:

"...

General Membership

1. Marriott Rewards membership and its benefits are offered at the discretion of Marriott. Marriott and its travel partners have the right to change, limit, modify or cancel Program Rules, regulations, rewards, and reward levels at any time, with or without notice, even though such changes may affect the value of points or miles already accumulated, the ability to use accumulated points or miles, or the ability to obtain certain rewards. Marriott and its travel partners may, among other things: (a) increase or decrease the number of points or miles received for a stay or required for a reward; (b) withdraw, limit, modify, or cancel any reward; (c) add blackout dates, limit rooms available for any reward at any participating hotel, or otherwise restrict the continued availability of rewards; (d) change program benefits, travel partners, locations served by Marriott or its travel partners, conditions of participation, rules for earning, redeeming, retaining, or forfeiting points or miles, or rules governing the use of rewards; (e) change or cancel its travel partner rewards. The accumulation of points or miles does not entitle members to any vested rights with respect to points, miles, rewards, or program benefits. In accumulating points or miles, members may not rely upon the continued availability of any reward or reward level. ..."

I also am charged BEYOND maint fees and taxes to be a member of the Florida Club...I think only $35.00 US ( for domestic US owners only...much higher for out of US owners). It is not part of the maint fees. And I think I get a much better value via II.....and will probably contine until Marriott tries to do an internal trade program.

As for the points value going down, they have, substantially. 200,000 points a few years ago bought 2 R/T airline tixs to any place ( and Marriott did the seat work for the plane tixs with Reward Points), a Hertz rent a car for a week, an AT&T phone card for the week, and a weeks stay in an ANY category Marriott Hotel. ( But not Ritz Carlton....but more points did get a room there as well...... )

I have also noted that category numbers for some hotels under Marriott Management seems to go up, so the place costs more points.