Using Bonvoy points for a higher room category than Standard

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amaroo

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Is it possible to redeem points for a higher room category than the standard room always offered via the website search?
 
Ok, I'm thinking I'd better off sending my 500,000 odd points off to KF.... am I right to say that the transfer rate of 3/1 e.g. 500,000MP = 166,667 KF miles?
 
Is it possible to redeem points for a higher room category than the standard room always offered via the website search?


My room at the Ritz Carlton NYC last year was one step up from the standard room. Points cost was the same as the standard but also required 2x upgrade vouchers per night which were purchased at the time of booking for either 5,000pts or US$50 each from memory. So my 3 night stay ended up being an extra 30,000pts. My recollection was that to do this it had to come up when you did a search for a points redemption. I’m unsure whether ringing the call centre or the hotel itself would have offered any other options.

Bear in mind this was prior to the program changes that occurred at the start of the year and I’m not sure if this has changed.
 
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My room at the Ritz Carlton NYC last year was one step up from the standard room. Points cost was the same as the standard but also required 2x upgrade vouchers per night which were purchased at the time of booking for either 5,000pts or US$50 each from memory. So my 3 night stay ended up being an extra 30,000pts. My recollection was that to do this it had to come up when you did a search for a points redemption. I’m unsure whether ringing the call centre or the hotel itself would have offered any other options.

Bear in mind this was prior to the program changes that occurred at the start of the year and I’m not sure if this has changed.

Interesting, either I'm not looking close enough or I've never received such an offer. How far into the booking did the option appear?

I was actually looking at the RC Boston prior to starting the thread.... didn't want the base room so decided to book the Four Seasons Boston instead.

I'm turning by back on hotel loyalty schemes.
 
It is called Redemption with Cash Upgrade. So you lay down the required points to get the room. On screen though they provide you (often in increments of 50 USD$) upgraded rooms so Basic room is 50000 pts but for 50$ + 50000 you can get deluxe room and so on.

I have only ever seen this on the Ritz Carlton properties. Perhaps it is on others.

The other option you have is sometimes on arrival they will have a 'rate card' where you can redeem points on site for options from spa, to meals ...some properties likely have an option to upgrade your room for X points. I see this now and again on the trail.
 
Is the redemption with cash upgrade something you'd easily see on the booking page? Looking at booking the RC HGK, but I cannot see any other option to upgrade. prior to hitting the book now link.
 
You should see this. Once you search for the property on a multi-night stay you will see text that says Customized Cash + Points click that hyphen sign and the screen will expand.

166561

Is the redemption with cash upgrade something you'd easily see on the booking page? Looking at booking the RC HGK, but I cannot see any other option to upgrade. prior to hitting the book now link.
 
Thanks for that. I found that page and got the same option as the one you posted - points & cash combo. Does that mean there is no option to upgrade to a better room category?
 
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