Just outside D.C., there’s a team of Marriott executives hard at work in a basement trying to answer the age-old question: Can Sheraton be fixed?

To see how things were shaping up, I went to visit a new Sheraton Club Lounge. When I entered, I saw a bookshelf filled with elegant texts and anthologies, and a space anchored by a central kitchen of sorts — what Sheraton’s calling The Hearth. There were grab-and-go light bites and fresh fruit; an island where hot dishes might be served from dutch ovens; shelves for snacks; and even beverages on tap. Guests could choose from a variety of seating arrangements, including tables and booths designed for dining, a counter against a wide window overlooking the city and, around another dividing wall, more lounge-style seating. There was a flat-screen television hanging on the wall, and a stylish green sectional.

The entire lounge was filled with upscale textiles (leather and jewel-tone velvets), bold geometric patterns, light natural woods and polished metal finishes. The room had a contemporary midcentury aesthetic and distinct zones.

Then, of course, I looked down and couldn’t see my feet — a quick and disorienting reminder that I wasn’t actually in a Sheraton Club, but rather in the most recent permutation crafted by the design team. I was in a virtual-reality Sheraton Club, and it was indeed very stylish.

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During an intimate media preview in September at Marriott’s headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, executives including Scott McCoy, vice president of global operations for Marriott, Sheraton and Delta hotels; Sheraton’s vice president of brand management, Indy Adenaw; and Kavitha Iyer, Marriott’s director of design, revealed the most recent renderings of Sheraton’s redesigned Clubs in an immersive virtual space that was not quite the real thing, but didn’t feel far off.

Right now, in a basement-level room, sits a Styrofoam model of one of these clubs, complete with that chaise and island. You can walk through the space, reach out for those theoretical snacks and touch the shelf, recline on the sectional — even put your feet up. (It just doesn’t feel at all like the plush sofa you’re seeing on the VR headset.)

It’s easy to get excited by the design — which, though approximately 18 months in the making, is still subject to change. But Marriott can’t just trade in drab furnishings and uninspired décor and call its new Sheraton lounges a success.

That’s why the food and beverage program is also being revamped; various seating formats are being introduced; and — in an attempt to keep travelers from checking out and checking into an airport lounge instead — renderings of the lounges promise cozier, more private and more inviting spaces useful for meetings, coworking, relaxing and socializing.

Reimagining a struggling brand

Sheraton has become known as something of a problem child in the travel industry, and the so-called premium brand began floundering long before it was acquired by Starwood in 1997. In a 2018 article for Skift, Deanna Ting described Sheraton as a brand that has repeatedly struggled to improve its perception among travelers. Under Marriott International, things have started to look up for the wayward brand, largely because the hotel chain has been “aggressive” in removing Sheratons that don’t satisfy brand requirements.

Last summer, Marriott unveiled its plans to transform Sheraton from a stumbling block into a reliable premium brand worthy of commingling with Autograph Collection hotels and Le Méridiens.

The brand got a fancy new logo and approximately 30% of its more than 400 properties are preparing to begin, or have already begun, a renovation. Refreshed lobbies with “productivity tables,” meeting rooms and noise-isolating phone booths, as well as new guest room designs are part of this reshaping of the Sheraton brand.

As part of the massive overhaul, there will be a big push to have a Club Lounge in every Sheraton hotel possible, though that number is already pretty high. A representative from Marriott told TPG in an email the brand currently has lounges in about 400 properties, or around 91% of all Sheratons globally.

The ultimate goal? Persuade guests to “stay in” a Sheraton — not just “stay at” a Sheraton when it’s time to go to bed.

Encouraging guests to stay

Multiple times throughout the media preview, we talked about airport lounges. Sure, travelers are more captive at an airport than they are at a hotel. But some of the high-end lounges (looking at you, Centurion) are actually seen as premium, lusted-after and exclusive. But even though Club Lounges are largely reserved for suite guests, VIPs and Marriott Bonvoy higher-tier elites, you don’t see travelers staying until the last possible second at a Sheraton before leaving for the airport. Most travelers pack up their bags, check out and leave.

Members of the TPG Lounge shared different ideas about why this is. For some, it’s simply a matter of managing stress. Getting to the airport and through security alleviates some of that preflight angst.

“I prefer the airport lounge,” said TPG reader Hing P. “I would just have anxiety by staying at a hotel lounge in general for fear of something happening between the hotel and airport that would delay me beyond my control.”

In that respect, Sheraton may be fighting a losing battle.

Related: Best credit cards for airport lounge access

To be clear, not all Sheraton Club Lounges are bad. The Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park property has a stunning, light-filled lounge with high ceilings, black marble and impressive park views — not to mention a full tended bar, fresh oysters and an array of sweets. But like many Sheraton lounges, this space can become incredibly crowded.

At the Sheraton Tribeca, TPG’s own Summer Hull couldn’t even find a seat during breakfast at the “uncomfortably full” lounge on the 21st floor.

The available food wasn’t exactly exciting or impressive either.

And this inconsistency is certainly part of the problem. “Sheraton is the most random of Marriott lines. Some are decent, many are awful. In terms of the clubs most are on the low end and undesirable. A few are decent,” said TPG reader David O.

Many travelers point to the massive discrepancy between Sheratons in North America and those elsewhere in the world, especially the Asia-Pacific region. TPG readers lauded Sheraton Club Lounges in Singapore, Macao and Hangzhou but largely slammed those in the U.S.

“[In] some places I would stay at the Sheraton [Club] Lounge over airport lounges, but mostly overseas,” said Trevor M.

For many travelers, the design of the lounge may be underwhelming and uninviting, but that’s not the game changer. Having a comfortable space to sit and more than “meager” snack and meal offerings — especially when the Club Lounge is the free breakfast option for Bonvoy elites — are necessary to turn the tide.

One thing that won’t be changing? Travelers will still probably have to pay for most of their Club Lounge cocktails.

In the new Club Lounges, a designated bar area will be stocked with vintage glassware. “When it is possible,” McCoy said, “some lounges will offer complimentary alcoholic beverages,” but it won’t be a “standardized expectation.”

“Most of the bars will have a self-serve option,” he said, and guests will be able to use a key card to pay for wine or beer. Other Club Lounge might have an ever-popular honor bar. “During peak periods,” however, the “intention is to have a bartender in the space to assist.”

Managing the number of people in the lounge and how many arrive at once will be a priority.

Lounges will continue to be “paid and earned” spaces: That means Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Titanium and Ambassador elites with a plus one; hotel VIPs; and travelers with paid lounge access. “During peak periods, [entry] would be managed by a host at the entrance to the club,” McCoy said.

Travelers will also notice that Sheraton Club Lounges will be largely be moving to the lobby level in part so guests can see the space without having to hunt for it on, say, the 21st floor, only to find that it’s full to the brim with other travelers. All Sheraton Club Lounges will also be accessible 24/7, with at least water, coffee and a few grab-and-go items available to travelers burning the midnight oil.

When the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown reopens early next year, it will be the first true example of Sheraton’s new brand vision — a “benchmark” for what future Sheraton renovations and new builds should strive to embody. 

And with 81 Sheraton properties in the pipeline representing some 21,015 rooms across the globe, Sheraton’s brand presence is far from shrinking. Whether that translates to measurable impact and improved perceptions remains to be seen.

“We want the Sheraton Club [to have] … features that enable our guests to feel a sense of belonging as they work and play alongside other likeminded people,” said McCoy. “Our hope is to convey a warm, welcoming and memorable space that allows our guests to work, meet and relax at any time.”

Images and renderings courtesy of Sheraton except where indicated. 

When heading to a wedding in Manchester, Vermont, I chose to stay at the Equinox Golf Resort & Spa, a Luxury Collection property. It was the perfect fit because I wanted to earn more Bonvoy elite nights, and it was also one of the properties recommended by my friends tying the knot.

The hotel also has an interesting history, dating back to the late 1700s, serving as a tavern and then becoming an inn. The property has played host to four U.S. presidents and one vice president: William Howard Taft, Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt (he even gave a campaign speech on the front lawn), Benjamin Harrison and Vice President James S. Sherman.

In the early 1990s, the historic property underwent a large restoration, and the golf course was constructed.

Now, the hotel, golf course and grounds are owned by Marriott, but the property also holds a spot on the National Register of Historic Places.

Location

Equinox is in the heart of the Green Mountain National Forest, a mile and a half away from the city center of Manchester, Vermont. It was walkable (though it’d be a long one), but the hotel had a complimentary car service that took guests anywhere in town, like restaurants, shops or bars. Basically, the hotel felt close enough to things to do while still giving off that relaxing, weekend-in-the-countryside feel.

There was also a golf club on the grounds, as well as a tennis club, so if you’re visiting to spend some time playing a round of golf or work on your serve, you won’t even have to leave the property.

Booking

Rooms were about $395 per night for a traditional king room, but to my delight, I was told I had been upgraded to a king deluxe upon arrival.

Although the rate wasn’t cheap, I realized once I started my hotel research that it seemed to be a pretty average rate compared to other hotels in the area for a summer weekend in Manchester, Vermont.

I got the most out of my stay by booking book the property directly on Marriott’s website and paying with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express® Card.

Besides earning 6 points per dollar spent at participating Marriott properties, I also earn perks like up to $300 in statement credits each year for Marriott purchases (including room rates), complimentary Marriott Gold status, a free award night (worth up to 50,000 points) after my account anniversary each year, and more.

My two-night stay earned me almost 11,000 Bonvoy points, including a bonus I got for having Gold elite status that comes as a perk of The Platinum Card® from American Express.

The Equinox is a Category 6 Bonvoy property, meaning an award night will cost you 40,000 points for an off-peak night, 50,000 for a standard night and 60,000 points for a peak night. If you’re able to find availability at the standard or off-peak rate, this property is eligible for the free-night certificates that come with the Bonvoy Brilliant card.

Check-in

Check in was a breeze — staff actually came right up to the car, took the bags and valet-parked for me (free of charge). By the time I walked into the reception area, my room key was already ready and waiting for me. I was notified of my upgrade before I could even ask for one, and offered prosecco, which I happily accepted.

Later, upon departure, a staff member picked up my car and loaded all of my luggage in, which was really nice.

Room

The bed was the highlight of the room. I think it may have been one of the most comfortable beds I’ve ever slept in at a hotel.

The furniture at first glance looked new(ish), but on closer inspection, it definitely had a bit of wear and tear. The TV wasn’t brand-new either, but I didn’t really have time to watch it, so it didn’t matter.

Though I did appreciate the desk and armchair, I found the intense carpet pattern to be dizzying.

The room itself proved to be perfectly comfortable during my stay, especially for sleeping. But I did notice that the walls were really thin and heard a lot of noise early in the morning from other guests and housekeeping. Luckily, the tech offering was relatively up to date, so lighting was intuitive and I had enough outlets to plug in my devices.

But the bathroom setup wasn’t ideal. Only the toilet and shower were private and in a separate room, so I had no choice but to wake up my now husband while blow-drying my hair at the vanity. The shower wasn’t tall enough for taller people (it definitely wouldn’t have passed the TPG shower test).

My Le Chemin from Byredo bath amenities were high-end and smelled fresh.

Food and Beverage

Breakfast was available a la carte or at the buffet, which was $25. I chose to test the buffet out, and it was a nice spread in a beautiful dining room.

The buffet was packed with plenty of hot options, pastries and fruit. The omelet station was particularly unique, as I was encouraged to select exactly what I wanted, pick it up myself (actually put the veggies, meats and cheeses in my own bowl) and bring it directly to the chef for a perfect, self-designed omelet.

The bathrooms just off the buffet were a different story, though. I was sorry I had entered — they were so dirty I lost my appetite for food!

After 11:00 p.m., the hotel only served cold food for room service, but I got my order in just in time for hot food. But it was some of the worst room service food I’d ever gotten. My club sandwich and pizza took almost a full hour to arrive. Both were borderline inedible. I’m not sure what was going on in the kitchen, but the food just tasted bad, especially the pizza, which was disappointing after the delicious breakfast.

Amenities

The property was stunning, beautifully landscaped and surrounded by greenery.

I enjoyed relaxing in the indoor common areas, which were lovely during my summer visit. I imagined it would be even more charming in the winter, as I noticed a few fireplaces and cozy blankets. There were signs set about in the common areas saying, “Silence Encouraged.” Despite the signs, I still heard noise while in my room.

The weekend of our stay had gorgeous weather, but the hotel pool was indoor, which was unfortunate.

There were a few seats outside, though, and a small outdoor Jacuzzi, but since it was warm out, I didn’t use it.

A large gym with different kinds of weight and fitness equipment was near the pool area.

As I previously mentioned, the property featured a golf club and a tennis club, as well as a complimentary car service for guests.

Pickups and drop-offs were available until 11:00 p.m. daily anywhere in Manchester. The car service was available on a first-come, first-served basis, and they did their best to accommodate and juggle all guest requests, getting me to the wedding on time even though there were other guests also in need of rides.

The hotel also had a spa, but I didn’t have time to use it during my two-night stay. But I was able to do a short hike near the hotel, which was very relaxing. If you like the outdoors, this hotel would be an excellent fit.

Overall Impression

The Equinox hotel grounds and property were historic and beautiful, and I loved being able to get out of the concrete jungle that is New York City to enjoy a relaxing weekend away in the woods. I ended up getting a great night of sleep in the bed and had a delicious breakfast. But little things, like the strange bathroom setup, thin walls and terrible room service, might keep me from returning.

If you’re in the process of booking a trip to a Marriott resort in the U.S., Canada, Caribbean or Latin America, listen up. The world’s largest hotel chain is now offering a discount of up to 20% on resort stays booked by October 31, giving you the opportunity to save some serious cash.

I received an email this morning with details on the sale, but it appears to be a publicly-available offer that’s been ongoing since August 1. Unfortunately, it isn’t consistent, since the length of stay required to earn a discount varies by property — and individual properties define “longer stays” differently. Here’s what you’ll find in the U.S. and Canada:

• Save 15% for 3 nights or 20% for 4 nights
• Save 15% for 4 nights or 20% for 5 nights
• Save 15% for 5 nights or 20% for 6 nights

And here are the offers in Latin America and the Caribbean:

• Save 15% for 2 nights or 20% for 3 nights
• Save 15% for 3 nights or 20% for 4 nights
• Save 15% for 4 nights or 20% for 5 nights
• Save 15% for 5 nights or 20% for 6 nights

Note that stays must be booked by Oct. 31, 2019, and completed by Jan. 19, 2020, to snag any of the above discounts.

To check the applicable discount, start at the promotion’s landing page and enter your desired destination (the promotional code “DQ3” will automatically populate in the special rates box). The search results will then only pull up applicable properties, but you can get a quick snapshot of which properties offer the discount on shorter stays.

For example, searching in Miami shows that the St. Regis Bal Harbour is offering 15% off a three-night stay.

However, adding another night increases the discount to 20% off the base rate.

What’s interesting is that longer stays may actually give you the choice of the discount, so you’ll want to make sure to select the bigger one — like this example at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort:

And note that since you’re booking directly with the program, you’ll still be eligible to earn Marriott points and enjoy elite status perks during your stay.

From the region-specific links, it appears that you have a total of 163 properties from which to choose — 85 in the U.S. and Canada and another 78 in Latin America and the Caribbean. It’s also interesting that the terms of the promotion indicate that it’s only valid at Autograph Collection, Renaissance, Marriott Resorts and Delta Hotels. However, the lists actually include multiple other brands in the Marriott Bonvoy umbrella — including St. Regis, Westin, W and Tribute Portfolio locations.

Again, your best bet is likely to start from the promotion’s landing page to find applicable properties.

However, before you jump to book these rooms, be sure to review the individual property’s cancellation policy. While the St. Regis Bal Harbour required full prepayment and is nonrefundable if cancelled more than a day after booking, the St. Kitts Marriott allowed free cancellations up to three days before arrival.

In addition, there may be other booking options that are more desirable (or less expensive) than this offer. This could include AAA or government/military discounts or packages with breakfast, for example. Double-check all of your available rates before booking a room with this promotion.

Featured photo by Nick Ellis / The Points Guy

Frequent travelers know that having elite status with your preferred airline or hotel chain can go a long way towards making your time on the road more comfortable. From complimentary upgrades and bonus points to waived fees and better customer service, it’s no surprise that these major companies want to make sure their most valuable customers receive the best treatment.

In the last few years we’ve seen the three legacy U.S. airlines institute revenue requirements for earning elite status. Now, in addition to flying, you’ll need to spend $15,000 or more to earn top-tier American Airlines Executive Platinum, Delta Platinum Medallion or United Premier 1K.

While $15,000 might be a lot for an individual to spend in a year, for some frequent business travelers it’s a drop in the bucket. If your clients are constantly paying for you to take last-minute long-haul premium cabin flights, it’s possible to rack up a much higher tab over the course of the year. This is why each of these airlines, and a number of other airlines and hotel chains, also have unofficial invitation-only elite status tiers as well.

Today we’ll take a look at some of the benefits and swag these programs offer. Note that most of the benefits here are not formally published online, but rather have been collected based on firsthand reports from TPG staff and readers.

American Airlines Concierge Key

American Airlines Concierge Key elites sit at the top of the food chain, earning those benefits by spending approximately $50,000 Elite Qualifying Dollars (EQDs) in a calendar year. As American deals with an unprecedented amount of irregular operations between the grounding of the 737 MAX and a prolonged battle with its mechanics union, one of the most useful benefits of Concierge Key status is the dedicated phone line and email address with shorter wait times and more accommodating agents.

In some cases, agents will even proactively monitor a Concierge Key’s travel and book them on alternate flights if they misconnect or experience a delay. One reader even reported being squeezed onto an oversold flight, though that doesn’t appear to be a guaranteed policy.

Some other benefits of Concierge Key status include the following:

• Access to Flagship Check-in where available: Chicago (ORD), London (LHR), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), New York-JFK.
• Private tarmac transfers: At American Airlines hubs, Concierge Key members with tight connections will be greeted on arrival and get a ride to the terminal (or to their next flight) in a private vehicle.
• Admirals Club membership and access to Flagship Lounges: Concierge Key members will get an Admirals Club membership (a $650 value for general AAdvantage members, $450 if you have membership through the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®) and access to AA’s Flagship Lounges when traveling on any AA or Oneworld flight. They can even bring immediate family or up to two guests into the Flagship Lounge.
• Priority pre-boarding: AA currently has nine different boarding groups, but Concierge Key members are invited to pre-board even before group 1.
• 2 additional Systemwide Upgrades (SWUs): In addition to having the highest priority for most types of upgrades, Concierge Key elites will get two extra SWUs to use each year, for a grand total of six.

While the perks listed above are the most valuable, Concierge Key members will also enjoy an all around enhanced travel experience with many service fees being waived, and the guaranteed ability to purchase main cabin tickets, even on sold-out flights.

Related: Choosing the best credit card for American Airlines flyers

United Global Services

United appears to have a broader range when it comes to qualifying for its ultra-exclusive Global Services tier, with some readers having received an invitation after only spending $28,000 Premier Qualifying Dollars (PQDs) and flying 200,000 Premier Qualifying Miles (PQMs). This certainly appears to be the low end, as most data points suggest a spending range of $50,000 or more to be tapped for Global Services.

Like American’s Concierge Key members, United Global Services members have access to a dedicated phone line with highly trained customer service agents who may be able to bend the rules slightly to accommodate these passengers. In addition, we know that Global Services members receive the following perks:

• Create your own award availability: Most airlines designate specific fare buckets for their upgrade award inventory, and if those are empty you’re out of luck. However, United Global Services members can create their own award space when there’s space in the T and R revenue fare classes (though this isn’t guaranteed to work 100% of the time).
• Upgrade to a separate fare class: United Global Services members have their own separate fare class for upgrade inventory – PN – which gives them a higher chance of clearing an upgrade in addition to their already elevated priority.
• Priority boarding
• Priority meal orders: In premium cabins, Global Services members are often the first to have their meal orders taken, guaranteeing that United won’t run out of their preferred dish.
• Mercedes-Benz tarmac transfer: In the event of a tight connection at a United hub, Global Services members will be whisked across the tarmac in a luxury vehicle to their next flight.
• Upgrade companions on paid business-class tickets: While the PN fare class is normally reserved for Global Services members, if they’re on a paid business-class ticket and traveling with a companion in economy, they can apply an upgrade to their companion, giving them access to this elite-only upgrade inventory.

These are in addition to the many soft benefits that Global Services members receive, as United will go the extra mile for these valuable customers. If you complain about a gate or check-in agent, they will be addressed directly by HR. Unhappy with your seat assignment? Ask at the gate and they may move another passenger to accommodate you. If you have any complaints or concerns in general, United agents will be quick to offer compensation in the form of cash or miles when things go wrong.

Related: The 8 best credit cards for flying United Airlines

Delta 360

Of the three U.S. legacy airlines, Delta 360 arguably offers the least-valuable benefits and requires the most to get in. While there’s no set formula for how much you need to spend or fly to get an invitation, a number of FlyerTalk readers reported spending nearly $90,000 and not receiving an invite. According to a number of reports, Delta looks at more than your individual spending, including how much control you have over corporate contracts that could funnel even larger streams of revenue to the airline. Some of the benefits of Delta 360 status include:

• Delta SkyClub Executive Membership: This is a nice perk for a frequent flyer, though not a huge value add given how easy it is to gain access to Delta SkyClubs with cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express, The Business Platinum® Card from American Express, Delta Reserve® Credit Card from American Express and Delta Reserve for Business Credit Card.
• Dedicated phone line: Like Concierge Key and Global Services, Delta 360 customers can look forward to 24/7 access to a suite of highly trained agents who are willing to bend the rules to get them out of delays and on to their final destination.
• Greater chance of a Porsche tarmac transfer: Delta offers this perk to Diamond Medallion elites with tight connections through its hubs, but Delta 360 members have much higher priority if the car fleet is at maximum utilization and may receive a courtesy transfer even if it’s not necessary to make their next flight.
• A champagne gift: While it’s not a travel benefit per se, Delta has been known to send its Delta 360 members a magnum of Louis Roederer Champagne and Tiffany & Co. flutes.

Related: Choosing the best credit card for Delta Flyers

Marriott Cobalt

Marriott Bonvoy has worked hard to keep its invite-only Cobalt tier a secret, warning agents that “There are NO external Public Relations or communications about this program and associates should not discuss outside of work,” but that didn’t stop TPG from getting the full scoop.

There are no published requirements for earning Cobalt status, but Marriott employees can nominate members as they see fit. These nominations are then processed by Marriott’s President & CEO before approval. Unlike some of the other programs on this list, Marriott Cobalt comes with a more clearly defined set of benefits including Marriott Ambassador Elite status and the following at all properties:

• Upgrade to best-available accommodations, including suites
• Personalized note from General Manager
• Personal meet and greet with the General Manager during your stay

At premium properties, Cobalt members receive all the above plus a personalized amenity, and at luxury properties they also receive “a distinctive on property experience for member and a guest.”

Unless you place a high value on meeting the hotel manager during your stay, this doesn’t appear to be much of a value add over Marriott Ambassador status, though some of the member experiences at luxury properties are quite nice.

Related: Which Marriott Bonvoy credit card is right for you?

Bottom line

There are certainly more airlines and hotels around the world that shower their most profitable customers with unpublished gifts and benefits (including Emirates, which is rumored to have senior airline executives hand deliver membership cards to its Invitation Only program). While many of us might be able to readjust our yearly travel plans to try and move up a rung on the elite ladder, it’s unlikely you’ll ever receive an invite to these programs unless you’re spending in the mid five figures each year with a single airline or hotel, or have control over major corporate travel contracts.

Featured photo by Zach Honig/The Points Guy.

There are times when you’re traveling outside the country that you need to stay in a hotel connected to an airport. Maybe you missed the last flight of the night and want a place close by to lay your weary head. Or there’s an early-morning flight and you want to get a good night’s sleep and not have to make a bleary-eyed drive from home to the airport. Or sometimes you just need a day to recover after a particularly long flight.

Whatever the reason, airports around the globe have hotels attached that are ready to serve you. We polled the TPG Lounge Facebook group and asked for their picks. We also considered hotels with the following:

• Easy access to and from the hotel
• Flexible check-in/checkout hours
• Day rooms available
• 24-hour access to food
• Blackout curtains and soundproof rooms

The results are below.

Related: Sleep with the planes: The 9 best airport hotels in the United States and Canada

citizenM Schiphol Airport Hotel

This brand, known for its affordable luxury, is a four-minute walk from the Arrivals Hall 4 in Amsterdam’s airport (AMS). But once there, customers are guaranteed a one-minute check-in and 24/7 access to food and drinks in canteenM. Rooms feature king-sized beds, ambient mood lighting, wall-to-wall windows, blackout blinds, free movies and Wi-Fi and an international outlet system. If you need a space to work, buy a citizenM working day pass for only $16.

Crowne Plaza Changi Airport

This IHG hotel, right off Terminal 3 in Singapore’s airport (SIN), was voted Skytrax’s World’s Best Airport Hotel in 2019 — its fifth consecutive win. An aviation geek’s dream, rooms have amazing views of Airbus A380 jumbo jets parked right outside your window. There’s luxurious bedding, an aromatherapy kit and quiet zones, and the hotel promises no room attendant, housekeeping or engineering activities Sunday through Thursday from 9 p.m. to 10 a.m., unless requested.

The hotel features a great restaurant and a beautiful, lagoon-like outdoor pool. There’s an on-site fitness center, a 24/7 business center, free Wi-Fi, restaurants serving western and Asian cuisine and two bars. If you need a shorter stay, the Crown Plaza Changi Airport offers day rates between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., ranging from $141 for four hours up to $211 for eight hours.

You can redeem 40,000 IHG Rewards Club points per night at the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, or pay around $250 per night.

Limited-time offer: Earn 125,000 IHG points with the IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card (ends Oct. 9, 2019)

Hilton Frankfurt Airport

This Frankfurt airport (FRA) hotel, in the Squaire, is walkable from terminals 1 and 2 and is right above the Intercity Express railway station with quick access to downtown. Rooms feature a king bed, soundproof windows, Wi-Fi, U.S. and U.K. power sockets and a bathroom with a separate bathtub and shower. You can also book a room for the day between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. and have access to the business center 24/7. There’s a restaurant and bar, and Little Italy restaurant next door comes highly recommended by TPG readers.

Nights here range from 30,000 to 70,000 Hilton points per night depending on the season (and sometimes exceed $500).

Related: How to choose the best Hilton credit card for you

Hotel Sofitel London Heathrow

This luxury AccorHotels London Heathrow (LHR) hotel is within walking distance of British Airways’ Terminal 5, and easily accessible from other terminals via free buses. Rooms come with free Wi-Fi, and some have views of the airport. There is a business center and a 24/7 fitness center and pool. You can book a day room between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. for $160.

When it’s time to eat, the Sofitel’s options are La Belle Epoque for French cuisine, Vivre for fresh food or Tea 5, which serves afternoon tea with finger sandwiches and Parisian pastries. You can unwind with a drink and light bites at Le Bar Parisien or Stylish Sphere, or take a quick 21-minute ride to Central London on the Heathrow Express high-speed train.

Regal Airport Hong Kong

It’s all about location, location, location with this hotel, connected to Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) via a two-minute walk from the Arrival Hall A of Terminal 1 via a covered bridge. It’s also 24 minutes from downtown via the Airport Express line, and the the SkyPlaza shopping and entertainment center and the AsiaWorld-Expo convention center are also nearby. If you want to visit Hong Kong Disneyland, it’s a 15-minute drive away.

Rooms include natural light and double-glazed soundproof windows. Among the hotel’s 1,171 rooms are family-friendly quad and triple rooms, which feature two queen beds or three twin beds, respectively. Guests can eat at six restaurants serving Asian and western cuisine or work out in a state-of-the-art gym, an outdoor pool and an indoor heated swimming pool. The hotel offers special rates for 10-hour stays between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. At $168 for a superior single room, it’s a real bargain, since it also includes a 55-minute massage and free Wi-Fi for up to four devices.

Sheraton Milan Malpensa Airport Hotel & Conference Centre

The only hotel with direct access to Terminal 1 of Malpensa Airport (MXP), it’s located 30 minutes from downtown Milan. This Marriott Bonvoy hotel features soundproof rooms, a spa with an indoor pool and a 24/7 fitness center. Dining at the Mediterranean Il Canneto restaurant comes highly recommended, and you can have a meal and a cocktail at the Monterosa Bar until 2:30 a.m. For between $87 and $262, you can get a day room at the Sheraton Milan Malpensa between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on the same day.

Rooms at this Category 4 hotel cost 25,000 Marriott points for a standard night.

Related: Which Marriott credit card is right for you?

Bottom line

Hotels attached to airports can be a lifesaver for those who are traveling. Having a place to rest and relax 24 hours a day, seven days a week is a good option whether you need a place to stay after a flight delay or cancellation or you just want to avoid sitting in an airport seat during a long layover. When it comes with perks such as a spa, a fitness center and 24-hour dining, all the better.

What are your favorite international airport hotels?

Featured photo courtesy of the Hotel Sofitel London Heathrow.

If you have a flight planned soon, you may be able to score a ton of miles after converting hotel points to Etihad Guest Miles. The airline is running a new promotion where you’ll earn a 20% bonus when you convert hotel points to miles through Oct. 31.

Here’s what you need to know.

The offer is valid for all points to miles transfers made through Oct. 31. inclusive. The hotels participating include Accor Hotels, Hilton Honors, Radisson, Shangri-La, World of Hyatt, IHG and Marriott.

As Loyalty Lobby reported earlier today, a 60,000-point transfer from Marriott Bonvoy becomes 25,000 miles. After the 20% bonus, you’d end up with 30,000 Etihad miles.

Many of us like to use Etihad miles because It has a great award chart for many of its partner airlines like American, ANA and Virgin Australia. It can be cumbersome to book an award flight, as TPG’s Brendan Dorsey wrote in the summer, but you can get some great rates. TPG values Etihad miles at 1.4 cents each.

We’ve highlighted some of the best ways to use Etihad miles, including a one-way transcontinental flight on American’s A321T in business for 25,000 miles, West Coast cities to Japan in ANA’s business class for 54,000 miles and a one-way ticket to Europe, Japan or Korea in American Airline’s business class for 50,000 miles.

And if you still find yourself short on miles for an award redemption, Etihad Guest Miles are pretty easy to obtain. You can transfer both Citi ThankYou Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards to Etihad Guest at a 1:1 transfer ratio. Occasionally, the banks have offered transfer bonuses in the past, which sweeten the deal when they happen.

Featured photo courtesy of Javier Rodriguez/The Points Guy.

Reader Questions are answered twice a week by TPG Senior Points & Miles Contributor Ethan Steinberg.

There are a lot of factors that go into selecting a new credit card, but perhaps the most important (and certainly the most immediate) is the welcome bonus it offers. In some cases this might mean applying for a card that you like but don’t love, or applying for a premium credit card for its larger bonus when the entry level version would have suited you better (or vice versa). TPG reader Mike wants to know how upgrading a card will affect his future bonus eligibility…

I have an offer to upgrade to the Bonvoy Brilliant for 125,000 bonus points. If I accept the offer, would I still be eligible to receive a new welcome bonus on the Bonvoy Brilliant in the future?

TPG READER MIKE

This is a tough choice for Mike to make, and I’m not entirely sure what I would do myself if I was in his position. On the one hand, if he wants the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express® Card he should jump at the 125,000 bonus points, as the public welcome offer on this card is only for 75,000 points right now (after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months). On the other hand, upgrading would mean losing his legacy Bonvoy Amex (closed to new applicants), and I try to hold as many Bonvoy cards as possible for the anniversary free nights they offer.

As tempting as an offer can be though, good for Mike for thinking through his long-term card strategy before making any important decisions. Each card issuer has its own rules around welcome bonus and card eligibility, and Amex’s is generally summarized as follows: You can only earn the bonus on each Amex credit card once per lifetime. While we focus on the bonus, Amex actually write the policy in a slightly more restrictive way:

“Welcome offer not available to applicants who have or have had this product or the Starwood Preferred Guest^® American Express Luxury Card. We may also consider the number of American Express Cards you have opened and closed as well as other factors in making a decision on your welcome offer eligibility.”

What this means is that if someone opened a new Bonvoy Brilliant card and didn’t meet the spending requirement to earn the welcome bonus, they wouldn’t be able to apply for the card again later in life and try again. You just get one shot. In Mike’s case, once he upgrades to the Bonvoy Brilliant he will have had that card, and would no longer be eligible to receive a welcome bonus on it in the future. Even if his upgrade offer didn’t include bonus points, simply possessing the card makes you ineligible to receive a bonus on it in the future.

Related: Am I eligible for a new Marriott Bonvoy card? This chart tells you yes or no

Note that the same process also works in reverse. If you open a Delta Reserve® Credit Card from American Express and decide after a year that you don’t want to pay the $450 annual fee ($550 if application is received on or after 1/30/2020) (See Rates & Fees), you can downgrade it to the Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express. However, doing so would prevent you from ever being able to apply for the Gold Delta SkyMiles credit card in the future and earning a welcome bonus on it.

Bottom line

While we like to think of Amex’s eligibility rules in terms of how they affect our welcome bonuses, it might help to broaden our thinking a little bit. Bonus or not, you get one shot at holding each of Amex’s credit cards. If Mike chooses to take this upgrade offer (which comes with 50,000 more points than if he were to apply for the Bonvoy Brilliant directly), he won’t be able to downgrade in the future and then apply for the Bonvoy Brilliant directly. Ultimately it’s up to Mike to decide which course is best for him and his personal travel needs, but it’s smart of him to do so with an eye on the future.

Thanks for the question, Mike, and if you’re a TPG reader who’d like us to answer a question of your own, tweet us at @thepointsguy, message us on Facebook or email us at info@thepointsguy.com.

Featured photo by The Points Guy.

For rates and fees of the Delta Reserve card, click here.

With the introduction of Marriott’s peak and off-peak pricing in September, we’ve seen a variety of changes. While most of them don’t seem great, these new rates have opened up some really interesting redemptions with PointSavers hotels. Why? Take a look at Marriott’s award chart:

Off-peak rates occur during the low season, as determined by Marriott’s newest algorithm. PointSavers rates discount the points required for a free night even further. Take, for example, the Marriott Grand Cayman Beach Resort, a Category 6 hotel which would normally cost 50,000 points per night. During off-peak times the rate drops to just 40,000 points per night.

With PointSavers, the total amount needed for a single night is a stunning 35,000 points, which puts this Category 6 hotel firmly within reach of the annual free night certificate offered by the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card and Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express® Card.

Related: Which Marriott Bonvoy credit card is right for you?

However, something interesting happens when you actually go to redeem your free night certificates on Marriott’s website.

Note how the option to redeem your free night certificate doesn’t appear, unlike when you try to book a Category 5 hotel, like at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort & the Royal Beach Casino:

Unfortunately, when TPG editor Jasmin Baron tried to take advantage of one of these off-peak PointSavers rates and called to apply her certificate to her reservation, she was told by two separate Marriott representatives that her booking was considered a promotional rate and thus not eligible for the free-night certificate. When a detailed investigation of Marriott’s terms and conditions failed to yield further information, we reached out to Marriott for comment.

Related: How to use a Marriott 35,000-point certificate

Luckily for cardholders everywhere, Marriott has confirmed that free-night certificates are usable with PointSavers hotels, and that they’re actively working to correct these issues with booking. This opens up some phenomenal uses of the 35k Marriott certificate, letting members redeem their free nights for hotels up to Category 6 when they’re priced off-peak combined with PointSavers. While we’ve written about Marriott PointSavers discounts, keep in mind that Marriott’s published list isn’t comprehensive — you can find deals on tons of different destinations simply by searching. In the meantime, let’s hope that Marriott is quick to fix this glitch.

Featured photo courtesy of Marriott.

Have a Star Alliance redemption in mind and stash of hotel points waiting to be used? Here’s your opportunity, as United is offering a 30% bonus when converting points from Marriott, IHG, Choice, AccorHotels, Radisson, Shangri-La, World of Hyatt or Wyndham loyalty programs into United miles. However, the best transfers are with Marriott or Radisson.

When travelers transfer from the Marriott Bonvoy program they have the opportunity to earn an additional 10% mileage bonus and Radisson Rewards (ends Nov. 26, 2019) is offering an additional 50% mileage bonus on transfers.

Before you start transferring, you’ll have to register for the promotion. After you enroll, be sure to initiate the transfer before the promotion ends on Nov. 30, 2019. This promo offers members the ability to earn up to 25,000 bonus United miles from the transfer.

When transferring 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points (the preferred transfer ratio to earn the standard Marriott transfer bonus), you should end up with 27,500 United miles from the initial transfer and Marriott bonus and an additional 8,250 miles from the promotion United is running — making a grand total of 35,750 miles. You’re essentially transforming each Marriott point into 0.6 United miles.

Since you’re capped at receiving 25,000 bonus miles, you shouldn’t transfer more than 180,000 Marriott points if you’re trying to maximize the promotion. United would dole out 24,750 bonus miles on top of the 82,500 from the regular transfer for a total of 107,250 miles.

Be aware that the bonus miles might not immediately appear in your MileagePlus account. The terms of the deal state that “bonus miles will be credited into the member’s account on or before Jan. 30, 2020.”

You can earn Marriott points with these cards: 

• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card – Limited time offer: 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express® Card – 75,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. Terms apply.
• Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express® Card – Limited time offer: 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. Offer ends 10/23/19. Terms apply.

And if you prefer to earn United MileagePlus miles directly, you can do so with cards like:

• United Explorer Card – 40,000 miles after you spend $2,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
• United Explorer Business Card – Up to 100,000 bonus miles: Earn 50,000 miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. Earn an additional 50,000 miles after you spend a total of $25,000 on purchases in the first six months of account opening.

United is also a Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partner, so you can move points at a 1:1 ratio to United instantly when you have cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve and Ink Business Preferred Credit Card.

Related: How to earn miles with the United MileagePlus program

You can fly in United’s new Polaris business class to Europe for 60,000 miles or to China/Korea/Japan for 70,000 miles one-way. Remember you can use United miles to fly on Star Alliance partners like Lufthansa and ANA, but United bumps up award rates when flying on most of its partners.

As always, it’s probably only a good idea to make a transfer if you have a specific redemption in mind. The benefit of having a cache of Marriott Bonvoy points is their flexibility with the many transfer partners, and you won’t be able to get your points back once the transfer is complete.

Featured photo by Zach Honig/The Points Guy.

Additional reporting by Liz Hund.

American Express Membership Rewards points can be incredibly valuable. They are tied with Chase Ultimate Rewards points as the most rewarding transferable points currency in TPG’s monthly valuations at 2 cents apiece. However, it’s easy to get even more value out of your points by leveraging the right transfer partners or booking through the Amex Travel portal.

We’re going to look at some of the best ways to redeem your Membership Rewards points. Before we start, however, you need to actually earn MR points. The best way to quickly do this is by utilizing welcome bonuses on the issuer’s top credit cards. Some of the best current offers include:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you use your new card to make $5,000 in purchases in your first three months, though note that some readers have been targeted for a 100,000-point bonus by using the CardMatch tool (offer subject to change at any time). Terms apply.
• The Business Platinum® Card from American Express: Earn up to 100,000 Membership Rewards points: 50,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $10,000 and an extra 50,000 points after spending an additional $15,000 all on qualifying purchases on the Business Platinum Card within your first three months of card membership. Terms apply.
• American Express® Gold Card: Earn 35,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $2,000 on eligible purchases with your new card within the first three months. Terms apply.

Transfer partners

Perhaps the best way to spend your Amex points is through transfer partners. The program partners with 19 different airlines including ANA, JetBlue and Virgin Atlantic. You also have the option to transfer your points to three hotel chains: Hilton, Marriott and Choice. You can book flights or hotels directly through Amex Travel (more on that later), but transferring them to a partner and then redeeming them typically results in the best redemption value.

Related: Redeeming American Express Membership Rewards points for maximum value

Here are some of the best ways to redeem your points through airline and hotel transfer partners.

Cheap American Airlines awards through Etihad Guest

Although Etihad isn’t a member of one of the three major alliances, it does have a slate of individual airline partnerships that can get you some great value. One of the best uses of Etihad Guest miles is to book awards on American Airlines-operated flights at prices similar to what AA used to charge before its 2016 devaluation. You can find the full Etihad award chart for AA flights here (warning: PDF link), though most people will be interested in the prices for flights to/from North America:

These rates are often much lower than you’d pay if you booked directly with American. For example, a round-trip business-class flight from the U.S. to Europe will only cost you 100,000 Etihad miles instead of 115,000 AA miles.

You can also use Etihad Guest miles to book one of the best sweet spots in the AAdvantage award chart at even lower prices. American categorizes Japan and South Korea as a separate award region called “Asia 1” with lower award rates than the rest of the continent. Business-class awards only cost 50,000 miles one-way when booked through Etihad Guest, the same amount as flights to Europe and significantly less than the 60,000 miles AA would charge you for the same flight.

Related: Best strategies for Etihad Guest miles

American Airlines is the last U.S. carrier to offer a true international first-class product, available only on its flagship 777-300ER aircraft. When TPG himself flew it from Los Angeles (LAX) to Hong Kong (HKG) last year, he found that the in-flight product itself wasn’t a major improvement over AA’s business class. That being said, you might want to consider booking it to access AA’s Flagship First Dining at major hub airports like LAX or New York-JFK. If you’re able to find that elusive award space, you could book a first-class award on the following routes for only 62,500 miles:

• LAX or New York-JFK to London-Heathrow (LHR)
• Miami (MIA) to Sao Paulo (GRU)
• LAX to Tokyo-Haneda (HND)

Incredible redemptions with Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic is another great example of an airline that has leveraged individual partnerships in lieu of an alliance membership to build a valuable loyalty program. Each Virgin Atlantic partner has a different award chart, but the three you’ll want to pay closest attention to are Delta, ANA and Hawaiian Airlines.

Related: How to find and book Virgin Atlantic partner awards

Delta

Even though Delta is an Amex transfer partner itself, the variable award pricing system it employs is often outrageously expensive. It’s not unusual to see Virgin Atlantic selling Delta award flights for half or even 20% the number of miles times Delta wants! Here’s an example of Virgin Atlantic’s pricing for Delta One business class between Detroit and Amsterdam one-way.

The same flight with Delta SkyMiles costs 80,000 SkyMiles.

Related: How to book cheap Delta awards with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

ANA

While this is a much more narrow use, Virgin Atlantic’s ANA award chart has to be one of the single best sweet-spot redemptions in the entire points and miles world. The chart below shows round-trip prices:

This means you can fly from West Coast airports like Los Angeles or San Francisco to Tokyo-Narita (NRT) or Tokyo-Haneda (HND) in ANA first class for only 110,000 miles round-trip. That’s less than some airlines charge for a one-way ticket, essentially giving you a 50% discount. With ANA first-class tickets often selling for $16,000 or more, this is an easy way to get well over 10 cents of value from your Membership Rewards points.

You’ll still get a great deal flying from other U.S. cities for 120,000 miles round-trip, while booking business class will only require 90,000 – 95,000 miles round-trip. Note that you have to book a round-trip award to score this redemption, and you need to book at least 48 hours before departure, but ANA is generally pretty good about releasing premium cabin award space.

Hawaiian Airlines

You can use Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles to fly Hawaiian Airlines between the U.S. mainland and Hawaii. Business-class awards cost 40,000 miles each way between Hawaii and the West Coast or 65,000 miles each way between Hawaii and the East Coast.

Alaska and American flights to Hawaii with British Airways Avios

While you’ll probably be better off booking flights to Europe with Iberia instead of British Airways, BA can be a great resource for booking awards from the West Coast to Hawaii. That’s because of the combination of two partner airlines (Alaska and American) and low award rates through the carrier’s distance-based award chart. Both partners offer an extensive Hawaiian route network from multiple gateways, including Seattle (SEA), Portland (PDX), San Francisco (SFO), Oakland (OAK), San Jose (SJC), Los Angeles (LAX), San Diego (SAN) and Phoenix (PHX). As long as the flight distance is under 3,000 miles, it will only cost you 26,000 Avios round-trip.

AA-operated flights can be booked directly on the British Airways website, but you’ll need to call in to book Alaska flights. You can also stack this with one of Amex’s frequent Avios transfer bonuses such as the recently-expired 40% offer to drop your costs even lower.

Related: The best ways to get to Hawaii using points and miles

Fly Singapore Airlines first class

You can fly Singapore Suites, arguably one of the best first-class products in the sky, on the A380 from Singapore (SIN) to Sydney (SYD) or vice versa by transferring 85,000 Amex Membership Rewards points to Singapore Airlines. From the U.S., you can fly in a suite between New York-JFK and Frankfurt (FRA) for 86,000 points. Note that finding saver availability can be tricky but if you do manage to find it, it’s an unreal redemption.

Iberia flights to Madrid

While booking premium-cabin award flights to Europe can be a complicated and expensive endeavor, Iberia’s distance-based award chart is one of the best options to consider. When dealing with a distance-based award chart on a carrier like Iberia (or British Airways), there are two things to keep in mind. First, sweet spots are likely to be between individual city pairs with nonstop flights. This is different than a zone-based award chart where the sweet spots cover flights between all cities that fall into the corresponding region(s) in which you’re traveling. Second, you’ll typically be punished for taking connecting routings, so you’ll want to stick to the shortest nonstop flight you can possibly manage. That might even mean taking a domestic positioning flight to kick off your award ticket.

With that in mind, Iberia’s award chart for transatlantic flights to and from Madrid (MAD) offers some incredible values. Here are the one-way award prices:

As you can see, the savings for traveling on off-peak dates are pretty impressive. You can find the full calendar of peak and off-peak dates on Iberia’s website, but here’s a snapshot of the end of 2019 and beginning of 2020. Peak dates are marked in red, and all others are off-peak.

Off-peak travel from New York-JFK, Chicago (ORD) and Boston (BOS) to Madrid will only cost 34,000 Avios for economy, 50,000 for premium economy or 68,000 for business class. Those are round-trip prices. When you consider the fact that most airlines charge 50,000 to 60,000 miles for a one-way business-class flight to Europe, this is an absolute steal. Even longer flights to Madrid from Miami (MIA), Los Angeles (LAX) or San Francisco (SFO) are attractively priced, with off-peak, round-trip awards costing the following amount:

• Economy: 42,500 Avios
• Premium economy: 63,500 Avios
• Business: 84,000 Avios

Booking these awards through Iberia not only lets you save your hard-earned miles; it also helps you minimize the taxes and fees that you’ll pay. If you book the exact same round-trip business-class award from JFK to Madrid using British Airways, you’d pay the same 84,000 Avios but have to fork over $1,000+ in taxes and fees. Booking through Iberia, on the other hand, will cost you a much more reasonable $211 on top of your Avios.

Stay at luxury properties through Choice Privileges

The Choice Privileges program is a lesser-known one compared to the bigger chains (Marriott and Hilton) but you can get some great redemptions around the world, even at luxury hotels. It’s a 1:1 Membership Rewards transfer and awards at its nicer hotels range from 8,000-25,000 points.

You can also use Choice points to book Preferred Hotels and Resorts properties, a group of luxury independent hotels located around the world. For instance, I was able to find a two-night stay at The Leela Palace New Delhi for 70,000 points. We value Choice Points at 0.6 cents each, making the award worth $420. Considering the cash rate for the same dates is nearly $650, it’s a solid redemption.

There’s even an online search calendar to quickly check availability (which is generally wide open), though you do have to call to book Preferred Hotel properties.

As mentioned, Hilton is also a transfer partner, but it’s so easy to earn Hilton points either with cobranded cards like The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card and Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card or through paid stays, so we don’t recommend wasting Membership Rewards transferring them to Hilton Honors unless you’re just short points for an award booking.

Amex Travel

Using points through the Amex Travel portal is an easy way to find a preferred room and then either pay with points (or cash). You can book a wide variety of hotels, including those in Amex’s Fine Hotels & Resorts program. If you are unfamiliar, these are luxury hotels around the world that offer unique amenities specific to each hotel, such as a spa or food and beverage credit.

Note that if you pay with points, you’ll only get a value of 0.7 cents per point, so we recommend booking directly with a hotel partner. Lastly, keep in mind booking hotels through Amex Travel is considered a third-party booking so you won’t usually earn hotel points or elite credits for your stay.

Best Amex Membership Rewards cards

Now that you’re more familiar with how to maximize and burn your hard-earned Amex points, you’re probably wondering which Amex card is best for you, your family or business. Below are several that TPG considers the best Amex cards of 2019.

• The Platinum Card® from American Express: Best for high-end benefits
• American Express® Gold Card: Best for dining
• The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express: Best for everyday spending
• The Business Platinum® Card from American Express: Best for frequent business travelers
• American Express® Business Gold Card: Best for flexible earning on business expenses
• Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express: Best for everyday business expenses

The information for the Amex EveryDay Preferred card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Bottom line

You have great options for award travel through airline and hotel transfer partners and even through Amex Travel (though you’re better off redeeming with partners). From first-class redemptions on five-star airlines to stays at luxury resorts, your opportunities are limitless.

Additional reporting by Victoria Walker.

Featured photo by Wyatt Smith/The Points Guy.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: New Orleans is pure magic. It’s unlike any other city in the country — or world, for that matter. Once you land at the airport, you’ll feel it.

The music will get a little louder, the people will get a little warmer and the world will get a little more colorful the moment you touch down. No matter how many times you visit, there’s always something new to explore (or eat), and if you’ve never been before, well, you’re in for a treat.

How do I know? Well, I went to college in New Orleans (Roll Wave!) and lived there for four of the most incredible, transformative years of my life. Seriously, anyone who knows me knows that my eyes light up whenever I talk about just how much I love this city, and I know I’m not alone here. So, get ready for the trip of your lifetime and laissez les bon temps rouler.

How to get there

You’ll find nonstop flights to New Orleans (MSY) from nearly 50 U.S. cities.; check ExpertFlyer for flight availability from a city near you. Airlines that fly to MSY include Alaska Airlines, Allegiant, American, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, Sun Country and United.

If you have the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card, Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express or the Delta Reserve® Credit Card from American Express, you can use the companion certificate that comes as a perk on your card anniversary. Terms vary per card but you’ll generally just pay the taxes and fees on your companion’s fare (or in the case of Alaska Airlines, from $121; $99 plus the taxes and fees).

If you’re a member of Frontier’s Discount Den, look into its Kids Fly Free and Friends Fly Free programs. And, if you’ve got a Southwest Companion Pass, now is a great time to visit New Orleans and just pay taxes and fees for your companion’s ticket.

Finally, anyone holding a Spirit credit card can access very low-cost award flights, starting at just 2,500 miles one-way. (Here’s why you may love flying Spirit.) New Orleans is kind of in the middle of the country, so it shouldn’t be too long of a flight form anywhere in the lower 48.

Where to eat

Let’s put it this way: You came to New Orleans to eat. There’s no other way around it. Leave your green juice and kale behind, and get ready to eat all of the gumbo, jambalaya, po’ boy sandwiches, beignets (deep-fried pastries) and muffalettas (Italian-style sandwiches) your heart desires. And remember: It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

Naturally, we’ll start off the day with breakfast, er, brunch. You’ll definitely want to make your way Uptown to Camellia Grill; it’s a New Orleans institution known for its omelets, burgers, “freezes” and pecan pies. The line can get a little crazy, so we definitely recommend going early, especially on the weekend. It’s also counter seating, which gets a little tricky if you’re in an odd-numbered group, so just be prepared. At the very least, the friendly and funny cooks will put a smile on your face the second you walk in. I’ve been here countless times throughout my college career, and the burgers and fries after a long night never disappoint.

My absolute favorite, though, is Elizabeth’s. It’s a quirky, low-key spot in the Bywater neighborhood that is famous for its eggs Florentine and fried oysters, as well as the praline bacon. I think I just shed a tear typing this — that’s how good it is. This is the place to go to eat your weight in brunch food, but be warned that it can get pretty rowdy, especially on Sundays. Again, the key theme here is to get there sooner rather than later to beat the rush. Don’t forget about the Bloody Marys, either.

Speaking of Bloody Marys, we need to talk about Atchafalaya: They have a make-your-own Bloody Mary bar! (And people told you dreams don’t come true.) It’s slightly more upscale than the previous two choices mentioned, and is great for groups (read: bachelor and bachelorette parties). Yes, you’ve also seen it in “American Horror Story.” It’s also located in Uptown and a little bit away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Willa Jean should also be on your radar. It’s a mix of a bakery and a restaurant — with a fully stocked bar, because of course — and its biscuits are legendary. It’s located in the Central Business District, which borders the French Quarter, which is to say it’s adjacent to the tourists without actually being, you know, full of tourists.

Last, but most certainly not least, is Brennan’s. Is it the absolute best brunch you’ll have in your life? Probably not. But is it also a quintessential New Orleans haunt, famous for its bananas Foster? Yes. Get dressed up, make a reservation for Sunday brunch, have a few drinks and start your day off on the right foot.

And that’s just the first meal of the day.

Now, I know I’m going to really stir the pot when I say this, but go to Domilese’s for po’ boys. Understandably, there’s a bit of a rivalry between all of the po’ boy shops. The other ones worth mentioning are Parkway, Mahony’s and Parasol. It’s not like you can go wrong with any of them, but personally, I love Domilese’s for its no-frills vibe, and its fried shrimp and oyster po’ boys are legendary. And yes, you want it “fully dressed.” Just trust me on this.

Central Grocery invented the famous muffuletta — they spell it with two “u”s — and no trip to New Orleans is complete without one. It’s made with salami, ham, Swiss cheese, provolone and mortadella, and topped with olive spread. Said olive spread is so good, in fact, that my grandpa used to have jars of it sent back to his house in New York to make his own version. Nothing will ever beat Central Grocery’s — except for maybe Cochon Butcher. I’ll leave that one up to you.

The sandwich that really has the key to my heart, though, is the mozzarella sandwich from St. James Cheese Company. It’s a slightly more upscale shop known for, well… its cheese. Get a plate of meats, cheese and a bottle of wine, and sit at one of the tables outside on a beautiful day. It’s pure bliss. There’s a location Uptown, as well as a newer one in the Central Business District. Pro tip: If you go to the Uptown one and still have room after, go to Creole Creamery a block away. And if you don’t have room? Make room. It’s the best ice cream in the city.

Oh, and if you don’t go to Willie Mae’s, Dooky Chase and/or Mother’s, you’re doing it wrong.

And now, for the moment you’ve all been waiting for: dinner.

Far and away, my top choice is Restaurant R’evolution. If you want to have a dinner where you really just go all-out, this is the place to do it. Make a reservation, and make sure you get the sheep’s milk ricotta gnocchi. You might have to have someone carry you home, but I promise you, it’s so worth it.

GW Fins is also a top-choice, and its “scalibut” (scallops and halibut) is a fish lover’s dream come true. Come to think of it, pretty much all of its food is. The lobster dumplings are an absolute must-order, too. Don’t show up without a reservation.

My family and I used to be huge fans of Galatoire’s when I was in school a few years ago, but we were totally unimpressed the last time we went. The service was stale and at one point, our waiter dropped some of our food on the floor. Instead, I’d recommend Clancy’s (fried! oysters! with! Gouda!) or Peche (fried bread!). New Orleans: Where your diet goes to die.

Another fan favorite is Shaya, even though it was plagued by some drama last year. I haven’t been to Alon Shaya’s new restaurant, Saba, yet, but it’s definitely on my list for when I go back. If the food at Shaya was any indication, it’s going to be unreal. Never in my life have I had fluffier pita bread. Drool.

Honorable mentions go to Domenica, Luke, Mais Arepas, Rum House, Superior Seafood, La Petite Grocery, and of course, Bacchanal. It’s the best spot to grab some drinks and food with friends and listen to live music outdoors.

If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll realize I left famed restaurants Commander’s Palace and Jacques-Imo’s off the list. Personally, I think they’re way overrated and you can, and should, do better.

What to see and do

In between eating, you’re going to want to do some sightseeing (and, if we had to guess, some walking). Thankfully, the city is rich in history and culture with plenty of things to feast your eyes on.

First things first: the French Quarter. No trip to New Orleans is complete without a stroll through here. It’s the birthplace of the city and as touristy as you’d expect, but also breathtakingly beautiful and charming. Grab a picture in front of the iconic St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square, stuff your face with beignets at Café du Monde (it’s open 24/7) and visit Voodoo queen Marie Laveau’s burial site at St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. You can easily just wander through the quarter, taking in the sights, sounds and people, and watch the day go by.

I always recommend a ghost tour or swamp tour to people visiting New Orleans for the first time. Again, touristy — but that’s what you’re here to do, right? New Orleans has a haunted history, after all, and you should absolutely learn all about it during your trip down on the bayou. There are a few different operators of swamp tours; they’re all more or less the same, but you should do some research to see which one best fits your needs.

One of my favorite NOLActivities is to go on a walk through Audubon Park. It’s a few blocks from Tulane’s campus and absolutely breathtaking. There are few things better than going on a walk here on a gorgeous, sunny day. Bring some food and drink with you, and when you get to the end of the park, keep heading straight toward The Fly. It’s a little grassy area right on the Mississippi River, and an ideal spot for a NOLA-style picnic. City Park on the other side of the city is another great option for a walk — don’t forget to stop by the New Orleans Museum of Art and the Louisiana Children’s Museum, too.

Take a few hours to visit the National World War II museum while you’re here, too. Even if you’re not a history nerd, you’ll be able to appreciate how well thought-out and informative it is. Ask anyone who’s been here, and they’ll say this is one of the highlights of their trip. The city of New Orleans was instrumental in winning the war, so it only makes sense that there’s a big tribute to that down here.

If you want to experience the best of Mardi Gras even when it’s not Carnival season, head to Mardi Gras World. You’ll have a first-class seat to see how all the floats are made, and of course, learn a little history about the world’s biggest (and best) party. Word to the wise, though: Definitely, absolutely, 100% go to Mardi Gras sometime. Just don’t go for your first trip to New Orleans — experience all that the city has to offer your first time around. In fact, if you go during Krewe du Vieux weekend, or any weekend during Carnival season leading up to Mardi Gras weekend, you’ll get the best of both worlds.

I know you want to see Bourbon Street, and it’s your first time in NOLA, you should go. Just don’t spend more than five minutes there, unless you’re hanging out at Pat O’Brien’s piano bar. It’s touristy, but so fun, and you can’t go wrong grabbing a hurricane (or two) and singing along to the dueling pianos.

Frenchmen Street is Bourbon Street’s cooler cousin that’s a fraction as touristy. It’s the best place to walk in and out of music bars all night; depending on the night and who’s playing, you might not even have to pay a cover. My favorites are Blue Nile, d.b.a, Spotted Cat, Maison and Bamboula’s. Take some time to walk through Frenchmen Art Market, too; it’s pretty magical, if I do say so myself. Top it all off with a hot dog and some cheese fries from Dat Dog. It doesn’t get much better than this.

Tipitina’s is another New Orleans music institution; you’ll have to take a cab Uptown to get here, though. If you can brave the heat during the summer, go here on Fridays — there’s no charge. Other quintessential music venues to check out are Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler, Maple Leaf Bar, Preservation Hall, Smug Harbor, Gasa Gasa and Bacchanal Wine. There’s music oozing out of every corner of this city, though, so you can’t go wrong no matter where you end up.

How to get around

I’ll be the first one to tell you that New Orleans isn’t exactly a very easy city to get around. Public transportation options are essentially nonexistent. The St. Charles Avenue streetcar (it’s a streetcar, not a trolley, people) is your best bet for getting from uptown to downtown and vice versa, just don’t expect it to run according to any set schedule or anything. There have been times where I’ve seen multiple streetcars going the opposite direction I was going in, while waiting for one for 45 minutes or more. That said, once you’re on, it will make you feel like you’re in Disney World. The fact that it’s a lot cheaper than other options — only $1.25 one-way — doesn’t hurt either. I’m more or less convinced there are few things better in life than riding down St. Charles on a sunny day.

Another budget-friendly option is to take the bus; you can buy passes and tickets depending on your needs here. The bus routes typically run parallel to each other along the length of the “crescent” of the city.

Depending on where you are, the city is somewhat walkable. You should certainly walk around the French Quarter, and then cross over to the Central Business District. Many parts of Uptown are walkable, since it’s mostly a residential area, including the Audubon, Freret and Touro neighborhoods.

If all else fails, Uber has really ballooned in the Big Easy in the past few years. Rates are definitely on the cheaper end and if you have the Platinum Card® from American Express, you can use your yearly $200 credit while you’re here. Cabs here typically take forever, especially if you’re staying uptown (we used to call them an hour and a half before we would have to leave!). You’ll have better luck hailing one downtown, though. Here are the best credit cards to use for Uber.

Where to stay

New Orleans has no shortage of great hotels, ranging from boutiques to chains and everything in between.

My first recommendation for travelers is The Ritz-Carlton. While a $40 million renovation is currently underway (and expected to be completed in January 2020), this hotel exemplifies New Orleans elegance and charm. It’s centrally located on Canal Street, straddling the French Quarter and Central Business District downtown — not to mention only a few blocks away from the iconic St. Charles streetcar.

As a Category 6 Marriott hotel, rates start at just 40,000 points per night on off-peak nights. This is the hotel my family always stayed in when they came to visit me during college, and we all always looked forward to their stay. The staff was incredibly warm and accommodating, and the hotel itself almost made you feel like you were in a movie, in the best way possible. Pro tip: Stay on the concierge floor if you can. I’m very much looking forward to the upgrade.

You can earn Marriott points with a variety of cobranded credit cards, including:

• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card: For a limited time, earn 100,000 welcome points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card: Earn 30,000 welcome points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express® Card: Earn 75,000 welcome points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening
• Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express® Card: Limited time offer: Earn 100,000 welcome points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening. Offer ends 10/23/19.

You can also transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points from cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve to your Marriott account on a 1:1 basis.

The Windsor Court is arguably the Ritz’s biggest competitor in NOLA. Although it’s not a points hotel, it is available through Amex’s Fine Hotels and Resorts program. It has the whole quintessential New Orleans charm vibe; you’ll feel like you took a trip back in time to the 1800s. I stayed there during my last trip to New Orleans, and while it doesn’t hold the same place in my heart that the Ritz does, I enjoyed it a lot.

The Waldorf Astoria in the Central Business District is another top pick — and you might even recognize its restaurant, Domenica, from my “best restaurants” list above. As part of the Hilton Honors program, rates here start at 70,000 points per night. It’s not a bargain by any stretch, but if you have a stash of Hilton points you’re sitting on, it’s definitely worth looking into. At the very least, get the whole roasted cauliflower and thank me later.

Depending on what program you’re loyal to, there are a ton of mid-tier points hotels down in NOLAnd. Think: Hilton Riverside, JW Marriott, New Orleans Marriott, W, Aloft, Sheraton, Westin, Le Meridien and Troubadour Tapestry Collection. Oh, and a fun fact while we’re on the subject: Robert Durst, real estate mogul and suspected murderer, was arrested at the JW Marriott in March 2015.

No matter where you stay, make your way to the Hotel Monteleone at some point, too. It’s famous for its rotating Carousel Bar (don’t worry, it doesn’t move that fast), not to mention the fact that it’s, well, haunted.

At the end of the day, if it’s your first time in New Orleans, I would recommend staying in either the French Quarter or neighboring Central Business District so that you’re close to the action and all of the sights. The Bywater is also a great option, and a little off the beaten path, and home to a ton of cute Airbnbs. You won’t find any chain hotels in this neck of the woods.

Bottom line

In case you didn’t get the memo, I’m absolutely obsessed with New Orleans. It’s hands-down my absolute favorite place on the planet; there’s really just something about it that lights your soul on fire. Once you go, you’ll know. And in the meantime, keep these tips in your back pocket so you can begin to fall as head over heels with this city as I did.

Featured photo by f11photo/Getty Images

Today’s story comes to you courtesy of Anne-Marie Sheldon, whose incredible trip around the world took her and her husband to a whopping 25 countries over the course of 103 days. All this was made possible by Korean’s SKYPASS Round-the-World ticket, a couple of travel rewards credit card welcome bonuses and the generous perks offered by premium travel credit cards.

Let’s see how they did it:

As mentioned above, Anne-Marie and her husband used Korean Air’s Round-the-World ticket — which provides up to six stopovers (or nine transfers consisting of less than 24 hours) — to snag business-class seats for just 220,000 SKYPASS miles each. Check out this itinerary:

• Atlanta (ATL) to Madrid (MAD)
• Amsterdam (AMS) to Nairobi (NBO)
• Nairobi (NBO) to Dubai (DXB)
• Dubai (DXB) to Moscow (SVO)
• Moscow (SVO) to Bangkok (BKK)
• Hanoi (HAN) to Tokyo (HND)
• Tokyo (HND) to Seoul (ICN)
• Seoul (ICN) to Washington, D.C. (IAD)

As the ticket is limited in terms of stopovers, Anne-Marie and her husband used other points and miles to create connections on short-haul itineraries, which enabled them to visit tons of countries in between their hub flights. While they used the sign-up bonuses from the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve to acquire the points necessary, Korean is sadly no longer a transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Luckily for us, Marriott does remain a transfer partner of Korean, at an effective ratio of 2.4:1. Points from Marriott transfer at a 3:1 ratio, and you’ll enjoy a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points you transfer, so 60,000 Marriott points = 25,000 SKYPASS miles. If you need to build your stash of Marriott Rewards, you can use the following cards to do so:

• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card– For a limited time, earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening
• Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express® Card– Limited time offer: 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Offer ends 10/23/19.
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express® Card– 75,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card– 30,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening

Related: Best ways to earn points with the Marriott Bonvoy program

For hotel stays, Anne-Marie and her husband used a variety of techniques to lower costs while sacrificing nothing in terms of luxury. Hotel highlights include the Hanging Gardens in Bali, booked using the Citi Prestige® Credit Card’s fourth-night-free benefit. The information for the Citi Prestige has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

They also used the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal to book the Andronis in Santorini, redeeming Ultimate Rewards at a rate of 1.5 cents each and saving themselves over $1,000:

Even better, some bookings, like the ones made via American Express’s Fine Hotels & Resorts program (available to cardholders of The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum® Card from American Express), resulted in an upgraded room. Such was the case with the Hilton Ramses Cairo.

Flights and hotels aside, Anne-Marie and her husband had some truly incredible experiences. Some of their best memories?

Hot air ballooning over Bagan:

Mario Kart racing in Tokyo:

And gorilla trekking in Congo:

It’s clear that Anne-Marie and her husband are no strangers to the points and miles game. A variety of high-end credit cards meant that every dollar saved stretched their journey further — and with a Round-the-World ticket priced at just 220k SKYPASS miles, they managed to swing business-class tickets across four continents and a hundred days.

Thanks for the inspiration, guys!

Featured photo courtesy of Hanging Gardens Bali.

We recently asked our TPG readers on Facebook about the best breakfasts they’ve ever had at points hotels that were included in the room rate. Here’s a look at some of our favorite answers. (Some responses have been lightly edited for style and clarity.)

Memorable breakfasts at Marriott Bonvoy brands

Whether it was the variety of food items being offered or the views that accompanied the meal, these Marriott-brand properties made all the difference for our TPG readers.

“Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel at Circular Quay. They had everything from gummy bears to gluten-free pastries.” — A.O.A.

“Sheraton Saigon Hotel and Towers in Ho Chi Minh City and Sheraton Grand Hotel, Dubai.” — Caroline Y.A.

“Sheraton Fuerteventura Beach, Golf & Spa Resort in the Canary Islands.” — Eri V.S.

“Sheraton Grand Sukhumvit, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Bangkok.” — Laura W.

“The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua in Maui.” — Melissa A.

“The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort. Not even close.” — Ryan G.

“The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa in Denver, as a Marriott Bonvoy platinum member.” — Greg A.

“Pier One Sydney Harbour as a Marriott Bonvoy gold member a few years ago.” — Architha R.

“More Quarters Hotel in Cape Town has the most incredible included made-to-order and buffet breakfasts. We also loved breakfast at The Shelbourne in Dublin, which was included last summer when Marriott still gave complimentary breakfast to [those with] gold status.” — Mia D.

“So far, I can say the Courtyard by Marriott Los Angeles LAX/Century Boulevard and Hilton Anaheim. I travel often and to receive a fresh breakfast like I did from both of these places made the stay that much better!” — Al C.

“The Ritz-Carlton, Abu Dhabi.” — Lesley S.

“The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice.” — Nancy S.

“Romeo Hotel in Naples, Italy; The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa in Malaysia.” — Judy C.W.

“Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park.” — Steve O.

“The St. Regis New York and the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino!” — Courtney L.

“Eugenia de Montijo, Autograph Collection, in Toledo, Spain. 70 euros (about $77) a night and the breakfast spread was easily worth $20 each. That was comped for my wife and I because of Marriott Bonvoy status.” — Tim C.

“Hotel Four Points Sheraton Medellín. Beef broth with oxtail, empanadas, eggs in any style, six types of freshly squeezed juices, chicken soup, every breakfast protein you could think of and cereals of all kinds, plus Colombian coffee and specialized coffee drinks like hot chocolate with queso campesino. All this and more for a rate under $80 a night.” — Juan G.R.

Related: Maximizing redemptions with the Marriott Bonvoy program

Hilton, Hyatt and IHG’s best included breakfasts

From a memorable meal at the Park Hyatt in Paris to impressive buffets at Holiday Inns in Thailand, our well-traveled TPG readers have experienced the best from a variety of brands around the world under Hilton, Hyatt and IHG, respectively.

“Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund was my most memorable; it had a gorgeous European but classic design with a plethora of white florals, crystal chandeliers and mahogany wood panels against crisp white. The food was international and service, sublime. My second and third favorite were at Conrad Beijing, set against a modern library style where the food was placed in bookshelves, and Hilton Osaka; their international variety of food made my mouth water each time.” — Alex E.C.

“Conrad Tokyo’s buffet and The Renwick Hotel New York City, Curio Collection by Hilton.” — Laura B.

“Hilton Tokyo in Shinjuku.” — Andy S.

“Grand Wailea Maui, A Waldorf Astoria Resort.” — Heather L.P.

“Conrad Algarve in Portugal and The St Regis Punta Mita Resort in Mexico.” — Soroya G.G.

“Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa in New Zealand was very good.” — Andrew G.

“Conrad Osaka and Conrad Singapore.” — Jen N.

“Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa in French Polynesia!” — Priscilla L.

“All the Canopy By Hilton hotels have an amazing breakfast!” — Trey M.

“Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa.” — David W.I.

“Park Hyatt Sydney.” — Jordan W.

“The Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome gave my companion and me two complimentary breakfasts either in the restaurant or via room service.” — Shana G.

“InterContinental Bali Resort.” — Alla T.

“Holiday Inns in Thailand. Stayed at the Holiday Inn Resort Krabi Ao Nang Beach and the Holiday Inn Chiang Mai and both buffets were amazing.” — Audrey B.

“Conrad Bali. I’d take a long weekend trip just to eat that breakfast again.” — Ashley W.H.

Related: The Critical Points: Is hotel elite breakfast what it used to be?

Honorable mentions from non-points hotels

Just because it didn’t happen at a points hotel doesn’t mean it wasn’t a fantastic free breakfast. Plus, some of these — like the Wynn Las Vegas and Hotel Sacher Wien in Vienna — can actually be booked through the American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts program if you’re a Platinum Card® from American Express or Business Platinum® Card from American Express cardholder.

“Hotel Sacher Wein in Vienna had the most amazing breakfast ever. Booked my stay via Virtuosi but American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts has included breakfast as well. Sachertorte every morning!” — Corey B.

“Wynn Las Vegas.” — Lori A.

“Hotel Belvedere in Bellagio, Italy, on Lake Como.” — Allison W.

“Giraffe Manor. Simply spectacular.” — Jason L.

“Dan Eilat Hotel in Israel. In fact, Israeli hotels tend to have the best breakfast spread, in my humble opinion.” — Gal S.

“I haven’t been many places, but by far it was Pacifica Suites in Santa Barbara. Beyond the free made-to-order breakfast, we were across from a citrus grove so when the wind blew, it smelled like lemons and ocean breeze.” — Mark A.

“Most memorable and relaxing breakfast was at the Wayside Inn in Carmel, California. Amazing blueberry scones and coffee brought to our room in the mornings with a newspaper.” — Kerrie S.

“We really loved the Club Level breakfast at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. It was mostly a cold breakfast, but the jungle juice — which you could add Champagne to if you’d like! — and being able to eat in your PJs before a long day at the theme parks made it taste amazing.” — Kristina F.R.

Featured photo by Katie Genter/The Points Guy. Breakfast at Hilton Doubletree Fiji.

With the advent of Marriott’s dynamic award pricing comes some pretty amazing redemption opportunities — namely, that Category 6 hotels may be available for use with the 35,000-point free-night certificate offered as an anniversary perk on the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express® Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card from Chase.

Normally limited to Category 5 and under hotels, new tiered pricing means that when you’re booking an off-peak date that has a PointSavers rate, your nightly award rate drops to 35,000 points per night — giving you the ability to use one of these certificates at a hotel that typically requires 50,000 points per night on standard dates but could climb as high as 60,000 points on peak ones. That’s awesome! Marriott has already confirmed that these hotels are bookable with the certificate — though be aware that there’s a glitch in the system that means you’ll currently need to call in order to book.

Marriott has an official list of PointSavers hotels, which at the time of writing has some 35+ hotels available. But the best way to find these rates is to search your property with the calendar function, which you select by changing your date range to “flexible dates.” This will populate a monthly calendar from which you can select off-peak PointSaver rates:

Keep in mind that while Marriott’s list does have quite a few properties, it’s not even close to a full catalog of all PointSavers properties. Take a look at St. Ermin’s Hotel, listed next February at the discounted 35k rate:

I was also able to find several different San Francisco hotels with availability:

Even the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort is down to 35k points this fall, which is a solid deal:

Though there’s no perfect way to search for this availability, there are some things to keep in mind. First, these PointSavers rates often come around when there’s construction being done on the hotel (to compensate for the inconvenience), or there’s some other outside force that warrants a lower price. This means that as you would imagine, during unseasonable weather or periods of low occupancy, you’re more likely to find a PointSavers rate. Additionally, larger cities with a greater number of Marriott properties yield better results than towns that may have a single Category 6 hotel — basically, your odds increase when there are more hotels available.

Finally, remember that you must have both an off-peak date and a PointSavers rate to be able to use these 35,000-point free night certificates at Category 6 properties.

While the examples given here are for the 35k free night certificate, this same strategy applies for the up to 50,000-point annual free night awarded by the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express® Card at your first cardmember anniversary and each anniversary afterwards. This will allow you to stay at Category 7 hotels on all off-peak dates — whether it has a PointSavers rate on your desired date of travel or not.

While it’s easy to hate on Marriott’s choice of dynamic award pricing, there are a few bonuses to come out of it. Tying your free night certificate to a points value rather than a category means that during off-peak times — and PointSavers rates — you can snag some incredibly high-end hotels for free.

Feature photo courtesy of Marriott.

Reader Questions are answered twice a week by TPG Senior Points & Miles Contributor Ethan Steinberg.

Marriott’s Points Advance — which allows members to lock in award space at hotels even if they don’t have enough points in their account to pay for the award — used to be one of the best features of the Bonvoy program and one of the biggest edges Marriott had over its competitors, other than just its size. However, Marriott seriously devalued Points Advance in September when it introduced peak and off-peak award pricing. TPG reader Josh wants to know if he can still use Points Advance even if he has enough points in his account to pay for the award now …

I’m trying to make a Marriott award reservation for next spring and the Points Advance option isn’t showing up in my account. Is this feature only available if you’re short on points?

TPG READER JOSH

While the intent of Marriott Points Advance is obviously to help members who are short on points, there are plenty of good reasons to consider using it even if you have enough points in your account. For example, I’m planning a trip to the W Maldives in February 2020, and I currently have a five-night stay locked in via Points Advance at 85,000 points per night, or 340,000 points total with Marriott’s fifth night free. That’s a lot of points, and significantly more than I have in my account right now, so as I start making other travel plans for later in 2020 I’m opting to use the Points Advance feature so I can save all my points for my more immediate trip to the Maldives.

Note that as part of the changes to the program in September, Marriott now only allows you to have three active Points Advance reservations at a time. More importantly, Points Advance reservations made after Sept. 14, 2019 do not lock in the award rate, only the award space at your hotel. This means that the price can fluctuate up or down if the hotel switches to peak or off-peak pricing, and you’ll be required to pay the amount of points the hotel costs on whatever day you choose to complete your reservation. Thankfully my Maldives reservation was locked in before the September changes, so my 85,000 point a night rate is safe.

Related: Using Marriott Points Advance when you’re short on points

Now on to Josh’s question: The terms and conditions of the Bonvoy program describe the Points Advance feature as being available to “Members who seek to make an Award Redemption Reservation with an insufficient Point balance.” This isn’t a clear answer, but I’ve found that since the changes I don’t see the Points Advance option show up if have enough points in my account to pay for the reservation.

There is, however, a shockingly simple workaround to this. The other day I was trying to make a Points Advance reservation in Syracuse for next May, and I wasn’t seeing the option because I had more than the 15,000 points needed to pay for the stay. In order to entice the Marriott system to let me use Points Advance, I booked a refundable award stay at the New York Edition for the end of 2020, draining the points in my account. When I went back to my Syracuse search with only 1,500 Marriott points to my name, the Points Advance option appeared like magic. Once I locked in that reservation I was able to cancel my reservation at the Edition and instantly get the points refunded to my account.

Related: Marriott Bonvoy current credit card offers

Obviously this would be a bit more complicated if you had hundreds of thousands of points in your account, but a refundable award stay somewhere like the St. Regis Maldives or Al Maha Resort should get the job done. Just be sure to double check and even screenshot the cancellation policy of whatever hotel you pick for this refundable booking, as some properties (especially in ski destinations like Aspen) have outrageously strict cancellation policies.

Bottom line

Marriott has devalued its Points Advance program immensely, and a small but significant part of that is only allowing members to use it when they’re actually short on points. The good news is that it’s easy to get around this restriction by using a refundable award reservation to temporarily lower the number of points available in your Marriott account.

Thanks for the question, Josh, and if you’re a TPG reader who’d like us to answer a question of your own, tweet us at @thepointsguy, message us on Facebook or email us at info@thepointsguy.com.

Featured photo by Shutterstock.com

Marriott announced a new end of the year “Unlock More” promotion, where you can score bonus points after two qualifying stays.

Here’s what you need to know.

You’ll earn 2,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after staying two consecutive nights at properties in the Marriott portfolio. You must register by December 31 and stay between October 29 and January 14, 2020.

Two to three days after your second qualifying stay has been posted to your Marriott Bonvoy account, you’ll unlock a new offer. Marriott doesn’t specify what that offer might be. The offer will appear on your account, but you’ll also receive an email with details. Marriott says more than 7,000 participating hotels and resorts worldwide are included in the promotion.

This is an easy way to earn bonus points, but it’s not a particularly good promotion. We’ve seen better offers from Marriott, such as targeted offers for bonus points earlier this summer on paid stays that included a weekend night.

We’ve seen even better offers from Hyatt, which is currently offering 3x points on some stays and a $50 statement credit for World of Hyatt cardholders, and Hilton, which is running a promotion on 2x base points through the beginning of 2020.

Marriott points are worth 0.8 cents each, according to TPG’s latest valuations, making this promotion worth a paltry $16. That said, if you’re just short of points needed for an award redemption then this promotion could come in handy.

If you’re looking for a better way to earn Bonvoy points, you may want to consider adding a Marriott card to your wallet. For a limited time, the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express® Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card from Chase are offering new applicants the ability to earn 100,000 Marriott points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Offer ends on 10/23/19 for the Bonvoy Business. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express® Card offers 75,000 points after spending $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months.

Bottom line

If you have paid Marriott stays lined up, then it doesn’t hurt to sign up for this promotion. Otherwise, given the multitude of better promotions from competitors such as Hyatt and Hilton, I wouldn’t go out of my way for this promotion.

Featured image courtesy of Marriott

When I learned that I’d be traveling to Venice, Italy, for the second time, I was excited. I planned to attend a screening for a PeaceJam film about the Dalai Lama, and I wanted to check out the Venice Bienniale, an art festival that comes to the city every two years.

As I started my hotel search, my mind immediately went to the Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection hotel that I stayed at during my first trip that exudes classic Venetian grandeur. But when I checked room rates at the Gritti Palace for my dates, they were well over $1,000 per night. Then I noticed that Marriott was listing a St. Regis Venice as available for booking. I had no idea Venice was even supposed to be getting a St. Regis, so I was immediately intrigued.

After a little more digging, I saw that the hotel would be opening just days before I was set to arrive, so I knew that I’d have to contend with some new-hotel kinks but decided to go for it anyway.

Booking

I decided on The St. Regis Venice so I could be right in the middle of all the action, but the friends I was traveling with chose to use 50,000 Bonvoy points per night to stay at the JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa, which is on its own private island. Although their hotel was a little removed from the historic center, they had an amazing stay, and it’s a nice alternative if you’d prefer to spend fewer points.

For my stay, I used 85,000 Bonvoy points per night (my stay was right before the peak/off-peak pricing change) to pay for a deluxe room at The St. Regis, which would have been at least 735 euros (just over $800) per night at the Category 8 property had I paid in cash. I also used three suite-upgrade certificates (one for each night of my stay) I got from my Bonvoy Ambassador elite status and was upgraded to a Grand Terrace suite.

If you can find availability on off-peak dates, you can expect to pay 70,000 points per night, but a peak night will run you 100,000 points. Italy charges a tourist tax in many cities, and I had to pay a 5-euro ($5.50) tourist tax per night directly to the hotel.

Location and history

The St. Regis Venice was formerly The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice. That property underwent a yearlong (as opposed to an exhaustive top-to-bottom, multiyear) renovation and was reborn as The St. Regis. Considering that construction schedules often move slower in Europe, one year is more of a light refresh in the scheme of hotel renovations. The new St. Regis features 129 guestrooms, 40 suites (some with a terrace), a garden terrace overlooking the canal and a fitness center.

One of the best things about The St. Regis is its location right on the Grand Canal. It was a six-minute walk to St. Mark’s Square, although I did get lost on my first time walking from the famous plaza to the hotel (nothing in Venice is as it seems). The downside to staying in a brand-new hotel is that no one (not even the locals) knew where it was, so even when I asked for directions at a nearby hotel, they couldn’t help me find The St. Regis. Looking back, maybe I should have asked for directions to The Westin instead.

I booked a door-to-door private water taxi with the hotel as an airport transport, which cost an exorbitant 255 euros ($280), but you could also take a shared water taxi, regular taxi or bus for much less to and from Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE). Next time, I’ll just book the water taxi myself, which should be about half the price of the one I booked through the hotel, even though the experience was easy and fun. Taking a water taxi is definitely a novelty I wouldn’t mind experiencing again, but it could have been done more cheaply.

Check-in

Although the hotel was packed for the film festival, I was immediately whisked off to the reception desks for check-in. I could sense the excitement of the new opening right away.

The lobby of The St. Regis is … interesting. It’s hard to classify the style. It’s sort of art deco-inspired, but the hotel deems it “modern Venetian.” There are lots of patterns and colors involved. Perhaps it’s better to just look at the photo above and decide if it’s your vibe. Personally, I prefer a much more regal design scheme at a St. Regis, especially in a classic city like Venice.

Like I mentioned earlier, I was upgraded to a Grand Terrace Suite after applying my suite-upgrade certificates.

I also received a gift of 60,000 Bonvoy points for being an Ambassador elite at check-in. Has anyone else out there gotten a similar gift at this property? If so, share in the comments section below.

Suite

I’m fairly certain that my suite was in a wing of the hotel that no one had stayed in before. The staff even told me that I was the very first guest in the suite I was assigned. I didn’t see a single person in the wing during my stay, even in the elevator (which was extremely tiny, so I was relieved on that front).

The suite (No. 4401) had all the comforts I needed: a huge bed, a Nespresso machine, a large TV that could stream TV shows and movies, a minibar hidden inside a sleek wooden cabinet and even fresh flowers.

But the contemporary décor of the room, though beautiful, was really not my style.

The views of the Santa Maria della Salute Basilica were absolutely gorgeous, especially from my private terrace (which I was definitely the first to use — I pulled plastic off the patio furniture that the staff must have forgotten to remove post renovation).

Having a morning coffee or a glass of prosecco in the evening while overlooking the canal was wonderful. I never got tired of that view.

Some of the things I didn’t like about my stay were due to the hotel figuring out its kinks, but at the same time, some weren’t. I love an old-school wood floor (like the ones at the Gritti Palace), but it seemed like this floor was actually a laminate of some sort — it was really slippery. And the tribal-tattoo light fixture inlay in the bathroom mirrors was a really strange design feature.

But since the dual shower was amazing and passed the TPG shower test with flying colors and the bathroom’s marble interior was stunning, I wasn’t too upset about it. The Laboratoire Remède bath amenities were only lightly scented.

One issue that is hopefully fixed by now was the phone system. It wasn’t yet working properly, so I had to call down to the front desk using my cell whenever I needed something. It took me about 15 minutes to figure out that the phones were dead. I kept calling and it wasn’t working, which was frustrating. I wish the staff would have been more proactive with that. The Wi-Fi was also spotty, and I needed to sign in multiple times. In 2019, guests shouldn’t have trouble accessing Wi-Fi at hotels.

But it was nice having the butler, who unpacked for me and was very friendly during the stay. On the other hand, housekeeping wasn’t great. There was a stained and dirty towel left by the bed one day. It’s also worth noting that while the showers were large enough for my 6-foot, 7-inch tall frame, the hallways weren’t.

Amenities and dining

Although there were small kinks with room service (the staff forgot salt, pepper and olive oil when we ordered dinner), I did enjoy the plating (the green-and-white china was gorgeous) and the pasta, risotto and macarons were tasty.

The breakfast was not up to par, though. I ordered avocado toast and had access to the buffet, all for free thanks to my Ambassador elite status (it would have been 53 euros, or a little less than $60, per person).

Although I didn’t pay that price, I didn’t feel breakfast was worthy of that price tag. The spread was underwhelming: some deli meats, croissants and dry donuts.

If you do eat breakfast at the hotel, make sure to get there early, especially if you want a prime seat on the patio with canal views. At 8:15 a.m., the patio was completely full, so I sat indoors. It also took 10 minutes for someone to come over to my table.

The staff was really all over the place. Though it took them forever to serve me at breakfast, my visit to The St. Regis bar was a different story. The bar staff was excellent and prepared a delicious martini for me right away in a friendly, professional manner. I didn’t get a chance to test the other bar, the Arts Bar, though. There was also an Italian restaurant on the premises called Gio’s I also wasn’t able to visit.

The hotel didn’t yet have any indoor signage, so I had no idea where the gym was. They told me it was on the second floor. I walked around the second floor for about 20 minutes and couldn’t find it. It turned out the small gym was behind an unmarked door.

One thing I found inexcusable was that there was no soap in the lobby bathroom. I get that the hotel had just opened, but in a five-star property, you expect to be able to wash your hands. I checked again the day I left, and there was still no soap there.

When I told management (they can’t improve if no one tells them what’s wrong), they were mortified. The room-service charge was taken off my bill in the end thanks to all the service issues I encountered –- the phone, housekeeping, etc. The staff was trying hard to remedy things, and I believe many of these issues will be resolved, so future guests hopefully won’t have the same problems I did.

Overall impression

I associate The St. Regis with old-school luxury and glamour, especially in a city like Venice, so I didn’t love the more modern aesthetic. In a place with so much rich history, I’d hoped to experience something with a little more Venetian flair, and this newish, “modern Venetian” style didn’t quite do it for me.

I’m glad I stayed there and really enjoyed the terrace, but until the kinks are fully worked out, or if you want a true Venetian experience (using Bonvoy points), it may be best to stay elsewhere, like the Gritti Palace or the Danieli.

For more on my St. Regis Venice experience, check out my pinned Instragram stories on the hotel.

Looking for a scary spot to spend the night?

Fortunately, there are hundreds of (reportedly) haunted hotels all around the world, from glamorous Hollywood high-rises to regal Indian palaces — and even a couple points properties. We’ve selected 13 of our favorites around the world this Halloween season, a mix of urban towers, historic mansions and even fancy châteaus, because ghosts, it seems, have excellent taste in overnight accommodations.

When booking any of these haunted hotels, check to see if using points would be a good value. And, if you decide to pay cash, be sure to use the right credit card for booking your stay so you can at least maximize the frightful night.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve, for example, earns 3x points on hotel stays, while The Platinum Card® from American Express earns 5x points on prepaid stays booked through Amex Travel. And if you book through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts program, you’ll get an upgrade upon arrival (depending on availability); daily complimentary breakfast for two; guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout; noon check-in (when available); complimentary Wi-Fi; a unique property amenity valued at $100 or more; and other perks.

You can also earn 10x miles on your stay when you book with your Capital One Venture Rewards credit card at Hotels.com/Venture. (Take advantage of the Hotels.com Rewards program to earn one free night for every 10 paid nights, effectively boosting your return to 20% when you pay with the Venture card.)

The Stanley Hotel in Colorado

The Stanley Hotel is the sinister inn that inspired Stephen King’s “The Shining,” and rooms 217 and 413 are considered the most haunted, though the entire fourth floor is thought to be the most haunted level. Yet it’s the Stanley’s public areas that often see the most paranormal action — especially the concert hall, where Houdini once performed. And in the basement, many have reported hearing pianos play themselves.

Ghosts of wealthy hotel patrons, children who once stayed there and former staff members are said to haunt the grandiose mountain resort in Estes Park, Colorado. The ghost of Mrs. Smith, a former housekeeper, is more of a friendly apparition — she tidies up rooms and organizes guests’ suitcases. But ladies, beware of the schmoozing businessman Lord Dunraven’s spirit, who allegedly steals jewelry, hides it in the closet and likes to breathe down the back of your neck.

Fall rates start at $260, but expect to drop $400 for the more possessed rooms. If you’re too nervous to stay but want to check the place out, the hotel offers night tours starting at $28 per visitor or $25 for hotel guests and seniors.

The Equinox, A Luxury Collection Golf Resort & Spa in Vermont

A hotel dating back to 1769 (first as a tavern, then an inn) is bound to have a few phantom spirits in residence. The Equinox is a historic hotel in Manchester, Vermont that has hosted U.S. presidents including William Howard Taft, Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt (he even gave a campaign speech on the front lawn) and Benjamin Harrison.

But the first president to grace the inn with his presence was Abraham Lincoln, who reportedly visited with his family to escape the summer heat. The ghost of Abraham Lincoln’s melancholy wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, has been spotted wandering the property with one of her sons — and occasionally, she displaces a rocking chair or other household items.

Fall rates at this Category 6 Marriott property start at $179 per night, or 50,000 points per night — and just 40,000 the night before Halloween.

Bourbon Orleans Hotel in Louisiana

New Orleans is considered one of the most haunted cities in America, so it’s not surprising uninvited phantom guests can be found in many of the city’s hotels. One of the most notorious hotels for ghost sightings is the Bourbon Orleans Hotel. The site once housed a famous ballroom and theater, and later a convent and orphanage before the hotel was built.

Ghosts from many eras have been frequenting the space ever since, according to the hotel’s own website. Some of the most common sightings are the young children who died from yellow fever back when the property was an orphanage; a Confederate soldier who paces the hallways; and a phantom who hides behind the drapes in the ballroom.

Fall room rates start at $150 per night, or you can learn more about the hotel’s spine-chilling present and past on the Grayline Ghost Walking Tour.

Hotel Roosevelt in California

Built in 1926, the Hotel Roosevelt is now considered a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. Marilyn Monroe famously called the 12-story boutique property her home for two years, and Shirley Temple tap danced on the stairs — just two of the Roosevelt’s claims to notoriety.

Throughout the years, VIP guests have included Clark Gable, Ernest Hemingway and Charlie Chaplin, and a few of the hotel’s most illustrious clients seem simply uninterested in checking out. Celebrity spirits are regularly spotted around the hotel, especially during renovation periods. Marilyn Monroe’s spirit, for example, has appeared in the mirror of many guest rooms. Some visitors also report seeing a little girl in a blue dress playing around the hotel — could it be Shirley Temple?

Fall room rates start at $298 per night.

The Marshall House in Georgia

Savannah is another city famous for its gothic appeal and historic haunts, and the Marshall House is one of the oldest and most famous buildings in the city. Erected in 1851, the hotel was twice used as a hospital, once during a yellow fever epidemic and again as a Union hospital toward the end of the Civil War.

The hotel is said to be inhabited by a number of ghosts, including soldiers with missing limbs, children playing marbles in the hallways and the spirit of Joel Chandler Harris, an author who once stayed at the hotel. His typewriter keys are often heard clacking in the room he once stayed in. Guests have even complained of hearing and seeing a phantom cat and, on especially haunted floors, smelling a terrible odor.

Fall room rates start at $108 per night.

Fairmont Banff Springs in Canada

It’s only natural that a 130-year-old property would have a few ghastly (ghostly?) visitors. One of them is a bride who died falling down the Fairmont’s marble staircase before she could say “I do,” and guests have reported seeing a veiled woman swaying in the grand ballroom and around the hotel.

The spirit of Sam McCauley, head bellman of the landmark Banff property in the 1970s, has also been known to wander the hotel’s halls, ensuring everything is running as it should. Certain rooms at the Fairmont Banff Springs are said to have particularly strange activity. Complaints include pillows being pulled out from beneath guests’ heads, bloody handprints appearing on the bathroom mirror and even sleeping patrons getting shoved out of bed.

Fall room rates start around $255 per night at this AccorHotels property.

The Shelbourne in Ireland

Actor Lily Collins told Jimmy Fallon she was haunted by the ghost of a young girl during her stay at The Shelbourne, an Autograph Collection property in Dublin — and she’s not alone. Many visitors have reported mysterious occurrences, like the taps turning on, strange giggling, doors slamming and a shadow of a girl roaming aimlessly through the building, especially on the sixth floor.

In fact, so many guests complained about paranormal activity that the hotel eventually insisted a staff member stay in the so-called haunted room. The “lucky” employee reportedly ran out of the room terrified after the rumors proved true. The ghost at fault is thought to be Mary Masters, a 7-year-old girl who died of cholera in the building hundreds of years ago.

Fall room rates start at 288 euros ($314) or 60,000 Marriott Rewards points per night.

The Shelbourne. (Photo courtesy of the Shelbourne Dublin.)

Château de Marçay in France

Staying at the stunning Château de Marçay in the Loire Valley is magical for some, and utterly frightening for others. One of Europe’s many haunted castles, the 15th-century stone fortress has a sordid history. The women who once lived in the château, according to legend, were really only ladies by day — and became werewolves at night.

A fearful farmer shot one of the “werewolves” and buried her, but her spirit still haunts the castle, seen drifting around in a white dress. Luckily, she seems harmless, but she may startle you when you’re lounging poolside or playing tennis.

Fall room rates start at $155 per night.

Château de Marçay, France. (Photo courtesy of Chateau de Marcay.)

The Langham London in England

Dating back to 1865, the Langham London is known for having several shadowy residents — England’s cricket team even reported being spooked at the luxury hotel. One of the ghosts was a doctor who murdered his wife before killing himself during their honeymoon. Now, he gives visitors a fright as he marches through the hotel in Victorian-era garb (most often in October).

Napoleon III has also been spotted roaming around the basement, his former hangout, and there’s a German prince who committed suicide here before World War I by jumping out a window. He’s often most active in the mornings, freaking out guests by appearing and disappearing while wearing a military jacket. And one particularly mischievous ghost likes to toss guests in Room 333 (the most haunted of all the rooms at the Langham) out of bed.

Fall room rates start at about $500 per night.

Taj Mahal Palace in India

This massive five-star hotel that overlooks the Gateway of India began construction in 1898 and opened to guests in 1902. With a roster of famous patrons over the years, the Taj Mahal Palace is a Mumbai landmark. It was even the first building in the city to have electricity and German elevators. But when the head architect, W.A. Chambers, went on vacation, the hotel’s construction team made a massive mistake and built the Taj facing the wrong direction.

When Chambers realized what had happened, he was so distraught he jumped from the fifth floor of the hotel to his death. He still haunts the hotel today, often heard (and sometimes seen) crying about this monumental mistake.

Fall room rates start around $305 per night.

Grand Hyatt Taipei in Taiwan

Although the Grand Hyatt Taipei repeatedly denies being haunted, hotel patrons say otherwise. The hotel is rumored to have been built on a World War II prison, though hotel representatives say it was simply a military warehouse, and claim no one was ever held there as a prisoner.

Either way, guests report hearing peculiar snoring and footsteps, and having inexplicable, uneasy feelings during their stay. Two scrolls that have since been removed from the lobby were said to have been talismans, protecting visitors from the supernatural, but Hyatt says they were simply gifts from generous benefactors.

Fall room rates at the Category 4 property start at $300 or 21,000 points per night.

Baiyoke Sky Hotel in Thailand

At the time it was built in 2011, the Baiyoke Sky Hotel was one of the tallest buildings in Thailand, topping out at 88 stories. During construction, three workers fell 67 stories to their deaths when a supporting cable snapped.

Guests have seen shadows lurking around the haunted Bangkok hotel and felt strange, cold air surround them. Many have also said that items in their room have been mysteriously moved or misplaced, and attribute this to the residents spirits of the three construction workers.

The Baiyoke Sky Hotel is the most affordable haunted property on this list, with room rates as low as $50 per night.

The Gran Hotel Bolivar in Peru

With a laundry list of famous guests including Santana, Julio Iglesias, Ava Gardner and John Wayne, Lima’s Gran Hotel Bolivar seems like a history-steeped spot worthy of reverence. But the hotel, which dates back to 1924, may just be giving off the illusion of faded grandeur. The property has reportedly closed the fifth and sixth floors of the hotel during the last decade because of spooky activity (the hotel attributes it to lack of funds).

So, is it just a breeze blowing through the long, drafty hallways, or is it the woman in white? She loves to appear and quickly disappear in front of guests, bringing with her a blast of icy-cold air. Another woman who committed suicide by leaping from one of the windows haunts the hotel alongside a deceased, disgruntled employee who is often heard stomping around.

Fall room rates start at $100 per night.

Featured photo by Becca Denenberg for TPG.

If you’re a road warrior loyal to a particular hotel chain, a cobranded hotel credit card can be a no-brainer. Unlike airline credit cards that often don’t offer strong enough perks to justify paying an ongoing annual fee, most hotel cards offer extremely valuable benefit packages with perks like anniversary free night certificates, complimentary elite status, bonus points and potentially even on-property credits.

While a hotel credit card might not make sense if you like to switch it up between Marriotts, Hiltons and smaller properties, you should still get a card that earns you bonus points for your hotel stays — and luckily, there are some great options that you’ll want not just for hotel spending, but for general travel purchases as well. We also take a look at the best credit cards for hotel elite status, for earning points at hotels and those with no annual fee.

The best hotel credit cards of 2019

• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express® Card: Best overall for Marriott
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card: Best low-cost for Marriott
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Best for Hotels.com
• Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: Best mid-tier card for earning on hotels
• Chase Sapphire Reserve: Best premium card for earning on hotels
• Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express: Best overall for Hilton
• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: Best low-cost card for Hilton
• The Platinum Card® from American Express: Best for luxury hotels
• The World of Hyatt Credit Card: Best for Hyatt

Research Methodology

These card picks are based on numerous criteria: the points program value, welcome bonus, perks and more. Popular features on some of these hotel credit cards include complimentary elite status, free award nights and statement credits. Be sure to read the fine print for each offer.

Also, when choosing the right hotel credit card, always take into account the spending requirements for the welcome bonus, since you won’t want to miss out on that. You should only apply if you’re able to comfortably meet the required spend.

Below you’ll find a detailed analysis of each individual hotel credit card on the list, including the annual fee, welcome bonus, earning rates, complimentary elite status and more in-depth specifics.

Best hotel credit cards

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex

Annual fee: $450 (see rates and fees)

Welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 points after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months.

Earning rates: 6 points per dollar at Marriott properties, 3 points per dollar at US restaurants and on flights booked directly with the airline, and 2 points per dollar on everything else.

Elite status: Enjoy complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold status with your card, and earn Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status after making $75,000 in eligible purchases on your card in a calendar year. Each calendar year you also receive credit for 15 nights toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy elite status (say, if you already reach Gold status based on your stays but are within shouting distance of Platinum status without having to meet the $75,000 spending requirement).

Other benefits: Each year on your cardmember anniversary, you’ll receive a free night award worth up to 50,000 points. Each year you also receive up to $300 in statement credits for eligible purchases (including room rates) at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, and enjoy up to $100 in credits for on-property charges when booking stays of two nights or more at Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis properties. Cardmembers also get Priority Pass Select lounge access and a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit worth up to $100 every four years. Card holders can enroll for free in the Amex Boingo Preferred plan with unlimited access to over one million Wi-Fi hotspots around the world. However, as of July 1, 2020, the plan will no longer be offered as a benefit to cardmembers.

Analysis: If you want a card that earns you bonus points for booking Marriott stays and some elite perks, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex is worth a close look. The card has a $450 annual fee but the annual $300 Marriott statement credit essentially lowers that to $150.

In addition to earning you 6x points on Marriott stays, this card offers a free night award at properties that cost up to 50,000 points per night each year after your account anniversary. You also get complimentary Gold elite status, which comes with a few benefits like a 25% bonus on points and space-available upgrades to enhanced rooms, and you can upgrade to Platinum status after spending $75,000 on the card in a calendar year.

Further Reading:

• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card Review

APPLY HERE: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card

Annual fee: $95

Welcome bonus: Limited Time Offer: earn 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.

Earning rates: 6 points per dollar on eligible Marriott purchases and 2 points per dollar on everything else.

Elite status: Automatic Silver elite status, plus 15 elite night credits, each calendar year toward reaching a higher status. Reach Gold status by spending $35,000 or more on your card in a calendar year.

Other benefits: Receive a free night award every year on your account anniversary when you renew your card, worth up to 35,000 points. Enjoy free premium in-room Wi-Fi (beginning in August).

Analysis: This card earns the same amount on Marriott stays as its premium counterpart, which is an effective 4.8% based on TPG’s valuations. While you are more limited with where you can use its annual award night, you can still get terrific value from it. Just don’t expect benefits like suite upgrades and free breakfast with the Silver elite status that the card comes with.

Further Reading:

• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card Review

APPLY HERE: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Annual fee: $95 (waived the first year)

Welcome bonus: Earn 50,000 miles after you spend $3,000 within three months from account opening.

Earning rates: 10 miles per dollar on Hotels.com bookings, 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases

Elite status: N/A

Other benefits: This card offers a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit up to $100 every four years and waives foreign transaction fees.

Analysis: 10x miles on hotel stays booked and paid through Hotels.com, specifically at the Hotels.com/venture URL, is one of one of the best, if not the best, bonuses on hotel spend on any credit card in the market today. That’s equal to 10% back when redeeming miles at a fixed value to cover travel purchases or an effective 14% when you transfer your miles to airline partners. But it gets even better than that — when you pair this bonus with the one free night that the Hotels.com Rewards program offers you for every 10 nights you book through the site, you’re looking at a total of 20-24% back on hotel stays. The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card also offers 10x miles when booked and paid via Hotels.com/venture — and keep in mind with both that this bonus is available through January 2020.

This card won’t be the best choice for everyone booking hotel stays, as making purchases through online travel agencies (OTAs) such as Hotels.com generally disqualifies you from earning night and/or stay credits toward hotel elite status. And you might not enjoy benefits that come with any current status you hold on stays booked through OTAs, either. But if you’re simply looking for the best possible return on hotel bookings, you can’t beat the Venture and VentureOne.

Further Reading:

• Capital One Venture Card Review

APPLY HERE: Capital One Venture Rewards Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Annual fee: $95

Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. That’s $750 in travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Earning rates: Earn 2x points on travel and dining at restaurants and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases worldwide

Elite status: N/A

Other benefits: In addition to waiving foreign transaction fees, this card offers primary rental car coverage, up to $500 in trip delay reimbursement if you’re delayed more than 12 hours or overnight, up to $10,000 in trip cancellation and interruption insurance and up to $100 per day for up to 5 days in baggage delay reimbursement if your bag is delayed more than six hours.

Analysis: If you frequently spend on travel — in general, not just at hotels — and dining, and you want to use your points to book travel with partners like British Airways and Hyatt, a Chase Sapphire card is a no-brainer. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is a great pick for newbies since it has a lower annual fee and still earns valuable bonus points on broad travel and dining categories. It allows you to transfer the points you earn to nine airline and three hotel loyalty programs.

Further Reading:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Review

APPLY HERE: Chase Sapphire Preferred

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Annual fee: $450

Welcome bonus: Earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. That’s $750 in travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Earning rates: Earn 3x points on travel and dining at restaurants and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases worldwide

Elite status: N/A

Other benefits: Get a $300 annual travel credit that can be used toward a wide variety of purchases, Priority Pass lounge access, application fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck (up to $100) and a plethora of Visa Infinite Perks, including primary rental car insurance, industry-leading trip cancellation and delay coverage, lost luggage reimbursement, a concierge service and access to the Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection.

Analysis: The Chase Sapphire Reserve has the same bonus categories of travel and dining as the Chase Sapphire Preferred, but it earns 3x points on these purchases (excluding $300 travel credit), and it includes several more perks like a $300 annual travel credit and an application fee credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. Unlike the Chase Sapphire Preferred which has the ability to redeem points for 1.25 cents apiece through the Chase travel portal, the Reserve lets you redeem points for 1.5 cents apiece. It has a $450 annual fee, but that’s effectively lowered to $150 when you factor in the $300 travel credit

Further Reading:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve Review

APPLY HERE: Chase Sapphire Reserve

Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express

Annual fee: $450 (see rates and fees)

Welcome bonus: Earn 150,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months.

Earning rates: 14 points per dollar at Hilton hotels; 7 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com, car rentals booked directly from select car rentals and at US restaurants; and 3 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

Elite status: Enjoy automatic Hilton Honors Diamond status.

Other benefits: One weekend night reward every year after renewal plus an additional night at eligible properties after you spend $60,000 on purchases on your card in a calendar year. Enjoy up to $250 in statement credits each year of card membership for eligible purchases at participating Hilton Resorts. Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $250 per calendar year in statement credits for incidental fees such as checked baggage and flight change fees. Get up to $100 in credits for qualifying charges at participating Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts on two-night-minimum stays. Unlimited Priority Pass lounge access for card holder and two guests.

Analysis: Hilton released three new cards with Amex in early 2018, and the Aspire is now the most rewarding option in the cobranded lineup. It earns you the most Hilton points per dollar on paid stays with the brand (14x points), and also offers some pretty sweet annual travel credits. You get a $250 Hilton resort statement credit each year for eligible on-property purchases, plus an annual credit of up to $250 for incidental airline fees such as baggage charges. Other benefits include complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status, a free weekend night each year upon your account renewal and the ability to earn an additional free weekend night by spending $60,000 on the card in a calendar year.

Further Reading:

• Hilton Honors Aspire Card Hub

APPLY HERE: Hilton Honors Aspire Card

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card

Annual Fee: $95 (see rates and fees)

Welcome bonus: 125,000 Hilton Honors Points after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months.

Earning rates: 12 points per dollar at Hilton hotels; 6 points per dollar at US restaurants, US supermarkets and US gas stations; and 3 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

Elite status: Automatic Hilton Gold status and the opportunity to earn Diamond status by spending $40,000 a year on the card.

Other benefits: Earn a weekend night reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on purchases on your card in a calendar year. Get 10 Priority Pass lounge visits every year.

Analysis: This is the card to have if you can’t quite justify the high fee on the Hilton Amex Aspire. Gold status with the program is among the most valuable mid-tier hotel statuses out there, getting you an 80% points bonus, no resort fees and a fifth night free during reward stays, space-available upgrades, free in-room and lobby Wi-Fi, late check-out, free breakfast and two free bottles of water. The weekend night certificate can easily get a few hundred dollars of value and the 10 free visits to Priority Pass lounges are just enough for occasional travelers. Plus, you’re still getting a very solid return of 7.2% on your Hilton stays plus 3.6% back on your dining, grocery and gas purchases.

• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card Review

APPLY HERE: Hilton Honors Surpass Card

The Platinum Card from American Express

Annual fee: $550 (see rates and fees)

Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months.

Earning rates: Earn 5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines and through American Express travel, plus prepaid hotel bookings through amextravel.com and Fine Hotels & Resorts. Earn 1 point per dollar on everything else.

Elite status: Cardmembers can register for automatic Hilton Honors Gold status and Marriott Bonvoy Gold status.

Other benefits: Almost too many to include. Access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, which includes Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass, Escapes and Airspace lounge lounges, plus Delta Sky Clubs when flying Delta. Up to a $100 fee credit for Global Entry or an $85 fee credit for TSA PreCheck every 4 years. Up to $200 annual airline fee statement credits on incidental fees charged by the airline you select. Uber VIP status and up to $200 annual Uber credit split into monthly $15 credits for US rides plus a bonus $20 in December. Up to a $100 Saks Fifth Avenue credit split into two $50 statement credits for the two halves of the year. Complimentary memberships in Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, Avis Preferred and National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive. Access to Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts bookings and perks. Discounted premium tickets via the Amex International Airlines Program.

Analysis: 5x points on hotel stays is a very solid return, but what makes the card stand out is the perks it offers at luxury hotels booked through the Fine Hotels & Resorts program. Every FHR stay comes with benefits such as complimentary room upgrades when available; noon check-in; 4pm checkout; on-site food and beverage credits and more. At select hotels in the Amex FHR program, you can also enjoy a free night — usually the third or fourth — and earn hotel points as per usual.

On other hotel stays you’ll enjoy the benefits of Gold status from the Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalty programs. Both of these hotel elite statuses entitle you to some solid on-property benefits, such as late checkout and bonus earnings on stays. Just note that prepaid stays booked through Amex Travel (not FHR) typically don’t get hotel points or elite benefits so you’ll need to book direct to take advantage of your status.

• American Express Platinum Review

APPLY HERE: Platinum Card from American Express

World of Hyatt Credit Card

Annual fee: $95

Welcome bonus: 25,000 points after you spend $3,000 in the first three months. Plus earn an additional 25,000 points after you spend $6,000 total on purchases within the first six months.

Earning rates: 4 points per dollar at Hyatt properties; 2 points per dollar on local transit and commuting, at restaurants, on airline tickets and on fitness club and gym memberships; 1 point per dollar everywhere else

Elite status: Discoverist status automatically, though you also receive five qualifying night credits toward the next level of elite status each year and the opportunity to earn two additional night credits for each $5,000 spent on the card.

Other benefits: One free night at a Category 1-4 hotel each year after your cardmember anniversary plus a second free night at a Category 1-4 hotel each year when you spend $15,000 on the card during your cardmember year.

Analysis: This card comes with a modest annual fee which you can easily recoup when you redeem the anniversary free night, valid at category 1-4 hotels. Even most of Hyatt’s Category 1 properties sell for about $95 a night, so this card is break-even at the very least.

When it comes to bonus categories, you’ll earn 4x points per dollar on purchases at Hyatt. TPG values Hyatt points quite highly at 1.7 cents each, making this return worth a solid 6.8%. That’s a great return, though I personally would still opt to use a Chase Sapphire Reserve instead. Earning 3x points per dollar that could be transferred to Hyatt (or to United, or British Airways or Singapore…. get the idea?) is a better return to me than simply earning 4x Hyatt points.

Further Reading:

• The World of Hyatt Credit Card Review

APPLY HERE: World of Hyatt Credit Card

Best hotel credit cards for earning elite status

One of the hallmarks of hotel credit cards is offering some level of automatic elite status (not to mention annual free nights) as part of their benefits packages. Even cards that only confer status at the lower rungs might be well worth it for some travelers considering that it could otherwise take you 10-15 nights of paid stays to achieve starter status and perks like a shot at room upgrades, late check-out, or even a hint of preferential treatment.

Here’s a rundown of the best credit cards that come with hotel elite status within their cobranded hotel programs, or via partnerships. We’ve restricted our list to personal (not business) credit cards that are currently available for new applications.

Best credit cards for earning points at hotels

While the best credit card to use when booking a hotel varies heavily by which hotel chain you’re staying with, there’s another important theme to remember. Much of the value is in the eye of the beholder redeemer, so it’s up to you to look at your past redemption history and figure out which points will get you the most value. Remember that even if the hotel points appear to be the most valuable on paper, you’re sacrificing a lot of future flexibility by locking yourself into a single program.

With that in mind, here are the best credit cards to earn points when booking hotels.

Best hotel credit cards with no annual fee

Between perks like automatic elite status, annual free night certificates and annual on-property credits, it’s easy to justify paying an annual fee for a hotel credit card. Still, the only way to keep out-of-pocket costs to $0 is by using card that has no annual fee. And fortunately, there are many no-annual-fee cards that still earn valuable rewards. For instance, the no-fee Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card both earn the same amount of points as their paid versions.

Using hotel credit cards for family vacations

If you are eyeing a new hotel credit card for a big family vacation, the best hotel card options aren’t significantly different than for other groups of travelers. However, there are a few nuances based on where you want to go, if you’d like to extend elite status to everyone in the group and how much booking flexibility your crew requires. Here are a few of our top picks if you have a whole family along for the journey:

World of Hyatt Credit Card

Hyatt has an outstanding line-up of family-friendly resort destinations, such as the Grand Hyatt Kauai or the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point (with included waterpark). This means that having World of Hyatt points at the ready can make family vacation dreams a reality.

The Category 1–4 awards you receive on each cardmember anniversary (earn a second free night after spending $15,000 in a card member year) are also extremely valuable for family vacations and can be used in places like the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort near San Antonio, the Hyatt Place Keystone, and the Hyatt Centric Waikiki Beach.

If you can use the spending you put on the card to get you closer to Hyatt Globalist status, your family vacations can become sweeter with club lounge access, potential suite upgrades, free breakfast, waived resort fees and more.

Hilton Honors Amex Aspire

Getting truly useful top-tier hotel elite status with just one credit card is very unusual, but the Hilton Diamond status that comes with the Hilton Amex Aspire can unlock Hilton lounge access, breakfast benefits and potential upgrades on Hilton stays all thanks to a credit card. When you have a whole family along, those perks are suddenly much more valuable. The annual fee on this card can look scary at first, but between the welcome bonus points, Diamond elite status and $500 in annual credits, this card is a winner when family vacations are on the agenda.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

If your family is extremely tied to a school calendar and can only travel during peak times, flexibility with your rewards is key. In that case, the Capital One Venture Cards is hard to beat. This card allows you to use your points at one cent per point against travel charges so your family can stay at an Airbnb, book a suite, or even a whole house and then use the points on the card to offset the charge. You can also earn 10x miles per dollar spent on bookings made via Hotels.com/Venture, so this is a great way to maximize your spending on non-chain properties and resorts at places like Disney World that don’t participate in traditional hotel loyalty programs.

Bottom Line

If you spend even just a few nights per year with a particular chain, it can make sense to carry one of its cobranded hotel credit cards so you can enjoy the perks of being an elite when you travel. Many of the cards have reasonable annual fees that are more than made up for by the value card holders can reap from their complimentary elite status plus additional benefits like annual free nights, discounted award stays and bonus earning opportunities.

Even cards that only confer elite status at the lower rungs, like the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless or the World of Hyatt Credit Card, might be well worth it for some travelers considering that it could otherwise take you 10-15 nights of paid stays to achieve starter status and perks like a shot at room upgrades, late check-out, or even a hint of preferential treatment.

We have detailed guides on the various status levels of the major hotel programs and what benefits you can expect at each tier.

• Marriott Bonvoy
• Hilton Honors
• World of Hyatt
• IHG Rewards Club

If you don’t want to commit to one hotel chain, a card that earns transferable points, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred, could be the best pick for you. It earns Ultimate Rewards points, which you can move over to Hyatt, IHG and Marriott to redeem toward award stays, so you have plenty of options. You’ll also earn 2 points per dollar on the card for a wide range of travel purchases and dining purchases, which equals a 4% return based on TPG’s valuations.

Finally, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card also offers a wide range of travel protection benefits and primary car rental insurance, which can save the day when you’re traveling. Note, however, that the Chase Sapphire Reserve card could be an even better pick for frequent travelers. And if you can stack the 10x miles on Hotels.com bookings with the one free night for every 10 nights through Hotels.com Rewards, the Capital One Venture Card could be a great option as well. Meanwhile if you stay at luxury hotels often, you won’t want to overlook The Platinum Card from American Express either.

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Surpass Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Aspire Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Platinum Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express, please click here.

Additional reporting by Sarah Silbert, Ethan Steinberg and Eric Rosen. Featured photo by Eric Helgas for The Points Guy.

This is The Points Guy’s permanent page with the best currently available hotel credit cards, so you can bookmark it and check back regularly for updates. Keep in mind you may see some reader comments referring to older offers below.

Back in September, Marriott brought back 100,000-point welcome bonuses on two of its entry-level cards: the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express® Card and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card. Both cards are offering new applicants the ability to earn 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months. The offer on the Bonvoy Business American Express card is only available through Oct. 23, 2019.

TPG values Marriott points at 0.8 cents each, making this bonus worth a very respectable $800. Although Marriott has made plenty of negative changes since its merger with SPG in 2016 (most recently the rollout of peak/off-peak pricing and crippling the Points Advance program), there are still opportunities for some great redemptions with this bonus.

For example, you could splurge on one night at the St. Regis Maldives or St. Regis Bora Bora, which both start at 70,000 points per night at off-peak times and soar to 100,000 points during peak pricing periods. You can also find more affordable redemption options, such as the Mira Moon Hotel Hong Kong, which costs anywhere from 30,000 points per night during off-peak pricing to 40,000 during peak pricing.

The Bonvoy Business Amex and the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card are incredibly similar in terms of earning rates and benefits, but there are a few key differences. Let’s take a look at how these two cards stack up against each other:

The Bonvoy Business Amex — formerly known as the SPG Business Amex — is one of my favorite credit cards. Despite the fact that I have four different Bonvoy cards, this is the one that I use for most of my spending. The card’s $125 annual fee (see rates and fees) is more than made up for by the anniversary free night certificate (worth up to 35,000 points). You can also earn a second 35,000-point free night certificate by spending $60,000 in a calendar year, which is why I keep this card near the top of my wallet.

It also stands out from other Bonvoy cards by offering additional bonus categories on top of the standard 6x at Marriott and 2x everywhere else. The card earns 4x points per dollar spent at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. services and on U.S. purchases for shipping.

Still, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card can be a good choice for customers looking for a personal credit card or one with a lower annual fee. If you don’t plan on spending $60,000 a year on the card (which comes with a huge opportunity cost) and you don’t frequently shop at the Bonvoy Business’ 4x categories, then the Boundless can be a better option.

Eligibility

Since the merger, Marriott has limited eligibility for new credit card bonuses on its cobranded cards. The welcome offer on the Bonvoy Business Amex won’t be available to you if:

• You have or have had this product (or its predecessor, the SPG Business Amex) before
• You have or have had the Marriott Bonvoy^TM Premier Plus Business Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Rewards^® Premier Plus Business Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Business^TM Credit Card from Chase, or the Marriott Rewards^® Business Credit Card from Chase in the last 30 days
• You have acquired the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^TM Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Rewards^® Premier Plus Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy^TMPremier Credit Card from Chase or the Marriott Rewards^® Premier Credit Card from Chase in the last 90 days
• You received a new cardmember bonus offer in the last 24 months on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^TM Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Rewards^® Premier Plus Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold^TM Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy^TM Premier Plus Credit Card from Chase or the Marriott Rewards^® Premier Credit Card from Chase

In short, you can’t earn the welcome bonus on the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex if you currently hold either of the Marriott business credit cards issued by Chase (neither of which are currently open to new applicants), or if you’ve opened the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless or the Marriott Bonvoy Premier in the last 90 days, or earned the welcome bonuses on those two cards in the last 24 months.

Also note that Amex may limit your eligibility for welcome bonuses based on your history with the issuer and the number of cards you’ve opened or closed. When you’re filling out the application, keep your eyes open for a pop-up message alerting you that you aren’t eligible for this particular bonus.

There are also separate restrictions on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card. You won’t be eligible for this welcome offer if:

• You are current cardmembers of the Marriott Bonvoy^TM Premier credit card (also known as Marriott Rewards^® Premier), Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^TM credit card (also known as Marriott Rewards^® Premier Plus), or Marriott Bonvoy Bold^TM credit card
• You are previous cardmembers of the Marriott Bonvoy^TM Premier credit card (also known as Marriott Rewards^® Premier), Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^TM credit card (also known as Marriott Rewards^® Premier Plus), or Marriott Bonvoy Bold credit card, and received a new cardmember bonus within the last 24 months
• You are are a current cardmember, or were a previous cardmember within the last 30 days, of Marriott Bonvoy^TM American Express^® Card (also known as The Starwood Preferred Guest^® Credit Card from American Express)
• You are a current or previous cardmember of either Marriott Bonvoy Business^TM American Express^® Card (also known as The Starwood Preferred Guest^® Business Credit Card from American Express) or Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^TM American Express^® Card (also known as the Starwood Preferred Guest^® American Express Luxury Card), and received a new cardmember bonus or upgrade bonus in the last 24 months
• You applied and were approved for Marriott Bonvoy Business^TM American Express^® Card (also known as The Starwood Preferred Guest^® Business Credit Card from American Express) or Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^TM American Express^® Card (also known as the Starwood Preferred Guest^® American Express Luxury Card) within the last 90 days

Note that these restrictions are in addition to Chase’s 5/24 rule, which does apply to the Bonvoy Boundless card. What this means, unfortunately, is that you’ll have to pick between one of these bonuses as you won’t be able to apply for both.

Further Reading: Am I eligible for a new Marriott Bonvoy card? 

Bottom line

For the last several months, the standard bonus on the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex and the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card card has been 75,000 Marriott points, so this limited-time offer represents a nice 33% increase, and an extra $200 worth of points based on TPG’s valuations.

Both of these cards have pretty average annual fees, in the range of $95-$125, but you should have no problem getting $200 or more in value each year from your free night certificate.

Add in the ability for high-spending businesses to earn a second annual free night on the Bonvoy Business Amex and this is quite a compelling offer. If you don’t have a business but are looking to boost your Marriott points balance, the identical 100,000-point offer on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card is also a great deal.

Apply here for the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card or the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card, each with a 100,000-point bonus.

Additional reporting by Benet Wilson and Madison Blancaflor. Featured image by Isabelle Raphael/The Points Guy.

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex, please click here.