Quantcast
Channel: Marriott Hotels: Reviews, Guides, and News - The Points Guy
Viewing all 2418 articles
Browse latest View live

US State Department lifts “do not travel” advisory – Here’s where Americans can go

$
0
0

As the travel industry reopens following COVID-19 shutdowns, TPG suggests that you talk to your doctor, follow health officials’ guidance and research local travel restrictions before booking that next trip. We will be here to help you prepare, whether it is next month or next year.

Editor’s note 8/6/20: This post has been updated with the latest information and will be updated often.

The State Department on August 6 lifted a level 4 “do not travel” advisory recommending against any international travel for Americans. In a news conference, the State Department said because some countries had managed to get control of the spread of coronavirus and with some international flights now flying it no longer made sense to have a blanket anti-travel advisory. Still, the government is urging caution, and the truth is most countries still don’t want to see Americans as the United States has the worst outbreak of COVID-19 in the world.

Indeed, the welcome mat has been rolled up. Most countries are not allowing U.S. visitors right now because of coronavirus. The United States has had more than 159,000 deaths, and remains among the hardest-hit countries on the planet.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

But there is some good news. Americans now have some options. So what’s open? Here’s the list:

  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Aruba
  • The Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Croatia
  • The Dominican Republic
  • Egypt
  • French Polynesia
  • Grenada (sort of)
  • Ireland (sort of)
  • Jamaica
  • Puerto Rico
  • The Maldives
  • Mexico
  • Rwanda
  • St Barths
  • St. Lucia
  • Saint Maarten
  • St. Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Seychelles
  • Tanzania
  • Turkey
  • Turks and Caicos
  • United Kingdom (sort of)
  • The U.S. Virgin Islands

We included two U.S. territories (Puerto Rico and the USVI) on our list of destinations — in part, because there are so few places that are open to Americans.

Unfortunately, most of Asia, all of Europe and most of Oceania remain off limits.

Related: A country-by-country guide to coronavirus recovery

Be sure to read restrictions carefully before planning a trip.

In This Post

What places are open for Americans?

Antigua and Barbuda

Ffryers Bay in Antigua. Image by Ian Rogers Photography / Getty Images.
Ffryers Bay in Antigua. Image by Ian Rogers Photography / Getty Images.

The country reopened to tourists on June 4. However, travelers will have to adhere to social distancing guidelines, including face masks in public. All snorkel and dive excursions and other activities must be booked via visitors’ resorts. They cannot explore the islands freely.

The Points Guy founder Brian Kelly canceled an early June trip to Antigua after learning that he would have to stay on the resort “unable to do things I would really want to do.” Good news, though, he did end up going.

More: Here are the rules for visiting Antigua

American Airlines resumed service to the Caribbean with flights to Antigua the last week of May, but it will be some time before things get back to normal.

  • Face masks must be worn at all ports of entry and in public spaces from the moment of disembarkation from the plane. Failure to do so could result in a fine of up to $5,000 and/or imprisonment for up to six months.
  • Health screenings and temperature checks will be conducted at each point of entry. Officials will also collect a self-reported traveler accommodation form from each passenger.
  • Arriving passengers may undergo nasal swabbing for rapid antigen tests.
  • Hand washing and sanitization stations will be available in many public spaces.
  • Customs and ground transportation will handle traveler luggage as little as possible.
  • All people must abide by social distancing guidelines of six feet or more.

You will not need to present a negative COVID-19 test before arrival, but having one can help you bypass some of the screening protocols on the ground.

Every incoming traveler will be tested for COVID-19. The test will take 15 minutes to complete, and results will be released within 48 hours, according to Antigua’s travel advisory website. Travelers will have to pay for the test, which costs $100 per person.

However, recent legal actions by tourists may change protocols for future incoming tourists.

Sign up for TPG’s new weekly newsletter written by Brian Kelly.

Related: Country by country guide to Caribbean reopening

 

Aruba

Aruba December 2017. (Photo by Clint Hederson/The Points Guy)
Aruba, December 2017. (Photo by Clint Hederson/The Points Guy)

 

Aruba is in the middle of phased reopening, with American visitors welcomed back on July 10. Visitors from Europe were allowed in Aruba as of July 1.

Prime Minister Evelyn Wever-Croes told the media, “As we prepare to reopen our borders, Aruba has put in place advanced public health procedures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 on the island. We have taken careful and deliberate steps to assess the current situation and make certain it is as safe as possible and appropriate to begin the reopening process.”

Related:  Aruba reopening in July

Arrivals will face new screening measures including the possibility of COVID-19 tests on arrival along with temperature checks and medical professionals available.

Americans from 20 states considered at high-risk will need to upload proof of a negative test within 72 hours of flying to Aruba or they won’e be allowed to board. Those from less-risky states will also need to upload a test or have one taken at Oranjestad’s airport. Those who take a test on arrival will need to quarantine at their hotel for up to 24 hours while awaiting the results. The tests are paid for by the tourist.

All guests must also purchase visitors insurance from the nation of Aruba to cover up to $75,000 in health insurance. For a week it will cost you about $100.

The country has also placed temporary capacity limits on some tourist spots, especially in popular destinations.  Casinos will also reopen with new safety measures in place.

Aruba closed its borders to tourists on March 29, although airline crew members have been exempt from the restrictions.

The country has had 106 confirmed coronavirus cases and three deaths.

 

Bahamas

(Photo courtesy Knight Frank)
(Photo courtesy Knight Frank)

 

Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis announced on August 3 that the country would go on lockdown as ICU beds are at capacity and deaths from the coronavirus increase. Healthcare workers in the Bahamas have also warned about overcrowded facilities.

Related: A country-by-country reopening guide to the Caribbean

“There has been an exponential increase in the number of cases, an increase in hospitalizations, an increase in the demand for ICU beds, and sadly, an increase in the number of deaths,” Minnis said.

The Bahamas in mid-July banned U.S. travelers from entering its borders by plane or vessel (expect those traveling by private jet) as cases in Texas, California and Florida spiked. That ban was later amended to allow Americans to visit but required them to quarantine for 14 days at a government facility.

Related: Bahamas reopening

The lockdown is set for two weeks for now, but could be extended.

Barbados

Bottom Bay in Barbados. (Photo by TommL/Getty Images)

Bottom Bay in Barbados. (Photo by TommL/Getty Images)

Good news: Barbados reopened to international travelers beginning on July 12. U.S. commercial flights will resume on July 25 for JetBlue and August 5 for American Airlines. They have instituted mandatory protocols that all inbound travelers have to follow:

  • COVID-19 PCR test from an accredited laboratory within 72 hours prior to departure for travelers from high-risk countries (one week for low-risk countries)
  • Online embarkation/disembarkation card (ED card) with personal health questions relating to COVID-19 symptoms
  • Test upon arrival without a documented negative COVID-19 PCR test result and mandatory quarantine at traveler’s expense until results are returned
  • Social distancing, temperature checks and wearing face masks

The local government clarifies that high-risk countries are defined as those that have seen more than 10,000 new cases in the prior seven days and community transmission, which would include the United States. In addition, anyone that tests positive for the coronavirus will be placed in isolation where they will “receive care from the Ministry of Health and Wellness.”

Related: Barbados set to welcome back Americans

More updates on Barbados’ response to coronavirus and any updates to its protocols can be found on the government website.

Belize

One of the most famous diving spots in the world is Belize
One of the most famous diving spots in the world is Belize’s Blue Hole. (Photo via Shutterstock)

 

Philip Goldson International Airport (BEZ) reopens on August 15. All nationalities are being welcomed back. Visitors and returning citizens will be required to submit a negative COVID-19 test prior to boarding their flight or will be tested on arrival, but Prime Minister Dean Barrow said: “We decided that any further delay would likely gain us nothing from a safety standpoint.”

In a statement, the tourism board said, “As the country reopens for travel, Belize wants to assure travelers and residents that hotels and restaurants will be cleaner and safer than ever before.”

Related: Planning your trip to Belize during coronavirus

Note that all visitors will have to stay at one of the country’s full-service hotels or resorts that have received the Belize Tourism Gold Standard Certificate of Recognition. Among the requirements for this designation? The hotels must have private transportation to and from the airport, a restaurant on-property, and strict cleanliness protocols.

Belize tourism laid out the following guidelines and requirements for tourists.

Predeparture

  • Obtain a certified negative PCR COVID-19 test within 72 hours of departure
  • Book approved housing
  • Wear face masks when traveling to the departure airport
  • Wear face masks and practice physical distancing at the departure airport
  • Download and verify information on Belize Health App

On the plane

  • Wear a face mask while on the plane
  • Practice social distancing to the extent possible

Upon arrival

  • Continue to wear face masks and practice physical distancing
  • Get a health screening
  • Check in daily on health app

Once at the airport, you’ll need to be medically screened as well as go through customs. If a passenger is showing symptoms they may be placed in quarantine.

Still no word on when cruise ships will be allowed to return.

Bermuda

 

Fly United between Bermuda and Newark. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.
Bermuda (Photo by Shutterstock)

 

Bermuda is the latest country to reopen post-coronavirus and roll out the red carpet to Americans. In fact, tourists from many nations are able to vacation in Bermuda again since July 1.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

The island will resume international commercial air service for visitors as part of its fourth phase of economic reopening after what it calls its “successful management of COVID-19 to date.” L.F. Wade International Airport (BDA)  reopened July 1 as well.

Related: Bermuda opening to Americans July 1

In a news conference announcing the reopening, Bermuda’s Minister of Tourism & Transport Zane DeSilva said, “As we work to finalize the protocols and requirements for travel to Bermuda, rest assured, we will always place the safety of our island and its people above all else.”

Details are still being worked out, but visitors with a negative COVID-19 test within three days of their arrival in Bermuda will be given freedom of movement around the 21-square-mile island.

Related: Visiting Bermuda with kids

Bermuda’s tourism board says it is still finalizing a detailed plan for anyone who tests positive during their visit. There is still no word on when cruise ships will be allowed to return.

More information on coronavirus in Bermuda can be found here.

More reading: New resort and hotel options in Bermuda

Croatia

(Image by Samantha T. Photography / Getty Images)
(Image by Samantha T. Photography / Getty Images)

 

Croatia has reopened for tourists from all countries.

As of July 13, Croatia amended its COVID-19 policies due to a slight spike in recent cases. Incoming travelers must now produce a negative COVID PCR test taken less than 48 hours before departure, or else observe a 14-day self-quarantine upon arrival. Additional updates from the European Union will be announced soon.

Related: Visiting Croatia in the age of coronavirus

The U.S. State Department still advises against traveling internationally right now, as COVID cases continue to spike in the U.S. and the advisory level remains at 4 — Do Not Travel.

Fair warning: The European Union has decided not to allow U.S. travelers into the E.U., but individual nations can decide to ignore that decision, and it appears that Croatia has done just that in regards to Americans. The Daily Beast reporting, “… upon checking with the Croatian government directly, we can confirm that Americans can travel to Croatia for tourism this summer without quarantine.”

Egypt

This picture taken on March 25, 2018, shows tourists in front of the Giza pyramids complex, on the southwestern outskirts of the Egyptian capital Cairo. / AFP PHOTO / FETHI BELAID (Photo credit should read FETHI BELAID/AFP/Getty Images)
This picture taken on March 25, 2018, shows tourists in front of the Giza pyramids complex, on the southwestern outskirts of the Egyptian capital Cairo. / AFP PHOTO / FETHI BELAID (Photo credit: FETHI BELAID/AFP/Getty Images)

 

International tourism resumed in Egypt July 1. The first day saw a few flights come in bringing tourists from countries such as Ukraine. The Great Pyramids of Giza also reopened on July 1 after being closed since March, reported Reuters. The pyramids underwent a deep cleaning of all paths and touchpoints earlier this summer.

Related: Guide to world landmarks reopening

Hotels opened to domestic tourists in May under the strict condition that they cannot operate at more than 25% capacity until the end of May; that increased to 50% capacity on June 1. Reuters also reported that hotels must implement new health measures, there must be a clinic with a resident doctor to regularly screen temperatures and disinfectant equipment must be installed, among other precautionary measures.

The health minister has indicated that Red Sea resorts, including in South Sinai, will be the first to open along with beaches west of Alexandria. It’s been estimated that Egypt has and will continue to lose 1 billion tourism dollars for each month that it’s closed.

According to the New York Times, Egyptian cafes are also reopened, but with only half capacity allowed. The pyramids at Giza are open, but temperature checks are required.

A reader named Melissa told TPG a Cairo-based tour guide took his first American tourist (since March) to the pyramids in July. There are reports that international visitors do not have to have a negative COVID-19 test, but must fill out a health certification form and show proof of insurance.

Related: Dreaming of visiting Egypt

Dominican Republic

Playa Blanca, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Caribbean Sea. (Photo by © Marco Bottigelli / Getty Images)
Playa Blanca, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (Photo by Marco Bottigelli / Getty Images)

 

The Dominican Republic’s borders had been closed by land, sea and air since March, but the island country announced in early June that it would reopen July 1although only approximately 30% of the hotels will open at that time. Social distancing guidelines will still be enforced, but not much else by way of specifics have been announced.

The Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism director Lucien Echavarria told the Caribbean Journal that 40-50% of the nation’s hotel inventory would open in July with the rest all opened by November at the latest.

 Punta Cana International Airport confirmed to Caribbean Journal it restarted commercial operations on July 1.

There will be temperature checks on arrival, but it doesn’t appear there are tests required.

Apparently in early July, hotel occupancy rates were only around 10%.

The United States Embassy in Santo Domingo issued a level 4 health warning not to travel to the Dominican Republic due to the impact of COVID-19.

The office warned American citizens to reconsider coming to the country in consideration of the situation with the pandemic:

The DR has had more than 46,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 910 deaths.

Related: Dominican Republic reopening July 1

French Polynesia

French Polynesia (Photo by Summer Hull/The Points Guy)
French Polynesia (Photo by Summer Hull/The Points Guy)

 

Related coverage: French Polynesia reopening

French Polynesia will officially reopen on July 15. The island nation implemented a 14-day quarantine period for international travelers back in March, a measure that appears to have been successful. No active COVID-19 cases have been reported since May 29, clearing the way for reopening.

If you plan on traveling to French Polynesia in July, you need to submit to a COVID-19 (RT-PCR) test 72 hours before departure.

If you’ve tested positive for COVID-19 three weeks prior to departure but have an immunity certificate from a doctor, you can bypass testing.

Additionally, all incoming travelers (residents excluded) must provide proof of international travel insurance. Luckily, credit card travel insurance satisfies this requirement. Use a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card to pay for your airfare and hotel, then provide a copy of the card’s Guide to Benefits as proof of coverage.

Travelers are also required to have a medical certificate, with the specifics to be communicated by the tourism board.

Four days after arrival, you may be subject to another COVID-19 test. The Ministry of Health and Prevention will be conducting these tests on a random basis, so keep that in mind. In addition to that, guests may also get visits from medical staff, authorized by the Department of Health to supervise.

All travelers are advised to wear a mask throughout their stay and abide by specific sanitary measures. If you do exhibit symptoms during your stay, you must self-report and self-isolate in your room until further instruction from local emergency operators.

If you’re itching to travel to French Polynesia when the border reopens on July 15, there are lots of options for getting there. Be sure to check out our guide on the best way to get to Tahiti using points and miles. The following airlines will be resuming flights:

  • Aircalin
  • Air France
  • Air New Zealand
  • Air Tahiti
  • Air Tahiti Nui
  • French Bee
  • Hawaiian Airlines
  • LATAM
  • United

All hotels and resorts are beginning to reopen including famous names like the Conrad Bora Bora, Le Meridien Bora Bora, and the Hilton Moorea Lagoon.

Related: Dreaming of French Polynesia: How I’m booking

Grenada

Saint George-Harbour, Grenada. (Photo by Westend61/Getty Images)
Saint George-Harbour, Grenada. (Photo by Westend61/Getty Images)

 

Like its Caribbean neighbors, Grenada is set to begin to reopen to foreign tourists on August 1 — with many health conditions attached. Unfortunately it’s not going to be easy for Americans to visit.

Travel is supposed to be extremely difficult for “high-risk” tourists from places like America where coronavirus is still rapidly spreading.

Only chartered flights are allowed from these countries.

Anyone traveling to Grenada from a high-risk country will find a 14-day mandatory quarantine period awaiting upon arrival. Additionally, tourists from “Red Zones” will have to undergo quarantining at an approved state facility for the same period — subject to the discretion of local officials.

Additionally, requirements of low and middle-risk countries still apply. A negative PCR test result, dated at most 7 days prior to entry, is needed — and rapid testing upon arrival will still take place. Tourists may have to stay 2-4 days at a government-approved accommodation while awaiting PCR results and be able to resume quarantine elsewhere (as long as they are not from the “Red Zones”).

 

Ireland

Ireland is open to Americans, but you must self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.

All arrivals from outside Ireland including citizens and residents are required to isolate themselves for two full weeks. You’ll also need to fill out a “Passenger Locator Form” saying where you will be quarantining. There is a fine of up to $2,860 or six months in jail for refusing to fill out the form or falsifying records.

Related: Yes you can go to Ireland, but.. 

Ireland is a member of the European Union, but unlike other countries in the EU, it did not ban non-essential travel, not even from the U.S. where coronavirus is still raging. Most of Europe is allowing some international tourists, but Americans are not among them. Ireland, on the other hand, never pulled up the welcome mat. The Irish government does advise against nonessential travel to the country, but it’s not forbidden and Americans are taking advantage. This policy will apparently be revisited on July 20 so make sure you are doing your research if you plan a trip.

Meantime, Ireland is dealing with visitors who are violating the country’s 14-day self-quarantine rule. The New York Times wrote a whole article on this problem. Some TPG readers have also reported that Americans are going to Ireland, skipping quarantine and visiting other parts of Europe. Not only is that illegal, but it’s also unethical and endangers other humans. Don’t do that.

Jamaica

The rocky side of Negril,Jamaica. Image by narvikk / Getty Images.
The rocky side of Negril, Jamaica (Photo by narvikk / Getty Images)

 

Jamaica officially reopened for tourism beginning June 15, but anyone who is hoping to plan a summer vacation here will have to overcome major hurdles. Arriving travelers have to submit a pre-travel health authorization registration with a customs and immigration form, and the government will issue a travel approval document based on those details. Travelers may be denied permission to visit depending on their risk for COVID-19 transmission.

All incoming travelers should expect thermal temperature checks upon arrival, and anyone who shows COVID-19 symptoms or feels ill upon arrival will be quarantined. Even after all those procedures, travelers are expected to adhere to social distancing and face mask policies in public. Travelers are also expected to follow any policies made by tourist and hospitality establishments, which are most likely derived from the government’s 119-page guide for local hospitality procedures.

Related: Jamaica reopening with lots of rules

Phase One of reopening falls between June 15 and 30, and will be limited to a “resilient corridor” of coastline destinations between Negril and Port Antonio. Only licensed tourism businesses and transportation companies that have been assessed by the tourism board can operate in this region during this time.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 is still spreading in Jamaica, so keep that in mind. The country has reported 790 confirmed cases and 10 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker.

Related: Visiting Jamaica with family

The Maldives

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

 

The Maldives has announced one of the most liberal opening policies in the world. Come July 1 all are welcome with no testing or quarantine required.

The Tourism Ministry reporting there are no screenings or tests required. But all tourists must stay at one resort or hotel for their whole stay. There are no new visa requirements or COVID-19 related fees.

Emirates Airlines is offering connections through Dubai from major global cities including Chicago.  Etihad will resume flights from Abu Dhbai to the Maldives starting July 16. Turkish Airlines is starting flights from July 17.

Related: Maldives reopening in July

TPG’s Zach Honig wrote about this risky reopening plan and points out the country only has two hospitals and 97 ventilators, so if you were to get sick there, it would be dangerous.

The Maldives has had more than 2,750 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 13 deaths.

Mexico

Subject: A panoramic view of the hotel district of Cancun at sunset. A popular tourist beach destination. The Yucatan Peninsula and the Riviera Maya in Mexico is a well developed vacation location with numerous hotels and entertainment districts. (Image by YinYang/iStock / Getty Images Plus)
The hotel district of Cancun at sunset (Image by YinYang/iStock /Getty Images Plus)

Mexico is slowly reopening to American travelers, with Cancun accepting international flights and visitors from the United States starting in June, and Los Cabos and Baja following in July.

Grand Residences Riviera Cancun told The Points Guy it is reopening July 4 and offering guests up to 44% off. In a press release, Daniela Trava Albarran, General Manager at Grand Residences Riviera Cancun said:

“Our top priority remains to be providing a safe and enjoyable environment for both our guests and staff. The resort has become known for its high standard of friendliness and sincerity and we have worked hard to maintain this level of service while making the necessary modifications to enhance sanitization measures. We look forward to once again hosting guests as they create new memories along our private beach, open-air landscape and social distance adapted amenities.”

Cancun’s International airport (CUN) has reopened to domestic and international flights.

Related: Mexico opening beach destinations 

In July, the international terminal at Los Cabos International (SJD) will open, and international visitors will be permitted to enter. From August to September, Cabo is planning to “slowly recover” national and international arrivals, especially those postponed in March and April.

Still, tourists are warned that Mexico is one of the epicenters for coronavirus.

Mexico has had more than 311,000 confirmed cases, and 36,000 deaths from coronavirus.

Puerto Rico

Culebra, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Douglas Hodgkins/EyeEm/Getty)
Culebra, Puerto Rico (Photo by Douglas Hodgkins/EyeEm/Getty)

Puerto Rico will officially reopen to all international travelers on July 15, but don’t expect everything to be back to normal.

Upon arrival, travelers will be subject to health screenings, including COVID-19 testing. You could be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days, regardless of symptoms.

Hotels will limit capacity at pools to 50%. Fitness centers and spas, which are currently closed, will reopen and operate at 50% capacity sometime later this summer.

Related: Everything you need to know about Puerto Rico reopening

Public beaches and water activities are allowed with appropriate social distancing.

If you’re thinking of bypassing some of these restrictions by booking an Airbnb, keep in mind that many of the same rules will apply.

Restaurants are currently open with reduced capacity.

As is now the norm in the age of COVID-19, buffets will not reopen and restaurant staff will serve meals wearing gloves and masks.

Shopping malls will be open but accessible via appointment only. No plans have been announced regarding casinos and playgrounds reopening.

San Juan International Airport (SJU) is open, and TPG found flights as low as $137 roundtrip on Spirit Airlines from Miami.

Related: Your points and miles guide to Puerto Rico

 

Rwanda

A gorilla in the Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. (Photo by Mint Images Art Wolfe / Getty Images)
A gorilla in the Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. (Photo by Mint Images Art Wolfe / Getty Images)

 

Rwanda is one of the few countries in the world that is now open to American visitors again. Now might be the perfect time to plan that safari adventure you’ve always wanted to take if you are able to swing it. Rwanda has done a good job controlling the coronavirus outbreak with only 1,172 cases and three deaths according to Johns Hopkins University.

For more travel tips and news, sign up for our daily newsletter

Rwanda is home to three major national parks. You can even book a trip to see the endangered mountain gorillas of Volcanoes National Park.

Related: Visiting Rwanda during COVID-19

The land-locked country reopened to all nationalities back on June 17, 2020, although the international airport will not reopen to commercial flights until Aug. 1. All arriving passengers will be required to present a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR (Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction) test taken within 72 hours before arriving in Rwanda.

VisitRwanda says, “For passengers entering Rwanda, a second PCR test will be conducted upon arrival, with results delivered within 24 hours, during which time they will remain in designated hotels at their own cost.”

Rwanda is offering visa on arrival as well for all nationalities. There are a number of additional planning resources available at VisitRawanda.com.

St. Lucia

The Pitons on St. Lucia. Image by Paul Baggaley / Getty Images.
The Pitons on St. Lucia. (Image by Paul Baggaley / Getty Images)

On May 18, the government of Saint Lucia announced a phased approach to reopening the island’s tourism sector in a responsible manner beginning June 4.

Related: Everything you need to know about entering St. Lucia

Good news for Americans, as Phase One of reopening includes welcoming international flights at Hewanorra International Airport (UVF) from the United States only.

Visitors will be required to present certified proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 48 hours of boarding their flights to UVF. Once they arrive, guests will undergo health checks and temperatures will be taken. Masks and social distancing will be required for the duration of the stay.

The country shut its borders on March 23. St Lucia has only had 22 confirmed cases and zero deaths.

Phase Two begins August 1, with details to be revealed.

St. Barths

St. Barts. (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)
St. Barts (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

 

St. Barthelemy (St. Barths) opened to tourists beginning June 22 , but there are lots of caveats.

More: Visitors can come to St. Barths only if they can prove they’re not sick

Related Coverage: Country-by-country guide to reopening

If you want to visit the Caribbean vacation spot, you’ll need to prove that you have tested negative for COVID-19 72 hours or less before you arrive. Those unable to provide such documentation will be tested on arrival, and will need to isolate at their lodging until results become available.

Visitors who test positive for the virus will be moved into quarantine on the island. 

Bruno Magras, president of the island’s territorial council, told the Caribbean Journal:

“Whether you are visiting an island friend or local resident, returning to spend time in your vacation home or coming back to spend some vacation time on the island, St Barth is pleased to welcome you back. Island beaches are open without restriction, restaurants and boutiques are operating as usual, houses of worship are open and holding services and nautical services as well as the other services to which you are accustomed are being provided as usual.”

Related: St Barths reopening on June 22

For those staying longer than seven days, a second COVID-19 test will be required.

You’ll need to plan carefully. There are no direct flights from the U.S. so make sure the country you are arriving from is allowing American tourists.

St Barths has reported only six cases of coronavirus and zero deaths.

St. Maarten

St. Maarten was supposed to be reopening to American and European tourists on July 1. Unfortunately, late on June 30, The Council of Ministers announced it would delay the acceptance of Americans for at least two weeks.

This policy change came about following an internal dispute where the French side of the island (Saint-Martin) threatened to close the island’s internal border if flights from the U.S. were permitted to land at Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA).

As of July 15, it appears Americans are still not allowed. We are finding flights bookable again, however, starting in August so the restriction on Americans could be lifted soon.

Related: E.U. reopening, Americans not welcome

Several resorts are again accepting reservations.

Delta had planned to resume service from the U.S., but this plan appears to be on hold, if temporarily.

There are several protocols that travelers are expected to follow, and it won’t be a vacation away from the social distancing that you may have hoped for initially. This graphic illustrates some of what you can expect, including face coverings, health screenings, and increased cleaning.

Image courtesy St. Maarten Tourism Bureau.

 

Related: St. Maarten is reopening — here’s what you have to know

Saint Vincent & the Grenadines

The local government announced that it will stage a phased opening, with the first one beginning July 1. Visitors from all countries are welcome, but everyone has to fill out the “VINCY” coronavirus questionnaire form and undergo testing and a 24-hour quarantine upon arrival (or until negative test results come back).

The next phase begins August 1, when visitors can forgo the 24-hour quarantine by providing a positive antibody test (within 5 days of traveling) or a negative PCR test (within 2 days). PCR testing on arrival and a health questionnaire are still mandatory.

The Seychelles

A photo of Air Seychelles’ first Airbus A320neo. (Photo courtesy of Airbus)
Air Seychelles’ first Airbus A320neo. (Photo courtesy of Airbus)

 

Americans can now travel to The Seychelles, but only those with big bucks are welcome.

Related: Seychelles reopening

Beginning this June, foreign tourists are allowed to vacation in the Seychelles, but the government’s tourism ministry is only looking for “high-end” visitors for now, according to Seychelles Nation.

“Only visitors traveling on private jets and chartered flights, and who will be heading off directly to remote island resorts, will be allowed in,” the outlet reported.

Visitors will not be allowed to leave their island resorts during their stay this month.

Commercial flights will begin again in July, but the government said it expects visitor numbers to be limited for a while even once they resume.

Tourists will be required to be tested for COVID-19 48 hours before they arrive, and will have to present proof of their lodging arrangements before being granted entry.

Visitors will be charged $50 to support local public health measures, and the tourism department is planning to introduce an app that will track tourists’ movements to facilitate contact tracing.

Tanzania 

The Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania. (Photo by Freder / Getty Images)

Tanzania is now accepting tourists under pre-COVID rules, with no quarantine conditions attached.  The government is asking passengers to complete a Health Surveillance Form upon arrival, and all arriving travelers are “subjected to an intensive screening and where necessary COVID-19 rapid testing. Mask wearing and social distancing are also still in place for anyone planning a visit. Readers have confirmed that they have had no issues flying into the country.

Tanzania has received a lot of criticism on how it has handled the coronavirus pandemic. The government hasn’t actively revealed data about infection rates or death. The president says that releasing the data was “causing panic.”

To give you an idea of the current state in Tanzania, at the start of the pandemic, President John Magufuli declined to close churches, saying that the virus “cannot survive in the body of Christ — it will burn.” He also claimed Tanzania is free of coronavirus as of June due to prayer and the work of front line workers. He even celebrated citizens who weren’t wearing masks as a sign that people were no longer afraid and the virus was gone.

Travelers should note that Tanzania’s reported coronavirus cases are comparatively low, but experts say the toll is probably much higher.

Turkey

Istanbul, Turkey (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)
Istanbul, Turkey (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)

 

Turkey is welcoming Americans again.

As of June 11, Turkey’s international borders are open for travelers from a number of countries, including the U.S.

Travelers who show signs of COVID-19 will not be allowed to board flights or enter the country. Upon arrival, travelers will be asked to fill out a passenger information form and undergo medical screenings for infection, and anyone showing symptoms upon arrival will be tested for coronavirus. Anyone who tests positive will be referred to a Turkish hospital for quarantine and treatment.

However, the Turkish embassy’s website states that tourist travelers do not need to provide specific health documentation to enter or exit Turkey unless they are arriving for medical treatment.

However, travelers should note a couple of precautions unrelated to COVID-19:

  • The U.S. State Department’s travel advisory guide lists Turkey at Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution, due to concerns over terrorism and arbitrary detention. Travelers are strongly advised to avoid the areas bordering Iraq and Syria due to terrorist activity. (The official U.S. stance on worldwide travel is still Level 4: Do Not Travel — the highest tier of caution — due to COVID-19 concerns.)
  • U.S. travelers will still need to apply for a visa before entering Turkey. You can do so via e-visa application, which takes about three minutes.

Related: These are the US State Department travel advisories for July 2020

The official crime and safety report for Turkey can be found here, and the State Department’s travelers’ checklist here.

We should also note that Turkey has reported more than 215,000 coronavirus cases with Istanbul especially hard-hit.

Turks and Caicos

Beach in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos. Image courtesy of Shutterstock.
Beach in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos. (Courtesy of Shutterstock)

 

More good news on reopening from the Caribbean. Turks and Caicos, a group of 40 low-lying coral islands popular with tourists in the Caribbean, is reopening for international visitors beginning July 22. The Providenciales Airport will reopen on this date.

Related: Turks and Caicos reopening

Related: A country-by-country guide to reopening in the Caribbean

This British Overseas Territory includes the island of Providenciales, also known as Provo. Details on the reopening remain sparse, but international flights are resuming. The islands have seen 12 confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Related: 6 things to know before you go to Turks and Caicos

We don’t know yet what testing, screening or quarantine procedures will be in place, but we should have details in the next few weeks.

Related coverage: Why I love Turks and Caicos

We first learned about the reopening from the water adventure company Big Blue Collective. They wrote in a press release, “Time for all of us to get our island game on and for you to think about getting back down here. Our boats, kayaks, paddle boards and kites will be ready.”

Resorts and hotels are also reopening. Ocean Club Resorts told TPG that its sister properties are reopening as of July 22. They are offering 25% off for the remainder of the year.

 

United Kingdom 

London Heathrow (LHR). (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)
London Heathrow (LHR). (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)

 

Americans are allowed to visit the United Kingdom. Britain will allow Americans, but there is a giant caveat. Americans must quarantine for 14-days on arrival. The penalty for breaking this quarantine is steep running to more than $1,200 dollars a night in fines for violations.

We have seen some reports of Americans trying to get to the European Union from the U.K., but it’s not allowed and you are likely to be turned back (and you would potentially be breaking the law).

Related: Everything we know about England’s 14-day quarantine

U.S. Virgin Islands

 

panoramic view of Carambola Beach, St.Croix, US Virgin Islands. (Photo by cdwheatley/Getty Images)
panoramic view of Carambola Beach, St.Croix, US Virgin Islands. (Photo by cdwheatley/Getty Images)

 

The U.S. Virgin Islands is becoming the latest to announce it will welcome tourists again. There will be no quarantine required for healthy visitors and people will be free to leave their hotel or resort and explore.

Related: U.S. Virgin Islands reopening

The U.S. Virgin Islands, which includes St. Thomas and St. Croix, was under a state of emergency until July 11, but it welcomed back tourists as of June 1 with restrictions.

Related Coverage: State-by-state guide to coronavirus reopening

Flights are resuming, but there are some things to know if you decide to book. A spokeswoman for the USVI tourism board told TPG, “There are routine temperature checks and health screenings at the ports of entry and public places. There is no quarantine required if travelers are healthy. Testing, quarantine, and isolation protocols are in place for suspected and confirmed cases of COVID-19 and also for contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases.”

A toolkit for travelers and other updates are available at www.usviupdate.com.

 

Important caveats and things to know

COVID-19 continues to spread around the world. While some countries have done a good job of containing the virus, there is still much we don’t know. Travel is still considered a risky undertaking. Know the rules and regulations for the place you are planning to visit, and make sure you have completed all the necessary steps (like pre-departure testing in some cases). There is also the possibility countries could change their minds on reopening at the last minute (like we saw in Portugal and Iceland), so make sure you are booking refundable tickets and hotels or purchasing travel insurance. 

What about Europe?

The entire EU (aside from Ireland and Croatia) is closed to Americans and will likely remain that way until the total number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. falls. Americans can go to the U.K., but a 14-day required quarantine and restrictions on internal travel make the prospect less than ideal.

Additional reporting by Ariana Arghandewal, Katherine Fan, Jordyn Fields, Zach Honig, Brian Kelly, Brian Kim, Samantha Rosen, Victoria Walker, and Zach Wichter.

Featured image from Aruba in December of 2017 by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy.


It’s all about extra benefits: A review of the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex Credit Card

$
0
0

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post with regularly updated information. For the most up-to-date card benefits due to the pandemic, read our guide to limited-time COVID-19 card perks


The Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card is a solid small-business card for Marriott Bonvoy fans. While it’s not the best overall travel card, it comes with perks like an annual free night at hotels costing up to 35,000 points and helps to expedite your Marriott elite status by offering 15 elite night credits every year. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐½

*Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

Traveling in 2020 looks a little bit different. To prepare for a hotel stay now — or when you’re comfortable traveling again — you’ll want a card that provides benefits that you care about.

This Marriott Bonvoy Business Card comes with most of the same features and benefits as the Marriott Bonvoy consumer cards. But it also includes generous bonus reward categories that are well suited to small-business owners.

New to The Points Guy? Sign up for our daily newsletter and join our community for small-business owners.

A small (but important) benefit of this card is that as an Amex small-business card, it won’t show up on your personal credit report. That means it won’t add to your Chase 5/24 count — the general rule of thumb that you won’t be approved for a future Chase card if you’ve opened five cards from any issuer within the past 24 months.

On top of that, Marriott points are useful for more than just booking award nights, because you can also transfer Marriott points to 40+ different airlines. Let’s take a closer look at the Marriott Bonvoy Business Card to see if it’s right for you.

In This Post

Who is this card for?

(Photo by The Points Guy)
(Photo by The Points Guy)

This card is ideal for small-business owners who are loyal to the Marriott Bonvoy program.

Remember, that virtually any size of business can qualify for small-business credit cards. You can use your Social Security number on your application if you haven’t obtained an Employer Identification Number (EIN). Plus, it’s good for those with side hustles such as freelancing or running an eBay store.

This card would also complement an airline card or one that earns flexible rewards that can be transferred to airline miles. It even could make sense to hold the consumer version of the Marriott Bonvoy cards from American Express since the elite night credits can now be stacked together.

Anyone who has a Marriott Bonvoy small business credit card, and a Marriott Bonvoy consumer credit card is eligible to receive a maximum of 30 elite night credits per year.

Related: Does it make sense to hold multiple Marriott Bonvoy credit cards?

Welcome offer: Worth $600

You can earn 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first three months. According to TPG’s most recent valuations, Marriott points are worth 0.8 cents each, making the sign-up bonus worth $500. The card has a $125 annual fee (see rates and fees).

Related: Bonvoy elite status changes due to the pandemic 

Main benefits and perks

One of the primary reasons to consider this card is for the benefits. First, it offers you automatic Marriott Silver elite status, and the chance to earn Bonvoy Gold when you spend $35,000 on purchases in a calendar year. Silver offers you a 10% points bonus on paid stays, priority late checkout and a dedicated reservation line.

You also receive 15 nights credit toward the next level of elite status and a free-night award each card anniversary year. The free night can be spent at properties at or under 35,000 points per night. You can even earn a second free-night award (at or under 35,000 points per night) after using your card to spend $60,000 in a calendar year.

The Villa Mutiara, another Bonvoy property. (Photo courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton)
The Villa Mutiara in Langkawi, Malaysia, another Bonvoy property. (Photo courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton)

Other benefits include premium on-property internet access and no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees).

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

How to earn points

This card offers you 6x points per dollar spent at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels. You also receive 4x points per dollar spent at U.S. restaurants and U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on purchases made from merchants in the U.S. for shipping. You earn 2x points on all other purchases.

However, for a limited-time through Oct. 31, 2020, you’ll earn 10x at restaurants and gas stations in the U.S..

  • Regular restaurant and gas rate: 4x
  • Limited-time restaurant and gas rate: 10x

All Bonvoy Business Amex card members receive Silver elite status, meaning that you’ll earn a total of 17 points per dollar spent at Marriott Bonvoy hotels. This includes 6x from the card, 10x base points and 1 bonus point for elite status.

Gold members will earn a total of 18.5 points per dollar spent and Platinum members will earn 21 points. Finally, top-tier Platinum Premier elites will earn a total of 23.5 points per dollar spent, which equates to a phenomenal 18.8% return when factoring in TPG’s value of Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.8 cents each.

The Miami Beach Edition, a Bonvoy property where you’d receive 6 points per dollar spent. (Photo by Nick Ellis/The Points Guy)

How to redeem points

The Marriott Bonvoy program has eight award tiers, with peak and off-peak prices. Dates for the peak and off-peak periods will vary by property. With variable pricing, the fifth-night-free feature for award stays has changed to a “Stay for 5, Pay for 4” deal and the lowest-priced night will be the free one.

(Screen cap courtesy of Marriott)
(Screenshot courtesy of Marriott)

You can also transfer points to airline miles. Even better, you receive a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points you transfer. The transfer times for Marriott points vary greatly, from instant to nearly one week.

Marriott points can be especially useful for award flights because they transfer to airlines that don’t partner with other transferrable-points programs, like Alaska Airlines, Japan Airlines, Asiana and Korean Air. This opens up all sorts of options for booking sweet spots with difficult-to-earn miles.

For example, you can use Alaska Airlines miles to book a one-way business-class award with Cathay Pacific from the U.S. to Asia with a free stopover in Hong Kong. If you’ve been dreaming of booking an Emirates award with credit card points, then Japan Airlines is a great transfer option. You could even transfer Marriott points to top off your American Airlines account if you’re just shy of enough to book an award flight.

Marriott Bonvoy Business card alternatives

Chase’s small-business Marriott card is no longer offered to new applicants, but there are personal Marriott Bonvoy cards that offer similar (or better) perks.

For example, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card comes with automatic Gold status, an annual free night at Marriott hotels costing up to 50,000 points per night and up to $300 in Marriott credits every cardmember year. Those benefits can easily make the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant worth the annual fee even though it’s $450 (see rates and fees).

Outside of the Marriott Bonvoy family, there aren’t many small-business cards cobranded with hotels. Among the few is the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card. It offers new applicants a welcome offer of 125,000 Honors points after spending $3,000 within three months of account opening.

(Photo by Wyatt Smith / The Points Guy)
(Photo by Wyatt Smith / The Points Guy)

These points are worth $750 according to TPG’s latest valuations. It offers you Gold status plus 12x points at eligible Hilton portfolio properties.

It also offers 6x points at U.S. gas stations and restaurants, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers, U.S. purchases for shipping, flights booked directly with airlines or with Amex Travel and car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies. You earn 3x points on other purchases. This card has a $95 annual fee (see rates and fees) and offers a free-weekend-night award each calendar year after spending $15,000.

(Photo by Isabelle Raphael / The Points Guy)
(Photo by Isabelle Raphael / The Points Guy)

Another option is The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. It offers you 5x bonus points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com.

Among its numerous other benefits and fee credits, you also receive Gold status with both Marriott and Hilton hotels. To learn more about the card’s benefits take a look at our Amex Business Platinum card review for all the details on what can make it worth the $595 annual fee (see rates & fees).

Related: Limited-time Amex card benefits due to the pandemic

Bottom line

The Marriott Bonvoy Business Card is a solid small-business card that offers the most possible benefits at more than 7,000 Marriott Bonvoy properties around the world.

It’s not the top of the heap in overall travel cards, but by offering a great welcome offer and decent earning categories and perks, it’s one of the better hotel credit cards available for small-business owners. It’s also a great option for anyone who’s also interested in opening valuable Chase credit cards because as an Amex business card, it won’t add to your Chase 5/24 count.

Apply here for the Marriott Bonvoy Business Card to earn the 75,000-point bonus after meeting minimum spend requirements. 

Additional reporting by Chris Dong
Featured image by Eric Helgas/The Points Guy.

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Business Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum Card, please click here.

Mixed bag: A review of The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo

$
0
0

Editor’s note: During the COVID-19 crisis, our team has temporarily ceased taking review trips. Instead, we have been publishing a selection of our most popular reviews from the past year. However, we have resumed the publication of new, previously unpublished flighthotel and lounge reviews, from trips taken before the lockdown, like this one. We hope this will help you choose once we’re all ready to start booking trips again.

After a fantastic two-night stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto, a friend and I made the Shinkansen (bullet train) journey north to its sister hotel in Tokyo.

The Kyoto property sported a walkable location, outgoing staff and thoughtful design, but The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo offered … none of those things — yet a stay comes with the same steep redemption rate of 70,000 to 100,000 Bonvoy points per night.

In This Post

Booking

Paid stays at The Ritz-Carlton can be booked for as little as $530, before tax, depending on the date, with awards for this Category 8 hotel ranging from 70,000 to 100,000 points per night, worth between $560 and $800, based on TPG’s valuations.

Like the Kyoto property, the Tokyo hotel is a member of Amex’s Fine Hotels & Resorts program. If you book an eligible rate through Amex, you’ll get complimentary breakfast, a room upgrade, early check-in and late check-out, and a $100 property credit when paying with The Platinum Card® from American Express.

As with my stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto, I booked nearly a year in advance, allowing me to lock in the old 60,000-point rate. With the nightly rate approaching $2,000 during part of my stay because of the Rugby World Cup, the redemption was a relative steal — especially when paired with Marriott’s fifth night free.

Location

The Ritz-Carlton is located in Tokyo Midtown, a large shopping and office complex in the upscale Roppongi neighborhood. There are several subway lines within walking distance and a taxi stand right out front.

I prefer to be in a neighborhood with more restaurants and attractions, so if you’re looking to explore the city on foot, the Park Hyatt near Shinjuku or the Conrad near Ginza might be better picks.

Check-in

You can enter the building that houses the hotel from the street or the attached shopping mall, but the lobby is on the 45th floor — a peculiar, but common, arrangement in Tokyo.

After a speedy elevator ride, we entered the large lobby space, which is where you’ll find the check-in desks, along with several dining options, including The Lobby Lounge, The Bar and the property’s Michelin-starred French restaurant, Azure 45.

Our room wasn’t ready when we arrived, but we didn’t have to wait long. I asked about an upgrade to the Club Floor, but it isn’t available as an elite perk, unfortunately. The agent offered an upgrade for about $180 per night, which didn’t seem worth it, given that we were visiting one of the best food cities in the world.

I did receive many perks as a Titanium member, including:

  • A 20% dining discount at select restaurants
  • 75% bonus points
  • 1,000 points
  • A complimentary “heat experience” at the spa
  • 4 p.m. checkout
  • A 10% merchandise discount
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi
  • Free breakfast for two kids aged 12 or below, when accompanying paying parents

Additionally, elite members can choose one of the following welcome gifts:

  • Local seasonal fruit
  • Daily in-room bakery basket and hot beverage
  • 20% breakfast discount, 30% off lunch or dinner at Towers
  • 3,000 yen (about $28) minibar discount per stay
  • 2,000 yen (about $18.50) cafe and deli credit per stay
  • 15% spa discount
  • 1 ticket to teamLab Borderless
  • Complimentary “aroma butler” (diffuser) in the room

Since we were staying five nights and breakfast was not included, I opted for the daily bakery basket and hot beverage.

As I quickly realized, though, the majesty of the lobby quickly faded after leaving the 45th floor.

Room

I booked a base Deluxe Room with two double beds. It was spacious but the room was dated — a far cry from the accommodations in Kyoto.

It was comfortable and bright, especially on a sunny day, but the decor needed refreshing.

I did love how large the room was — there was plenty of space to move around.

The bathroom was huge as well — quite possibly one of the largest I’ve encountered in a base hotel room.

It sported two separate vanities, a separate shower and tub, and a standalone water closet.

As at the Kyoto hotel, the Ritz in Tokyo offered all of the essentials, and then some. I especially appreciated the foamy shaving cream.

There was a large closet, along with a robe, an extra pillow and blanket — with more available via the housekeeping staff.

Meanwhile, the minibar was located just across from the bathroom, by the main entrance.

Food and beverage

We had plenty of amazing food options to explore throughout Tokyo — and there was a 7-11 within walking distance — so the only food and beverage items I tried were my selected amenity, the daily bakery basket and hot beverage.

We each ordered coffee every day, which was delivered along with three pieces of fruit and three pastries each morning. It was hardly dependable, though. Some days it would arrive shortly after I called to request it, but one morning it took a full hour and required a follow-up call. Not ideal for a top Bonvoy hotel.

There was also a well-stocked minibar, of course, along with in-room coffee and tea.

The minibar fridge was loaded with the essentials, including wine, beer and liquor minis.

On our first afternoon, we visited The Lobby Lounge while waiting for our room to be ready.

As I figured, the food was expensive, but I also expected it to be exceptional. It was not — my 1,900 yen (about $17.50) “truffle fries” lacked any truffle flavor and were absurdly overpriced.

I also had high hopes for the 2,800-yen ($26) Old Fashioned but it had very little liquor and most of the glass was taken up by an oversized ice cube.

Amenities

Besides the various (pricey) restaurants, The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo features a typical suite of five-star city hotel amenities, including a large indoor pool with fantastic skyline views.

The gym was large and well-stocked with cardio equipment and weights.

Service

In general, I was underwhelmed by the service. The staff seemed less than thrilled to see us when we asked for a table at The Lobby Lounge, and in the morning our complimentary coffee and bakery basket didn’t always arrive quickly, as I mentioned above.

I was tremendously impressed by one team: the spa staff. I left my iPad in the gym and the staff was so happy when I returned to pick it up. It was returned to me, delicately protected by bubble wrap, and two employees walked me to the elevator, thanked me several times for coming to pick it up and gave me a huge bow as the elevator door closed.

Overall impression

Would I book another stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo? Certainly, if the price were right, but I’d never consider spending $1,000 per night or redeeming 100,000 points here — at least not before a major renovation and service overhaul.

At my pre-devaluation rate of 60,000 points and with the fifth night free, it felt like a deal during the Rugby World Cup. But in general, I’m much more likely to return to the Conrad or Park Hyatt.

All photos by the author.

6 great uses of Marriott 35,000-point free night certificates

$
0
0

In non-COVID times, premium credit cards such as The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve can pay for themselves with the long list of perks they offer. Even now, there are many limited-time perks that can make these cards worthwhile.

However, sometimes it’s harder to justify paying the annual fee on cobranded hotel credit cards that offer relatively fewer perks. But a notable exception to this rule of thumb is a hotel card that offers an annual free night upon account renewal.

Get the latest points, miles and travel news by signing up for TPG’s free daily newsletter.

In the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, there are four primary co-branded cards offering an annual free night worth up to 35,000 points:

Related: 5 ways to maximize free hotel night rewards in the new era of COVID-19

Let’s take a look at six of my favorite redemptions with this certificate — to help you plan for when travel gets back into high gear.

In This Post

What the free night reward gets you

The free night on these four cards is roughly equivalent to the old annual certificate that was available on the legacy Marriott Rewards Premier card (which has been closed to new applications). For reference, here’s the current Marriott award chart:

Screenshot courtesy of Marriott
(Screenshot courtesy of Marriott)

The free night certificates on these cards are valid at Category 1-5 hotels, but note that they won’t apply for peak pricing at Category 5 hotels, which cost 40,000 points a night.

While these four credit cards offer other perks such as complimentary Marriott Silver elite status (courtesy of 15 elite night credits) and the ability to spend your way to Gold, the free night certificate is generally considered to be the most valuable.

It’s also a relatively easy way to recoup each card’s annual fee. Thankfully, the Marriott award chart includes a number of incredible Category 5 redemptions, so today we’ll take a look at several properties around the globe that give you the most bang for your buck with your free night.

Criteria for selecting these six hotels

In compiling this list, I focused on three main factors:

  • The brand of the hotel
    • Believe it or not, there are several luxury hotel brands — such as Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis — that actually have properties eligible for 35,000-point awards.
  • Average nightly rate, to make sure you’re getting solid value
  • Location and other unique amenities that can enhance your stay

The St. Regis Bangkok

Photo courtesy of Marriott
(Photo courtesy of Marriott)

Average cash rate: $200 (non-pandemic pricing)

Standard points rate: Category 5, 30,000 or 35,000 points (not valid during peak pricing)

As is the norm in Thailand, the St. Regis Bangkok offers high-end luxury at an affordable price. I have incredibly fond memories of my stay at this hotel, when summer storms canceled my flight out of Bangkok (BKK) and my Chase Sapphire Reserve travel insurance picked up the tab for a night at the St. Regis. Even though most hotels in the city were sold out in anticipation of a major trade conference, I was still treated to a Platinum upgrade to the Caroline Astor suite which, at 1,600 square feet, was the largest hotel room I’d ever stayed in.

Our stay started with a delightful check-in experience where we were offered honey-lemon tea, perfect to soothe our throats after the seven hours we’d spent at BKK during the whole flight cancellation fiasco. We ended up ordering another several cups of that tea with our complimentary St. Regis butler service, and greatly enjoyed the views from our suite and the open-air pool.

Related: Why Bangkok is your secret weapon for scoring cheap elite status

W Chicago Lakeshore

Photo courtesy of W Chicago Lakeshore
The W Chicago Lakeshore. (Photo courtesy of the hotel)

Average cash rate: $300 (non-pandemic pricing)

Standard points rate: Category 5, 30,000 or 35,000 points (not valid during peak pricing)

Situated on Chicago’s famed Lakeshore Drive, the W Lakeshore combines the noxiously psychedelic lighting that’s typical of the W brand with sweeping views of Navy Pier and Lake Michigan. Just a short walk from the food and shopping on the Magnificent Mile, this hotel is perfect for your Chicago getaway.

Keep in mind that Chicago’s other W hotel, the W Chicago City Center, is also available for free night redemptions, but when I stayed there in 2018, it was undergoing major renovations and didn’t live up to my expectations. Hopefully, the improvements helped and I’d be curious to give it another try. A third luxury hotel in Chicago’s decently expensive market, The Gwen Hotel, is also available for free night redemptions. It’s a Luxury Collection hotel just a block north of the river, and another great option to consider.

Related: Best Marriott credit cards

JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa

Photo courtesy of JW Marriott Phu Quoc
The JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa. (Photo courtesy of the hotel)

Average cash rate: $320 (non-pandemic pricing)

Standard points rate: Category 5, 30,000 or 35,000 points (not valid during peak pricing)

After bouncing several times between category 5 and category 6, Marriott ultimately decided to leave the JW Marriott Phu Quoc as a category 5 property, eligible for free night certificate redemptions. This is incredible news for anyone traveling to Southeast Asia.

Set on the island of Phu Quoc off the south coast of Vietnam, this hotel combines French colonial architecture with some vibrant and lively colors. Originally built as a French university in the 1890s, each of the 234 guest rooms and suites is entirely unique, adding to the hotel’s charm. With five on-site restaurants and bars and a massive stretch of private beach, the JW Marriott Phu Quoc effortlessly blends comfort and relaxation.

Related: Guide to traveling Vietnam 

Castle Hotel, Autograph Collection, Orlando

Photo courtesy of Castle Hotel
The Castle Hotel, Autograph Collection. (Photo courtesy of the hotel)

Average cash rate: $130 (non-pandemic pricing)

Standard points rate: Category 3, 20,000-30,000 points

The Castle Hotel is one of the cheapest properties on this list if paying with cash, but it’s earned its place thanks to an unbeatable location on International Drive in Orlando, right between the entrances to Universal Studios and Disney World.

If you’re paying cash for your park tickets, a free hotel night can really help keep your total vacation costs down, and the stunning design and colorful marble will help you feel like you’re in Cinderella’s castle long after the day has ended. As an added bonus, the hotel is pet friendly, so your entire family is welcome here.

Related: What it was like at the reopened Disney World (during the pandemic)

Mira Moon, Design Hotels, Hong Kong

Photo by The Points Guy
Photo by The Points Guy

Average cash rate: $250 (non-pandemic pricing)

Standard points rate: Category 5, 30,000 or 35,000 points (not valid during peak pricing)

Legacy SPG Design Hotels often do a great job incorporating local culture into their…well, design, and the Mira Moon Hong Kong is no exception. Dragon motifs and bright auspicious splashes of red are scattered throughout the hotel, which offers easy access to Victoria Peak and some of Hong Kong’s best nightlife. Alternatively, if you’d rather stay across the harbor in Kowloon, another Design Hotel — The Mira Hong Kong — is also eligible for free night redemptions and boasts equally artsy and modern decor. I had the chance to stay at both properties during various trips to Hong Kong in 2018 and location aside, I far preferred the design, service and food at the Mira Moon to that of the Mira.

Related: Guide to Hong Kong

W Atlanta Downtown, W Midtown and W Buckhead

W Hotel Atlanta )Photo by Ethan Steinberg / The Points Guy
W Hotel in Atlanta (Photo by Ethan Steinberg / The Points Guy)

Average cash rate: $200-300 (non-pandemic pricing)

Standard points rate: Category 5, 30,000 or 35,000 points (not valid during peak pricing)

Atlanta is home to three different W Hotels: one in downtown, one in midtown and one in Buckhead. All three are category 5 properties, meaning you can use your free night certificates at any of them as long as it’s not during peak pricing.

Spread in and around Atlanta, these hotels highlight one of the best things about the Marriott award chart: multiple options to choose from. You can pick the hotel that best suits your location or style (fair warning, the W Downtown appears to be the most W-esque of them all). That means you can visit a major city like Atlanta and not have to worry about finding a “good value” redemption for your free nights. At the end of the day, that flexibility means more than any one hidden gem hotel on this list.

Related; Guide to Atlanta 

How to Book

Fortunately, the actual booking process to use these certificates is very straightforward. Once you reach your card’s anniversary, the certificate should be automatically deposited into your Marriott Bonvoy account within eight weeks of that date. You can check whether it’s arrived by logging into your account, clicking on “Activity” and finding the “Earned Awards” section.

Related: Marriott bonus elite night credits have begun posting

Once it’s there, simply search for an award reservation at an eligible property, and you’ll be given the option to use the certificate for one night of your stay. It can also be combined with standard award nights, and if you book a stay of at least six nights, you can even leverage the certificate and Marriott’s fifth-night free perk.

For complete details on this process, check out TPG Director of Travel Content Summer Hull’s guide to using these free night awards.

Bottom Line

This list doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of all the great Category 4 and 5 options out there in the Marriott award chart. When travel picks up again, you’ll have a solid list of hotels to redeem your free night certificate.

Many cities like Chicago and Atlanta have multiple great hotels to choose from, and the hardest part of redeeming your free night might be picking which one to stay at! However, note that the introduction of peak pricing may prevent you from redeeming your certificate at these properties year-round.

Additional reporting by Chris Dong.

Featured image of the JW Marriott Phu Quoc courtesy of the hotel.

Battle of the mid-tier hotel cards: Which card outshines the others?

$
0
0

There is an abundance of valuable hotel credit cards on the market right now. Unfortunately, some of the top hotel credit cards come with expensive annual fees that cost cardholders upwards of $550 per year. While frequent travelers who fully utilize the earning rates and benefits that come with those cards, it’s just not always feasible for casual travelers — or even frequent travelers who just have multiple cards with annual fees — to have an ultra-premium hotel card.

The good news is that there are also a number of great mid-level hotel cards (some co-branded and some earning transferable points) out there for you to choose from. Of course, if you’re already loyal to a specific hotel brand, it may not make sense to add a cobranded card to your wallet. But if you’re just getting started in the hotel rewards game with little to no brand loyalty yet, you might be wondering which brand’s cards can give you the most value.

Want more credit card news and advice? Sign up for the daily TPG newsletter. 

So today, I’m comparing the top mid-level hotel cards out there to see which one offers the best value to cardholders.

The information about the Citi Premier has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer. 

Annual fee:

Card:  Annual fee: 
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless $95
Hilton Honors Surpass $95 (see rates and fees)
World of Hyatt Card $95
IHG Premier $89
Chase Sapphire Preferred $95
Citi Premier $95

 

Which card comes out on top?

The card with the lowest annual fee is the IHG Rewards Club Premier, coming in at $89. But that’s only a $6 difference between the rest of the pack. Realistically, an annual fee isn’t really in comparing these cards since they all hover in the same price range.

Related reading: Are credit card annual fees worth it? 

Use IHG points to relax at the Kimpton Seafire (Photo by Scott Mayerowitz / The Points Guy)
The IHG Premier charges the lowest annual fee and offers redemption options such as the Kimpton Seafire pictured above. (Photo by Scott Mayerowitz / The Points Guy)

Sign-up bonus/welcome offer:

Card:  Sign-up bonus/welcome offer: 
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless 100,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
Hilton Honors Surpass 125,000 bonus points after you use your new Card to make $2,000 in eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership. Terms apply.
World of Hyatt Card Up to 50,000 points — 25,000 points after you spend $3,000 in the first three months, plus an additional 25,000 points after you spend $6,000 total on purchases within the first six months of account opening.
IHG Premier 125,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months after opening your new card.
Chase Sapphire Preferred 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
Citi Premier 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.

Which card comes out on top?

(Photo by John Gribben for The Points Guy)
(Photo by John Gribben for The Points Guy)

At face value, the Hilton Honors Surpass comes out on top with the highest number of bonus points at the lowest spending threshold. However, keep in mind that not all hotel points are created equal. TPG values Hilton Honors points at .6 cents each, which means that 125k bonus is actually only worth $750.

The most valuable bonus on this list according to our valuations is actually the Chase Sapphire Preferred’s 60k bonus. Chase points are worth 2 cents each, meaning we value those points at $1,200.

Earning rates:

Card:  Earning rates: 
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless 10x on restaurants and gas stations through Sept. 15 (enrollment required)
6x on eligible Marriott purchases
2x on all other purchases
Hilton Honors Surpass 12x at Hilton hotels
6x at U.S. restaurants and U.S. gas stations
3x on all other purchases
World of Hyatt Card 4x at Hyatt hotels
2x on local transit and commuting, restaurants, airline tickets purchased directly, fitness clubs and gym memberships
1x on all other purchases
IHG Premier 10x at IHG hotels
2x at gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants
1x on all other purchases
Chase Sapphire Preferred 2x points on travel and dining
5x on Lyft through March 2022
3x at gas stations and on Instacart purchases through Sept. 30, 2020
5x on select streaming services through Sept. 30, 2020
1x on all other purchases
Citi Premier 3x on supermarkets, dining, travel and gas
2x on entertainment
1x on all other purchases
(this rewards structure will change for some cardholders Aug. 23, 2020) 

Which card comes out on top? 

As a general rule of thumb, cobranded hotel credit cards are typically best suited for hotel spending only — even when they have additional bonus categories. This is because cards with transferable points have more redemption flexibility and typically earn more valuable points. Therefore, I’m going to focus this analysis on which cards earn the most on hotel spending specifically. 

The Hilton Honors Surpass outranks the competition here with an impressive 7.2% return on hotel spending. 

The World of Hyatt is another top contender, earning a 6.8% on hotel stays while still offering a solid bonus on an array of other categories. Hyatt points are actually the most valuable hotel currency according to TPG valuations and is one of the only cobranded cards I’d recommend using on non-hotel bonus purchases as well.

(Photo by Eric Helgas/The Points Guy)
Don’t just consider multipliers, but the value of those points. Hyatt, for example, earns more valuable points than other hotel programs according to TPG valuations. (Photo by Eric Helgas/The Points Guy)

Perks:

Card:  Perks: 
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Anniversary free-night award
Automatic silver elite status
15 elite-night credits annually
Travel protections
Hilton Honors Surpass Automatic gold status
Priority Pass Select lounge access
Weekend night reward after spending $15,000
Shopping protections
World of Hyatt Card Annual free night certificate
Automatic Discoverist elite status
Travel protections
IHG Premier Anniversary reward night
Automatic platinum elite status
Fourth-night reward
10k bonus points after spending $20,000
20% discount when buying IHG points
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit
Travel protections
Chase Sapphire Preferred 25% bonus when booking through Chase portal
Travel protections
Citi Premier 25% bonus when booking through Citi portal (through April 10, 2021)
$100 hotel credit on eligible $500 purchase (beginning Aug. 23, 2020)

 

Which card comes out on top? 

The perks category is a bit harder to quantify in terms of which card is actually the best. People potentially value certain benefits differently. 

The Hilton Honors Surpass is certainly a strong contender, with 10 free Priority Pass lounge access passes each year and automatic gold status (which can turn into Diamond status if you spend $40,000 on the card each year). Plus, the annual weekend night award you receive after spending $15,000 can currently be used on any night, as part of recent perks added by Amex to help cardholders during the pandemic. All bonus points earned through the end of December 2020 will also be considered base points that count toward elite tier qualification and Lifetime Diamond Status

Even still, the IHG Premier comes out on top in this round. You’re getting a lot of bang for your buck in terms of perks (especially since the IHG Premier is also the card with the lowest annual fee). The anniversary reward night is worth up to 40,000 points alone, and Platinum elite status comes with a 50% bonus on paid stays, room upgrades (excluding suites) a welcome amenity and more. Add in the 4th award night perk and the Global Entry/TSA Precheck application fee benefit, and you’ve got an all-star lineup of perks for a mid-tier hotel credit card. 

Which mid-tier hotel card is best for you? 

Each of the cards on this list has its advantages and disadvantages. On paper, the IHG Premier offers the best benefits and earning rate comparative to its annual fee, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for everyone. 

Hilton and Marriott are both larger hotel brands with more luxury property options around the world, so travelers just getting started with hotel points may want to start banking points in one of those programs. On the other hand, Hyatt points are worth the most based on TPG valuations. Even still, Citi and Chase are also strong options for casual travelers and beginners because what they may lack in hotel perks, they make up for in redemption flexibility. 

Atocha Hotel Madrid
Consider which brand you stay at most frequently when looking at which loyalty program to jump into first so you know you’ll get the most use out of your new card.  (Photo courtesy of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton)

Before choosing a hotel credit card, consider your travel habits and which perks you’ll personally find the most useful. The price difference between these cards is mostly non-existent save for the IHG Premier (which is only $6 cheaper per year than the others), so which card is best for you will really depend on which hotel brand you’ll want to stay at more frequently and which benefits you’ll find the most useful. 

For example, if you rarely stay with IHG, won’t buy points and already have Global Entry/TSA Precheck, the IHG Premier won’t be as valuable to you. In that same vein, if you know you won’t spend at least $15,000 on your card each year, that weekend night award at Hilton won’t be earned (which makes that card less valuable from a benefits standpoint). 

Bottom line 

I know that “there is no right or wrong choice” is kind of a non-answer if you’re asking which mid-tier hotel credit card is the best. But that’s the thing about credit card rewards as a whole — what is valuable to one person may not be to the person next to them. 

Related reading: Why there’s no such thing as the ‘best’ credit card

As with any credit card decision, think about your spending habits and goals for the card. If you’re not loyal to any hotel brands and plan on staying a free agent, a card that earns transferable points like the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the better option of these choices (especially since you can transfer points to three hotel brands — IHG, Marriott and Hyatt). If you are more loyal to one of the brands on this list, you should start looking at that specific brand card. 

Featured image courtesy of The Glenmark Hotel. 

For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Surpass, click here

Which Marriott Bonvoy credit card is right for you?

$
0
0

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.

We know, you’re not traveling right now. We’re not either. However, we are still looking forward to exploring once again in the future when it is safe to do so. While we are home for now, with two new elevated Marriott Bonvoy welcome bonuses to consider, it’s still a solid time to think about your overall Marriott credit card strategy for when the world reopens.

In addition to all the other benefits of the Marriott credit cards, which we’ll get to shortly, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card is currently offering a bonus of 100,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months of account opening (up from the standard 75,000 point offer). The no annual fee Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card is also offering an elevated bonus of 50,000 points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening.

An easy way to earn Marriott points and perks is by ensuring you have at least one Marriott Bonvoy credit card in your wallet. But choosing the right Marriott card for your situation can be admittedly a tricky situation. Both Chase and American Express issue Marriott Bonvoy cards, with four Marriott cards currently available for your consideration — two from each issuer. And complicating things further is the fact that a non-Marriott cobranded card could be a great option as well.

Interested in more credit card news and advice from The Points Guy? Sign up for our daily newsletter.

We’ll get into the details below, but here are our five credit card picks for Marriott guests.

The best Marriott credit cards of 2020

In This Post

The Marriott credit cards range from a no-annual-fee card to one with a $450 annual fee, so it’s fair to say there really is a card (or two) for everyone who visits Marriott properties. We’ll walk you through how to choose the best one for your situation, and why choosing one based solely on the annual fee may not be the best strategy.

Book a dream getaway using Marriott points at the St. Regis Maldives (Image by Summer Hull/The Points Guy)
Book a dream getaway using Marriott points at the St. Regis Maldives. (Image by Summer Hull/The Points Guy)

Comparing the best Marriott credit cards of 2020

Credit Card Bonus Annual Fee Bonus Value* Unique Perks
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card Earn 75,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first three months of account opening. Terms apply. $450 (see rates and fees) $600 Annual award night worth up to 50,000 points, $300 annual travel credit at Marriott properties, instant Gold Marriott elite status with the ability to earn Platinum with $75,000 in annual spending on the card. Terms apply.
Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card Earn 75,000 Marriott points after you spend $3,000 in purchases in the first three months. Terms apply. $125 (see rates and fees) $600 Annual award night worth up to 35,000 points. Earn a second free night worth up to 35,000 points by spending $60,000 in a calendar year on your card. Immediate Silver status, ability to earn Gold status with $35,000 in annual spending on the card. Terms apply.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card Earn 100,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. $95 $800 Annual award night worth up to 35,000 points. Immediate Silver status, ability to earn Gold status with $35,000 in annual spending on the card.
Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card Earn 50,000 Marriott points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. N/A $400 Marriott Bonvoy Silver status thanks to the 15 elite night credits awarded by the card.
The Platinum Card® from American Express Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you after you use your new card to make $5,000 in purchases in your first three months. Terms Apply. $550 (see rates and fees) $1,200 Marriott and Hilton Gold status; up to $200 in annual airline fee credits; up to $200 in annual Uber credits; access to Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts; access to American Express global lounge collection. Terms apply.

*Bonus Value is based on TPG valuations and not provided by the issuers

(Photo by Isabelle Raphael / The Points Guy)
(Photo by Isabelle Raphael/The Points Guy)

Best Marriott credit cards

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card

This card is offering a welcome bonus of 75,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first three months of account opening.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card issued by American Express has the highest annual fee of any of the Marriott cards, but it can actually be the best deal of the bunch for travelers who enjoy staying with Marriott. The $450 annual fee (see rates and fees) quickly becomes much less painful if you utilize the annual Marriott travel credit of up to $300 (each account year). This credit is valid on room rates as well as property charges such as dining and spa treatments. Using that credit each account year can take the pain of the annual fee effectively down to $150 in a hurry.

On top of that credit, you get an annual award at each anniversary valid for a free night of up to 50,000 Marriott points. This encompasses Marriott Category 6 hotels on standard and off-peak days, but also includes Marriott Category 7 properties on off-peak dates. This makes it much more useful than the 35k certificates that are awarded with the two mid-tier Marriott cards, and it opens up some more higher-end options such as the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin and even the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Autograph Collection and the Westin Maldives (on off-peak dates).

Westin Maldives (Photo by Samantha Rosen/The Points Guy)
Westin Maldives. (Photo by Samantha Rosen/The Points Guy)

Related: Best places to redeem a Marriott 50k certificate

The Bonvoy Brilliant card comes with Marriott Gold status (just like the Amex Platinum), but it also gives you the option to spend your way to valuable Marriott Platinum Elite status. This would require that you to charge $75,000 per year to the card, so it isn’t an easy task, but it is possible for some.

The Bonvoy Brilliant card also has a slight edge on the earning side over the other Marriott cards. While all three of the Marriott cards that charge annual fees award 6x points on eligible Marriott charges, the Brilliant also has bonus categories of 3x points at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with the airlines — though there are better credit card options for your dining and airfare purchases. Finally, you’ll earn 2x everywhere else. Like all of the Marriott credit cards, this card awards 15 nights each year toward earning elite status with Marriott — a Marriott Bonvoy account can earn a max of 30 nights per year from credit card, 15 from a personal card and 15 from a small business card.

Last but not least, the Bonvoy Brilliant offers a $100 property credit (not valid on room rates) on select cash bookings of two nights or more at Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis hotels. TPG contributor Ethan Steinberg has been able to successfully use this credit at the St. Regis Washington D.C.

When you add these perks all together, the Bonvoy Brilliant can be the best Marriott card for travelers who stay at Marriott properties several times per year and place an increased value on the 50k certificate over the 35k certificate. Read the full card review for more details

APPLY HERE: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card

(Photo by Isabelle Raphael / The Points Guy)
(Photo by Isabelle Raphael / The Points Guy)

Right now, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card bonus is 100,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Outside of the welcome bonus points, the card awards 6x points per dollar spent at participating Marriott properties, and 2x elsewhere. Using TPG’s most recent valuations, that breaks down to a 1.6% return on non-bonused spending and 4.8% at Marriott properties.

The Bonvoy Boundless card awards an up to 35,000-point award certificate at each account renewal. While this certificate isn’t as valuable as the 50,000-point version available with the Bonvoy Brilliant, it’s still extremely useful. You can use the 35k certificate at Category 5 Marriott hotels such as the Marriott St. Kitts Beach Club, Mira Moon Hong Kong, Sheraton Sydney and beyond on standard or off-peak dates.

Related: Best places to redeem a Marriott 35k certificate

For occasional Marriott travelers, those who want to keep annual fees at a much lower level or anyone interested in taking advantage of this elevated welcome offer, the Bonvoy Boundless can be a great choice. Read the full card review for more details.

APPLY HERE: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card

Stay slopeside at the Westin Snowmass with a Marriott 35k award (Photo by Summer Hull/The Points Guy)
Stay slopeside at the Westin Snowmass with a Marriott 35k award. (Photo by Summer Hull/The Points Guy)

Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card

If you are a small business owner, the Marriott Bonvoy Business card can be a great way to earn Marriott points. This card has a mid-tier annual fee ($125, see rates and fees) and an annual up to 35,000-point certificate at each anniversary, but you also have the ability to earn a second 35,000-point annual free night certificate after you spend $60,000 a year on the card. If you’ve had success redeeming Marriott free night certificates for a good value in the past, the ability to earn a second free night can make the Bonvoy Business card much more appealing.

This card earns 6x points at participating Marriott properties but also has better earning rates in some bonus categories: 4x at U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping. All of these might be highly appealing to a small business owner, giving you a return of 3.2% based on TPG’s valuations.

The welcome bonus is currently 75,000 bonus Marriott points after you spend $3,000 in purchases in the first three months. Since this is an Amex card, you also don’t have to deal with Chase 5/24 limitations, and you’ll have access to money-saving Amex Offers, which can completely offset your annual fee if you use them frequently. Read the full card review for more details.

APPLY HERE: Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card

Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card

We get it — some people only want credit cards with no annual fees. The Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card fits that bill, but be warned: you’ll get exactly what you pay for. This newer option in the Marriott credit card family is issued by Chase and is currently offering a sign-up bonus of 50,000 bonus Marriott points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months, worth $400 based on TPG’s valuations.

While the Bonvoy Bold might be appealing because it doesn’t charge an annual fee, it also doesn’t offer any type of annual award night certificate, meaning you’ll miss out on a perk worth as much as several hundred dollars.

Related: Why I prefer Marriott Bonvoy premium cards over the no-annual-fee one

This card awards 3x points per dollar at participating Marriott hotels (vs. 6x on every other Bonvoy credit card), 2x on other travel purchases and 1x everywhere else (vs. 2x with other Bonvoy credit cards).

The bottom line with the Bonvoy Bold is that it doesn’t pack a strong enough punch for most serious Marriott travelers, especially given how easy it is to recoup the $95 annual fee on the Bonvoy Boundless. If you stay in Marriott hotels enough to be considering getting a Marriott credit card, you’ll likely come out ahead opting for a mid-tier card with better benefits instead. While this card may be the right match for some, pause and ask yourself whether this is really the best use of one of your valuable Chase 5/24 slots.

APPLY HERE: Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card

(Photo by The Points Guy)

The Platinum Card® from American Express

If you just want some level of Marriott elite status but you don’t stay with Marriott enough to warrant opening a Marriott-branded credit card, getting an Amex Platinum can make a lot of sense. With the Amex Platinum, you can activate Marriott Gold elite status simply as a perk of having the card. But — the card also gives you Hilton Gold status, access to Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts, and a long list of other travel benefits that can make your trips more rewarding and more comfortable, regardless of where you travel.

Related: 10 things to do when you get an Amex Platinum

APPLY HERE: The Platinum Card® from American Express 

Who should get a Marriott credit card

If you stay at a Marriott property, even occasionally, it’s likely wise to have a Marriott credit card of some sort. Of course, you want to get as many Marriott points as possible as part of the card’s welcome bonus, but the reasons to have a Marriott card go well beyond that.

The annual free-night certificates alone can make the math work on the $95 and $125 per year Marriott cards. It’s easy to get several hundred dollars in value from a 35,000-point Marriott certificate. This year, I used mine at the Westin Snowmass during the ski season when rooms were selling for north of $500 per night, making the annual payment of a $95 – $125 annual fee a steal. Sadly that’s now a higher category hotel, but the premise remains the same with hotels that remain a Category 5 property.

Once we all travel again, if you use the $300 annual Marriott credit, the math can even work on the $450-per-year Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, as it is easy to get at least $150 in value from a certificate valid for a free night of up to 50k points. So virtually any traveler can come out ahead by having a Marriott card in his or her wallet.

(Photo by Zach Griff / The Points Guy)
Use a 50k certificate at the JW Marriott Cancun. (Photo by Zach Griff / The Points Guy)

Which Marriott credit card are you eligible for?

The best Marriott credit card for you might come down to which bonus you can get. Unfortunately, the answer to that is not that simple, with many Marriott card products dating back to legacy Starwood Preferred Guest cards that were available before the SPG/Marriott integration. While SPG cards are a thing of the past, several transitioned into current Marriott cards.

For the two Amex-issued Marriott cards, the rule is one welcome bonus per card per lifetime, and while the Bonvoy cards feature a new design, they aren’t technically counted as new products from the old SPG days. That means you won’t be able to earn the 75,000-point bonus on the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card from Amex if you ever earned a welcome bonus on the Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express, which is no longer available.

With Chase, you have to deal with the infamous “5/24” rule, which says that in most cases, if you’ve opened five or more credit cards in the last 24 months across all issuers, you’ll be automatically rejected when applying for new Chase cards.

In addition to these rules that apply to nearly every Amex and Chase credit card, the terms and conditions of Chase’s entry-level Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card (previously known as the Marriott Rewards Premier Plus Credit Card) say the following:

“The bonus is not available to you if you:

  1. Are a current cardmember, or were a previous cardmember within the last 30 days, of Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card (also known as The Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express);
  2. Are a current or previous cardmember of either Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card (also known as The Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card from American Express) or Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant 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; or
  3. Applied and were approved for Marriott Bonvoy BusinessTM American Express Card (also known as The Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express) or Marriott Bonvoy BrilliantTM American Express® Card (also known as the Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card) within the last 90 days.

To put that in English … according to the terms, you aren’t eligible for the welcome bonus on the Chase-issued personal Marriott card if you have what used to be known as the SPG small business card issued by Amex. It’s quite restrictive. So, you’ll have to clear several hurdles to make sure you’re eligible before applying for any of the Bonvoy credit cards.

The first step is to make sure you’re on the right side of issuer-specific rules (like 5/24), but then you still need to double-check the terms and conditions of each individual credit card and have a decent understanding of what you have in your wallet.

Here’s a quick refresher on how the old Amex and Chase cards converted to the new Bonvoy branding:

As indicated in the chart above, the Marriott Bonvoy Amex, previously known as the SPG Amex, is no longer available for new sign-ups. The same is true for the Marriott Bonvoy Premier Plus Business card.

Which card should I use to pay for Marriott stays?

I personally have multiple Marriott cards (for the annual award night certificates), so I fully understand wondering which one is best to use for Marriott stays. Outside of the Bonvoy Bold, with its lower 3x points per dollar earnings on eligible Marriott purchases, all the other Bonvoy cards offer an identical 6x points per dollar.

If you have the luxury of choice, it can make sense to frequently turn to the Bonvoy Business card to try to earn an additional 35,000-point award night certificate after you spend $60,000 on the card in a calendar year … if you are really a big spender.

TPG values Marriott points at 0.8 cents each, meaning that 6x earning is equivalent to a 4.8% return on Marriott charges on all the Marriott cards with an annual fee. That’s very respectable — but if you’re not set on earning Marriott points, you can potentially do much better with your overall return. The ever-popular Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 3x Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on travel, including hotels. Based on TPG’s valuations, this comes out to a nice 6% return on travel spending.

RELATED: Best credit cards for hotels

If you have The Platinum Card® from American Express, you can earn 5x points per dollar (a 10% return) if you make prepaid hotel bookings through Amex Travel or Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts. The downside is that these bookings may not earn you Marriott points or elite benefits, so you have to weigh that cost against the additional Membership Rewards points and property amenities you might otherwise receive.

At the end of the day, I typically charge Marriott purchases to a Marriott card, even though it isn’t the highest return based solely on point valuations. Marriott points are very valuable for the St. Regis-type, luxury points-fueled vacations we like to take from time to time, so I’ll take all the Marriott points I can get.

St. Regis New York (Summer Hull / The Points Guy)
St. Regis New York. (Summer Hull/The Points Guy)

Bottom line

There are four different Marriott credit cards currently available to apply for — and another non-Marriott card that could be a great option if you don’t want to commit to any one loyalty program. These cards offer a wide variety of annual fees, point-earning abilities and built-in perks. But that’s good news, since it means there is likely a best Marriott card for every situation. Be sure to consider the earning rates, stacking of elite night credits, perks and annual fees when evaluating these cards.

Which Marriott card is right for you?

RELATED GUIDES:

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Platinum Card, please click here.

Featured image by Samantha Rosen/The Points Guy.

Additional reporting by Ethan Steinberg.

Ready to work from a beautiful hotel? These properties let you do it.

$
0
0

As the coronavirus pandemic persists both in the U.S. and around the world, many of us are growing tired of working from tiny apartments in big cities, childhood bedrooms (speaking from experience with this one), living rooms, kitchen counters, living room couches and other unconventional spots.

At this point, it’s clear we’re going to have to live with the coronavirus for the foreseeable future, which means that while life won’t be going back to normal for many any time soon. But, it does create a lot of flexibility for remote workers and families with remote students in terms of where they can be physically located.

After months of staying largely inside and close to our homes, many crave a change in scenery, whether it’s just for a single workday or a longer period.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

Hotels near and far are responding to this pent-up demand by introducing packages designed for anyone who’s looking to change up their quarantine routine — whether it’s to get away from their kids (or parents) for a day of working in a comfortable hotel room or getting out of town and spending several weeks working or learning by the beach at a resort in Mexico.

Here are some of the hotels across the country and further afield that are offering guests everything from day rates for the workday to multiweek all-inclusive packages to get away from everything — and everyone.

US hotels with alluring workcation packages

Hotels in just about every corner of the continental United States have created packages to lure weary travelers back to their properties. Hotels in major cities are largely catering to remote workers, offering day rates that don’t include overnight accommodation but promise a clean, safe space with amenities including high-speed Wi-Fi, access to the fitness center, dining credits and more.

Resort locations, on the other hand, are largely making an appeal to those who long for an extended getaway, with discounts on longer stays and connecting rooms, special spaces for working and learning, and more.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but let’s take a look at some of the packages on offer across the country.

La Posada de Santa Fe, a Tribute Portfolio Resort in Santa Fe, New Mexico

(Photo courtesy of La Posada de Santa Fe)
(Photo courtesy of La Posada de Santa Fe)

This New Mexico resort’s casita style make it an ideal option for working in privacy and away from others. And, you can book rooms with amenities like fireplaces, private patios and views of the resort’s gardens, making a perfect spot to be productive and away from it all at once. If you’re a solo traveler, use the booking code B4K to book a Cozy Artist Studio Queen and enjoy complimentary breakfast daily.

Rooms start from $210 per night.

Mission Point in Mackinac Island, Michigan

(Photo courtesy of Mission Point Resort)

Mackinac Island is a historic island in Northern Michigan that makes a perfect destination for anyone wanting to get away from it all. With no cars allowed on the isle, you can expect a calm, quiet place to get your work done and take in the stunning shoreline of Lake Huron. The resort has rearranged its meeting spaces to meet the needs and safety standards of today’s remote workers. And, with its “Daycation” package, guests get a complimentary ferry ticket to get them to the island and back, a half-day Mission Point bike rental, one round of putt-putt and $25 to use at an on-site restaurant for dine-in or carry-out.

Rooms start at $221 per night, and “daycation” packages cost an additional $80 per adult (ages 13+) and $40 per child (ages 5–12).

The Roundtree, Amagansett in Amagansett, New York

(Photo courtesy of The Roundtree Amagansett)

Escape the big city and enjoy the open space that the Hamptons has to offer from The Roundtree hotel in Amagansett. This property provides all you need for your office away from it all, with standing desks, printers and meeting rooms. The staff will even do your laundry for you, and you can enjoy complimentary snacks and coffee around the clock as well as a wine-and-cheese happy hour each Friday.

When you’re not working, take advantage of all the resort has to offer including tennis courts, golfing, fishing, hiking and more.

Rooms start from $595 per night.

Grande Lakes Orlando in Orlando, Florida

(Photo courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes)

Home to the JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes and The Ritz-Carlton, Orlando Grande Lakes, this sprawling central Florida resort offers a full range of amenities including spas, golf courses and, of course, multiple pools. The resort launched its “Work From Resort” program, which offers three distinct packages — applicable at both properties — designed for solo workers or those with families in tow.

Guests who notify the properties that they’ll be working remotely will receive early check-in, a late check-out of 5 p.m., as well as a “Business Butler” who will assist with tasks like printing or scanning as well as finding locations across the properties with a strong Wi-Fi signal. For an extra fee, parents can reserve a “Grande Lakes Ranger” who will help kids aged 4 to 17 occupied while their parents work. This service costs $20 per hour, up to four hours or $80 per child per day.

Room rates vary by date, and you’ll receive the Work From Resort perks if you book any one of the three packages on offer and let the hotel know that you’re planning on using it as your remote work base.

Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection in Austin, Texas

(Photo by Douglas Friedman for the Commodore Perry Estate)

Spread out on this elegant 10-acre estate in Austin, Texas and enjoy all it has to offer including formal gardens, fountains, vintage-inspired bicycles, 50-foot oval swimming pool and an on-site ice cream cart. And, you can take advantage of the hotel’s “Work and Play” package if you want a new place to work, which includes daily breakfast for two, a daily complimentary cocktail at the end of the workday and complimentary valet parking.

This package is available on weekdays only and rates vary based on date, but rooms at this property typically start from $525 per night.

Related: New hotels — from South Beach to Century City — that we can’t wait to visit

Mountain Shadows Resort Scottsdale in Paradise Valley, Arizona

(Photo courtesy of the Mountain Shadows Resort)
(Photo courtesy of the Mountain Shadows Resort)

A perfect place to reconnect with the great outdoors, Mountain Shadows Resort Scottsdale and its sister property Hotel Valley Ho offer their “Come & Play All Day” package that entitles guests to room use between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., access to pools, a $40 dining credit, in-room movie, waived resort fee at Mountain Shadows, free parking and unlimited Wi-Fi.

This package is available Mondays through Wednesdays through September 30.

Package rates start from $189.

JW Marriott Anaheim Resort in Anaheim, California

(Photo courtesy of the JW Anaheim)
(Photo courtesy of the JW Anaheim)

Opening in mid-August, the JW Marriott Anaheim Resort will offer its “Work & Play” Suite Package. Available in the hotel’s executive suites with connecting bedrooms, guests will receive a complimentary stocked fridge and a 20% discount on all food and beverage at the property.

Package rates start at $379 per night with a two-night minimum stay, and an “Office Suite” package is also available from $2,100 per week.

Hotel Lucia in Portland, Oregon

(Photo courtesy of Hotel Lucia)

In Downtown Portland, Hotel Lucia is known for its large accommodations, impressive photography collection and some of the best dining in town. Right now, the hotel is offering half- or full-day rates starting at $75 and $100, respectively, for remote workers looking for a change of pace. Connect to the high-speed Wi-Fi to take Zoom calls from the comfort of a quiet hotel room and feel free to crash in the bed for a rejuvenating nap between tasks.

The Cottages at Margaritaville Resort Orlando in Florida

The Cottages at Margaritaville Resort Orlando (Photo courtesy of the resort)
The Cottages at Margaritaville Resort Orlando (Photo courtesy of the resort)

Margaritaville may be a mega-resort in the heart of Kissimmee, but its private tropical cottages offer more space and privacy for guests that want a residence-style experience. And, now the property is offering its “Work from Your Home Away from Home Package” that includes a $50 one-time resort credit and breakfast for two daily (50% off additional breakfasts). Daily rates vary. Use promo code WFHMRO.

Grand Bohemian Hotel Charlotte, Autograph Collection in Charlotte, North Carolina

For those who live near Charlotte, North Carolina looking to change up their workspace, the new Grand Bohemian Hotel offers day rates for rooms with large work desks, included beverages and snacks, enhanced Wi-Fi, a 10% discount on food from the property’s restaurant and ability to order in-room dining.

Day rates start at $99 per day.

MGM Resorts in Las Vegas, Nevada

(Photo of the Bellagio Las Vegas by Summer Hull/The Points Guy)

MGM Resorts’ “Viva Las Office” program offers travelers three distinct packages with varying levels of perks — called “The Associate,” “The Manager” and “The Executive” — for three-, four- or five-night stays at its Aria and Bellagio resorts on the Las Vegas Strip. Starting at $100 per night, travelers will receive check-in as early as 8 a.m., checkout as late as 6 p.m., access to a dedicated “executive assistant” to help with reservations and experiences throughout the stay, daily food-and-beverage credits, discounts to local activities and more.

Anyone who books a package will also receive discounts on round-trip JSX private-jet flights, up to $125.

Rates start at $100 per night with a three-night minimum stay required.

Head to the tropics for an extended getaway

If you’ve had enough of looking at the same four walls for the last several months and really want to change it up, hotels further afield are offering packages for longer stays designed for people who want to get away from their homes and set up shop for a couple of weeks of remote working, learning and of course some relaxation.

Be mindful of local restrictions on travel before you make any plans, and read our tips on how to stay safe — and keeping those around you safe — while traveling.

Again, this is not a complete list, but rather a selection of properties to give you an idea of how the hotel industry is anticipating the needs of travelers.

Hyatt Ziva and Zilara properties in the Caribbean

(Photo of the Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana by Summer Hull/The Points Guy.)

Hyatt’s family of all-inclusive family (Ziva) and adults-only (Zilara) resorts is offering what is quite possibly the most generous extended-stay remote working package. The “Work & Learn From Paradise” program includes upgrades to suites or connecting rooms, dedicated, shared office space, high-speed Wi-Fi, on-site IT support, complimentary laundry services, personal fitness trainer three times per week, select 50-minute facial and body spa treatments twice per week, private cabana access on Saturdays and Sundays, educational activities and experiences for kids, dedicated children’s learning space, resort-specific activities and complimentary conversational Spanish classes with bilingual instructors at locations in Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

Rates start at $149 per person per night, and there is a 14-night minimum stay requirement.

Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit in Mexico

(Photo courtesy of Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit)

Available at Velas Resorts’ all-inclusive properties across Mexico, the Home to Grand extended-stay program is perfect for families or friends looking to change it up for a couple of weeks. Under the program, guests have access to private airport transportation, a welcome bottle of Champagne, massages, room upgrades, photoshoots, private beach dinners yoga, pilates or cooking classes and more.

Rates start at $381 per night at Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit based on double occupancy, and there is a 14-night minimum stay requirement for a couple staying in one room, or a 10-night minimum for groups with five suites or more.

Conrad Punta de Mita in Mexico

(Photo courtesy of the Conrad Punta de Mita)

Opening Sept. 1, the Conrad Punta de Mita near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico is one of our most-anticipated properties of 2020. Come September, the property will open at just 30% capacity, meaning just 96 of the 324 ocean-facing rooms will be available to guests. The property will offer its “Work From Paradise” package, which includes a $75 resort credit daily, early check-in, late check-out, a 50% discount on a massage and premium Wi-Fi.

Rates start at $260 and there is a four-night minimum stay requirement.

Mandarin Oriental Hotels, worldwide

Luxury hotel chain Mandarin Oriental has properties in top destinations around the world including Dubai, London, Bangkok, London, New York, Miami and more. And, the chain is offering its “Working from M.O.” program for day use at its properties. The program includes high-speed Wi-Fi, access to printing, a dining credit and access to the on-site fitness center.

Rates vary by property.

Montage Kapalua Bay in Maui, Hawaii

(Photo courtesy of the Montage Kapalua Bay)

Located in beautiful Kapalua on the island of Maui, the Montage is one of Hawaii’s best resorts. And right now, the property is offering its “Spirit of Now” package — also available at the chain’s other properties — which entitles guests to a $100 property credit per day per room (up to $300), a complimentary upgrade at check-in and a complimentary month-long membership to One Medical for medical care, if needed, and piece of mind.

No deposit is required at booking and cancellations can be made up to 48 hours before check-in. That’s important since it’s still not possible to visit Hawaii with a two-week quarantine upon arrival. Learn more about when Hawaii might reopen to tourists.

Rooms starting from $825 per night.

Featured image of the Conrad Punta de Mita courtesy of the hotel.

 

 

 

NOW LIVE: Earn 2,500+ bonus points per stay with Marriott’s new promotion

$
0
0

Marriott Bonvoy has just launched a new global promotion, where you can score bonus points on your upcoming stays. There were rumors going around that this promotion would go live tomorrow but it’s officially open for registration.

With this Marriott promotion, you’ll earn 2,500 Marriott points per stay plus a one-time bonus of 5,000 points after the third stay. The promotion is valid for stays through Oct. 18, 2020, but advance registration is required.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

Marriott’s latest promotion

The promotion is available to new and existing Marriott Bonvoy members. You’ll earn an unlimited 2,500 bonus points per stay plus a one-time bonus of 5,000 points after the third stay. Based on TPG’s valuations of Marriott points at 0.8 cents each, you’d be getting an average $33 return on your first three stays and $20 return on all others.

You’ll earn the bonus points on stays from now through Oct. 18, 2020. To participate in the promotion, you must register here by Oct. 18, 2020.

You’ll be able to earn the bonus at most participating Marriott Bonvoy hotel brands, however:

  • Homes & Villas by Marriott International, ExecuStay, Marriott Executive Apartments and Marriott Vacation Club owner-occupied weeks are not eligible for bonus points
  • Only points-qualifying rates are eligible, so award stays and bookings made through a third-party site like the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal or Expedia won’t earn bonus points
  • A stay is defined as consecutive nights spent at the same hotel, regardless of check-in/checkout activity
  • You must have your Marriott account set to earn points (not miles) to participate in the promotion

Related: The award traveler’s guide to Marriott Bonvoy

Other ways to earn Marriott points

Don’t have any upcoming travel planned? No problem, there are plenty of ways to boost your Marriott points balance without stays. The easiest way to do so is through welcome bonuses and spending on Marriott cobranded credit cards (terms apply).

Related: Which Marriott Bonvoy card is right for you?

Bottom line

You should definitely register for this promotion if you have any Marriott stays coming up. That said, it probably isn’t worth going out of your way to take advantage of it.

While most Marriott promotions only earned bonus points starting with your second stay, we’ve seen better offers from Marriott in the past. Hyatt is also currently offering a better promotion. With Hyatt, you’ll earn triple points on stays through Sept. 15, 2020, beginning with your second stay, and a one-time 2,500-point bonus for Hyatt elites, including Discoverists who earn their status from The World Of Hyatt Credit Card.

Related: Your complete guide to all current hotel promotions

Featured image by Scott Mayerowitz/The Points Guy.


St. Kitts and Nevis reopening borders, but you’ll need to quarantine

$
0
0
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with new information from St Kitts and Nevis.
As the travel industry reopens following COVID-19 shutdowns, TPG suggests that you talk to your doctor, follow health officials’ guidance and research local travel restrictions before booking that next trip. We will be here to help you prepare, whether it is next month or next year.

Another Caribbean nation is opening up its borders. St. Kitts and Nevis will begin reopening in October, just in time for fall and winter escapes.

The one major caveat is that it looks like a two-week quarantine will be required. The following information pertains to citizens and “incoming travelers,” for now. Formal rules for tourism will be announced in the coming weeks, but it could be similar to what’s on tap for repatriation. A representative for St Kitts and Nevis told TPG, ” The regulations that will be in place for incoming visitors once borders reopen in October have yet to be announced.”

St. Kitts and Nevis has been very lucky with just 17 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and zero deaths.

For more travel tips and news, sign up for our daily newsletter

St Kitts and Nevis opens October

(Facebook post from St Kitts and Nevis)
(Facebook post from St Kitts and Nevis)

 

Now, the nation is beginning a gradual reopening of its borders in October. Abdias Samuel, chair of the country’s COVID-19 National Task Force, says “.. because we don’t have an outbreak in St. Kitts and Nevis, we need to still be vigilant. It is critical. This is why every day we get up and continue the fight. I am appealing to the general public to understand what we are trying to do to protect you and your livelihoods and I am asking you to remain vigilant.”

If you are interested in visiting the country as it reopens, here are the rules for potential travelers.

What you need to visit St. Kitts and Nevis

Pre-departure

  • Fill out a form prior to arrival with quarantine requirements
  • Email form to government of St. Kitts and Nevis at hazel.laws@gov.kn
  • Must take a COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours of arriving in St. Kitts
  • Wear face masks when traveling to the departure airport
  • Wear face masks and practice physical distancing at the departure airport

On the plane

  • Wear a face mask while on the plane
  • Practice social distancing to the extent possible

Upon arrival

  • Present form verifying quarantine
  • Show negative coronavirus test results
  • Potentially face a health screening
  • Quarantine for two weeks at Ocean Terraces Inn

Travelers will have a two-week quarantine at Ocean Terrace Inn (OTI), in Basseterre, St. Kitts at a cost of $500. They will also need to pay $100 for another COVID-19 test at the end of the quarantine. Travelers will also need to sign a quarantine agreement you can find here.

More information can be found here including frequently asked questions.

What is open in St. Kitts and Nevis

Saint Kitts Island. (Photo by Danita Delimont/Getty Images)
Saint Kitts Island. (Photo by Danita Delimont/Getty Images)

 

There is a daily curfew on the islands from 2 a.m. to 4:59 a.m., but that order is expected to be lifted on Aug. 29. There is also a $500 fine for not wearing masks in public. Hotels and other tourism businesses will be required to get a “Travel Approved” certification and seal in order to reopen. Government officials are offering complimentary training sessions on health and safety protocols for more than 5,000 tourism workers.

Related: 9 places to use points in the Caribbean

Most things on the islands are gradually reopening. The Royal St. Kitts Hotel has already reopened, though at reduced capacity. The St. Kitts Marriott and the Park Hyatt St. Kitts will reopen in October. The Hilton Curio Collection in will reopen sometime in the fourth quarter of 2020. The Four Seasons Nevis hasn’t yet announced an opening date.

How to get to St. Kitts and Nevis

Flights tend to be expensive, starting around $500 round-trip in economy from East Coast hubs and closer to $800 from other parts of the country.

The only airline offering daily nonstop service to St. Kitts from the U.S. is American Airlines. There are other carriers that offer less-frequent flight service, but — unless you’re based in South Florida — you may need to connect to get to SKB.

I found flights in October on American Airlines from New York-JFK for $629 round trip in coach or $569 in basic economy. By playing with the dates, however you could fly American from Miami as low as $350 in basic economy or $378 in main cabin.

There is also a ton of availability using American Airlines miles. It’s 25,000 round trip in coach or 50,000 round trip for business class. ($75 in taxes and fees.)

Screen shots courtesy American Airlines.
Screen shots courtesy American Airlines.

 

Related: 5 things families should do in St. Kitts

Where to stay in St. Kitts and Nevis

In St. Kitts, there are some options for using hotel points, but not a lot. Nevis is home to luxury hotels like the Four Seasons, where you can maximize Amex’s Fine Hotels & Resorts benefits if you have either the The Platinum Card® from American Express ($550 annual fee, see rates and fees) or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express ($595 annual fee, see rates and fees).

But the neighboring island of St. Kitts is surging in popularity.

St. Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino is one of TPGs favorites. Prices are very reasonable right now for dates in October. You can book a king suite for as low as $138/night.

(Screen shot courtesy Marriott)
(Screen shot courtesy Marriott)

 

Related: Review of the Park Hyatt St. Kitts

We also love the new Park Hyatt, a Category 7 World of Hyatt hotel you can book rooms for 30,000 points per night. Cash prices in October are as low as $232 a night which is a great deal.

(Screen shot courtesy Hyatt)
(Screen shot courtesy Hyatt)

 

Related: Park Hyatt St. Kitts Video Review

Related: Comparing the Park Hyatt St. Kitts Rooms and Suites

If you don’t already have World of Hyatt points, it’s easy to get them. The program is a transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards; you can instantly transfer those points to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio. If you open a Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, which is currently offering a 60,000-point sign-up bonus after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening, you’ll have enough points for two nights at the Park Hyatt after completing the minimum spending requirements.

World of Hyatt also allows you to use points to book or upgrade to suites. Paid rates at the Park Hyatt are sometimes quite reasonable, so often it makes sense to pay for the room and then use points to upgrade to a suite.

You could also book the hotel through the American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR) program, using a Platinum Card® from American Express. Booking through FHR brought with it a full suite of additional perks, including complimentary breakfast, an upgrade subject to availability, guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout and a $100 property credit. Not bad for a room that goes for as low as $232 a night.

Conclusion on visiting St. Kitts and Nevis 

Hopefully, the United States will get the spread of coronavirus under control soon, and the quarantine order will be lifted. It may not yet be time to plan a trip to St Kitts and Nevis considering the 14-day quarantine, but we’ll need to wait to see what the final rules are for tourism. It’s a good sign they are at least beginning the reopening process.

Related: A guide to Caribbean re-openings

For rates and fees of the Platinum Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum, please click here.  

Additional reporting by Zach Griff, Summer Hull and Eric Rosen.

Featured photo of Park Hyatt St. Kitts courtesy the hotel.  

How credit card issuers are dipping back into travel with targeted hotel offers

$
0
0

Before the pandemic, if you had a premium or mid-tier credit card, you could snag some amazing Amex or Chase Offers for hotel stays. In regular times, cash-back or bonus point offers could save you hundreds of dollars on a vacation or get you enough points to plan your next one.

New targeted travel offers through Amex and Chase seemingly vanished in the early months of the pandemic. Instead of cash back at luxury hotels, credit card users started seeing more offers for essentials such as gas, takeout or groceries.

(Photo by CasarsaGuru/Getty Images)
(Photo by CasarsaGuru/Getty Images)

Now that positive cases have begun to drop in certain hotspots and some economies start to reopen, we are beginning to see more targeted travel offers. Most of the offers are restricted to U.S. properties, Canada or the Caribbean, with parts of that region welcoming U.S. travelers.

What’s going into the decision to start pushing out targeted travel offers again? Are issuers testing the waters to see if cardholders are interested in traveling? And if you are targeted, how can you maximize your Chase or Amex Offers, even if you aren’t traveling right now?

Chase told TPG that its Chase Offers portal was launched to provide cardholders with ways to save on across multiple categories, like travel. We also reached out to American Express and will update this post when we hear back.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.  

The industry wants travelers back

From issuers tightening their approval standards to airlines issuing WARN notices to pilots, to hotels offering full refunds for canceled stays, it’s no secret that the travel industry has been devastated by the coronavirus. 

On March 26, just two weeks after parts of the U.S. began to shut down, TSA screenings dropped nearly 90% compared to the same date in 2019. 

But as we reported earlier this summer, nearly a third of Americans are ready to travel again. We’re seeing an increase in travelers taking to the skies, as TSA screened more than 800,000 passengers for the first time since March on Aug. 9. And it seems that the issuers are taking notice. These offers could be an easy way for issuers to see who’s interested in traveling again soon. 

A passenger removes his mask as he has his ID checked by a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employee in Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on May 12, 2020. - The airline industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the number of people flying having decreased by more than 90 percent since the beginning of March. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
(Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

We’ve seen the industry do this before, as I reported back in May. In the years after the Great Recession, the travel industry needed to find ways to woo travelers back into their hotel rooms and onto airplanes. That meant they needed to get creative in how they marketed travel — from hotel deals to credit card offers.

According to a report from the Federal Reserve, credit card balances declined by $82 billion in the second quarter of 2020, most likely due to the pandemic. The offers could also be an incentive for cardholders to spend on their cards as they begin to travel again.

And now as travel begins to tick upward, hotel offers start to follow. 

Who’s getting targeted?

I have four Amex cards: The American Express® Green Card, The American Express® Gold Card, The Platinum Card® from American Express, and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. Before the pandemic, most of the targeted hotel offers I got were on my Platinum card, which offers 5x Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on hotels pre-booked directly through amextravel.com. 

(Photo by Wyatt Smith/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Wyatt Smith/The Points Guy)

I now see several cash-back offers from Kimpton and IHG on my Amex Green Card, a change from before the pandemic. Previously, the bulk of Amex offers on that card have been for points or cash back at luxury retailers (think Coach and Rimowa), but rarely have they been travel-related. While it doesn’t offer 5x on hotel stays like the Platinum, 3x on travel (which includes hotels) is pretty decent.

Other TPG staffers are starting to see an uptick in travel offers on their cards. For instance, some staffers see offers like 10% back at IHG and Marriott hotels on the Chase Sapphire Reserve and $50 back after spending $200 or more at Marriott on the Amex Platinum. 

And while they aren’t Chase or Amex Offers, both issuers are running transfer bonuses. Chase is currently offering a 60% bonus on IHG Rewards Club transfers, its second transfer bonus ever (the first was British Airways). Amex is offering a 40% bonus to Hilton and 30% to Marriott, though the latter appears to be targeted.

I haven’t seen many points travel offers on any of my cards. That could signal that the issuers aren’t ready just yet to offer points for travel purchases versus cashback. 

How to maximize targeted offers

If you plan to hit the road or take to the skies in the coming months, you might be wondering how to maximize these targeted offers. Whether you managed to snag a Hyatt, Marriott, Kimpton or Intercontinental offer, you can stack those with offers the hotels are running on their sites. Here are some current hotel offers:

IHG

  • 4X Bonus Points: Earn 2X bonus points on your second stay, 3X bonus points on your third stay and 4X points on your fourth stay, up to a maximum of 100,000 points. You will also earn 2X points on your first stay. Ends Sept. 8, 2020.
  • Stay Longer And Save: Save at least 10% when you book by Sept. 30. Ends Dec. 31, 2020.

Marriott

  • 2K Every Day: Earn 2,000 Bonvoy points per night on Courtyard Marriott stays in the U.S., Latin America, Canada and the Caribbean when you use promo code 53M. Ends Dec. 31, 2020.

World of Hyatt

Bottom line

It’s clear that the industry wants people to travel again, whether it’s now or in the future. It appears that credit card issuers are testing the waters with deals to see who’s interested. If enough travelers take advantage of the deals, I’d expect we’ll see even more lucrative deals in the future.

Featured photo courtesy of Kimpton Hotel Palomar South Beach

Dine for points: 10 programs that reward you for eating out

$
0
0

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

Dining rewards programs have been around for years, yet they continue to be overlooked as an easy way to generate extra points and miles. I don’t know about you, but I’m spending a reasonable amount of time in quarantine cooking, butchering recipes and then ordering takeout to sustain myself. It’s a convenient option and a great way to support local businesses during the pandemic.

I’ve earned thousands of miles from first-dine bonuses alone and you can too. With ten dining rewards programs out there, you may be wondering which one is the best. While that depends on your preferences, I’ve summarized each program and offered a ranking based on earn rate, first-dine bonus and value of points earned.

In This Post

Get the latest points, miles and travel news by signing up for TPG’s free daily newsletter.

How do dining rewards programs work?

Waiter picking up dishes in kitchen at restaurant
(Photo by Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images)

All the major airline and hotel dining rewards programs are part of the same network, operated by the Rewards Network. All you have to do is sign up with one (or all) of these programs, register a debit or credit card and use it at participating restaurants. You’ll earn at least 0.5 points per dollar spent – more if you opt-in to receive email notifications and work your way up to elite status.

In many cases, you’ll earn a first-dine bonus as well as additional bonus point opportunities. The first-dine bonuses often require you to spend a certain amount within a specific period and submit a restaurant review. With all of these programs, you can achieve VIP status after completing 11 transactions within a calendar year. You’ll start earning more points and get access to a broader network of participating restaurants where you can earn points.

Participating restaurants include popular chains and independent eateries alike. You can find out what’s available in your area by visiting one of the dining program websites and entering your zip code into the location field.

Keep in mind that while you can join all of the dining rewards programs listed below, you can’t register the same card with more than one program at a time. Additionally, your membership expires if you have no account activity for 36 months.

With that being said, let’s dive into each option and figure out which one offers the most rewards.

Airline dining rewards programs

When it comes to dining rewards programs, you’ll get the highest return on spending through airline-affiliated programs. That’s because airline miles are worth more than hotel points.

American AAdvantage Dining

  • Earn rate: 1-5 Aadvantage miles per dollar spent
  • First-dine bonus: 1,000 AAdvantage miles when you spend $25 within 30 days.
  • Join here

The great thing about the AAdvantage dining program is that members who choose not to opt-in for email notifications still earn 1 mile per dollar spent. Most other airline dining programs limit earnings to one mile per $2 in these cases. TPG values AAdvantage miles at 1.4 cents each, so you’ll earn a return of 1.4-7% on your spending. That’s pretty solid, especially when you stack with the 2x miles you can earn with the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard®.

The information for the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select 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.

If you opt-in for email notifications, you’ll earn 3 miles per dollar spent and if you complete 11 transactions in a calendar year, you’ll get upgraded to VIP status. At this level, you’ll earn 5 AAdvantage miles per dollar spent and earn miles at a wider network of restaurants. If you’re looking to earn AAdvantage miles, focusing your restaurant spending on the AAdvantage dining program is a great way to do that.

Alaska Mileage Plan Dining

  • Earn rate: 0.5-5 miles per dollar spent
  • First-dine bonus: Earn 1,000 bonus miles after you spend $30 within 30 days of joining and write a review within 30 days of your visit.
  • Join here

Alaska miles are the most valuable airline currency based on TPG’s valuations. Part of that is because of the program’s sweet spots and generous stopover policy on one-way awards. The fact that Alaska has no transfer partnerships other than Marriott Bonvoy also contributes to this. Alaska miles aren’t as easy as easy to come by as other airline rewards, making the Alaska dining program a great option.

Members who opt-in to receive notifications earn 3 miles per dollar spent. Those who earn VIP status by completing 11 transactions will earn 5 miles per dollar, starting on the 12th visit.

While American’s dining program offers a higher earning rate for those who don’t want to opt-in for notifications, Alaska miles are valued higher. Plus, you want to earn more Alaska miles, this is one of the few ways to do it outside of flying the airline, the MileagePlan shopping portal and a cobranded credit card.

Delta SkyMiles Dining

  • Earn rate: 0.5-1 mile per dollar spent
  • First-dine bonus: Up to 3,000 bonus miles for regular members and up to 3,500 for SkyMiles Medallion members who meet specified spending thresholds within 30 days of joining and complete an online review.
    • Earn 500 bonus miles after spending $30 on your first visit (1,000 miles if you’re a SkyMiles Medallion member)
    • 1,000 bonus miles after spending $30 on your second visit
    • 1,500 bonus miles after spending $30  on your third visit.
  • Join here

Delta’s dining program offers the most generous first-dine bonus of any airline, including an extra 500 miles for Delta elites. The program is also one of only three that offer second and third-visit bonuses.

If you decide to go for these bonus miles, you’ll also get closer to VIP status, which requires 11 transactions per calendar year. At this level, you’ll start earning 5 miles per dollar spent. In the meantime, you can give your earning rate an easy bump to 3 miles per dollar by opting in to receive email notifications from SkyMiles Dining.

Free Spirit Dining

  • Earn rate:0.5-5 mile per dollar spent
  • First-dine bonus: Earn 1,000 bonus miles by spending $30 within 30 days of joining and completing a review
  • Join here

Spirit Airlines may not be the most popular carrier out there, but their low fares are pretty tough to beat. Free flights start at just 2,500 Spirit miles, so the first-dine bonus from Free Spirit Dining can go a long way. Beyond that, you’ll earn 1 mile per $2 spent if you opt-out of email communications, or 3 miles per $1 if you don’t. That means about $500 worth of qualifying dining charges during your first year will get you enough miles for a free Spirit flight.

If you manage to hit 11 transactions, you’ll earn 5 miles per $1 as a VIP member. With low redemption rates for free flights, the Spirit Airlines dining program is worth considering.

JetBlue TrueBlue Dining

  • Earn rate: 3 points per dollar spent
  • First-dine bonus: None
  • Join here

JetBlue’s dining rewards program offers 3 points per $1 spent to all members. On the flip side, the program doesn’t currently offer a first-dine bonus or the ability to earn elite status. With TPG valuing JetBlue points at 1.3 cents each, your return on spending isn’t quite as high as with the legacy carriers (assuming you opt-in for notifications).

JetBlue points are also easy to earn, thanks to transfer partnerships with every major transferable points program. While I wouldn’t recommend JetBlue’s dining rewards program if you spend a limited amount at restaurants, it’s fine if you want to earn TrueBlue points without thinking about it.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Dining

  • Earn rate: 0.5-3 Rapid Rewards points per dollar spent
  • First-dine bonus: Earn 1,000 Rapid Rewards points after you spend $25 within 30 days and submit a review.
  • First step bonus: Earn 500 bonus points after you earn your first 1,500 points from dining and reviews.
  • Thank you bonus: Earn 300 bonus points each time you earn 1,000 points from dining and reviews.
  • Review bonus: Earn 10 bonus points every time you submit a review after a qualifying visit.

Southwest’s dining program is unique in that it offers additional points for every review you submit. While it’s only 10 bonus points, it certainly adds up. Members who opt-out of email communications earn 1 Rapid Reward point per $2 spent. Opting in gets you 3 points per $1, which is a solid return considering how cheap Southwest award flights can be.

Best of all, points earned through Rapid Rewards dining count toward the Southwest Companion Pass. That makes the Southwest Rapid Rewards dining program substantially more valuable and worth focusing on.

United MileagePlus Dining

  • Earn rate: 0.5-5 miles per dollar spent
  • First-dine bonus: Earn 1,000 bonus miles a regular MileagePlus member or 1,500 as a MileagePlus Premier or cobranded United cardholder. After spending $25 within 30 days of joining.
  • Additional bonus: Earn 500 bonus miles on the next three visits when you spend at least $25
  • Join here

Similar to the Delta SkyMiles Dining program, MileagePlus Dining offers a bigger first-dine bonus to MileagePlus Premier members. Also, elites and cobranded credit cardholders get upgraded to VIP status, earning 5 miles per dollar spent. You must be an elite member or United cardholder when you register to qualify for VIP status. Eligible cards include the United Explorer Card and United Business Card.

The information for the United Business 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.

Hotel dining rewards programs

(Photo by Getty Images)
(Photo by Getty Images)

There are currently three major hotel programs that offer dining rewards programs. While the earn rates are higher, you should keep in mind that TPG values these currencies lower than airline miles. I wouldn’t recommend earning hotel points over airline miles unless you need a way to top off your account for a high-value redemption or to keep your points from expiring.

Hilton Honors Dining

  • Earn rate: 2-8 Hilton Honors points per dollar spent
  • First-dine bonus: 1,000 Hilton bonus points when you spend $25 on your first dine within 90 days of joining.
  • Join here

TPG values Hilton points at just 0.8 cents each, so you won’t get a massive return on your Honors Dining rewards spending – even as a VIP member. Instead, I would recommend signing up for a higher-value dining program like Alaska MileagePlan Dining. Then register your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card or Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card to get the best of both worlds.

The Aspire card earns 7x points at U.S. restaurants while the Surpass card earns 6x, along with extra perks if you met annual spending requirements. For Surpass cardholders, that translates to an annual free weekend night after spending $15,000 in a calendar year. Using the card at restaurants can help you get there faster.

IHG Rewards Club Dining

  • Earn rate: 1-8 IHG points per dollar spent
  • First-dine bonus: 1,000 bonus points after $30 spent within 30 days of joining
  • Join here

IHG’s dining rewards program doesn’t offer the best return on your spending, but that shouldn’t stop you from signing up for the first-dine bonus. If IHG Pointbreaks ever makes a comeback, the first-dine bonus will get you one-fifth of the way to a free night. It’s also worth noting that IHG points expire after 12 months of inactivity and rewards earned from the dining program can keep your account active.

Other than those two reasons, I wouldn’t recommend using IHG Rewards Club Dining as your main program for maximizing restaurant spending. You’ll get a much higher rate of return through airline programs and Hilton Honors.

Marriott Eat Around Town

  • First-dine bonus: Earn 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after $30 spent within 30 days and completing an online review.
  • Earn rate: 4-6 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar spent
  • Join here

Marriott has no shortage of ways to earn Bonvoy points and Eat Around Town is one of them. If you want to earn Marriott points on autopilot, signing up for Eat Around Town is one way to do it. You can even double dip by registering a cobranded Marriott card that is offering accelerated rewards on dining through Sept. 15, 2020.

Which credit cards to use with dining rewards programs

(Photo by Matt Dutile/Getty Images)
(Photo by Matt Dutile/Getty Images)

You can register as many credit cards as you want with these dining rewards programs. Ideally, you should focus on the ones offering bonus points on dining.

The information for the Citi Prestige and Capital One Savor 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.

The Amex Gold Card is popular because it earns 4x points on dining and also comes with up to $120 in annual dining credits. While these apply to food delivery apps, you can also use them at popular chain restaurants like The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House and participating Shake Shack locations.

Through Aug. 31, 2020, American Express will apply the Hilton Aspire Card’s up to $250 resort credit toward dining purchases at U.S restaurants. With the 7x bonus on dining, this makes the Hilton Aspire another great contender for restaurant spending.

The best card for dining rewards programs comes down to the currency you value most. My recommendation, especially during these uncertain times, is to choose a card like the Citi Prestige, which earns transferable points. You won’t be tied down to one currency and will have flexibility when it comes time to redeem them.

Related: 10 restaurant loyalty programs that are worth joining

Bottom line

Dining rewards programs are a great way to earn extra points and miles with minimal effort. Between the first-dine bonus and ease of earning points, it makes sense to sign up and earn points passively. Remember to use a credit card that earns bonus points on dining and time your registration so that you’ll meet the spending requirement to earn the first-dine bonus.

Featured photo by Shutterstock

Breaking: US Virgin Islands shutting down again

$
0
0
As the travel industry reopens following COVID-19 shutdowns, TPG suggests that you talk to your doctor, follow health officials’ guidance and research local travel restrictions before booking that next trip. We will be here to help you prepare, whether it is next month or next year.
Editor’s note: This article is being updated August 14 after a new government order. It was originally published May 2020.

U.S. Virgin Islands HAD REOPENED, BUT NO MORE

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands on March 6, 2019. (Photo by Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands on March 6, 2019. (Photo by Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

 

The U.S. Virgin Islands is again closing down. A new surge in coronavirus cases after an initial reopening is behind a new order from the governor ordering  the stay-at-home order. Beginning Monday, August 17, 2020, all non-essential businesses and churches are ordered to cease operations and the public is ordered to stay at home. The new order on tourism is effective Wednesday, August 19, and will last for a period of at least one month. Hotels will not be allowed to check in new guests after that date.

An executive order from Governor Albert Bryan Jr. reads:

“The prohibition of new leisure travel reservations is effective immediately, and on Wednesday, August 19, 2020, those businesses are prohibited from admitting any new check-ins or registering any new guests for 30 days unless the order is lifted sooner. The new restriction does not apply to business travelers, , emergency personnel, flight crews or government guests with written authorization from the government agency they are visiting.”

There had been no quarantine required for healthy visitors and people had been free to leave their hotel or resort and explore. A spike of new cases (92 reported by August 12) led to the new orders.

The U.S. Virgin Islands which includes St. Thomas and St. Croix was welcoming back tourists as of June 1 with restrictions.

(Screen shot courtesy government of the United States Virgin Islands)
(Screen shot courtesy government of the United States Virgin Islands)

Related Coverage: State-by-state guide to coronavirus reopening

Although the U.S. Virgin Islands are part of United States territory, the islands have been limiting incoming travel even for domestic travelers. The only passengers allowed to enter the USVI had been residents, medical personnel, business travelers and property owners. Furthermore, the local government had implemented rigorous “safer at home” protocols, resulting in closed restaurants and similar non-essential businesses. Local beaches were also closed.

Now it looks like those rules are being put back in place.

 

Had Been open with some restrictions

Trunk Bay beach November 25, 2017 Saint John, Virgin Islands. (Photo by Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Trunk Bay beach November 25, 2017 Saint John, Virgin Islands. (Photo by Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

 

Masks will be mandatory when going into businesses and attractions, beaches will also be open but social distancing is required. Large gatherings remain prohibited. Hotels, guesthouses, villas, timeshares and Airbnb accommodations were accepting bookings, but they will again need to shut down. COVID-19 guidelines are in place for retail businesses and attractions; taxi vans, safari and limo services.

 

Arriving in the Virgin Islands

Flights had resumed, but may now again be cancelled.

A spokeswoman for the USVI tourism board told TPG, “There are routine temperature checks and health screenings at the ports of entry and public places. There is no quarantine required if travelers are healthy. Testing, quarantine, and isolation protocols are in place for suspected and confirmed cases of COVID-19 and also for contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases.”

A toolkit for travelers and other updates are available at www.usviupdate.com.

How to get there and where to stay

Many major carriers fly to the U.S. Virgin Islands including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Spirit and United Airlines. I found flights from New York beginning at $312 roundtrip on United Airlines with one stop. American Airlines flies direct from Miami for $330 roundtrip in basic economy or $380 in main cabin. American wanted 35,000 AAdvantage miles for the flight (and apparently they consider it a “web special”).

Spirit also flies to Henry E Rohlsen Airport St. Croix (STX). Delta has flights in August non-stop from Atlanta beginning at $430 in basic economy or $480 in main cabin to Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas (STT). Delta wants 39,000 Skymiles for main cabin redemptions. 

Many hotels are accepting reservations, but that is obviously now on hold.

Keisha Nelson from the tourism department said, “The U.S. Virgin Islands offer a variety of accommodation options based on travelers’ preferences and budget. Travelers looking for a larger resort experience can opt for The Buccaneer on St. Croix, The Hills Saint John or The Ritz-Carlton on St. Thomas. For a smaller boutique option, there is The Fred on St. Croix and Gallows Point on St. John.”

The Margaritaville Vacation Club by Wyndham had rooms in St. Thomas for $215 a night.

Related: Best ways to use miles in the Caribbean

If you are looking for chain hotels where you can redeem your points there’s the Westin St. John Resort Villas for $379 a night or 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.

Related: Review of the Westin St. John Resort Villas

Westin St. John Resort villas. (Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)

 

The Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas was $449 a night or 85,000-100,000 points a night. It’s a top-tier Category 8 Marriott Bonvoy property. Be sure to check out my colleague Jane Frye’s review here.

(Photo by Jane Frye/The Points Guy)
A view of the Ritz property at night. (Photo by Jane Frye/The Points Guy)

 

There are also two new Marriott properties that are set to open in June of 2022. So stay tuned for details on those.

A reminder that this tourism-dependent country is still vulnerable to coronavirus exposure from outsiders as travel is one of the biggest factors in spreading COVID-19 disease. TPG recommends you speak to your doctor about the risks to yourself and others around you, and research destinations before you plan nonessential travel.

Expect to plan ahead for reservations and bookings, and check out our global country-by-country guide for guidance

Where else in the Caribbean can you go?

Meantime Antigua, St Lucia, Aruba, and the Bahamas have announced they are beginning to accept foreign tourists after June 1.

You can see our stories on those destinations here:

St Lucia is reopening to U.S. travelers

A country-by-country reopening guide to the Caribbean

Additional reporting by Katherine Fan.

Featured image of Carambola Beach St Croix US Virgin Islands by cdwheatley/Getty Images.

Not quite paradise: A review of Le Méridien Fisherman’s Cove in the Seychelles

$
0
0

Editor’s note: During the COVID-19 crisis, our team has temporarily ceased taking review trips. Instead, we have been publishing a selection of our most popular reviews from the past year. However, we have resumed the publication of new, previously unpublished flighthotel and lounge reviews, from trips taken before the lockdown, like this one. We hope this will help you choose once we’re all ready to start booking trips again.

Seychelles, a tiny nation made up of 155 islands about 500 miles off the coast of Madagascar, is a hard-to-reach but undeniably luxurious tropical getaway. Unlike other popular destinations like the Maldives and Mauritius, you won’t find a ton of top-tier luxury-branded points hotels in the Seychelles. (There is a Four Seasons on Mahé, the main island, and another on a private island farther west.)

Hilton has a few properties on the islands, but the Le Méridien is Marriott’s only Seychelles property (except for North Island, a luxurious private island that costs more than $5,000 a night).

Still, the Seychelles boast some of the best beaches in the world so I was excited to visit. Add in a great fifth-night-free award booking and I arrived with high hopes. Perhaps a little too high.

Further reading: How to use hotel points to visit the Seychelles

In This Post

Booking

Le Méridien Fisherman’s Cove is a Category 6 Marriott Bonvoy hotel, meaning standard award rates cost 50,000 points per night. Rates drop to 40,000 points per night on off-peak dates and climb to 60,000 points during peak season.

I locked in a five-night award stay using Points Advance before Marriott introduced peak and off-peak pricing last year, so I paid 50,000 points per night, thanks to Marriott’s fifth-night free on award stays, I only spent 200,000 points for the five nights, which TPG values at $1,600. The cash rate for five nights would have been about $2,700. That’s more than I was willing to pay, and overall, I was pretty happy with this redemption value of 1.35 cents per point.

About a week before my arrival, I received an email explaining that because of extreme weather, beach access would be closed during my stay. I wasn’t sure whether this meant the beach itself was closed or simply the access from the hotel. Thankfully, it was the latter. Having seen images of the Seychelles’ many picturesque beaches, I decided to roll with the punches.

If you find yourself needing to top up your account before a redemption you may want to consider signing up for a cobranded Marriott credit card such as the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card.

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

You’ll earn 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first three months. Additionally, you’ll receive an annual award night worth up to 50,000 points upon account renewal, up to $300 annual travel credit at Marriott properties, instant Gold Marriott elite status with the ability to earn Platinum with $75,000 in annual spending on the card. The card has a $450 annual fee (see rates & fees).

Location

Fisherman’s Cove is on the northwest side of Mahé, the main island in the Seychelles. The property is right next to Beau Vallon Beach, where you’ll find several other hotels and restaurants. Our flight from Abu Dhabi (AUH) landed around 1 p.m. Our taxi from the airport to the hotel took no more than 30 minutes and cost 700 Seychelles rupees (~$51), though the hotel insisted the ride should have cost only 600 rupees (~$44).

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

Our arrival coincided with the end of the rainy season. We knew that the weather might be unpredictable but what we didn’t learn until halfway through our stay was that the conditions change, depending on whether you are on the north or south sides of the island. The water on Beau Vallon Beach was too rough for swimming throughout our stay, while some of the beaches we visited in the south (especially Grand Anse, Anse Intendance and Anse Royale) were as smooth as glass.

Check-in

The views on approach into Mahé were beautiful, but it started raining as soon as we touched down and the rain kept up for the rest of the day. We were the only guests in the arrivals area, which connects to the hotel’s main bar and breakfast restaurant.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

Check-in was uneventful, though a bit drawn out. We were invited to take a seat and were offered some refreshing tea and cold towels while we waited.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

The agent thanked me for being a Titanium elite, but she didn’t mention that the hotel had upgraded us from a junior suite to a deluxe oceanfront suite. (I only knew because I’d checked the app in advance.) I’d rather be upgraded and not be told about it than the other way around, but this was a missed opportunity to earn some brownie points.

During check-in, the agent handed me a letter explaining that Le Cardinal, which normally features a buffet for dinner, was temporarily closed. We would later find out that Sunset Bar, one of the most beautiful parts of the property, was closed as well (because of storm damage). The hotel staff never mentioned this to us, and we only found out when we tried to go for drinks only to find it roped off with an “under construction” sign. These closures were not a good first impression of the hotel, leaving us only one option for lunch, drinks and dinner.

The room

As we were walking to our room, we saw a massive spider hanging out between the trees. We were reassured that the mega spiders in the Seychelles are not poisonous, but I’d still suggest packing bug spray if you visit as there were plenty of mosquitoes too.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

The spacing and design of the property made the oceanfront rooms feel more like private villas than suites, with the caveat that there are two rooms per building.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

At 592 square feet, our room felt spacious, with an L-shaped couch and two desks close to the balcony. The couch was big enough for a crowd but the back was very low, forcing us to lean awkwardly any time we sat on it.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

The bed had a beautiful arrangement of towel swans and flower petals. I’m not sure if this was because I told the hotel we were celebrating our sixth anniversary (there was no card or cake or anything to suggest that), but they remade the swans a few times and even made a heart out of flowers on the bed once, which was a nice touch.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

The bed was centered in the room, which allows you to walk around either side to get to the bathroom but takes up nearly 50% of the real estate.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

There was a large wood-paneled tub in the middle of the bathroom, and double sinks on the vanity along the wall.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

The hotel provided Malin+Goetz toiletries, but it was stingy with them, only giving us one set at a time despite repeated phone calls explaining that my girlfriend has long hair and goes through conditioner at a lightning-fast pace.

Related: Why you may not get housekeeping on your next hotel stay

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

We received two complimentary bottles of water per day, but after that, they are $4 each. Although this is technically the policy at most hotels, I can’t remember the last time I’ve been charged for extra bottles of water.

The bathroom also had a shower and toilet with a separate bidet. The shower was a step lower than the floor to minimize flooding, and the pressure and temperature were great, though there was no door.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

A spacious closet area includes a tea and coffee station, but housekeeping was not always great at restocking it. It’s also worth mentioning that the room didn’t have a minibar.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

Overall, I found the room to be comfortable and spacious, but not especially luxurious or high-end. There were no USB ports or outlets by the bed, and the light switches had to be turned off in a precise sequence to actually darken the room. I also found it interesting that there was no do-not-disturb sign (electronic or paper). Housekeeping never bothered us too early in the morning but it was a confusing omission for sure.

The room was labeled as an oceanfront suite, but don’t expect to stroll from your deck down to the beach. We were was set back behind the pool and the beach walkway and we could still see some of the storm damage from our room.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

We found the deck to be comfortable, with a large lounge chair and a small table and we were able to stay outside and enjoy the ocean breeze even when it was raining because of the overhanging roof.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

Food and beverage

Breakfast was served daily from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Le Cardinal restaurant, which is attached to the main reception area.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

Because I have Titanium Elite status, I selected breakfast as my welcome amenity. Otherwise, it would have cost 650 rupees or about $47. That price puts it on par with some of the more expensive breakfasts out there, including places like the Maldives, though the offerings did not justify that price.

There was a made-to-order egg station, fresh fruit, cold cuts, pastries and a few hot selections like bacon and roasted vegetables.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

I ate almost the same thing all five days: Muesli with coconut and pistachios and a vegetable omelet. It was a delicious, healthy breakfast that left me feeling full and satisfied every day, but if I’d had to pay $47 per person for this (or nearly $500 for our five-night stay), I would’ve been upset. It’s not that the breakfast is lacking, as most people should be able to find a meal here that makes them happy, just that it’s not worth the outrageous price.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

There’s really only one lunch option available on the property, Le Cocoloba Bar. You’ll find it one level below the main reception area, offering great ocean views at any time of day.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

On our first day, we went there for lunch and ordered the Cajun chicken quesadillas and shrimp and papaya salad. The quesadillas were delicious, though far oilier than they looked, and the salad was just alright. Even with the dressing and a lemon, there wasn’t much flavor.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

The room service menu was a smaller version of Le Cocoloba’s menu, so I decided to sample it one day while reading out on the deck. I ordered a falafel wrap that was delivered in about 20 minutes. The dish was more than 50% fries and the wrap barely had two pieces of falafel in it. For the rest of our stay, we went offsite for lunch, as there are great sushi and Indian restaurants about five minutes up the beach at the Coral Strand hotel.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

Although the food wasn’t worth repeating, we frequented Le Cocoloba Bar for drinks as it was really the only option at the hotel. The bar had a rum-only menu, so on the first night, I had a rum Negroni while my girlfriend had the Fisherman’s Choice, a mixture of rum, rosemary and lime.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

We’d picked up a bottle of Champagne at the duty-free shop to avoid overpaying at the hotel, and we called the desk one night to ask if we could bring it to Le Cocoloba. They said we could but there would be a corkage fee, which we were happy to pay. When we arrived, the bartender told us it wasn’t allowed and the hotel could lose its liquor license, so I went to go put it back in the room. We settled in and ordered some drinks from the bar, but a few minutes later a manager came over and told us the bartender was wrong, and we actually were allowed to bring our own alcohol. Because of the confusion, he waived the corkage fee and even comped the drinks we’d just ordered, which I thought was a great gesture.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

With Le Cardinal closed for dinner (and Le Cocoloba menu failing to satisfy us twice), we ended up dining at the Paris de Seychelles restaurant three of our five nights. This was the shining star of the food scene and the saving grace of an otherwise mediocre stay. The food was top-notch, and unlike breakfast, it was quite reasonably priced. I almost had to pinch myself when dinner for two — two appetizers, a soup, two mains and two glasses of wine — came out to just shy of $150. Normally, you expect to pay a bit of an “island tax” when you’re staying somewhere so remote, but that was less than we would’ve paid for a comparable meal in most cities in the U.S.

Paris Seychelles is on the jetty sticking out from the property, just before the Sunset Bar.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

Most of the property has wooden signs to direct you to room blocks and amenities, so the laminated piece of paper tacked to a tree felt rather … tacky … for a luxury resort.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

Once we sat down and started eating, it was easy to forget. Every night we were treated to a plate of bread with a deliciously juicy tomato, pesto butter, and balsamic and olive oil served with a little dropper (a nice presentation, but I’m fine skipping the single-use plastics when we’re this close to the beach).

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

We sampled nearly everything on the menu during our three dinners, but here are a few highlights: fresh and delicious scallops with curry-infused tomato fondue and seafoam. It was one of the dishes that was so good we had to try it again.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

The same goes for the yellowfin tuna with sweet chili mayo, which didn’t overpower the fish at all.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

On more than one occasion, we ordered the red snapper with passion fruit mash. This dish still makes my mouth water. It did everything right: excellent presentation, unique and flavorful ingredients cooked to perfection.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

Other main course highlights included the char-grilled tiger prawns served with burning hot Creole rice and herb-infused coconut broth and the duo of octopus with coconut and turmeric reduction and green papaya chutney.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

Ordering dessert after a meal that rich and delicious is always a gamble, and I appreciated that the restaurant had small and manageable portions for both the blueberry cheesecake and apple crumble.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

The ambiance of the restaurant was nice, but I found it funny that they kept looping through a playlist of acoustic versions of rap and electronic dance music (EDM) songs. Over our three dinners, we heard The Chainsmokers, Eminem, Despacito and more.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

Amenities

Of course, the nicest amenity for most people visiting the Seychelles is the beach and the water, so let’s start there. The hotel doesn’t have its own beach, but rather it connects to the larger Beau Vallon Beach next door. The storm that hit in December 2019 damaged the walkway, which remains closed for repairs.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

You can’t control the weather and it’s not the hotel’s fault, but I was surprised that no one explained that we could still walk down to the beach by going out on the main road and following a public path. My girlfriend ended up asking on our second day and was given clear directions, but with property damage like this, I think providing a map with an alternate route is the bare minimum you can do for your guests.

Most guests spent their time lounging around the hotel pool, which had a shallow area and also a small section of an infinity pool close to the water’s edge.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

There was a free water station (the only one at the property as far as I could tell) and I didn’t see any servers coming by to take drink orders.

One day when the rain was relentless, my girlfriend and I tried to book a couples massage that was advertised in the hotel’s spa pamphlet. We ended up having to wait a day and a half for an appointment, and the hotel only had one masseuse so our “couple’s massage” took place individually over two hours. The masseuse was also doubling as the receptionist, which meant that the desk was unattended whenever she was with a client (which was most of the day as the spa was booked up nearly the entire time we were there).

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

The 60-minute massage was good, but certainly not memorable. The masseuse was wearing latex gloves which felt very odd when she was massaging my head (more like a lice check than a massage), but given that the coronavirus was just beginning to take hold in much of the world, it does make sense.

The experience felt decidedly less luxurious than we were expecting. There was no welcome experience (tea, cold towels, etc.) before the massage and no questionnaire to indicate any medical conditions, focus areas or pressure preference. These are all staple parts of the experience at every other spa I’ve been to and they felt conspicuously absent here.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

There is a small gym near the spa with free weights, a treadmill and a few exercise machines.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

We interacted with several staff members during our stay and found the service varied widely. Some employees had lively personalities and were incredibly friendly, while others were less enjoyable to work with. On the first day, my girlfriend tried to organize a diving trip and the hotel repeatedly connected her to the wrong dive shop, after telling us via email that there’s one shop they work with.

Our time in the Seychelles was very relaxing, but by the second or third day, I began to get frustrated with the bar and restaurant closures and, more importantly, by the limited communication from staff about the closures. I’m loyal to Marriott (almost to a fault) but I think that many other guests might have considered booking another hotel if they’d known the extent of the damage, so I decided to raise my concerns with the manager.

I ended up speaking to Oliver Schafer, the rooms division manager at the hotel. He provided additional context on the storm damage (including mentioning that the pool had been closed for a while and that the Sunset Bar was closed because it was deemed structurally unsound by the local authorities — so really a safety issue). He also apologized for the lack of communication and said he would work with staff to update the letter being sent to guests before arrival and that he would try to pull together a map of how to access the beach. He offered to comp the massages we’d had the previous day ( a ~$140 value) and invited us back to Paris de Seychelles on our last night for a “special goodbye dinner.”

They set up a special table for us out of the main dining room and as close to the water as possible. We also were offered two complimentary glasses of wine. I never asked for compensation and I thought he handled the situation appropriately. We were upset by the lack of amenities at the hotel (relative to what we expected when we booked) so he made up for it by inviting us to enjoy the best they had to offer, on the house. He was gracious about the whole thing and I’m confident that future guests will be kept apprised of any construction or closures at the property.

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

Overall impression

We caught Le Méridien Fisherman’s Cove at a bad time, both in terms of weather on the island and the state of the property itself. Still, this hotel is reasonably priced on points and Paris de Seychelles is an absolute bargain of a restaurant. I can’t say this will be my first-choice hotel if and when I return to the Seychelles, but if you do it right, it can be a great value relative to its luxury location.

All photos by the author.

UPDATED: Here’s the countries where Americans can go

$
0
0

As the travel industry reopens following COVID-19 shutdowns, TPG suggests that you talk to your doctor, follow health officials’ guidance and research local travel restrictions before booking that next trip. We will be here to help you prepare, whether it is next month or next year.

Editor’s note 8/17/20: This post has been updated with the latest information and will be updated often.

The State Department on August 6 lifted a level 4 “do not travel” advisory recommending against any international travel for Americans. In a news conference, the State Department said because some countries had managed to get control of the spread of coronavirus and with some international flights now flying it no longer made sense to have a blanket anti-travel advisory. Still, the government is urging caution, and the truth is most countries still don’t want to see Americans as the United States has the worst outbreak of COVID-19 in the world.

Indeed, the welcome mat has been rolled up. Most countries are not allowing U.S. visitors right now because of coronavirus. The United States has had more than 170,000 deaths, and remains among the hardest-hit countries on the planet.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

But there is some good news. Americans now have some options. So what’s open? Here’s the list:

  • Albania
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Aruba
  • The Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Brazil
  • Croatia
  • The Dominican Republic
  • Egypt
  • French Polynesia
  • Grenada (sort of)
  • Ireland (sort of)
  • Jamaica
  • Puerto Rico
  • The Maldives
  • Mexico
  • Rwanda
  • St Barths
  • St. Lucia
  • Saint Maarten
  • St. Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Seychelles
  • South Korea (sort of)
  • Tanzania
  • Turkey
  • Turks and Caicos
  • United Arab Emirates (Dubai only)
  • United Kingdom (sort of)
  • The U.S. Virgin Islands

We included two U.S. territories (Puerto Rico and the USVI) on our list of destinations — in part, because there are so few places that are open to Americans. One of those has now cancelled its reopening.

Unfortunately, most of Asia, most of Europe and most of Oceania remain off limits.

Related: A country-by-country guide to coronavirus recovery

Be sure to read restrictions carefully before planning a trip.

In This Post

What places are open for Americans?

Albania

Albania has reported 7,380 cases of Covid-19 and 228 deaths. On June 15, commercial flights returned to Albania, and the government lifted all restrictions on tourism on July 1.

There are no testing requirements for visitors, but temperature checks on arriving passengers at the airport are mandatory. If a passenger has COVID-19 symptoms and/or a fever they may be required to undergo a mandatory government quarantine.

 Related: 5 reasons to visit Albania in 2020

Antigua and Barbuda

Ffryers Bay in Antigua. Image by Ian Rogers Photography / Getty Images.
Ffryers Bay in Antigua. Image by Ian Rogers Photography / Getty Images.

The country reopened to tourists on June 4. However, travelers will have to adhere to social distancing guidelines, including face masks in public. All snorkel and dive excursions and other activities must be booked via visitors’ resorts. They cannot explore the islands freely.

The Points Guy founder Brian Kelly canceled an early June trip to Antigua after learning that he would have to stay on the resort “unable to do things I would really want to do.” Good news, though, he did end up going.

More: Here are the rules for visiting Antigua

American Airlines resumed service to the Caribbean with flights to Antigua the last week of May, but it will be some time before things get back to normal.

  • Face masks must be worn at all ports of entry and in public spaces from the moment of disembarkation from the plane. Failure to do so could result in a fine of up to $5,000 and/or imprisonment for up to six months.
  • Health screenings and temperature checks will be conducted at each point of entry. Officials will also collect a self-reported traveler accommodation form from each passenger.
  • Arriving passengers may undergo nasal swabbing for rapid antigen tests.
  • Hand washing and sanitization stations will be available in many public spaces.
  • Customs and ground transportation will handle traveler luggage as little as possible.
  • All people must abide by social distancing guidelines of six feet or more.

You will not need to present a negative COVID-19 test before arrival, but having one can help you bypass some of the screening protocols on the ground.

Every incoming traveler will be tested for COVID-19. The test will take 15 minutes to complete, and results will be released within 48 hours, according to Antigua’s travel advisory website. Travelers will have to pay for the test, which costs $100 per person.

However, recent legal actions by tourists may change protocols for future incoming tourists.

Sign up for TPG’s new weekly newsletter written by Brian Kelly.

Related: Country by country guide to Caribbean reopening

 

Aruba

Aruba December 2017. (Photo by Clint Hederson/The Points Guy)
Aruba, December 2017. (Photo by Clint Hederson/The Points Guy)

 

Aruba is in the middle of phased reopening, with American visitors welcomed back on July 10. Visitors from Europe were allowed in Aruba as of July 1.

Prime Minister Evelyn Wever-Croes told the media, “As we prepare to reopen our borders, Aruba has put in place advanced public health procedures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 on the island. We have taken careful and deliberate steps to assess the current situation and make certain it is as safe as possible and appropriate to begin the reopening process.”

Related:  Aruba reopening in July

Arrivals will face new screening measures including the possibility of COVID-19 tests on arrival along with temperature checks and medical professionals available.

Americans from 20 states considered at high-risk will need to upload proof of a negative test within 72 hours of flying to Aruba or they won’e be allowed to board. Those from less-risky states will also need to upload a test or have one taken at Oranjestad’s airport. Those who take a test on arrival will need to quarantine at their hotel for up to 24 hours while awaiting the results. The tests are paid for by the tourist.

All guests must also purchase visitors insurance from the nation of Aruba to cover up to $75,000 in health insurance. For a week it will cost you about $100.

The country has also placed temporary capacity limits on some tourist spots, especially in popular destinations.  Casinos will also reopen with new safety measures in place.

Aruba closed its borders to tourists on March 29, although airline crew members have been exempt from the restrictions.

The country has had 106 confirmed coronavirus cases and three deaths.

 

Bahamas

(Photo courtesy Knight Frank)
(Photo courtesy Knight Frank)

 

Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis announced on August 3 that the country would go on lockdown as ICU beds are at capacity and deaths from the coronavirus increase. Healthcare workers in the Bahamas have also warned about overcrowded facilities.

Related: A country-by-country reopening guide to the Caribbean

“There has been an exponential increase in the number of cases, an increase in hospitalizations, an increase in the demand for ICU beds, and sadly, an increase in the number of deaths,” Minnis said.

The Bahamas in mid-July banned U.S. travelers from entering its borders by plane or vessel (expect those traveling by private jet) as cases in Texas, California and Florida spiked. That ban was later amended to allow Americans to visit but required them to quarantine for 14 days at a government facility.

Related: Bahamas reopening

The lockdown is set for two weeks for now, but could be extended.

Barbados

Bottom Bay in Barbados. (Photo by TommL/Getty Images)

Bottom Bay in Barbados. (Photo by TommL/Getty Images)

Good news: Barbados reopened to international travelers beginning on July 12. U.S. commercial flights will resume on July 25 for JetBlue and August 5 for American Airlines. They have instituted mandatory protocols that all inbound travelers have to follow:

  • COVID-19 PCR test from an accredited laboratory within 72 hours prior to departure for travelers from high-risk countries (one week for low-risk countries)
  • Online embarkation/disembarkation card (ED card) with personal health questions relating to COVID-19 symptoms
  • Test upon arrival without a documented negative COVID-19 PCR test result and mandatory quarantine at traveler’s expense until results are returned
  • Social distancing, temperature checks and wearing face masks

The local government clarifies that high-risk countries are defined as those that have seen more than 10,000 new cases in the prior seven days and community transmission, which would include the United States. In addition, anyone that tests positive for the coronavirus will be placed in isolation where they will “receive care from the Ministry of Health and Wellness.”

Related: Barbados set to welcome back Americans

More updates on Barbados’ response to coronavirus and any updates to its protocols can be found on the government website.

Belize

One of the most famous diving spots in the world is Belize
One of the most famous diving spots in the world is Belize’s Blue Hole. (Photo via Shutterstock)

 

Philip Goldson International Airport (BEZ) reopens on August 15. All nationalities are being welcomed back. Visitors and returning citizens will be required to submit a negative COVID-19 test prior to boarding their flight or will be tested on arrival, but Prime Minister Dean Barrow said: “We decided that any further delay would likely gain us nothing from a safety standpoint.”

In a statement, the tourism board said, “As the country reopens for travel, Belize wants to assure travelers and residents that hotels and restaurants will be cleaner and safer than ever before.”

Related: Planning your trip to Belize during coronavirus

Note that all visitors will have to stay at one of the country’s full-service hotels or resorts that have received the Belize Tourism Gold Standard Certificate of Recognition. Among the requirements for this designation? The hotels must have private transportation to and from the airport, a restaurant on-property, and strict cleanliness protocols.

(Image courtesy Belize tourism)
(Image courtesy Belize tourism)

Belize tourism laid out the following guidelines and requirements for tourists.

Predeparture

  • Obtain a certified negative PCR COVID-19 test within 72 hours of departure
  • Book approved housing
  • Wear face masks when traveling to the departure airport
  • Wear face masks and practice physical distancing at the departure airport
  • Download and verify information on Belize Health App

On the plane

  • Wear a face mask while on the plane
  • Practice social distancing to the extent possible

Upon arrival

  • Continue to wear face masks and practice physical distancing
  • Get a health screening
  • Check in daily on health app

Once at the airport, you’ll need to be medically screened as well as go through customs. If a passenger is showing symptoms they may be placed in quarantine.

Still no word on when cruise ships will be allowed to return.

Bermuda

 

Fly United between Bermuda and Newark. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.
Bermuda (Photo by Shutterstock)

 

Bermuda is the latest country to reopen post-coronavirus and roll out the red carpet to Americans. In fact, tourists from many nations are able to vacation in Bermuda again since July 1.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

The island will resume international commercial air service for visitors as part of its fourth phase of economic reopening after what it calls its “successful management of COVID-19 to date.” L.F. Wade International Airport (BDA)  reopened July 1 as well.

Related: Bermuda opening to Americans July 1

In a news conference announcing the reopening, Bermuda’s Minister of Tourism & Transport Zane DeSilva said, “As we work to finalize the protocols and requirements for travel to Bermuda, rest assured, we will always place the safety of our island and its people above all else.”

Details are still being worked out, but visitors with a negative COVID-19 test within three days of their arrival in Bermuda will be given freedom of movement around the 21-square-mile island.

Related: Visiting Bermuda with kids

Bermuda’s tourism board says it is still finalizing a detailed plan for anyone who tests positive during their visit. There is still no word on when cruise ships will be allowed to return.

More information on coronavirus in Bermuda can be found here.

More reading: New resort and hotel options in Bermuda

Brazil

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil May 2018. (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil May 2018. (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)

Brazil has the most coronavirus cases in South America with 3.3 million cases and more than 108,000 confirmed deaths as of August 16. Despite that, a travel ban on foreigners was totally lifted at the end of July. Tourists are welcome as long as they have health insurance.

Several carriers like United, Azul and LATAM are keeping their flights between the U.S. and Brazil open.

The government has not officially imposed any quarantine restrictions and President Jair Bolsonaro denies the need for them, insisting that only the elderly and other high-risk populations should stay home.

It wasn’t until May 5 that São Luís, the capital of Maranhão state, become the first major city in the country to implement a partial lockdown. More cities have passed lockdown measures since then, but many are now are re-opening. Some cities have progressed through their phases and are now opening larger centers such as malls, though masks are required

The U.S. has announced a ban on travel by foreign nationals who have been to Brazil in the past 14 days. This adds to bans already in place for the United Kingdom, Europe, Ireland, Iran, and China.

Croatia

(Image by Samantha T. Photography / Getty Images)
(Image by Samantha T. Photography / Getty Images)

 

Croatia has reopened for tourists from all countries.

As of July 13, Croatia amended its COVID-19 policies due to a slight spike in recent cases. Incoming travelers must now produce a negative COVID PCR test taken less than 48 hours before departure, or else observe a 14-day self-quarantine upon arrival. Additional updates from the European Union will be announced soon.

Related: Visiting Croatia in the age of coronavirus

The U.S. State Department still advises against traveling internationally right now, as COVID cases continue to spike in the U.S. and the advisory level remains at 4 — Do Not Travel.

Fair warning: The European Union has decided not to allow U.S. travelers into the E.U., but individual nations can decide to ignore that decision, and it appears that Croatia has done just that in regards to Americans. The Daily Beast reporting, “… upon checking with the Croatian government directly, we can confirm that Americans can travel to Croatia for tourism this summer without quarantine.”

Egypt

This picture taken on March 25, 2018, shows tourists in front of the Giza pyramids complex, on the southwestern outskirts of the Egyptian capital Cairo. / AFP PHOTO / FETHI BELAID (Photo credit should read FETHI BELAID/AFP/Getty Images)
This picture taken on March 25, 2018, shows tourists in front of the Giza pyramids complex, on the southwestern outskirts of the Egyptian capital Cairo. / AFP PHOTO / FETHI BELAID (Photo credit: FETHI BELAID/AFP/Getty Images)

 

International tourism resumed in Egypt July 1. The first day saw a few flights come in bringing tourists from countries such as Ukraine. The Great Pyramids of Giza also reopened on July 1 after being closed since March, reported Reuters. The pyramids underwent a deep cleaning of all paths and touchpoints earlier this summer.

Related: Guide to world landmarks reopening

Hotels opened to domestic tourists in May under the strict condition that they cannot operate at more than 25% capacity until the end of May; that increased to 50% capacity on June 1. Reuters also reported that hotels must implement new health measures, there must be a clinic with a resident doctor to regularly screen temperatures and disinfectant equipment must be installed, among other precautionary measures.

The health minister has indicated that Red Sea resorts, including in South Sinai, will be the first to open along with beaches west of Alexandria. It’s been estimated that Egypt has and will continue to lose 1 billion tourism dollars for each month that it’s closed.

According to the New York Times, Egyptian cafes are also reopened, but with only half capacity allowed. The pyramids at Giza are open, but temperature checks are required.

A reader named Melissa told TPG a Cairo-based tour guide took his first American tourist (since March) to the pyramids in July. There are reports that international visitors do not have to have a negative COVID-19 test, but must fill out a health certification form and show proof of insurance.

Related: Dreaming of visiting Egypt

Dominican Republic

Playa Blanca, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Caribbean Sea. (Photo by © Marco Bottigelli / Getty Images)
Playa Blanca, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (Photo by Marco Bottigelli / Getty Images)

 

The Dominican Republic’s borders had been closed by land, sea and air since March, but the island country announced in early June that it would reopen July 1although only approximately 30% of the hotels will open at that time. Social distancing guidelines will still be enforced, but not much else by way of specifics have been announced.

The Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism director Lucien Echavarria told the Caribbean Journal that 40-50% of the nation’s hotel inventory would open in July with the rest all opened by November at the latest.

 Punta Cana International Airport confirmed to Caribbean Journal it restarted commercial operations on July 1.

There will be temperature checks on arrival, but it doesn’t appear there are tests required.

Apparently in early July, hotel occupancy rates were only around 10%.

The United States Embassy in Santo Domingo issued a level 4 health warning not to travel to the Dominican Republic due to the impact of COVID-19.

The office warned American citizens to reconsider coming to the country in consideration of the situation with the pandemic:

The DR has had more than 46,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 910 deaths.

Related: Dominican Republic reopening July 1

French Polynesia

French Polynesia (Photo by Summer Hull/The Points Guy)
French Polynesia (Photo by Summer Hull/The Points Guy)

 

Related coverage: French Polynesia reopening

French Polynesia will officially reopen on July 15. The island nation implemented a 14-day quarantine period for international travelers back in March, a measure that appears to have been successful. No active COVID-19 cases have been reported since May 29, clearing the way for reopening.

If you plan on traveling to French Polynesia in July, you need to submit to a COVID-19 (RT-PCR) test 72 hours before departure.

If you’ve tested positive for COVID-19 three weeks prior to departure but have an immunity certificate from a doctor, you can bypass testing.

Additionally, all incoming travelers (residents excluded) must provide proof of international travel insurance. Luckily, credit card travel insurance satisfies this requirement. Use a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card to pay for your airfare and hotel, then provide a copy of the card’s Guide to Benefits as proof of coverage.

Travelers are also required to have a medical certificate, with the specifics to be communicated by the tourism board.

Four days after arrival, you may be subject to another COVID-19 test. The Ministry of Health and Prevention will be conducting these tests on a random basis, so keep that in mind. In addition to that, guests may also get visits from medical staff, authorized by the Department of Health to supervise.

All travelers are advised to wear a mask throughout their stay and abide by specific sanitary measures. If you do exhibit symptoms during your stay, you must self-report and self-isolate in your room until further instruction from local emergency operators.

If you’re itching to travel to French Polynesia when the border reopens on July 15, there are lots of options for getting there. Be sure to check out our guide on the best way to get to Tahiti using points and miles. The following airlines will be resuming flights:

  • Aircalin
  • Air France
  • Air New Zealand
  • Air Tahiti
  • Air Tahiti Nui
  • French Bee
  • Hawaiian Airlines
  • LATAM
  • United

All hotels and resorts are beginning to reopen including famous names like the Conrad Bora Bora, Le Meridien Bora Bora, and the Hilton Moorea Lagoon.

Related: Dreaming of French Polynesia: How I’m booking

Grenada

Saint George-Harbour, Grenada. (Photo by Westend61/Getty Images)
Saint George-Harbour, Grenada. (Photo by Westend61/Getty Images)

 

Like its Caribbean neighbors, Grenada is set to begin to reopen to foreign tourists on August 1 — with many health conditions attached. Unfortunately it’s not going to be easy for Americans to visit.

Travel is supposed to be extremely difficult for “high-risk” tourists from places like America where coronavirus is still rapidly spreading.

Only chartered flights are allowed from these countries.

Anyone traveling to Grenada from a high-risk country will find a 14-day mandatory quarantine period awaiting upon arrival. Additionally, tourists from “Red Zones” will have to undergo quarantining at an approved state facility for the same period — subject to the discretion of local officials.

Additionally, requirements of low and middle-risk countries still apply. A negative PCR test result, dated at most 7 days prior to entry, is needed — and rapid testing upon arrival will still take place. Tourists may have to stay 2-4 days at a government-approved accommodation while awaiting PCR results and be able to resume quarantine elsewhere (as long as they are not from the “Red Zones”).

 

Ireland

Ireland is open to Americans, but you must self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.

All arrivals from outside Ireland including citizens and residents are required to isolate themselves for two full weeks. You’ll also need to fill out a “Passenger Locator Form” saying where you will be quarantining. There is a fine of up to $2,860 or six months in jail for refusing to fill out the form or falsifying records.

Related: Yes you can go to Ireland, but.. 

Ireland is a member of the European Union, but unlike other countries in the EU, it did not ban non-essential travel, not even from the U.S. where coronavirus is still raging. Most of Europe is allowing some international tourists, but Americans are not among them. Ireland, on the other hand, never pulled up the welcome mat. The Irish government does advise against nonessential travel to the country, but it’s not forbidden and Americans are taking advantage. This policy will apparently be revisited on July 20 so make sure you are doing your research if you plan a trip.

Meantime, Ireland is dealing with visitors who are violating the country’s 14-day self-quarantine rule. The New York Times wrote a whole article on this problem. Some TPG readers have also reported that Americans are going to Ireland, skipping quarantine and visiting other parts of Europe. Not only is that illegal, but it’s also unethical and endangers other humans. Don’t do that.

Jamaica

The rocky side of Negril,Jamaica. Image by narvikk / Getty Images.
The rocky side of Negril, Jamaica (Photo by narvikk / Getty Images)

 

Jamaica officially reopened for tourism beginning June 15, but anyone who is hoping to plan a summer vacation here will have to overcome major hurdles. Arriving travelers have to submit a pre-travel health authorization registration with a customs and immigration form, and the government will issue a travel approval document based on those details. Travelers may be denied permission to visit depending on their risk for COVID-19 transmission.

All incoming travelers should expect thermal temperature checks upon arrival, and anyone who shows COVID-19 symptoms or feels ill upon arrival will be quarantined. Even after all those procedures, travelers are expected to adhere to social distancing and face mask policies in public. Travelers are also expected to follow any policies made by tourist and hospitality establishments, which are most likely derived from the government’s 119-page guide for local hospitality procedures.

Related: Jamaica reopening with lots of rules

Phase One of reopening falls between June 15 and 30, and will be limited to a “resilient corridor” of coastline destinations between Negril and Port Antonio. Only licensed tourism businesses and transportation companies that have been assessed by the tourism board can operate in this region during this time.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 is still spreading in Jamaica, so keep that in mind. The country has reported 790 confirmed cases and 10 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker.

Related: Visiting Jamaica with family

The Maldives

(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)

 

The Maldives has announced one of the most liberal opening policies in the world. Come July 1 all are welcome with no testing or quarantine required.

The Tourism Ministry reporting there are no screenings or tests required. But all tourists must stay at one resort or hotel for their whole stay. There are no new visa requirements or COVID-19 related fees.

Emirates Airlines is offering connections through Dubai from major global cities including Chicago.  Etihad will resume flights from Abu Dhbai to the Maldives starting July 16. Turkish Airlines is starting flights from July 17.

Related: Maldives reopening in July

TPG’s Zach Honig wrote about this risky reopening plan and points out the country only has two hospitals and 97 ventilators, so if you were to get sick there, it would be dangerous.

The Maldives has had more than 2,750 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 13 deaths.

Mexico

Subject: A panoramic view of the hotel district of Cancun at sunset. A popular tourist beach destination. The Yucatan Peninsula and the Riviera Maya in Mexico is a well developed vacation location with numerous hotels and entertainment districts. (Image by YinYang/iStock / Getty Images Plus)
The hotel district of Cancun at sunset (Image by YinYang/iStock /Getty Images Plus)

Mexico is slowly reopening to American travelers, with Cancun accepting international flights and visitors from the United States starting in June, and Los Cabos and Baja following in July.

Grand Residences Riviera Cancun told The Points Guy it is reopening July 4 and offering guests up to 44% off. In a press release, Daniela Trava Albarran, General Manager at Grand Residences Riviera Cancun said:

“Our top priority remains to be providing a safe and enjoyable environment for both our guests and staff. The resort has become known for its high standard of friendliness and sincerity and we have worked hard to maintain this level of service while making the necessary modifications to enhance sanitization measures. We look forward to once again hosting guests as they create new memories along our private beach, open-air landscape and social distance adapted amenities.”

Cancun’s International airport (CUN) has reopened to domestic and international flights.

Related: Mexico opening beach destinations 

In July, the international terminal at Los Cabos International (SJD) will open, and international visitors will be permitted to enter. From August to September, Cabo is planning to “slowly recover” national and international arrivals, especially those postponed in March and April.

Still, tourists are warned that Mexico is one of the epicenters for coronavirus.

Mexico has had more than 311,000 confirmed cases, and 36,000 deaths from coronavirus.

Puerto Rico

Culebra, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Douglas Hodgkins/EyeEm/Getty)
Culebra, Puerto Rico (Photo by Douglas Hodgkins/EyeEm/Getty)

Puerto Rico will officially reopen to all international travelers on July 15, but don’t expect everything to be back to normal.

Upon arrival, travelers will be subject to health screenings, including COVID-19 testing. You could be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days, regardless of symptoms.

Hotels will limit capacity at pools to 50%. Fitness centers and spas, which are currently closed, will reopen and operate at 50% capacity sometime later this summer.

Related: Everything you need to know about Puerto Rico reopening

Public beaches and water activities are allowed with appropriate social distancing.

If you’re thinking of bypassing some of these restrictions by booking an Airbnb, keep in mind that many of the same rules will apply.

Restaurants are currently open with reduced capacity.

As is now the norm in the age of COVID-19, buffets will not reopen and restaurant staff will serve meals wearing gloves and masks.

Shopping malls will be open but accessible via appointment only. No plans have been announced regarding casinos and playgrounds reopening.

San Juan International Airport (SJU) is open, and TPG found flights as low as $137 roundtrip on Spirit Airlines from Miami.

Related: Your points and miles guide to Puerto Rico

 

Rwanda

A gorilla in the Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. (Photo by Mint Images Art Wolfe / Getty Images)
A gorilla in the Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. (Photo by Mint Images Art Wolfe / Getty Images)

 

Rwanda is one of the few countries in the world that is now open to American visitors again. Now might be the perfect time to plan that safari adventure you’ve always wanted to take if you are able to swing it. Rwanda has done a good job controlling the coronavirus outbreak with only 1,172 cases and three deaths according to Johns Hopkins University.

For more travel tips and news, sign up for our daily newsletter

Rwanda is home to three major national parks. You can even book a trip to see the endangered mountain gorillas of Volcanoes National Park.

Related: Visiting Rwanda during COVID-19

The land-locked country reopened to all nationalities back on June 17, 2020, although the international airport will not reopen to commercial flights until Aug. 1. All arriving passengers will be required to present a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR (Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction) test taken within 72 hours before arriving in Rwanda.

VisitRwanda says, “For passengers entering Rwanda, a second PCR test will be conducted upon arrival, with results delivered within 24 hours, during which time they will remain in designated hotels at their own cost.”

Rwanda is offering visa on arrival as well for all nationalities. There are a number of additional planning resources available at VisitRawanda.com.

St. Lucia

The Pitons on St. Lucia. Image by Paul Baggaley / Getty Images.
The Pitons on St. Lucia. (Image by Paul Baggaley / Getty Images)

On May 18, the government of Saint Lucia announced a phased approach to reopening the island’s tourism sector in a responsible manner beginning June 4.

Related: Everything you need to know about entering St. Lucia

Good news for Americans, as Phase One of reopening includes welcoming international flights at Hewanorra International Airport (UVF) from the United States only.

Visitors will be required to present certified proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 48 hours of boarding their flights to UVF. Once they arrive, guests will undergo health checks and temperatures will be taken. Masks and social distancing will be required for the duration of the stay.

The country shut its borders on March 23. St Lucia has only had 22 confirmed cases and zero deaths.

Phase Two begins August 1, with details to be revealed.

St. Barths

St. Barts. (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)
St. Barts (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

 

St. Barthelemy (St. Barths) opened to tourists beginning June 22 , but there are lots of caveats.

More: Visitors can come to St. Barths only if they can prove they’re not sick

Related Coverage: Country-by-country guide to reopening

If you want to visit the Caribbean vacation spot, you’ll need to prove that you have tested negative for COVID-19 72 hours or less before you arrive. Those unable to provide such documentation will be tested on arrival, and will need to isolate at their lodging until results become available.

Visitors who test positive for the virus will be moved into quarantine on the island. 

Bruno Magras, president of the island’s territorial council, told the Caribbean Journal:

“Whether you are visiting an island friend or local resident, returning to spend time in your vacation home or coming back to spend some vacation time on the island, St Barth is pleased to welcome you back. Island beaches are open without restriction, restaurants and boutiques are operating as usual, houses of worship are open and holding services and nautical services as well as the other services to which you are accustomed are being provided as usual.”

Related: St Barths reopening on June 22

For those staying longer than seven days, a second COVID-19 test will be required.

You’ll need to plan carefully. There are no direct flights from the U.S. so make sure the country you are arriving from is allowing American tourists.

St Barths has reported only six cases of coronavirus and zero deaths.

St. Maarten

American Airlines plane landing at Sint Maarten Airport (SXM) in January of 2017. (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)
American Airlines plane landing at Sint Maarten Airport (SXM) in January of 2017. (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)

 

St. Maarten was planning to reopen on July 1 for Americans, but the recent uptick of coronavirus cases in the U.S. has impacted the reopening policies.

They are requiring several protocols to be followed for tourists, such as submitting results of a COVID-19 RT-PCR test that is no older than 72 hours prior to the day of travel. There is also a health declaration form for all arriving passengers to submit in advance (confirmation must be shown at immigration).

U.S. tourists are not being allowed to cross the island border between Dutch Sint Maarten to French Saint Martin until further notice.

More: St. Maarten is delaying their reopening for Americans

Related: E.U. reopening, Americans not welcome

Several resorts are again accepting reservations.

Delta had planned to resume service from the U.S., but this plan appears to be on hold, if temporarily.

There are several protocols that travelers are expected to follow, and it won’t be a vacation away from the social distancing that you may have hoped for initially. This graphic illustrates some of what you can expect, including face coverings, health screenings, and increased cleaning.

Image courtesy St. Maarten Tourism Bureau.

 

Related: St. Maarten is reopening — here’s what you have to know

Saint Vincent & the Grenadines

The local government announced that it will stage a phased opening, with the first one beginning July 1. Visitors from all countries are welcome, but everyone has to fill out the “VINCY” coronavirus questionnaire form and undergo testing and a 24-hour quarantine upon arrival (or until negative test results come back).

The next phase begins August 1, when visitors can forgo the 24-hour quarantine by providing a positive antibody test (within 5 days of traveling) or a negative PCR test (within 2 days). PCR testing on arrival and a health questionnaire are still mandatory.

The Seychelles

A photo of Air Seychelles’ first Airbus A320neo. (Photo courtesy of Airbus)
Air Seychelles’ first Airbus A320neo. (Photo courtesy of Airbus)

 

Americans can now travel to The Seychelles, but only those with big bucks are welcome.

Related: Seychelles reopening

Beginning this June, foreign tourists are allowed to vacation in the Seychelles, but the government’s tourism ministry is only looking for “high-end” visitors for now, according to Seychelles Nation.

“Only visitors traveling on private jets and chartered flights, and who will be heading off directly to remote island resorts, will be allowed in,” the outlet reported.

Visitors will not be allowed to leave their island resorts during their stay this month.

Commercial flights will begin again in July, but the government said it expects visitor numbers to be limited for a while even once they resume.

Tourists will be required to be tested for COVID-19 48 hours before they arrive, and will have to present proof of their lodging arrangements before being granted entry.

Visitors will be charged $50 to support local public health measures, and the tourism department is planning to introduce an app that will track tourists’ movements to facilitate contact tracing.

South Korea

Americans can go to South Korea, but a mandatory two-week quarantine will make it undesirable for most folks.

Unless you have long-term visa, you will have to quarantine at location overseen by the government. 

Most international arrivals to South Korea can expect the following on arrival. (This information was accurate as of August.)

  • You will go through the quarantine stands, where staff members from the Ministry of Health and Welfare check your body temperature and ask if you have any COVID related symptoms and medications that you may have consumed. At this point, they will also check if you have downloaded relevant apps for the 14-day quarantine depending on the staff member.
  • Assuming that you are considered non-symptomatic, you proceed to stands (depending on your legal status in Korea) where a soldier of the Korean Army will check for your self-quarantine eligibility. For most foreigners without a specific visa, you will get documentation for the mandatory 14-day government quarantine; if you disagree to any portions of the government quarantine, you may be asked to leave the country. App status may be checked again in this stage.
  • Travelers undergoing government quarantine may be asked to group together afterwards to prevent anyone defecting, overseen by either a public health official or a police officer who will escort through the following steps.
  • You will go through passport checks and submit relevant immigration forms, just as you would have done before the pandemic. Afterwards, you pick up your luggage and go through customs.
  • After exiting to the main lobby, police officers (if they haven’t already) may separate those who are self-quarantining and are going to a government facility. At this time, the National Fire Agency provides buses for those undergoing government quarantine.
  • Upon arrival at the government-run facility, public health officials and soldiers in the Korean Army will go through a “check-in” process with you. At this point, you will pay 2.1 million KRW (roughly $1,760, depending on the prevailing currency exchange rate) per person. All meals and coronavirus testing conducted during this time will be covered  with this payment.

Tanzania 

The Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania. (Photo by Freder / Getty Images)

Tanzania is now accepting tourists under pre-COVID rules, with no quarantine conditions attached.  The government is asking passengers to complete a Health Surveillance Form upon arrival, and all arriving travelers are “subjected to an intensive screening and where necessary COVID-19 rapid testing. Mask wearing and social distancing are also still in place for anyone planning a visit. Readers have confirmed that they have had no issues flying into the country.

Tanzania has received a lot of criticism on how it has handled the coronavirus pandemic. The government hasn’t actively revealed data about infection rates or death. The president says that releasing the data was “causing panic.”

To give you an idea of the current state in Tanzania, at the start of the pandemic, President John Magufuli declined to close churches, saying that the virus “cannot survive in the body of Christ — it will burn.” He also claimed Tanzania is free of coronavirus as of June due to prayer and the work of front line workers. He even celebrated citizens who weren’t wearing masks as a sign that people were no longer afraid and the virus was gone.

Travelers should note that Tanzania’s reported coronavirus cases are comparatively low, but experts say the toll is probably much higher.

Turkey

Istanbul, Turkey (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)
Istanbul, Turkey (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)

 

Turkey is welcoming Americans again.

As of June 11, Turkey’s international borders are open for travelers from a number of countries, including the U.S.

Travelers who show signs of COVID-19 will not be allowed to board flights or enter the country. Upon arrival, travelers will be asked to fill out a passenger information form and undergo medical screenings for infection, and anyone showing symptoms upon arrival will be tested for coronavirus. Anyone who tests positive will be referred to a Turkish hospital for quarantine and treatment.

However, the Turkish embassy’s website states that tourist travelers do not need to provide specific health documentation to enter or exit Turkey unless they are arriving for medical treatment.

However, travelers should note a couple of precautions unrelated to COVID-19:

  • The U.S. State Department’s travel advisory guide lists Turkey at Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution, due to concerns over terrorism and arbitrary detention. Travelers are strongly advised to avoid the areas bordering Iraq and Syria due to terrorist activity. (The official U.S. stance on worldwide travel is still Level 4: Do Not Travel — the highest tier of caution — due to COVID-19 concerns.)
  • U.S. travelers will still need to apply for a visa before entering Turkey. You can do so via e-visa application, which takes about three minutes.

Related: These are the US State Department travel advisories for July 2020

The official crime and safety report for Turkey can be found here, and the State Department’s travelers’ checklist here.

We should also note that Turkey has reported more than 215,000 coronavirus cases with Istanbul especially hard-hit.

Turks and Caicos

Beach in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos. Image courtesy of Shutterstock.
Beach in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos. (Courtesy of Shutterstock)

 

More good news on reopening from the Caribbean. Turks and Caicos, a group of 40 low-lying coral islands popular with tourists in the Caribbean, is reopening for international visitors beginning July 22. The Providenciales Airport will reopen on this date.

Related: Turks and Caicos reopening

Related: A country-by-country guide to reopening in the Caribbean

This British Overseas Territory includes the island of Providenciales, also known as Provo. Details on the reopening remain sparse, but international flights are resuming. The islands have seen 12 confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Related: 6 things to know before you go to Turks and Caicos

We don’t know yet what testing, screening or quarantine procedures will be in place, but we should have details in the next few weeks.

Related coverage: Why I love Turks and Caicos

We first learned about the reopening from the water adventure company Big Blue Collective. They wrote in a press release, “Time for all of us to get our island game on and for you to think about getting back down here. Our boats, kayaks, paddle boards and kites will be ready.”

Resorts and hotels are also reopening. Ocean Club Resorts told TPG that its sister properties are reopening as of July 22. They are offering 25% off for the remainder of the year.

 

United Kingdom 

London Heathrow (LHR). (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)
London Heathrow (LHR). (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)

 

Americans are allowed to visit the United Kingdom. Britain will allow Americans, but there is a giant caveat. Americans must quarantine for 14-days on arrival. The penalty for breaking this quarantine is steep running to more than $1,200 dollars a night in fines for violations.

We have seen some reports of Americans trying to get to the European Union from the U.K., but it’s not allowed and you are likely to be turned back (and you would potentially be breaking the law).

Related: Everything we know about England’s 14-day quarantine

U.S. Virgin Islands

 

panoramic view of Carambola Beach, St.Croix, US Virgin Islands. (Photo by cdwheatley/Getty Images)
panoramic view of Carambola Beach, St.Croix, US Virgin Islands. (Photo by cdwheatley/Getty Images)

 

The U.S. Virgin Islands is again closing down. A new surge in coronavirus cases after an initial reopening is behind a new order from the governor ordering  the stay-at-home order. Beginning Monday, August 17, 2020, all non-essential businesses and churches are ordered to cease operations and the public is ordered to stay at home. The new order on tourism is effective Wednesday, August 19, and will last for a period of at least one month. Hotels will not be allowed to check in new guests after that date.

Related: U.S. Virgin Islands shutting down again

The U.S. Virgin Islands, which includes St. Thomas and St. Croix, was under a state of emergency until July 11, but it welcomed back tourists as of June 1 with restrictions. That allowance has now been rescinded.

Related Coverage: State-by-state guide to coronavirus reopening

A toolkit for travelers and other updates are available at www.usviupdate.com.

 

Important caveats and things to know

COVID-19 continues to spread around the world. While some countries have done a good job of containing the virus, there is still much we don’t know. Travel is still considered a risky undertaking. Know the rules and regulations for the place you are planning to visit, and make sure you have completed all the necessary steps (like pre-departure testing in some cases). There is also the possibility countries could change their minds on reopening at the last minute (like we saw in Portugal and Iceland), so make sure you are booking refundable tickets and hotels or purchasing travel insurance. 

What about Europe?

The entire EU (aside from Ireland and Croatia) is closed to Americans and will likely remain that way until the total number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. falls. Americans can go to the U.K., but a 14-day required quarantine and restrictions on internal travel make the prospect less than ideal.

Additional reporting by Ariana Arghandewal, Katherine Fan, Jordyn Fields, Zach Honig, Brian Kelly, Brian Kim, Samantha Rosen, Victoria Walker, and Zach Wichter.

Featured image from Aruba in December of 2017 by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy.

UPDATE: Jamaica is open for tourists again, but only if you follow all of these rules

$
0
0

Editor’s note: This post was originally published on June 15, 2020, and was updated with new information on Aug. 18, 2020. 


As the travel industry reopens following COVID-19 shutdowns, TPG suggests that you talk to your doctor, follow health officials’ guidance and research local travel restrictions before booking that next trip. We will be here to help you prepare, whether it is next month or next year.

In This Post

Reach Falls, Jamaica. (Photo courtesy Monet Hambrick)

Jamaica reopening

After three months of preventative measures designed to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, Jamaica reopened for tourism on June 15. But travelers hoping to escape social distancing and face masks will not find the easy vacation they’re looking for — the country has published a 119-page guide for local hospitality procedures to prove it.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox including what other nations are open, sign up for our daily newsletter.

 

Arriving in Jamaica

Arriving travelers must follow an “extensive” set of health screening procedures, beginning with a mandatory pre-travel health authorization registration with a customs and immigration form between two to five days before their planned arrival date, and the government will issue a travel approval document based on those details.

As of Aug. 18, a new requirement has been added: All U.S. travelers must bring along negative results of a COVID-19 test, dated within 10 days of the date of arrival.

Related: Reopening guide to the Caribbean

Travelers may be denied permission to visit depending on their risk for COVID-19 transmission. Short-term business travelers are exempt from the requirements above, but must undergo rapid-result nasal swab testing upon arrival instead, and must remain quarantined until results are received.

Upon submission, your application will be “instantly” reviewed and your level of risk for COVID-19 transmission will be assessed based on your submitted details, according to the Visit Jamaica registration page.

Related: Bermuda opening to Americans July 1

Travelers above a certain risk threshold will be asked to avoid traveling to Jamaica at this time, while travelers under the threshold will be issued a travel approval document. Passengers must print their approval forms beforehand to show to an agent upon flight check-in or boarding. Airlines will not allow any travelers to board flights into Jamaica without proof of prior authorization.

All incoming travelers should expect thermal temperature checks, health screenings and an interview with a health official upon arrival, and anyone who shows COVID-19 symptoms or feels ill upon arrival will be quarantined. The new June 15 policy supersedes previous measures, which required mandatory quarantine upon arrival into the country.

Upon arrival and after passing all health screenings, healthy tourists must remain within the “COVID-19 resiliency corridor” spanning the northern coastline between Negril and Portland along the main road, according to Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness. Only hotels or cottages licensed by the Tourist Board Act are permitted to host guests during this phase of reopening.

Non-Jamaican tourists who plan to travel outside of the approved tourist zone must be tested for COVID-19, and will be required to quarantine in their hotel room or intended address until test results come back. Tourists who test positive must remain in quarantine for the duration of their illness, either in their current place of shelter or at a government-designated facility.

How to get there

How to use Google Flights to plan your next trip

The cheapest flights begin at $300 round trip on Spirit departing from Newark (EWR) with a stopover in Fort Lauderdale (FLL), while the lowest-priced fares on a major U.S. carrier also depart Newark, beginning from $406 round trip on United with a stopover in Houston (IAH).

Related: Visiting Jamaica with family

American Airlines is restarting some flights as soon as today. It will soon be flying from both Charlotte (CLT) and Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) to Montego Bay. AA begins flying from Miami on July 2 to Kingston for as low as $310 roundtrip in main cabin. Or you can fly in business class for another $264. You can fly from New York JFK via MIA for $461 in the main cabin.

Image courtesy American Airlines.

 

United Airlines has direct flights from Newark to Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay (MBJ) which is within the open corridor for 90,000 miles and $140 in taxes and fees. You could fly in coach for 35,000 United miles and $140 in taxes and fees. That same trip would be $469 in cash in main cabin (non-basic).

You could fly via Delta Air Lines to Kingston in main cabin for $527 or $478 in basic economy. The same flight would be 28,000 miles and $161 in taxes.

Screenshot courtesy Delta Air Lines.

 

Southwest Airlines is expected to resume service to Montego Bay from Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) and Orlando International Airport (MCO) on July 1.

Related: Best ways to Caribbean on points and miles

Where to Stay

Hilton’s Montego Bay all-inclusive resort, the Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa, as well as Hyatt’s all-inclusive properties Zilara Rose Hall and Hyatt Ziva, all reopen July 1, with rates beginning around $300/night at each destination.

Related: Review of the Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall

For example, If you wanted to stay at Hyatt’s Rose Hall all-inclusive it would be $295/night or 25,000 World of Hyatt points/night.

Related: Reopening guide: country-by-country

There is a good mix of chain and non-chain hotels in Jamaica, but if you are paying cash you could always use that sweet travel credit from the Chase Sapphire Reserve card!).

Related: 9 of the best ways to use points in the Caribbean

Hotels.com shows more than 1,200 hotels and guest properties on the island of Jamaica with availability during the first week of reopening, with more than 100 properties open in capital city Kingston alone. However, note that Kingston does not fall within the COVID-19 resiliency corridor designated by the government, so travelers visiting the capital city of Jamaica will have to quarantine in place until their coronavirus tests come back negative.

Most of the properties listed are guesthouses and similar housing, although major chain properties include Marriott hotels AC Hotel Kingston from $167/night or the Courtyard by Marriott Kingston from $205 per night. Notably, the Hyatt’s Kingston-based Trident Hotel is not yet booking guests.

Related: Complete review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve

Additional reporting by Clint Henderson.

Featured photo by David Neil Madden.


The best campgrounds, hotels and lodges near Yellowstone National Park

$
0
0

Yellowstone is one of the nation’s most popular national parks. It’s also one of my favorites. I’ve been four times in 2020 alone. I can tell you from experience it’s also not a cheap place to visit — especially in the summer. There are some tricks and decent deals can be found if you do your research.

Related: Complete guide to Yellowstone

Here’s a complete guide to staying in the towns surrounding the park or in the park itself.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

In This Post

There are plenty of places for you to stay in and around Yellowstone. Both vacation rental properties and hotels are plentiful at all five entrances to Yellowstone (there are three in Montana and two in Wyoming).

Related: How to visit the national parks for less

Points hotels (And a few non-points hotels) near Yellowstone

Search Cook City, Gardiner, Red Lodge or West Yellowstone in Montana for hotels or rental properties near the trio of Montana entrances. There are also plenty of places to bed down at the two Wyoming entrances or even in nearby Idaho. You can search Cody, Wyoming too. Jackson, Wyoming-area hotels will work too, but I’ve found the Jackson Hole area to be the most expensive place to stay.

If you’re looking for places to spend points, there are far fewer options unless you’re willing to stay a few hours outside the park in places like Bozeman, Montana; Idaho Falls, Idaho; or Jackson, Wyoming.

West Yellowstone, Montana

There’s a nice Holiday Inn in West Yellowstone where last-minute rooms in August start at $272 a night. That’s steep, but if you book early you can certainly find better rates. A long weekend in September will set you back $252 a night, or you can use 45,000 IHG Rewards Club points per night.

(Screenshot courtesy IHG)
(Screenshot courtesy IHG)
(Screenshot courtesy Holiday Inn/IHG)

 

I booked a room here in July and, despite the last-minute reservation, managed to secure a decent rate. Just watch out for added taxes and fees (unlike the rest of Montana, there are taxes in West Yellowstone). The final price ended up being almost $300 a night. Ouch.

(Image courtesy Holiday Inn/ IHG)
(Screenshot courtesy Holiday Inn/IHG)

 

Holiday Inn West Yellowstone (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy))
Holiday Inn West Yellowstone (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)

There are also two Choice hotel properties travelers may want to consider: An Ascend Hotel for $212 a night and a Comfort Inn starting at $186 a night in West Yellowstone. Choice also has select properties in Livingstone, Montana, but that’s an hour away from the park.

(Image courtesy Choice Hotels)
(Screenshot courtesy Choice Hotels)

Travelers can also consider the Days Inn by Wyndham West Yellowstone (from 15,000 Wyndham Rewards points per night). And if you have Best Western Rewards points, you could try the Best Western Desert Inn or the Best Western Weston Inn, both from 28,000 points per night.

Bozeman, Montana

If you’re looking for a major chain hotel, you’ll need to head to Bozeman, Montana or Jackson, Wyoming or even Idaho for a Hilton or a Marriott property. Rates are generally better, but it’s a good two-hour drive to Yellowstone from Bozeman. Prices are also high during the peak summer season — yes, even in 2020 — and can easily run at least $250 per night.

When it welcomes its first guests in August 2020, the 122-room Kimpton Armory Hotel Bozeman will be one of the area’s most exciting new properties. The art deco building dates back to 1941 and features a whiskey bar, a rooftop pool and a concert hall. It’s about an hour from Big Sky and two hours to the north entrance to Yellowstone. Rates range from $207 to $299 a night during August and September.

(Screenshot courtesy IHG)
(Screenshot courtesy IHG)

 

There are three Hilton properties in Bozeman including a Hampton Inn, a Homewood Suites and a Hilton Garden Inn.

Marriott has SpringHill Suites, Element, and a Residence Inn. Rates are high this summer starting around $200 a night, and it’s even worse looking out to next summer when much is already sold out.

Big Sky, Montana

In Big Sky, the relatively new Wilson Hotel, a Residence Inn by Marriott, is one of the first from a major brand in the area. Rates start about $244 a night, and it’s just about an hour (52 miles) from Yellowstone National Park. It’s 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.

(Screenshot courtesy Marriott)
(Screenshot courtesy Marriott)

The Lodge at Big Sky looks pretty rustic too. Rates start at about $189 a night.

Lone Mountain Ranch looks charming if you want to indulge your Western fantasies. In my research, it looks like rates start at about $450 per night.

You could use your Capital One card to put a dent in that spend. The Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card is currently offering a bonus of 50,000 bonus miles once you sign-up and spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening, which is $500 you can put toward travel expenses of your choice. (You can “erase” travel purchases from your credit-card statement at the exchange of 1 Capital One mile for 1 cent.)

(Screen shot courtesy Lone Mountain Ranch)
(Screenshot courtesy Lone Mountain Ranch)

Gardiner, Montana

If you’re on a budget, there are lots of options in Gardiner, Montana, including a Super 8, a Travelodge by Wyndham and a Comfort Inn. There’s also a non-points option that looks pretty charming and rustic: the Roosevelt Lodge. It averages around $200 a night, but prices can go as high as about $500 per night.

Gardiner, Montana July 2020. (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)

Livingston, Montana

There is a brand-new Fairfield Inn and Suites in Livingston, Montana, about an hour from the park. It’s near the northern entrance which is the only entrance open year-round.  It is a Marriott Bonvoy Category 5 hotel and rates in August of 2020 started at $188 a night or 105,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.

Fairfield Inn in Livingston, MT (Image courtesy Marriott)
Fairfield Inn in Livingston, MT (Image courtesy Marriott)

Also in Livingston, there’s a Travelodge and a Super 8 — both by Wyndham, There’s the Yellowstone Valley Lodge, an Ascend Hotel Collection, and a Comfort Inn as well. All are pretty basic but will do the trick for less than $150 a night.

Cody, Wyoming

Cody, Wyoming is another option for folks who don’t mind driving a little over an hour to the park. It’s a charming town in its own right with a museum dedicated to the Old West called the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.

There are lots of motels and lodges in Cody, but the one that looks most interesting from a points POV is the Holiday Inn Cody at Buffalo Bill Village. Cash rates in September were about $122 a night or you could use 7.500 IHG Rewards Club points and $66 per night. A straight redemption would run you 17.500 IHG points (but availability is scarce).

Jackson, Wyoming

Jackson, Wyoming July 2020 (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)
Jackson, Wyoming July 2020 (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)

There are tons of options in Jackson, Wyoming, but prices are high. You are literally at the doorstep of Grand Teton National Park, and only about an hour to a southern entrance to Yellowstone. It’s 100 miles to Old Faithful.

There’s the Marriott property SpringHill Suites Jackson Hole, but rates are high. Like almost $500 high. I was able to find rates as low as $355 in the offseason but that’s still pretty pricey. It’s a category 6 Marriott Bonvoy property, and redemptions start at 50,000 Bonvoy points per night this time of year (if you can find availability) and can go higher.

(Screen shot courtesy Marriott)
(Screenshot courtesy Marriott)

Hilton has a few properties in Jackson but they are pricey ($400+ a night). You could also use 40,000 Hilton Honors points per night which I would call a good deal.

If you want a really good cash deal, you’ll need to head for Rexburg, Idaho, which is a pretty long drive over the mountains from Grand Teton National Park… another hour past Yellowstone. Rates there start at just $136 a night.

(Screen shot courtesy Hilton)
(Screenshot courtesy Hilton)

Hyatt has the Rusty Parrot Lodge and Spa that’s “coming soon,” according to the World of Hyatt website. The property had a big fire back in November of 2019 and is undergoing a major rebuild.

IHG has a new property in the area called Mr & Mrs Smith Caldera House, but there’s no firm opening date.

(Screenshot courtesy IHG/Holiday Inn)
(Screenshot courtesy IHG/Holiday Inn)

Related: How to use points to stay near national parks

Staying inside Yellowstone’s borders

Within the park, travelers will discover several rustic lodges. Xanterra is the concessioner for all accommodations inside Yellowstone National Park (as well as Glacier and others, too). Many of the large lodges have existed for more than a century, so keep that in mind and manage your expectations accordingly.

Related: I went to Glacier and Yellowstone during COVID-19 and it was weird

Hotels sell out quickly during the high season. Even with the coronavirus crippling travel, there isn’t much availability. In fact, only cabins are available in the park right now. Lodges are closed and are likely to remain shut down for the remainder of 2020. That makes inventory even scarcer than it usually is this time of year.

I was able to find some dates with availability, but prices are high. At Mammoth Falls Lodge cabins, rates were $277 a night for dates in August.

Back in June, I stayed in the cabins at Mammoth Hot Springs Lodge. They are charming but basic. The beds are small, and there’s no air conditioning. Still, it was really fun staying inside the park and having easy access to hiking trails and the beautiful Mammoth Springs.

Mammoth Hot Springs cabins in Yellowstone National Park. (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)
Mammoth Hot Springs cabins in Yellowstone National Park. (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)

The cabins at Old Faithful Lodge are cuter and just steps from the famous Old Faithful geyser. They’re tiny, sure, but the perfect base for exploring the nearby geysers, mountains and hot springs when I stayed there in June. Rates in August start at $174 a night.

Cabins at Old Faithful Lodge in Yellowstone National Park. (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)
Cabins at Old Faithful Lodge in Yellowstone National Park. (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)

If you’re thinking about staying inside the park next summer, act fast.

Betsy O’Rourke, chief marketing officer at Xanterra, told TPG earlier this year, “We open the inventory 13 months out and we sell out in a few hours. However, about 30% of that inventory cancels and gets rebooked.”

Her advice? Check back frequently. “Our cancellation policy is 48 hours out, so we do get cancellations even close in.”

You can find better deals if you’re willing to stay at a vacation rental instead. Airbnb has plenty of properties, especially for travelers who want something unconventional like a traditional log cabin, glamping-style tent or a treehouse.

Even last minute, there’s availability on Airbnb outside the park. I recommend searching for West Yellowstone or Gardiner. I found plenty of options near Montana’s Western entrance to the park starting at $157 a night.

(Image courtesy AirBnB)
(Screenshot courtesy Airbnb)

Luxury accommodations near Yellowstone

It can also make a lot of sense to use your credit card points to help offset the cost of an upscale stay near the park. Consider redeeming a stash of Chase Ultimate Rewards points to book a stay at an independent property.

The Under Canvas “glamping” lodge is just 10 minutes from Yellowstone’s West Entrance. I found availability in August for $264 a night. With taxes and fees, a four-night stay would be just over $1,200.

If you want to splurge, try the Triple Creek Ranch in Darby, Montana — it’s about 4.5 hours from the park, and rates start around $1,600 a night. Paws Up resort in Greenough, Montana, is also a 4.5-hour drive, and rooms will set you back about $1,700 a night. And the first five-star, ultra-luxury hotel in the entire state, a Montage in Big Sky, will debut in 2021.

Camping in Yellowstone

Of course, you can always camp inside Yellowstone. The park has 12 proper campgrounds with over 2,000 individual spots. You can head over to Yellowstone National Park lodges to make reservations, which cost $27 a night, on average.

Other campgrounds are available on a first come, first served basis. They fill up quickly in the summer, and in 2020 not all campgrounds are available because of the pandemic, so your mileage may vary. A search in July found just four of the 12 campgrounds open and accepting reservations. In fact, most were full by 7 a.m.

If you have an RV or camping equipment, you can stay outside the park in the surrounding national forests for very little — or nothing at all. It’s called dispersed camping, and travelers comfortable with a more primitive stay should consider the surrounding Custer Gallatin or Bridger Teton National Forests.

Related: Complete guide to Glacier National Park

Featured photo courtesy Clint Henderson/The Points Guy

Earn statement credits with new Amex Offers at select Marriott, Hyatt, IHG properties

$
0
0

Editor’s note: As the travel industry reopens following COVID-19 shutdowns, TPG suggests that you talk to your doctor, follow health officials’ guidance and research local travel restrictions before booking that next trip. We will be here to help you prepare, whether it is next month or next year.

If you have a hotel stay coming up over the next few months and hold an American Express card, listen up: You may be able to save some serious cash on your next trip. Many American Express cardholders have reported they’ve been targeted for even more deep discounts at major hotel chains through the Amex Offers program.

That said, it’s important to note that the coronavirus pandemic continues across the U.S. and much of the world, and many states and countries continue to impose travel restrictions. As a result, now may not be the best time to book leisure trips. However, most hotel chains are offering flexible change and cancellation policies for new reservations — so there’s little risk to booking a stay that falls during the offer periods below. Just be aware of the risk that you may need to cancel the trip as it approaches.

Let’s take a look at the current offers we’re seeing across various Amex cards.

Sign-up for the TPG daily newsletter to get points and miles coverage like this delivered to your inbox.

In This Post

Marriott

TPG Senior Editor Nick Ewen was targeted for a $50 statement credit after spending $200 at select Marriott properties. He received the offer on The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express. I got the same offer on my American Express® Green Card.

Screengrab from American Express

Note that the offer is valid only at participating Marriott Bonvoy properties in the U.S. and its territories, Mexico, the Caribbean or Canada. You must book online, through the Marriott Bonvoy app or by calling 1-888-236-2427. Note that you cannot purchase gift cards or Marriott Bonvoy points with this offer.

READ MORE: The award traveler’s guide to Marriott Bonvoy

Hyatt

We’re also seeing a sweet new offer from Hyatt. You’ll get $50 back after spending $250 or more from now through Nov. 10, 2020. TPG’s Summer Hull saw the offer on the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express.

This offer is valid at any Hyatt hotel and resort in the U.S. and U.S. territories; and not just properties like Hyatt House. You can also use the offer to score great deals at some luxury properties like the Park Hyatt, Miraval, Andaz, and even Destination Hotels.

READ MORE: Your ultimate guide to World of Hyatt

IHG brands

InterContinental

I spotted a new InterContinental offer for $60 back after spending $300 or more on my Amex Green. TPG’s Nick Ewen saw the same offer on a variety of cards, including his Platinum Card® from American Express, American Express® Gold Card and Blue Business Plus.

Note that this offer is only valid for stays in the U.S and excludes all other IHG brands. The offer expires on New Year’s Eve.

Kimpton

Similar to the offer above, there’s also a Kimpton offer for $40 back after spending $200 or more from now through the end of the year. I also saw this offer on my Amex Green, while Ewen spotted it on several cards. Like the InterContinental offer above, it’s only valid at Kimpton hotels in the U.S. and excludes all other IHG brands.

Hotel Indigo

Finally, we have another IHG offer, this time from Hotel Indigo. Like the Kimpton offer, it’s for $40 back after spending $200 or more from now until the end of the year. Like the offers above, it’s valid for U.S. stays and excludes all other IHG brands. I saw this offer on my Amex Green card.

RELATED: The award traveler’s guide to IHG Rewards Club

Bottom line

Any of the above offers can only be added to one card per account holder. You’ll want to check all of your cards first to select the one that offers you the best return on the purchase — or choose one that waives foreign transaction fees for any purchases outside the U.S. and its territories.

Also, these are targeted offers, so you may not see them at all. If you do, I encourage you to add them right away, since these tend to have limited enrollment and may disappear before the expiration date. Also, only 100 Amex Offers will be visible at a time, so if you’re at capacity, add offers to your card to see if any new ones appear.

If you don’t have an American Express card and don’t want to miss out on future offers like these, consider adding The Platinum Card® from American Express to your wallet. The card offers a welcome bonus of 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you use your new card to make $5,000 in purchases in your first three months. You might even be eligible for a 100,000-point bonus offer using the CardMatch tool (offer subject to change at any time).

You’ll also receive 5x Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel and 5x points on prepaid hotels booked on Amextravel.com. As a Platinum cardholder, you’ll also receive complimentary Gold status with both Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors, so your stays could be even more rewarding.

If the Platinum Card isn’t for you, read our guide on choosing the best American Express card that suits your style.

Additional reporting by Liz Hund, Jasmin Baron, Jennifer Yellin and Nick Ewen.

Featured photo by Scott Mayerowitz / The Points Guy

All screen shots courtesy of American Express


Editor’s Note: This is The Points Guy’s permanent page for Amex Offers at major chain hotels. It will be updated as new ones are released.

Complete guide to hotel elite status during the coronavirus outbreak

$
0
0

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.

As the world continues to react to the ongoing spread of the coronavirus, several hotels programs are announcing modifications to their elite status schemes. Many of these offers were initially specific to those residing in the Asia-Pacific region and provided peace of mind to travelers who suddenly saw a drop-off in their overnight business travel and would thus struggle to maintain any status they had earned.

However, many hotel programs are now offering status extensions to customers outside of these regions, and others have offered to waive points expiration and adjust other aspects of their programs. In the article below, we’ll show you what all of the major hotel loyalty programs are doing for their elite members — though check back frequently, as this is sure to change over the weeks and months to come.

For the latest updates, bookmark TPG’s dedicated coronavirus hub page and sign up for our daily newsletter.

Here’s a roundup of all participating companies thus far.

In This Post

Accor

Accor has announced that all Accor Live Limitless (ALL) tiers of status — Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond — will be extended an additional year for all members residing in Greater China, including the mainland, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. These statuses will now expire Dec. 31, 2021, regardless of how many eligible nights a member completes in 2020.

Members outside of these countries are not yet eligible for the status extension.

Best Western Hotels & Resorts

Best Western Premier Trocadero la Tour Paris
The Best Western Premier Trocadero la Tour in Paris. (Photo courtesy of Booking.com)

Best Western Hotels & Resorts is allowing all members of the Best Western Rewards members around the globe to maintain their current status through Jan. 31, 2022, regardless of their future stays. This change will be automatically reflected in all eligible Best Western accounts. Even better, Best Western members who were downgraded to a lower status tier at the end of 2019 will have their previous status reinstated through this date.

Choice

On May 21, Choice Hotels extended all members’ current elite status through Dec. 31, 2021, regardless of the number of nights you stay this year. The chain also announced reduced thresholds for elite status qualification in 2020:

  • Gold status: earned after staying seven nights as opposed to 10
  • Platinum status: earned after staying 15 nights as opposed to 20
  • Diamond status: earned after staying 25 nights as opposed to 40

In addition, points expiration has been paused until Dec. 31, 2020.

Related: Choice Privileges extends elite status for all, offers elite upgrades and bonus points

Hilton Honors

(Photo by Scott Mayerowitz / The Points Guy)
(Photo by Scott Mayerowitz / The Points Guy)

On March 25, 2020, Hilton became the first of the major hotel loyalty programs to announce elite status extensions for all elite members. According to Hilton’s coronavirus page, the hotel group has extended elite status validity for members with status expiring on March 31, 2020, to March 31, 2021. Likewise, Hilton Honors members who have status expiring on March 31, 2021 will have their status extended through March 31, 2022.

Related: Hilton is waiving all cancellation fees in response to coronavirus concerns

The hotel group made a handful of other changes across its portfolio including:

  • Points expiration is paused for all Hilton Honors points until December 31, 2020.
  • All existing reservations that are scheduled for arrival on or before June 30, 2020, can be canceled at no charge up to 24 hours prior to your scheduled arrival day.
  • All new reservations booked between today and June 30, 2020, for any future travel date can be canceled at no charge up to 24 hours prior to your scheduled arrival day.
  • Outstanding Weekend Night Reward certificates earned with select Hilton American Express cards will be extended. All Weekend Night Rewards that were unexpired as of March 11, 2020, and all new certificates issued through August 30, 2020, will have their validity extended until August 31, 2021.

IHG

On April 22, 2020, IHG announced that it would automatically extend all elite statuses through January 2022. Previously, it had only announced elite status extensions for members with accounts in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan as of Feb. 17, 2020. Similar to Hilton, those IHG points that would otherwise expire will be extended until Dec. 31. These adjustments will be made automatically and members should see the updated dates in their accounts.

This announcement is in addition to IHG’s announcement from March 11 that it would update its elite status criteria for 2020. The new qualification requirements reduce the required points or nights by 25% or more through the end of the year. You can see the specific requirements for all status tiers in the graphic below.

Graphic courtesy of IHG.

Related: IHG waives cancellation fees; lowers elite status requirements

In addition, those who purchased Ambassador status in the first six months of 2019 will have their status extended by six months to accommodate for the interruption. This even includes an updated “complimentary weekend night” voucher, which will reflect the new date of expiration for IHG Ambassadors.

Here are other updates related to the IHG Rewards Club program:

  • The program is waiving cancellation fees for new and existing bookings worldwide, effective March 11 through June 30, 2020.

Marriott

JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District - The Atlantic
The Atlantic guest room. (Image courtesy of JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District)

On April 8, 2020, Marriott announced that it was extending Marriott Bonvoy elite status for members who earned elite status in 2019. These members will have their status expiration date extended to February 2022, a move similar to announcements from Hilton and World of Hyatt.

Additionally, Marriott is pausing Bonvoy point expiration until February 2021. At that time, points will expire in accounts that have been inactive for 24 months or longer. Thankfully, there are many ways to keep your points active like using a Marriott credit card or dining with the Marriott dining program.

Here are the other updates Marriott is making in light of the coronavirus outbreak:

  • All existing Marriott stays — including more restrictive prepaid reservations — can now be changed or canceled free of charge until June 30, 2020. All changes and cancellations must be made 24 hours prior to the guest’s scheduled arrival date.
  • Any new reservation made between March 13 and June 30 can also be changed or canceled at no charge, though again, you must make the change or cancellation at least 24 hours prior to your arrival date.
  • Members with outstanding free-night certificates offered by select Marriott credit cards that were set to expire in 2020 will be able to use them through Jan. 31, 2021.
  • Suite Night Award certificates with Dec. 31, 2020 expiration dates have had validity extended through Dec. 31, 2021.

Preferred Hotels & Resorts

The I Prefer rewards program — covering over 700 global resorts across 85 countries — sent an email to members on March 16, 2020, announcing that all elite members would retain their status through June 30, 2021, regardless of the number of nights they complete this year. It’s also extending points expiration for all members through Aug. 31, 2020.

Radisson

Radisson Rewards has extended elite status through February 2022 for members who would have lost it in February 2021. In addition, the program has suspended points expiration through March 31, 2021. Travelers with e-certs that are set to expire through June 30, 2020, will be able to redeem them for stays through June 30, 2021. Additionally, all elite nights from 2020 will roll over to 2021.

You can cancel or change reservations made before April 30, 2020 for stays through Sept. 30, 2020 with no penalty. This applies only to bookings made directly with Radisson and not through third-party sites. Radisson allows free cancellations up to 24 hours before arrival on reservations made between April 30 and Sept. 30, 2020.

Shangri-La

Though it’s a smaller program, Shangri-La is being especially generous, with the company deciding to extend all Golden Circle tier status members (Diamond and Jade) around the world through Dec. 31, 2021.

World of Hyatt

(Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)
Hyatt members now have some additional flexibility, though elite status is still up in the air. (Photo by Clint Henderson/The Points Guy)

On April 3, 2020, Hyatt announced that it’s extending World of Hyatt elite status for all members that held valid elite status as of March 31, 2020. All members will have their elite status expiration extended through Feb. 28, 2022, regardless of how many nights they’ve accrued this year. There is no need to enroll in this status extension and all World of Hyatt elite members should see the new expiration date reflected in their online account by April 15, 2020.

Additionally, the hotel group announced that all rewards set to expire between March 1 and Dec. 31, 2020, will have validity extended through December 31, 2021. These rewards include suite upgrades, free-night certificates and club access passes. Hyatt has also paused the expiration of World of Hyatt points through December 31, 2020, for all members regardless of their elite status tier.

Related: World of Hyatt expands free cancellations, suspends award chart changes until next year

Note that Hyatt has also announced other changes to its loyalty program in light of the coronavirus:

  • Hyatt postponed the previously-announced changes to its award chart and planned introduction of peak and off-peak pricing until 2021. Note, however, that five hotels will still shift categories on March 22. Four hotels — the Hyatt Centric Park City, Park Hyatt Shenzhen, Alila Yangshuo and Park Hyatt Ningbo — will move up a category, while the Park Hyatt Mallorca will drop from Category 6 to Category 5.
  • All existing reservations booked April 1 or earlier for arrivals through June 30, 2020, can be changed or canceled at no charge up to 24 hours prior to arrival. This includes Advance Purchase Rate reservations that usually don’t allow changes or cancellations.
  • New reservations made betwen between April 1, 2020, and June 30, 2020, can be changed or canceled at no charge up to 24 hours prior to arrival regardless of the date of arrival.
  • Existing Advanced Purchase rate reservations made directly with Hyatt on or before March 8 for travel through June 30 can still be canceled in exchange for 10,000 World of Hyatt points if the member so desires. However, no refund will be offered on these stays.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

On April 14, 2020, Wyndham announced that it was extending elite status for all current Wyndham Rewards elite members through December 31, 2021. This status extension is automatic and there’s no need to call Wyndham to process the extension.

In addition, the hotel group is gifting Gold elite status to essential workers, including healthcare workers, delivery drivers and others who help “keep everyday life moving” while we’re locked down. Eligible essential workers can enroll on Wyndham’s #EverydayHeros webpage; the complimentary status is valid through December 31, 2021.

Other changes to Wyndham Rewards include:

  • Points expiration is paused for points scheduled to expire between now and Sept. 30, 2020.
  • New or existing direct bookings through June 30, 2020, can be changed or canceled free of charge within 24 hours prior to arrival.
  • Change penalties are waived for stays beginning after June 30, 2020, so long as the reservation is canceled 48 hours prior to arrival.

Bottom line

While COVID-19 spreads, we’ve seen a massive impact on the travel industry — with travel bans, canceled flights and plunging hotel occupancy. It’s nice to see that hotels are working to make the lives of travelers — both frequent and infrequent — easier during this time of uncertainty. If you’re wondering what will happen with your hotel elite status for the rest of the year and into 2021, be sure to bookmark this page and check back regularly, as we’re certain to see updates in the weeks and months to come.

For the latest news around the COVID-19 virus, check out our dedicated coronavirus news page.

Featured photo by Dace Kundrate/Shutterstock.

Benji Stawski, Victoria Walker and Jasmin Baron contributed to this post.

 

Top credit cards for Global Entry and TSA PreCheck

$
0
0

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new card details and information. As the travel industry slowly reopens following COVID-19 shutdowns, TPG suggests that you talk to your doctor, follow health officials’ guidance and research local travel restrictions before booking your next trip. We will be here to help you prepare, whether it is next month or next year.

If you travel even a few times a year, you know how frustrating it can be dealing with airport security. And if you’ve ever flown internationally, the lines at U.S. Customs to re-enter the country can be even worse, even if you’re traveling on a U.S. passport.

Fortunately, there are ways to minimize your wait times at both of these stations. My personal favorites are Global Entry and/or TSA PreCheck. Even though these programs carry fees, they can easily be avoided — if you have the right credit card(s) in your wallet.

Now that enrollments for Trusted Traveler Programs are set to reopen Sept. 8, 2020, many people might be scoping out the best way to apply for or renew Global Entry and/or TSA PreCheck. There are plenty of tricks out there for scoring an appointment upon arrival, using services to book the best interview slot and more. But the easiest way to avoid the out-of-pocket cost associated with applying for Global Entry and/or TSA PreCheck is to have a card in your wallet that offers a credit for such expenses.

Today I want to highlight the best ones to do just that.

The best credit cards for Global Entry and TSA PreCheck

In This Post

Comparing the best credit cards for Global Entry and TSA PreCheck

CREDIT Card Welcome Bonus Annual Fee
Chase Sapphire Reserve 50,000 Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. $550
The Platinum Card from American Express 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in first three months of account opening. Terms apply. $550 (see rates & fees)
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card 50,000 Venture miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. $95
United Explorer Card 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. $95, waived the first year
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card 75,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first three months of account opening. Terms apply. $450 (see rates & fees)
Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card 50,000 points after you spend $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening. $95
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard® 50,000 American Airlines miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. $450
IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card 125,000 IHG points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. $89

 

For starters, it’s important to note the differences between the two programs. Global Entry has a $100 fee for a five-year membership that covers expedited entry back into the U.S., plus TSA PreCheck. If you only want PreCheck, you’ll pay $85 for a five-year membership, but this won’t help with clearing passport control after an international trip. Since it’s just a $15 premium for Global Entry and you get automatic PreCheck, I always recommend going that route, although you may find that PreCheck in conjunction with the Mobile Passport app will be sufficient if you don’t travel out of the U.S. regularly.

The new US Customs and Border Protetion Global Entry Trusted Traveler Network kiosks are seen at Dulles International Airport (IAD), December 21, 2011 in Sterling, Virgina, near Washington, DC. AFP Photo/Paul J. Richards (Photo credit should read PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images)
Global Entry can speed your entry back into the U.S. after your next international trip. (Photo courtesy of Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images)

With any of the cards below, you’re eligible for a fee credit every four or five years for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck when you pay for the membership with the card. Note that you don’t need to be paying for your own membership: as long as the applicable fee is charged to the card and you haven’t already utilized the perk, the credit should automatically be applied to your next statement.

Related: 14 things you should know about Global Entry before your next trip

Best credit cards for Global Entry and TSA PreCheck

Chase Sapphire Reserve

(Photo by The Points Guy)
(Photo by The Points Guy)

Global Entry/TSA PreCheck benefit: Application fee credit for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years.

Annual fee: $550

Our take: If you don’t mind shelling out a high annual fee for a premium travel rewards credit card that includes a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck waiver, consider going for the Chase Sapphire Reserve. As with the others, you’re eligible for this perk once every four years, although it’s a single credit per account; authorized users do not get their own credit despite an annual fee of $75 apiece. The statement credit on the Chase Sapphire Reserve should post within 24 hours of being charged to the card.

The card also offers a host of other valuable perks, including a large sign-up bonus (50,000 Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening), 3x points on travel (excluding $300 travel credit) and dining purchases, a $300 annual travel credit and Priority Pass Select membership.

And through March 2022, you’ll earn 10x points on Lyft rides and can register for a free year of Lyft Pink (15% off Lyft rides and more). The Reserve also comes with $60 in DoorDash credit in 2020 and another $60 in credit for 2021 and you can get at least a year of free DashPass (normally $9.99/month), which gets you waived delivery fees on orders of $12 or more at participating restaurants. You need to register for the DashPass perk by Dec. 31, 2021. Finally, the card also has a number of temporary perks available right now added to help cardholders better use the card while travel is on hold.

The Ultimate Rewards points you earn can be redeemed directly for travel at the rate of one and a half cents per point, but you can get even more value by transferring them to partners such as British Airways and Hyatt. Even though the card carries a $550 annual fee, you can easily get a ton of value from it, especially in the first year.

APPLY HERE: Chase Sapphire Reserve

The Platinum Card from American Express

(Photo by Wyatt Smith/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Wyatt Smith/The Points Guy)

Global Entry/TSA PreCheck benefit: Application fee credit for Global Entry every four years or TSA PreCheck every four and a half years

Annual fee: $550 (see rates and fees)

Our take: This valuable card with a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck waiver offers the benefit once every four to four and half years. The statement credit may take up to eight weeks to post to your card, although in reality it is often much quicker. One notable difference with this card is that it doesn’t only apply to primary cardholders; authorized users are each eligible for their own statement credits when they pay the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee with their own Amex Platinum cards.

Authorized users on this card aren’t free, but it only costs $175 annually to add up to three of them (that’s $175 total, not per authorized user (see rates and fees). So if you have two or three family members who can each use the $100 Global Entry or $85 TSA PreCheck waivers, you’ll immediately come out ahead, and those authorized users will also get many of the same benefits from the card as you do. Just make sure that they charge the Global Entry application fee to their own Amex Platinum.

Speaking of perks, this card is loaded with them, including an up to $200 annual airline fee credit, Centurion Lounge access and Delta Sky Club access when flying Delta, Gold status with Marriott and Hilton, 5x points on airfare booked directly with airlines or via American Express Travel, and more.

New cardmembers can also earn a welcome offer of 60,000 Membership Rewards points after they use your new card to make $5,000 in purchases in your first three months (but be sure to check the CardMatch Tool to see if you’re targeted for a 100,000-point bonus; offer subject to change at any time). Of course, Amex also added a number of temporary benefits to the Amex Platinum to help cardholders maximize rewards during COVID-19 while other benefits have become less valuable.

Given these array of valuable benefits, the card carries a significant annual fee of $550 (see rates and fees), highest on this list. However, when you consider the value you’re getting from the card, that annual fee can be well worth it.

APPLY HERE: The Platinum Card from American Express

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

(Photo by Samantha Rosen/The Points Guy)
Transfer your Capital One miles to book a seat in Etihad business class. (Photo by Samantha Rosen/The Points Guy)

Global Entry/TSA PreCheck benefit: Application fee credit for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years (up to $100)

Annual fee: $95

Our take: Capital One Venture Card holders are eligible for one statement credit every four years when you charge either the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee to your Venture card. The credit will appear within two billing cycles, so you may need to wait a bit for it to post.

If you’re a new cardholder, you’re eligible for a sign-up bonus of 50,000 miles once you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. You’ll earn 5x on hotels and car rentals booked with the card through Capital One Travel and 2x miles per dollar on other purchase. Capital One is also among the issuers who have added temporary perks for cardholders — including 5x on Uber Eats and new redemption options.

All miles you earn on the card can then be redeemed at a rate of one cent per mile or transferred to 15 airline partners, including Aeroplan and Etihad.

APPLY HERE: Capital One Venture Rewards Card

United Explorer Card

United aircraft at Newark airport (Photo by Alberto Riva / The Points Guy)
United aircraft at Newark airport. (Photo by Alberto Riva/The Points Guy)

Global Entry/TSA PreCheck benefit: Application fee credit for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years

Annual fee: $0 the first year, then $95

Our take: This card was launched in June 2018 as a replacement for the now-defunct United MileagePlus Explorer Card. The United Explorer Card offers cardholders a statement credit to cover the application fee for either Global Entry ($100) or TSA PreCheck ($85) every four years. There are two main reasons why this card earns a high spot on this list. For starters, the card carries just a $95 annual fee that’s waived for the first year, so you can snag this credit for no upfront cost. In addition, according to the offer details page, the credit will actually post to your account within 24 hours of the charge, an incredibly fast turnaround that few other cards have.

The card is currently offering 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. In addition to earning 2x miles on United purchases, you’ll also enjoy 2x miles at restaurants and on hotel accommodations booked directly with the hotel. The card also provides a ton of perks on United, including a free checked bag for you and a companion, priority boarding, 25% back on inflight purchases, two, one-time United Club airport lounge passes a year and expanded award availability. Even if you only fly United a handful of times per year, the value adds up very quickly.

APPLY HERE: United Explorer Card

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card

(Photo by Isabelle Raphael/The Points Guy)
(Photo by Isabelle Raphael/The Points Guy)

Global Entry/TSA PreCheck benefit: Application fee credit for either Global Entry (every four years) or TSA PreCheck (every four and a half years) worth up to $100.

Annual fee: $450 (see rates and fees)

Our take: This card has a 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after spending $3,000 in the first three months of account opening. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex card also earns 6x points at participating Marriott hotels, 3x points at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines, and 2 points everywhere else.

This card is loaded with enough top-tier perks (beyond the Global Entry/PreCheck credit) to make it worth the annual fee. For starters, you’ll get Gold Marriott Bonvoy elite status, 15 elite night credits annually and a free night award (for properties costing up to 50,000 points) every card anniversary. This card also comes with a Priority Pass Select Membership, which gets you and up to two guests unlimited Priority Pass lounge visits. All of that is on top of an annual up to $300 credit for Marriott purchases, including room rates.

APPLY HERE: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card

Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card

Global Entry/TSA PreCheck benefit: Application fee credit for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years.

Annual fee: $95

Our take: This is another card with a low annual fee level and a Global Entry/PreCheck credit. As with the prior entries, you’re eligible for a statement credit to cover either program’s application fee every four years when you charge it to the card. Allow seven days for the credit to post to your account after making the purchase.

In addition to the Global Entry/PreCheck perk, the Premium Rewards card is loaded with additional value, especially for loyal Bank of America customers. New applicants will receive 50,000 bonus points after they make at least $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening. You’ll earn two points per dollar spent on travel and dining and one-and-a-half points per dollar spent on everything else, though these are elevated by 25%-75% if you’re a Preferred Rewards member of the bank.

These points can then be used at a rate of one cent per point toward a variety of redemptions, including statement credits, cash back, travel or gift cards. You’re also eligible for an additional $100 in credits every year to cover incidental airline fees, though the card’s $95 annual fee is not waived for the first year.

Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard

(Photo by Eric Helgas for The Points Guy)
(Photo by Eric Helgas for The Points Guy)

Global Entry/TSA PreCheck benefit: Application fee credit for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every five years.

Annual fee: $450

Our take: If you’re a loyal American Airlines flyer (or reside in one of the carrier’s hubs), consider opening the AAdvantage Executive Card to help you speed through passport control and security. This card also provides an application fee credit for either Global Entry ($100) or TSA PreCheck ($85), though unlike others on the list, it only applies once every five years. As a result, you’ll need to wait to apply until your current membership is just about expired if you want to receive the credit. Bear in mind, too, that it may take one-two billing cycles for the credit to appear.

Even though the card carries a $450 annual fee, you can still get a ton of value from the card beyond this Global Entry/PreCheck perk. The card is currently offering a sign-up bonus of 50,000 miles after you spend $5,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening.

It also comes with a full Admirals Club membership, giving you access to lounges in nearly 90 countries (with same-day boarding pass for eligible flight). You can also add authorized users for free and give them access to Admirals Clubs, although this is only valid at the Admirals Clubs (a same-day boarding pass for an eligible American Airlines or partner flight required) and not partner lounges. Since it costs $550 to buy a new Admirals Club membership outright (or $500 to renew an existing one), the $450 annual fee on this card is a steal either way.

You’ll also enjoy a number of perks to make your American flying experience easier and less expensive. You (and up to eight traveling companions on the same reservation) can check your first bag for free, a savings of $50 per person on a round-trip itinerary. You’ll also earn 2 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, plus enjoy priority check-in, security and boarding along with 25% off eligible inflight purchases. Finally, if you need a few extra Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) to earn status on American this year, note that you’ll get 10,000 EQMs after spending $40,000 in a calendar year on this card, though remember you’ll still be subject to revenue requirements for reaching AA elite status as well.

APPLY HERE: Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard

IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card

Global Entry/TSA PreCheck benefit: Application fee credit for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years.

Annual fee: $89

Our take: The card currently has a sign-up bonus of 125,000 IHG points after you spend $3,000 in the first three months. This bonus is worth $625, according to TPG’s valuations and makes the card a great deal when you consider that it has one of the smallest annual fees of any card on this list.

Related reading: Maximizing IHG Rewards Club for family travel 

Cardholders will also automatically get IHG Platinum status, an annual reward night every account anniversary (valid at IHG hotels that cost up to 40,000 points per night) and access to a fourth reward night on points stays of four or more nights. You’ll earn 10x IHG points at IHG hotels, 2x points at restaurants, gas stations and grocery stores and one IHG point per dollar everywhere else. Plus, any account year that you spend $20,000 or more you’ll earn 10,000 bonus points. And if you make points purchases with your card you’ll receive a 20% discount, but this benefit doesn’t stack with IHG-point sales.

APPLY HERE: IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card

How we chose the best cards for Global Entry and TSA/PreCheck

The most obvious requirement for being chosen for this list is that each card has a statement credit benefit for your Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee. But this isn’t an exhaustive list of cards that offer these credits. Instead it represents the cards that provide the perk and offer the most valuable additional benefits to card holders, such as airport lounge access or travel credits. While travel perks such as lounge access may not be something on everyone’s top benefits list right now with travel still limited, these remain the cards that will provide frequent travelers the most value long-term.

We also considered whether authorized users also receive the benefit, the card’s sign-up bonus and other factors when narrowing down the list to our favorite cards.

Should I get TSA PreCheck or Global Entry?

MIAMI, FL - JUNE 02: Travelers go through the TSA PreCheck security point at Miami International Airport on June 2, 2016 in Miami, Florida. As the busy summer travel season heats up the Transportation Security Administration is encouraging people to sign up for the TSA PreCheck program to save time going through the airports security lines. Those enrolled in the program can leave their shoes, light outerwear and belt on during the terminal screening process as well as keeping their laptop in the carry-on suitcase without having to remove them at the checkpoint. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

TSA PreCheck and Global Entry are both trusted traveler programs. TSA PreCheck gets you expedited security screening when you’re flying with a participating airline and 73 airlines (and counting) that are part of the program. If the TSA PreCheck security lane is available (and operating) at the airport, you’ll not only have access to a much shorter line, but you won’t need to remove your shoes or belt and you can leave your laptop or liquids in your bag. This can be a lifesaver if you’re running late for a flight. The TSA PreCheck application fee is $85 and after submitting your application you’ll need to complete a background check and in-person interview. A TSA PreCheck membership is valid for five years.

The process for applying for Global Entry is similar to TSA PreCheck, but the application fee is $100 and there are almost always much longer wait times to schedule an interview. You can get around this by getting an interview on arrival at some locations. Once you’re approved for Global Entry you’ll have access to TSA PreCheck security lanes and you’ll also get expedited customs when returning to the U.S. through any of these airports. Global Entry is also valid for five years, so for only $15 more you’re getting TSA PreCheck expedited security plus you can speed through U.S. Customs.

Related: 12 things to know about TSA PreCheck

Unless you aren’t in a position to wait the extra time it takes to be approved for Global Entry that’s the one you’ll want to apply for. Otherwise, get TSA PreCheck and just use Mobile Passport when returning to the U.S. Just keep in mind that you can’t use Mobile Passport and Global Entry at the same time.

Bottom line

Security checkpoints and passport control desks can make or break your travel day, adding unnecessary delays and hassles to an already stressful transit experience. Wouldn’t it be nice to not only speed through these lines but also do so for free? As you can see, there are many valuable travel rewards credit cards that provide application fee waivers for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. If you’re still planning your next trip and want to save some time, consider adding one of the best travel credit cards to your wallet now. Then try not to laugh at the poor souls in the “regular” traveler lines as you breeze your way through the airport.

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, please click here.

Featured photo by Arne Beruldsen/Shutterstock

7 ways to visit America’s national parks for less

$
0
0

There are few travel experiences more distinctly American than a visit to a national park. Generations of families have piled into the station wagon (and now its modern cousin, the SUV) to road trip through iconic destinations such as the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite and the Great Smoky Mountains.

National parks in the United States can be some of the most rewarding destinations for travelers to visit. Whether you have a toddler or a teen, or are looking for a rewarding solo trip, national parks offer a wide variety of travel experiences — from the educational to the more adventurous. It’s no wonder the parks are often called “America’s best idea.”

National-Parks-Zion
One of the nation’s most popular parks, Zion National Park in Utah. Image by Leslie Harvey.

This country’s national parks can also be fairly inexpensive destinations. Of course, their growing popularity has raised prices, along with increasing crowds, especially during peak season. In fact, national and state parks have never been in higher demand than now, with travelers everywhere escaping to the great outdoors and wide-open spaces.

Fortunately, there are many ways to make a national park vacation more budget-friendly. Don’t worry, I’m not going to say you need to sleep in a tent to save money — although camping can surely save some cash, too.

Whether you’re a beginner to national parks travel, or a veteran looking to cross even more parks off your bucket list, here are the easiest ways to save money when visiting America’s national parks.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

Visit on fee-free days

Saguaro National Park in Tucson Arizona
Hiking among the iconic cacti of Saguaro National Park in Tucson, Arizona. Image by Leslie Harvey.

The National Park Service has several days a year when all national parks are entirely free to enter. And your next opportunity to take advantage is right around the corner, on Tuesday, Aug. 25 — the birthday of the National Park Service.

Other fee-free days in 2020 included Jan. 20 (for Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday) and April 18 (the first day of National Park Week) and Aug. 5 (to commemorate the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act).

If you aren’t free on Aug. 25, there are two more opportunities to visit a national park for free this year: National Public Lands Day on Sept. 26 and Veterans Day, on Nov. 11.

Of course, the fee-free days can also be some of the most crowded times to visit many national park sites. The earlier you can arrive on a fee-free day, the easier it is to park and dodge the crowds. You may also want to seek out some of our nation’s less popular and more remote national parks instead, especially since avoiding other people is an important precaution to minimize your risk of exposure this summer.

Related: TPG’s safe travel guide: How to minimize risk on your summer vacation

Get your fourth-grader for a free pass

If you have a fourth-grader in your family, you should apply right now for the “Every Kid in a Park” pass. Valid from the beginning of the school year through the summer following fourth grade, this pass allows fourth-graders and their families free access to all the National Park Service sites and many other federal lands.

Every Kids in a Park National Park Pass Sample

The Every Kid in a Park program is fairly new, started in 2015 in anticipation of the National Park Service’s centennial year. As a result, many families simply haven’t heard of it yet.

The application process is incredibly simple. Go to the official website and have your child complete a few questions. A digital copy of the pass is then available for printing and can be traded in for a more permanent pass at many parks, if you prefer.

Buy an annual pass

Yosemite National Park El Capitan
Yosemite, one of the most majestic parks, is now also one of the most expensive. Image by Leslie Harvey.

Even if you don’t have a fourth-grader, annual passes at national parks are still a great deal for travelers who plan to visit multiple park sites. The standard America the Beautiful annual pass is just $80. With per-vehicle fees to enter some of the most popular national parks, such as Yosemite and Yellowstone, as high as $35 per visit, you’ll more than break even if you plan to visit even just a few sites in a single year.

The annual pass is valid to enter more than 2,000 federal recreation sites, from national parks to forests and a variety of public lands. My family was pleasantly surprised to find that our pass was even valid at a site like Red Rock Canyon outside of Las Vegas, which is a National Conservation Area managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management.

One quirk of the pass is that it’s good for the month in which you purchase it and then 12 months after that. So, it’s possible to squeeze nearly 13 months of value out of a pass when timed properly.

If you don’t plan to visit enough different parks to justify an America the Beautiful Pass, consider park-specific annual passes that are available in many locations. A few of these passes even cover more than a single location. The Crater Lake National Park Pass, for example, also includes admission to nearby Lava Beds National Monument in Northern California.

Related: Why you need this $80 National Park Pass

Make it a multigenerational vacation

A multigenerational national park adventure at Bryce Canyon National Park.Image by Leslie Harvey.
A multigenerational national park adventure at Bryce Canyon National Park. Image by Leslie Harvey.

If you vacation with Grandma and Grandpa, they can also help you get into national parks for less. The America the Beautiful Lifetime Senior Pass comes with a one-time fee of $80 and is good for, well, life. It’s an amazing bargain. Seniors are eligible to apply at age 62, so many active seniors will get decades of value out of the pass.

Having visited several national parks with my children and my parents together, I also can highly recommend the multigenerational national park experience. Getting outdoors in the natural beauty of the parks is a great way for children to bond with grandparents and learn something along the way. There can be practical benefits as well. My husband and I, for example, have been the lucky recipients of grandparent babysitting for our younger child when we wanted to take our older child on a few more challenging hikes.

Just remember that most national parks charge entrance on a per-vehicle basis. If your multigenerational group plans to drive two cars into a park, you’ll need two passes.

Related: The 19 national parks every traveler needs to see at least once

Visit Fee-Free Sites

Sunset from Clingmans Dome in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Image courtesy of Wray Sinclair via Getty Images.
Clingmans Dome in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a national park that’s free to visit. Image by Wray Sinclair / Getty Images.

While many parks charge entrance fees, a majority of sites managed by the National Park Service and related agencies don’t charge a dime. Many travelers don’t realize the extent of the free offerings. I highly recommend spending a few minutes on the National Park Service website and looking for free parks near your home or where your next vacation will take you.

For example, the nation’s most visited national park, Great Smoky Mountain National Park, is still completely free to enter. Two other national parks within easy driving distance of millions of Americans — Cuyahoga Valley in Ohio and Congaree in South Carolina — are both free as well. Additionally, most National Monuments don’t charge entrance fees.

Vacation during Shoulder Season

National-Parks-Bryce-Canyon-Snow
Bryce Canyon still has a bit of snow in early April but is very hikeable. Image by Leslie Harvey.

The national parks have become increasingly popular in recent years. Demand for lodging far exceeds supply in some places, inflating prices during the high season for everything from hotels to activities. For example, expect to pay well over $200 a night for very basic hotels 30 to 45 minutes outside the Yosemite National Park gates if you visit in July.

Budget-conscious families should strongly consider shoulder season visits to find more reasonable prices. As a bonus, you’ll also dodge crowds while saving some cash.

Because the shoulder season is different in every park depending on its location, geography and weather, chances are good you can find a national park destination that works any time of year. Try Yosemite during the early fall once the Labor Day crowds have cleared, Death Valley in the late fall before the winter rush starts or Bryce Canyon for spring break while the last snows are melting.

Related: 11 of the best national parks to visit during winter

Use hotel points to stay near  national parks

Zion Lodge in Zion National Park
Zion Park Lodge is a historic property and the only lodging located within the park. Image by Leslie Harvey.

Last but certainly not least, hotel points can be an important part of a budget national park experience. After all, if I’m promising you don’t have to camp, lodging is often the largest percentage of the cost of a national park trip.

National park vacations may not be an obvious choice for hotel points compared to a major city or tropical resort getaway, but there’s value to be found around many popular national parks for the careful planner.

Most of the accommodations within the boundaries of national parks are managed by concessionaires such as Xanterra Resorts and Delaware North. Ordinary chain hotels are nowhere to be found.

These accommodations can, however, be an excellent use of flexible points currencies like those available with credit cards like the Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard or Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card. In addition to having superior locations, many of the in-park hotels are historic lodges — and I always recommend cashing in for an authentic national park experience whenever possible. The information for the Barclaycard Arrival Plus has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.          

Sometimes, these historic lodges are too pricy or, more often, just sold out. In those situations, there’s value to be found near many national parks with the major hotel points programs too.

At Zion National Park, for example, the town of Springdale is just steps outside the park. Springdale has several chain hotels where points travelers can redeem points without sacrificing location. The Holiday Inn Express Springdale – Zion National Park Area, for example, can be booked from 27,500 points per night and is one of the best-rated hotels in the area. It could be a great use of the free-night certificate awarded every anniversary from the IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card.

And when rates soar to more than $250 a night (which they often do in high season), redeeming IHG points can be a good value as well.

Related: Ways to use points to stay near to national parks

Staying in Jackson Hole near the Grand Tetons affords a few options on points such as the Springhill Suites Jackson Hole bookable for between 40,000 and 60,000 Marriott points per night on off-peak dates. This means that, on certain dates, you could use the 50,000-point certificate you get at each renewal with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card. You could also book the Springhill Suites very close to the entrance of Zion National Park on standard or off-peak nights.

Bottom line

National parks may continue to be one of the hottest vacation destinations for long after the pandemic is behind us. And though fee-free days are a great way to see these stunning natural spaces without opening your wallet, there are ways to save throughout the year.

But if you haven’t been to a national park yet, Aug. 25 could be a great opportunity to experience a piece of this country’s natural beauty for less.

Viewing all 2418 articles
Browse latest View live


Latest Images