13 ways to redeem the Marriott 50K free night award

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.

There are two primary ways to book “free” stays at Marriott properties worldwide:

• You can use Marriott points.
• You can use free night awards, which you can earn from something as simple as renewing your Marriott credit card membership each year.

Currently, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is offering a welcome bonus of 3 Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first three months from your account opening. Certain hotels have resort fees.

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

We want you to maximize this lucrative welcome offer, which could be worth up to 150,000 Bonvoy points if you use it wisely (an average of $1,260 in travel, per TPG valuations). Let’s take a look at some properties that represent great uses of these valuable certificates. You won’t believe the vacations you can have with a single card bonus.

How to use the 50,000-point Marriott certificates

Marriott no longer has an award chart. As a result, hotel prices are hard to pin down — but there are a number of hotels that reliably make for a great redemption with 50,000-point certificates.

Plus, Marriott now allows you to combine free night awards with up to 15,000 Marriott points, meaning you can use them to reserve hotels that cost up to 65,000 points per night.

Several Marriott credit cards offer free night certificates annually. They come in 35,000- and 50,000-point denominations — but are only good for one night. For example, if you want to stay at a hotel that costs 40,000 points, you can use a 50,000-point free night award. But you’ll have to use the entire certificate, so you’ll forfeit 10,000 points in value.

Once you receive your certificate, the booking process is simple. Log in to your Marriott Bonvoy account and search for an award stay of any length. If you find a property with award nights costing 65,000 points per night (or less), your free night award is eligible to be redeemed.

JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa

Standard points range: 50,000-70,000 points per night.

The JW Marriott Venice is a bucket-list five-star hotel located on a private island in the Venetian Lagoon it Italy. You can only enter the hotel by boat, making the experience extremely James Bond-esque.

The hotel is upscale while remaining extremely relaxed — otherworldly compared to Venice proper, which is about 1 mile away. Water taxis are free to and from St. Mark’s Square, however, so you can still get your fill of the excitement of the city.

The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, Waikiki

Standard points range: 50,000-70,000 points per night.

The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, Waikiki, opened in 1927 as one of the first five-star hotels in Hawaii.

The garishly pink stucco may look a bit obnoxious from the outside, but this is an absolute gem of a Marriott hotel. You won’t believe how close to the ocean this property is. And it’s recessed from the street, so you can walk around the property and enjoy its giant banyan trees without any noise from bustling Kalakaua Avenue, the main thoroughfare of Waikiki. You’ll think you’re in the middle of the forest instead.

The resort also has incredible beachfront dining options with live music. I’ve used my Marriott 50,000-point certificate for this hotel and it’s been one of my favorite redemptions to date.

JW Marriott Marquis Miami

Standard points range: 40,000-60,000 points per night.

In a glassy tower in downtown Miami, the JW Marriott Marquis is near many of Miami’s cultural attractions like the Wynwood neighborhood, the Design District, the Perez Art Museum and more.

At the hotel, you’ll find two restaurants — one helmed by James Beard award-winning chef Daniel Boulud — as well as a state-of-the-art fitness center with a rooftop outdoor pool providing sweeping views of Biscayne Bay. While the hotel isn’t on the beach, it’s just a short drive away from South Beach. The hotel itself is luxurious, with spacious guest rooms with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and other high-end touches like built-in TVs in the bathroom mirrors.

The St. Regis Langkawi

Standard points range: 50,000-70,000 points per night.

While it’s normal to have high expectations when staying at a St. Regis, TPG contributor Ethan Steinberg was blown away by his stay at The St. Regis Langkawi in Malaysia.

This property has a lot of good things going for it, including spectacular sunset views (and cool lounging nets hanging over the water), locally inspired signature bloody marys, multiple high-quality dining options and a spectacular breakfast offering. The property has spacious base guest rooms and even has a selection of overwater villas. With stunning views of the Andaman Sea from practically all points on the resort, you won’t want to leave this little slice of paradise.

The Ritz-Carlton, Bali

Standard points range: 40,000-60,000 points per night.

The Ritz-Carlton, Bali can sometimes fetch $700 or even $800 per night. In the upscale Nusa Dua area, every room at this property is either a suite or a villa, and almost all of them feature private plunge pools.

With six on-site dining options and a seemingly endless stretch of pristine beach, guests are sure to never get bored. However, the property also provides unique options for those looking for more structure in their day. The Ritz-Carlton offers a program that allows guests to give back to the local community through various service programs, which are perfect for a meaningful family vacation or team-building activities at a corporate event. While you’re planning your trip, read our guide on getting to Bali using points and miles, and learn how to extend your vacation by stretching your Marriott points in Bali.

Le Meridien Maldives Resort & Spa

Standard points range: 40,000- 60,000 points per night.

The Le Meridien Maldives is a comparatively new hotel that, in our opinion, is priced far too low for the product it delivers. As with any luxury Maldives resort, you’ll have to pay dearly for the island transfer (a seaplane, in this case, for $420 per person round-trip) — but the points rates here are a steal.

The island has six restaurants and cafes, a handful of pools, a gym overlooking endless turquoise, and other Maldives-standard amenities like a diving center and free water sports. TPG senior reporter Katie Genter loved her stay last year — you can read her comprehensive review here.

JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa

Standard points range: 40,000- 60,000 points per night.

A little closer to home, the JW Marriott Cancun in Mexico — still relatively fresh off a full renovation — blends high-end luxury with touches of history. Unwind on the pristine white-sand beaches, or venture off-site to explore the Mayan ruins at Tulum and Chichen Itza. Spice up your stay with a Cirque du Soleil ticket package, or spend your time snorkeling and diving through the pristine waters. At the end of the day, indulge in tequila and locally caught seafood or enjoy sushi and Mediterranean cuisine at one of the many on-site restaurants.

The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort

Standard points range: 50,000-70,000 points per night.

On the stunning Kohala Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii, The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort is an idyllic beachside property that recently underwent a complete renovation. The resort has two swimming pools — one for families and an infinity-edge one for adults only — as well as a full spa and the signature WestinWorkout fitness center. After you relax at the pools or beach, play a round of golf at the Hapuna Golf Course or grab a bite or refreshing drink at one of the property’s four food-and-beverage outlets.

The Naka Island, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Phuket

Standard points range: 40,000-60,000 points per night.

One of the best “bang for your buck” properties on this list, The Naka Island is a private-island retreat off the coast of Thailand’s famed Phuket that you can book entirely on points.

Guests reach the island via a speedboat transfer, and once you arrive, you’ll feel like you’re away from everything. Rest and relaxation is the top priority of this resort, and you can spend your days gazing out into the stunning limestone cliffs in the ocean in front of you, indulge in a treatment (or two or three) at Spa Naka or enjoy a leisurely meal and cocktail at any one of the resort’s three restaurants and bars.

Aegon Mykonos, Autograph Collection

Standard points range: 50,000-70,000 points per night.

Famous for all-night parties, idyllic Cycladic beaches, a red-hot dining scene and … expensive hotels, Mykonos, Greece, is one of the hottest summer destinations on the planet. Aegon Mykonos, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, packs a big punch. It has just 76 (very chic) rooms and suites, and many of them feature private pools, hot tubs, in-room spa and fitness features and more. The resort has two outdoor pools and its own beach club, perfect for spending long sunny days without a care in the world.

Falisia, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Portopiccolo

Standard points range: 40,000-60,000 points per night.

On Italy‘s sun-drenched Adriatic Coast on the Gulf of Trieste, Falisia is a resort that looks straight out of the movies. The resort is adjacent to a small marina but is just steps from the beach, where you’ll also find a stunning infinity-edge pool that looks out into the Gulf of Trieste’s beautiful blue waters.

You’ve got four bars and restaurants to choose from, where you’ll be served the absolute best of Adriatic cuisine. You can’t skip having a refreshing afternoon aperitivo with a view of the marina in the background.

The Ritz-Carlton, Abama

Standard points range: 40,000-60,000 points per night.

On Spain’s famed Tenerife, you’ll find a beautifully pink, Moorish-style palace, otherwise known as The Ritz-Carlton, Abama.

Set on cliffs above the blue sea, this property is an ideal spot for a laid-back European island vacation. This 459-room resort has six bars and restaurants, one of them — Abama Kabuki — holding a Michelin star for its Japanese-Western fusion cuisine. When you’re not busy eating, relax by one of the resort’s multiple pools or at the beach, get a workout in at the fitness center, play a round of golf at the nearby Abama Golf or hit the tennis court at the Abama Tennis Academy, which has seven tennis and four paddle courts.

Tambo del Inka, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Valle Sagrado

Standard points range: 40,000-60,000 points per night.

In one of the world’s most beautiful — and mystical — places, Tambo del Inka in Peru encourages you to embrace the rugged setting while pampering you every step of the way. Use this resort as your home base for exploring the home of the ancient Inca people, which is made even easier by the fact that the hotel has its own train station on the way to Machu Picchu. Gaze at the imposing Andes from your room or suite, enjoy a meal at one of the two on-property bars and restaurants or treat yourself to a treatment at the spa — you’re going to want one after a day of exploring the Sacred Valley.

Bottom line

Marriott’s free night awards have always been valuable — but with the new ability to combine certificates with up to 15,000 Marriott points, you can book more hotels than ever.

Again, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card is offering 3 Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first three months from your account opening. Certain hotels have resort fees.

Additional reporting by Sarah Hostetler.