The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Advertiser disclosure
The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Guides
3 reasons I want to splurge on this aspirational hotel redemption — and 4 reasons I may pass
Katie Genter is a digital nomad who has traveled full time since June 2017. She writes and edits stories about points and miles, and loyalty programs, often letting her personal experiences color these stories.
March 18, 2021 • 13 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
Related stories
Quick summary
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa near Dubai, is a highly sought-after property for Marriott Bonvoy points redemptions, offering an all-inclusive experience with meals and desert activities.
Award nights at Al Maha require a significant number of points, with rates varying by date and including a spacious suite with a private pool.
The resort's all-inclusive nature and unique activities set it apart, but the high points cost and restrictive cancellation policy may deter some travelers.
Alternative options exist in the region, but they may not provide the same level of inclusivity or experience as Al Maha.
What to consider
Award stays include breakfast, lunch, dinner and two desert activities for two adults, but alcoholic drinks and spa treatments are extra.
Free cancellation for award stays is only available up to 30 days before arrival, which may be limiting for those with uncertain travel plans.
Marriott Bonvoy points could be used for multiple nights at lower-category hotels or transferred to airline partners, offering different value propositions.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of Al Maha's value versus other redemption options and practical advice for maximizing points at this aspirational property.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
TPG contributor Ethan Steinberg went so far as to say Al Maha Resort is the best value Marriott award redemption. TPG's Ariana Arghandewal listed an upcoming trip to Al Maha as one of the reasons she finally caved and got the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. And something was compelling about watching TPG's Zach Griff and Zach Honig call into a TPG employee video meeting while riding camels at Al Maha.
But, Al Maha isn't simply a TPG favorite. It was the fourth most-redeemed for Marriott property in the Middle East and Africa region in 2019. As such, it's clear that many award travelers believe the Al Maha experience is worth redeeming a substantial amount of Marriott Bonvoy points for.
However, I'm not so sure. So, today I'll discuss my debate about whether to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points to stay at the aspirational Al Maha resort later this year.
Off-peak dates: 70,000 points per night (worth $560 based on TPG's valuations)
Standard dates: 85,000 points per night (worth $680)
Peak dates: 100,000 points per night (worth $800)
That's a lot of points per night. Although award stays book into the base category room type, this room type is an 807 square foot stand-alone Bedouin suite with a private pool and deck. Plus, award stays are full board. In particular, each award night comes with breakfast, lunch, dinner and two selected desert activities for two adults.
There are three primary reasons I want to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points to stay at Al Maha for later this year. In this section, I'll discuss these three reasons.
Unique all-inclusive experience
In-room dining on the patio at Al Maha (Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
But, the type of all-inclusive experience you get at Al Maha is on a different level. In particular, each award night at Al Maha includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and two desert activities for two adults. You can typically choose from various activities, including a dune drive, camel trekking, a nature walk, a desert safari and falconry.
Sundowners at Al Maha (Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
Frankly, Al Maha will likely never cost fewer points than it does now. Until March 5, 2019, Marriott Bonvoy Category 8 properties cost 60,000 points. So, I really should have booked a stay at Al Maha when I could've done so for 60,000 points per night. But I didn't. So now I'll need to pay higher award rates if I want to try out Al Maha.
Sure, Marriot may offer a promotion that temporarily decreases the award night cost for Al Maha. It's also possible Marriott might put Al Maha on its PointSavers list. Al Maha could even drop a category. But, Al Maha could also stop offering all-inclusive stays on points. Or Marriott could create a Category 9 and move Al Maha up to it.
A villa at Al Maha (Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
Let's be honest. One of my reasons for wanting to book Al Maha now is that I'm afraid that I'll miss the opportunity to stay at Al Maha and get the all-inclusive experience on points if I wait. After all, Marriott could stop offering all-inclusive Al Maha stays on points. Or Al Maha could leave the Marriott Bonvoy program.
So, my best option may be to find a few consecutive nights with off-peak pricing. Sadly, finding even two consecutive off-peak nights is rare. Currently, there are only nine dates on which I could check in for two consecutive off-peak nights. These dates will change as Marriott updates which dates are off-peak, standard and peak for this property. But for now, you could check in on the following 2021 dates for a two-night off-peak award stay that would cost 140,000 Marriott Bonvoy points: July 4 and Aug. 8, 15, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30 and 31.
Granted, July and August are two of the hottest months in Dubai. But if you have an open schedule, you may want to plan a trip around dates that offer off-peak pricing. Booking a trip based on off-peak award availability might sound unreasonable to some travelers. But on a two-night stay, booking off-peak nights would save you 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points over booking peak nights. And based on TPG's valuations, these points are worth $480.
There are also four primary reasons I may pass on Al Maha. In this section, I'll discuss these reasons.
That's a lot of Marriott Bonvoy points
(Photo by Hsein Kazma/The Points Guy)
Some of the value and allure of points and miles is that you can unlock experiences you wouldn't (or couldn't) pay for with cash. But, even assuming I find off-peak pricing on dates that work for my trip to Dubai this fall, I'd still need to pay 70,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.
However, for the dates I'm set to be in Dubai this fall, I'd currently need to pay 85,000 or 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night. Based on TPG's valuations, 85,000 points are worth $680 and 100,000 points are worth $800. And frankly, I have sticker shock from that high cost. After all, it's far more than I've ever paid for an award night.
Dune drive at Al Maha (Photo by Hsein Kazma/The Points Guy)
For several airlines, Marriott Bonvoy is the only major transferrable currency you can transfer to make a redemption. As such, Marriott Bonvoy points can be a valuable commodity. Toward this point, TPG's Andrew Kunesh is actively earning more Marriott Bonvoy points during the pandemic.
But, I typically struggle to justify transferring Marriott points to airlines because I enjoy redeeming for hotels. However, I usually like to maximize the number of nights I can get from my Marriott Bonvoy points. For example, assuming I stay in five-night increments, I could get between 10 and 21 nights from 85,000 Marriott points at Marriott Bonvoy Category 1 hotels.
Likewise, I could stay between six and 10 nights at one of my favorite Marriott hotels, the Category 2 Protea Hotel Kruger Gate, just outside South Africa's Kruger National Park, using 85,000 Marriott points. So, it doesn't sit well with me to give up this many nights at low-category Marriott Bonvoy properties for just one night at Al Maha.
Camel riding at Al Maha (Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
I'm a budget traveler who typically redeems for low-category hotels. So, it's strange and slightly uncomfortable to seriously consider redeeming points for any Marriott Category 8 hotel stay. As such, I did some quick research to see whether I could get some of the same experiences I'd get at Al Maha for less. I found a few reasonable alternates that might work depending on what appeals to you about the Al Maha experience.
First off, Marriott has two other desert-based properties in the United Arab Emirates:
The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert (Category 7, 60,000 or 70,000 points per night for my dates)
Al Wathba, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Abu Dhabi (Category 6, 50,000 or 60,000 points per night for my dates)
But, neither of these Marriott Bonvoy properties offers all-inclusive award nights. So, by the time you consider dining and activity costs, you might be better off booking an Al Maha award. And although awards at the Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah book into an impressive villa with desert views, awards at Al Wathba book into a traditional room. So, neither of these other Marriott properties is a suitable replacement (at least for me) for Al Maha.
Alternatively, I could book activities or camping in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (which is where Al Maha is located) on my own. As such, I could stay in Dubai at one of the many Category 3 Marriott hotels or one of the three Category 1 World of Hyatt properties and then book one or more desert activities independently. For example, I could book a morning safari with Arabian Adventures from $115 per person or an overnight desert safari with Platinum Heritage from $271 per person. However, these experiences may not be comparable to what I'd get at Al Maha.
A villa at Al Maha outside Dubai (Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
Finally, Al Maha has a pretty restrictive cancellation policy. In particular, award stays only allow free cancellation until 30 days before arrival. And even paid rates typically only allow free cancellation until 14 days before arrival.
With uncertainty around travel requirements during the coronavirus pandemic, this type of cancellation policy may be the primary argument for passing on Al Maha right now. After all, I'd want to be able to cancel -- or at least move -- my stay for little or no penalty if travel restrictions at my origin, destination or stopover point change (or I happen to test positive for COVID-19) shortly before my stay.
But is it worth it? And will I go through with redeeming Marriott Bonvoy points for an Al Maha stay? Although I've booked many paid Marriott Bonvoy stays recently, I'm not quite ready to book my Al Maha stay. After all, the cancellation policy is far too restrictive for me. So, if I book, it will be a last-minute redemption once I'm in Dubai this fall.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
