5 of the Best-Value Points Hotels in Miami
Quick summary
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Miami is known for being a popular travel destination, attracting both domestic and international visitors. With millions of people flocking to The Magic City each year, hotels are battling to have our business. With a variety of brands covering all ends of the luxury spectrum, there is a property to meet everyone's needs when it comes to using points — whether you're looking for beach-front relaxation, the South Beach party vibe or the downtown culture scene.
Today we'll go through five of the best-value points hotels in Miami, Florida.
JW Marriott Miami
The JW Marriott Miami, located in the Brickell neighborhood, is right in the heart of Miami's shopping, dining and nightlife. With rooms starting at 400 square feet, there is plenty of space to relax after a day at the beach or long night out.
As this hotel is a Category 5, the standard award rate is 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points (worth $280 according to TPG's valuations) per night. Rooms at the property tend to start at roughly $400/night, which will net you a value of 1.3 cents per point, a nice boost over TPG's valuation of 0.8 cents. This could also be a great spot to use your annual free night certificate (worth up to 35,000 points) from the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card or Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card.
If you're short on Marriott points, there are many ways to boost your account — including applying for one of the program's cobranded credit cards. For example, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card is currently offering a welcome bonus of 75,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. You'd also receive a $300 annual Marriott statement credit in each year of cardmembership for eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami
The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne in Miami is an incredible beachfront property outside of the city of Miami. With over 1,200 feet of beachfront, there is plenty of space to relax and tan away. For those traveling with children, it's also a very kid-friendly property, with amenities such as The Ritz Kids program. With three on-property restaurants, beach and poolside cabanas, a club lounge, and the majority of the rooms overlooking either the Atlantic Ocean or Biscayne Bay, this property is nothing short of the Ritz-Carlton experience.
This hotel is a Category 6 property, which will set you back 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for a free night (worth $400). However, rooms at the property typically start at over $700/night — inclusive of taxes and pesky resort fees. At this price, you're getting a value of roughly 1.3 cents per point. You could also make great use of the annual free night certificate offered on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, which is valid at properties with award rooms up to 50,000 points per night. A free night here would cover the card's $450 annual fee (see rates and fees) in one fell swoop.
Hyatt Place Miami Airport-East
If you are traveling in and out of Miami International Airport (MIA), the Hyatt Place Miami Airport-East can be a great use of points. It's a relatively-new hotel right next to the airport, and it offers a complimentary shuttle that runs 24 hours a day. It's also close to MIA's subway station, allowing you to easily reach the downtown area without suffering through the city's notorious traffic.
This hotel is a Category 2 property within the World of Hyatt program. This means the hotel will cost 8,000 World of Hyatt points (worth $136). Rooms at this hotel do start at just over $100/night, which doesn't offer fantastic value. However, they can quickly spike in price during peak travel times — like the night of March 13, the Friday before spring break for many Florida public schools ($264.48 with taxes). This this case, having points to use can save you from paying these hyper-inflated rates.
If you are looking to earn Hyatt points, consider applying for the The World Of Hyatt Credit Card, which is currently offering a sign-up bonus of up to 50,000 points. You'll earn 25,000 World of Hyatt points after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening and an additional 25,000 points after you spend $6,000 total on purchases within the first 6 months of account opening. As a cardholder, you'll automatically earn Discoverist status in the program as well, which can enhance your experience during your stay.
InterContinental at Doral Miami
If you're a loyal IHG Rewards member and want to avoid the crowds of downtown and Miami Beach, consider redeeming your points at the InterContinental at Doral Miami. Located just west of the airport, the property provides all of the luxurious amenities you'd expect from this full-service brand, including an on-site restaurant (Blue Matisse), bar (Nau Lounge), outdoor pool and 24/7 fitness center. And you're not restricted to staying on the grounds of the property; it offers complimentary scheduled shuttle service within three miles.
A free night here requires just 40,000 points, so with revenue rates that frequently climb over $250/night in high season, you can get solid value by using points here.
Homewood Suites by Hilton Miami Downtown/Brickell
Hilton Honors loyalists have plenty of hotel options in and around the downtown area, but if you want both solid value for your points and some additional space, consider the Homewood Suites by Hilton Miami Downtown/Brickell. As its name indicates, the hotel is near both downtown and the Brickell neighborhood but is just off the main drag, giving you a small buffer zone. It's walking distance to both the metro and (free) metromover, giving you easy access to the main sights in the city. The brand offers free breakfast and complimentary dinner and drinks Monday-Thursday nights, and each room features a fully-equipped kitchen.
Hilton doesn't publish a formal award chart anymore, but the program's Points Explorer tool indicates that free nights range from as low as 38,000 points to up to 60,000 points. Paid rates during high season typically start around $275/night all-in, but there are days where it climbs higher — none more so than the night of Feb. 5, 2020:
This award reservation would offer you an astonishing value of 2.67 cents per point, nearly four-and-a-half times TPG's most recent valuations.
If you're eyeing this property, consider applying for the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. It's currently offering a welcome bonus of 130,000 Hilton Honors bonus points plus a free night reward after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the card in the first three months of card membership.
Bottom Line
Miami is a beautiful place to see with a ton of hotel options at which you can use your points. However, you'll want to make sure to crunch the numbers on these awards, as many of these fall below TPG's point valuations — especially during off-season. Before you jump on the hotel stay of your dreams, be sure to do a bit of math to make sure you aren't wasting your hard earned points.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, please click here.