The 7 Most Expensive Ritz-Carlton Properties You Can Book with Points
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Last month, we covered the launch of the upgraded Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card, which brought some new benefits that may just make you excited about the luxury hotel chain all over again. Nick Ewen covered the 10 best properties to use your three free nights at (you get these after spending $5,000 on purchases on the card in the first three months of account opening), and today I'll look across the entire hotel chain to find the most expensive Ritz-Carlton properties in the world. While you can't use the free nights from the card at many these properties, you can stay at them for free using Ritz-Carlton or Marriott Rewards points.
You can only use the free nights from the card sign-up bonus at Tier 1-4 Ritz-Carlton hotels, but you can use points to stay at any Tier 1-5 location with the exception of the Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore. You cannot redeem points at Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Residence or Destination Club locations.
Also, keep in mind that you can redeem Marriott Rewards points at Ritz-Carlton properties. The fastest way to earn these is to sign up for the Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card, which is currently offering 75,000 points after you spend $3,000 in the first three months. You can also transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards earned from the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, Chase Ink Plus Business Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve to Marriott Rewards, though I don't recommend that as a best use of Ultimate Rewards.
I researched typically expensive locations around the world in addition to reaching out to some Ritz-Carlton loyalists to find the seven most expensive Ritz-Carlton properties bookable with points.
1. Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park
Tier: 5 (70,000 points per night)
Cheapest Daily Rate: $613
Mid-week rates in summer may start at $613, but if you check the calendar for rates through the fall, you're more likely to see numbers in the four figures. The property's prime location — on the corner of Central Park South and Sixth Avenue in midtown Manhattan — offers unrivaled views of Central Park and the city skyline.
2. Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo
Tier: 5 (70,000 points per night)
Cheapest daily rate: $420
You'll be lucky to find a night at the Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo at the rock-bottom rate of $420; you're more likely to see prices in the $500-$800 range during the week and $600+ for a Friday or Saturday night. I walked through the lobby of this property once and had a drink downstairs, and the staff and the hotel itself were incredibly impressive.
3. Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto
Tier: 5 (70,000 points per night)
Cheapest daily rate: $538
Opened in February 2014, this property offers everything you'd hope to experience in the way of Japanese customs and service. The hotel sits on the banks of the Kamogawa river and offers views of the Higashiyama mountains. Kyoto is a fantastic destination to explore while traveling to Japan, and it could definitely be worth splurging (with points or cash) to book a night at this property.
4. Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, Maui
Tier: 4 (60,000 points per night)
Cheapest daily rate: $391
If you pick your dates right, you may be able to score a pre-tax nightly rate of $391 at this property, but there are only a few dates offering such a low price. More likely, you'll end up paying $600 or more for a night at this Hawaiian paradise. The great news is that you can use a free night from the Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card here, as it's a Tier 4 hotel.
5. Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay
Tier: 4 (60,000 points per night)
Cheapest daily rate: $514
At the Bay Area's only luxury resort on the ocean, you'll feel like you're in the middle of nowhere despite being a mere 20 miles from San Francisco International Airport. The property's amenities are too numerous to list in full here, but include two championship golf courses, communal fire pits for s'mores-making, four restaurants and a 16,000-square foot spa. As this is a Tier 4 property, you can use your free nights from the Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card here and avoid the prices that routinely skyrocket to over $700 per night.
6. Ritz-Carlton, Boston
Tier: 4 (60,000 points per night)
Cheapest daily rate: $495
This Tier 4 Boston property, situated in the heart of downtown between the theater and financial districts, may have rates starting at $495, but you're more likely to pay $700 or more per night. Many of the 193 rooms and suites offer views of the city skyline or Boston Common, and guests enjoy access to the adjacent 100,000-square-foot Equinox Sports Club (which includes a spa).
7. Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch
Tier: 5 (70,000 points per night)
Cheapest daily rate in ski season: $587
Beginning in mid-December and continuing all the way through the first week of April, nightly rates at this property in the Colorado Rocky Mountains start at $587. Rates for weekends and holidays during ski season jump even higher — to $881 or more per night. You might think that award nights would be hard to find with prices and demand so high, but availability is actually fairly decent if you're willing to part with 70,000 points per night.
Bottom Line
Very roughly, you can say the average nightly rate for the above properties is $700, meaning you'll get a redemption value of about 1 cent per point when using Marriott points for free nights. TPG values Marriott and Ritz-Carlton points at 0.7 cents each, so you'll generally get decent value for award nights at the above locations.
You can lower the cost of award stays at the above properties by taking advantage of Marriott's Fifth Night Free benefit. This means a Tier 5 property would cost you 280,000 points for a five-night stay — or only 56,000 points per night — and boost your redemption value per point by 20%. You might also consider using Marriott's new cash and points rewards to pay for your stay.
Hopefully, this post has given you some inspiration for where to redeem Marriott or Ritz-Carlton points or your free nights from the Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card!
What's the most expensive Ritz-Carlton property you've come across?
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