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The property that received the most Marriott redemptions may surprise you
Benji Stawski is a former reporter for the site, covering all things points, miles, credit cards, travel and aviation.
December 15, 2020 • 14 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.
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Quick summary
Marriott Bonvoy shared its most popular hotels for point redemptions, based on 2019 data, highlighting top properties in the U.S., Caribbean, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
The New York Marriott Marquis was the most redeemed property globally, with other favorites in leisure destinations like Maui, Aruba, London and Tokyo.
Point values for redemptions can vary widely, with some properties offering less value than TPG's valuation of 0.8 cents per point as of June 2024, while others, like Al Maha Resort near Dubai, can provide exceptional value.
The article also outlines ways to increase your Marriott Bonvoy balance, including hotel stays, dining rewards, and point transfers from select loyalty programs.
What to consider
Some popular properties may yield lower value per point compared to TPG's valuation, so checking cash rates before redeeming is recommended.
Award categories and point requirements differ by property and region, with top-tier hotels often requiring significantly more points.
Certain offers mentioned in the article are no longer available.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of the most popular Marriott Bonvoy hotels by region and insights on maximizing point value at specific properties.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
From overwater villas to cozy cabins, Marriott Bonvoy offers accommodations to suit every traveler and every trip. With thousands of properties worldwide, deciding which one to spend your hard-earned points at can sometimes be challenging.
If you need some inspiration, you might be curious to know how other Bonvoy members are redeeming their points.
Marriott just shared its list of Bonvoy members' favorite hotels around the globe for redeeming points, according to 2019 redemption data. In this post, we will run through the list and break down the most popular properties by region. We'll also give some insight as to what kind of value you can expect to get out of your points at some of these properties and how you can boost your Marriott Bonvoy points balance.
Let’s dive right in.
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United States
A room at the New York Marriott Marquis. (Photo by Ben Smithson/The Points Guy)
Marriott's most popular properties in the U.S. were primarily in popular leisure destinations like New York, Nevada, Florida and Hawaii. The only property that might come as a surprise is the Sheraton Grand Seattle, as it's more business-oriented.
The most popular property in the U.S. and overall in the world is the New York Marriott Marquis. TPG's Ben Smithson stayed at the property in late 2019 was a fan of the large rooms, spectacular views and friendly staff, but thought it was starting to show its age and was a bit too touristy for those spending more than one or two nights in the city. Over the next few months, cash rates are hovering around $150 per night, yielding a value of about 0.3 cents per point when booking at the standard 60,000-point rate. That's well below TPG's valuation of Marriott Bonvoy points of 0.8 cents apiece.
JW Marriott Los Cabos (Photo by Nick Ellis/The Points Guy)
Moving a bit south, Aruba was a popular destination among Bonvoy members, with three of the top four properties in the Caribbean located there. At the top of the list is the Aruba Marriott Resort and Stellaris Casino, which also landed the top spot for most popular properties outside the U.S. and number three overall in the world. The resort is open to tourists and room rates often exceed $500 per night, so you can sometimes get one cent or more in value per point.
Although a less popular pick, as TPG's Nick Ellis shares, Bonvoy members can also get great value from their points when staying at the JW Marriott Los Cabos Beach Resort & Spa.
Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino; Palm Beach, Aruba— Category 7 (50,000 to 70,000 points per night)
A room at the Prince de Galles Paris Hotel. (Photo by Nick Ellis/The Points Guy)
Surprisingly, only one European property made it on the list of most popular properties globally and that was the London Marriott Hotel County Hall. It's a top-tier Category 8 property, so rooms here don't come cheap. With cash rates averaging around $400 per night the next few months, you'll get a value of about 0.5 cents per point when booking at the standard 85,000-point rate. Aside from London, Paris was another popular European destination among Bonvoy members.
London Marriott Hotel County Hall; London — Category 8 (70,000 to 100,000 points per night)
Renaissance Amsterdam Hotel; Amsterdam — Category 6 (40,000 to 60,000 points per night)
London Marriott Hotel Park Lane; London — Category 8 (70,000 to 100,000 points per night)
Courtyard by Marriott Paris Gare de Lyon; Paris — Category 5 (30,000 to 40,000 points per night)
The Westin Excelsior, Rome; Rome — Category 7 (50,000 to 70,000 points per night)
Amsterdam Marriott Hotel; Amsterdam — Category 7 (50,000 to 70,000 points per night)
Sheraton Lisboa Hotel & Spa; Lisbon — Category 5 (30,000 to 40,000 points per night)
JW Marriott Grosvenor House London; London — Category 7 (50,000 to 70,000 points per night)
Asia and the Pacific are home to some of Marriott's cheapest and most expensive properties, with both Category 2 and top-tier Category 8 properties on this list. The most popular property in this region was The Westin Tokyo. Cash rates at this Category 7 property are hovering around $400 for much of 2021, so you can get a solid value from your points. Also on this list is The St. Regis Maldives — a favorite among the TPG team.
The Westin Tokyo; Tokyo— Category 7 (50,000 to 70,000 points per night)
Courtyard Taipei; Taipei — Category 4 (20,000 to 30,000 points per night)
Al Maha resort in Dubai. (Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy)
Unsurprisingly, Dubai was a popular redemption destination in this region. At the top of the list is the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai — a.k.a. the world's second tallest hotel. However, with room rates starting around $120 per night in most of 2021, you likely won't get outstanding value from your points here. A much better redemption would be for the Al Maha Resort just outside of Dubai. With cash rates often topping $1,500 per night and the award rates being all-inclusive, this is easily one of the best value Marriott award redemptions in the world.
JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai; Dubai, UAE — Category 6 (40,000 to 60,000 points per night)
Sheraton Sand Key Resort; Clearwater— Category 6 (40,000 to 60,000 points per night)
London Marriott Hotel County Hall; London— Category 8 (70,000 to 100,000 points per night)
How to earn Marriott points
Aside from the obvious, which is through hotel stays, the easiest way to boost your Marriott Bonvoy balance is through credit cards. Marriott currently has four credit cards available to new applicants, each with different benefits and welcome bonuses:
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card: Earn 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new card to make $5,000 in eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership.
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card: Earn 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new card to make $4,000 in eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card: Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening.
Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening.
There are thousands of properties you could redeem your Marriott points at around the world, though some offer better value than others. Unsurprisingly, the majority of the most popular properties among Bonvoy members were in the U.S. Most of the member-favorites are Category 6 properties, which can be booked with 50,000-point certificates. If you still don't know which property you want to redeem your points at, keep in mind that transferring Marriott points to airlines is always an option.
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.
