Here's why Ritz-Carlton club level rooms remain so exclusive
Reader Questions are answered twice a week by TPG Senior Points & Miles Contributor Ethan Steinberg.
Hotel elite benefits like suite upgrades, free lounge access and free breakfast tend to be worth more at luxury properties, including brands like St. Regis, Ritz-Carlton and Park Hyatt. This is partly because the quality of the offerings is better and partly because the benefits you're getting for free would have been much more expensive if you'd been forced to pay cash. TPG reader Hannah wants to know if it's possible to use Marriott Bonvoy points to upgrade to a club level room at a Ritz-Carlton hotel ...
[pullquote source="TPG READER HANNAH"]I'm planning a summer vacation to D.C. with my family and looking to stay at the Ritz-Carlton. I don't have any Marriott elite status — is it possible to use points to upgrade to a club level room?[/pullquote]
First of all, even if Hannah had Marriott elite status she shouldn't expect an upgrade to a club level room at a Ritz-Carlton hotel. Ritz-Carlton is much stingier with elite benefits than its ultra-luxurious counterpart St. Regis, which is a legacy SPG brand. Marriott elites of any level do not receive free breakfast at Ritz-Carltons, and Platinum elites are not eligible for suite upgrades there either (only Titanium and Ambassador elites). These reduced elite benefits are a big part of the reason that I'll opt to stay in a St. Regis over a Ritz-Carlton any time I'm given the chance.
With that out of the way, let's take a look at the Ritz-Carlton club level and why you'd want to upgrade there in the first place. This is nothing like your standard hotel lounge, which is often tired, out of date, and lacking in the food and beverage offerings. Ritz-Carlton club lounges offer five signature food and beverage servings every day, starting with breakfast and running all the way through hors d'oeuvre and cocktails in the evening. This is an impressive and often times expensive spread, and Ritz-Carlton as a brand has decided not to give this away, even to elite members.
Related: Palace in the sky: A review of the Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong
Unfortunately, the only way to end up in a club level room is to book one outright or to pay cash to upgrade. If we take a look at the Ritz-Carlton Washington D.C., we can see that this coming summer, a standard double bed guest room costs 60,000 points per day (which means that this Category 7 hotel is operating under standard award pricing during these dates). You also have the option to book a one-bedroom executive suite for 189,000 points per night, worth $1,512 based on TPG's valuations (a bad deal, since the cash rate is only ~$650).
Here and at other Ritz-Carlton hotels, you won't see an option to use points to book a club level room. You might be able to get lucky calling an individual property and inquiring about that option, but I haven't heard any stories of people having luck there. On these exact same dates, there are three different types of club rooms for sale, so the issue here isn't availability.
Note that each of these rooms cost at least $200 per night more than a base/standard room, which means you'd have to eat and drink a lot in the lounge to make up for that extra cost. If you book a base room and decide to upgrade to a club level, the exact cost will vary from hotel to hotel so you'll have to reach out to the specific property to inquire about the rate.
Related: Redeeming Marriott Bonvoy points for maximum value
Bottom line
Ritz-Carlton is one of the most iconically luxurious hotel brands out there, and it retains an air of exclusivity around its club level rooms even for elite members. Unfortunately you can't use points to upgrade your stay to a club level room, so you'll have to pay cash if you want to enjoy all the food and drink in the club.
Thanks for the question, Hannah, and if you’re a TPG reader who’d like us to answer a question of your own, tweet us at @thepointsguy, message us on Facebook or email us at info@thepointsguy.com.
Featured photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.