One of Hawaii’s best hotels is officially part of Marriott Bonvoy, now bookable from 84K points
Earlier this year, it was announced that the iconic Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore of Oahu in Hawaii would transform into a Ritz-Carlton. Points and miles enthusiasts welcomed the news with fanfare since it meant another Hawaii property would join the Marriott Bonvoy rewards program.
Now, there's even more good news: The Ritz-Carlton Oahu, Turtle Bay, is finally bookable with Marriott Bonvoy points.
At first, award rates were a flat 132,000 points per night across the entire calendar. But now, the award rate varies per night, with the lowest price starting at 84,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night and the highest price currently coming in at 132,000 points per night.
Cash rates at the newly minted Ritz-Carlton resort fluctuate dramatically throughout the year. Low rates for 2024 — mainly in the weeks leading up to Christmas — come in at $665 per night, but they skyrocket to upward of $1,500 per night during the holidays.
But is The Ritz-Carlton Oahu, Turtle Bay, a good use of points? It certainly can be, but as always, you need to do the math.
As of August 2024, TPG values Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.85 cents apiece, so 132,000 Marriott Bonvoy points equal $1,122 in value.
During the busy holiday week between Christmas and New Year's, the price comes out to a total of $1,909.81 per night, which is way higher than the value of 132,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. For those nights, you'd get a value of about 1.45 cents per Marriott Bonvoy point, which is significantly above TPG's current 0.85 cents per point valuation.
Of course, on nights that are up to 85,000 points per night, it's certainly a good deal to use an 85,000-point award certificate that you earn each anniversary year with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card instead of paying the nightly cash rate, which generally falls between $700 and $800 (certain hotels have resort fees).
People with Chase Ultimate Rewards points (earned through cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees), the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (see rates and fees), among others) should know that there's currently a 70% transfer bonus to Marriott Bonvoy. Chase points usually transfer to Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1 ratio, but with the bonus, that becomes a 1:1.7 ratio, meaning transferring 78,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Marriott Bonvoy will get you 132,600 Marriott Bonvoy points — enough to book an award night at Turtle Bay even on the priciest nights.
According to TPG's August 2024 valuations, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are currently valued at 2.05 cents each, so 78,000 Chase points are worth $1,599. This means you'd still save on those Christmas or New Year's stays in Hawaii.
It's also worth noting that since the property has just been introduced into the program, these award rates might well change over time, especially considering Marriott uses a dynamic pricing system.
Why we're excited about The Ritz-Carlton Oahu, Turtle Bay
Before it was announced that Turtle Bay would become a Ritz-Carlton, we visited the resort for a review, describing the resort as "Oahu's North Shore gem."
The property is home to beautiful pools with some of the most stunning ocean views we've ever seen — there are seven different beaches within walking distance. The area is famous for its great surf. You can watch world-class surfers catch larger-than-life waves or learn how to surf in the much more tame part of the ocean.
Multiple bars and restaurants keep guests full or with a pina colada on hand, and the cowboy-themed luau should not be missed.
Other great amenities and activities include a spa, a golf course, hiking and biking trails, horseback riding opportunities and even nighttime snorkeling trips to see what's under the water when the sun goes down.
Bottom line
Now is certainly a great time to use your stash of Marriott Bonvoy points or Chase Ultimate Rewards points to book a stay at the North Shore resort. The Ritz-Carlton Oahu, Turtle Bay, is a fabulous property, one that we can't help but be even more excited about now that it's bookable with Marriott Bonvoy points.
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