Save on Marriott award stays all around the world through Marriott PointSavers
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with new information.
If you've been saving up Marriott Bonvoy points for a trip, you may be surprised when you go to book your stay.
Unlike programs that use dynamic award pricing, Marriott's award chart doesn't let award pricing adapt downward when cash rates dip exceptionally low. Instead, awards are priced at off-peak, standard and peak levels, with a lot less flexibility. As a result, when visiting destinations with low cash rates myself I often find myself booking Marriott stays with cash instead of points.
But, there's still plenty of value to be found redeeming Marriott Bonvoy points in some destinations. And, at select properties, you can snag discounted Marriott PointSavers award rates that can be a relative bargain. Today I'll take a closer look at Marriott PointSavers, including how to find discounted rates and some of the best properties currently offering PointSavers rates.
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What is Marriott PointSavers?
Marriott PointSavers is a discount program that lets members book select hotels for less than the usual award rate for stays on select dates. The standard Marriott Bonvoy award chart has eight categories, each of which has off-peak, standard and peak award night pricing for standard room types. But, at select properties, Marriott also offers discounted PointSavers award rates.
Here's how the award charts compare:
| Hotel category | Off-peak award night (PointSavers) | Standard award night (PointSavers) | Peak award night (PointSavers) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5,000 (4,000) | 7,500 (6,000) | 10,000 (8,500) |
| 2 | 10,000 (8,000) | 12,500 (11,000) | 15,000 (13,000) |
| 3 | 15,000 (12,000) | 17,500 (16,000) | 20,000 (18,000) |
| 4 | 20,000 (17,500) | 25,000 (22,500) | 30,000 (27,500) |
| 5 | 30,000 (27,500) | 35,000 (32,500) | 40,000 (37,500) |
| 6 | 40,000 (35,000) | 50,000 (45,000) | 60,000 (55,000) |
| 7 | 50,000 (45,000) | 60,000 (55,000) | 70,000 (65,000) |
| 8 | 70,000 (65,000) | 85,000 (80,000) | 100,000 (90,000) |
As you can see, your savings will be relatively modest when you book a PointSavers award instead of a standard award. After all, even on the high end of the award chart, you won't save more than 10,000 points per night. Based on TPG's valuation of Marriott points at 0.8 cents each, 10,000 points are worth $80.
Even minor discounts can add up if you're booking an extended stay, though. Best of all, you can still take advantage of Marriott's "Stay for 5, Pay for 4" perk -- which provides a fifth night free on award stays -- even on PointSavers award stays. For example, you can compound your savings at the Courtyard Kuwait City by booking a PointSavers award for five nights and get not only the lower award rate, but also have the cost of the fifth night subtracted from the total.
And you can use Marriott's "Build your own Cash + Points combination" tool on PointSavers stays too. For example, on a six-night stay, I could choose to pay cash for one night and still get a fifth night free and PointSavers pricing on the nights for which I redeem points.
However, you may not be able to book each standard room type at a PointsSavers rate. For example, PointSavers rates are only available for guest rooms with one king bed on this sample stay at the Bogota Marriott Hotel.
And you'll only see PointSavers rates for select dates. For example, here's a look at PointSavers award availability for the San Francisco Marriott Fisherman’s Wharf in December.
Of course, be sure to compare cash rates before jumping on a PointSavers redemption. Scoring a 5,000-point discount on a Category 6 property when the paid rate is only $150 per night (for example) isn't much of a deal.
Related: 5 ways to maximize Marriott Bonvoy award night redemptions
How to find and book Marriott PointSavers awards
Marriott PointSavers discounts are only available at select hotels on select dates. You can find a list of participating hotels and dates on Marriott's PointSavers landing page.
This list makes the PointSavers discount seem limited. But, in practice, there are many more properties that offer PointSavers discounts.
So, when you search for awards on Marriott's website, you'll sometimes find discounted Marriott PointSavers rates that aren't on Marriott's PointSavers landing page.
You can book these discounted Marriott PointSavers rates the same way you'd book a standard Marriott Bonvoy award. Click "View rates" for the hotel you want to book. Then click "Select" next to the room type with the PointSavers rate that you want to book. You'll need to log in at this point if you haven't already.
Marriott will take you to a page where you can review the reservation details.
Note that Marriott allows you to redeem free night awards like the ones you get with several of its cobranded credit cards on PointSavers awards. Just make sure you're clear about which one you are selecting to book. For instance, with this 16,000-point one-night booking, I'd want to select to redeem 16,000 points instead of using an up to 35,000-point free night award.
Related: Why I’m earning more Marriott Bonvoy points during the pandemic
Hotels currently on Marriott's PointSavers list
Marriott lists several hotels on its PointSavers landing page, including:
- Sheraton Phoenix Downtown (Category 5): On the PointSavers list through Aug. 31, 2021
- San Francisco Marriott Fisherman’s Wharf (Category 6): On the PointSavers list Nov. 1 through Dec. 30, 2021
- New York Marriott Marquis (Category 7): On the PointSavers list through Sep. 6, 2021
- Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel (Category 6): On the PointSavers list through Aug. 31, 2021
- Residence Inn New York Manhattan/Midtown East (Category 6): On the PointSavers list through Aug. 31, 2021
- Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel (Category 6): On the PointSavers list through Dec. 31, 2021
- Fairfield Inn & Suites Guelph (Category 3): On the PointSavers list through Sep. 2, 2021
But, as I noted above, many more hotels offer PointSavers awards at any given time. For example, I've recently found PointSavers awards bookable in Orlando, FL, Bogota, Colombia and Kuwait City, Kuwait.
Before booking a cash rate, it's worth checking the box to search using points and certificates. After all, you may find an unexpected PointSavers rate that's good enough to tip the scales for whether you should pay cash or points for your stay.
Related: 11 places to get more than $1,000 in value from 100,000 Marriott points
How to earn more Marriott points
If your Marriott Bonvoy account balance is low, there are many ways to earn additional Marriott points. For example, you could buy Marriott Bonvoy points or transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points or American Express Membership Rewards points to Marriott. Or, you could apply for a new Marriott Bonvoy credit card. Each of these cards currently offers an intro bonus to new cardmembers:
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card: Earn 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months; plus, earn 50,000 points after you stay six eligible nights at Marriott hotels through Jan. 31, 2024. Offer ends August 9.
- Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card: Earn 75,000 bonus points after you use your new card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first three months of card membership.
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card: Earn 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after using your card to spend $3,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months; plus, earn 50,000 bonus points after you stay six eligible paid nights at Marriott hotels through Jan. 31, 2024. Offer ends August 10.
- Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card: Earn 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after using your card to spend $1,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months; plus, earn 50,000 bonus points after you stay six eligible paid nights at Marriott hotels through Jan. 31, 2024. Offer ends August 10.
Signing up for a new credit card is only a viable solution for earning Marriott Bonvoy points if you don't need the points to make a redemption now and you can meet those financial requirements responsibly. If you only need to top off your account, you could also earn Marriott points through the Eat Around Town dining rewards program.
Finally, you may consider using Marriott Points Advance if you’re short on points. However, Points Advance only locks in the award space, not the award rate. So if your award increases in price before you redeem points for your stay, you'll need to pay the award cost that is in effect when you redeem.
Related: Free nights and easy status: Here’s why I have 4 Marriott Bonvoy credit cards
Additional reporting by JT Genter.