TPG Readers Reveal Their Favorite Points Hotels in Europe
We recently asked our TPG Lounge members to share their all-time favorite points hotels in Europe. Here’s a look at some of our favorite answers. (Some responses have been lightly edited for style and clarity).
Memorable Stays With Marriott
From beautiful resorts in the Greek Islands to rooms with castle views in Edinburgh, our TPG Lounge audience has definitely had some great points hotel redemptions at Marriott properties throughout Europe.
"Blue Palace, a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa, in Crete. Tremendous views and a funicular to the beach!" — Aaron J.A.
"Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, Edinburgh. Incredible castle views, great rooms, dining options in the hotel, access to a beautiful spa facility and a really nice lounge with breakfast and daily happy hours. I recommend it to all my Marriott friends who are heading to Edinburgh." — Kevin M.
"Sheraton Dubrovnik Riviera Hotel, a new hotel and amazing value under the legacy SPG program. I think it was a Category 2 hotel and was only 3,660 points a night so I paid $95 a night to upgrade to a one-bedroom suite. The Westin Dublin, again another amazing value under legacy SPG that was only 16,000 points a night as a Category 6 during high season in summer." — Soroya G.G.
"Le Méridien Visconti Rome, The Westin Palace in Madrid, Sheraton Lisboa Hotel & Spa in Lisbon and Le Méridien Lav in Split, all on points before the merger. Great redemptions with upgrades to suites." — Dante V.
"The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice." — Russell F.
"Hotel Alfonso XIII, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seville and Hotel Maria Cristina, a Luxury Collection Hotel, San Sebastian. Both Spanish hotels are awesome." — Albert G.
"Palazzo Naiadi, The Dedica Anthology, Autograph Collection in Rome (upgrade to larger room) and Hotel Arts in Barcelona (upgrade to two-story suite and concierge lounge!)" — M.A.M.
"Hotel de Bourgtheroulde, Autograph Collection in Rouen, France. Beautiful." — Traci M.S.
"Domes of Elounda, Autograph Collection, in Crete!" — Rich S.
"Staying at Hotel Cala di Volpe, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Costa Smeralda in Sardinia this summer. I'll report back after that." — Max P.
"St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel London in the Chambers Wing with automatic lounge access. So stately! It's right at King's Cross so it's accessible to so many trains. We had a junior suite that was larger than my first apartment." — Loren G.M.
High Times at Hilton
Many of our TPG Lounge readers wrote in singing the praises of various Hilton properties around Europe. The Hilton Molino Stucky Venice was a major hit, as was the Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Resort. And if any of the below sound intriguing, be sure to check your Amex Offers to see if you're targeted for a discount!
"Hilton Molino Stucky Venice. Beautiful and away from the crowds but still just a stone's throw away by water taxi to Piazza San Marco." — Dan T.
"The Hilton Molino Stucky Venice is a beautiful hotel with great upgrades, a fantastic restaurant and it's away from the crowds. Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Resort had a great location, beautiful views and amazing service. At the Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh–The Caledonian, the location was great, breakfast was included and there were upgrades galore." — Kathleen M.S.
"Conrad London St. James. Steps from the St. James tube station, lovely rooms, excellent service and a great executive lounge. Can't wait to return. I thought the staff were outstanding." — Leslie A.B.
"About six years ago, I stayed at the Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, for 50,000 points per night [now 65,000-80,000] and was upgraded to a city view executive floor with access to the Imperial Lounge. Over New Year's." — Harry H.
"Just stayed at The Waldorf Hilton, London on points. Great Covent Garden location surrounded by great shops, restaurants and several tube stops for convenient sightseeing. The Covent Garden tube line also goes direct to Heathrow, about a 40-minute ride. I stayed over a holiday weekend so prices were high but luckily I was able to get a good points rate." — Mary K.Q.
"Great but busy lounge at The Waldorf Hilton, London. Afternoon tea was served with Waldorf Salad, of course." — Conrad F.
"Hilton Tallinn Park had great, low redemption rates and a brand new property in the center of it all." — Sáf D.
"I did three fairly recently: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel London - West End, Hilton Munich City and the DoubleTree by Hilton Amsterdam Centraal Station. The executive lounge and breakfast at the Munich and Amsterdam hotels were fantastic. All locations were close to public transit. The Doubletree in the West End gave me the best upgrade of my life, to a one-bedroom apartment with two floors, two bathrooms and a kitchenette. I would definitely recommend all three!" — Lisa B.
"Hilton Paris Opera!" — Adele G.
"I second that (Hilton Paris Opera), especially with an upgrade to one of the suites." — Teresa D.
"Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Resort. Wonderful rooms, views and the best executive lounge anywhere." — Teresa D.
Hyatt, IHG and Other Hotels Worth Mentioning
Some of our TPG Lounge members said they had great stays at Hyatt, IHG and Choice Hotels around Europe, while one said she was able to book an epic stay at a non-points hotel by going through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
"About to find out! Leaving Wednesday for two weeks and will be staying at the Park Hyatt Milan, Hotel Martinez In The Unbound Collection By Hyatt, Hotel Lungarno, and Hostaria del Relais San Lorenzo, all on points. 10 nights for 310,000 World of Hyatt points." — Tom T.
"The Hyatt Regency London The Churchill, my first-ever hotel redemption using the Hyatt two free night sign-up bonus. This week, I'm using IHG points to stay at the InterContinental Madrid and InterContinental Lisbon — the Madrid one looks old but stately and the Lisbon one has just been updated." — Soroya G.G.
"Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile. Great location and staff, and the points redemption was reasonable." — Randall C.W.
"I liked the Intercontinental Paris Le Grand, where I used an Ambassador free night certificate. The Hyatt Regency Amsterdam was nice and in a quiet part of the city near public transport. DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel London - Marble Arch was also conveniently located, and the Intercontinental Budapest was situated along the Danube with nice views." — Toshiba G.
"The Kimpton Fitzroy London Hotel near Russell Square." — Kyria D.K.
"Clarion Hotel The Edge in Tromsø had a great free breakfast included with a nice room!" — Jake H.
"Just had a really nice stay in The Saint James' Court, a Taj Hotel, in London. Not as fancy as you might expect, but very inexpensive with Chase Ultimate Rewards points. It's across the street from Westminster and in a beautiful part of town. Ask for one of the renovated rooms and you won’t be disappointed." — Gloria L.
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
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.
Rewards Rate
| 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
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.