Use Marriott Reward Points to Book Multi-Bedroom Marriott Vacation Club Properties
With the impending merger of the Starwood and Marriott loyalty programs on August 1st, I have been getting a large number of questions related to the best ways to use Marriott Rewards or Starwood Preferred Guest points under the existing terms and award charts. One somewhat unique form of these questions recently came from a family of five who can no longer reasonably stay in one standard hotel room.
Secure multiple bedrooms using points at a Marriott Vacation Club property
They are looking for opportunities to use their approximately 60,000 SPG points in a way that meets the needs of their family of five and gives them the biggest bang for their points. As you know, most standard hotel rooms are simply not equipped for a family of five, especially as the kids get older. Short of booking a second room, which can be prohibitively expensive when using points, another option is to look at booking Marriott Vacation Club properties. You can sometimes book a one, two, or three-bedroom vacation club unit for only a reasonable number of additional points beyond the price of a studio or standard hotel room.
Since 60,000 Starwood Preferred Guest points can convert into 180,000 Marriott Reward points at a 3x ratio, this family has a decent number of points to work with to secure a multi-night family vacation at one of the 50+ Marriott Vacation Club properties around the world. When you use points to book a Marriott Vacation Club property, the points component of the fifth award night is free, just like it is with standard hotel rooms. However, any cash component or upgrade certificate is not waived on the fifth night.
The downside of booking Marriott Vacation Club properties with Marriott Reward points is that availability is not guaranteed the way that it is with standard hotel rooms. You will almost certainly have to have some date or location flexibility in order to book a family vacation at a Marriott Vacation Club property using your Marriott Rewards points. Also be sure to compare award prices with paid rates directly from Marriott and with prices available through the various timeshare rental sites.
I did a few dozen searches over the last 24 hours at various Marriott Vacation Club properties to get a feel for current availability and award pricing. Here is a sampling of what your Marriott Rewards points can secure if you are looking for a Vacation Club property with more space to spread out, make meals, and have fun with your family or friends. All of the examples given were ones where I was able to find at least some award availability using flexible dates. Additional unit sizes may be available at each property, but I only included what I could actually book in my searches as of today.
Booking Marriott Vacation Club properties with Marriott Reward points
Marriott's Cypress Harbour Villas
- Two-bedroom villa with one king, one queen, and two sofa beds available for 45,000 points per night
- Orlando, Florida
Marriott Harbour Lake
- One-bedroom villa for 35,000 points per night
- Two-bedroom villas for 45,000 points per night
- Orlando, Florida
Marriott's Canyon Villas
- One-bedroom villa for 40,000 points per night
- Phoenix, Arizona
Marriott's Desert Springs Villas II
- One-bedroom villa for 35,000 points per night
- Two-bedroom villa 45,000 points per night
- Palm Desert, California
Marriott’s Waikoloa Ocean Club
- One-bedroom for 40,000 points + $100 per night
- One king bed, one sofa bed, maximum occupancy of four
- Waikoloa Beach, Hawaii
Marriott Timber Lodge Lake Tahoe
- Two-bedroom villa for 50,000 points per night
- Two king bedrooms, two sofa beds, and maximum occupancy of 8
- South Lake Tahoe, California
- Located next to the Heavenly gondola
Marriott's Aruba Ocean Club
- One-bedroom villa for 50,000 points per night
- One king bed, one sofa bed, and maximum occupancy of 4
- Palm Beach, Aruba
Marriott St. Kitts Beach Club
- Two-bedroom villa for 45,000 points per night
- One king bed, two queen beds, and a sofa bed with maximum occupancy of 8
Marriott’s Bali Nusa Dua Gardens
- One-bedroom apartment for 35,000 points per night
- Two-bedroom apartment for 40,000 points per night
- Two-bedroom has one king bed, two twin beds, and a sofa bed
- Property has a lagoon pool with lazy river
Marriott's Village d'Ile-de-France
- Two-bedroom townhouse for 35,000 points per night
- Three-bedroom townhouse for 40,000 points per night
- Located four miles from Disneyland Paris
I don't know how the pricing at these Vacation Club resorts may or may not change beginning August 1, 2018, nor do I know what impact the Marriott Vacations acquisition of ILG timeshares may have in the future. Presumably, that will open up even more options since that acquisition includes the Westin, Sheraton, and Hyatt Vacation Club brands. As I understand it, that deal is set to close in the second half of 2018.
Tips for booking Marriott Vacation Club properties with Marriott points
As was already mentioned, you need to have real flexibility to find award availability at Marriott Vacation Club properties. The flexible date search calendar is very useful, but it also isn't 100% reliable. Sometimes I could find award availability with a flexible date search, and sometimes the only way to pull it up was to use specific dates and keep playing around with date options until something was found.
All of the resorts mentioned in this post did have at least some award availability, but there were some Marriott Vacation Club properties where I couldn't find any award availability at all.
If you think about how much a standard room at a middle tier category SPG property costs, such as the Westin Grand Cayman at 12,000 - 16,000 SPG points per night, spending the SPG equivalent of 13,333 - 15,000 points (40,000 - 45,000 Marriott points) per night to book a two or three bedroom unit is pretty outstanding. If your family has grown beyond the confines of a traditional hotel room and you want to continue to use points to travel, looking at vacation club properties is the next logical move.
Does your family ever use your Marriott Reward points to book Marriott Vacation Club properties?
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.