These are the best Category 5 and 6 hotels to redeem your Marriott Bonvoy 40,000-point Free Night Certificate.
How to get a Marriott 40,000 Free Night Certificate?
Marriott Bonvoy members are offered an Annual Choice Benefit upon reaching 75 Elite nights within a year. Reaching that milestone will also (re)qualify members for the Titanium status.
What are Elite Nights?
“Elite Nights” are nights that count towards status (re)qualification. This is not necessarily the actual number of nights that a member has stayed in that year.
Hotel Loyalty Programs like Marriott Bonvoy sometimes run Double Elite Night promotions to assist members to reach their status goals.
In the USA, signing up for a Marriott Bonvoy credit card gets you 15 Elite nights instantly.
75-night Annual Choice Benefits:
- 5 Suite Night Awards™
- One Free Night Award (up to 40,000 points)
- Gift Gold Elite status
- 40% off your favourite mattress and box spring
- 5 Elite Night Credits
- US$100 charity donation
Unless if the donation amount increases to US$300, getting One Free Night is the obvious choice here.
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Types of properties to look out for
When hunting for properties that offer maximum value to use a 40k free night, I look for those in categories 5 and 6 and lean towards newer properties and more expensive ones.
With the 40k free night cert, you can book a free night at any Category 5 property (as long as it is not fully booked) or off-peak nights in Category 6 properties.
However, do note that Marriott Bonvoy will be getting rid of its award chart in an upcoming devaluation.
Best hotels to redeem 40k Free Night Certs
Disclaimer: I have not stayed in many of the newer hotels in this list. These are my picks, based on what looks good on paper and in photos.
I have also included photos of non-suite rooms that a Titanium member can expect to get upgraded to, at the minimum. This should give you a good sense of how the room-furnishing is like in each property.
These properties are sorted from the most expensive (cash rate) to the least.
Rates shown are the average for the month of March 2022.
1. Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa
Location: Maldives
Average price: US$790
Year built: 2021
It is shocking that this hotel is still a Category 5 property. It is more expensive than other Category 6 hotels in this list!
Related article: Sweet Spots: Best ways to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points
I wrote about how you can stay 5 nights in this property for just 120k points. Having a 40k free night gives you the option to extend for another night.
Of course, you’ll have to consider the cost of the compulsory roundtrip seaplane transfers of US$450 per person and the overpriced food in the resort, which really eats up a lot of value from your stay.
2. W Miami
Location: Florida, USA
Average price: US$550
Year built: 2009
This Category 6 property has beautiful decor and is highly-priced all year.
3. Al Bustan Palace, A Ritz-Carlton Hotel
Location: Muscat, Oman
Average price: US$530
Year built: 1985
Year renovated: 2018
This mountainside Category 6 property was originally built as a palace for Oman’s Sultan Qaboos.
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4. W Osaka
Location: Osaka, Japan
Average price: US$450
Year built: 2021
This newly-opened Category 6 hotel is located in the heart of Shinsaibashi, Osaka.
5. W Singapore – Sentosa Cove
Location: Singapore
Average price: US$410
Year built: 2012
This Category 6 property is located on Southern Singapore’s Sentosa Island.
6. Neues Schloss Privat Hotel Zurich, Autograph Collection
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Average price: US$390
Year built: 2021
This new Category 6 property is located in the vicinity of Lake Zurich.
7. JW Marriott Hotel Nara
Location: Nara, Japan
Average price: US$390
Year built: 2020
This new Category 6 property is located about 45-min drive West of Osaka. It is also the most expensive one in this list that has a Club/Executive Lounge.
8. Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Valle Sagrado
Location: Urubamba, Peru
Average price: US$380
Year built: 2010
This Category 6 hotel is really special. It is located in the heart of the Sacred Valley of the Incas and is the only hotel in Urubamba with a private train station to Machu Picchu.
9. The St. Regis Istanbul
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Average price: US$370
Year built: 2015
This Category 6 hotel is located in an upscale area near Macka Park. I used my 40k cert here in 2020.
Related article: Review: The St. Regis Istanbul (1 Bedroom Suite)
10. The Ritz-Carlton, Abama
Location: Tenerife, Spain
Average price: US$360
Year built: 2005
This Category 6 resort is located in the exotic Canary Island of Tenerife!
11. La Ville Hotel & Suites CITY WALK, Dubai, Autograph Collection
Location: Dubai, UAE
Average price: US$360
Year built: 2017
This Category 6 hotel is directly connected to City Walk mall and is very close to Burj Khalifa.
12. The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi
Location: Langkawi, Malaysia
Average price: US$350
Year built: 2017
This Category 6 property is located in Langkawi, a Malaysian island at the edge of the Andaman Sea.
13. Grosvenor House, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Dubai
Location: Dubai, UAE
Average price: US$350
Year built: 2005
This Category 6 property is one of very few hotels in this list that offers complimentary Club Lounge access to Platinum members and above.
I have stayed here in the past, before Suitesmile. Food at the lounge was fantastic all day long. You almost do not need to eat out!
14. The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta, Pacific Place
Location: Jakarta, Indonesia
Average price: US$350
Year built: 2007
This Category 5 property is known for offering Club Lounge access to all hotel guests, regardless of status!
15. Hotel Bristol, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Vienna
Location: Vienna, Austria
Average price: US$340
Year built: 1892
Year renovated: 2013
This category 6 property is famous for its classic decor and historic building.
16. Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Gangnam
Location: Seoul, South Korea
Average price: US$330
Year built: 2021
This new Category 6 property is located at the heart of Gangnam’s business district.
17. The Ritz-Carlton, Budapest
Location: Budapest, Hungary
Average price: US$330
Year built: 1914
Year renovated: 2016
This is another Category 6 property with a historic building. It is located right in the heart of Budapest near attractions like St. Stephen’s Basilica, Erzsébet Square and the River Danube.
18. The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin
Location: Berlin, Germany
Average price: US$320
Year built: 2004
Year renovated: 2019
This newly-renovated Category 6 hotel with new design inspired by the glamour of Berlin in the 1920s.
19. The Tasman, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Hobart
Location: Tasmania, Australia
Average price: US$300
Year built: 2021
This Category 6 hotel is the newest hotel on the list, having opened just last week!
20. W Muscat
Location: Muscat, Oman
Average price: US$300
Year built: 2019
This Category 5 resort is situated in the upbeat Shatti Al Qurum beachfront.
21. The St. Regis Singapore
Location: Singapore
Average price: US$300
Year built: 2008
This Category 6 luxurious property is located within walking distance of the Orchard Road shopping district.
22. The St. Regis Langkawi
Location: Langkawi, Malaysia
Average price: US$270
Year built: 2016
This Category 6 hotel is the second one in this list that is situated in Langkawi.
23. Budapest Marriott Hotel
Location: Budapest, Hungary
Average price: US$270
Year built: 1969
Year renovated: 2014
This Category 6 property is probably the weakest in the list when it comes to room furnishing but it makes up for it with a spectacular view of Danube River.
This hotel also has a Club Lounge where Platinum members and above have complimentary access to.
24. W Brisbane
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Average price: US$220
Year built: 2018
I contemplated adding this Category 5 hotel in this list because of how low the average cash rate is, compared to the others in this list. But I genuinely find the decor of this hotel interesting enough to check out at least once in your life. And it offers a beautiful view of Brisbane River as well!
Summary
| Property name | Year built / renovated | Usual rate (nett, in US$) | Lounge for Elites? | Marriott category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Le Meridien Maldives | 2021 | 790 | ✘ | 5 |
| W Miami | 2009 | 550 | ✘ | 6 |
| Al Bustan Palace | 1985 / 2018 | 530 | ✘ | 6 |
| W Osaka | 2021 | 450 | ✘ | 6 |
| W Singapore | 2012 | 410 | ✘ | 6 |
| Neues Schloss Zurich | 2021 | 390 | ✘ | 6 |
| JW Marriott Nara | 2020 | 390 | ✔ | 6 |
| Tambo del Inka | 2010 | 380 | ✘ | 6 |
| St. Regis Istanbul | 2015 | 370 | ✘ | 6 |
| Ritz-Carlton, Abama | 2005 | 360 | ✘ | 6 |
| La Ville Dubai | 2017 | 360 | ✘ | 6 |
| Ritz-Carlton Langkawi | 2017 | 350 | ✘ | 6 |
| Grosvenor House Dubai | 2005 | 350 | ✔ | 6 |
| Ritz-Carlton Jakarta PP | 2007 | 350 | ✔ | 5 |
| Hotel Bristol Vienna | 1892 / 2013 | 340 | ✘ | 6 |
| Josun Palace Seoul | 2021 | 330 | ✘ | 6 |
| Ritz-Carlton Budapest | 1914 / 2016 | 330 | ✘ | 6 |
| Ritz-Carlton Berlin | 2004 | 320 | ✘ | 6 |
| The Tasman Hobart | 2021 | 300 | ✘ | 5 |
| W Muscat | 2019 | 300 | ✘ | 5 |
| St. Regis Singapore | 2008 | 300 | ✘ | 6 |
| St. Regis Langkawi | 2016 | 270 | ✘ | 6 |
| Budapest Marriott | 1969 / 2014 | 270 | ✔ | 6 |
| W Brisbane | 2018 | 240 | ✘ | 5 |
No complimentary breakfast in The Ritz-Carlton hotels
The Ritz-Carlton hotels are exempted from providing complimentary breakfast and club lounge access to Elite members (Platinum and above).
However, some properties offer them anyway! The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta, Pacific Place is one of them and The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur is another one.
Booking a Category 7 property with a 40k cert
Can you use this 40,000-point cert to book a Category 7 hotel? Well, soon you can! As shared in a previous article, from early 2022, Marriott will allow members to top-up for the difference in points, up to 15,000 points when redeeming a free night cert.
This will give you access to off-peak nights in Category 7 properties (50k per night).
However, be reminded that there will no longer be “peak” or “off-peak” nights from March 2022 as Marriott is adopting dynamic award pricing.
This means that hotels will get to decide on how to price their award rates, ranging anywhere from 50,000 to 70,000 for Cat 7 properties, whenever they want.
Bottom line
Redeem your 40k free night cert in any of the hotels in this list almost guarantees that you will be getting high value.
I am currently sitting on two 40k free night certs (earned in 2020 and 2021). I am hoping to use them at W Osaka and JW Marriott Naha by mid-year, IF border restrictions allow. 🤞