Everything you need to know about the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program
Marriott is the largest hotel chain in the world, they are over 7,500 hotels divided into more than 30 signs. We are [...]
Marriott
Marriott is the world's largest hotel chain, are more than 7,500 hotels divided into more than 30 signs. We are talking about luxury chains such as The Ritz-Carlton or Bvlgari to the cheaper Moxy, Aloft and Ac Hotels.
In this article:
It is in fact impossible not to find a hotel that suits your needs in the entire portfolio of this chain.
The Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program allows all travelers to gain benefits through status and collect points to be turned into free stays and more.
When the Marriott Bonvoy program was born.
It was born in 2018 from the merger of the two chains Marriott and Starwood and their respective loyalty programs (Marriott Rewards, Starwood Preferred Guest, and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards) thus creating the world's largest hotel loyalty program.
What are the hotels in the Marriott group
We can group hotels into 4 macro categories: Luxury, Premium, Standard and Residence.
The insignia Luxury are: The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, JW Marriott, W Hotels, EDITION, The Luxury Collection, Bvlgari.
The insignia Premium are: Marriott, Sheraton, Delta Hotels, Westin, Le Meridien, Renaissance Hotels, Autograph Collection Hotels, Tribute Portfolio, Design Hotels,Gaylord Hotels.
The insignia Standard are: Courtyard, Four Points, Springhill Suites, Fairfield, Protea Hotels, AC Hotels, Aloft Hotels, Moxy Hotels.
Finally, we have the signs that offer mainly long stay apartments: Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites, Element Hotels, Marriott Executive Apartments, Homes & Villas by Marriott.
By staying at any of these facilities you can earn Bonvoy points and receive all the benefits provided by the elite status held.
Marriott group hotels in Italy
There are 62 hotels of the group in Italy divided by 16 signs. Most are located in the central north, there are only 3 hotels in the south and islands. By the end of 2021 two more facilities will open in our country, it will also be the debut for the W hotels chain in Rome and Milan.
On our pages we have already reviewed several of these facilities and Found true hidden gems like the Sheraton Milan San Siro.
Pros and cons of the Marriott Bonvoy program
The first thing to know is. the Bonvoy program is one of American Express' partners, this means that it is possible to convert Membership Rewards points into Bonvoy points. With a conversion rate of 5:4 (5,000 MR points become 4,000 Bonvoy points). In addition, for the American Express Platinum holders is provided as a benefit the guaranteed Gold level in the Bonvoy program.
The feature I most appreciate about the Marriott Bonvoy program. Is the table of fixed premiums. Unlike other programs such as Hilton Honors, with dynamic award rankings, Marriott divides its hotels into categories (1 to 8) and, based on the level, sets the number of room points.
However, there are some downsides to the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program. The first and main flaw is that free breakfast is not given to Gold level holders, which is the case in Hilton. In addition, Marriott charges resort fees on award nights, they can go as high as 100$ per night and not necessarily if you are staying in a resort, even being in a large hotel with a beach and pools is enough. Other big brands, such as Hilton and Hyatt, do not charge such fees on award stays.
How to earn Bonvoy points
In Italy there are not many "alternative" ways to stay to earn Bonvoy points. One, as mentioned earlier, is to transfer points from American Express, but there are other ways as well. The presence of many promotions also allows those who make few stays to be able to accumulate points and earn free nights.
Paying for a stay at a Marriott facility earns Marriott Bonvoy points. The amount of points depends on how much you pay, your payment method, your elite status, and the facility where you stay.
In order to get the points, however, it is ABSOLUTELY necessary that you book through the official app or website, otherwise you will not accumulate anything.
Basically, you earn 10 points for every dollar spent at all facilities. All except Residence Inn by Marriott, Towneplace Suites by Marriott and Elemento, where you get half the points, or 5 per dollar spent. As for Italy, all facilities are 10×1.
In addition to these base points are the various bonuses that can be provided along with the reservation, such as the X2 rate that allows for doubling the base points or, as mentioned, the various multipliers.
It is important to know that what generates the total points you earn on a stay is the total final bill, excluding tax. If you have to pay for extras such as parking, dinner at a restaurant, or beer at the hotel bar always ask that it be charged to your bill and NEVER pay at the time, unless you remind the cashier to enter your loyalty card.
Rounding out the accumulation are then the bonuses linked to the elite level of membership.
| Elite level | Additional points earned: |
|---|---|
| Silver Elite | Bonus of 10% of points |
| Gold Elite | Bonus of 25% of points |
| Platinum Elite | Bonus from the 50% of points |
| Titanium Elite | Bonus of the 75% of points |
| Ambassador Elite | Bonus of the 75% of points |
How much they are worth and when to use them
Marriott Bonvoy points are generally valued at around 0.5 cents per point. To calculate the value of Marriott Bonvoy points, use this simple equation: cash price (including taxes and fees) / number of points needed for hotel stay = value of points for that specific reservation. And you will realize how worthwhile it is.
The statuses of the Bonvoy program
Elite statuses are obtained by staying at hotel facilities, with eligible rates, during a calendar year and are valid from the time they are obtained until the end of the following year. So if you obtain Platinum status in June 2021, you will remain platinum until December 2022.
Marriott Elite Levels
| Levels | Requirements for earning |
|---|---|
| New member | Free registration |
| Silver Elite | 10+ hotel nights per year |
| Gold Elite | 25+ hotel nights per year |
| Platinum Elite | 50+ hotel nights per year |
| Titanium Elite | 75+ hotel nights per year |
| Ambassador Elite | Over 100 hotel nights per year + $ 20,000 annual qualifying expenditure |
At each level there is a range of benefits that obviously become more and more attractive as status rises.
Partner Marriott Bonvoy
- Free Wi-Fi
- Marriott Bonvoy member rates for rooms
- Mobile check-in
Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite
In addition to the advantages of the previous level
- Guaranteed room (if for any reason the reservation is not honored, you will receive compensation)
- 10% of bonus points in addition to base points
- Late check-out (no time specified)
Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite
Silver benefits plus ...
- Bonus gains of 25% in addition to base points
- Late check-out (until 2:00 p.m.)
- Welcome gift at the hotel (every time you stay in hotels are given bonuses)
- Room Upgrade
Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite
Benefits Gold more ...
- Bonus earnings of 50% in addition to base points
- Dedicated elite support
- Late checkout (until 4:00 p.m.)
- Welcome gift at the hotel (Marriott Bonvoy points, offer for breakfast or other free gift)
- Room upgrades (including some types of suites)
- Lounge access
- Guaranteed room type
- Annual benefit of your choice (example: 5 nights in award suite or gift options, awarded with 50 qualifying nights)
Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite
Platinum benefits plus ...
- Bonus gains of 75% in addition to base points
- Annual choice benefit (example: 5 nights in award suite or gift options, awarded with 75 qualifying nights)
- Guaranteed booking within 48 hours
Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite
The advantages of titanium plus ...
- Ambassador service
- Your24 (flexibility to choose the 24-hour stay)
How to redeem Marriott points
Points are easy to redeem because Marriott, as mentioned, has a fixed rewards table that allows you to see exactly how many points you will need for a free night. Loyalty programs such as Hilton Honors have dynamic pricing, so award prices can fluctuate dramatically based on demand. A practical example is Hilton Como Lake, where a room goes from 50k to 200k points per night. With Marriott, however, everything is very clear.
| Hotel category | Low season | Standard | High season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5.000 | 7.500 | 10.000 |
| 2 | 10.000 | 12.500 | 15.000 |
| 3 | 15.000 | 17.500 | 20.000 |
| 4 | 20.000 | 25.000 | 30.000 |
| 5 | 30.000 | 35.000 | 40.000 |
| 6 | 40.000 | 50.000 | 60.000 |
| 7 | 50.000 | 60.000 | 70.000 |
| 8 | 70.000 | 85.000 | 100.000 |
It is important to keep in mind what your Marriott points are worth when you book an award night.
The fifth night is always FREE
When you use points for a four-night stay, you will automatically receive the fifth night free. This is an effective way to earn multiple trips for the same amount of points. And this promotion works for multiple stays of four. An eight-night stay will earn you two free nights, 12 nights will earn you three free nights, and so on.
This is why you should definitely avoid using points for stays of three nights or less.
