Marriott Seattle Airport Review: Open and Accommodating

Over the past few years, airport hotels have started to really grow on me.

It’s hard to beat the convenience they offer when dealing with early or late flights and I’ve found them to be very accommodating properties as a whole.

In this review, I’ll cover the Marriott Seattle Airport and give you a sense of what you can expect if you choose to stay at this hotel.

Location

The Marriott Seattle Airport is located about one long block away from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and the SeaTac/Airport Station (for trams).

It’s close enough that you could walk from the airport terminal to the hotel but if you have a lot of luggage it’s probably a lot easier to just take the shuttle.

The hotel is only about 22 minutes away from attractions in Downtown Seattle so staying at this airport hotel is still relatively convenient if you want to get out and spend the day in Seattle.

In our case, we only had one night in Seattle so we decided to Uber to some of the tourist attractions like Pike Place Market since this was our first time in Seattle.

It was an abnormally warm day that normally would not stick out because of what we are used to in Arizona but coming from Alaska it felt pretty hot!

We grabbed some pizza from a local joint as soon as we arrived and it definitely hit the spot.

We would spend the next few hours wandering around Pike Place Market, trying out different foods, and just exploring the city a bit. Seattle made a pretty good first impression.

Getting to the hotel

After arriving from Juneau, Alaska, on a super early flight we arrived at SEA and then we made our way over the cat walk to the parking garage where you also find the complimentary hotel shuttle busses.

Each hotel shuttle bus serves a different “island” (station) or multiple stations in this area so you want to make sure you’re standing in the right area.

A huge tip is to wait at the station where the bus will be first arriving because otherwise it might be filled up by the time it gets to you.

(Some of the hotels only have one bus running so don’t assume that a secondary bus will come and pick up the slack.)

The shuttle bus for this hotel is hard to miss so you don’t have to look very hard.

It didn’t take long for our shuttle bus to arrive and we had it completely to ourselves. It’s always nice when public transportation turns into private transportation.

Booking

We booked this hotel stay with one of our Marriott free night certificates, which came out to pretty awesome value. With taxes and fees, the total came out to around $400 per night which was excellent.

Prices aren’t normally that expensive though so I think we were just visiting during a peak time.

Check-in

I was immediately impressed by the beautiful and cozy lobby at the hotel. Since we were arriving so early at around 9 AM, it was very quiet.

Check in went about as smooth as you could ask for.

We arrived around 9 AM fully expecting to not have a room ready for us but we were delighted to find out early check-in would be available.

The downside was that we were going to be put in the section of the hotel that is not connected to the lounge.

This meant that for every lounge visit we would have to go down to the lobby, walk to a different set of elevators, and then head up those.

Considering we would only be making two lounge visits on a one night stay, that was a small inconvenience to pay for such a massively convenient early check-in.

However, if I had multiple nights to spend here I would get a little annoyed with the up and down.

The room

Our king room was spacious and modern with a beautiful oversized headboard.

We found the bed to be comfortable and got some good rest after we finished up at the the lounge

The room came with a large flatscreen TV which was mounted above a dresser and large counter.

We also had two water bottles waiting for us.

There was a box with all of the coffee cups, coffee packs, and some tea near the workstation.

This is also where the coffee maker is although we always use our own tea kettle.

The workstation came equipped with stationary, a phone, and lamp. Outlets were built into the side of the frame holding the TV.

There’s also a mini fridge underneath the TV.

One thing I really liked about the room is that we actually had a pretty decent window view from up on the fifth floor.

It doesn’t get much better than an amazing mountain view of Mount Rainier — such an impressive mountain.

Marriott Seattle Airport view mount rainier

The bathroom is really nice in these rooms, too. You’ll find a single sink with plenty of counter space under a brightly lit mirror.

The bathroom came stashed with thisworks amenities.

It’s a nice shower too.

Privacy glass makes up one wall although it is partially translucent (just in case you are sharing a room with someone you’re not that close to).

The toilet is also right next to the shower and the sink which is a little bit of a tight fit.

Lounge

Because we were able to check in so early, we had enough time to grab breakfast in the lounge.

I was pretty satisfied with all of the offerings which included: muffins, fresh fruit, eggs, protein, toppings such as cheese and salsa, oatmeal, cereals, and water bottles and soft drinks.

Marriott Seattle Airport lounge breakfast items

We had just flown without really having an opportunity for any type of real breakfast so being able to enjoy a full breakfast spread in this lounge was pretty amazing. It’s amazing how good basic food can be whenever you are starving and exhausted.

Also, while we were trying to rush before breakfast ended, the staff up there was really friendly and was not rushing us at all. Kudos to them.

We would head back up to the lounge in the evening for snacks. At that time they had salad, meats, cheeses, and a platter of vegetables. Can’t forget about the cookies, either.

The hotel also has its own restaurant, Aqua Terra, a farm-to-table restaurant serving seafood and American fare although we did not get the chance to try it due to taking advantage of the lounge.

I thought the bar area looked pretty nice so it’s probably worth checking out.

Here’s another look at the lobby which once again I really liked.

During our stay, we explored some of the hotel facilities which I thought were really interesting because they were so different.

First, they have this large atrium with 45 ft skylights that houses a few things.

One part of it is a wide open lounge area with a large multi-panel TV along with some comfy seating. Would be a cool place to catch a ball game during your travels.

The other part is event space where they put on special events out in the open (suitable for up to 800 people).

It’s a little strange to me to be putting on events like weddings or receptions while nosy hotel guests are watching from their rooms but I guess it works?

Then, there is the 24-hour fitness center which is right in the middle of all of this. It’s interesting because it has this fish bowl feel with its glass walls.

For those who like to work out out in the open, you’ll really love this gym. For those who like to sweat it up in privacy, this may not be your cup of tea.

With that said, it’s a very equipped gym with plenty of cardio equipment.

Final word

This was a very solid airport hotel stay.

Getting handed early check in at around 9 AM was a major win and it was nice being only about 20 minutes outside of Seattle so that we could do a little bit of exploring.

While the lounge is pretty small, I enjoyed the breakfast up there and considering how much value I got for the free night certificate, it was hard to complain about anything for this stay.

Daniel Gillaspia

Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time credit card rewards/travel expert and has earned and redeemed millions of miles to travel the globe. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.

The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas Review

On a recent trip to Hawaii, we stayed at six different hotels and got a nice taste of what each one had offer. But out of all of the properties, the Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas was our favorite hotel we stayed at.

It offers the perfect laid-back vibe along with some beautiful views from spacious balconies. Plus, it’s just an overall gorgeous setting.

In this article, I’ll break down everything you need to know before heading to this resort.

Booking

On a recent 10 night trip to Hawaii we spent a large portion of the trip tracking down all of the Jurassic Park filming locations.

This meant that we would be focusing a lot on the island of Kauai since that is where most of the filming went down.

We would be doing a lot of hotel hopping at hotels like Marriott’s Kauai Beach Club so we wanted to have at least one stay where we would stay three nights and the Westin Princeville Ocean Resort seemed like a perfect spot.

We booked the hotel for 50,000 Marriott points per night and with rates going well over $500 per night that amounted to over one cent point for Marriott which is always a great deal in my book.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

Location Overview: Princeville

Princeville is located on the north side of the island of Kauai and about a 45 minute drive from the airport (LIH). It’s a beautiful and scenic area full of condominiums, golf courses, and resorts but it still feels pretty rustic and remote.

It’s perfect for exploring the north part of the island (Queen’s Bath, Kilauea Lighthouse, Limahuli Garden, etc.) but less ideal if you want to spend a lot of time in places like Waimea Canyon State Park or Allerton Garden.

You’ve got a few local places to eat nearby like Saenz Ohana Breakfast and The Spot North Shore Kauai. Also, if you need to head to the market there is the Foodland Princeville very close by (5 minutes by car).

If you head a little bit more west to Hanalei you’ll also find eatery hotspots like Kalypso Island Bar & Grill, Holey Grail Donuts, and others. Those places are about 10 minutes away.

The closest beach to the Westin Princeville that you can walk to is Wyllie’s Beach but you have to do a little bit of work to get there. The trail head is near the front of the hotel next to the golf course.

It’s a short but pretty steep hike to the beach. Very doable just be prepared for a steep walk on the way back.

Check-in

We arrived after check in time so we were not able to request early check-in although it probably would not have mattered anyway.

This is a resort where Marriott status is not honored so even as a Titanium Elite member, I would not be entitled to benefits like early check in, late check out, free breakfast, and upgrades.

That’s honestly the only knock I would have against this property is that as an elite member you miss out on your benefits.

Okay, I guess one more slight knock would be the parking situation since it’s hard to find parking near your villa.

There’s a double-decker parking garage out front and also some side parking lots but we always struggled to find a spot in the side parking lots. It’s still not a very long walk to the villas so not a huge deal.

After we checked in, we made our way to our villa and I was pretty impressed by how well kept the premises were. Also, every staff member we encountered was very friendly.

We made our way up the elevator to the third floor and headed down to the end of the building where our room was.

The villa was not the biggest but still a beautiful room and more than enough space for our needs.

Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas room

As you would expect at the Westin, the bedding was top notch.

Check out: Hawaiian Airlines First Class Guide

There’s a small sofa, ottoman, and some chairs and a table to utilize if you end up going the in-room dining route like we did.

You also have a large flatscreen TV with a Bose stereo system.

The room comes equipped with a nice kitchen so you can always head to the nearby market and pick up some groceries to make your own meals.

You’ll find a medium sized refrigerator, full-size microwave, electric stove top, small sink, and appliances like coffee maker, blender, etc. They also have glasses, plates, and other dishes you might need.

Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas kitchen

The room also comes with its own stackable washer and dryer which is super convenient.

Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas washer and dryer

In the closet, you’ll find the safe, iron and iron board, robes, extra bedding, and even a vacuum cleaner.

I really like the open and spacious bathroom.

Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas bathroom

The shower comes with a waterfall shower head and is pretty spacious. You’ll also appreciate the soft and plush Westin towels.

The bathroom had an enclosed toilet for added privacy.

The whirlpool tub was definitely a highlight of the room. You can swing open the panels so that your view opens up and looks out from your balcony. I found the panels a little bit tricky to work with, though. (It helped to pull from the very bottom to get them to open.)

As for the balcony, we were in love with the views from the third floor. We were at the end of the building and so we had a great view of the coast as well as the interior of the property. You’ll hear a lot of birds in the morning and of course roosters will be everywhere!

Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas balcony view

The property

The resort property as a whole is really a beautiful place that is very well-kept. Take a stroll in the evening through the torch-lit paths and enjoy the cool, breezy evenings.

Dining

Dining is a bit limited as there is really only one restaurant at the resort: Nanea Restaurant & Bar. They have both indoor and outdoor dining but we just ordered to-go every time.

They have a variety of American cuisine and we were pretty happy with the food we ordered which included things like burgers, chicken tenders, etc. The sides like macaroni salad and rice weren’t bad either.

Just be aware that this place does close at 7 pm which makes things a little bit tough for dinner.

Also, we arrived around 6:15 pm the first night for dinner and this place was absolutely swamped.

It took us a very long time to even place an order at the bar and so I do think the hotel needs to do a better job of providing servers for the bar/restaurant. It was actually kind of ridiculous.

There’s also the Princeville Market.

This is a good stop for snacks and also a place that you might be hitting up for breakfast as they do serve Starbucks coffee and they have breakfast sandwiches.

From what I could gather, it’s mostly just heated-up items so it’s enough to get you by but nothing extraordinary.

It opens up at 6:30 am.

Here’s a look at some of your options. I will say that the muffins were on point and croissants weren’t too bad. Just don’t get your hopes too high.

Pools

You’ll find three pool areas around the property including one that is an adult only pool.

The main pool is the one pictured above which is found in the middle of the resort. Nearby the main pool, there’s also a more kid friendly pool with a slide.

Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas kids pool

Here’s a look at the adult only pool which is where are you can also find hot tubs. It’s more tucked away in the back of the resort between building two and three.

Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas pool

Heading out to the pool areas around sunrise can make for a pretty spectacular way to start your day. I especially liked the infinity pool, which is between building six and seven. Just take a look at these sunrise views yourself!

Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas infinity pool sunrise

In the middle of the property there’s a nice lawn area where you can go on a relaxing stroll especially around sunrise or sunset.

If you’re in the mood to throw something on the grill there are several grill stations to choose from.

Gym

The fitness center is very nice and it’s in a spacious and well-lit room.

Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas gym

They have plenty of equipment in the gym so you should be able to have great workouts.

Some of the cardio machines lining the windows have some impressive views looking out to the ocean, overlooking the pool.

It’s always a shame when a great view goes to waste and I love that this resort did NOT let that happen with the gym.

I was also a bit surprised to see that the gym had both a sauna and steam room.

Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas sauna

Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas steam room

Final word

Out of the six hotels we stayed at on this trip to Hawaii, this hotel was by far my favorite. It’s just a very relaxing vibe at the resort and while the dining options are a bit limited, I just loved the premises and our view from the balcony. I’d definitely recommend this resort to anyone staying in Kauai.

Daniel Gillaspia

3 Easy Routes to Elite Status With Hotel Credit Cards

Advertiser Disclosure: UponArriving has partnered with affiliate partners and may receive a commission from card issuers. UponArriving does not display all credit card offers and affiliate relationships may impact how offers are presented. Amex Disclosure: Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

You don’t have to spend a lot of nights in a hotel in order to earn meaningful hotel elite status.

In fact, sometimes you don’t have to spend any time.

Below, I’ll show you how to use some credit cards to fast track your way to meaningful elite levels.

These are levels that will provide you with real value like better upgrades, free breakfast, and even lounge access.

Strategy overview

For each of the three elite programs below the optimal strategy is to:

Take advantage of automatic elite night credits (Marriott, Hyatt)
Utilize spend bonuses for elite night credits/free night certificates (Hyatt, Marriott)
Use points and free night certificates to help cover qualifying nights (All)
Fall back on automatic elite status offered by the card (Hilton, Hyatt)

Generally, I don’t think that the huge spend bonuses to earn elite status are worth it for hotel cards.

For example, spending $35,000 for Marriott Gold is not something I’d recommend pursuing on its own.

Too much spend, too little benefits.

But the spend bonuses to earn elite night credits can often come in handy, especially if it means racking up an additional free night and milestone benefits. See Hyatt.

Hotel Paso Del Norte, Autograph Collection Review

Marriott

The Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card will hook you up with 15 elite night credits upon approval and 1 Elite night credit for each $5,000 you spend.

Those 15 elite night credits will stack with the 15 elite night credits offered by the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card.

This means that you could start off each year with 30 elite nights which puts you only 20 nights short of Marriott Platinum status.

(These 15 elite night credits post within 60 days of account opening.)

Platinum is the first Marriott elite status that actually has value to me because you can get free breakfast and lounge access.

These Marriott cards also offer you free nights (redemption level up to 35,000 points) after your account anniversary so you can always use them to help you get even closer to status levels in the future.

Once you get to 50 nights, you can select an annual choice benefit of 5 elite night credits which will put you only 20 nights away from Titanium status.

That’s the second highest elite level with Marriott.

I’m still debating whether or not I want to chase Titanium status again, since so far it has been a little bit of a let down.

But some people do find it worth it and enjoy the perks that come with it like 48-hour guarantee availability and United Silver status.

NEW REVIEW: The Laura Hotel Downtown Houston – Autograph Collection

Hilton

The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card comes with Hilton Gold status but you can also get Hilton Gold with the Platinum Card® from American Express (enrollment required).

Gold is good enough for free breakfast ($10 to $25 dining credit in the US) and the occasional lounge access (assuming you get upgraded to a room on an executive floor).

So you don’t have to actually stay at any Hilton property to get some solid elite benefits.

Of course, if you want to go straight to the top of the food chain you can always get the The Amex® Hilton Aspire Card which gives you automatic Diamond status.

Because it’s so easy to achieve Hilton status with credit cards it does feel watered down compared to others.

That can make things a little tough when trying to get upgrades or late check-out but it doesn’t have an effect on some of the benefits like getting your dining credits.

I mean, who cares if 99% of the other guests are also “elite” if it still means you’re getting a free breakfast?

All information about the The Amex® Hilton Aspire Card has been collected independently by UponArriving.

Arizona Biltmore Waldorf Astoria Resort Review

World of Hyatt

The World of Hyatt Credit Card will start you off with Hyatt Discoverist status.

Yes, it’s the bottom of the totem pole but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the status with an upgrade here and there and consistent late check out.

Here are the current elite requirements:

Status	Nights	Base Points
Discoverist	10	25,000
Explorist	30	50,000
Globalist	60	100,000

Where the World of Hyatt Credit Card will really help you with elite status is that it offers 5 qualifying night credits every year.

That puts you 25 nights away from Explorist.

Once you get to 30 nights needed for Explorist you could have 4 Club Lounge Access Awards stashed away via milestone awards.

You can also earn 2 additional qualifying night credits towards your next tier status every time you spend $5,000 on the World of Hyatt Credit Card.

So even with the modest annual spend of $15,000, you could be only 19 nights away from Explorist (plus you’d have an additional free night).

But right now, the real play with Hyatt it is to get the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card currently offering 60,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months.

The reason this offer is so special right now is that if you apply before October 6, 2022, you also get 2 Tier-Qualifying Night Credits for each night you stay from 8/23/22 through 12/31/22.

That means you could basically cut the elite requirements in half.

Final word

As you can see, you don’t have to spend months in a hotel to earn meaningful hotel elite status.

Even spending 20 to 25 nights in a hotel a year can qualify you for elite levels offering valuable perks.

With the help of free night certificates and earned welcome bonuses that often means that you only have to come out of pocket for about 15 to 20 nights per program.

And if you factor in points earned along the way, that’s probably shaving off a few more nights, depending on your spend and redemptions.

So it’s very feasible for some people to pursue middle and upper level elite statuses with multiple hotel programs by utilizing credit card benefits in a strategic way.

Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analysis & recommendations are UponArriving’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

Amex Disclosure: Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Daniel Gillaspia

Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Benefits Guide (Breakfast, Upgrades) [2022]

With all of the different levels of the Marriott rewards program it’s easy to get confused about what benefits each status tier offers.

In this article, I’m going to focus on the benefits offered by Marriott Platinum status and walk you through each of these.

I’ll cover things like breakfast, upgrades, and all of the other key perks you might be able to take it advantage of.

What is Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status?

Marriott Platinum status is an upper mid-tier status with the Marriott Bonvoy rewards program. It is one step above Bonvoy Gold and one step below Bonvoy Titanium.

Because Marriott has five different elite levels and many other programs only have three, this puts Platinum status in a bit of a unique tier allowing loyalists to receive upper tier perks without having to obtain the highest level of elite status.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

How to earn Marriott Platinum status

To earn Marriott Platinum status, you’ll need to earn 50 nights between January 1 and December 31 of any given year.

You will then have Marriott Platinum status for the duration of the year that you earned it in, the entire next year, and through the month of February following that year.

For example, if you earn Platinum status in August 2023, it will be valid until February 28, 2025.

Here’s a look at the different elite levels for Marriott and their requirements:

Silver: 10 to 24 nights
Gold: 25 to 49 nights
Platinum: 50 to 74 nights
Titanium: 75 to 99 nights
Ambassador: 100 nights + $20,000 U.S. dollars in qualified annual spend

As shown below, you can use two Marriott credit cards to start you off with 30 Elite Night Credits.

That means that you could earn Platinum status with only 20 nights! More on that below.

Coronavirus update

Note: These special benefits were not extended to the 2022 or 2023 qualifying year.

Marriott has offered some pretty solid coronavirus elite benefits.

The first benefit is that your elite status earned in 2019 will be extended to February 2022.

In addition you will receive a one-time deposit of 50% of your tier’s annual Elite Night Credit requirement based on your status from 2020.

This means that those Members who achieved Platinum Elite status in 2020 would receive 25 Elite Night Credits.

In other words, you would need 50 Elite Night Credits in 2021 to achieve Titanium. Find out more details here.

Elite status comparisons

Here’s how Marriott Platinum status compares to other statuses with Hyatt and Hilton.

You’ll notice how Platinum falls right in between the middle and top level of these programs based on the number of nights.

World of Hyatt

Discoverist
- 10 qualifying nights
- 25,000 Base Points
- or holding 3 qualifying meetings/events per year.
Explorist
- 30 qualifying nights
- 50,000 Base Points
- or holding 10 qualifying meetings/events per year.
Globalist
- 60 qualifying nights
- 100,000 Base Points
- or holding 20 qualifying meetings/events per year.

Hilton Honors

Silver
- 4 stays in a calendar year or
- 10 nights in a calendar year
Gold
- 20 stays in a calendar year, or
- 40 nights in a calendar year, or
- 75,000 Hilton Honors Base Points in a calendar year
Diamond
- 30 stays in a calendar year, or
- 60 nights in a calendar year, or
- 120,000 Hilton Honors Base Points in a calendar year

Marriott Platinum via Credit cards

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant is one of my favorite hotel credit cards and offers automatic Marriott Platinum status.

Here’s a look at the other features:

$300 in dining statement credits
Bonus earning:
- 6x at Marriott properties
- 3x at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines
- 2x on all other purchases
Each calendar year you can receive credit for 25 nights towards the next level of Elite status.
1 Free Night Award every year after renewal month (redemption level at or under 85,000 points)
Priority Pass Select membership
Receive a statement credit every four years after you apply for Global Entry ($100) or TSA Pre-Check ($85) with your Card.
No foreign transaction fees
Free, unlimited Boingo Wi-Fi at more than 1,000,000 Boingo hotspots worldwide.
Annual fee: $650

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card offers automatic Silver status but you can earn Marriott Gold status by spending $35,000 in a year.

That’s a lot in spend per year for a status that doesn’t even offer breakfast so I would rather put $35K to use in another way.

You’ll also be given 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year, which can help you reach status much quicker.

Currently, you can combine elite credits from a Marriott personal card with the 15 Elite Night Credits from a business Marriott card allowing you to start off with 30 Elite Night Credits.

It’s a super fast track to Platinum status!

Another great benefit of this card is that you get an annual free night for properties that cost up to 35,000 points per night.

Status challenge

You can always inquire with Marriott customer service either via email or by phone to see if you’re eligible for a status challenge to Platinum.

If you’re eligible, you’ll probably have to hit something like 16 nights in a designated time period (e.g., 3 months) to achieve Platinum status but the challenge terms could vary.

Keep in mind that you usually can only enroll in these challenges once every three years.

Marriott La Concha Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

What are the Marriott Platinum status benefits?

50% Bonus on points
Complimentary room upgrade
Welcome gift
Guaranteed Lounge Access
4pm late check-out
Annual Choice Benefit
Guaranteed Room Type

50% Bonus on Marriott Rewards Points

Platinum members are credited with a 50% bonus on base points earned during stays.

At most Marriott properties you’ll earn 10 Marriott points per dollar spent, so with this bonus you’ll be able to earn 15 points per dollar spent.

At a value of .8 cents per point, Platinum status earns 12% back.

Complimentary room upgrade

Platinum Elite Members and above receive a complimentary upgrade to the best available room subject to availability which could include the following:

Complimentary upgrade includes suites, rooms with desirable views, rooms on high floors, corner rooms, rooms with special amenities or rooms on Executive Floors.

At The Ritz-Carlton, suites are only included for Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite Members and rooms with direct Club access are excluded.
The Complimentary Enhanced Room Upgrade for Platinum Elite Members and above is available at all Participating Brands except at Marriott Vacation Club, Marriott Grand Residence Club, Aloft, Element and participating Vistana properties.

As a Titanium Elite member over the past few years, I’ve been pretty disappointed with my upgrades so I don’t think I would expect a lot of suite upgrades as a Platinum Elite member.

Welcome gift

As a Platinum member you will be able to choose a welcome gift upon arrival.

The type of gift that you can get will vary depending on the type of property you are staying at.

At a lot of properties you will be able to choose between 500 to 1,000 points or a food and beverage credit/free breakfast.

I generally always go with the free breakfast because that offers the best value.

Brand	Welcome Gift Choice/Points	Guest Compensation*
Marriott Hotels, JW Marriott, Delta Hotels, Autograph Collection, Renaissance Hotels	United States, Canada, Europe: 1,000 points per stay or $10 USD Food & Beverage (“F&B”) credit per stay Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands, Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Middle East, and Africa:1,000 points per stay or F&B amenity per stay RESORTS only: United States, Canada, Europe: 1,000 points per stay or breakfast in restaurant per night of stay for Member +1 Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands, Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Middle East, and Africa: 1,000 points per stay or F&B amenity per stay or breakfast in restaurant per night of stay for Member +1	$100 USD
Gaylord Hotels	1,000 points per stay or $10 USD F&B credit per stay	$100 USD
St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W Hotels, Sheraton, Le Méridien, Westin, Tribute Portfolio	1,000 points per stay or amenity per stay or breakfast in restaurant per night of stay for Member +1 (including resorts)	$100 USD
The Ritz-Carlton, Ritz-Carlton Reserve, EDITION, Marriott Vacation Club, Marriott Grand Residence Club, Design Hotels™, Homes & Villas by Marriott International. Vistana properties provide Elite Welcome Gift only to Members who are not Vistana Owners using their ownership interest.	1,000 points per stay	N/A
Courtyard	United States, Canada, Europe: 500 Points per stay or $10 USD F&B credit per night of stay for Member +1 Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands, Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Middle East, and Africa: Properties without lounge: 500 Points per stay or F&B amenity per stay or $10 USD F&B credit per night of stay for Member +1 Properties with lounge – 500 Points per stay and breakfast in lounge – if lounge is closed, breakfast in restaurant per night of stay for Member +1	$50 USD
AC Hotels, Moxy Hotels	United States, Canada, Europe: 500 Points per stay or $10 USD F&B credit per night of stay for Member +1 Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands, Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Middle East, and Africa:** 500 Points per stay or F&B amenity per stay or $10 USD F&B credit per night of stay	$50 USD (AC Hotel) $25 USD (Moxy Hotels)
SpringHill Suites, Fairfield by Marriott, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites	United States, Canada, Europe: 500 points per stay or F&B item Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands, Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Middle East, and Africa: 500 points per stay or F&B amenity	$50 USD (SpringHill Suites, Residence Inn) 25 USD (Fairfield by Marriott, TownePlace Suites)
Four Points, Aloft	500 points per stay or amenity or breakfast in restaurant per night of stay for Member +1	$50 USD (Four Points), $25 USD (Aloft)
Protea Hotels	500 points per stay or breakfast in restaurant per night of stay for Member +1	$50 USD
Element	500 points per stay or amenity	$25 USD

*Outside of the U.S. compensation will be paid in the local currency

** The U.S. $10 F&B credit per night of Stay is for the Member. An additional U.S. $10 F&B credit per night of Stay is given for one (1) guest staying in the same guestroom as the Member.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

Guaranteed Lounge Access

In addition to the free breakfast, lounge access is the other major reason to get Platinum status. (Sometimes the free breakfast will be in the lounge but other times you can get it in the restaurant.)

As a Platinum member you will get guaranteed lounge access for you and one guest staying in the same room at:

JW Marriott
Marriott Hotels
Sheraton
Delta Hotels
Le Méridien
Westin
Autograph Collection and
Renaissance Hotels.

Lounge Access is not offered at the following brands:

The Ritz-Carlton
St. Regis
EDITION
The Luxury Collection
W Hotels
Design Hotels
Tribute Portfolio
Gaylord Hotels
Four Points
SpringHill Suites
Protea Hotels
Fairfield
AC Hotels
Aloft
Moxy Hotels
Residence Inn
TownePlace Suites
Element
Marriott Vacation Club
Marriott Grand Residence Club
and participating Vistana properties.

Generally, whenever a lounge is closed or the property does not have a lounge or an approved alternative the property will offer you daily breakfast in the restaurant.

If lounge access or alternatives are not available at eligible properties, Platinum Elite Members will be compensated $100 U.S. dollars for the inconvenience.

There are a few special rules for different properties and locations and you can read more about those here.

Late checkout

With Platinum status, you can get late check out as late as 4 p.m. local time of the participating property.

Late check out has been one of the most dependable benefits I’ve received as a Marriott elite member.

I rarely ever request 4 PM late check out and usually go with 2 PM but the couple of times I have requested 4 PM they have honored it no problem.

This benefit is guaranteed at all participating properties, except at resort and convention hotels and Design Hotels, where it is based upon availability.

Marriott Vacation Club, Marriott Grand Residence Club, and participating Vistana properties are excluded from this benefit.

Annual Choice Benefit

A Platinum Elite Member who has achieved 50 eligible Elite Night Credits annually is eligible to receive one annual choice benefit from the list of available benefits listed below:

Platinum Elite Annual Choice Benefit Options:

Five (5) Suite Night Awards

40% off bed

$100 Charity Donation

The gift of Silver Elite status for a friend or family member

Five (5) Elite Night Credits

If you’re going to chase Bonvoy Titanium then you may consider selecting the 5 elite night credits, which will help you get to 75 a lot quicker.

Otherwise, I would recommend choosing the Suite Night Awards, especially because suite upgrades seem hard to come by.

Additional perks

Complimentary enhanced Internet service

This benefit is provided where available, regardless of booking source, at all Participating Brands worldwide except at the EDITION brand.

Keep in mind that you can get this benefit with the Marriott Boundless credit card.

5th redemption night free

Book 5 consecutive nights and the 5th night is free (this perk is available to all Marriott status levels but is worth mentioning).

Discount

Gift Shop Discount of 10% on retail merchandise.

Phone lines

Elite Reservations Line: (800) 228-2100
Customer Engagement Center Line: (800) 321-7396

Marriott Bonvoy Platinum FAQ

How many nights do I need for Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status?

You will need to stay 50 nights to earn Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status.

Can I earn Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status with a credit card?

You can get Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant which offers you Platinum status after you spend $75,000 in a year.

What are the main Marriott Platinum status benefits?

– 50% Bonus on points
– Complimentary room upgrade
– Welcome gift
– Guaranteed Lounge Access
– 4pm late check-out
– Annual Choice Benefit
– Guaranteed Room Type

How many bonus points do I earn with Marriott Platinum status?

With Platinum status, you will earn 15 points per dollar spent. At a value of .8 cents per point, Platinum status earns 12% back.

What kind of upgrades do I get with Marriott Platinum status?

You can get upgrades to suites and rooms with special amenities, including rooms on executive floors. Upgrades are subject to availability.

What kind of welcome gift do I get?

The type of gift you will receive would depend on the property that you visit.

Sometimes you might be offered something like 500 to 1,000 points and in other cases you can choose a free breakfast.

Do you get lounge access with Marriott Platinum status?

Yes, you will get guaranteed lounge access for yourself and one guest when staying at the following hotels:

JW Marriott
Marriott Hotels
Sheraton
Delta Hotels
Le Méridien
Westin
Autograph Collection and
Renaissance Hotels

Do Marriott Platinum members get late check out?

Yes, you can get late check out as late as 4pm.

Final word

Marriott Platinum has some valuable benefits like guaranteed lounge access, breakfast, late checkout, and annual choice benefits like suite night awards that can be very valuable.

Daniel Gillaspia

Marriott Suite Night Awards: Everything You Need to Know [2022]

The suite life is glorious and anytime you can upgrade to a suite, it’s worthwhile.

Marriott Suite Night Awards can make the suite life more achievable with confirmable upgrades within five days before check-in.

However, each Marriott brand and property comes with limitations that seem a little bit vague.

In this article, I explain Marriott’s vagueness with Suite Night Awards. I go over how to earn, use, and point out the brands and properties that participate in the Suite Night Awards program.

What are Marriott Suite Night Awards?

Marriott Suite Night Awards can be chosen as an Annual Choice Benefit when you reach 50 nights and 75 nights in a calendar year.

Suite Night Awards (SNAs) are used to upgrade to a suite or premium room at a hotel or resort. Each SNA is worth one night. So, if you are given five SNAs, you can use them over five nights (not five stays).

Keep reading how to earn and use your SNAs while learning the limitations SNAs have.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Review: The Laura Hotel Downtown Houston

How to get Marriott Suite Night Awards

To get Suite Night Awards (SNAs) all you have to do is stay enough nights at Marriott properties to be eligible for the Annual Choice Benefit.

Marriott’s Annual Choice Benefit is simply a milestone for people that reach 50 nights and 75 nights at Marriott properties in a calendar year.

The first milestone Annual Choice Benefit milestone is given at 50 nights in one calendar year at any Marriott Bonvoy participating property, which is the number of nights you need for Platinum Elite.

For the 50 nights Annual Choice Benefit milestone, you can choose one of the following:

Five Suite Night Awards
40% off bed
$100 Charity Donation
The gift of Silver Elite status for a friend or family member
Five Elite Night Credits

The second milestone Annual Choice Benefit is given at 75 nights in one calendar year at any Marriott Bonvoy participating property, which is the number of nights you need for Titanium Elite. For the 75 nights Annual Choice Benefit milestone, you can choose one the following:

Five Suite Night Awards
40% off bed
$100 Charity Donation
The gift of Gold Elite status for a friend or family member
Five Elite Night Credits
One free night award (valid up to 40,000 points)

Here is what it looks like when choosing the 50 nights annual choice benefit:

After you earn an Annual Choice Benefit, you have until January 7 of the next year to choose your benefit. If you do not make a decision then by default you will be given the Five Suite Night Awards.

How many Suite Night Awards can I earn in a year?

You can earn up to 10 SNAs a year from reaching both of the Annual Choice Benefit milestones.

Unfortunately, you cannot earn more than 10 a year as you will have no more opportunities to hit milestones after reaching the 75 nights Annual Choice Benefit milestone.

I do think Marriott should add another milestone after 100 nights to give guests an incentive to keep staying at Marriott, but that will be a dream.

Marvelous Suite at W Kuala Lumpur is a great use for using an SNA

Limitations and how Marriott Suite Night Awards work

Using Marriott Suite Night Awards (SNAs) are as simple as making a reservation at a participating SNA property and brand.

Participating and excluded Suite Night Awards brands and properties

Out of the 31 Marriott brands, there are 19 brands that participate in the Suite Night Award (SNA) program:

The Luxury Collection
St. Regis
W
JW Marriott
Marriott
Sheraton
Delta
Westin
Le Meridien
Renaissance
Autograph Collection
Tribute Portfolio
Gaylord
Courtyard
Four Points
Fairfield
AC
Residence Inn
Moxy

SNAs are not redeemable at the following brands:

Ritz-Carlton
Ritz-Carlton Reserve
EDITION
Protea Hotels
Aloft
Element
Design Hotels
Towneplace Suites
Springhill Suites
Marriott Executive Apartments
Marriott Vacation Club
Home & Villas

The following type of properties will also be excluded from the SNA program, even if the brand isn’t excluded:

ExecuStay
Marriott Grand Residence Club properties
Vistana properties
All-Suite properties

However, there is one huge caveat to the SNA program written in Marriott Bonvoy’s terms and conditions, “not all participating properties participate in Suite Night Awards.”

“Not all participating properties participate in Suite Night Awards” basically means, properties don’t have to participate in the SNA and can pull out of the SNA program at any time.

Very vague, right? Yes, the terms and conditions make it very vague so properties don’t have to participate when they don’t want to.

Now, that doesn’t say properties don’t participate. In reality, many properties participate.

The rule of thumb would be the brands and properties that are premium or luxury will typically participate in the SNA program, but fewer select brands will participate in the SNA program.

Cancellation policy for Suite Night Award bookings and requests

Suite Night Award (SNA) requests can be canceled and modified for unconfirmed upgrades up to 2pm property time one day before check-in.

Anytime before 2pm the day before check-in is changeable and SNAs can be given back to you.

However, for confirmed SNAs, you cannot get back your SNAs unless you cancel your whole reservation before 2pm property time the day before check-in.

If you cancel your reservation after 2pm the day before check-in, you will forfeit all SNAs used on the reservation.

And be sure you check the hotel’s cancellation policy because canceling this soon before check-in could result in a cancellation fee.

Expiration of Suite Night Awards

To determine the expiration of your Suite Night Awards (SNAs), you will need to go under the activity tab of your Bonvoy account. It’s the same tab that is used to check your recent points earning and deductions.

The expiration date that your SNAs are given depends on when you reached your Annual Choice Benefit milestone.

Once you reached your Annual Choice Benefit milestone, your SNAs will expire at the end of the following calendar year of when you reached your Annual Choice Benefit.

An example would be, selecting my 2022 Annual Choice Benefit in 2022 or 2023 would only make them valid until the end of the calendar year of 2023.

Yes, it doesn’t matter when you selected your Annual Choice Benefit, it only matters when you reached the Annual Choice Benefit milestone.

What rates can you use Suite Night Awards on?

Suite Night Awards can be used on Marriott-Bonvoy-eligible reservations including paid stays as well as Free Night Award stays and Cash & Points stays.

Advance Purchase rates are not eligible for Suite Night Awards.

However, once the free cancellation window is passed, you will have to call Marriott customer service or your Ambassador liaison to apply SNAs.

For example, if I book a rate and the free cancellation is only for one day after booking I could apply the SNA request online within the free cancellation window of the first day, but after the cancellation window closes, I have to contact Marriott customer support to apply, modify, or cancel an SNA request.

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Using them for other people

Suite Night Awards cannot be transferred or given as a gift.

However, Marriott will allow you to use the Suite Night Awards for additional single-room reservations on your stay. The catch is that you must be present for the stay and the other rooms must be under your name.

So if you made a reservation for two standard rooms and then applied Suite Night Awards to both of those rooms, that would be doable as long as you are there.

How Suite Night Awards work

Suite Night Awards (SNAs) are simply you requesting an upgrade to a premium room or a suite.

A premium room could be a larger room and a suite could be any suite offered. Each property defines what suites are offered in the SNA upgradable pool making it vary between each property.

Requests are only confirmed up to five days before check-in.

Requests don’t have to be honored and can be declined anytime, but requests confirmed will be honored.

However, requests can be denied anytime by properties making it somewhat inconsistent and a little bit vague if you will get an upgrade or not.

Within five days before check-in until 2pm the day before check-in is the only time SNAs can be confirmed.

Good properties will honor SNA requests weeks or months out and the upgrade request will reflect on your reservation with a new room type. Sometimes the property won’t even take your SNAs.

So, it varies at each property and the good ones stand out over others.

Suites are great for having a separate living room with a couch, TV, extra bathroom, and dining room.

Guide on how to apply Marriott Suite Night Awards to a reservation

Once you have made a reservation at a participating brand, you will be able to request a Suite Night Award (SNA) upgrade.

Access your reservation on either the desktop site for Marriott Bonvoy or via the Bonvoy app. In this example, I will be using the desktop website, but using the Bonvoy will involve the same steps.

You will notice two upgrade options.

One is using your SNAs and the other is a paid upgrade option. Ignore the paid upgrade option and select “start upgrade request” for using your SNA(s).

Remember, each SNA is for one night. So, for this reservation, my booking was for one night and only needed one SNA. If it was for two nights, it would need two SNAs.

Also, the number of Suite Night Awards used must match the entire length of stay. So if you have a five night reservation you can’t use these for only three nights — it has to be five.

On the upgrade request page, it will give you rooms you can select to use your SNA(s) towards.

As a reminder, the room you select for an SNA upgrade isn’t guaranteed. Refer to the section above named “how suite night awards work”.

When you have selected the rooms/suites you want to request an upgrade to, you will just need to select “submit upgrade request” at the bottom of the page.

Once you have submitted an upgrade request, you will be directed back to the reservation confirmation page. The top of the page will notify you that you have submitted your SNA(s) for an upgrade. On the Bonvoy app, it will be gray and show as a banner on the top of the app.

At the same time, you will also get an email from Marriott notifying you how you used SNA(s).

The upgrade section will also reflect that you’re using your SNA(s) on that reservation.

Occasionally, once you hit that five day window you might get an email telling you that Marriott is working on your upgrade.

At that point, it is just a waiting game until check in to see what happens.

But when you get closer to check in you should receive confirmation whether or not it was granted. For example, I received the upgrade confirmation email below on the day before check-in.

Troubleshooting

Sometimes these Suite Night Awards can get lost in the system.

For example, I’ve received confirmation about an upgrade and then come to find out it never reflects on my online reservation.

So a lot of times I think it’s a good idea to follow up over the telephone or email with the hotel to verify that your upgrade has successfully gone through.

Guide to modifying or canceling my Suite Night Awards on a reservation

Sometimes you might want to modify your Suite Night Awards (SNAs). For example, you might want to select other rooms to upgrade to or cancel the SNA upgrade request altogether.

Either way, it’s easy to make changes up to one day before your check-in date.

Once it’s within one day of your check-in date, you cannot cancel or modify your SNA(s). Refer to the section above named “cancellation policy for suite night awards” to read more about the restrictions.

Simply go back to the reservation page and click on “modify/cancel request”.

Once directed to the “modify or cancel upgrade request” SNA page, you will be able to select rooms/suites you want to be upgraded to. After selecting or deselecting rooms/suites you want to upgrade to, select “submit modified request”.

If you wish to cancel, just scroll all the way to the bottom and select “cancel request”.

Any changes you made will reflect immediately. If you canceled your SNA request, you will receive your SNA(s) in your account immediately.

Suite Night Awards FAQ

What Marriott brands can I use the suite night awards at?

The Luxury Collection
St. Regis
W
JW Marriott
Marriott
Sheraton
Delta
Westin
Le Meridien
Renaissance
Autograph Collection
Tribute Portfolio
Gaylord
Courtyard
Four Points
Fairfield
AC
Residence Inn
Moxy

What Marriott brands are excluded from the suite night awards?

Ritz-Carlton
Ritz-Carlton Reserve
EDITION
Protea Hotels
Aloft
Element
Design Hotels
Towneplace Suites
Springhill Suites
Marriott Executive Apartments
Marriott Vacation Club
Home & Villas

When can I cancel a suite night award?

Suite Night Award (SNA) requests can be canceled and modified for unconfirmed upgrades up to 2pm property time one day before check-in.

However, for confirmed SNAs, you cannot get back your SNAs unless you cancel your whole reservation before 2pm property time the day before check-in.

How can I find when my Suite Night Awards expire?

Log in to your account and check the activity tab of your Bonvoy account. You will see the expiration date on the right side of the screen.

When will my upgrade be confirmed?

Your upgrade can be confirmed up to five days prior to check in.

Can I use my Suite Night Awards on an award stay?

Yes, you can use them on stays booked with points.

Final word

I truly love using SNAs at certain properties when there are worthy rooms to upgrade to. It can be inconsistent for SNAs requests being denied and accepted, but it is still a better upgrade process than without using SNAs.

This article was originally published by Steve Smith.

Daniel Gillaspia

Review: The Laura Hotel Downtown Houston

The Laura Hotel in Downtown Houston is one of the newest luxury properties to open in Houston.

It’s part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection and so it is sure to draw a lot of Marriott loyalists.

But who is Laura and what is she all about?

We stayed at the property about eight months after its opening date and in this article, I’ll break down the experience and tell you everything you need to know about the hotel.

The Laura Hotel Overview

The Laura Hotel is a new luxury property in Downtown Houston that opened in early 2022.

The property is home to 223 guest rooms, a Southern restaurant, rooftop terrace pool, gym, and spa. They also put on pool parties, monthly wine tastings, cigar events, and more.

Formerly the Hotel Alessandra, it’s named after the Laura, which was the first steamboat to arrive in Houston on January 22, 1837.

Built in 1835, they used the Laura to prove that the once impassable Buffalo Bayou was a navigable river. This helped validate Houston’s commercial potential and thus played a major role in its history.

It’s not surprising then that throughout the property you’ll find nautical-inspired branding and even design.

Booking The Laura Hotel

We used a combination of Bonvoy points and a Marriott free night certificate to complete our booking.

Rooms were going for 30,000 points per night and about $400 per night with all the taxes and fees factored in. So I thought this was pretty good value for both the points and the free night certificate.

I applied two suite night awards which both were confirmed as we were bumped up to a corner room.

Unfortunately, I would end up declining the upgrade as I did not feel like the corner rooms were an upgrade to what we already had (more on that later).

Location: Downtown Houston

The Laura Hotel is located in the middle of Downtown Houston. It’s directly off Dallas and Main Street where the METRORail light rail runs through the heart of downtown.

It’s safe to walk around this area during the daytime but just a heads up walking around Downtown will expose you to a fair share of homeless people.

I used to live only a few blocks down from here and you get used to it but some visitors get uncomfortable when approached by people on the streets, especially if they appear drugged up.

The building is connected to the Downtown Greenstreet, a mixed-use area near a lot of restaurants and bars, including the House of Blues.

It’s within walking distance (5 to 15 min) to the big Houston venues like Minute Maid Park, the Toyota Center, and George R Brown Convention Center but you can find many hotels closer.

There are parking garages nearby but you can also valet.

Valet is $46 per night though which I thought was on the higher side for Houston.

Related:

View from guest room at The Laura Hotel.

Check-in: Great service with a minor hiccup

You’ll enter the hotel on the first level and you’ll need to either take the elevator or the gold-accented grand staircase to get to where check-in is located on the second floor.

It’s kind of an odd set up but visually I thought it was a beautiful entryway lobby. The marble really does it for me.

Stairs leading to the lobby of The Laura Hotel.

While many will opt for the elevator, it was nice getting a little bit of work out when utilizing these fancy stairs.

Up on the second floor is where you can find the check in desk, restaurant, bar/café, and different types of lounge seating areas.

Seating area in lobby of The Laura Hotel.

The bar area is pretty cool with some open lounge seating and floor to ceiling windows that wrap around the building.

It functions as the espresso bar from 6:30 AM to 1:30 PM on most days of the week. Then it transitions to the Laura Bar which is open from 3PM to midnight on most days and 1AM on the weekends.

They also serve food here starting at 4 PM.

The espresso bar and Laura Bar at The Laura Hotel.

The check-in desk is in a pretty beautiful area of the lobby.

Initially, we were able to get early check in but there was a little problem.

The agent checked us into a different type of room than what we were upgraded to via our suite certificates.

Basically, they upgraded us to a deluxe room instead of utilizing the suite night upgrade that would have placed us in a corner room.

They did this because a high-floor corner room was not available since we were arriving a little early.

Normally, I think in this situation the staff should first confirm that you want to give up your upgrade for early check-in.

But they didn’t do that so we unknowingly ended up in a Deluxe Room that was not a corner room and I phoned down to see what was going on.

They explained that they had just put us in a Deluxe Room because of our early check in and I voiced that I would prefer the corner room instead.

So we made our way down to the elevator into the corner room only to be disappointed by that room (for reasons I go into below).

Because of that, they ended up moving us back to the Deluxe Room and I was able to get my suite night awards refunded (after calling in).

Throughout all of the back-and-forth the staff was very gracious so I appreciated them working with us so that we could truly be happy with our stay.

The room on the 16th floor

Our room was on the 16th floor and we had a pretty great view, although it did not face any of the iconic skyscrapers in the city.

As for the bed, it was very comfortable.

The nightstands by the bed had both power outlets and USB ports.

Night stand in guest room at The Laura Hotel.

Outlets in guest room at The Laura Hotel.

They also provided branded stationary.

I love hotels with their own identity and branding and so it was cool to see that done very nicely here.

However, they still need to work on the finishing touches.

For example, look at the pen that was in our room when we arrived. It’s all smeared with ink and that’s not the attention to detail that you expect to find at an expensive luxury hotel.

TV remote in guest room at The Laura Hotel.

Opened night stand in guest room at The Laura Hotel.

Next to the bed is a little curved couch and a table so you can enjoy room service while admiring your view. I love easy to access window views and so I really appreciated the layout of this room.

In the middle of the room you have a large flatscreen TV with your workstation directly under it.

I’ve never been a huge fan of desks under TVs like that because if one person wants to watch TV and the other person wants to get work done, it’s not a very practical set up.

They have two closets on other side of the TV and workstation.

One side is the true closet where you’ll find hangers.

Closet in guest room at The Laura Hotel.

The other side is made for your luggage and has the iron board.

Ironing board in guest room at The Laura Hotel.

There’s a coffee maker station and they provide you with a couple of coffee cups and a free bottle of water.

Coffee bar in guest room at The Laura Hotel.

I did notice that the drawers and the mini fridge were completely empty and they had no teas available.

Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I stayed at a quality hotel that didn’t have tea available in the room.

I would’ve expected these to be filled eight months after opening but I guess they are still in somewhat of a soft launch stage.

View of downtown Houston from guest room at The Laura Hotel.

Mini fridge in guest room at The Laura Hotel.

The hotel really knows what they’re doing when it comes to the bathrooms.

We had a nice and open bathroom with a soaking tub, large mirror, plenty of counter space, and a private toilet space.

Doors swing open if you’d like to soak in the tub with a view.

Bath tub with Downtown Houston view in guest room at The Laura Hotel.

Or, if you’d like some privacy you can close things up.

Bth tub in guest room at The Laura Hotel.

The other side of the partition is made up gold-framed mirrored walls.

Bathroom in guest room at The Laura Hotel.

Here’s a closer look at the sink.

The shower is pretty spacious and complete with a waterfall showerhead as well as a detachable showerhead. Be prepared for a heavy showerhead, though.

Using this thing is like trying to bathe with Thor’s Hammer.

Shower in guest room at The Laura Hotel.

Toiletries in guest room at The Laura Hotel.

I liked that they had a private toilet area, since I’m never a big fan of the bathrooms that have everything opened up.

Toilet in guest room at The Laura Hotel.

As I mentioned above we were initially upgraded to a corner room and the only one available was one on a lower floor.

So we checked out that room but just did not really care for it to be honest.

Although technically it has more square feet, it actually felt more confining due to the L-shaped layout.

It also did not have a soaking tub.

Plus our view on the 16th floor was way better so we ended up asking to get moved back to our original room.

I have to give the staff a lot of credit because they put up with us being very high maintenance for a little while and did so without any complaints.

Here’s a look at the corner room that we refused:

Dining: Hull and Oak Southern cookin’

The hotel is home to a restaurant called Hull and Oak that puts “innovative twists” on classic Southern dishes and regularly mixes up their menu.

I love the idea of a Southern-themed restaurant and I thought the nautical aesthetics of the venue were very original.

Framed archways resemble a ship’s hull and circular mirrors line the restaurant like ship portholes.

It was just a cool place to dine and meet up with an old friend.

Servers were a little understaffed but they were extremely friendly and professional.

We arrived around 6:30 PM for dinner and were the only ones in the restaurant.

It stayed slow for a while and then started to pick up around 7:30 PM but never got very busy.

Perhaps this restaurant is still not on the radar a many?

For dinner we tried the macaroni and cheese, steak, and deviled eggs.

The deviled eggs offered a slightly sweet take on deviled eggs balanced out with bacon and mouth-tingling chili peppers that were not playing around. I ate ’em up.

Deviled Eggs at Hull and Oak in The Laura Hotel.

Brad went with the prime Manhattan filet.

It came pre-cut and cooked to perfection. Lightly salted wedge potatoes made a nice complement. As did the cooked carrots.

Prime Manhattan filet at Hull and Oak in The Laura Hotel.

The crawfish macaroni and cheese was pretty good but a little light on flavor.

Crawfish Macaroni and cheese at Hull and Oak in The Laura Hotel.

Brad tried out one of their signature drinks: a Oaxaca Old Fashioned. Both smoky and woody, it offered a bold flavor with a little bit of sweetness.

Next we’ll have to try Smokin’ in the 713, which is a southern take on the Old Fashioned.

Oaxaca Old Fashioned at Hull and Oak in The Laura Hotel.

For dessert, we tried the banana foster.

This was not usually something I would ever order, but I was really glad we tried this spongy and powdery delicacy because this platter was crazy delicious.

Banana Foster at Hull and Oak in The Laura Hotel.

Each day, we decided to utilize our free breakfast benefit (which gave us each $24 of credit every morning) and I have to say that the breakfast here was solid.

One morning, I went with the biscuits and gravy which was a little different because I’m not used to chicken broth-based gravy on biscuits.

(I’m much more of a sausage gravy person.)

However, the gravy biscuit was delicious and their bacon was a thing of beauty. Just the right amount of crispiness.

Gravy biscuit at Hull and Oak in The Laura Hotel.

The next morning I went with the peaches and cream waffles. Wasn’t quite in love with the peaches but I enjoyed trying something different for a change.

Peaches and Cream waffles at Hull and Oak in The Laura Hotel.

Pool

The hotel houses a nice rooftop terrace pool on the 5th floor. It’s a bit small but for a downtown hotel in the central business district I wouldn’t exactly expect a lagoon-sized pool.

On some evenings, they have parties up here so it could be a cool vibe.

The pool seems to be pretty popular as every time I look down from my room I could see quite a few people lounging around. (I took all my pictures right at 8 AM before the crowds hit.)

It opens up at 8 AM and closes down at 8 PM.

There’s also a bar out here that opens up at 11 AM and closes at 7:30 PM.

They have quite a few pool chairs set out and some of them are shaded which is great because that Houston summer sun can be serious.

Gym

In the gym, you’ll find modern cardio equipment like a few treadmills, ellipticals, and other machines. They also have several machines like a leg press, rowing station, etc.

Overall, the hotel gym is a bit small given the size of the property.

You might want to get down there a little bit early if you’re planning on getting in an uninterrupted morning workout.

They have a small pyramid of free-weight dumbbells but the weights do not go up very high.

The property also is home to a spa on the 5th floor but we did not get a chance to review it.

Final word

Overall, I enjoyed my stay at the Laura Hotel.

I thought the room was well done with some pretty good views and an awesome bathroom. The dining did not disappoint and other facilities like the pool and gym looked pretty good.

I think they could do some of the little things better but I’ll give them a bit more time since they are still a relatively new property.

Daniel Gillaspia

Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Benefits: What to Expect with Breakfast, Upgrades, & Lounges [2022]

Marriott Bonvoy has five elite status tiers and Titanium is one of the highest elite status tiers offered at Marriott Bonvoy properties.

But is this status actually worth pursuing?

In this article, I go over what makes Marriott Titanium Elite status worth it, how to reach it, and all the benefits that are offered.

What is Marriott Titanium Elite status?

Marriott Titanium Elite status is the second-highest status offered by the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program.

It offers benefits like complimentary suite upgrades, club lounge access, welcome gifts, United Airlines Silver status, and a 75% bonus points.

Let’s take a close look at the requirements and benefits to see if it could be worth it for you.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

How to earn Marriott Titanium status

To achieve or renew Marriott Bonvoy Elite status, the following number of elite nights must be earned at participating locations between January 1 and December 31 of any given year:

Silver: 10 to 24 nights
Gold: 25 to 49 nights
Platinum: 50 to 74 nights
Titanium: 75 to 99 nights
Ambassador: 100 nights + $20,000 U.S. dollars in qualified annual spend

75 nights seems like a lot.

But as shown below, you can use two Marriott credit cards to start you off with 30 Elite Night Credits Plus you can get 5 Elite Night Credits with your Annual Choice Benefits whenever you reach Platinum.

Therefore, you can earn Titanium by only staying 40 nights. That’s a lot more doable for many people, as it is just over three nights per month.

Coronavirus changes

Note: These special benefits were not extended to the 2022 or 2023 qualifying year.

Marriott has offered some pretty solid coronavirus elite benefits.

The first benefit is that your elite status earned in 2019 will be extended to February 2022.

In addition you will receive a one-time deposit of 50% of your tier’s annual Elite Night Credit requirement based on your status from 2020.

This means that those Members who achieved Titanium Elite status in 2020 would receive 38 Elite Night Credits and will need 62 Elite Night Credits and $14,000 in Qualifying Stay Spend in 2021 to achieve Ambassador Elite. Find out more details here.

Elite status comparisons

Here’s how Titanium Elite status compares to other statuses with Hyatt and Hilton.

World of Hyatt

Discoverist
- 10 qualifying nights
- 25,000 Base Points
- or holding 3 qualifying meetings/events per year.
Explorist
- 30 qualifying nights
- 50,000 Base Points
- or holding 10 qualifying meetings/events per year.
Globalist
- 60 qualifying nights
- 100,000 Base Points
- or holding 20 qualifying meetings/events per year.

Hilton Honors

Silver
- 4 stays in a calendar year or
- 10 nights in a calendar year
Gold
- 20 stays in a calendar year, or
- 40 nights in a calendar year, or
- 75,000 Hilton Honors Base Points in a calendar year
Diamond
- 30 stays in a calendar year, or
- 60 nights in a calendar year, or
- 120,000 Hilton Honors Base Points in a calendar year

As you can see, Marriott Titanium Elite status has higher requirements than any of the elite status requirements at Hilton or Hyatt.

And remember, it’s not even the top level of Marriott elite status!

Marriott Titanium via Credit cards

The credit cards below can help with gaining you elite nights for status, but wont get you Titanium status directly.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card

Bonus earning:
- 6x at Marriott properties
- 3x at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines
- 2x on all other purchases
Each calendar year you can receive credit for 15 nights towards the next level of Elite status. Limit one 15 Elite Night Credit per Marriott Loyalty Program member.
Priority Pass Select membership
Receive a statement credit every four years after you apply for Global Entry ($100) or TSA Pre√^® ($85) with your Card.
No foreign transaction fees
Free, unlimited Boingo Wi-Fi at more than 1,000,000 Boingo hotspots worldwide.
Annual free night

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant (full review here) sports decent benefits, even for its high annual fee. I for one love the annual free night worth up to 50,000 points. That means you can stay at a category 6 property on a standard award.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless

If you think the Bonvoy Brilliant card isn’t for you, then the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card may be a better option. With this card you can get an annual free night for properties that cost up to 35,000 points per night.

You’ll also be given 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year, which leaves you 60 nights away from Titanium status.

If you combine this with a business Marriott card, you can start off each year with 30 Elite Night Credits, since the business card will also grant you 15 Elite Night Credits.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

What are the Marriott Titanium Elite status benefits?

Marriott Titanium Elite status has a lot of the same overlapping benefits of Platinum Elite, but there are a few key differences.

75% Bonus on Marriott Rewards Points

Titanium Elites are credited with a 75% bonus on base points earned during stays.

At most Marriott properties you’ll earn 10 Marriott points per dollar spent at the property directly. So, with this bonus, you’ll be able to earn 17.5 points per dollar spent.

At a value of .8 cents per point, Titanium status earns 14% back.

Complimentary room upgrade

Titanium Elites receive unlimited complimentary upgrades to the best available room subject to availability which could include the following:

Complimentary upgrade includes suites, rooms with desirable views, rooms on high floors, corner rooms, rooms with special amenities or rooms on Executive Floors.

At The Ritz-Carlton, suites are only included for Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite Members and rooms with direct Club access are excluded.
The Complimentary Enhanced Room Upgrade are available at all Participating Brands except at Marriott Vacation Club, Marriott Grand Residence Club, Aloft, Element and participating Vistana properties.

What makes Titanium Elite status stand out over Platinum Elite is the fact that Titanium Elites can be upgraded to suites at Ritz-Carlton properties.

Personally, I have to admit that I have been very disappointed by my Titanium Elite status upgrades.

I have rarely been put in a suite and some of the upgrades I’ve received seem like they are more in line with what you would get with a mid tier or even lower tier elite level status.

Complimentary United Premier Silver status

As a Titanium or Ambassador Elite, you automatically get Premier Silver status with United Airlines. (This is the bottom level of elite status with United.)

This means you can get complimentary upgrades when flying United, free baggage allowance, priority baggage, priority check-in, priority boarding, and Star Alliance Silver status.

All you have to do is link your accounts for this to happen.

Surprisingly, as a Premier Silver member, I have been upgraded to first class on certain non-business routes.

The upgrades to economy plus are almost always guaranteed and that’s nice because you get a few extra inches of legroom.

I also appreciate the priority boarding and free checked bag although I was already getting that with my United credit card.

48-hour guarantee availability

48-Hour Guaranteed Availability: Limited to Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite Member’s personal guest room. Guaranteed room availability for reservations booked at least 48 hours prior to arrival.

If you travel on short notice and want a guaranteed room, this benefit is more useful than anything as nothing is worse than arriving and you have no room.

It’s excluded for certain events, but certainly more straight forward than other benefits.

Welcome gift

The welcome gift for Titanium Elites will be the same as Platinum Elites.

It all depends on the property and brand.

At a lot of properties, you will be able to choose between 500 to 1,000 points or a food and beverage credit/free breakfast.

I prefer breakfast over other welcome gifts because it’s usually way more value, but sometimes I will go with points or another welcome gift if the club lounge breakfast is satisfying.

Make sure that you know what welcome gifts you are entitled to and what your travel companion can get as well.

Pay special close attention to whether the benefit is per night per stay.

Over the past year, I’ve had a couple of instances where I’ve had to “educate” someone at the hotel as to what we are supposed to receive.

Brand	Welcome Gift Choice/Points	Guest Compensation*
Marriott Hotels, JW Marriott, Delta Hotels, Autograph Collection, Renaissance Hotels	United States, Canada, Europe: 1,000 points per stay or $10 USD Food & Beverage (“F&B”) credit per stay Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands, Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Middle East, and Africa:1,000 points per stay or F&B amenity per stay RESORTS only: United States, Canada, Europe: 1,000 points per stay or breakfast in restaurant per night of stay for Member +1 Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands, Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Middle East, and Africa: 1,000 points per stay or F&B amenity per stay or breakfast in restaurant per night of stay for Member +1	$100 USD
Gaylord Hotels	1,000 points per stay or $10 USD F&B credit per stay	$100 USD
St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W Hotels, Sheraton, Le Méridien, Westin, Tribute Portfolio	1,000 points per stay or amenity per stay or breakfast in restaurant per night of stay for Member +1 (including resorts)	$100 USD
The Ritz-Carlton, Ritz-Carlton Reserve, EDITION, Marriott Vacation Club, Marriott Grand Residence Club, Design Hotels™, Homes & Villas by Marriott International. Vistana properties provide Elite Welcome Gift only to Members who are not Vistana Owners using their ownership interest.	1,000 points per stay	N/A
Courtyard	United States, Canada, Europe: 500 Points per stay or $10 USD F&B credit per night of stay for Member +1 Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands, Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Middle East, and Africa: Properties without lounge: 500 Points per stay or F&B amenity per stay or $10 USD F&B credit per night of stay for Member +1 Properties with lounge – 500 Points per stay and breakfast in lounge – if lounge is closed, breakfast in restaurant per night of stay for Member +1	$50 USD
AC Hotels, Moxy Hotels	United States, Canada, Europe: 500 Points per stay or $10 USD F&B credit per night of stay for Member +1 Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands, Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Middle East, and Africa:** 500 Points per stay or F&B amenity per stay or $10 USD F&B credit per night of stay	$50 USD (AC Hotel) $25 USD (Moxy Hotels)
SpringHill Suites, Fairfield by Marriott, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites	United States, Canada, Europe: 500 points per stay or F&B item Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands, Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Middle East, and Africa: 500 points per stay or F&B amenity	$50 USD (SpringHill Suites, Residence Inn) 25 USD (Fairfield by Marriott, TownePlace Suites)
Four Points, Aloft	500 points per stay or amenity or breakfast in restaurant per night of stay for Member +1	$50 USD (Four Points), $25 USD (Aloft)
Protea Hotels	500 points per stay or breakfast in restaurant per night of stay for Member +1	$50 USD
Element	500 points per stay or amenity	$25 USD

*Outside of the U.S. compensation will be paid in the local currency

** The U.S. $10 F&B credit per night of Stay is for the Member. An additional U.S. $10 F&B credit per night of Stay is given for one (1) guest staying in the same guestroom as the Member.

JW Marriott Downtown Houston breakfast – Texas Eggs Benedict

Guaranteed Lounge Access

As a Titanium Elite you will get guaranteed lounge access for you and one guest staying in the same room at:

JW Marriott
Marriott Hotels
Sheraton
Delta Hotels
Le Méridien
Westin
Autograph Collection and
Renaissance Hotels.

Lounge Access is not offered at the following brands:

The Ritz-Carlton
St. Regis
EDITION
The Luxury Collection
W Hotels
Design Hotels
Tribute Portfolio
Gaylord Hotels
Four Points
SpringHill Suites
Protea Hotels
Fairfield
AC Hotels
Aloft
Moxy Hotels
Residence Inn
TownePlace Suites
Element
Marriott Vacation Club
Marriott Grand Residence Club
and participating Vistana properties.

Some of the properties above that don’t offer club lounge access might offer something special for Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador Elites.

It might be a happy hour at the bar or a club lounge.

W Hotels, for example, offer WIP access, which is usually a menu of drinks and snacks you can have at the lobby bar. Then there are a few Luxury Collections that have a club lounge.

Properties might go above and beyond offering happy hours or club lounge access, even when it’s not mandatory. However, it all depends on the property.

Generally, whenever a lounge is closed or the property does not have a lounge or an approved alternative the property will offer you daily breakfast in the restaurant.

If Lounge Access or alternatives are not available at eligible properties, Titanium Elite Members will be compensated $100 for the inconvenience.

There are a few special rules for different properties and locations and you can read more about those here.

Some properties will offer executive lounge as a welcome gift.

Sheraton City Center Istanbul club lounge – dinner and cocktails

Late checkout

Titanium Elites may check out as late as 4 p.m. local time of the Participating Property.

Late checkout is guaranteed at all Participating Properties, except at resort and convention hotels and Design Hotels, where it is based upon availability.

Marriott Vacation Club, Marriott Grand Residence Club, and participating Vistana properties are excluded from this benefit.

In my experience, properties have been very good about honoring late check out.

Complimentary enhanced Internet service

This benefit is provided where available, regardless of booking source, at all Participating Brands worldwide except at the EDITION brand.

Keep in mind that you can get this benefit with the Marriott Boundless credit card.

Stay for 5, pay for 4

Book 5 consecutive award nights and you only pay for 4 nights (this perk is available to all Marriott status levels but is worth mentioning).

When Marriott announced the starting date of their off-peak and peak awards Marriott also made changes and one of which is changing this 5th night free benefit.

Redemptions that were made after September 14th are subject to the stay for 5, pay for 4 benefit and not the 5th night free.

The stay for 5, pay for 4 works by booking 5 consecutive award nights, the cheapest night will become free.

This is looked at as an abrupt devaluation by many, including myself. Why?

Well because instead of averaging out the cost per night, it will only make the cheapest night free. So, if you had one off-peak night and the rest were standard, the off-peak night would be free.

Marriott 75 Nights Annual Choice Benefit milestone

Once you reached 75 elite nights in a calendar year, you will have the following Annual Choice Benefits to choose from:

Five Elite Night Credits
Five Suite Night Awards
A free night award (valid at a hotel costing up to 40,000 points)
The ability to gift Gold Elite status
40% off a hotel bed
A $100 UNICEF donation

The Annual Choice Benefit makes it worth it to stay the nights at a Marriott property. This is a passive benefit that only comes once you reach 75 nights. However, you can get Suite Night Awards or a free night award. Both of which offer great value.

I wrote everything you needed to know about the Annual Choice Benefit milestone. So, I suggest you read about it here if you haven’t already.

You can only choose one of the benefits above when reaching 75 elite nights.

Is it worth it to reach Marriott Titanium Elite status if I am already Platinum Elite?

I think Marriott Titanium Elite status could be worth it if you are spending cash at the property, staying at Ritz-Carlton properties frequently, and booking last minute on regular bases.

Those benefits really do help make a difference, especially if you constantly book last minute and spend cash. My only major complaint with Titanium is the lack of quality upgrades.

I wouldn’t do a mattress run for Titanium Elite status if you are a Platinum Elite, but if you are traveling for work or live in hotels as I do and Titanium Elite status is within reach, then go for it.

I still think Ambassador Elite status is still the best elite status tier.

Phone lines

Elite Reservations Line: (800) 228-2100
Customer Engagement Center Line: (800) 321-7396

Final word

Marriott Titanium Elite status is a great second top tier status for Marriott. While many of the benefits overlap with Platinum Elite, it offers greater last minute availability, better upgrades for Ritz-Carlton, 75% bonus points, and United Premier Silver status.

This article was originally published by Steve Smith.

Daniel Gillaspia

Marriott Annual Choice Benefit: Everything You Need to Know [2022]

Marriott Bonvoy has two annual milestones and these allow you to choose a benefit after reaching 50 and 75 nights in one calendar year.

With Marriott Annual Choice Benefits, you can choose some unique benefits that can push you to the next elite status tier, get you upgraded into suites, or even covered for a free night.

In this article, I will go over the options for Marriott Annual Choice Benefits, explaining each choice benefit offered and which ones I think are the best.

Then I will explain when and how to choose your Annual Choice Benefit.

What is the Marriott Annual Choice Benefit?

The Marriott Annual Choice Benefit is a milestone benefit for elites that reach 50 and 75 elite nights.

Benefits include Suite Night Awards (SNAs), elite night credits, a free night certificate, gifting elite status, 40% off a hotel bed, and a UNICEF donation.

Each benefit will give you a certain amount of value back and in my eyes, there are few that stand out.

I explain more below.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

How to reach Marriott Annual Choice Benefit milestones

Marriott Annual Choice Benefit milestones are based on the number of elite nights you earn within a calendar year.

The two Annual Choice Benefit milestones are at:

50 elite nights
75 elite nights

Any elite nights you earned between January 1st and December 31st will count towards the nights needed for the Annual Choice Benefit milestones.

You might also notice that 50 nights is the requirement for Platinum Elite status and 75 nights is the requirement for Titanium Elite status.

So, once you reach Platinum Elite or Titanium Elite status through nights, you have the ability to pick one of the Annual Choice Benefits.

Ways to gain elite nights

The best way to gain elite nights is by staying in Marriott Bonvoy properties. Stay one night in a Marriott Bonvoy property on cash or points, you would earn an elite night for each night you actually spend at the property.

If you want short cuts, you could hold one of the three premium Marriott Bonvoy credit cards.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card

Complimentary Gold Elite status
Spend $75,000 on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn Platinum Elite status
15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year (not stackable with other personal Marriott cards)
$300 restaurant statement credit (as of 9/22/22)
Annual free night certificate valued up to 50,000 points
6X points per dollar spent at Marriott properties
3X points per dollar spent at U.S. restaurants and flights booked directly with airlines
2X points per dollar spent on all other purchases
$450 annual fee

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Chase Card

Automatic Silver Elite Status
Spend $35,000 on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn Gold Elite status
15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year (not stackable with other personal Marriott cards)
Annual free night certificate valued up to 35,000 points
6X at Marriott properties
2X on all other purchases
$95 annual fee

Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card

Automatic Silver Elite Status
Spend $35,000 on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn Gold Elite status
15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year
Annual free night certificate valued up to 35,000 points
6X at Marriott properties
4X at US restaurants, US gas stations, US telephone services, and US shipping purchases
2X on all other purchases
$125 annual fee

Each of these cards offers 15 elite nights each calendar year that counts towards the Annual Choice Benefit milestones.

So, holding one of these cards will only require you to spend 35 nights in Marriott Bonvoy properties a year.

Marriott allows you to stack the 15 nights from a business and a personal card for a total of 30 nights.

That means that if you have both cards you only have to stay 20 nights in a year to earn an Annual Choice Benefit.

Other great benefits included in these cards would be the annual free night certificate.

That annual free night certificate will also earn you an elite night when redeeming it. It also pays for the annual fee of these cards, sometimes even more as a category 5 property can cost more than $300 a night sometimes.

Tip: Check out the free app WalletFlo so that you can optimize your credit card spend by seeing the best card to use! You can also track credits, annual fees, and get notifications when you’re eligible for the best cards!

Marriott Annual Choice Benefit milestones

Marriott has two milestones, one at 50 nights and another at 75 nights.

At those two milestones, you have the opportunity to pick your Annual Choice Benefit.

Marriott 50 Nights Annual Choice Benefit milestone

Once you reached 50 elite nights in a calendar year, you will have the following Annual Choice Benefits to choose from:

Five Elite Night Credits
Five Suite Night Awards
The ability to gift Silver Elite status
40% off a hotel bed
A $100 donation

You can only choose one of the benefits above when reaching 50 elite nights.

Marriott 75 Nights Annual Choice Benefit milestone

Once you reached 75 elite nights in a calendar year, you will have the following Annual Choice Benefits to choose from:

Five Elite Night Credits
Five Suite Night Awards
A free night award (valid at a hotel costing up to 40,000 points)
The ability to gift Gold Elite status
40% off a hotel bed
A $100 donation

You can only choose one of the benefits above when reaching 75 elite nights.

Which Annual Choice Benefit is the best?

As there are six Annual Choice Benefits, some might be more valuable than others.

Let’s take a look and see which benefit would be a good fit for you.

Five elite night credits

This Annual Choice Benefit is available at 50 and 75 nights.

These five elite nights work just like elite nights you get from staying at a Bonvoy property. They even count towards lifetime status.

Once selected, your account will reflect the Elite Night Credits within 48 hours of the receipt of the confirmation of the Annual Choice Benefit selection

When you select this benefit you will only receive the five elite nights in the year you reached the milestone.

For example, if you reached your Annual Choice Benefit in 2023 and selected your choice benefit in January 2024, you will only get those elite nights for the 2023 qualifying year.

I think this is only worth it if you need elite nights to push you from 70 nights to 75 nights to become Titanium Elite.

Five Suite Night Awards (SNAs)

This Annual Choice Benefit is available at 50 and 75 nights.

I did an everything you need to know article about SNAs. I suggest you read it as it will allow you to understand SNAs if you never got or used them before.

However, in summary, SNAs are used to upgrade to a suite or premium room at a hotel or resort.

Each SNA is worth one night. So, if you are given five SNAs, you can use them over five nights.

Sometimes they can be denied, but it’s all dependent on the properties you visit.

I think SNAs are worth it when reaching the 50-night milestone.

SNA upgrades aren’t always confirmed making SNAs inconsistent. Yet, when an SNA is approved, you could get an upgrade to a room that is double the price of your original booking.

So there is a lack of certainty with this benefit but potentially a very high ceiling for value.

And remember, Suite Night Awards expire on December 31 of the year following the year in which they were earned. So you can’t sit on these for forever!

A free night award

This Annual Choice Benefit is only available at 75 nights.

For the 75-night milestone, you have the added benefit of selecting a free night award valued up to 40,000 points. This award is equal to category 5 peak redemptions.

So, you actually have quite a lot of flexibility when using this as category 5 properties are all over the world.

You can find my favorite category 5 properties here.

Some could be luxury city hotels while others will be luxury beach resorts or off in the jungle. I believe you can find a category 5 property just for you.

For the 75-night Annual Choice Benefit milestone, this is the best value choice for many.

Free nights at some of these properties can cost $300+ a night. So, as you can get a free night at a luxury property anywhere in the world, then this one is a no brainer.

The ability to gift elite status

This Annual Choice Benefit is available at 50 and 75 nights.

50-night milestone: gift Silver Elite status
75-night milestone: gift Gold Elite status

I personally think gifting low tier Marriott Bonvoy status as an Annual Choice Benefit is a waste because you can get Silver or Gold Elite status from a credit card.

While gifting status could be helpful to a friend or family member that cannot get a credit card, it’s also not as valuable as other Annual Choice Benefits.

40% off a hotel bed

This Annual Choice Benefit is available at 50 and 75 nights.

If you love a particular bed from a Bonvoy brand and been meaning to buy a mattress, then this Annual Choice Benefit can actually be useful.

You can get the following hotel brands mattress and box springs 40% off:

You could save over $500 on a mattress and box spring when you apply the 40% Annual Choice Benefit. I for one would probably do this if I ever move back home.

Unfortunately, this Annual Choice Benefit is rather limited in terms of uses. I am sure you or I won’t be buying a mattress every year. So, this might be a one time Annual Choice Benefit that saves you $500+ on a bed purchase.

A $100 UNICEF donation

This Annual Choice Benefit is available at 50 and 75 nights.

If you feel like giving, you can make donations to the following:

Support children through UNICEF. Donate US $100.
Support Arne M. Sorenson Hospitality Fund. Donate US $100.
Support World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Donate US $100.

These donations could be a good use of your Annual Choice Benefit on the surface.

However, I would like to argue that the $100 price tag on this UNICEF donation is low.

I would personally rather choose SNA or free night award, both could get you well over $100 of value and then personally donate $100.

When can I select my Marriott Annual Choice Benefit?

Once you reached 50 or 75 nights, you have the ability to select your Annual Choice Benefit till January 7th the next qualifying year.

So, if you reached 50 nights in 2023, you have until 11:59 p.m. ET, January 7, 2024, to select your Annual Choice Benefit.

If you forget to select your Annual Choice Benefit, Marriott will automatically select the five Suite Night Awards (SNAs).

Unfortunately, there is no way to trade to another choice benefit once you or Marriott selected your benefit. Once selected, you are stuck with that selection.

Where do I select my Marriott Annual Choice Benefit?

You can access your Annual Choice Benefit from this link here.

You will then have to sign in to your Bonvoy account. Click on account -> Overview. Then scroll down to “You qualify for an Annual Choice Benefit for staying 50 nights.” and click “view gift.”

Marriott Annual Choice Benefit selection

Do Ambassador Elites have an Annual Choice Benefit?

One frustration I have with Marriott is the lack of milestones after 75 nights.

Once you reached 75 nights you have only Ambassador Elite status to qualify for, but that also requires a ton of spend and not easy for a big portion of travelers.

Hyatt and Hilton have milestones beyond achieving its top tier status that encourages elites to come back to their properties.

I for one feel less encouraged to stay at a Marriott Bonvoy property after I reached Ambassador status as there are no more milestones.

I think a program like Marriott needs to add a milestone for 100 nights and 150 nights to encourage travelers to keep on staying at their properties. This could be an Annual Choice Benefit or even a small amount of bonus points like 20,000.

Let’s hope Marriott does something to encourage their top tier elites, or I for one will keep turning to other programs for their milestones once I completed all of Marriott’s milestones and achieved Ambassador status.

Marriott Annual Choice Benefit FAQ

How many nights are needed for the annual choice benefit?

You will receive an annual choice benefit after 50 elite nights, and you can receive a second annual choice benefit after 75 elite nights.

How can I earn more elite nights?

You can earn more elite nights (15) by getting approved for Marriott credit cards such as the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Chase Card.

What is the most valuable annual choice benefit?

The most valuable benefit depends on your travel goals but many people prefer the Five Suite Night Awards.

Will benefits be extended due to coronavirus?

Your annual choice benefits may be extended due to the pandemic.

Elite Members who have Suite Night Awards (earned in 2019 as part of the 50- and 75-Night Annual Choice Benefit) with an expiration date of December 31, 2020 will be extended to December 31, 2021.

Final word

Marriott Annual Choice Benefit milestones are well worth it in my eyes. They encourage travelers to stay at Marriott for at least 75 nights, but the lack of milestones beyond 100 nights is somewhat unfortunate.

However, the Annual Choice Benefits for 50 and 75 nights are certainly a good value, but not each choice benefit is worth as much as the others. I think the Suite Night Awards and the free night award would be my go-to as it’s easy to get hundreds of dollars worth of value out of them.

This article was originally published by Steve Smith.

Daniel Gillaspia

Review: Four Points by Sheraton Juneau (Convenient but Pricey)

Juneau, Alaska does not have a whole lot of options when it comes to national chain hotels. One of the options that sticks out is the Four Points by Sheraton Juneau.

But this hotel can be pretty pricey at times so is it actually worth it or will you be overpaying?

In this article, I’ll break down everything you need to know about the Four Points by Sheraton Juneau.

Booking

We paid cash for four nights at the Four Points by Sheraton Juneau and let me tell you that if you are coming during peak season (which is basically just the summer) the prices are going to be up there.

The prices can fluctuate a lot throughout the week so you can always try to time it for the cheaper rates but that’s not always practical.

We paid:

$617
$332
$391
$440

Plus fees.

It’s one of those properties where the prices shoot up but don’t align with the quality of the hotel. This is not what you think of when you think of a $600 a night hotel.

Maybe $300 a night.

However, if you want to stay in a nice, national chain hotel this is one of the only options in Juneau.

I did hit Platinum status on this stay and earned 31,350 Points, so that’s something I guess?

One more thing, if you’re coming during peak season you might want to book a little early because the hotel was sold out on several days when we initially tried to book this trip.

It’s a pretty popular hotel.

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Location: Downtown Juneau

The Four Points by Sheraton Juneau has a great location in Downtown Juneau. In fact, if it wasn’t for the fantastic location, I don’t think we would have chosen this property.

Walking around Downtown Juneau is extremely easy because the entire downtown area is not very big at all and this hotel sets you up for easy exploration.

The location is also nice because it is just far enough away from the cruise terminal that you don’t really feel all the heavy foot traffic from there.

From the hotel, we easily made it to various restaurants and shops, and it only takes about five minutes to get to the heart of the tourist/shopping area on Franklin St.

Attractions like the Alaska State Museum are also nearby.

The large blue building across the street from the hotel has some pretty nice dining spots in it which are ultra convenient.

Inside, there is a large hallway that takes you through the different restaurants so you can escape the elements if needed.

Make sure you try out the Russian dumplings! Yum.

Check-in

The hotel has a small and somewhat cozy little lobby where you can also find a compact lounge area, coffee/tea station, and the market.

There’s also a little work area.

They also have a concierge station although I was never able to actually see anybody at that desk.

All of the front desk agents made a good impression during our stay and check-in went smoothly although I was a little bummed I did not get any kind of upgrade as a Titanium member.

We did get put on one of the higher floors with a decent view so I guess that counts but Marriott Titanium status has been one of the most disappointing elite statuses I’ve had.

One thing about this stay is that one of the elevators was broken almost the entire time.

This really slowed things down and just got a bit annoying especially considering that they got fixed the day we were checking out….

The Room

Our king room with a Mountain View was a basic room but spacious enough.

It was nice. Not $600 nice, but pretty nice.

Four Points by Sheraton Juneau mountain room

I thought the king bed was comfortable. Not $600 comfortable but pretty comfortable.

Four Points by Sheraton Juneau mountain room king

Maintaining temperature in the room was never a problem although they do have some specific controls for the heater.

On one side of the bed, you’ll find a phone and lamp (with outlets) on the nightstand, along with some branded stationary.

Four Points by Sheraton Juneau king room nightstand

On the other side you’ll have an alarm clock with power outlets and USB ports.

There’s a chair you can relax on in the corner near the window. I like that you could open the windows and get a nice cool draft coming in.

We left our windows open the entire time and I think it helped keep the room comfortable.

Four Points by Sheraton Juneau king room

But just in case you did get a little warm, the hotel does supply a fan.

Four Points by Sheraton Juneau king room fan

There’s a large flatscreen TV in the middle of the room for your entertainment needs.

Four Points by Sheraton Juneau king room tv

I appreciated the water bottle and the clear signage that this was an actual free item. No confusion here.

Below the TV was a mini fridge. No microwave.

Four Points by Sheraton Juneau king room mini fridge

And in the corner there was a nice workstation that had a lamp with power outlets.

Four Points by Sheraton Juneau king room desk

It also had the coffee machine with Café Valet rainforest blend packages. (You can find some teas downstairs in the lobby.)

As always, I brought my portable kettle with me since I don’t use hotel coffee makers.

We had plenty of closet space and even a secondary fan inside the closet.

Four Points by Sheraton Juneau king room closet

I did enjoy the view although it is a little weird because there are some houses situated up on the hill and they are right in your backyard.

Whenever the clouds moved out, it was really beautiful looking out to the mountains and all of the waterfalls and mountain streams running down.

Four Points by Sheraton Juneau mountain view

Overall, the bathroom was nice, clean, and spacious enough. No complaints.

Really loved this $600 a night shower.

Dining/Breakfast

There’s a restaurant connected to the lobby called McGivney’s Sports Bar & Grill Downtown.

What’s interesting and kind of annoying is that the hotel does not offer you any kind of food credit for that restaurant and that’s not even where breakfast is.

Instead, you have to go to the Baranof Downtown hotel where you can use your breakfast credit at the restaurant called 127.

It’s about an eight minute walk to get over there, which was a first for me.

This meant we would have to walk in the rain to get to breakfast which sounds bad but you’re mostly dealing with drizzle and so if you have a good rain jacket it’s not a big deal walking around downtown Juneau in the rain.

That might be a different story when it’s freezing cold outside.

You’ll be able to enjoy a basic breakfast buffet which to be honest wasn’t bad at all. Eggs, bacon, potatoes, and pancakes were all part of the buffet. Continental breakfast options like cereal also were available.

You can always order options off the menu but you will have to pay for those.

I’d much rather have breakfast somewhere like Sandpiper but if you want to take advantage of your free breakfast perk this hotel is not a bad place to do it.

Gym

If you’re wanting to get a workout the gym is pretty compact but decently equipped. Not $600 a night equipped but equipped enough.

Final word

Overall, I love the location of the hotel and the service was good throughout our stay.

The breakfast situation is a little weird but doable if you’re okay with doing some walking.

The biggest issue is the price point.

The rooms get very expensive during the peak summer season and it’s just difficult to pay that much money and not receive that much in value from your room.

Perhaps if my Titanium status had gotten me an upgrade to a junior suite or something I would feel different?

I’m not sure but at properties like this you really have to adjust your expectations to avoid feeling unsatisfied over your booking.

In the end, I would recommend the hotel (mostly for the location) but try to time your stay so that you can catch it when the prices are on the reasonable side (closer to $300).

Daniel Gillaspia

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card 5 Free Nights Review

The amazing 5 Free Nights offer for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is back but is this offer worth it and what should be on your radar when going for it? Let’s take a look!

Welcome Bonus

Offer no longer available.

Earn 5 Free Nights after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months.

These free nights are worth up to 50,000 points each meaning that you have the potential to effectively utilize up to 250,000 points.

Now, Marriott allows you to top off free night certificate with points up to 15,000 points.

So if a property would cost 65,000 points you can use a free night certificate +15,000 points to stay there for free. That opens up a lot of opportunities for free hotel stays (at very nice properties).

Learn how to apply!

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There are a couple of challenges with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card bonus.

The first challenge is that with free night certificates you want to optimize the value which means that ideally you would be only using these certificates at properties costing 50,000 points/night.

But that can sometimes be difficult to do and make your travel plans limited.

My advice would be to not feel the need to always fully optimize these free night certificates in terms of the points needed per night.

You can easily find great properties worth staying at for under 50,000 points per night and so if you find a hotel you like going for 40,000 points/night don’t be afraid to use a 50K free night certificate on it.

The other slight drawback is that these expire after 12 months. This means that you want to be diligent about your travel plans so that you don’t potentially waste these. At this stage of the pandemic, I think extensions are becoming less common.

Eligibility for the bonus is a little bit tricky. I would highly suggest to enter in all your credit card open dates into WalletFlo and let the app automate your eligibility calculations.

Bonus Spend

Up to 17X total points at Marriott

The card itself will earn you 6X points at Marriott hotels but you’ll also earn 10X points from Marriott for being a Marriott Bonvoy member and an extra 1X point from your Silver Elite Status.

Putting your spend at Marriott on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card can be a good idea because other travel cards will code the purchase as travel and probably only offer you 2X to 3X (maybe 4X).

3X points

You can earn 3X points on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each calendar year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.

After $6,000 is spent, you go back to earning 2 points for each $1 spent.

This combined bonus earning category is decent although I would much rather put these type of purchases on other cards that earn flexible points.

2X points

Earn 2X points for every $1 you spend on all other purchases.

Perks

Free night award

You’ll get a Free Night Award every year after your account anniversary, which will be good for a one night hotel stay at a property with a redemption level up to 35,000 points. (Notice that this is a decrease from the welcome bonus free night certificate offer of 50,000 points.)

Every year, I justify my annual fee utilizing this free night certificate. I usually receive around $200 to $250 in value which makes holding onto this card a no-brainer.

Elite Status benefits

Silver Elite Status comes automatic with the card but it’s not that special.

You can upgrade to Gold by spending $35,000 on purchases each calendar but I’d rather just get a different credit card that comes with automatic Gold status.

The biggest elite benefit that I care about with this card is the 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year.

I also have a business Marriott card so that offers an additional 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year which means that every year I basically start off with 30 elite nights. That makes obtaining the higher levels of elite status like Platinum and Titanium much easier.

You can also earn 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend. So once you hit the minimum spend you’ll have an additional elite night credit.

This card will also offer you some pretty decent protections like:

Baggage Delay Insurance
Lost Luggage Reimbursement
Trip Delay Reimbursement
Purchase Protection
Visa Concierge

Annual fee

As mentioned above, the annual fee is $95 but easily offset with the free night award.

Final word

Overall, this is a fantastic offer worth pursuing if you are interested in free hotel nights. The free night certificates are not as easy to use as a points bonus but with a little bit of patience and planning you can get a tremendous amount of value from it.

Also, the perks are good enough so that you’ll want to hold onto this card in the long run.

Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analysis & recommendations are UponArriving’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

Daniel Gillaspia

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