It’s always fascinating to learn more about how people redeem their hotel points. I’m not talking about those of us who are obsessed with maximizing points, but rather just how the “average” member chooses to redeem.
Marriott has published the list of top redeemed Marriott Bonvoy hotels, according to 2019 data. Now, in fairness I should note that we don’t know exactly what the data means — are we talking about the properties with the most stays using points, the most nights using points, or the most points redeemed?
Let’s take a look at those, and in the bottom of each section I’ll share my general thoughts.
In this post:
Most popular Marriott Bonvoy properties worldwide
Let’s start with the overall list. Here are the 20 most popular Marriott Bonvoy properties for redemptions worldwide:
20. London Marriott Hotel County Hall; London
19. Sheraton Sand Key Resort; Clearwater
18. The Westin Denver International Airport; Denver
17. Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center; Kissimmee
16. Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center; Nashville
15. Orlando World Center Marriott; Orlando
14. The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach; Oahu
13. Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino; Oranjestad, Aruba
12. Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa; Oahu
11. JW Marriott Essex House New York; New York City
10. The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
9. Sheraton Grand Seattle; Seattle
8. The Westin Tokyo; Tokyo
7. Walt Disney World Swan; Orlando
6. Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel; New York City
5. JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort; Marco Island
4. The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Autograph Collection; Las Vegas
3. Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino; Palm Beach, Aruba
2. Wailea Beach Resort Marriott, Maui; Maui
1. New York Marriott Marquis; New York City
The New York Marriott Marquis
What’s my take? There’s nothing surprising here. Redemptions are overwhelmingly centered around those in the US, given that it’s where the most Marriott Bonvoy points are earned. New York City, Hawaii, and Orlando, are the places I’d expect to be most popular with redemptions. Perhaps the outlier here is the Westin Denver Airport, which seems like a surprising hotel to be on the list.
Now let’s break it down a bit further, and look at the top 10 properties for redemptions, including in the United States, in the Caribbean and Latin America, in Europe, in Asia, and in the Middle East and Africa.
Most popular Marriott Bonvoy properties in the US
Here are the 10 most popular Marriott Bonvoy properties for redemptions in the United States:
10. The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach; Oahu
9. Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa; Oahu
8. JW Marriott Essex House New York; New York City
7. Sheraton Grand Seattle; Seattle
6. Walt Disney World Swan; Orlando
5. Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel; New York City
4. JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort; Marco Island
3. The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Autograph Collection; Las Vegas
2. Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott, Maui; Maui
1. New York Marriott Marquis; New York City
The JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort
What’s my take? Yeah, same as the above, there are no surprises here.
Most popular Marriott Bonvoy properties in the Caribbean & Latin America
Here are the 10 most popular Marriott Bonvoy properties for redemptions in the Caribbean and Latin America:
10. JW Marriott Los Cabos Beach Resort & Spa; San Jose del Cabo, Mexico
9. La Concha Renaissance San Juan Resort; San Juan, Puerto Rico
8. Marriott Cancun Resort; Cancun, Mexico
7. Courtyard by Marriott Isla Verde Beach Resort; Carolina, Puerto Rico
6. JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa; Cancun, Mexico
5. San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino; San Juan, Puerto Rico
4. The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba; Palm Beach, Aruba
3. Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino; Oranjestad, Aruba
2. The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
1. Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino; Palm Beach, Aruba
The Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino
What’s my take? Also nothing surprising here. But every time I see the Ritz-Carlton Aruba, I can’t help but be reminded of the below video. I wonder if they were redeeming their Bonvoy points.
Most popular Marriott Bonvoy properties in Europe
Here are the 10 most popular Marriott Bonvoy properties for redemptions in Europe:
10. MOXY Paris Bastille France; Paris
9. Hotel Prince de Galles, a Luxury Collection Hotel; Paris
8. JW Marriott Grosvenor House London; London
7. Sheraton Lisboa Hotel & Spa; Lisbon
6. Amsterdam Marriott Hotel; Amsterdam
5. The Westin Excelsior, Rome; Rome
4. Courtyard by Marriott Paris Gare de Lyon; Paris
3. London Marriott Hotel Park Lane; London
2. Renaissance Amsterdam Hotel; Amsterdam
1. London Marriott Hotel County Hall; London
The Hotel Prince de Galles Paris
What’s my take? I’d expect the focus on London, Paris, Rome, and Amsterdam. If anything, I’m surprised there’s nothing from Venice on the list, though I suppose there are several properties there that redemptions are split between, and the hotels also aren’t that big.
Most popular Marriott Bonvoy properties in Asia
Here are the 10 most popular Marriott Bonvoy properties for redemptions in Asia:
10. Courtyard Taipei Downtown; Taipei
9. Renaissance Beijing Wangfujing Hotel; Beijing
8. The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort; Maldives
7. The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto; Kyoto
6. Aloft Bangkok Sukhumvit 11; Bangkok
5. Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers; Bangkok
4. Courtyard Hong Kong Sha Tin; Hong Kong
3. The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo; Tokyo
2. Courtyard Taipei; Taipei
1. The Westin Tokyo; Tokyo
The St. Regis Maldives
What’s my take? Of all the lists, this one probably has the most legitimately good hotels, like the St. Regis Maldives, Ritz-Carlton Kyoto, Ritz-Carlton Tokyo, etc.
Most popular Marriott Bonvoy properties in the Middle East & Africa
Here are the 10 most popular Marriott Bonvoy properties for redemptions in the Middle East & Africa:
10. The Westin Cape Town; Cape Town, South Africa
9. Protea Hotel by Marriott Ikeja Select; Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria
8. Marriott Mena House, Cairo; Cairo, Eygpt
7. Grosvenor House, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Dubai; Dubai, UAE
6. AC Hotel Cape Town Waterfront; Cape Town, South Africa
5. Accra Marriott Hotel; Accra, Ghana
4. Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai; Dubai, UAE
3. Sheraton Grand Hotel, Dubai; Dubai, UAE
2. Le Méridien N’Fis; Marrakech, Morocco
1. JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai; Dubai, UAE
The Protea Hotel Lagos
What’s my take? I’m a bit surprised the Le Meridien N’Fis is number two, it’s great to see that Al Maha is number four (it’s one of my favorite uses of Bonvoy points), and I’m kind of surprised number nine is in Lagos.
Bottom line
I love seeing hotel redemption data. Not because I’m getting inspiration to redeem points at the Sheraton Times Square or Ritz-Carlton Aruba, but rather because it’s a good perspective to see how the “average” member redeems their points.
As you’d expect, redemptions are heavily focused around those in the US, given the number of Bonvoy points earned, which is why New York, Hawaii, Orlando, and the Caribbean, are particularly popular.
There are some great properties on the list, like Al Maha and the St. Regis Maldives, but they’re few and far between.
What do you make of these lists of top Bonvoy redemptions, and how does it compare to what you would have expected?
I am certainly an average members! Redeemed points at all of the top 3 in the US and 2 out of 3 and had paid stays in 4 others in Europe (2 London properties made to the list).
This list looks very different than mine, though I admit that have redeemed points during the summer for a last minute reservation at JW Grosvenor House. I find the Europe list rather disappointing, lol. I was hoping for something a little more aspirational on there, lol.
@iamhere. What are you talking about? EVERY program includes taxes in award redemptions. In fact, Hilton and Hyatt also include resort amenity fees in award redemptions. Marriott and IHG still charge them.
Do not understand….can you explain? I know that resort fees are on some Hilton properties. But I never pay taxes or fees on regular points only redemptions.
"I agree that Cosmopolitan is my big surprise. I’ve stayed there, and it’s a great property, but there’s zero value in burning points with cash rates so cheap in Vegas."
Cash rates at the Cosmo weren't cheap in Vegas in 2019, which is when this survey was done (unless you're talking dead periods like winter from about now to the Super Bowl minus NYE and CES). Cosmo routinely has cash rates that beat Bellagio, Aria...
"I agree that Cosmopolitan is my big surprise. I’ve stayed there, and it’s a great property, but there’s zero value in burning points with cash rates so cheap in Vegas."
Cash rates at the Cosmo weren't cheap in Vegas in 2019, which is when this survey was done (unless you're talking dead periods like winter from about now to the Super Bowl minus NYE and CES). Cosmo routinely has cash rates that beat Bellagio, Aria and Caesars, even now in 2020.
It's probably not a great deal because 85k is a lot of points, but most people don't care about point value when they're doing destination vacations like Vegas, Disneyworld, or Paris. They're thinking "this is free" not "OMG, I won't get .7 cents per point value from my redemption". This is why people are perfectly happy when Delta gives them a chance to redeem a $70 flight for 6,000 points + $5.60, because it's "free". They get something for the points instead of having to save up for years to get that Air France business class redemption that has much higher value per point.
A benefit of Bonvoy is they include the tax and service fees when you redeem. Many IHG or Hilton properties do not include it and points are just for the room.
That's because people do not do simple calculations to see if it is worth redeeming or not. I will give an example. If I travel to a Ritz property frequently in the US and redeem for 85,000 points per night and the average rate of that room is $900-$1300, that is a much better deal than a Ritz property wanting 50,000 points in Asia but only around $200-$300, and that is just a Ritz brand...
That's because people do not do simple calculations to see if it is worth redeeming or not. I will give an example. If I travel to a Ritz property frequently in the US and redeem for 85,000 points per night and the average rate of that room is $900-$1300, that is a much better deal than a Ritz property wanting 50,000 points in Asia but only around $200-$300, and that is just a Ritz brand comparison. Then there are people that redeem for lower brands... Also, some properties I was surprised to see on this list for example properties that I know that charge points and money but you cannot get a room for just points. Usually this is a bad deal.
I am surprised to see the Marriott near my house to be on the list(Courtyard by Marriott Sha Tin). The location isn't good, the prices are cheap, but it does have great food and it is category 2. I think the reason might be because there is a lot of point savvy people in Hong Kong doing staycations during COVID.
I can totally see why the Westin at DEN would be on the list. It's an insanely expensive hotel to stay at when paying cash (often well over $400/night) and I've frequently seen it sold out during storms when there are a lot of flight cancellations. Obviously most people only stay there for one night due to convenience, so I don't think too many people are taking advantage of the 5th night free benefit for...
I can totally see why the Westin at DEN would be on the list. It's an insanely expensive hotel to stay at when paying cash (often well over $400/night) and I've frequently seen it sold out during storms when there are a lot of flight cancellations. Obviously most people only stay there for one night due to convenience, so I don't think too many people are taking advantage of the 5th night free benefit for redemptions there. But even for just one night, it's a great property - I love the indoor pool/spa and gym that overlooks the terminal, and the convenience of not requiring a shuttle to get to the terminal can easily buy you an additional hour of sleep if catching an early flight.
Stayed at a lot on these list but only redeemed at one, Le Meridian N'Fis. Think it was due to low amount of points needed vs the cost of room. Wasn't a complete waste of points but I will never stay there again. In need of a major reno. The grounds are absolutely stunning btw.
The JW Marriott Marco Island is a truly terrific property for a family vacation, and the paid rates in-season are incredibly high. Not surprised to see it multiple times on these lists.
For savvy point enthusiasts (i.e. most of the readers here) it's probably common to put point redemption value into consideration when making travel plans, while most people plan a trip first and then check if they can fit a point redemption in it. I guess that is why so many not-so-good or even cheap hotels are on the list.
@Frank Stangaßinger
Courtyard Taipei was category 2, and one of the best redemption for Marriott members in Taipei. It's new with a nice design, happy hour, breakfast and a decent location. People who are staying at the Courtyard Taipei aren't cross shopping other "Asian hotels" (you know how big Asia is right?), they're comparing amongst Taipei hotels.
I agree that Cosmopolitan is my big surprise. I've stayed there, and it's a great property, but there's zero value in burning points with cash rates so cheap in Vegas.
And I'll also agree with others on the Denver Westin. Denver gets so much feeder traffic and people who have a couple hour drive into/out of the mountain towns (sometimes in bad weather) that the Westin is a great option for a night on...
I agree that Cosmopolitan is my big surprise. I've stayed there, and it's a great property, but there's zero value in burning points with cash rates so cheap in Vegas.
And I'll also agree with others on the Denver Westin. Denver gets so much feeder traffic and people who have a couple hour drive into/out of the mountain towns (sometimes in bad weather) that the Westin is a great option for a night on either end of your trip. I actually did just that last month, though not on a points redemption.
I've redeemed at the first on the list and the last on the list. Marriott Marquis and London County Hall.
I am surprised at some redemptions for relatively cheap hotels such as The Moxy Paris.
I understand people redeeming pts for St Regis in The Maldives, but using pts on cheap hotels is usually not a good deal.
Al Maha is so small (42 villas) that these "rankings" presumably include some adjustment for property size, so it isn't simply aggregate number of award nights, or aggregate number of points redeemed.
I have stayed at Al Maha twice on points (in 2019 and in February 2020 right before Covid) and found the service indistinguishable from a paid stay, which is as it should be but very welcome in a setting where interactions are so personalized.
Agree with the nice Paul on the “vile-ness” of NY Marriott Marquis. I would add the Sheraton Times Sq to the vile list! Tiny rooms, tiny/too few elevators, dark narrow hallways (vomit covered on our floor), overrun lobby, terrible service. Haven’t stayed in a number of years (and never again) - maybe it’s been renovated?
To see Courtyard Taipei and the downtown location BOTH on the list is a bit surprising. I fly to Taiwan for business several times a year and paid rates are typically in the $90-$100 USD range. They are nice and respectable hotels but in terms of spending points? Lots of better properties in Asia to get “bonvoyed” lol
Westin Denver Airport is a great option if you have a late flight into Denver and want to drive up to ski resorts the next morning. I have done that a couple of times, and have explored points vs paid stay (have only done paid stay). Great airport, great airport hotel with some nice dining / bar options.
Le Meridien N'Fis is probably a quirk, used to be low category with SPG, I stayed for only 6k points/nt in 2019 and you could book at that price for dates well into 2019 before the new Bonvoy started. I wonder if a lot of people like myself booked a 'last hurrah' there before they raised the points price a lot. (remember this data is based on 2019 redemptions)
Surprised to see so much Taiwan...
Le Meridien N'Fis is probably a quirk, used to be low category with SPG, I stayed for only 6k points/nt in 2019 and you could book at that price for dates well into 2019 before the new Bonvoy started. I wonder if a lot of people like myself booked a 'last hurrah' there before they raised the points price a lot. (remember this data is based on 2019 redemptions)
Surprised to see so much Taiwan in the Asia list and none of the island resorts in Thailand, which I thought would've been more popular. I guess for the average member it's more likely they are part of the Taiwan-US diaspora using their points to visit family.
The other one I think is a quirk is the Sheraton Grand Seattle; it is (was?) the only full service hotel in the downtown area or vicinity that was Cat 5 or below, all the others were Cat 6. Once this is corrected I'd expect to see this one fall off the list.
hotels in Lagos often are are expensive in cash terms but can be a great deal on points.
Marriott Marquis NY is an utterly vile hotel. It was built when Times Square was much more saucy than it now is, so the whole ground floor is a taxi drop-off tunnel filled with diesel fumes, while the only staff there are sour-faced, thuggish-looking bouncers.
The higher floors were built around an enormous central atrium, lined with corridor-balconies from which the rooms are reached. Unfortunately, people started killing themselves by jumping off them, so...
Marriott Marquis NY is an utterly vile hotel. It was built when Times Square was much more saucy than it now is, so the whole ground floor is a taxi drop-off tunnel filled with diesel fumes, while the only staff there are sour-faced, thuggish-looking bouncers.
The higher floors were built around an enormous central atrium, lined with corridor-balconies from which the rooms are reached. Unfortunately, people started killing themselves by jumping off them, so Marriott installed metal grilles over every opening. But the whole effect now is of a sort of luxury prison (which I suppose, in a sense, it is).
In fairness, I once scouted it as a possible conference venue and the hotel bribed me with a nice room towards the top; it had a truly glorious view down Broadway.
London County Hall is quite pleasant, though.
Lagos- so many people of Nigerian descent in the UK and on the US east coast. Probably many of those award stays are people going back to visit family. Could also be oil business travelers, but those aren't likely to be award stays.
Not sure why Denver is a surprise, which airport has more canceled flights during peak tourist time for an area than DIA when they have winter storms. Travels with points would much rather use those and not have to travel all the way back to downtown denver and spend $ after a long or expensive trip when they can just book the westin on points and stay at airport.
Not surprised by the Westin Denver Airport. Paid rates there are quite high, and usually if you're staying there it's because you're stuck or something. Easy redemption if youre at the airport and dont want to go to one of the more distant lodging options. Plus, it's a nice property.
I am surprised by the Westin Tokyo. I guess it is probably bigger than many of the other Tokyo hotels, but it's a pretty inconvenient location in the city and not cheap, so I wouldn't have expected it to be the top property for Tokyo, never mind apparently by so much that only one other Tokyo property even appears on the Asia top 10.
I am Bonvoy Titanium, have stayed at Marriotts on four continents, and have visited exactly one of these hotels... the Westin Denver airport! It’s very popular relative to other Denver airport hotels as it’s the only one connected to the terminal. And it’s a huge property too.
Last year, my Vail-SFO flight was cancelled and I was rebooked from Denver the next morning. Had to make the 6 hour drive through a snowstorm. Paying...
I am Bonvoy Titanium, have stayed at Marriotts on four continents, and have visited exactly one of these hotels... the Westin Denver airport! It’s very popular relative to other Denver airport hotels as it’s the only one connected to the terminal. And it’s a huge property too.
Last year, my Vail-SFO flight was cancelled and I was rebooked from Denver the next morning. Had to make the 6 hour drive through a snowstorm. Paying 30k points to stay at the Westin felt like a much better option than $200 at the other airport options, especially considering the sketchy reviews of the airport shuttles. It’s actually a great property and I’d totally stay there again.
Ridiculous rankings in my humble opinion.
Another demonstration that "Most Popular" does not equal Best.
I am glad that none of my favourite Marriott properties are listed here.
And I have stayed at a bunch of them over the years all around the world
HA! I read this list this morning too and had some of the same thoughts. I'm not surprised by a lot of it but there are some outliers. For example, the cosmopolitan (Las Vegas)?? #4?? It's a Cat 8 hotel! The "average" member is dropping 85k to stay there?? The same as Al maha?? WOW!