So, you’ve been diligently earning Marriott Bonvoy points, and now you’re wondering how to finally turn them into that dream vacation. You’ve come to the right place! Using your points to book a hotel room is one of the most rewarding parts of the travel experience. This detailed guide will walk you through the process, from the first click to the final confirmation. Let’s get that trip booked!
Step 1: Are you logged in and ready to go?
Before you do anything else, the first and most crucial step is to log in to your Marriott Bonvoy account. Head over to the Marriott website or open the Marriott Bonvoy app. If you’re not already signed in, find the "Sign In" button and enter your credentials. You won't be able to see your points balance or book with points if you aren't logged in. Once you're in, take a moment to look at your points balance. It's always a good idea to know exactly how many points you have at your disposal before you start searching.
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| How Do I Use Marriott Points To Book A Room |
Step 2: The Art of the Search: Finding Your Ideal Hotel
This is where the fun begins! Just like a cash booking, you'll start your search by entering your destination and travel dates.
Search Sub-heading: Selecting Your Dates
Be Flexible! Marriott's dynamic pricing means that the number of points required for a room can change based on demand. If your travel dates are flexible, you can often find better deals. Look for the "Flexible Dates" option in the search tool. This is a great way to see a calendar view of points rates and find the best value.
Search Sub-heading: Toggling the 'Use Points/Awards' Button
This is the most important part of the search process for a points booking. On the main search page, look for a checkbox or a toggle switch that says "Use Points/Awards" or "Book with Points." Make sure this is checked or toggled on. This will filter your search results to show you hotels that have award availability for your chosen dates and display the cost in points instead of cash.
Step 3: Evaluating Your Options and Choosing a Hotel
QuickTip: Stop scrolling fast, start reading slow.
Once you've entered your details and hit search, you'll be presented with a list of hotels that have award availability. Now it's time to find the perfect one.
Options Sub-heading: Understanding the Points Display
Each hotel in your search results will show a points price. For example, you might see "40,000 Points" or a range like "40k - 50k Points." The range indicates that the point price for each night of your stay may vary. You can click on the hotel to see the nightly breakdown.
Tip: Look for hotels that offer a flat points rate for all your nights. This can often be a better value than a stay with varying nightly costs.
Options Sub-heading: The "Fifth Night Free" Benefit
This is a fantastic perk of the Marriott Bonvoy program and one of the best ways to get maximum value from your points. When you book a stay of five consecutive nights using points, Marriott will give you the lowest-priced night for free. This means you'll only be charged for four nights' worth of points. This benefit applies automatically when you book a five-night stay with points.
Step 4: The Booking Process: From Selection to Confirmation
You've found the perfect hotel and confirmed the dates. It's time to finalize the booking.
Booking Sub-heading: Selecting Your Room and Rate
Click on the hotel you've chosen. You'll be taken to a page with different room types and rates. Here, you can select the "Points" rate for your desired room. You might also see an option for "Cash + Points," which allows you to use a combination of cash and points to book a room.
Tip: Look out for transitions like ‘however’ or ‘but’.
Cash + Points: This is a great option if you don't have enough points for a full award stay or want to save your points for another trip. The points value for this option is generally not as good as a full points redemption, but it can be a useful tool.
Booking Sub-heading: Finalizing Your Reservation
After selecting your room, you'll be taken to the final booking page. Here you'll see a summary of your reservation, including the total points required, and any applicable taxes or fees that must be paid in cash (though most award stays are all-inclusive of taxes). Review all the details carefully, including the cancellation policy. Once you're confident everything is correct, click the "Book Now" or "Confirm Reservation" button.
Important: Keep an eye out for resort fees. Some hotels, particularly resorts, charge a mandatory resort fee that is not covered by the points redemption. This will be clearly stated on the booking page.
Step 5: What Happens Next?
Congratulations! You've successfully booked your room with Marriott Bonvoy points.
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Confirmation Email: You will receive a confirmation email with all your reservation details. It's a good idea to save this email for your records.
Your Account: Your Marriott Bonvoy account will now show your upcoming trip under "My Trips." You can manage your reservation from there, including making changes or canceling if needed.
Enjoy Your Trip! Now all that's left to do is pack your bags and get ready to enjoy your free stay.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How to use Marriott points for a different person's stay?
You can book a room for someone else by putting their name on the reservation. The best way to do this is to add them as a second guest on your booking. This ensures they can check in without you being present.
How to combine points from multiple Marriott Bonvoy accounts?
Tip: Be mindful — one idea at a time.
Marriott allows you to transfer points to another member's account. Both members must have active accounts and be in good standing. You can transfer points online or by calling Member Support, with a maximum of 100,000 points transferred per calendar year.
How to get the most value from my Marriott points?
To maximize the value of your points, look for high-end properties and use the "Fifth Night Free" benefit. Also, compare the cash price of a room to the points price to ensure you are getting a good redemption value (a good general goal is to get a value of at least 0.7-1 cent per point).
How to check if a hotel has points availability?
The easiest way is to use the Marriott website or app and toggle the "Use Points/Awards" option in the search bar. This will show you which hotels have available rooms for points on your specific dates.
How to use a Marriott Free Night Award Certificate?
When searching for a room, the "Use Points/Awards" button will also display rooms that are eligible for your Free Night Award certificate. If your stay qualifies, the certificate will be automatically applied at the time of booking. You can also combine a Free Night Award with up to 15,000 points to book a higher-cost room.
How to find the cheapest rooms using Marriott points?
To find the lowest-cost rooms, use the "Flexible Dates" search feature to view a calendar of points rates. Look for hotels in lower-tier categories or during off-peak seasons, as these will require fewer points.
QuickTip: Pause at lists — they often summarize.
How to book a room with a combination of points and cash?
When you select your hotel and room type, you may see a "Cash + Points" option if it's available. Simply choose this rate, and you'll pay a reduced number of points plus a cash co-pay.
How to use points to upgrade a room?
Marriott offers "Points Upgrade" options at select properties, allowing you to use a small number of points to upgrade to a better room or a suite. This option will appear during the booking process if it's available.
How to know if a resort fee applies to a points booking?
Any mandatory resort fees will be clearly displayed on the final booking page before you confirm your reservation. These fees are not typically covered by points and must be paid with cash.
How to cancel a points booking?
You can easily cancel a points booking on the Marriott website or app by navigating to "My Trips." Be sure to check the specific cancellation policy of your reservation, as it can vary by hotel and rate. As long as you cancel within the policy's timeframe, your points will be returned to your account.
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