The Marriott annual free night certificate is one of the best benefits of any card in Canada. It’s offered on the only card that is for every single traveler, with no exceptions. The certificate is so valuable that it also makes the card the only one no traveler should close! NEVER! That would make no sense at all.
The Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card (and the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex Card; which doesn’t require having an incorporated business) offer you a nice welcome bonus.
But they also give you an awesome certificate for a free night every year after.
Here are the details.
Basics of these 31 examples
Here are 5 things to remember:
- It includes some hotels up to 50,000 points
- The dates are random
- This is a very incomplete list
- I’ve deliberately omitted North America
- You can do the research yourself so easily
Includes some hotels up to 50,000 points
You can add a top-up of up to 15,000 points to your certificate, which is worth 35,000 points, for a total of 50,000 points. This can often be a really good way of getting even more expensive hotels or just more choices.
You don’t have to and you have plenty of options at 35,000 points, but it’s a situation where it’s sometimes worth it to get more luxury, honestly.
To calculate the real value your certificate gives you, I’ve obviously deducted the value of the extra points in the cases where more points were required, so you can see the real figure. It tells you the real value of the certificate and how much you save with the certificate alone.
The dates are random
If you travel at peak times, the difference between points and cash often becomes even greater, so your certificate is worth even more!
I’ve taken more normal random dates just so as not to exaggerate the value of the certificate, but if you travel at peak times or for popular events, your certificate will be worth so much more!
For example, for Europe, I took dates in the best month to go, in September to avoid the season of terrible tourist crowds. So it fell in the middle of Oktoberfest for the Munich example, so that gives you an idea: the value is incredibly higher for that one.
I also made an exception for Rio and put in dates during Carnival to replicate a bit of my own certificate use last November, the night before the Taylor Swift show madness, when I saved $600 with my own certificate from my Marriott Bonvoy Amex Card!
This is a very incomplete list
I just wanted you to see a few examples quickly.
We’re going to make some much more exhaustive lists to help you, like for places to maximize your points.
There are so many good options with this certificate!
I deliberately omitted North America
I always want to encourage you to go to different places, firstly because it’s more fun but obviously also because North America is the worst place in the world to travel with Marriott points.
If you want to use your certificate in North America, you’ve got even more options and it’s still going to give you the same value for your certificate. But the hotels are going to be far less attractive, just as the hotels with cash are far less attractive in North America than those at the same price elsewhere.
Hotels elsewhere will be nicer to maximize your certificate experience.
So in a whole year, I encourage you to get out of North America at least once (it’s so easy to travel more if you invest even the slightest amount of time in travel rewards) and use your certificate elsewhere.
But we’ll make a list of the best in North America, too, for those who sadly don’t get out of here.
You can do the research yourself so easily
If you don’t want to wait and want to explore more destinations (or see a specific destination or dates), it’s so easy to do in 30 seconds.
Read the basics on how to search for Marriott hotels with points.
14 examples in Europe
Here are some examples from the favorite continent of many travelers.
Corfu, Greece
Domes Miramare, a Luxury Collection Resort, Corfu
- Price (C$): $570
- Price (pts): 42,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 7,000 pts (≈ $63)
- Savings with the certificate: $507
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $387
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Courtyard Amsterdam Arena Atlas
- Price (C$): $505
- Price (pts): 38,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 3,000 pts (≈ $27)
- Savings with the certificate: $478
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $358
Tuscany, Italy
Renaissance Tuscany II Ciocco Resort & Spa
- Price (C$): $387
- Price (pts): 33,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 0 pts
- Savings with the certificate: $387
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $267
Milan, Italy
STRAF, Milan, a member of Design Hotels
- Price (C$): $756
- Price (pts): 42,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 7,000 pts (≈ $63)
- Savings with the certificate: $693
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $573
Barcelona, Spain
- Price (C$): $402
- Price (pts): 37,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 2,000 pts (≈ $18)
- Savings with the certificate: $384
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $264
Málaga, Spain
- Price (C$): $483
- Price (pts): 42,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 7,000 pts (≈ $63)
- Savings with the certificate: $420
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $300
Lisbon, Portugal
Memmo Principe Real, Lisbon, a Member of Design HotelsTM
- Price (C$): $638
- Price (pts): 40,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 5,000 pts (≈ $45)
- Savings with the certificate: $593
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $473
Cascais, Portugal
- Price (C$): $381
- Price (pts): 37,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 2,000 pts (≈ $18)
- Savings with the certificate: $363
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $243
Paris, France
Paris Marriott Rive Gauche Hotel & Conference Center
- Price (C$): $498
- Price (pts): 37,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 2,000 pts (≈ $18)
- Savings with the certificate: $480
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $360
Munich, Germany
Residence Inn Munich City East
- Price (C$): $570
- Price (pts): 37,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 2,000 pts (≈ $18)
- Savings with the certificate: $552
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $432
Brussels, Belgium
The Dominican Brussels, a Member of Design Hotels
- Price (C$): $594
- Price (pts): 42,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 7,000 pts (≈ $63)
- Savings with the certificate: $531
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $411
Minusio-Locarno, Switzerland
Giardino Lago, Minusio-Locarno, a Member of Design HotelsTM
- Price (C$): $444
- Price (pts): 37,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 2,000 pts (≈ $18)
- Savings with the certificate: $426
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $306
Split, Croatia
- Price (C$): $425
- Price (pts): 34,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 0 pts
- Savings with the certificate: $425
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $305
Copenhagen, Denmark
Residence Inn Copenhagen Nordhavn
- Price (C$): $443
- Price (pts): 40,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 5,000 pts (≈ $45)
- Savings with the certificate: $398
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $278
4 examples in the Middle East and Africa
Here are some examples in a great region where hospitality is usually much better.
Bodrum, Türkiye
Le Méridien Bodrum Beach Resort
- Price (C$): $819
- Price (pts): 37,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 2,000 pts (≈ $18)
- Savings with the certificate: $801
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $681
İstanbul, Türkiye
Orient Occident Hotel Istanbul, Autograph Collection
- Price (C$): $414
- Price (pts): 32,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 0 pts
- Savings with the certificate: $414
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $294
Cairo, Egypt
- Price (C$): $881
- Price (pts): 34,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 0 pts
- Savings with the certificate: $881
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $761
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Lapita, Dubai Parks and Resorts, Autograph Collection
- Price (C$): $365
- Price (pts): 35,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 0 pts
- Savings with the certificate: $365
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $245
7 examples in Asia
Here are some examples from the best part of the world!
Maldives (Le Méridien)
Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa
- Price (C$): $2,024
- Price (pts): 39,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 4,000 pts (≈ $36)
- Savings with the certificate: $1988
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $1,868
Maldives (Sheraton)
Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa
- Price (C$): $447
- Price (pts): 35,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 0 pts
- Savings with the certificate: $447
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $327
Pranburi, Thailand
Sheraton Hua Hin Pranburi Villas
- Price (C$): $414
- Price (pts): 38,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 3,000 pts (≈ $27)
- Savings with the certificate: $387
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $267
Hô Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel
- Price (C$): $384
- Price (pts): 34,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 0 pts
- Savings with the certificate: $384
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $264
Tokyo, Japan
- Price (C$): $411
- Price (pts): 39,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 4,000 pts (≈ $36)
- Savings with the certificate: $375
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $255
Singapore, Singapore
The Warehouse Hotel, Singapore, a Member of Design Hotels
- Price (C$): $412
- Price (pts): 30,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 0 pts
- Savings with the certificate: $412
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $292
Taoyuan, Taiwan
The Westin Tashee Resort, Taoyuan
- Price (C$): $348
- Price (pts): 33,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 0 pts
- Savings with the certificate: $348
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $228
2 examples in Oceania
Here are some examples from a very exotic region.
Fiji
The Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa, Fiji
- Price (C$): $494
- Price (pts): 50,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 15,000 pts (≈ $135)
- Savings with the certificate: $359
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $239
Sydney, Australia
Four Points by Sheraton Sydney, Central Park
- Price (C$): $369
- Price (pts): 39,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 4,000 pts (≈ $36)
- Savings with the certificate: $333
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $213
4 examples in South America
Here are some examples in the best region in the Americas.
Cusco, Peru
Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Cusco
- Price (C$): $477
- Price (pts): 41,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 6,000 pts (≈ $54)
- Savings with the certificate: $423
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $303
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Sheraton Grand Rio Hotel & Resort
- Price (C$): $1,274
- Price (pts): 46,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 11,000 pts (≈ $99)
- Savings with the certificate: $1175
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $1,055
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Sheraton Buenos Aires Hotel & Convention Center
- Price (C$): $324
- Price (pts): 33,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 0 pts
- Savings with the certificate: $324
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $204
Bogotá, Colombia
- Price (C$): $774
- Price (pts): 32,000 pts
- Top-up (pts): 0 pts
- Savings with the certificate: $774
- Certificate cost: $120 (card fee)
- Net profit: $654
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Summary
The certificate is amazing! Get the Marriott Bonvoy Amex Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex Card! And keep them! And get your travel companions to get them and keep them! And get anyone you know that doesn’t want to get into travel rewards to get them for you!
What would you like to know about the best uses of the Marriott certificate? Tell us in the comments below.
See the flight deals we spot: Cheap flights
Discover free travel with rewards: Travel rewards
Explore awesome destinations: Travel inspiration
Learn pro tricks: Travel tips
Featured image: Kerkira, Greece (photo credit: Chris Karidis)
