Marriott Promo: All Hotels Are At Off-Peak Price (Bookings Made Before October 15th)

For those who are thinking of maybe traveling in October or November, Marriott has a promo that could be interesting depending on where you want to go: all hotels are exceptionally at the lowest possible price when paid with points, which is the Off-Peak price.

Marriott is by far the best hotel rewards program for Canadians, since it’s so easy to earn a lot of points: the Marriott Bonvoy Card gives you 50,000 as a Welcome Bonus or if you can spend a bit more, the AMEX Cobalt Card gives you 72,000.

This promo means that free nights cost even fewer points. We’ll also have a post with more hotel promos later this month, but this one requires bookings to be made by October 15th so it’s more time-sensitive.

Here is our detailed guide about this Marriott off-peak promo, with actual examples of hotels in Canada… and in countries that are open to Canadians.

Marriott’s Off-Peak promo

Here are the key facts:

• all hotels booked with points are at the off-peak price
• must book before October 15th
• bookings are refundable without penalty with advance notice
• for stays from today to November 30th
• the off-peak price appears automatically; nothing special to do

So for all October and November stays, the price of hotels paid with points will be at the lowest “Off-Peak” level. In other words, when paying with points, all hotels are at the minimum price of their hotel category.

If you remember, every Marriott hotel has a fixed price when you use points, but it’s actually 3 possible fixed prices:

• standard (most common price)
• off-peak (lower price on less popular dates)
• peak (higher price on popular dates)

Again: a majority of dates are at standard prices (and there are as many off-peak dates as peak dates), but the dates are dynamic and therefore vary according to demand (and are not based on a set calendar).

Since there are only these 3 possible prices for each hotel when paid with points, Marriott points are variable-value points: how you use them (how much the nights you use points for cost in cash) determines how much value you get (how much money you save).

As a reminder, here is the Marriott redemption chart (and the detailed guide for the Marriott program):

In other words, if you and a travel buddy both got the Marriott Bonvoy Card, you have at least 100,000 points, which is 17 free nights in many amazing countries (with the 5th night free benefit) at the standard prices. At the off-peak prices, it’s even more nights!

Our analysis

For those who are comfortable traveling internationally like we are, it can be a great promo.

But for most of you, frankly, it’s not the deal of the century. That’s because using hotel points is often not a good deal in expensive countries like here in Canada, except in cases where hotels are very expensive in paid cash (which is obviously not often the case at the moment).

(As explained in our introduction guide to the Marriott program, our Flytrippers valuation of Marriott points is 0.9¢ per point. If using your points does not save you at least 0.9¢ per point, keep them for another better use, quite simply. This is very often the case too, and it’s something many beginners have a hard time understanding with variable-value points.)

Not to mention than many Canadian regions are back into lockdown, which means it’s better not to travel within Canada in that situation.

But traveling internationally is objectively and rationally very defensible: the point of the lockdown is to restrict contact here as cases surge here. The mandatory quarantine upon returning from an international trip is the very definition of zero contact here; literally impossible to do it better. Those who are not traveling have more contacts than someone quarantining as soon as they go to the grocery store even just once.

Of course, there are many important factors to consider before traveling, whether it’s close-by or far away. But it sure can be done safely and responsibly (even a government Minister clearly agrees).

Anyway, since lockdowns here are unpredictable and most don’t want to use 2 weeks off just to quarantine, it is not clear if travel will be desirable for you in October or November. That said, reservations with Marriott points are always cancellable/refundable free of charge up to a few days before check-in (1, 2, or sometimes 7; always check for each hotel).

So if you have approximate travel plans for the next two months, you could always book in case it works and cancel if it doesn’t. There’s no risk.

This is what we are going to do for our potential November trip, as there are 4 beautiful Category 1 hotels in Turkey that could be great spots that won’t cost us many points. We have a lot of points so we will book several potential dates and cancel those that do not work (or cancel them all if we don’t go).

Hotel examples

Here are recommendations for good uses of Marriott points.

Basics

Usually, Category 1 and 2 hotels are often a great use of points, while 3 and 4 could sometimes be based on the cash price (if the price in cash is very expensive for your dates in October and November), or if you would have paid the cash amount in parenthesis or more for a hotel in that are (because that’s the cash equivalent based on our Flytrippers valuation of Marriott points).

So we’ll focus on those categories here since our mission is to help you travel more often, but all categories are included in the promo.

To make your life easier, here is the cash equivalent of the off-peak price for hotel categories 1-4:

• Category 1: 5,000 points (≈ $45)
• Category 2: 10,000 points (≈ $90)
• Category 3: 15,000 points (≈ $135)
• Category 4: 20,000 points (≈ $180)

Keep in mind that you don’t pay taxes on hotels booked with points, so you have to compare with the final total price of a hotel room paid in cash, not the first price that appears on hotel searches which are exclusive of taxes (unlike flight searches).

And also keep in mind that if you book 5 nights at a time (especially interesting internationally of course), it’s even cheaper since the 5th night is free: for example, it comes out to just 4,000 points per night (≈ $36) for 5 nights in a Category 1 hotel (5,000 points × 4 paid nights ÷ 5 nights obtained).

So with the same 100,000 points from 2 Marriott Bonvoy Card welcome bonuses, that gives you a whopping 25 free nights during October and November by staying 5 nights at a time in Category 1 hotels (instead of the “standard” 17 nights)!!!

Location

The most common question we’ve gotten in the past 3 months (and by far) is: which countries are open to Canadians.

Up to now, we still have never recommended international travel so we made the choice of not publishing that information… but the fact is that many are ready to travel and there are many scenarios where it makes sense to travel internationally, so we want to be a resource for those who decide to do so. Notably with a map of countries that are open for Canadians (there are dozens).

So we’ve included a teaser below with just the countries that are open without restrictions and have Marriott Category 1-3 hotels, but let’s start with examples for those who want to stay in Canada.

List of hotels

Hotels in Canada

Unlike international hotels below, just because the Canadian hotel is listed here doesn’t mean you are allowed to go there; we have readers in all provinces so we’ve included all options in the country. Here is our map of entry restrictions each province has put in place for other Canadian travelers.

Ontario & Quebec

TownePlace Suites Petawawa, category 1: 5,000 points (≈ $45)

This brand new hotel which just opened in June is the only category 1 in Eastern Canada, it’s a really good deal. Algonquin Park is relatively close.

Delta Sherbrooke, category 2: 10,000 points (≈ $90)

The only category 2 hotel in Quebec, this could be a good base to explore the Eastern Townships region, especially at this low price.

The 2 hotels in Ottawa, category 2: 10,000 points (≈ $90)

For a visit to the national capital, you have two low-price options. Ottawa is a beautiful city to spend a few days.

Delta Saguenay, category 3: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

I really liked this hotel during my road trip to Saguenay last summer, and the Saguenay fjord is breathtaking.

Delta Trois-Rivières, category 3: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

Right in the small but very lively downtown of Trois-Rivières, this hotel is a good base to explore the region where we grew up, the beautiful Mauricie.

Four Points by Sheraton Lévis, category 3: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

It’s not the ideal location to visit Quebec City, but it might be of interest to some.

Sheraton Saint-Hyacinthe, category 3: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

It may not be a region on your bucket-list, but for a “staycation” to relax, it’s a very recent “full-service” hotel that looks really pretty.

Courtyard Baie d’Urfé / West Island, category 3: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

Another one that might be useful if you just want a base to explore the Montreal metropolitan area.

The 8 hotels in Montreal, category 4: 20,000 points (≈ $180)

With taxes, many downtown hotels can cost $180, so if you were to pay that anyway, it could make sense… but let’s say it’s not optimal to use this many points when they could give you 5 nights in affordable countries instead of just one night.

The 2 hotels in Quebec City, category 4: 20,000 points (≈ $180)

Same thing for Quebec City. I stayed at the Hotel PUR, Tribute Portfolio and it’s great… but this one is still expensive when paid in points.

Western Canada

Four Points by Sheraton Edmonton South or Sherwood Park, category 1: 5,000 points (≈ $45)

These 2 Category 1 options are extremely cheap. There are also two more near Edmonton Airport if that is more convenient.

The 7 hotels in Calgary, category 2: 10,000 points (≈ $90)

If you prefer Alberta’s other major city, you must settle for Category 2 hotels.

Fairfield Winnipeg, category 1: 5,000 points (≈ $45)

This hotel near downtown Winnipeg is a great cheap option to explore the city.

The 3 hotels in Regina, category 2: 10,000 points (≈ $90)

If you are visiting Saskatchewan’s capital, you can get an affordable hotel.

Sheraton Vancouver Guildford, category 3: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

In the Vancouver suburbs, this is a nice full-service all-suite hotel at a reasonable cost.

Fairfield Vernon, category 3: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

If you want to explore BC, this option is relatively affordable.

Fairfield or Four Points Kamloops, category 3: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

The city of Kamloops has two options to choose from at a lower price.

Atlantic Canada

Fairfield St. John’s, category 2: 10,000 points (≈ $90)

If you are visiting the beautiful island of Newfoundland, there is an option in St. John’s that costs very few points.

Four Points by Sheraton Moncton, category 2: 10,000 points (≈ $90)

The only category 2 hotel in New Brunswick, it could be a great base to visit the city of Moncton and surrounding area.

Delta Saint John, category 3: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

This full-service hotel is well-located in the beautiful city center that I enjoyed exploring in 2018, and the area has attractions like the Bay of Fundy.

Hotels around the world

Flytrippers exists to inform travelers, and has done so for 3 years now.

So for those who seem to have a really hard time understanding a pretty simple concept, we’ll say it very very clearly: we’re just listing the countries that are open without any entry conditions, as of today. We’re sharing the facts. Just because we’re listing the countries, doesn’t mean we recommend going. Just because the countries are open, doesn’t mean you should go: it just means that you can go.

The decision to travel depends on many factors that should be analyzed thoroughly based on your situation, as we’ve been repeating for months. You’re the only one who can decide, based on the facts. So we share the facts.

This list doesn’t include all countries that are open: only those that have Marriott Category 1-3 hotels. And to be very clear, this list doesn’t include all countries that are open and have Marriott Category 1-3 hotels: only those that have no entry conditions (no tests, no quarantine).

Subscribe for free to get updates, including our upcoming interactive map of all countries open to Canadian travelers—and a lot more useful resources, including an analysis of which open countries have the lowest coronavirus infections for example.

For each country, we’ve added data about the 7-day average of new cases (source: Google Maps’ new COVID-19 tracker as of October 11th). For a few countries, the absence of entry restrictions applies only if you don’t transit in some countries where things aren’t going well before arriving.

Keep in mind that each country’s restrictions can change drastically and quickly: obviously now is not the time to make any type of non-refundable flight booking a month in advance, unless you don’t mind airline credits or a great deal is worth the risk! The travel industry has been turned upside down by the coronavirus: usually, we never recommend booking at the last minute since doing so is the best way to overpay for your flights, but now it’s the most logical option.

Finally, I’ve excluded the USA even if they’re 100% open by plane, since it’s an expensive country like Canada so it’s not often the best spot to maximize the value of your points. Also, there are over 5,000 Marriott hotels in the country and there are just too many options to list them. We’ll do so once the coronavirus situation gets better over there.

Europe

Spain

Coronavirus:

• New cases per 100k people (7-day average): 24.8
• Open to Canadians: yes
• Quarantine required: no
• Proof of recent test required: no
• Test required on-arrival: no

Marriott hotels:

• 10 Category 1 hotels: 5,000 points (≈ $45)
• 23 Category 2 hotels: 10,000 points (≈ $90)
• 8 Category 3 hotels: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

Spain is one of the best countries for Marriott hotels, as you can find many Category 1s (mostly in smaller towns; great to avoid the coronavirus) and many more Category 2s in more popular cities. My favorites from my recent trip to the country were the AC Hotel Ciudad de Toledo (great view), the AC Hotel Sevilla Torneo (great city), and the AC Hotel Córdoba (great location). All 3 are Category 2s, but there are plenty more that look amazing. You can read the post where we tell you about all 10 Marriott Category 1 hotels in Spain.

Germany

Coronavirus:

• New cases per 100k people (7-day average): 3.4
• Open to Canadians: yes
• Quarantine required: no
• Proof of recent test required: no
• Test required on-arrival: no

Marriott hotels:

• 0 Category 1 hotels
• 8 Category 2 hotels: 10,000 points (≈ $90)
• 28 Category 3 hotels: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

The Category 2s include well-located hotels in Bremen, Bochum, Ludwigshafen, and Gelsenkirchen (and not so well-located ones in Wiesbaden and near Frankfurt Airport). Category 3 gives you more choices, in even more popular cities like Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Dresden, Leipzig, Dusseldorf, Bonn, Essen, Stuttgart, and many others. Special mention to the Schloss Lieser Autograph Collection, which is a beautiful luxury hotel in a 19th-century castle (and other hotels are full-service brands as well).

Serbia

Coronavirus:

• New cases per 100k people (7-day average): 1.4
• Open to Canadians: yes
• Quarantine required: no
• Proof of recent test required: no
• Test required on-arrival: no

Marriott hotels:

• 0 Category 1 hotels
• 1 Category 2 hotel: 10,000 points (≈ $90)
• 2 Category 3 hotels: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

An amazing option: there are 2 hotels in Belgrade, a very cool city, and we’ve stayed in both of them. The Courtyard Belgrade is a Category 2 with arguably the best location possible, directly on the main square. But the Category 3 Metropol Palace is a Luxury Collection property, and we absolutely loved it, especially as Marriott elite members. Many world leaders have stayed there; it’s a very prestigious hotel. When I go back to the country, I’ll certainly try to go to Novi Sad, the country’s second-largest city, where there’s a Sheraton that looks great.

Czechia

Coronavirus:

• New cases per 100k people (7-day average): 37.2
• Open to Canadians: yes
• Quarantine required: no
• Proof of recent test required: no
• Test required on-arrival: no

Marriott hotels:

• 0 Category 1 hotels
• 2 Category 2 hotels: 10,000 points (≈ $90)
• 1 Category 3 hotel: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

Yes, the name is Czechia and not the Czech Republic (it has now been over 4 years). Anyway, the cities of Brno and Pilsen each have a Category 2 Courtyard-branded hotel that seems well-located in the city centers. Pilsen is in the Bohemia region 95 kms west of Prague and is the birthplace of pilsner beer; it looks like a lovely city. Brno, the country’s second-largest city, is the main city of the historical Moravia region, with medieval castles and cathedrals in the city and a protected geological site nearby.

Romania

Coronavirus:

• New cases per 100k people (7-day average): 11.7
• Open to Canadians: yes
• Quarantine required: no
• Proof of recent test required: no
• Test required on-arrival: no

Marriott hotels:

• 0 Category 1 hotels
• 2 Category 2 hotels: 10,000 points (≈ $90)
• 1 Category 3 hotel: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

We very much enjoyed the capital city of Bucharest last year (and we can’t wait to go back to the country). There happens to be 3 hotels in the city center, including a Category 2 option: the Moxy Bucharest Old Town, which just opened and is brand new.

Poland

Coronavirus:

• New cases per 100k people (7-day average): 6.5
• Open to Canadians: yes
• Quarantine required: no
• Proof of recent test required: no
• Test required on-arrival: no

Marriott hotels:

• 1 Category 1 hotel: 5,000 points (≈ $45)
• 4 Category 2 hotels: 10,000 points (≈ $90)
• 6 Category 3 hotels: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

The Category 1 & 2s are airport hotels (better ones opening in 2021 in Szczecin city center) but the Category 3s are well-located. The Courtyard Gdynia Waterfront seems wonderful, but there are also options in some of the main Polish destinations: Warsaw, Katowice, Poznan, and Wroclaw. For what it’s worth, I loved my time in Warsaw 3 years ago and can’t wait to go back to this country.

Portugal

Coronavirus:

• New cases per 100k people (7-day average): 8.4
• Open to Canadians: yes
• Quarantine required: no
• Proof of recent test required: no
• Test required on-arrival: no

Marriott hotels:

• 0 Category 1 hotels
• 0 Category 2 hotels
• 1 Category 3 hotel: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

Another country that is very popular, Portugal has just one option, the AC Hotel in Porto in the country’s second-largest city. The city is famous for port wine, as the name of the wine is named after the city. Porto also has a historical district classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is near the Atlantic Ocean coastline. The hotel itself looks very modern and while not in the city center, it’s close and it’s adjacent to a metro station.

France

Coronavirus:

• New cases per 100k people (7-day average): 20.1
• Open to Canadians: yes
• Quarantine required: no
• Proof of recent test required: no
• Test required on-arrival: no

Marriott hotels:

• 0 Category 1 hotels
• 1 Category 2 hotel: 10,000 points (≈ $90)
• 6 Category 3 hotels: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

France is a lot more expensive as a destination, so apart from an airport hotel, everything else is at least Category 3. There are options near the city centers in Marseille and Montpelier on the Mediterranean coast, and one in Lille in northern France. Two are in the outskirts of Paris, relatively close if you don’t mind the transit.

Greece

Coronavirus:

• New cases per 100k people (7-day average): 3.3
• Open to Canadians: yes
• Quarantine required: no
• Proof of recent test required: no
• Test required on-arrival: no

Marriott hotels:

• 0 Category 1 hotels
• 0 Category 2 hotels
• 1 Category 3 hotel: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

We found Greece to be pretty amazing this summer despite the coronavirus, even though the situation fluctuates rapidly and we didn’t visit the area with a Marriott option. A very popular destination, the only affordable points hotel in Greece is the Moxy Patra Marina on the Peloponnese peninsula. The city of Patras, the capital of Western Greece and the country’s 3rd-largest, is not the most well-known but has a history spanning 4,000 years and looks very pretty.

North Macedonia

Coronavirus:

• New cases per 100k people (7-day average): 10.8
• Open to Canadians: yes
• Quarantine required: no
• Proof of recent test required: no
• Test required on-arrival: no

Marriott hotels:

• 0 Category 1 hotels
• 0 Category 2 hotels
• 1 Category 3 hotel: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

The capital of this little-known country located north of Greece is Skopje, a city we found simply fascinating. The completely rebuilt city center includes more statues than I had ever seen anywhere else, and the full-service Marriott Skopje Hotel is right on the main square.

Kosovo

Coronavirus:

• New cases per 100k people (7-day average): 1.8
• Open to Canadians: yes
• Quarantine required: no
• Proof of recent test required: no
• Test required on-arrival: no

Marriott hotels:

• 0 Category 1 hotels
• 0 Category 2 hotels
• 1 Category 3 hotel: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

The Four Points by Sheraton Prishtina is not particularly well-located, outside of the capital city seemingly in the middle of nowhere. But we said we’d include all countries that are open to Canadians without restrictions and have a Marriott Category 1-3 hotel, so here it is.

Middle East & Africa

Turkey

Coronavirus:

• New cases per 100k people (7-day average): 1.8
• Open to Canadians: yes
• Quarantine required: no
• Proof of recent test required: no
• Test required on-arrival: no

Marriott hotels:

• 4 Category 1 hotels: 5,000 points (≈ $45)
• 8 Category 2 hotels: 10,000 points (≈ $90)
• 8 Category 3 hotels: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

We love Turkey and it’s such an affordable country. We might actually go back in November as mentioned (and we’ll soon have a detailed post about what it was like to travel there during the pandemic this summer). The country has a few Category 1 hotels: the full-service Sheraton Grand Samsun on the Black Sea waterfront, the Four Points in Izmir in the Aegean region where we just went, an Aloft in Bursa, and a Courtyard in the Istanbul suburbs. Category 2 hotels are a bit closer to the center in the latter city (one of my favorites in the world) and in great locations in Ankara and Adana.

Tanzania

Coronavirus:

• New cases per 100k people (7-day average): 0
• Open to Canadians: yes
• Quarantine required: no
• Proof of recent test required: no
• Test required on-arrival: no

Marriott hotels:

• 0 Category 1 hotels
• 3 Category 2 hotels: 10,000 points (≈ $90)
• 3 Category 3 hotels: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

For an exotic African adventure, there are plenty of options in Tanzania (although not as many as in South Africa). In the East African nation on the Indian Ocean, 2 of the Protea hotels are beautiful resorts, one on the mainland and one on the island of Zanzibar.

Americas

Mexico

Coronavirus:

• New cases per 100k people (7-day average): 3.9
• Open to Canadians: yes
• Quarantine required: no
• Proof of recent test required: no
• Test required on-arrival: no

Marriott hotels:

• 22 Category 1 hotels: 5,000 points (≈ $45)
• 25 Category 2 hotels: 10,000 points (≈ $90)
• 12 Category 3 hotels: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

Mexico is not too far away and has a lot of Category 1 hotels, especially for travelers who want to explore outside of the touristy areas. The AC Hotel Veracruz seems to be the only option close-ish to the water for those who are more of the vacationer type. The others also allow you to explore parts of the country that aren’t as popular. Smaller towns are cheaper, more authentic, and are likely a better bet during the pandemic: win-win-win.

Dominican Republic

Coronavirus:

• New cases per 100k people (7-day average): 5.4
• Open to Canadians: yes
• Quarantine required: no
• Proof of recent test required: no
• Test required on-arrival: no

Marriott hotels:

• 0 Category 1 hotels
• 1 Category 2 hotel: 10,000 points (≈ $90)
• 3 Category 3 hotels: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

If you want to explore the local culture, the Category 2 Courtyard is in the middle of the capital city of Santo Domingo, as are 2 full-service waterfront Category 3s. Santo Domingo is the largest metropolitan area in all of the Caribbean and the colonial city center is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site! Of you are the vacationer type, there is a Four Points in Punta Cana, but it is not on the waterfront.

Brazil

Coronavirus:

• New cases per 100k people (7-day average): 12.9
• Open to Canadians: yes
• Quarantine required: no
• Proof of recent test required: no
• Test required on-arrival: no

Marriott hotels:

• 0 Category 1 hotels
• 2 Category 2 hotels: 10,000 points (≈ $90)
• 5 Category 3 hotels: 15,000 points (≈ $135)

The 2 Category 2 hotels are in Vitória, a city on the central part of the coast, and in the nature north of Porto Alegre in the southernmost part of the country. That one is a nice resort part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, with an on-site spa and the largest hotel wine cellar in Brazil, fitting for a property overlooking wineries. The Category 3s are in the city centers of Santos and Curitiba, in the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, and finally near São Paulo Airport.

Want to get more content about Marriott and getting free hotels?

Summary

The Marriott promo means all hotels are at the off-peak price for all of October and November. Since Marriott points are variable-value points, it once again depends on your own situation: it could be a great deal just as it could be a very bad one.

What do you think of the off-peak promo? Tell us in the comments below.

Explore awesome destinations: travel inspiration

Learn pro tricks: travel tips

Discover free travel: travel rewards

Featured image: room at the TownePlace Suites Petawawa Category 1 hotel in Ontario (photo credit: Marriott)

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