The only hotel you can book here is the Sheraton and it’s not one we personally recommend due to its poor location. TPG has a great “5 reasons not to visit” article.
The list goes on with examples like this, but that’s not to say you won’t find a great deal, you just have to be flexible and realistic in your expectations. I fully realize that there are plenty of options depending on the market, the brand, etc, but we have spoken to many travelers who have already applied for this card assuming they were getting just 250,000 points deposited into their accounts.
Here are some additional things to note about the card:
- The minimum spend to obtain the 5 e-certificates is $5,000 in 3 months and the annual fee is $95
- Incidental charges and resort fees are still chargeable, meaning you do still have to pay the nightly resort fee, unlike with Hyatt and several other brands
- You get 6x the points at Marriott hotels when you use the card, 2x on any other purchase
- Points don’t expire while you have your credit card
- Annual free night certificate is for a one-night stay up to 35,000 points
- Automatic silver status with a “path to gold”, meaning “each Account Anniversary Year you make purchases totaling $35,000 or more you will qualify for Gold Elite Status through December 31 of the following year”
All that being said, you can find some excellent redemptions if you look. There are a number of great off-peak options in NYC, Santo Domingo and many cities around the world. This card bonus is a great option for travelers looking for a city escape, hotels off the beaten bath, off-peak travel like mid-week and off-season and those who may not have specific 5 star properties in mind. We hope this article has been helpful! Let us know in the comments below if you have any questions or if this helped to make your decision :).