Tag Archive: Marriott Bonvoy

AmEx Marriott Bonvoy Business Credit Card Review (2024.10 Update: 3FN Offer)

Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card (Formerly Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card from American Express) Review 2024.10 Update: The 5FN offer is expired. Currently there’s only 3FN offer. 2024.9 Update: The 5FN offer comes back. 2024.5 Update: The 5FN offer comes back. Application Link AmEx Marriott Bonvoy Business Benefits 3FN offer: earn 3 Free Night (FN) Awards (with a redemption level…
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AmEx Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Credit Card Review (2024.10 Update: 95k Offer)

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card (Formerly Starwood Preferred Guest American Express Luxury Card) Review 2024.10 Update: The higher offer is expired. The current offer is only 95k. 2024.8 Update: The 185k offer comes back. Application Link AmEx Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Benefits 95k offer: earn 95,000 Marriott points after you make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months. The recent…
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AmEx Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Credit Card Review (2024.10 Update: 85k Offer)

AmEx Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Credit Card Review 2024.10 Update: The higher offer is expired. Currently there’s only 85k offer. 2024.8 Update: The 155k offer comes back. Application Link AmEx Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Benefits 85k offer: Earn 85,000 Marriott points by spending $5,000 in the first 6 months. The recent best offer is 155k. We estimate the value of a Marriott…
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Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card Review (2024.11 Update: 30k Offer)

Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card Review 2024.11 Update: The higher offer is expired. The current offers are 30k. 2024.7 Update: The new offers are 60k+1FN (up to 50k). However, I need to emphasize this again: we don’t recommend to apply for this card! Because it makes you ineligible for Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless which has a higher sign-up bonus. Application Link…
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Chase Ritz-Carlton Credit Card Review (2024.2 Update: The New Metal Card Is Only 17g In Weight)

Chase Ritz-Carlton Credit Card Review 2024.2 Update: According to data points on our forum, the new metal card is only 17g in weight (previously the weight 13g, and before that there is a version with 28g in weight). It is not a “come back” as advertised in the email! 2024.1 Update: All Ritz card holders has received this email: due…
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Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card Review (2024.11 Update: 3FN Offer)

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (Formerly Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Plus Credit Card) Review 2024.11 Update: Current offer is 3 FN. 2024.9 Update: Current offer is 125k points. Application Link Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless (This is a public offer through Chase direct site only) Benefits 3 FN (up to 50k) offer: Earn 3 Free Night (FN) Awards (with a redemption…
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Wings of the Points — UR/MR/TYP/C1/Marriott Points to Miles Transfer Chart (2023.7 Update: MR Added New Partner QR 1:1)

2023.7 Update: AmEx MR points can be transferred to Qatar Airways (QR) now! The ratio is 1:1. Actually before that you can already get QR miles 1:1 from BA miles so it is not a big deal. 2021.10 Update: Capital One improved the transfer ratios to be 1:1 for most partners now! Also note that starting from 10.24 Capital One…
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One Table To Help You Understand Marriott Bonvoy Co-branded Cards Welcome Offer Eligibility (2023.2 Update: Major New Restrictions)

[2023.2 Major Update] USCardForum user juanxincai noticed that major new restrictions are now applied to some of the Marriott co-branded cards. On AmEx Marriott Brilliant, the new terms read: Basically it says if you have or have had any of the Chase Marriott co-branded cards in the past 30 days, you are not eligible for the welcome offer for this AmEx…
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遲暮網紅——蘇梅島W酒店(W Retreat, Koh Samui)入住體驗

隨著香港旅行禁令的解除,Alex和身邊的人也開始逐漸在全球各地浪了起來。這次因為預定比較晚,外加航班仍然非常有限的原因,Alex就選擇了去泰國過聖誕節了。行程第一站,就是Alex種草很久的蘇梅島;而蘇梅島的第一站,就是初代網紅酒店,蘇梅島W酒店。 早在小紅書還沒有火熱的年代,蘇梅島W由於周杰倫蜜月和各種KOL的年度,就已經火遍國內外社交媒體。在疫情前,題圖的蓮花座酒吧更是誇張到需要排隊入座拍照的地步。從Alex的照片也可以看出來,確實是非常漂亮的。 然而除此意外,疫情後的蘇梅W究竟狀況如何呢?先說結論:酒店肉眼可見得由於疫情破敗很多,在人力、硬體等方面都表現比較一般甚至是不如意。在價格相對高昂(旺季3-500美元起跳)的條件下Alex覺得性價比非常一般,短期內並不是很建議入住。 預定信息 Alex這次總共住了3晚,前2晚請紐約的旅遊代理幫忙定的STARS rate,合計約3萬泰銖;第3晚用了85K免房券兌換。前兩晚送100美元的消費額度,前台確認了酒店任意消費,包括mini bar等,都可以抵扣。 房型Alex定的是基礎房叢林綠洲(Jungle Oasis),其中前兩晚酒店主動升級到了海景幽居(Ocean View Escape),第三晚Alex嫌麻煩就用萬豪的套房券升級到了同一個房型。 酒店是全別墅(Villa)酒店,房間主要分為兩個區域:海灘區和山坡區。除了幾個驚喜大別墅外,基礎房叢林綠洲和海景幽居都在山坡區,而熱帶綠洲和海洋天堂則位於沙灘區。這4種房型室內完全一致,戶外的話,前兩者只有一個小平台,而沙灘區的別墅會大點兒有個小花園。根據Flyertalk的說法,海灘區蚊蟲問題很嚴重,而且幾乎完全沒有海景;但是Alex個人實測下來好處在於可以很方便走到酒店大堂和各類設施。山坡區的房間由於地勢的緣故,出入必須叫電瓶車,而且海景也比較一般;但是勝在比較清靜。 入住辦理 從蘇梅島機場出發,打車大約30分鐘可以到W。相對曼谷而言,蘇梅島打車非常貴,機場單程500泰銖不講價。 去酒店沿線都挺破破爛爛的,從大路拐上小路後兩邊更加感人,但是一路開上去到達大堂後就豁然開朗:酒店建築群依山而建,連綿到海邊;而大堂位於最高點,所以自然有無敵海景。進入大堂最直接的就是蘇梅島W的最網紅位置蓮花池和茶座。 回頭看在下車處也有個閃光的W。不得不說蘇梅島W完全符合小紅書上「好拍」、「出片」的各種要求,不愧是第一代網紅酒店。 我們到達酒店的時候大約是下午1點半左右,酒店很主動送上特色飲料,但是味道很Hmm。。。雖然我有提前聯繫,但是酒店房間還是沒有準備好。於是Alex只能在Lobby和周圍晃蕩一下等房間。不得不說乍一看酒店修得還是很好看的,五顏六色非常兩眼,也很符合W一貫的氣質。 網紅蓮花池裡面這個泰國夜店風的雕塑也是很W了…… 前台也這樣非常五彩繽紛。 在晚上大堂又是另一個樣子,就幾乎完全是夜店的調調了。話說這個躺椅巨!好!坐! 在晃蕩的過程中,Alex明顯感覺到酒店不少硬體已經顯示出了歲月的痕迹:雖然照片裡面看起來不錯,但是完全經不起湊近看;而員工精神狀態也不是很好,有點累累的感覺,不知是不是因為聖誕期間太累的緣故。 大約15分鐘後小姐姐來找Alex說房間準備好了,於是Alex就跳上電瓶車去自己客房了。 海景幽居(Ocean View Escape) 前面提到的酒店別墅分布在兩個區域,而Alex這次住的海景幽居別墅位於山坡區。這個區有多遠呢?得從酒店大門出來再繞過去那麼遠…… 經過一路上各種顛簸後,Alex的小電瓶車終於停在了房前。打開房門就是一個小過道,過道盡頭是通往陽台的門。可以看到景觀還是有點的,但是似乎沒有那麼好…… 過道左牆是mini bar,大量供水,同時有很多酒精飲料,不過價格不菲就是了;咖啡機也比較老式,不是新酒店常見的Nespresso。 提供的酒杯等還是挺多的,結合外面的平台和泳池可以開個不錯的Party;還有專門一個空的小冰箱供自帶的酒水使用。亞洲必備的熱水壺也帶了。 走道左邊背後是卧室。雖然說這個房型是別墅房型,但是本身卻並不是套房的設計;不過空間還是很大的。 床上擺放了歡迎詞。後面這個熊倒是真的很騷…… 床尾連著沙發區。 一側牆裡面嵌著辦公桌。辦公桌旁邊是一個移門,移開后里面就是衣櫃。這個空間設計聽巧妙的。從傢具木紋上也可以看出歲月的痕迹,畢竟是10多年的酒店了,也沒有翻新什麼的。    茶几上有歡迎點心,水果乾巧克力什麼的無功無過。不過左邊的樹枝上的小花是糖霜做的可以吃,也算是小特色。 衣櫥裡面還給了沙灘包。辦理入住的小姐姐特別提醒了沙灘包不能拿走,就很Hmm……沙灘包裡面還給了兩雙人字拖是可以帶走的。  回到走廊,右手邊就是浴室。基本比較標準的配備,唯一值得說的是淋浴有兩個,室內室外,添加了些許海島氛圍。 走廊到底開門就是大陽台。蘇梅W的一大特色是每個別墅都有泳池,而且長度比較給力,不只是泡泡水用的。 從上面的圖片可以看出來隱私比較差,泳池下面就是下面一排的別墅了。而且所謂的海景也確實非常有限…… 最值得吐槽的是房間本身的保養問題。首先是傢具都有不少歲月的痕迹了——磨損什麼很明顯,牆面也有點斑駁。更慘的是裝修本身的質量問題:有一次晚上半夜Alex想去上衛生間,發現卧室的大門居然開不開!最後只能從陽台繞道解決問題。第二天問題依舊,叫了酒店工程隊伍後才知道是因為潮濕造成木門變形,卡住了……最後退房時候也沒有個說法,讓人心煩。 似乎W Retreat一個特色是無限吃的各類冰淇淋,蘇梅W也有。在兩個別墅區各有一個冰櫃,無限多的和路雪可以自己隨便拿——熱量警告! 酒店早餐與其他餐飲 萬豪白金及以上會員可以免費用酒店的自助早餐,品質就麻麻,一般泰國的水準。餐廳有室外座位,在天氣合適的情況下吹著海風吃飯看看海景還是很不錯的。一個特色是早飯有無限多的大椰子吃,喜歡喝椰子的不可錯過! 似乎早上有免費酒精供應,喜歡booz的朋友也不可錯過。 雖然W主打潮牌,但是似乎還是很歡迎帶小孩的客人的。於是早餐時候就出現了小孩滿場飛奔+大叫的傳統節目,員工似乎也不想出面幫忙一下。如果介意的可以選擇在客房早餐,但是我不是很確定萬豪的福利涵蓋客房早餐。 因為Alex前2晚有100美元的消費額度,所以就預定了一頓在海邊的泰式燒烤火鍋。到場了才發現人都沒有,也是很凄涼了…… 價格屬於標準的泰國旅遊物價,在蘇梅島上也不屬於最高。 食物素質就屬於「就這樣吧」的水平。如果不是特別喜歡吃的可以不吃。。。 其他設施 酒店因為每個房間都自帶泳池的緣故,主游泳池反而比較清閑。當然,用小紅書的說法是這個泳池也屬於非常好拍的那種類型。 泳池淋浴區的養護就很Hmm。。。 至於酒店的海灘,基本上屬於慘不忍睹的類型。蘇梅島本身就不是以無敵沙灘取勝,酒店的沙灘大多需要自我保養。但是Alex個人經歷來看,蘇梅W似乎在疫情後完全放棄了對沙灘的管理,沙灘奇臟,也很膈腳,喜歡玩沙的大可放棄…… 這張照片如果不是W的logo我覺得可以直接用來做荒野求生的背景;而這個logo漆面各種鼓起,也可以看出來基本上沒有什麼養護可言…… 慘就一個字,我絕不只說一次。這天是剛剛起過大風,但是這個沙灘也著實髒了點…… 當然作為網紅酒店,酒店還是搞了不少網紅風的設備,很適合拍拍拍(以及大量P圖)。 潮人自拍必備的翅膀。不過Alex住的幾天沒看到打燈…… 周邊玩樂以及小結 W在蘇梅島北端,湄南海灘附近。距離蘇梅島最熱鬧的查文海灘大概有25分鐘車程,打車基本上在4-500泰銖之間;而去湄南海灘和旁邊小漁村,還有Fisherman’s…
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Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card Review (2023.2 Update: 85k Offer)

Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card Review 2023.2 Update: The offer is now lowered to 85k. Application Link Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Benefits 85k offer: Earn 85,000 Marriott points by spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. The recent best offer is 125k. We estimate the value of a Marriott point at 0.7 cents/point, so the 125k sign-up bonus is worth…
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Are dynamic Marriott points more valuable now? Yes, but with a big caveat …

The Points Guy recently published a quantitative analysis arguing that the Marriott points, even after the implementation of dynamic awards, retain its purported value of ~0.8 cent/pt. To get that conclusion, they pulled data from 50+ hotels over ~150 days. In fact, the average redemption value after the dynamic award is in place is 0.84 c/pt. They thus concluded that…
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ACT FAST: Le Méridien Maldives Bookable with Bonvoy Points in Peak Season (40k/Night Top)

Recently we became aware of the opening of Le Méridien in Maldives, marking the 6th Marriott property in this island nation. What sets Le Méridien apart though is that it is a Category 5 hotel. A standard award would cost you 35k Bonvoy points and even the peak-season pricing means 40k points, a true bargain considering how expensive everything is…
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Marriott gutting Bonvoy Events as elite qualification shortcut (2019.12 Update: The 10 Elite Night Credit Is Officially Gone)

[2019.12 Update] Today Marriott changed its official terms and conditions, and the 10 elite night credit for Marriott Bonvoy Events will officially end on Dec 31, 2019. A strong rumor recently surfaced among the Points & Miles community (1, 2) regarding Marriott’s intent to get rid of the ability to earn 10 Elite Qualifying Nights from your first Marriott Bonvoy Events…
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Summary of Points Transfer Time: Chase UR, AmEx MR, Citi TYP, Capital One Miles, Marriott Bonvoy

One of the primary aspects to the credit card rewards game involves the following transferable point currencies: Chase Ultimate Rewards (UR), AmEx Membership Rewards (MR), Citi ThankYou Points (TYP), and Marriott Bonvoy (MB). The best value for these rewards are often found in transferring to airlines.  The relationship of each currency to various airlines is summarized in Wings of the…
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AmEx Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card Review (2019.8 Update: Still Available via Product Change)

Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card (Formerly The Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express) Review 2019.8 Update: This card is still available via product change. 2019.2 Update: AmEx SPG is rebranded as AmEx Marriott Bonvoy for current card holders (it does not accept new applications). Application Link This card is no longer available to apply, but you can get it by…
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