I love my hotel points and airline miles. Every now and then, I love using points to book stays at an aspirational property. Over the year or so, I’ve made a couple of trips to the Maldives, thanks to my Hilton Honors points. Another aspirational property that I’d been eyeing for a while was the Ritz Carlton Reserve property in Phulay Bay, Krabi, Thailand. My stay last week was simply fantastic and I was able to redeem my Marriott Bonvoy points for excellent value.
My latest Marriott Bonvoy points redemption
In this case, the property was charging 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night. Due to the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card by American Express, I already had Marriott Bonvoy Platinum elite status.
Thanks to the 5th night free benefit, we were able to book a 5 night stay for 400,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.
For a 5 night stay, the property was charging a total of THB 164,340, which amounts to $4,866! If you do the math, that works out to a whopping 1.22 cents per point.
In addition to the amazing points redemption, we were also upgraded an ocean pavilion room thanks to Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status (1 level above the base level room). Moreover, breakfast was complimentary for all guests.
Our Experience
I was looking forward to my first Ritz Calrton Reserve experience. There are only 5 such Ritz Carlton Reserve properties in the world.
Now, why the reserve tag and what makes them special? Well, Marriott lists a few but here’s what we experienced during our stay:
- Very high staff/guest ratio – It almost seemed like there was someone always around on the massive property to help us out.
- Curated experiences – Before our stay, the staff made great effort to understand our tastes, interests and preferences. For example, I’d listed that I’m vegetarian on one of the forms about food preferences. The staff made sure that they had options available for me when I was at breakfast. Also, they were happy to cook specific dishes if required. They’d also made the necessary arrangements to make sure our toddler felt at home when were checking in and during our entire stay.
- Unique location – The hotel is located about 45 minutes from Krabi Airport on Phulay Bay. The location is pristine and offers a great deal of privacy and seclusion. Also, a lot of the food you consume at the property comes from the gardens on site where they grown their own fruits and vegetables.
The Pundit’s Mantra
If you use your points strategically, then you can redeem them for some really memorable experiences. In our case, we truly had a ball and enjoyed our stay to the fullest. Whether it was taking the boat to Hong Island or using the massive infinity pool at the hotel or enjoying the sumptuous local Thai food at the property, it was truly a treat.
Currently, Chase is offering a limited time transfer bonus of 50% when you convert Chase Ultimate Rewards points into Marriott Bonvoy points. The standard transfer ratio is 1:1. With this bonus, you can convert at a 1:1.5 ratio. This limited time offer ends on November 15.
Moreover, Chase is currently offering a limited time welcome bonus offer with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. With this welcome bonus, you can earn 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points and also a $300 credit. For a card that charges an annual fee of just $95, it presents an excellent value proposition. You can read all the details about the offer here.
Which has been your most memorable Marriott Bonvoy points redemption? Tell us in the comments section.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Never miss out on the deals, news and travel industry trends. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram and Twitter to keep getting the latest content!
