Hello from Da Nang, Vietnam! I’m just wrapping up my trip to Vietnam and had a jolly good time. During my entire trip, I banked benefits from my Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card as I booked stays at Renaissance properties in two cities that I visited this time around during my second trip to the country (reviews and trip reports coming soon!). This time around, I saved half a million and didn’t have to pay the 1.6 million I was initially quoted!
1.6 million? Not for you!
When it comes to elite benefits, you enjoy multiple valuable benefits with Marriott Bonvoy once you’re Platinum elite or above. For simply carrying the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, you automatically get awarded Platinum elite status. Your status is valid for as long as your card is open.
On Marriott’s website, Marriott assures that Platinum elite guests get the following benefits.
All benefits are not guaranteed and largely depend on availability and the discretion of the property.
In addition to these benefits, hotel properties often offer discounts on F&B or Spa treatments. The discount amounts often vary. During check in, I was told that I’d get a 10% discount on Spa treatments and a 15% discount on any F&B purchased at the hotel.
Airport Drop Shenanigans
On the evening before our check out date, I spent the day shopping around the historic Hoi An town center and also tasted and purchased some delicious Vietnamese coffees. During my quick trip to the market, I looked around for car services that would drop us to the airport the next day. One such service confirmed that they would drop us, for a price of 700,000 ($27). Bear in mind, these are all prices in Vietnamese Dongs. One US Dollar equals 26,300 Vietnamese Dongs (VND). Since I needed a minibus for a party of 7, I agreed on the price and communicated with the driver via Whatsapp.
At the eleventh hour that night, the driver texted me that his service was ‘cash only’. Since it was my last day in the country, I’d burned thriugh almost all the cash I had! It was almost 10 PM in the night and it was already too late to look around, I’d returned to my hotel and was relaxing in our villa. I didn’t want to make the trip out again just to chase and withdraw cash. However, I knew at the back of my mind that the price the hotel had quoted for the same service was around 1.6 million VNDs.
Finding a Solution
I decided to walk to the hotel’s reception and talk to someone and see if I could find a better and cheaper alternative. I spoke to the front desk manager who was helpful and knowledgeable. She opened my file and said “Oh, you’re Platinum elite, so Platinum elites and above we’re offering a 30% discount on ground transportation. “Sir, it usually costs 1.6 million ($61), but for you, it’ll be just 1.1 million ($41).”
It was almost 11 PM at night and I had an International flight to catch with family. With a group of 7 and a tight connection in Kuala Lumpur as well, I took up on her offer and locked in the airport drop service.
The Pundit’s Mantra
When you’re looking at premium credit cards, you often get dissuaded by the annual fee. However, if you travel often enough, then you end up saving money thanks to perks offered due to elite status. In this case, this was a nice 30% discount to get at a time when I really needed it ahead of a flight which was about to depart in 12 hours.
In a way, it all ended well. I booked my entire Vietnam trip either using cash or points to stay at Marriott Bonvoy properties. On the last day of the trip, I was paid back (and some more) for my loyalty.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Credit Card Offers
American Express Business Credit Cards
- Earn 200,000 Membership Rewards points with the Business Platinum Card
- Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points with the Business Gold Card by American Express
Chase Sapphire Cards
- Earn 125,000 bonus points with the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
- Earn 200,000 bonus points with the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card for Business
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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!
