A chartered accountant based in Pune recently shared her experience of staying at a Marriott resort in Uttarakhand for three nights, valued at around Rs 3 lakh, without spending a single rupee. She achieved this by redeeming her credit card reward points. Priti Jain explained through social media posts on X (formerly Twitter) that she accumulated 58,000 membership reward points through her American Express Platinum card by spending Rs 4 lakh.
She then converted these points into Marriott Bonvoy points, which serve as the loyalty currency for Marriott International’s rewards program. This program allows users to earn and redeem points for various travel experiences and accommodations at Marriott's hotels and resorts. Additionally, these points can be purchased, with their prices fluctuating based on demand.
In a post on X, Jain revealed that the hotel upgraded her and her companions from their standard rooms to a premier room on the first day and then to an executive suite for the following two nights. She remarked that staying in these accommodations "felt like royalty," noting that the revenue rates for the suite exceeded Rs 90,000 per night.
Jain described the luxurious experience, noting that Marriott provided complimentary breakfasts and afternoon tea, along with an evening Ganga aarti performed on the deck overlooking the Ganges. She shared, "There is live music, good food, and overall, a great time for the guests to unwind and relax."
The stay at the Marriott resort was booked for 25,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. "AMEX Rewards were transferred to Marriott Bonvoy during a 30 per cent bonus offer. So for just 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy points that I fetched using 58,000 AMEX membership rewards earned on Rs 4 lakh spends, we grabbed a 3-night stay worth Rs 1.5 lakh. With a suite upgrade and complimentary breakfast, the monetary value of the stay was almost Rs 3 lakh. That's an insane value right there," Jain added.
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