Getting a good value for your Marriott Bonvoy points can be quite a challenge, especially with the ongoing trend of points devaluation.
To be fair, this issue isn’t unique to Marriott; it’s a common problem across all major hotel loyalty programs.
However, Marriott does offer a compelling benefit that can significantly enhance the value of your points.
Marriott’s 5th night free benefit.
One standout feature of the Marriott Bonvoy program is the “5th Night Free” promotion. When you redeem points for a stay of five nights, you only pay for four. This effectively gives you a 20% discount on the number of points required for a stay.
Pro Tip: Never book a 4 night redemption stay. 5th one is free, remember?
The only catch is that point cost is based on a standard room rate only and not on premium rooms (where you pay extra for upgrade).
How to book the 5th night free rate?
Follow these steps to book your stay and get the 5th night free:
- Visit the Marriott Bonvoy Points Redemption page.
- Enter your destination, travel dates, number of guests, and other required details.
- Ensure you search for at least five nights (multiples of five yield the best value).
- Make sure that the 'Use Points/Awards’ field is enabled.
- Click “Find Hotels.”
- Review the points required for your entire stay from the search results.
- Select your preferred property and complete your booking.
Tip: To see how much you’re saving, check the cost in points for a single night at the same property and multiply by your total number of nights.
Stay Five Nights, Pay for Four: Get a complimentary night when you redeem points for five consecutive nights.
Eligibility for Marriott’s 5th Night Free Rate
Unlike Hilton, which only offers its fifth-night-free benefit to elite members, Marriott’s offer is available to all Bonvoy Members regardless of their elite status.
Important Details
- Your booking must be for five consecutive nights at the same hotel.
- The free night will be based on the lowest point-cost night during your stay.
- If you book multiple stays (e.g., two separate five-night stays), you’ll receive two free nights in total, with each being the lowest point-cost night from each respective stay.
- No points will be refunded or credits awarded for any unused portions of your stay.
Bottom-line
If you’re planning an extended trip using your points, taking advantage of this promotion is a no-brainer. I try to always structure my vacations around staying at least five nights in one location because it’s both enjoyable and rewarding with this offer.
