What are the Marriott Bonvoy hotel categories?

A Category 5 Marriott hotel is a Marriott property that can be booked for 35,000 Marriott points per night, based on its brand, location and type of property. There are 1,117 Category 5 Marriott hotels that range from affordable, family-friendly properties like SpringHill Suites near Disneyland to 4-star luxury resorts in exotic locations. Some deluxe Category 5 Marriott hotels include Le Meridien in Tahiti, Domes Miramare in Greece, and the Renaissance Sanya Resort & Spa in China.… read full answer

Marriott has 8 different hotel and resort categories. Generally, categories 5-8 represent higher quality hotels with additional amenities and services. However, the amenities can vary, even with hotels in the same category. It is best to do your research on a hotel before booking to make sure it fits your preferences. On that note, each Marriott Bonvoy hotel category includes off-peak, standard, and peak pricing. While the standard redemption rate for a one-night stay at a Category 5 Marriott hotel is 35,000 points, this rate could drop to 30,000 points during off-peak season or rise to 40,000 points during peak season. Marriott adjusts peak and off-peak rates monthly based on market conditions.

To see how many points are needed to redeem one free night for each hotel category, you can check out Marriott’s redemption chart. But there is no system-wide calendar to provide a quick snapshot of the seasonal rates at Marriott hotels. So, your best bet is to search for a specific property on the Marriott website and select the "Flexible Dates" option to explore their rates. Marriott also updates its award category assignments annually, causing some hotels to change categories. To see if your favorite hotel has changed categories, you can filter Marriott’s hotel directory to search for hotels based on your selected category.

The 30 Marriott brands are:

1. The Ritz-Carlton
2. St. Regis
3. JW Marriott
4. W Hotels
5. Edition
6. The Luxury Collection
7. Marriott Hotels
8. Sheraton
9. Marriott Vacation Club
10. Delta Hotels
11. Le Meridien
12. Westin
13. Renaissance Hotels
14. Gaylord Hotels
15. Autograph Collection Hotels
16. Tribute Portfolio
17. Design Hotels
18. Courtyard Hotels
19. Four Points
20. SpringHill Suites
21. Protea Hotels
22. Fairfield Inn & Suites… read full answer
23. AC Hotels
24. Aloft Hotels
25. Moxy Hotels
26. Marriott Executive Apartments
27. Residence Inn
28. TownePlace Suites
29. Element
30. Homes & Villas by Marriott International.

Marriott is the world’s largest hotel chain and has a total of 30 brands in its portfolio (29 that participate in Marriott Bonvoy), which span more than 7,200 properties in over 130 countries and territories. These hotel and resort brands have distinct amenities and services that fit the preferences and budget levels of different types of travelers.

Marriott hotel brands fall under 4 broad categories: Luxury, Premium, Select and Longer Stays. The only Marriott hotel brand that does not participate in the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty rewards program is Ritz-Carlton Reserve.

You can use a Marriott free night certificate to pay for a stay at any category 1-5 Marriott property by logging in to your Marriott Rewards account, making a reservation, and choosing the “e-Certificate(s)” option when you get to the “Confirm Details” section. Watch out, though. You only have 12 months to use a Marriott free night certificate before it expires.… read full answer

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card users receive one of these reward certificates every account anniversary. You may also get a Marriott free night certificate if you spend points to purchase one. Once you have the certificate in hand, though, you’ll need to know the steps for redeeming it.

Here’s how to use a Marriott free night certificate:

1. Log into your Marriott Rewards account.
2. Search for any Category 1-5 hotel and select a booking you’d like.
3. Start your booking. When you get to the “Confirm Details” section, you’ll see any certificates you’ve earned. To use them, select “Attach the e-Certificate(s) below to my reservation.”
4. Finish your booking and confirm the transaction.

Your rewards certificate will now be applied to your booking and you’ll get to enjoy a free night. The process should go smoothly, as long as you remember to redeem within 12 months of your certificate being issued. There are no blackout dates for Marriott free night certificates, for example. But if a problem occurs during your booking, you can always call Marriott Credit Card customer service for help. The number is 800-432-3117.