Anniversary free nights from credit cards can be a bit of a pain for a couple of reasons. First of all, you want to make sure that you’re getting a better value than the cost of the annual fee.
Another issue is that they expire. Do you want to use a free night towards a trip you are planning or plan a trip around it?
I recently shared where we are staying with our IHG Anniversary Free Night. Then AwardWallet informed me that my Marriott Rewards Anniversary Free Night was expiring in less than 3 months.
Rather than have the Marriott Rewards Anniversary Free Night cause me any headache, I decided to use it for a real need while also feeling like I got a good deal.
At the end of the school year, the Michael W Travels family will be heading to St Kitts. Our flight home with American Airlines includes an overnight in Miami. This is a minor hassle and one I didn’t want to spend any extra money on.
I figured that my Marriott Rewards Anniversary Free Night would be the perfect option for this short stay.
While doing a search, there were only a couple of properties which qualified for this redemption since you can only book Marriott Categories 1-5 hotels.
I decided to book a stay at the TownePlace Suites Miami Airport. The hotel offers free shuttle service as well as free breakfast.
If we were to pay for our stay, it would cost $108 plus tax for a total of $122 for the night. If I wanted to use points for the stay, it would cost 25,000 Marriott Rewards points.
So did I get a decent value for my Anniversary Free Night?
In September 2017 I paid the $85 annual fee. I also took advantage of a $10 off $25 Whole Foods Chase Offers deal. This brought my annual fee down to $75 for the year.
So for $75, I got a room which would’ve cost $122. While I didn’t save a ton, I do feel that this will be a solid use for my Anniversary Reward Night.
What do you think?
If you have the Marriott Rewards credit card, let us know where you’ve used your free night?
Courtyard by Marr Bogota BOG airport. Free shuttle. Great breakfast. Free!
I missed a flight and was unexpectedly stuck at SFO overnight and faced a shockingly expensive evening somewhere until I remembered that I had not used my certificate yet and wound up at the TownePlace Suites in Foster City — saving around $250 for that last-minute night. Nice place too and Cat 5 with shuttle (only such option for SFO).
Earl Lee- The more expensive the better! I find this a bit harder with Marriott Cat 1-5s and this one satisfied a need without creating an unnecessary, additional trip.
Cj- Not the best value in the world but I also can’t see that I’ve come across tons of pricey Cat 1-5s. Like I mentioned above, I was looking to use this for a need booking not a new trip.
me- Nice!
Marriott Gold Guy- That’s awesome! The extending idea is a good tip.
Get the certificate extended instead. Wait until 2-3 weeks before the certificate is due to expire. Call customer service and ask for an extension, and tell them you were planning a stay somewhere in the near future but the certificate will expire before your planned trip. They will extend it 6 months. I have done it twice and used them both times.
No one can beat the value I got for my free night certs though. I was able to extend mine from 2016 into 2017, and I booked a two night stay in Augusta GA for the Masters using my two free night certs as the Augusta Marriott is a cat 5 (the 2016 extended one and my 2017 one issued in Jan 2017). The rate was $795 a night. After taxes, the two nights would have cost $1,810. I paid zero. Best redemption for two cc free night certs ever.
I love the Marriott chains outside EWR airport, they often run $150+ including tax. Good value and always a necessity!
No don’t think you got a good value but it saved you 122.00
I like the residence inn in Adventura Florida as rates are 250 plus in season and is a great location …..in your case sounds like you needed a airport hotel
I agree with using the free night when you’re going to have to overnight in a location anyway. Of course, I love using these on really expensive hotels in exotic locations but it seems like I use at least one of my free nights (IHG, Hyatt, Marriott) on a trip like this when it’s going to expire and have to use it anyway.