The Hottest Marriott Hotels for Your Free Night Certificate

These are some of the most popular hotels to book with a free night certificate in the Marriott program.
JT Genter
By JT Genter 
Updated
Edited by June Casagrande

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With over 8,000 Marriott properties around the world, you have plenty of choices for redeeming a Marriott free night certificate — but only a fraction stand out as the top picks for Marriott Bonvoy member redemptions. The in-the-know Bonvoy members who flock to these properties reveal a lot of great choices for your next free night award.

Here’s a quick review of the credit cards offering a free night certificate, followed by a look at some of the most popular Marriott Bonvoy properties where you can use it.

Credit cards that offer a free night certificate

You can book dozens of Marriott’s most popular hotels using a free night certificate earned through a Marriott credit card.

There are four Marriott co-branded cards available to new cardholders, and of these, three offer a free night certificate every year:

Terms apply.

🤓Nerdy Tip

In addition to the free night certificate that you earn each year for being a cardmember, Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card holders can earn a second free night certificate (valued up to 35,000 points) after making $60,000 in purchases in a calendar year. Terms apply.

Further, Marriott Titanium Elite members can choose a free night certificate worth up to 40,000 points as their Annual Choice Benefit. Finally, you may be able to earn a free night award through a promotion.

Marriott's top hotels — revealed

Marriott recently gave us a peek at their lists of the most-redeemed hotels worldwide for five specific regions: the U.S., the Caribbean and Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia and the Pacific. Taking the top spot on the list of global favorites: the New York Marriott Marquis, right in the heart of Times Square in New York City.

In the U.S., Bonvoy members love New York City; Orlando, Florida; Hawaii; and other beach destinations. For trips overseas, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; London; and Paris are some of the most popular cities.

Half of the top 20 most-redeemed hotels worldwide are Category 7 or 8 properties, requiring between 50,000 and 100,000 points per night. Other than off-peak Category 7 nights, your certificates won't be good most of the year at those hotels. Here's a look at some of the more popular ones where you can actually use your free night certificates.

Marriott hotel award nights available for 35,000 points or less

Eligible properties

Due to Marriott’s peak vs. off-peak pricing, 35,000-point free night certificates can be redeemed for nights at:

  • Category 1 through 4 properties on all dates.

  • Category 5 properties on standard and off-peak dates.

Of the 55 hotels highlighted in the most-redeemed hotel lists, 20 hotels can be redeemed with a 35,000-point free night certificate. But you probably don’t want to use a free night award on a Category 2 or 3 property. Instead, consider the most-popular Category 4 and 5 Marriott hotels.

There are just four Category 4 hotels that topped the charts:

  • Courtyard Taipei (Taiwan): No. 2 most redeemed in Asia.

  • Marriott Mena House, Cairo: No. 8 most redeemed in the Middle East and Africa.

  • Renaissance Beijing Wangfujing Hotel: No. 9 in Asia.

  • Courtyard Taipei Downtown (Taiwan): No. 10 in Asia.

Interestingly, two Courtyard hotels in Taipei made this short list. And for good reason: Both are practical hotels for a visit to the capital of Taiwan.

The Marriott Mena House in Cairo remains a popular selection despite being a relatively expensive Category 4 hotel, because of its incredible view of the Egyptian pyramids (which the hotel boasts are within walking distance).

The Marriott Mena House in Cairo. Photo courtesy of Marriott

Most-redeemed Category 5 hotels

You can redeem a 35,000-point free night award at Category 5 hotels as long as you avoid peak dates. Nine Category 5 hotels made the most-redeemed hotel lists:

  • Orlando World Center Marriott (Florida): No. 15 most redeemed in the world.

  • Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center (Kissimmee, Florida): No. 17 in the world.

  • Sheraton Grand Hotel, Dubai (UAE): No. 3 in the Middle East and Africa.

  • Courtyard by Marriott Paris Gare de Lyon: No. 4 in Europe.

  • Sheraton Lisboa Hotel & Spa (Lisbon, Portugal): No. 7 in Europe.

  • Courtyard by Marriott Isla Verde Beach Resort (Puerto Rico): No. 7 in the Caribbean and Latin America.

  • Marriott Cancun Resort (Mexico): No. 8 in the Caribbean and Latin America.

  • MOXY Paris Bastille France: No. 10 in Europe.

  • The Westin Cape Town (South Africa): No. 10 in the Middle East and Africa.

With two Orlando hotels, the Marriott Cancun, two Paris hotels and the Westin in Cape Town, your free night certificate is good at some of the most in-demand Bonvoy hotels across the globe.

Of these, the Westin Cape Town caught our eye. Located in the heart of Cape Town, right next to the conference center, this elegant hotel overlooks the V&A Waterfront and Table Mountain.

The Westin Cape Town in Cape Town. Photo courtesy of Marriott

Marriott hotel award nights available for 50,000 points or less

Eligible properties

Thanks to Marriott Bonvoy’s tiered pricing, 50,000-point free night certificates can be redeemed for rewards nights at:

  • Category 1 through 5 properties on all dates.

  • Category 6 properties on standard and off-peak dates.

  • Category 7 properties on off-peak dates.

This means that you can use a 50,000-point free night certificate at a majority of the most-redeemed Marriott hotels. Here are the Category 6 and 7 hotels that you can book using a 50,000-point free night certificate.

A nice selection of Category 6 hotels are featured on the most-redeemed hotel lists, including eight of the top 20 most-redeemed hotels in the world:

  • Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel: No. 6 in the world and No. 5 in the U.S.

  • Walt Disney World Swan (Orlando, Florida): No. 7 in the world and No. 6 in the U.S.

  • Sheraton Grand Seattle: No. 9 in the world and No. 7 in the U.S.

  • Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa (Honolulu): No. 12 in the world and No. 9 in the U.S.

  • Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino: No. 13 in the world and No. 3 in the Caribbean and Latin America.

  • Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center (Nashville, Tennessee): No. 16 in the world.

  • The Westin Denver International Airport: No. 18 in the world.

  • Sheraton Sand Key Resort (Clearwater, Florida): No. 19 in the world.

Domestic travelers rejoice. Almost all of these highly sought-after properties are located in the U.S., so you won’t need to dust off your passport to visit them. Destinations on this list include beach resorts from Hawaii to Clearwater, Florida, city getaways in New York and Seattle, and even the Swan resort, located just minutes from Walt Disney World parks.

Around the world, Bonvoy Category 6 favorites also include:

  • JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai (UAE): No. 1 in the Middle East and Africa.

  • Renaissance Amsterdam Hotel: No. 2 in Europe.

  • San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino (Puerto Rico): No. 5 in the Caribbean and Latin America.

  • JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa (Mexico): No. 6 in the Caribbean and Latin America.

  • Grosvenor House, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Dubai (UAE): No. 7 in the Middle East and Africa.

  • La Concha Renaissance San Juan Resort (Puerto Rico): No. 9 in the Caribbean and Latin America.

  • JW Marriott Los Cabos Beach Resort & Spa (Mexico): No. 10 in the Caribbean and Latin America.

This list is mainly a collection of ultra-luxury Dubai, UAE, hotels and Caribbean beach getaways. The Renaissance Amsterdam Hotel may surprise as the second most-redeemed hotel in Europe, but it’s understandable when you see the hotel’s central location and sleekly appointed rooms.

The Renaissance Amsterdam Hotel in Amsterdam. Photo courtesy of Marriott

Most-redeemed Category 7 hotels

Marriott’s Category 7 properties range between 50,000 and 70,000 points per night; you will need to find an off-peak date to redeem a 50,000-point free night award.

  • New York Marriott Marquis: No. 1 in the world and the U.S.

  • Wailea Beach Resort Marriott, Maui (Hawaii): No. 2 in the world and the U.S.

  • Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino: No. 3 in the world and No. 1 in the Caribbean and Latin America.

  • JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort (Florida): No. 5 in the world and No. 4 in the U.S.

  • The Westin Tokyo: No. 8 in the world and No. 1 in Asia.

  • JW Marriott Essex House New York: No. 11 in the world and No. 8 in the U.S.

  • The Westin Excelsior, Rome: No. 5 in Europe.

  • Amsterdam Marriott Hotel: No. 6 in Europe.

  • JW Marriott Grosvenor House London: No. 8 in Europe.

There’s a reason that these are still some of the most-redeemed hotels despite costing between 50,000 and 70,000 Bonvoy points per night: Their location, amenities and service regularly outshine other hotels.

With almost 2,000 rooms and at the center of Times Square, it’s no surprise that the New York Marriott Marquis has enough availability to land atop the list of most-redeemed hotels in the world.

The Marriott Marquis in New York City. Photo courtesy of Marriott

If you want to use your Marriott free night certificate

Marriott’s list of the most-redeemed hotels in the world revealed Marriott Bonvoy members’ most-beloved properties. And the great news for Marriott cardholders is that you can book 20 of the 55 most-redeemed hotels with a 35,000-point free night certificate.

If your dates are flexible, you can book 44 of the 55 most-redeemed hotels using a 50,000-point free night certificate.


How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:

Marriott Cards from our Partners
Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card

on Chase's website

Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
2.8
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1x-14x

Earn up to 14X total points for every $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® and 2X points on other travel purchases (from airfare to taxis and trains). 1X point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

Points

Intro offer

30,000

Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after spending $1,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card.

Points
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