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Know someone from Marriott? Save money with their Family & Friend program
As a corporate benefit, most of the hotel chains offer heavily discounted room rates to their employees, and sometimes such rates can be extended to their family and friends. For example:
- Hilton has a Family & Friend rate which offers 50% off BAR. You still earn points and enjoy elite benefits, but there’s a quota per employee per annum and you are restricted from writing negative reviews
- Hyatt offers a heavy discount too but you won’t earn points or credits
- IHG’s F&F rate is not as cheap, and you won’t earn points or credits
Marriott’s counterpart, called Explore, is probably the most generous as the discounted rate can be extremely good and there are virtually no restrictions whatsoever as long as you qualify; in the meantime you also enjoy full elite benefits plus earn points and night credits.
There are two types of Explore rate available (you can check the rates by entering the respective promo code on Marriott’s website):
[Family Rate / MMP]
The Family Rate (code MMP) is the better of the two but also with a higher bar. It’s basically the employee rate but can be also used by their partner, parents, siblings and children. Given how restricted it is you can imagine that not many people will qualify.
On the other hand, the saving is substantial.
Most Marriott hotels, if not all participate in the Explore program, including the Bvlgari hotels although they are not part of Marriott Bonvoy.
However, MMP availability can be a little difficult to find when the hotel is busy. Many times they are also limited to standard rooms only, which is understandable given how low the rates often are.
[Friend Rate / MMF]
The Friend Rate (code MMF) is by definition open to friends of Marriott employees and therefore has a much lower barrier.
Unlike MMP which is typically a fixed rate, MMF is more often a discount against the BAR. The discount varies massively depending on the property.
Although not common, some hotels do go far and beyond by offering a very generous MMF rate. The Great Northern is an example as you can see from the screenshot above. Another UK pioneer is Sheraton Edinburgh, which costs solely £86, an incredible saving compared to the normal rate.
Since the discount is not as heavy, MMF tends to be more available and sometimes applies to premium room types too.
The Marriott employee needs to fill out an Explore form for you to benefit from the program. An Explore form is valid for two months and would look like this:
If you have a friend who works at Marriott, it makes total sense to ask for a form from them when you make travel arrangements. You’ll need to present the form for verification when you check in.
My review of Six Senses Douro Valley
Thanks to the recent acquisition, Six Senses has become a new great addition to the IHG family, and potentially means more and better ways to spending IHG points and enjoying the elite benefits. The integration is still on the way though, and not all Six Senses hotels are IHG participating.
For example, Six Senses Douro Valley which is generally regarded as on the of best resort hotels in Europe, is not part of the loyal program yet although already bookable via IHG channels. There was a glitch when it landed on the booking platform though – point redemption was temporarily made available, and even the top suites could be booked for the same 90,000 points!
Thanks to the glitch, I managed to book two nights in the Vineyard Garden Suite, which is the best room of the hotel. This is gonna be one of the best hotels I’ve ever visited and there’s no need to explain how excited I am!
Departing from Porto, there are semi-frequent trains from Campanha and Sao Bento stations which take around two hours to arrive into Regua station and costs less than €10. From Regua it’s a short taxi ride to the hotel which costs circa €8, and coming back you can book a taxi at reception for a slightly more expensive price.
I don’t drive so this is the only option for me unless I want to take the time consuming cruise route. Driving a car would be faster than the train, however the latter is on a much more scenery route so usually more recommended.
The entrance doesn’t look very tempting from outside.
The lobby feels more “like it” and the viewing balcony here has the best view out of the entire hotel, in my opinion.
Red wine, walnuts and honey water are served while check-in is prepared.
The lobby / reception is actually on the top floor of the hotel (8th). The 6th / 7th floors are offices, and from 5th floor below are guest rooms, suites, restaurants and other facilities.
My Vineyard Garden Suite is located on the 5th floor.
I’m immediately stunned by the amazing vineyard view from the living room. I wish I could own a flat with such a view!
The living room is very welcoming and homey. You may have noticed that it doesn’t feature a TV, however a projector is available.
Let’s have a look at the garden.
For a suite that accommodates only two people, the garden is overwhelmingly big and well-furnished. I guess the idea is when a group of friends come and stay at this hotel, two people could book this suite while the others book the basic rooms, and everyone just spend most of the time here together…
There’s hot-tub in the garden as well. It’s not really a jacuzzi though, so although you could relax here for the best experience you should still take advantage of the spa.
The bedroom on the other hand is much smaller and basic, but also with a view.
A tablet is attached to wall which allows you to view menus, activities and other hotel information, and place in-room dining orders if needed. When checking in you’ll also be given an access code to log in to the Six Senses Mobile App, which allows you to view all the same information plus making requests. You could also view such information before your arrival in the app.
The bathroom is huge, featuring a very advanced intelligent toilet seat.
Dining facilities are all located on the 3rd floor. The first thing you see coming out of the elevator is the Wine Library, which stores hundreds of red wines produced in the Douro Valley.
You are given a chip card at your convenience should you want to taste selected wines.
Wine tasting events are held here daily for a fee.
On the terrace outside, Happy Hour is hosted every Tuesday and Friday evening, where soft drinks, wines and cocktails are offered to hotel guests for free. It’s also a chance to chat with the hotel’s general manager and give feedbacks.
We mentioned earlier that this hotel isn’t yet IHG participating, however they are going far and beyond to offer all Spire Elite members free breakfast, room upgrade, and complimentary 50-minute massages for two.
Breakfast is semi-buffet, as the bread / salad / fruits are the same for everyone and there are a few items you can order, including eggs benedict and waffles.
Presentation is really great, and the food taste good too. I’m especially impressed by the mango, which comes with a very special fragrance and almost just melts in the mouth – tastes more like an ice cream!
You can also add half-board or full-board to your accommodation, which cost €80 and €120 per person respectively. Since breakfast is already included for Spire Elite members, you can expect a €20 discount on those prices.
Menus are available here. In principle you can choose any items from starters, mains and desserts, one each, and unlimited soft drinks are included. Looking at the prices, you’ll immediately realise that booking a half-board and full-board package is a no-brainer.
I had the ribeye – which would otherwise cost €94 – for the first dinner. It’s pretty good.
If you visit between May and September, summer barbecue is available in the outdoor area which is also included in the half-board / full-board package.
The menus are very reasonably priced to be honest, however if you prefer something light you can also drop by the bar. A sandwich or burger costs around €20.
The Spa & Wellness centre is on the 2nd floor. A bird view of the swimming pool:
Although the hotel is full, I rarely see any people around the swimming pool the few times I pass by. Not that I’m complaining!
After having some massage in the jacuzzi I spent some time in the sauna room too.
As mentioned, Spire Elite members can have a two-person 50-minute relaxing massage for free.
Let’s go out! The hotel also has an outdoor swimming pool with a bar next to it. The water is a bit cold in October already so you don’t see many people going in there.
Aside the pool is a garden and mini-farm. The hotel is almost self-sufficient in terms of herb supply.
And then the reputable vineyards from Douro Valley. If you visit in August and September I believe there are grape-picking activities available which sounds very fun.
A tennis court too.
As the hotel is on top of a mountain, there’s enough space for you hike and cycle around too.
The hotel offers plenty of activities too, most of which are free of charge. It ranges from Yoga, Pilates, Kayaking, Hiking, Tree Climbing to Art and Sketch workshops. The schedule is difference every day and shuffles every week.
My stay is amazing and it almost feels like a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If you are also considering to visit this hotel, you won’t be disappointed.
18 best Marriott hotel redemptions in Europe
We covered the best Marriott redemptions in the UK in the last post, which unfortunately isn’t a very long list. Today we’re gonna take a look at Europe too (plus a few other territories nearby), where there are many more great choices!
Again, before we start: Marriott Bonvoy has eight redemption categories at the moment, and the number of points required for standard / off-peak / peak are as follows:
The following recommendations are not in any particular order.
- Germany – Roomers Baden-Baden Cat 5 / 35,000 points
This hotel is generally regarded as one the best Marriott properties in Germany, and was once the best place to use a 25,000 free night certificate in Europe. Nowadays a standard reward nights costs 35,000 points here, which is still a bargain for a spa holiday.
2. Germany – Gewandhaus Dresden Cat 3 / 17,500 points
One of the most recommended hotels in Dresden with high ratings across all booking sites, and that 17,500 points should be well worth it!
3. Germany – Courtyard Bremen Cat 2 / 12,500 points
Despite being just a Courtyard, this hotel is one the of the most reputable in town for its history and excellent location, and has been on my wish-list for a while!
4. Italy – Eremito Cat 4 / 25,000 points
Eremito is a retreat in the Umbrian hills that combines historical masonry techniques with modern technology. A room night here sells for £250+.
Honourable Mentions Grotta Giusti Thermal Spa Resort Tuscany is a similar hotel.
5. Switzerland – Courtyard Basel Cat 3 / 17,500 points
It’s only a Courtyard and located by the highway, so not really very convenient for Basel. However we all know how expensive Switzerland is, and spending points here could be sensible if you are driving.
6. France – Marriott’s Village d’lle-de-France Cat 4 / 25,000 points
More of a resort hotel close to the Disneyland near Paris, and 25,000 points a night is a steal if you want accommodation near the Disneyland.
7. Spain – The Ritz-Carlton Abama Cat 6 / 50,000 points
I’ve stayed here recently (review here), which was my first stay at a Ritz Carlton hotel, and unfortunately it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. That said, you may find it more to your taste, and 50,000 points is bargain compared to the cash rate.
8. Spain – AC Hotel Valencia Cat 2 / 12,500 points
A solid hotel in Valencia near the beach. I was hoping to visit it before the pandemic hit, and then sadly it jumped up to Category 2 from Category 1.
Honourable Mention AC Hotel Alicante is another city-centre hotel in South Spain.
9. Spain – AC Hotel Gran Canaria Cat 2 / 12,500 points
An economical option for a holiday in Gran Canaria, especially as it usually sells for more than €100 a night. I have to say I really like this stock photo of their swimming pool 🙂
Honourable Mentions AC Hotel Iberia Las Palmas is also in Category 2 which caters to a similar audience.
10. Croatia – Westin Zagreb & Sheraton Zagreb Cat 3 / 17,500 points
Both hotels are very similar in terms of location, condition and reviews. To be honest 17,500 points isn’t great value unless it’s peak season, however the Sheraton was one the very first hotels I stayed at with SPG, so it’s just for the sake of my memories.
11. Serbia – Courtyard Belgrade City Centre Cat 2 / 12,500 points
The Metropol Palace used to be the top redemption sweet spot in the good old SPG times. Nowadays the Courtyard may have become a more reasonable option to spend your Marriott points.
12. Bosnia and Herzegovina – Couryard Sarajevo Cat 2 / 12,500 points
Bosnia is still recovering from the unfortunate history of wars, and there aren’t many options when it comes to international hotel chains in the capital. I stayed at the Swissotel when I visited it last year.
I walked past the Courtyard a couple of times. It looked very new, and is ideally located for tourists.
13. Belarus – Renaissance Minsk Hotel Cat 2 / 12,500 points
I’ve never been to Belarus, but 12,500 points seems very cheap for a five-star hotel in a country’s capital…
14. Turkey – JW Marriott Ankara Cat 2 / 12,500 points
This is probably one of the best Marriott redemption out there in the entire world, and I still don’t understand why its category never got increased over the years. For only 12,500 points, you are getting a room worth more than 200 euros, and this is a very modern JW Marriott! I stayed here in a Junior Suite in 2020, and it didn’t disappoint.
15. Turkey – Sheraton Grand Samsun Cat 1 / 7,500 points
The only Sheraton Grand hotel that falls into Category 1 in Europe, which is one of Marriott’s top-end brands. Great choice if you’d like to have a very cheap beach holiday by the Black Sea.
Honourable Mentions the Four Points Izmir hotel in Turkey is also Category 1, however considering how cheap Turkey usually is I probably prefer to pay cash for a better full-service hotel instead.
16. Morocco – Le Meridien N’Fis Cat 2 / 12,500 points
I stayed here as SPG Gold when visiting Marrakesh a few years back. The hotel felt very worn-out everywhere and was by no means living up to five-star standard, but if you don’t like the idea of staying in a Riad this Le Meridien can possibly offer you better comfort.
17. Qatar – Marriott Marquis City Center Doha Hotel Cat 3 / 17,500 points
One of the very few Marriott Marquis hotels around across the globe. There was once a Doha Marriott hotel which was only Category 2 but it seems to have left the Marriott group.
18. Kuwait – Residence Inn Kuwait City Cat 2 / 12,500 points
When you are looking for a tourist destination Kuwait City is unlike to be on your list. But if it is, using points is a great idea as hotels tend to be overpriced in this country.
Honourable Mention Courtyard Kuwait City is also Category 2.
Marriott has thousands of hotels in Europe so this list is by no means exhaustive, but I hope it gives you some inspiration at least!
My review of Sheraton Porto Hotel & Spa
Having stayed three nights at the InterContinental, I wanted to switch to a different hotel for change of scenery. I thought about the Crowne Plaza at the beginning, but opted for the Sheraton instead in the end because of its spa facilities, and also better elite benefits from Marriott.
The hotel is quite far out from the city centre, and you do need the bus network or Uber / Bolt to get around, which is an important consideration.
On the other hand, it is huge and very modern. Unlike the InterContinental, most of the hotel guests are here on business travel.
I’m upgraded to a Club room on the 11th floor.
I was very surprised to learn the hotel was opened in 2003 – I don’t see any sign of age to be honest. Both the public areas and the room look fairly new.
There’s a “city view” from the room.
According to the discussions on Flyertalk, Platinum members used to only get breakfast in the Club lounge. The lounge is still closed at the moment, and breakfast is served in the main restaurant.
The breakfast is pretty good overall, almost on par with the InterContinental although there’s no a-la-carte menu.
There’s no service charge for room service here, so you can also have breakfast in the room should you wish. As a guest on the Club floor, you can order refreshments and snack throughout the day:
And Happy Hour offering between 6pm and 8pm:
But the highlight got to be the spa. Only Club floor guests have free access to the spa centre, otherwise you’d have to pay a fee. If you have Platinum status or above though it shouldn’t be an issue.
Again it feels quite new.
The Jacuzzi is most amazing, one of the biggest I’ve ever seen with different function areas, that focus on foot, shoulder, back and full-body respectively.
The sauna room and Turkish sauna are quite impressive too.
The Sheraton is a totally different genre compared to the InterContinental, and in a way I like it more than the latter. If you don’t mind travelling around in a car, or if you have a lot of time in Porto, you may want to consider staying here too.
10 best Marriott hotel redemptions in the UK
After its merger with SPG , Marriott Bonvoy has now a massive footprint worldwide and become arguably the most popular hotel loyalty program globally.
One of the major fun you get from toying with such programs is exchanging your points for hotel stays, which can sometimes generate extremely outsized value at certain properties or during certain times. And today let’s have a look at such options with Marriott hotels in the United Kingdom.
Just a reminder – Marriott Bonvoy has eight redemption categories at the moment, and the number of points required for standard / off-peak / peak are slightly different:
1. Courtyard Oxford City Centre Cat 2 / 12,500 points
I personally make this hotel top of my list, given its great location and how expensive accommodation in Oxford can easily get – it’s trivial to realise more than 1.5p-per-point value if you are staying here in the summer.
I stayed here last year on points and was quite happy about the stay. Of course it is just a Courtyard so nothing to get too excited about, but the hotel is very new, and nothing can really go wrong at this price.
2. Aloft Liverpool Cat 4 / 25,000 points
It used to the best UK SPG redemption sweet spot in the past, as a weekend night cost only 3,000 points (or 9,000 Marriott points). Unfortunately the price has almost tripled nowadays and it’s no longer outstanding, but assume a point stay can still save you loads on event days.
The building itself is very stylish and full of history. I’m not sure why it’s converted to a low-end Aloft, instead of W or at least Sheraton.
Honourable mentions the Liverpool Marriott hotel is also Cat 4 and full-service, which may be more favourable if don’t care about the Aloft’s background that much.
3. University Arms Hotel Cat 4 / 25,000 points
I don’t think we can get away from mentioning Oxford but not Cambridge 🙂 Likewise the University Arms is one of the few decent hotel choices in the university town, but with a much longer history.
I stayed here last year in the summer and the experience was positive, however I can’t for my life justify paying £200+ for a night here. In terms of points it costs twice as much as the Courtyard in Oxford, but you can’t really compare an Autograph to a Courtyard!
4. Moxy Aberdeen Airport Cat 1 / 7,500 points
This is the only Category 1 hotel left in the UK now, which is definitely something not miss out. As it is an airport hotel, I can’t recommend it for tourist purpose. However, if you are a few nights short of reaching Marriott elite status, you could fly to Aberdeen to “buy” some cheap ones here 🙂 After all, 5 nights at this hotel should cost you only 30,000 points, assuming standard pricing.
Honourable mentions Aberdeen Marriott and Aloft Aberdeen TECA are both only Category 2 too.
5. Abbey Hotel Bath Cat 4 / 25,000 points
25,000 points a night is a bargain for a weekend getaway in Bath, although this hotel seems to close its redemption options at busy times.
The hotel is very boutique, but similar to many hotels in old buildings there were a few teething issues during my stay, including creaky floor and rain leaks from the window.
6. Trump Turnberry Hotel Cat 5 / 35,000 points (Update: no longer Marriott-affiliated)
One of the few top-end resort hotels in Marriott’s UK portfolio. It’s a pain to get there (from London) so I’ve never set afoot yet, but all my friends who’ve been there were quite impressed.
35,000 points compared to the retail price is a steal. However do check the website or Virtuoso as they tend to have pretty good sale prices from time to time with good perks including dinner or golf rounds.
7. Bournemouth Highcliff Marriott Hotel Cat 5 / 35,000 points
I went to Bournemouth for the first time recently and really liked the city. The Marriott is probably one the of the best located hotel in Bournemouth, with a great sea view and quick access to the beach.
Standing at 35,000 points, the redemption is not cheap, but more than reasonable in summer seasons.
8. The Langley Cat 7 / 60,000 points
Another luxurious resort in the Luxury Collection portfolio, and pretty accessible given its proximity to London. I did finally manage to stay here earlier this year in the Spring, and had an overall pleasant experience.
Since its opening its redemption price hiked from 35,000 points to 60,000 points in just two years but it was hardly a surprise. However its cash price usually hovers around £400, so 60k points still isn’t a lot to ask for.
9. Moxy York Cat 3 / 17,500 points
There has been a number of additions to the hotels in York city centre in recent years. Like Bath, accommodation cost is steep on weekend nights, especially when it’s warm.
Personally I’m not a big fan of the Moxy brand and there isn’t much information available for this new hotel. However if you just need a bed to sleep on it should be sufficient, and the location is great.
Honourable Mentions Moxy Southampton and Moxy Milton Keynes are another two moxies that opened quite recently, and they are both Cat 2 which requires only 12,500 points per night.
10. Leicester Marriott Hotels Cat 3 / 17,500 points
To be honest I know very little about Leicester or this hotel, and it seems quite far out. However the reviews are pretty good, and there’s an executive lounge which is good news to Platinum members 🙂
My review of InterContinental Porto, Palacio Das Cardosas
When Six Senses Douro Valley had an intern rate, I splashed 180,000 points on their Vineyard Garden Suite for two nights. It ended up fitting nicely into my two-week break before starting the new job, so I planned a one-week trip to Porto and Douro Valley.
There isn’t a great deal of hotels to choose from in Porto’s city centre from the major hotel chains. The InterContinental happened to be running a 3-for-2 sale via their Luxury & Lifestyle program which I happily went on board. The rate comes with free breakfast, room upgrade and $100 dining credit etc.
The location can’t be any better, banging in the centre with the Sao Bento station just next door. Basically all the tourist attractions are within easy reach.
The hotel was once a palace, as you can probably tell from its name.
Spire Ambassadors are usually upgrade two-level to their Junior Suite. The hotel is very busy at the moment though, and the entire 4-th floor is under renovation. I’m upgraded just one level to an Executive Room.
It’s pretty much what you can usually expect from an old-fashioned luxury hotel in Europe. It’s a corner room with two aspects.
The room also features a mini-balcony on which you an go out and enjoy some view.
As I said, it’s location is super central, meanwhile the soundproofing isn’t great given the hotel’s age. This is very problematic during the night, especially an ambulance or police car passes through.
As a consequence I voluntarily asked for a downgrade to a Deluxe room with courtyard view instead. It’s more or less of the same size, with the same furnishings but much quieter.
Some desserts, including a couple of pasteis de natas are offered as the welcome gift.
Breakfast buffet’s quality is pretty good. Many hotels just totally mess up with scrambled eggs by presenting them overly dry or soggy, but they do a good job here.
There are also some items for you to order, including pancakes, waffles, eggs benedict and omelettes etc.
There’s a pretty good spread of desserts and pastries too. Even champagne is available!
On the other hand I wasn’t very impressed by the dinner menu. The octopus I got for €38 was a tiny portion:
The $100 credit cannot be applied on drinks, but can be used in conjunction with the €15 Ambassador credit. I don’t recommend eating at the restaurant unless you have the credit, as Porto has a lot of good and cheap food to offer.
The hotel features a gym and sauna room, but no spa facilities.
The hotel’s location is unbeatable, but other than that it was slightly below my expectations. If the price is right however, it’s not a bad idea to stay here.
Enjoy 15% off at Hyatt hotels if you own a business
It’s not a secret that all hotel chains offer discounted corporate rates to large companies like Google and Siemens etc. What you may not know is that Hyatt actually has a very public corporate program, in which every business owner can take part.
The program is called Hyatt Leverage, the homepage of which is here. If you own a business, simply sign in and then enter some details about your company and it’s done. You’ll receive one confirmation email containing your corporate code which should be used when you book hotels on hyatt.com.
- Any company opened in any country qualifies
- Only company employees (i.e. not clients) can use the rate
- In theory you need to stay at least 50 nights per year, otherwise your enrolment may be terminated
The discount is up to 15% off, which isn’t substantial and doesn’t include breakfast. However it’s flexible in that cancellation is allowed one day in advance, so it could well be useful when there’s no better rate plans available, especially when you book at a short notice.
Save 20% on IHG hotel bookings with Railcard
IHG has partnered up with Railcard to offer cardholders a decent discount when staying at their hotels.
- Must book on the dedicated offer page
- Stay must include one Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday night
- Save at least 20% compared to the Best Flexible Rate
- Book at least five days in advance
- Cancel free of charge up to 3 days in advance
- One-night deposit required at the time of booking
You’ll need to present your railcard when requested upon check-in. In form the promotion is quite similar to what IHG used to have with Mastercard and Avis etc.
On the hotel list page you may see messages saying rooms are not available for the Railcard Partner Rate. Ignore them though and just click through, then you should be able to see special rate highlighted on the rate details page:
Here are some hotel rates I find for your reference (Partner Rate / BFR):
- Hotel Indigo London Leicester Square £191 / £239
- Crowne Plaza London Albert Embankment £160 / £201
- Holiday Inn London Kensington Forum £95 / £119
- Hotel Indigo Manchester Victoria Station £127 / £159
- Holiday Inn Birmingham City Centre £87 / £109
- Voco Grand Central Glasgow £103 / £129
From what I am seeing, the Partner Rate is in general cheaper than the Advance Saver and less restricted, which means it’s genuinely a good rate.
Other IHG offers:
- Save 20% on IHG hotel bookings with Railcard
- IHG Europe offer: 10% off, £80 credit and room upgrade with Mastercard
- IHG Luxury & Lifestyle: 3-for-2, $100 credit, breakfast, room upgrade and more