Review: Marriott Desert Springs Villas I (a Marriott Vacation Club property)
A few weeks ago, on a trip to the Coachella valley, I stayed in a 1-bedroom unit/villa (complete with a kitchen, living area and dining area) at the Marriott Desert Springs Villas I resort in Palm Desert. This is what that unit and the resort are like.
Review: London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square
As I was considering how best to use an expiring Marriott Free Night Certificate without incurring any unnecessary costs (i.e. I was looking to book somewhere I could reach with relative ease from Los Angeles or London), I realised that the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square was one of the few London Marriotts at which I had never stayed.
Save at eight Marriott brands with these targeted offers
Chase is currently targeting select cardholders for savings on spending with select Marriott brands and while (as usual) these deals are only available for stays that are paid for in the next few weeks, the rebates on offer can be significant so it will be worth checking your cards to see if you have been targeted if you have an upcoming Marriott stay.
Marriott will get a new hotel in Hong Kong next year (and Accor will...
Marriott has today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Victoria Park Hotels to bring the Autograph Collection brand to Hong Kong in 2025 and if I'm reading things right, this move will see an Accor hotel rebranded as a Marriott Autograph Collection property at some point next year.
A look at seven of the major hotel best rate guarantees (what they say...
The rules of the various best rate guarantees offered by the major hotel chains and the compensation these guarantees offers can vary significantly, so what you'll find in this article is a look at each of the key guarantees currently published and some of my thoughts on what they offer.
Marriott’s Madi Paidi Autograph Collection property in Bangkok (newest Marriott in Bangkok)
Having only opened its doors in September 2023, the Madi Paidi Bangkok is Marriott's newest property in Thailand's capital and it's the first Autograph Collection property in the country. As TFM was in the hotel's neighborhood taking a look the new InterContinental Bangkok Sukhumvit, we decided to drop by the property to see what is has to offer.
Review: Threadneedles, a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel in London
This review of Threadneedles is based on a single night stay, but because the property isn't particularly large and because it's more a of a boutique hotel than a major tourist hotel, that was more than enough to give me a very good idea of what the hotel is like and what it offers.
Review: Moxy Paris Charles de Gaulle airport (a Marriott Bonvoy property)
As part of a recent trip to try out JetBlue's new route between Paris CDG and New York JFK, I spent a night at the Moxy Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. This is a review of that property which sits between the airport's two main terminals.
Marriott will open three new high-end all-inclusive properties in Mexico
It has been a while since we heard Marriott talk about its plans for its all-inclusive collection, but the silence has now been broken with news that we can expect Marriott to open three new high-end all-inclusive properties in Mexico in the next three years.
Marriott is introducing the “Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy” brand
Marriott has today put out an announcement to say that it's expanding its portfolio beyond hotels, resorts, timeshares, and home rentals and that it plans to offer apartment-style accommodations in locations around the world.
Marriott will open a new luxury EDITION property in the Italian Lakes
Lately, Marriott has been making a lot of announcements regarding its plans for new properties but the one that piqued my interest most was the announcement of a new luxury property that will open in the Italian lakes in 2025.
The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad is now open
Marriott has confirmed the opening of its latest hotel in New York City - the Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad - which is situated in the heart of Manhattan between the Empire State Building and the Flatiron Building.
Marriott announces plans for its first St. Regis property in the UK
It's been a bit of a UK centric day today on Traveling For Miles with confirmation of a new Hyatt Regency for London and the news that Qantas is bringing back the Perth - London route in July and the UK-related news continues here with an announcement from Marriott that it will open its first St. Regis property in the UK next year.
Marriott has opened the Reykjavik EDITION
At the time of writing, there are just 11 EDITION properties around the world but Marriott has been promising us plenty more, and true to its word, it has now opened the doors to its newest EDITION property Reykjavik, Iceland.
Marriott shares plans for eleven new St Regis Resorts by 2025
Marriott has announced that it has plans to nearly double the number of St. Regis Resorts in its portfolio by 2025. The hotelier has confirmed that it will add a total of eleven new resorts to its existing fifteen St Regis Resorts in the course of the next four years as it looks to expand its high-end offering.
Marriott Has Added 19 Autograph Collection Properties To Its All-Inclusive Portfolio
In February of this year, Marriott confirmed plans to add a number of Blue Diamond all-inclusive resorts to its Autograph Collection brand but, at the time, didn't actually say when the properties would be available to book on Marriott.com. Well, as of right now, 19 new all-inclusive properties are bookable with Bonvoy Points and/or cash.
Marriott Now Offers Free COVID Testing At Select Resorts
Hyatt got some very good press when, at the end of last month, it announced that all 19 of its resorts in Latin America and the Caribbean would offer free coronavirus testing for guests returning to the United States. Now Marriott appears to be joining in...albeit a little less wholeheartedly.
Marriott will open a new property on Maui in April (or May)
Amidst a variety of announcements that we've recently seen Marriott making, one small bit of news appears to have slipped under the radar. Within the next few months, Marriott Bonvoy members will have a new Hawaiian property at which to burn their hard-earned points.
Marriott Bonvoy Is Set To Absorb 19 Properties Into Its All-Inclusive Portfolio
Marriott has today announced that it has entered into a deal with Blue Diamond Resorts to incorporate 19 of its all-inclusive resorts into its Autograph Collection portfolio. The resorts are spread across six destinations and will add almost 7,000 rooms to Marriott's current all-inclusive offering.
Marriott has opened the W Melbourne
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about Marriott's plans to open almost 100 new Asia Pacific properties in 2021, and now we already have one of the properties featured in that article welcoming guests - the W Hotel Melbourne is officially open.
Marriott Showcases Its New Sheraton Hotels & Their Designs
Way back in 2018 (in what seems like an age ago), Marriott announced that it would be giving its Sheraton brand a much-needed facelift and dragging the brand into the 21st century. Now, three years down the road, Marriott is ready to show us the promised changes that are now coming to fruition and the new look Sheratons that have been refurbished from top to bottom.
Marriott Launches Eco-Friendly Experiences Pilot In Asia Pacific
Marriott has announced the launch of the 'Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy' program which the hotelier says is aimed at creating opportunities for its guests in the Asia Pacific region to engage with local communities and their local environment during their stay.
Marriott Adds A New Boutique Hotel In Tuscany
These may not be the best of times in which to be opening a new hotel but that hasn't stopped Marriott from unveiling a new Autograph Collection property in Tuscany, Italy. The Grand Universe Lucca, a former 16th Century Palazzo, opened its doors yesterday and joins the Marriott Bonvoy program as a Category 4 property.
Marriott Now Has One Fewer Hotels In Central London
Back in the summer, news broke that Marriott would be losing one of its properties in the heart of London this fall and, as of a few days ago, the Le Meridien Picadilly is no longer part of the Marriott network.
Amazing. Marriott Just Lost 122 Properties In North America (Including a Major Hawaii Resort)
Service Properties Trust, a company that owns over a hundred properties that are currently operating under various Marriott brands, has announced that it is terminating all of its agreements with Marriott effective 31 January 2021. There doesn't look to be any going back so from 1 February next year, Marriott's North America portfolio will have noticeably fewer properties in it than it did the day before.
Marriott’s Secret Website Will Tell You What Services Its Hotels Are Offering During The...
Marriott has built a website that is designed to show travelers what services and amenities its properties are offering during the current crisis. The site isn't yet official and its contents are not yet complete, but with in-house offerings varying wildly from property to property (even for properties in the same town or city), this can still be an invaluable resource for anyone trying to decide what Marriott to book for their next trip.
Warning: IHG & Marriott Flexible Cancellation Policies Are Ending
IHG and Marriott are the first major hotel chains to confirm that they're ending their flexible cancellation policies which have been available on all bookings since the beginning of the current crisis. At the time of writing, Hilton, Hyatt, and Radisson have not yet followed suit, but with their current policies expiring at the same time as the Marriott and IHG policies expire, there's scope for these three chains to go down the same path.
Marriott Raises $920 Million From Chase & American Express
Marriot has just announced that it has raised $920 million in cash through the agreements it holds with JPMorgan Chase and American Express and, in doing so, follows Hilton in using its credit card partners to raise much needed liquidity during the current crisis.
Use The New Marriott Tool To See Room Rates With All Fees & Taxes...
In countries where the hotel industry lobby doesn't own the people's elected representatives (at least, not entirely), hotel websites are obliged to show the total cost of a room with all taxes and fees added in. Sadly the United States isn't such a country so, on most US hotel websites, the cost of a room that a customer is first presented with often has little in common with the final price paid.
Marriott opens the refurbished Ritz-Carlton South Beach
Marriott has announced the reopening of the Ritz-Carlton South Beach following a $90m renovation project that has seen the property keep its Art Deco design but has also seen a wholescale floor-to-ceiling modernization of the property.
Marriott Bonvoy’s ‘The Langley’ reviewed
Earlier this year, with very little fanfare, a new Marriott property opened outside London. The property is called The Langley (a Luxury Collection property) and it sits within a 130-acre park in the British countryside a little over 7 miles from Heathrow airport.
Joanna and I spent 2 nights at the property and, having reflected on our stay, I feel confident in stating that this property offers one of the very best redemption options in the whole Marriott Bonvoy hotel chart - it's fantastic.
Marriott Is Buying Seven Caribbean Hotels To Add To Its All-Inclusive Portfolio
At the beginning of August Marriott announced that it planned to offer guests more all-inclusive options and that it planned to do so with a mixture of new-builds, conversions of its existing resorts and new management contracts with existing all-inclusive resorts.
Well, now you can add acquisitions to that list too as Marriott has now announced that it has agreed to buy Elegant Hotels Group for approximately $130m and will be folding the groups 7 existing properties into its all-inclusive arm.
The Rip-Off Plague Continues To Spread – JW Marriott Los Angeles Adds A “Destination...
In Los Angeles alone we've recently seen properties like the Andaz West Hollywood and the Intercontinental Los Angeles Downtown introduce truly ridiculous and indefensible Destination fees, a number of the Kimpton properties in LA have charged a Destination or Amenity Fee for some time, and now the JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. Live has joined in the scam.
Review: The Sydney Harbour Marriott At Circular Quay
I’ve stayed at the Sydney Harbour Marriott in the past and my experience on my last visit was a big reason I chose to book the property for this trip I was taking with Joanna. The location adjacent to Circular Quay is very convenient for exploring central Sydney, for access to local transport links (including ferries, buses, and trains) and it’s an incredibly easy property to get to from Sydney airport with the airport train stopping less than 3 minutes’ walk from the hotel doors.
Marriott Announces Plans For All-Inclusive Resorts
Marriott has today announced that it plans to expand its already sizeable portfolio and significant accommodation options to include all-inclusive resorts.
The corporation has confirmed that it has already signed management contracts for 5 brand new all-inclusive properties which are expected to open their doors between 2022 and 2025.
Update: New West Hollywood EDITION Now Taking Reservations For November
Back in May, I wrote about the much delayed West Hollywood Edition finally opened up reservations for December 2019. There was no announcement from Marriott or the property to let us know that reservations had opened up but, with the property originally set to throw open its doors in "late 2018", it was a case of better late than never.
London Marriott Canary Wharf – Executive Room (In Pictures)
The London Marriott Canary Wharf is my go-to hotel when I'm visiting London on a weekend because it often offers some amazing rates for Friday and Saturday night stays. I reviewed this property in quite a bit of detail earlier this year but as that particular stay saw me upgraded to an Executive Suite I thought it might be useful to post details of what a more standard room at the London Marriott Canary Wharf is like.
The New Marriott West Hollywood EDITION Is Finally Taking Reservations
Originally the West Hollywood EDITION was scheduled to open in "late 2018" and, when it rapidly became obvious that this was never going to happen, that date got pushed back to "Spring 2019" and then, quite quickly, to "September 2019" but now, finally, the property is starting to take its first bookings.
Marriott’s London EDITION Reviewed
The London EDITION is a property I’ve been wanting to try out ever since its doors opened in 2013 but, for one reason or another, before last month I'd never stepped foot inside the property.
Shortly before the recent changes to Marriott’s award chart took effect some of my plans changed and I found myself needing to book a single night stay in central London and, with the EDITION’s nightly award cost about to increase from 60,000 to at least 85,000 points per night, this seemed like a very good time to give the hotel a try.
Review: JW Marriott Rio de Janeiro
At the beginning of last month I took a trip to Rio de Janeiro courtesy of the fantastic Iberia Avios promotion from last year and, for my 4-night stay, I booked the JW Marriott Rio de Janeiro on Copacabana Beach.
Review: London Marriott Canary Wharf – Executive Suite
The London Marriott Canary Wharf has only gone by this name since it went through a name change at the beginning of the year (it used to be called the Marriott London West India Quay) and its new name is a lot better at letting people know where it’s located.
Marriott Opens A New Hotel In London – Weekend Rates Look Great
With over twenty properties in central London I don't think anyone was ever going to suggest that Marriott didn't offer enough options for Bonvoy members wishing to visit the capital of the UK but, just in case, Marriott has just announced the opening of a new property in a tourist-centric area - welcome to The Dixon, Tower Bridge.
9 Marriott Properties To Book Before 5 March 2019
Marriott recently announced its hotel category changes for 2019 which will soon see over 285 of its properties charging more for an award night than they do right now.
These hotel category changes will be effective for bookings made from 5 March 2019 onwards which means there are only 18 full days left to lock in the exiting rates at properties moving up a category....and I've selected 9 such properties which are worth a closer look.
Review: Bangkok Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit
Bangkok is one of the more economical cities in the world to visit because food is ridiculously cheap and good accommodation doesn’t have to be expensive – there are a lot of good properties to choose from in the city and you won’t have to break the bank to stay at a lot of them.
Marriott has Opened A New Hotel In Dubai: W Dubai – The Palm (And...
Marriott has announced the official opening of the W Dubai - The Palm located on Palm Jumeirah. The new property is being marketed as a "W Escape" which Marriott describes as "W brand’s playful spin on the traditional resort experience".
Marriott Updates Guests On Its Massive Security Breach…And The News Isn’t Great
At the end of November 2018 Marriott announced that, earlier in the month, it had called in security experts after its systems had detected an unauthorised attempt to access one of its databases.
The subsequent investigation suggested that there had been a security breach in the Starwood database since 2014 (no, that's not a typo) and that the personal and private details of up to 500 million guests had been compromised.
I’ve Finally Booked A Big Ticket Marriott Redemption For Next Year
Since Marriott introduced its new award chart in August it has been possible to book awards at numerous aspirational properties around the world for just 60,000 points per night but, sadly, that's only going to be the pricing for a limited time.
The window to book these properties for 60,000 points per night will probably close on 1 January 2019 when Marriott is expected to introduce a Category 8 level into its award chart - a category into which all the aspirational properties will be placed.
Marriott Hacked – Up To 500 Million Starwood Accounts Are Affected
Here we go again! What is it with big corporations and their inability to keep our information safe?!
We're only just getting over the Cathay Pacific hack and the debacle that was the British Airways hack and now we're being told that Marriott's Starwood database (containing the information of 500 million customers) has been compromised by an "unauthorised party".
Here’s The Problem With Marriott’s Suite Upgrades
Before Marriott Rewards and SPG were merged Marriott didn’t officially offer its elites upgrades to suites. Very occasionally (and usually on short trips) Marriott properties have upgraded me to a suite in the past but, more often than not, the upgrades I’ve received have been to a slightly larger room on a high floor.
That’s always been fine for me as I rarely need the space that a suite offers but I know that the lack of suite upgrades has been a bugbear for some.
Those crying out for suite upgrades had their wish granted when Marriott updated its elite benefits following the merger of the Marriott Rewards and SPG loyalty programs but, now that the new rules are in place, I’m not sure guests will be getting what they may expect.
Marriott’s Autograph Collection Plans New Belize Resort
I loved Belize when I visited it a few years ago. I visited outside of the busy season (May) so where I was staying was beautifully tranquil and the scuba diving was fantastic. I've been looking for a reason to return and it's just possible that Marriott is about to give me one.
Marriott Will Open A New Las Vegas Property In 2020 – The Drew Las...
If you're looking to book a Las Vegas vacation on Marriott.com you'll find that the chain will offer you 20 properties in the Las Vegas area. If you throw Starwood into the mix you'll find another 6 properties on offer. That's sounds like a good amount of choice until you realise that 16 of the properties aren't full-service establishments and that only 3 are anywhere near the center of the Strip.
Review: Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel At Circular Quay
I only had three nights in Sydney on this trip so it was important to me that I booked somewhere central and within an easy walk of most things I'd like to see and do while I was in town. I was also keen to spend as little as possible while still enjoying a good amount of comfort so that meant booking a property with points and with a chain at which I have status. All of this made the Sydney Harbour Marriott a logical place to stay.
Introduction: Sydney For 3 Nights Using A Super Cheap Business Class Fare & Points
Whenever possible I like to write an introduction to the trips I take to give readers an idea of how much things cost, how I book and when I use points and when I choose to part with some cash. The point of this is to hopefully show just how doable these trips are and how, with a little bit of planning and a little bit of flexibility, these are trip that a lot of people can book.
For this trip I managed to combine a truly fantastic offer from an online travel agency with some Marriott points to book myself a business class flight and three nights in one of my favorite cities in the world.
Is It “Gauche” To Ask For A Room Upgrade You’re Entitled To?
On a recent visit to the JW Marriott Hong Kong I found myself at the front desk politely requesting a room upgrade my Platinum status entitles me to (per Marriott's own rules). I posted this fact in my review of the property and a reader commented that he agreed with my stance but that a poster on Flyertalk had said that requesting an upgrade was "gauche" (even if it's an upgrade you're entitled to).
Marriott’s Strange New Innovation For Its Shower Doors
I'm sure most people have, at least at one point in their life, used the condensation on a mirror or a shower door to doodle a picture or to write a message. Well, apparently Marriott wants to tap into this practice with a new innovation.
Review: JW Marriott Singapore South Beach
I normally don't have more than one or two reasons for booking a particular hotel but, in the case of the JW Marriott Singapore South Beach, I had four very good reasons for wanting to visit. Firstly I wanted to use up some of my Marriott Rewards points, secondly I wanted a property where we would be making the most of my hotel status (I have Platinum status with Marriott), thirdly the hotel looked to have a convenient location and finally I don't think any of the bigger blogs has reviewed this property yet - it's still reasonably new.
The JW Marriott Hong Kong Reviewed (Lots Of Pictures!)
I booked the JW Marriott Hong Kong for a number of reasons but the two main ones were that I'd heard good things about the property overall and I'd heard good things about the Executive Lounge that, as a Marriott Platinum member, I would have access too. After a good Business Class flight from Tokyo I was looking forward to finding out if the hotel lived up to the reviews.
Review: Courtyard Seoul Namdaemun
I had picked the Courtyard Seoul Namdaemun as my base in the South Korean capital for its convenience in the centre of the city (10 minutes walk to Seoul Station and even closer to a number of subway stations) and because it was reasonably priced compared to my other options. On top of all this I had never visited a Courtyard property outside of the US so I was interested to see how an Asian Courtyard would compare to, for example, the Courtyard Chelsea in New York.
Review: Courtyard By Marriott New York Chelsea/Manhattan
New York is one of the more expensive major cities in the world when it comes to hotel accommodation so I often find that even the more rudimentary properties in the city cost quite a bit. If I'm traveling with Joanna I don't mind spending a bit more on accommodation but when I'm traveling solo, as I was on this occasion, I resent paying anymore than I have to for a reasonable quality room.
W Hotels Unveils A Pointless “Innovation”
I don't like W Hotels and I tend not to hide that feeling very well.
I find them to be all style (and not style that I like) and little to no substance whatsoever. Most of the W 's I've visited are trying too hard to be cool and remind me more of overpriced Vegas nightclubs than upscale hotels. I really don't get why some people seem to like them so much. It's all a bit Emperor's New Clothes.
Marriott Increases Offer For Starwood & Starwood Accepts (again!)
Marriott has submitted an increased offer for the outstanding shares in Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Starwood's Board of Directors has determined that the revised terms of the agreement "constitute a superior proposal compared to previously announced offer by Consortium led by Anbang Insurance Group".
Review: Los Angeles Airport Marriott
I had a very nice couple of nights at the Andaz West Hollywood and, if I'm being honest, I didn't really need to book...
Review: Marriott AC Hotel Bella Sky Copenhagen
Whenever I have an overnight layover, unless I'm arriving into a city in the morning or early afternoon, I will always look to book a hotel that's close to the airport. If I know I'm not going to have time to explore a city I always look for the path of least resistance and, as on this trip I would have a 7:00am flight to catch the next day, I definitely wanted to book something within easy reach of the check-in desks.
Review: Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi Grand Canal
To say that I procrastinated about which hotel to book in Abu Dhabi would a be an understatement of gargantuan proportions. I must have changed my mind a dozen times, switching between both of the Hyatt's, the Ritz Carlton, the Intercontinental and the Le Meridien.
A few things made up my mind for me in the end:
Review: Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club
This time last year we were visiting the US Virgin Islands and staying at Marriott's Frenchman's Cove in St Thomas. This year we wen't back to a place Joanna and I know pretty well - Marriott's Aruba Surf Club on Palm Beach...Aruba (unsurprisingly!). What follows next is an in-depth review of the resort.
[VIDEO] Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club 1-Bed 2-Bath Oceanfront Villa
Earlier this year we spent a great week at Marriott Vacation Club's "flagship property" - Marriott's Maui Ocean Club. And, while we spent our...
[VIDEO] Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club 2-Bedroom Oceanfront Villa
Earlier this year we spent a great week at Marriott Vacation Club's "flagship property" -Marriott's Maui Ocean Club.
We spent our week in the Lahaina...
[VIDEO] – Marriott’s Cypress Harbour Orlando – 2-Bed Villa
Continuing our series of videos the resorts we visit, today we're releasing the fourth of our videos on Vacation Smarter TV - a look inside a two...
Review: Marriott’s Waiohai Beach Club (Part 2)
In part one of this review I focused on the newly refurbished units at Marriott's Waiohai Beach Club. Here, in part 2, the focus...
Review: Marriott’s Waiohai Beach Club (Part 1)
Out of Marriott's Kauai properties Marriott’s Waiohai Beach Club is my favourite. The Kauai Beach Club and Kauai Lagoons both offer different things and each...
Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club – Review Part 2
In part one of this review we focused on the 2-bedroom ocean front villa we had in the Lahaina Villas building of Marriott's Maui...
Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club – Review Part 1
We've not long been back from a wonderful two week vacation in Hawaii where we were lucky enough to stay at Marriott's Maui Ocean...
Video: Marriott’s Lakeshore Reserve (Pool Area)
Continuing on from last month's announcement that we will, slowly, be adding videos of all the resorts we visit, today we're releasing the third of our...
Video: Marriott’s Lakeshore Reserve (One Bed Villa)
Our aim at here has always been to help our users make informed decisions when it comes to their vacation plans. Whether we're highlighting resorts...
Marriott’s Lakeshore Reserve (Orlando) Review
Earlier this month we had reason to take a lightning trip down to Orlando, so we couldn't resist the temptation of, finally, trying out a resort...
Marriott’s Frenchman’s Cove vs Marriott’s Aruba Resorts
If you've been following this blog or our recent Facebook and Twitter posts you'll know that we recently visited the beautiful US Virgin islands...
St Thomas Trip Report – Marriott’s Frenchman’s Cove Review
Frenchman'Early in 2013 we used the 2-bed portion of our Marriott Grand Chateau (Las Vegas) timeshare to put in an exchange request, through Interval International,...
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