Bits: new Pullman hotel in Liverpool, Marriott / Starwood takeover latest

News in brief:

Accor opens a Pullman hotel in Liverpool

Accor has opened its upmarket business hotel brand Pullman in Liverpool.  This is a new-build hotel situated next to the Arena & Convention Centre.

It is only the 2nd Pullman property in the UK but a larger roll-out is planned.  If standards are maintained they could well become the leading business hotels in the cities where they open.

Full details of the Liverpool Pullman can be found here.

Stays will earn points in Le Club AccorHotels and, until 15th April, American Express Platinum cardholders can claim a year of free top tier Platinum status in the scheme.

Marriott back on top in the Starwood takeover

In case you missed the latest developments this week, Marriott is back in the driving seat in the takeover battle for Starwood Hotels (Le Meridien, Sheraton, St Regis, Westin, W etc).

A revised Marriott offer has topped the ‘all cash’ bid made by a consortium led by a Chinese insurance group.  The game is not over yet, however – the Marriott bid still includes a large share component which makes it vulnerable if its share price dips.  Starwood has increased the break fee payable to Marriott if the deal falls through to $450m.

This is not great news for anyone who fails to see how the Starwood brands and culture could survive under Marriott, or who values the Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty programme.  There may still be more twists to this story though ….

PS. If you are not a regular Head for Points visitor, why not sign up for our FREE weekly or daily newsletters? They are full of the latest Avios, airline, hotel and credit card points news and will help you travel better. To join our 65,000 free subscribers, click the button below or visit this page of the site to find out more. Thank you.

How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards (April 2025)

There are various ways of earning Marriott Bonvoy points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

The official Marriott Bonvoy American Express card comes with 20,000 points for signing up, 2 points for every £1 you spend and 15 elite night credits per year.

You can apply here.

Marriott Bonvoy American Express

20,000 points for signing up and 15 elite night credits each year Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points by converting American Express Membership Rewards points at the rate of 2:3.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Marriott Bonvoy Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.

We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

The Platinum Card from American Express

80,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large fee Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points indirectly:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (50,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Marriott Bonvoy points is 2:3.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Marriott Bonvoy points.