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American Express Platinum £400 Marriott hotel credit extended to 31st December

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As we have covered a few times in recent weeks, some holders of The Platinum Card from American Express have received £400 to spend at selected Marriott International hotels.

If you have this offer, there is some good news. It has been extended to 31st December.

This is actually the second extension. The original deadline was 23rd November and then 19th December.

Even if you live in London, it is arguably worth booking a stay and having a few drinks or a meal to get to exactly £400 purely to earn the Marriott Bonvoy points.

A base level member would earn (£400 – 5% VAT x $1.32 x 10 points per $1) 5,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, whilst an elite member would receive a status bonus on top.

Bulgari Hotel does not take part in Marriott Bonvoy, so don’t book that one if you want the points! In any event, base rooms at the Bulgari tend to start at £600.

Which hotels are taking part?

Here is the list of participating hotels. Given that travel into Europe won’t get a lot easier this side of New Year, you should probably focus on the UK hotels.

Having exchanged emails with many readers about this offer in recent weeks, there seems to be a fundamental misunderstanding amongst some of them.

This is NOT ‘get a refund of your charges, capped at £400’. It is ‘spend £400+ and get a £400 statement credit back’.

If you spend £399.99 you will get NOTHING back from American Express.

American Express Amex Platinum card £400 free Marriott stays

You may want to book your stay via our hotel partner for extra benefits

Before I remind you of the deals that our hotel booking partner Bon Vivant offers, I should clarify three things:

The rules of the ‘spend £400, get £400 cashback’ offer say that you need to book via marriott.com. If you book via Bon Vivant, you won’t be doing this. However, because you are paying at check-out, there is virtually no chance that the ‘book via marriott.com’ rule could be applied. How is American Express meant to know how you booked? However, it is only fair that I highlight this to you.

(Many readers have already booked this offer via Bon Vivant and received the cashback.)

Secondly, some hotels are offering online deals which are cheaper than the rate Emyr can access. You need to factor in the $100 credit, upgrade and free breakfast to decide what is best. Links to the direct hotel websites are below.

Trump Turnberry £400 American Express offer

What are the ‘added value’ deals?

We have only looked at the UK hotels included in the American Express Platinum deal, given the current restrictions.

However, if you are thinking of booking any of the other hotels on the list, Emyr can also book those for you with similar benefits.

Here are your options for UK stays:

Note that The Westbury, Mayfair is now closed for refurbishment.

What deals can Bon Vivant offer?

You receive the following benefits on all eight of the hotels listed above:

  • Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
  • Complimentary breakfast for two daily for duration of the stay
  • $100 USD equivalent hotel credit once per stay
  • Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability 
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi
  • Customised amenity

Note the ‘complimentary breakfast’ AND the $100 hotel credit. This means that you can actually spend around £480 without having to pay a penny, since your $100 credit will be deducted from your bill at check-out!

If you want to stay for multiple nights, the following ‘free night’ offers are available via Bon Vivant and stack with the £400 credit:

The London EDITION – pay for two nights, get a third night free

JW Marriott Grosvenor House – pay for two nights, get a third night free

Do I still receive points and elite night credit in Marriott Bonvoy if I book via Bon Vivant or Amex FHR?

Yes, except for Bulgari. Bulgari does not participate in Marriott Bonvoy.

Do I still pay on departure if I book via Bon Vivant or Amex FHR?

Yes

How can I contact Bon Vivant?

Please send your booking enquiries via the form on this page of Head for Points.

Please be as precise as possible to allow us to deal with enquiries as efficiently as we can. Remember that pricing will match Best Available Rate showing on marriott.com.

A typical enquiry might be “I’m thinking of booking a standard room at JW Marriott Grosvenor House from 7th to 10th December. The Best Available Rate showing online is £281. Can you please confirm that you can book at this price – with ‘3rd night free’ – and provide the other benefits on top?”.

As for my own trip …. as I live in London, I will book a ‘work from hotel’ package at the Grosvenor House. This gives me 6am check-in on Day 1 and 6pm check-out on Day 2, so I get somewhere smart to work. This will leave around £130 for a trip to the hotel restaurant and bar in the evening, before I nip home.

The form to contact Emyr is at the bottom of this page (click). Happy booking!

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How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards

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:

and for small business owners:

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.

Category

American Express Platinum card, Marriott Bonvoy

Comments (72)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Tarmohamed says:
    20 Nov20 November 04:20

    Just something I noticed, when Emyr sent me my booking confirmation it was from the Marriot.com website and my card details were put in. In effect we “have” booked via Marriot.con, but using Emyr’s “login” which gives him access to the rates and packages etc.

  • Raul says:
    20 Nov20 November 04:44

    What about lockdown? Can you book a hotel and stay before December 2nd?

    • Tarmohamed says:
      20 Nov20 November 04:50

      I’m not sure which hotels are operating during lockdown, but you can stay for “work” purposes.

      • Nick says:
        20 Nov20 November 05:57

        The restrictions during lockdown are perfectly clear and NOT loosely, as you seem to imply, for “work” purposes!

        “You cannot leave home for holidays or stays overnight away from your main home unless permitted by law. This means that holidays in the UK and abroad are not allowed.”

        You are allowed to stay overnight away from your home if you:

        – are unable to return to your main residence
        – need accommodation while moving house
        – need accommodation to attend a funeral or related commemorative event
        – require accommodation for work purposes or to provide voluntary services
        – are a child requiring accommodation for school or care
        – are homeless, seeking asylum or a vulnerable person seeking refuge
        – are an elite athlete or their support staff or parent, if the athlete is under 18 and it is – – necessary to be outside of the home for training or competition

        • Mouse says:
          20 Nov20 November 08:17

          But the hotel is unlikely to shoot itself in the foot by shopping you to the old bill

          • Simon Barlow says:
            20 Nov20 November 08:46

            Of course not. But you are wilfully breaking the law. And this type of irresponsibility does nothing to help control the spread of the virus. If we all decidied to have some time away for ‘work’ I’m sure the hotels would love it, but so would the virus, meaning potential further restrictions. Why can’t people just stick to the rules?

        • Rob says:
          20 Nov20 November 09:02

          Turn up with a laptop bag and you’re fine. Turn up with the wife and kids and it could be tricky.

          Not sure what lockdown you are referring to above because London is functioning as normal with most people who were in the office still doing so. I am typing this outside South Ken tube having brekky and people are poring out as usual.

          • Chris says:
            20 Nov20 November 10:13

            @Simon Barlow – it’s great to know the virus doesn’t infect those travelling for work but will get you if you travel for leisure. Clever thing that little virus is.

  • Michael C says:
    20 Nov20 November 04:52

    Rob, when you go to GH, can you tell us if it looks lovely and Xmas-y?!
    It’s on my mid-Dec shortlist, along with the Sheraton PL and Trafalgar St James. Cheers!

  • Jake says:
    20 Nov20 November 06:26

    How many more articles are we going to have on this offer? Lots of us never received it and are fed up hearing about it…..

  • Prune says:
    20 Nov20 November 07:11

    I keep on reading about using Emyr for bookings but not once have I had a quote that offsets Hilton or Marriott gold benefits. Even when you add in the $100 credit it always seems to be more expensive than doing it myself. What am I missing here?

    • Jonathan says:
      20 Nov20 November 07:21

      I assume you’re looking at non-flexible pay in advance rates (which are cheaper) & comparing with the Best Flexible Rate which Emyr will book but give you added extras on top for no additional cost. It’s up to you if these extras justify the premium over non-flexible rates (assuming you were happy to not have the option to cancel in the first place).

      The waters are muddied at the moment as many of the hotels are offering their own incentives for direct bookings eg. €100 credit.

      • Olly says:
        20 Nov20 November 07:40

        @jonathan Agreed, but apart from the benefit of having the cancellation safeguard with Emyr at these uncertain times, if it works out the same return of benefits and perks
        , why not help Emyr out by him getting his small commision?

    • Rob says:
      20 Nov20 November 08:56

      What do you mean? You get all those benefits via Emyr, because he books via the ‘official’ in-house platforms for luxury travel agents.

      Try him for Hyatt. Guaranteed upgrade AT BOOKING, free brekky and $100 credit – even on a €150 one night stay at a cheap Park Hyatt. Plus your points.

      • Prune says:
        20 Nov20 November 10:12

        So when I have requested prices for both the Waldorf in Edinburgh and the Grosvenor the prices I have been quoted have always been more expensive than booking direct. These are non flexible bookings which are fully cancellable but I can see the benefits of having a flexible booking post COVID. However even when taking into account the $100 it still hasn’t stacked up for me. I suppose that’s why I was questioning am I missing something here as people are still booking with Emyr. I haven’t tried booking a Hyatt room yet so that could be my sweet spot.

        • Rob says:
          20 Nov20 November 10:44

          Yes, pricing will often vary because Emyr can only book flexible rates if you want the extra perks attached. However, if you are booking flexible rates anyway then it is a no-brainer.

          Really … if you’ve got a couple of kids who can easily pick up a bug, or you have a job which means you end up working occasional weekends at short notice, or you simply don’t like the idea of going away if the weather turns out to be terrible, flexible rates are the only sensible option.

          The money you THINK you save booking non-flexible rates disappears very quickly the first time you end up losing your money because you can’t make it, or you turn up knowing it is going to rain permanently for the whole stay.

          • meta says:
            20 Nov20 November 11:42

            Actually on my recent Hyatt stay Emyr got me a rate 20 euros cheaper than non-flexible on Hyatt website!

      • Lady London says:
        20 Nov20 November 12:50

        l was going to book Park Hyart Hamburg vua Emyr on that basis (and I:m cheap). But flights to Hamburg got canned grrrrrr. A pity aa Hamburg’s a good city for work. These are extraordinaey times and we won’t ger that kind of deal at a Park Hyatt again.

  • Olly says:
    20 Nov20 November 07:44

    Rob, do you know if the $100 spend is taken from the market exchange rate or the hotel’s own rates?

    Also, I hope this article doesn’t rekindle the torrent of negativity it did the last time.

    • Paul says:
      20 Nov20 November 07:46

      When I used it at the Westbury last month they gave me £66 well below market rate

      • Olly says:
        20 Nov20 November 08:00

        Thanks Paul. I am keen to know their reason for the Westbury offering such a low rate, presuming you challenged them?

        • Lady London says:
          20 Nov20 November 12:58

          I alwaya take VAT off (in any cointry) then assume hotel is giving me a 25% worse rate than they should.

          Usually it’s 12% – 20% worse. Vital to over calculate the loss on any promotion that is stated in dollars, to ensure you qualify or receive what you expect.

          Though twice, Accor hotels have shocked me by converting pretty much at Mastercard rate.

    • Rob says:
      20 Nov20 November 08:52

      Hotel sets the rate.

  • Mouse says:
    20 Nov20 November 08:21

    I’m amazed no-one has been on here yet to whinge about how they didn’t get the offer!

    • Brian says:
      20 Nov20 November 08:59

      Let me correct that oversight….Really disappointed in Amex. I didn’t get the offer. Admittedly, I don’t have the Platinum card, but that’s NO excuse!

    • AndyW says:
      20 Nov20 November 09:32

      Me too. Don’t have any Amex as I went for the two year break but it’s really not fair…

    • Doug M says:
      20 Nov20 November 09:50

      When I saw the home page today this was my first stop, cracking winner this one.

  • N says:
    20 Nov20 November 08:51

    You can’t earn/burn Bonvoy at Bulgari but when asked (over the phone) if they offer status benefits, they said they do.

    • TGLoyalty says:
      20 Nov20 November 10:09

      Did they mention what benefits? Expect its just a preference on upgrade.

      Really don’t understand why they don’t allow earn if if they don’t want to allow burn. Wasted opp.

      Grand Residences by Marriott – Mayfair-London, UK doesn’t take part either

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