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Marriott adds 19 all-inclusive beach resorts in one deal, bookable this Summer

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Marriott has made no secret of its desire to push into the ‘all inclusive’ resort sector. As well as being a profitable niche in its own right, ‘all inclusive’ resorts are popular with Marriott Bonvoy members.

Whilst Marriott has substantially increased the number of aspirational Bonvoy redemptions since it acquired Starwood, some people are reluctant to redeem at high end hotels due to the cost of food and drink.

The strategy is that a strong ‘all inclusive’ portfolio will encourage Bonvoy members to spend more across all Marriott hotels in order to earn points for a redemption.

Marriott adds 19 resorts to its ‘Autograph’ brand

Under a deal announced today, Marriott is adding 19 resorts across the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico.

This includes Antigua and St Lucia, where Marriott has no properties at the moment.

The resorts are all operated by Sunwing Travel, the Canadian hospitality group. The deal covers 7,000 rooms in total.

18 of the hotels are expected to join Marriott’s ‘Autograph’ brand by ‘mid 2021’. Here is the list:

Mexico

  • 840-room Royalton Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa
  • 343-room Hideaway at Royalton Riviera Cancun
  • 566-room Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Cancun
  • 332-room Planet Hollywood Adults Scene Cancun
  • 457-room Royalton CHIC Suites Cancun Resort & Spa

Dominican Republic

  • 730-room Royalton Bavaro Resort & Spa
  • 320-room Royalton CHIC Punta Cana Resort & Spa
  • 525-room Royalton Splash Punta Cana Resort & Spa
  • 317-room Royalton Punta Cana Resort & Casino
  • 168-room Hideaway at Royalton Punta Cana

Jamaica

  • 352-room Royalton White Sands Montego Bay
  • 228-room Royalton Blue Waters Montego Bay
  • 140-room Hideaway at Royalton Negril
  • 407-room Royalton Negril Resort & Spa

St. Lucia

  • 290-room Royalton Saint Lucia Resort & Spa
  • 166-room Hideaway at Royalton Saint Lucia

Antigua

  • 294-room Royalton Antigua Resort & Spa (picture above)

Costa Rica

  • 294-room Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Costa Rica

Conclusion

Heaven knows what a ‘Planet Hollywood’ beach resort is like – the ‘Planet Hollywood Adult Scene Cancun’ resort is potentially not going to be top of your list for 2022.

In a similar vein, you need to ask how this hotel is meant to sit alongside hotels like The University Arms in Cambridge as an ‘Autograph’ high end boutique property.

However, the Royalton brand has more cache and there are some decent options here. It will be interesting to see how Marriott Bonvoy prices them for points, and indeed how the move to Marriott changes the mix of guests from package tourists to direct bookers.

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 2024)

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 sign-up bonus 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.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a 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. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

Category

Marriott Bonvoy

Comments (33)

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

  • Dave B says:
    9 Feb9 February 15:01

    Some very good ones there, do you think that they will also add the Barbados acquisitions (Elegant Hotels) to the redemptions portfolio?

    • Rhys says:
      9 Feb9 February 15:44

      It’s a work in progress. Eventually, the Elegant hotels will come under a variety of Marriott brands too.

  • Timbo says:
    9 Feb9 February 15:24

    Slightly O/T, but does anyone have the UK number for Bonvoy Customer Services to hand? My account has been locked for an audit shortly after converting just over 200k points into Avios (to convert onward into Nectar). The Marriott website only seems to have international contact numbers, but I remember seeing the UK one on here in the comments a couple of years ago. Thanks!

    • Robin N says:
      9 Feb9 February 16:23

      I use 020 3564 6337 (Titanium line).

    • kevbar says:
      9 Feb9 February 16:36

      When you convert to avios does the surname have to match on both accounts? Thanks

      • kevbar says:
        9 Feb9 February 16:54

        reason for asking is I’ve been waiting for a transfer bonus but looks like my points will expire in August, so if I transfer them to someone else and there is a bonus at the end of this year ‘someone else’ could then transfer out to my BAEC….

        • TGLoyalty says:
          9 Feb9 February 17:06

          I thought all expiry was suspended until Dec 31st 2021 regardless of what you account says?

          • kevbar says:
            10 Feb10 February 10:00

            my points are from April 2019, the website says ‘Starting August 1, 2021, points will begin to expire 24 months after your latest activity.’

            I forgot to transfer some MR points in 2020 and am now on amex holiday 🙁

          • xcalx says:
            10 Feb10 February 10:21

            A family members 2000 Avios that expired in July 2020 were removed from his account in January this year due to no activity.

          • xcalx says:
            10 Feb10 February 10:22

            Sorry, these were BA Avios.

  • Peter K says:
    9 Feb9 February 16:10

    Interesting to have the option. As always though, pricing is key.

    • memesweeper says:
      9 Feb9 February 20:58

      The only all-incl. they have in Costa Rica is very expensive on points. I suspect these will be very popular redemptions for points-rich Americans, and thus highly priced.

  • Steve says:
    10 Feb10 February 05:29

    Bit harsh on the Adult Scene resort, nothing wrong with a kid free, adult only, resort option.

    • Rob says:
      10 Feb10 February 09:41

      Nothing wrong with it all, but this is Cancun and ‘adults only’ in Cancun generally means Club 18-30 style partying with a Planet Hollywood theme. University Arms it aint.

    • Simon Barlow says:
      10 Feb10 February 09:54

      Sounds like a swingers haunt!

  • Phil says:
    10 Feb10 February 06:11

    Erm… cachet…

  • JP says:
    10 Feb10 February 06:46

    I have to say my experience of the Royalton brand is average. Nice hotels spec wise (Rooms/interiors) but let down by giant canteen style rooms for Brexit, average to poor alcohol in the bars, plastic glasses for everything and average food.

    If Sunwing from Canada will still be filling the rooms you can expect plenty of basketball jerseys and tats around the pool too.

    • TGLoyalty says:
      10 Feb10 February 07:22

      #Brexit has ruined more than just food exports then!

      • Sandgrounder says:
        10 Feb10 February 08:19

        I can imagine these giant canteen-style rooms, filled with people standing for the anthem and drinking Victory brand gin.

  • Brighton Belle says:
    10 Feb10 February 07:43

    Gove will be along soon to claim this is another Brexit win

  • Chrisasaurus says:
    10 Feb10 February 10:13

    What we really need is for someone to offer a TA service with a specialty in points. There are firms offering to help you get flight redemptions but none I’m aware of that would let you give them say your Marriott, Hilton IHG etc balances as a budget as well as baec/vafc and say I want to go to one of these hotels travelling J or above please.

    Any takers?

    • Matthew says:
      10 Feb10 February 10:39

      I pretty much do this every week for my friends and family!!

    • Novice says:
      10 Feb10 February 10:46

      Great idea!!!

      I’m too lazy so this would be awesome. I use the same TA for all travel (also the same person in the company) because I absolutely hate doing all the leg work. I love the planning and the dreaming up destinations, routes, activities etc but if you ever told me I had to handle logistics I’d never get out of the country…

      Atm, I convert any hotel points to airline miles because it’s easier for me.

    • BuildBackBetter says:
      10 Feb10 February 12:51

      There is such a service – can’t recollect the name. Their website will show you all combinations of points redemptions for a flight or hotel. But if you need any advice, you have to call and pay.

    • Alex D says:
      10 Feb10 February 20:15

      A couple of these are around, as shown below. I do also know a few travel agents who do this kind of thing on the side for you. (For a fee of course)

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

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