Which European Marriott Bonvoy hotels are Category 1 (5,000 to 10,000 points)?

We recently ran an article looking at Hilton Honors hotels which cost 5,000 or 10,000 points per night. It was a relatively simple job because there are not many of them. None are in the UK.

Today I thought we’d do the same exercise for Category 1 hotels in Marriott Bonvoy.

The UK does have one Marriott Bonvoy hotel in Category 1 – Moxy Aberdeen Airport. Here’s the website.

Why is this interesting, apart from the ability to have a cheap stay in Aberdeen? Because Marriott Bonvoy counts reward nights towards status. They do NOT count towards a status challenge but they do count towards standard status. If you are pushing for Marriott Bonvoy status this year, a few reward nights here could be a good investment if you live locally.

For clarity, you won’t be allowed to book and check-in without visiting the hotel in person. If you explain your plan, however, you should be allowed to check-in and not be seen again until the day of check-out.

What do Category 1 Marriott Bonvoy hotels cost?

A Category 1 redemption in Marriott Bonvoy costs:

• 5,000 points per night off-peak
• 7,500 points per night at standard rates
• 10,000 points per night peak

You can buy Marriott Bonvoy points for just over 0.6p each in their current promotion so, on off-peak nights, you can see the value here if you are just a few nights short of a new status level.

Where are the Marriott Bonvoy Category 1 hotels?

There are 277 hotels globally in Category 1.

The easiest way to search them is to go to the main Marriott hotel directory page here, filter by Category 1 (the filter button is a little hidden) and then select the part of the world that interests you.

23 of the 277 hotels are in Europe. Some are in remote parts of Russia so I have ignored those, given that you are unlikely to be visiting.

The Spanish options are particularly interesting, I think. These are not budget hotels – all are part of the AC Hotel brand which generally operates in the four-star market. At 5,000 to 10,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night, you are getting good value.

Spain

• AC Hotel A Coruna (pictured above, looks smart)
• AC Hotel Algeciras
• AC Hotel Badajoz
• AC Hotel Elda
• AC Hotel Guadalajara
• AC Hotel La Linea
• AC Hotel Murcia
• AC Hotel Palencia
• AC Hotel Ponferrada
• AC Hotel Palacio de Santa Ana

Hungary

• Four Points by Sheraton Kecskemet

Kazakhstan

• Renaissance Aktau Hotel

Montenegro

• Four Points by Sheraton Kolasin

Poland

• Moxy Poznan Airport

Turkey

• Aloft Bursa
• Courtyard Istanbul West
• Residence Inn Istanbul Atasehir
• Four Points by Sheraton Izmir
• Sheraton Grand Samsun

UK

• Moxy Aberdeen Airport

To find out more about any of these hotels, click here and filter by Category 1 and then by Europe. You can also look up where all of the 277 Category 1 hotels are via the same method.

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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.

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.

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 (40,000 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. 

(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.)