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Should you get the Marriott Bonvoy American Express credit card for Gold Elite status?

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There is currently a generous special offer running on the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Card.

Until 3rd May, you will receive 40,000 Marriott Bonvoy points if you spend £3,000 within your first three months.  You will also receive Gold Elite status in Marriott Bonvoy until February 2024, as well as the standard benefit of 15 elite night credits.

We know that a lot of HfP readers will not qualify for the 40,000 bonus points because they hold, or have recently held, another personal American Express Card.

However, EVERYONE who is accepted will receive Gold Elite status until February 2024, so we wanted to look at this benefit in more detail today.

The representative APR is 54.5% variable, including the annual fee.  The representative APR on purchases is 30.7% variable.

Mariott Bonvoy American Express credit card

There is an annual fee of £75 per year.

You can apply for the card here.

What is Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite?

As mentioned above, you will get automatic Gold Elite status when you take out the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Credit Card. The benefits of Gold Elite include:

  • 25% bonus on base points
  • A room upgrade,
  • High-speed internet,
  • 2pm late check-out (based on availability, not at resorts and conference hotels)
  • Welcome gift of additional points when you check-in

Where could you go to enjoy your Gold Elite status?

Marriott Bonvoy have recently run some research into travel patterns in 2022 and have found that Spain, Greece and Italy look to be the top summer destinations this year. Here’s a few hotels where you could enjoy the perks of Gold Elite status:

Santo Mauro, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Madrid

This newly opened Luxury Collection hotel in Madrid’s Chamberi district has two much-anticipated restaurants helmed by acclaimed chef Rafael Peña. There’s also a beautiful garden space, perfect for dinner on a balmy night. Rooms start at €570 or 70,000 points per night.

The Westin Excelsior, Florence

Just a few steps away from the Uffizi Gallery and Piazza della Signoria, the Westin Excelsior is in an excellent spot to explore Florence. Its amenities include SE·STO on Arno, a unique rooftop restaurant and bar with 360 views over Florence and a popular fitness studio. Rooms start at €368 per night.

The Ritz-Carlton, Abama

The Ritz-Carlton, Abama is a great family option for anyone thinking of travelling to Tenerife this year. There’s an extensive entertainment programme, Ritz Kids club, offering activities including Spanish lessons, movie screenings, talent shows and sports as well as seven swimming pools and a popular beach club.

Rhys very much enjoyed a recent visit to the Ritz-Carlton, Abama and you can read his review here. Rooms start from €300 or 40,000 points per night.

The St. Regis Downtown Dubai

Alternatively, if you decide to take out the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card and want to try out your new Gold Elite status sooner rather than later, you could take a late spring jaunt to Dubai. The lavish St. Regis Downtown Dubai has a view over the iconic Burj Khalifa and is in walking distance of the world’s largest shopping mall, Dubai Mall. It also has an impressive infinity pool that overlooks the Dubai Water Canal. Rooms start at £318 or 77,500 points per night.

If you think getting the credit card makes sense, our full review of the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card is here.  Our full article on the 40,000 points bonus is here.

The special bonus of 40,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, if you qualify, and the offer of Gold Elite status until February 2024 runs until 3rd May.

You can apply here.

If you want to learn more about the key benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy American Express card, take a look at this article.

Disclaimer: Head for Points is a journalistic website. Nothing here should be construed as financial advice, and it is your own responsibly to ensure that any product is right for your circumstances. Recommendations are based primarily on the ability to earn miles and points. The site discusses products offered by lenders but is not a lender itself. Robert Burgess, trading as Head for Points, is regulated and authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as an independent credit broker.

Category

Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott Bonvoy American Express

Comments (37)

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

  • Cranzle says:
    25 Apr25 April 03:46

    The room upgrade has pretty much the same exclusions ‘subject to availability and excludes resorts’ as the 2pm checkout

  • Cranzle says:
    25 Apr25 April 03:56

    I think these are the full terms for room upgrade:

    iv. Complimentary Enhanced Room Upgrade for Gold Elite Members. This benefit is subject to availability on the day of arrival and is limited to a Member’s personal guestroom at no additional charge. Enhanced rooms may include rooms with desirable views, rooms on high floors, corner rooms, rooms with special amenities, rooms on Executive Floors. At The Ritz-Carlton, rooms with direct Club access are excluded. Upgrades are subject to availability and identified by each Participating Property. The Complimentary Enhanced Room Upgrade for Gold Elite Members is available at all Participating Brands except Marriott Vacation Club, Marriott Grand Residence Club, Aloft, Element and Vistana properties.

    i. Bonus Points vary by Elite membership level and are calculated based on base Points earned during a stay. Available to Elite Members at all Participating Brands except as otherwise noted in Section 1.2.a.

    ii. Complimentary Enhanced Room Upgrade for Platinum Elite Members. Platinum Elite Members and above receive a complimentary upgrade to the best available room, subject to availability on the day of arrival, for the entire length of stay. Complimentary upgrade includes suites, rooms with desirable views, rooms on high floors, corner rooms, rooms with special amenities or rooms on Executive Floors. At The Ritz-Carlton, suites are only included for Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite Members and rooms with direct Club access are excluded. Enhanced Room Upgrades are subject to availability and are identified by each Participating Property. The Complimentary Enhanced Room Upgrade for Platinum Elite Members and above is available at all Participating Brands except at Marriott Vacation Club, Marriott Grand Residence Club, Aloft, Element and Vistana properties.

  • Voltron says:
    25 Apr25 April 04:09

    Is it worth keeping a small balance of bonvoy points now with dynamic pricing or just transfer to avios (nectar)? Only have 60k and have a healthy hilton balance.

  • meta says:
    25 Apr25 April 04:13

    St. Regis Dubai Downtown or ex-Renaissance Dubai Downtown (stayed two times when it was Renaissance) no longer has Burj Khalifa views as another building was built across the street. It’s also no longer selling rooms as Burj Khalifa view so it’s a bit of a false advertising to mention it here.

  • Ste says:
    25 Apr25 April 04:25

    Hmm, did I miss the something? The answer to “Should you get the Marriott Bonvoy American Express for Gold Elite status? Or is it just not the typical high-quality informative articles we always get from HfP and just clickbait? I stand corrected – if I missed the answer!

    • The Original David says:
      25 Apr25 April 09:06

      The answer is clearly “No, Bonvoy Gold is pointless”, but you have to read between the lines.

      For all the stick that IHG gets for status benefits, I had a much better experience being IHG Platinum than I get as Marriott Gold. I think Bonvoy only gets interesting at Titanium.

      • YC says:
        25 Apr25 April 15:41

        Marriott platinum has decent benefits. IHG gets stick for poor top tier status (but this may change with the revamp).

        On Marriott gold, I think the only tangible benefit is the bonus points and maybe 2pm check out. If u have a few stays lined up, it does help offset some of the annual fee. It does seem like a perk that was never going to shift the dial.

  • Ian says:
    25 Apr25 April 05:58

    It is a shame that the status is weak compared to Hilton Silver such as Breakfast.

    Plus Gold Elite comes with the Amex Platinum.

  • Optimus Prime says:
    25 Apr25 April 06:26

    Had a one night stay at Aloft Dublin City last week, paid with cash. No upgrade despite all room categories being available at time of check-in.
    We did get free drinks, 250 points and checkout at 2pm.

    • meta says:
      25 Apr25 April 08:21

      Aloft hotels are excluded from upgrades.

    • ken says:
      25 Apr25 April 11:40

      Had a one night stay at Aloft Liverpool on friday, paid with points.
      upgraded as Gold (City view, larger room). Wouldn’t have paid (£50 ish) for it as we were out in town late but was appreciated & a fab view of the city.

      Didn’t get free drinks though.

      Good value (20k points). Good staff

      However almost always £250+ on a saturday and as much as £446 some saturdays which is frankly astonishing.
      Normally 30k points on a saturday so you are getting good value.

  • Evan says:
    25 Apr25 April 07:30

    Wouldn’t be HfP without Dubai being slipped in….

    • Rob says:
      25 Apr25 April 08:51

      Bonvoy wanted that in 🙂 I didn’t even see the article until last night.

      • meta says:
        25 Apr25 April 12:27

        Yes, because the occupancy is probably so low for that hotel and they have literally just changed a few design elements and just renamed the bar as St.Regis. All other the restaurants still have the same name. The Six Senses spa left when it was turned into St.Regis, they doubled the cash price and many good staff left too. Marriott went as far to lie about the views from the hotel.

      • Evan says:
        25 Apr25 April 15:03

        Mate you’ve got to earn a crust I get that.

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