Frequent Miler's latest team challenge, Million Mile Madness, is almost done! The last two weeks Greg, Nick, and Stephen competed to earn 1 Million SAS miles by flying 15 airlines. But who completed the challenge with the most Speed, Affordability, and Style?
Recently I compiled a list of the best Hyatt resorts for domestic US summer travel. At the end of the post I promised to do the same for Marriott and Hilton. Well, here’s to fulfilling part 1 of that promise! Without further ado, here are the best Marriott resorts for domestic US summer travel…
OK, wait. We need a tiny bit of “ado”…
In this post I’ve looked exclusively at Marriott and aimed to answer this question:
Which Marriott resorts within the lower 48 states would be good candidates for a summer vacation?
To keep the list down to an almost manageable amount (there are tons of Marriotts out there!), I filtered to the properties that Marriott identifies as resorts. I then removed from consideration any resorts located in places that are likely to be too hot for summer travel, such as: Southeast, Texas, Arizona, and parts of California that can get very hot in the summer (like Palm Springs). Further, in most cases I removed resorts from consideration if the average review score was below 4.0.
With each resort, I looked at room rates and award availability for 5 nights (August 2 to August 7 2020). I figured that August is far enough into the summer to be pretty sure that we can travel domestically by then.
Here’s what I found….
East Coast
Maryland
Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $280
- Award Category 5 (35,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 140,000 points for entire stay
- Resort fee: $22/night
- Award value: 1 cent per point (good value)
New Jersey
Marriott’s Fairway Villas (Marriott Vacation Club)
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $489
- Award Category 6 (50,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? No
- Resort fee: None.
- Award value: 0.8 cents per point (fair value)
Vermont
The Equinox, a Luxury Collection Golf Resort & Spa
Note that this resort has earned a very poor TripAdvisor rating.
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $177
- Award Category 6 (50,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 200,000 points for entire stay.
- Resort fee: $39/night
- Award value: 0.4 cents per point (very poor value)
Virginia
Four Points by Sheraton Virginia Beach Oceanfront
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $254
- Award Category 6 (50,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 240,000 points for entire stay.
- Resort fee: None.
- Award value: 0.5 cents per point (very poor value)
The Cavalier Virginia Beach, Autograph Collection
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $382
- Award Category 7 (60,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 280,000 points for entire stay.
- Resort fee: $40/night
- Award value: 0.7 cents per point (poor value)
Marriott’s Manor Club at Ford’s Colony (Marriott Vacation Club)
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $135
- Award Category 5 (35,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 130,000 points for entire stay.
- Resort fee: None.
- Award value: 0.5 cents per point (very poor value)
Midwest
Illinois
Lincolnshire Marriott Resort
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $242
- Award Category 4 (25,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 115,000 points for entire stay.
- Resort fee: None.
- Award value: 1 cent per point (good value)
Michigan
Inn at Bay Harbor, Autograph Collection
I’ve stayed at this resort many times. The views are beautiful (especially if you manage to score an upgrade to a lake-view room) and the Petoskey area, in general, is great. This resort tends to offer great value for your points. And it helps that the resort fee is a percentage of the base rate (so there’s no resort fee on an award stay). The bad thing is that award availability is slim in the summer months.
- Aug 23-28 average room rate: $436.
- Award Category 5 (35,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 23-28 points rate available? No
- Resort fee: 10% of nightly room rate
- Award value: 1.4 cents per point (very good value)
Missouri
Marriott’s Willow Ridge Lodge (Marriott Vacation Club)
This look like a great choice for a cash stay in Branson Missouri.
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $140
- Award Category 4 (25,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 105,000 points for entire stay.
- Resort fee: None.
- Award value: 0.7 cents per point (poor value)
Mountain States
Colorado
Marriott’s Mountain Valley Lodge at Breckenridge (Marriott Vacation Club)
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $224
- Award Category 6 (50,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? No
- Resort fee: None.
- Award value: 0.5 cents per point (very poor value)
Sheraton Steamboat Resort Villas
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $180
- Award Category 5 (35,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 150,000 points for entire stay.
- Resort fee: None.
- Award value: 0.6 cents per point (poor value)
St Regis Aspen Resort
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $841
- Award Category 8 (85,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 370,000 points for entire stay.
- Resort fee: None.
- Award value: 1.1 cents per point (good value)
The Westin Snowmass Resort
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $163
- Award Category 6 (50,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 210,000 points for entire stay.
- Resort fee: $30/night
- Award value: 0.4 cents per point (very poor value)
W Aspen
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $832
- Award Category 7 (60,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 250,000 points for entire stay.
- Resort fee: $50/night
- Award value: 1.7 cents per point (great value)
Vail / Avon / Beaver Creek Colorado Resorts
There is such a large collection of Marriott properties in the Vail / Avon area that I decided to simply list them here. Based on reviews, the best of them appear to be these:
- Sheraton Lakeside Terrace Villas at Mountain Vista, Avon | Category 6 (50,000 points per night standard)
- The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch| $370/night | Category 8 (85,000 points per night standard)
- The Westin Riverfront Mountain Villas Beaver Creek | $227 per night | Category 7 (60,000 points per night standard)
- The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa Avon / Vail Valley | $234/night | Category 7 (60,000 points per night standard)
And here are the rest:
- Marriott’s StreamSide Birch at Vail | Category 6 (50,000 points per night standard) | NOTE: Very poor TripAdvisor Reviews
- Marriott’s StreamSide Douglas at Vail | $203/night | Category 7 (60,000 points per night standard)
- Marriott’s StreamSide Evergreen at Vail | $401/night | Category 7 (60,000 points per night standard)
- Sheraton Mountain Vista Villas Avon / Vail Valley | $189/night | Category 5 (35,000 points per night standard)
- Vail Marriott Mountain Resort | $434/night | Category 7 (60,000 points per night standard)
New Mexico
La Posada De Santa Fe, A Tribute Portfolio Resort & Spa
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $259
- Award Category 6 (50,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 230,000 points for entire stay.
- Resort fee: $35/night
- Award value: 0.6 cents per point (poor value)
Utah
Hotel Park City, Autograph Collection
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $487
- Award Category 7 (60,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? No
- Resort fee: $30/night
- Award value: 0.7 cents per point (poor value)
Marriott’s Mountainside Park City
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $216
- Award Category 6 (50,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 230,000 points for entire stay.
- Resort fee: None
- Award value: 0.5 cents per point (very poor value)
Marriott’s Summits Watch Park City
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $211
- Award Category 6 (50,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 230,000 points for entire stay.
- Resort fee: None.
- Award value: 0.5 cents per point (very poor value)
The St. Regis Deer Valley
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $332
- Award Category 8 (85,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 340,000 points for entire stay.
- Resort fee: $35/night
- Award value: 0.5 cents per point (very poor value)
West Coast
California
Coronado Island Marriott Resort & Spa
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $325
- Award Category 6 (50,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 200,000 points for entire stay.
- Resort fee: $40/night
- Award value: 0.8 cents per point (fair value)
Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $332
- Award Category 6 (50,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 200,000 points for entire stay.
- Resort fee: $29/night
- Award value: 0.8 cents per point (fair value)
Las Alcobas, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Napa Valley
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $708
- Award Category 8 (85,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? No
- Resort fee: None.
- Award value: 0.7 cents per point (poor value)
Marriott’s Newport Coast Villas
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $637
- Award Category 7 (60,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? No
- Resort fee: None
- Award value: 0.9 cents per point (fair value)
Pier South Resort, Autograph Collection
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $264
- Award Category 6 (50,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 200,000 points for entire stay.
- Resort fee: $20/night
- Award value: 0.7 cents per point (poor value)
The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, a Tribute Portfolio Resort & Spa
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $405
- Award Category 6 (50,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? No.
- Resort fee: $30/night
- Award value: 0.7 cents per point (poor value)
The Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort & Spa
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $322
- Award Category 6 (60,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 240,000 points for entire stay.
- Resort fee: $39/night
- Award value: 0.7 cents per point (poor value)
The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $881
- Award Category 7 (60,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 260,000 points for entire stay.
- Resort fee: $50/night
- Award value: 1.7 cents per point (great value)
The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $749
- Award Category 7 (60,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? No
- Resort fee: $50/night
- Award value: 1.1 cents per point (good value)
The Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $276
- Award Category 6 (50,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 240,000 points for entire stay.
- Resort fee: $25/night
- Award value: 0.5 cents per point (very poor value)
The Westin Monache Resort, Mammoth Lake
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $230
- Award Category 7 (60,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 260,000 points for entire stay.
- Resort fee: $25/night
- Award value: 0.4 cents per point (very poor value)
The Westin Verasa Napa
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $336
- Award Category 7 (60,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 240,000 points for entire stay.
- Resort fee: $25/night
- Award value: 0.7 cents per point (poor value)
Lake Tahoe
Grand Residences by Marriott, Lake Tahoe
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $293
- Award Category 6 (50,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? No.
- Resort fee: None.
- Award value: 0.5 cents per point (very poor value)
Marriott’s Timber Lodge (Marriott Vacation Club)
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $293
- Award Category 6 (50,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? No.
- Resort fee: None.
- Award value: 0.5 cents per point (very poor value)
The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe
- Aug 2-7 average room rate: $391
- Award Category 8 (85,000 points per night standard)
- Aug 2-7 points rate available? Yes: 340,000 points for entire stay.
- Resort fee: $50/night
- Award value: 0.5 cents per point (very poor value)
Methodology
Using Marriott’s website, I filtered to Marriott properties in the lower 48 United States which were identified as resorts. I then removed from consideration any resorts located in places that are likely to be too hot for summer travel, such as: Southeast, Texas, Arizona, and parts of California that can get very hot in the summer (like Palm Springs). Further, I removed resorts from consideration if the average review score on Marriott’s site was below 4.0 (in at least one occassion though I kept a property because the Tripadvisor ratings were much higher).
With each resort, I looked at room rates and award availability for 5 nights (August 2 to August 7 2020). I figured that August is far enough into the summer to be pretty sure that we can travel domestically by then.
Even though Marriott has an option to view the “all-in” rate, I didn’t select it. The reason is that I wanted to calculate award point values and the all-in rate confuses things since it includes resort fees. So, instead, I used the pre-tax and fee rate to compare to point prices. The reason I think that’s fair is that the lack of taxes from the cash price largely balances out the fact that you don’t earn points on an award stay.
I always recorded the best available cash rate even if the rate was prepaid. That said, I did not look for special rates such as AAA, senior, or government rates.
When a points booking was available for the dates of interest (August 2-7), I calculated the point value as (5 X [the daily rate]) / (# points required for the stay). When a points booking wasn’t available, I compared the daily rate to the peak pricing for the hotel’s category. For example, if it was a category 6 resort, I would divide the daily rate by 60,000 to get to the point value.
Finally, I described point values as poor to good based on this chart (which I made up for this purpose):
- Point value <0.6: very poor value
- Point value 0.6 to 0.8: poor value
- Point value 0.8 to 0.9: fair value
- Point value 1.0 to 1.2: good value
- Point value 1.3 to 1.5: very good value
- Point value > 1.5: great value
Conclusion
Unfortunately I didn’t find many hidden gems here. In most cases the value you would get for your points is low. And I didn’t find many places where the cash rates were all that great either. Still, there are some worth checking out:
Overall, the best point values I found were:
- Inn at Bay Harbor, Autograph Collection (35K points per night standard)
- The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay in California (60K points per night standard)
- W Aspen in Colorado (60K points per night standard)
And those looking for cheap cash rates might find these of interest:
- Marriott’s Manor Club at Ford’s Colony in Virginia ($135/night)
- Marriott’s Willow Ridge Lodge (Marriott Vacation Club) in Branson Missouri ($140/night)
- Sheraton Steamboat Resort Villas in Steamboat Springs, Colorado ($180/night)
I recommend also checking AAA, senior, and government rates if you qualify. In some cases these specialty rates can be considerably lower.
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I am a long time Marriott member (1997). I have achieved Platinum Elite status for life and have spent over 4 years of my entire life in Marriott hotels. However, something just happened that has turned me off on Marriott completely. When the flood hit Fort Lauderdale last week, I was on the Marriott Bonvoy website to try to find my Brother-in-Law and his family as couple of hotels rooms as they had checked out of their property in Miami and were stranded due to the airport being closed. What I found sickened me….Marriott had jacked the rates up any any of their hotels within a 15 mile radius of the airport by 4X or 5X (a Fairfield Inn was offered at $464 a night and the Fort Lauderdale Marriott was just under $1000). but only for 4 days. Just long enough until the flood waters receded and the airport opened and then they dropped them again. This is price gouging and preying on people who were stranded and had no other choice. I will use my 1.4 million Marriott Reward points I have saved up to take a nice vacation on them….and then I am done with Marriott for life.
[…] you decide where you want to travel, try to see if there are points hotels at your destination. The Best Marriott resorts for domestic US summer travel, Best Hyatt resorts for domestic US summer travel, and Best Hilton resorts for domestic US summer […]
[…] Best Marriott resorts for domestic US summer travel […]
[…] Best Marriott resorts for domestic US summer travel […]
earning Marriott points (other way than actual stays) does not make sense. Id rather use a cash back card that earns at least 2x and use the cash to pay for stays. Otherwise you’re trying to find a needle in a haystack for a good redemption.
[…] I compiled a list of the best Hyatt resorts for domestic US summer travel and the best Marriott resorts for domestic US summer travel. And I promised to do the same for Hilton. So, here you go! Without further ado, here are the […]
Stayed at the Westin Snowmass on points one night during ski season as I arrived a night before the rest of my group. Got stuck at the very far end of the hall which is a LONG way from the lobby and restaurant. Wondered if it was because I was there on points. Even had Gold status at the time (I know, it’s low level). Room sure wasn’t anything special. Great location in ski season as it’s slopeside but I was a bit disappointed.
Yes it is somewhat amazing that Marriott is so tight fisted but certainly in keeping with the attitude they have for their award program. With international flights dead in the water some of those Ritz Carltons within driving distance are going to start looking very attractive!
These posts highlight (plus my own search experience) at how poor the options are with the major chains (and generally?!) in New England outside of the major cities. What’s up with that?!
A few comments
1) You should absolutely include taxes when discussing point values. California hotel taxes can be 20% of the room rate. Using a points valuation of 0.7 cents per Marriott point (which many of your members would argue is too high), Platinum members earn about a 10% return on spend (or maybe 15% if you use a Marriott card) and Gold members earn about a 9% return on spend (or maybe 14% if you use a Marriott card). So in many cases taxes could make a poor value a fair value, a fair value a good value, etc
2) Many of these cash rates seem to be lower than usual, and obviously they are still speculative. If come August demand is very low, cash rates will come down or other promotions will be available. Maybe some will go off peak for redemptions. Maybe Amex FHR will offer promotions. The time to look at these properties is in June/July for August
Yup Total Price !!
If most redemptions are poor value, I have sad news: that IS the value. They’re average value. And the average value is poor. I don’t think anyone out there should be willfully earning Marriott points like people were when SPG Amex was a thing. Time to burn what you got, whether it be “poor value” or “very poor value”
You’ve inspired me to never attempt to redeem Marriott points at popular destinations.
These posts are not helping my itchy feet right now. lol Thanks for the inspiration. Can’t wait to check some of these out.