Bill for 3 nights was Rs 3 lakh: Pune CA uses credit card points to stay at Marriott resort for free

A Pune-based chartered account has recently shared that she stayed at a Marriott resort in Uttarakhand for three nights worth about Rs 3 lakh but did not have to pay a penny of it because she utilised her reward points from credit card spends for the experience.

Priti Jain said that she had collected 58,000 membership reward points by using her American Express platinum express card for expenditures amounting to Rs 4 lakh. She then converted those points into Marriott Bonvoy points -- the loyalty rewards currency for Marriott International's loyalty programme. Users can earn and redeem points for a variety of travel experiences and stays at the company's hotels and resorts. These points can also be bought and are priced dynamically.

Taking to X, Jain shared that the hotel had upgraded them from their regular rooms to a premier room on day 1 and then to an executive suite for the next two days. She said staying in them "felt like royalty". "Revenue rates for this room was upwards of Rs 90,000 per night."

Describing the luxurious experience, Jain said that Marriott offered them complimentary breakfasts, hi-tea with a Ganga aarti performed every evening on the deck overlooking the Ganges. "There is live music, good food, and overall a great time for the guests to unwind and relax," she said.

The stay was booked for 25,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. "AMEX Rewards were transferred to Marriott Bonvoy during a 30 percent bonus offer. So for just 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy points that I fetched using 58,000 AMEX membership rewards earned on Rs 4 lakh spends, we grabbed a 3-night stay worth Rs 1.5 lakh. With a suite upgrade and complimentary breakfast, the monetary value of the stay was almost Rs 3 lakh. That's an insane value right there," Jain added.