Help spending some points
Apr 26, 2008 | 5:19 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 3
Help spending some points
Hi. I have been reading these forums for some time and finally decided to register.
I had to start traveling for work last summer, and that has slowed. Marriott recently upgraded me to a "Gold" membership even though I didn't quite have enough days to qualify. Right now I have around 43,000 points, and I should be at 50,000 around the middle of May. I also have 2 rt AirTran tickets earned. I have read that you want to package a lot of points together before redeeming, but unfortunately the frequent travel will be slowing down for me, and my AirTran points are going to start expiring.
What I would like to do is take my wife somewhere for 3-4 days. I was thinking of DC or even possibly Florida. I am open to other suggestions. I usually stay in Fairfield Inn's (Fairfield Inn Crabtree Valley in Raleigh is awesome!), but I would like to try a higher end motel. I would prefer a motel that had transportation to and from the airport, and be near fun things to do, or in the case of DC, be near a metro station.
Anyway, I appreciate all the advice I have found on this site, and thanks in advance for your advice.
Randy
I had to start traveling for work last summer, and that has slowed. Marriott recently upgraded me to a "Gold" membership even though I didn't quite have enough days to qualify. Right now I have around 43,000 points, and I should be at 50,000 around the middle of May. I also have 2 rt AirTran tickets earned. I have read that you want to package a lot of points together before redeeming, but unfortunately the frequent travel will be slowing down for me, and my AirTran points are going to start expiring.
What I would like to do is take my wife somewhere for 3-4 days. I was thinking of DC or even possibly Florida. I am open to other suggestions. I usually stay in Fairfield Inn's (Fairfield Inn Crabtree Valley in Raleigh is awesome!), but I would like to try a higher end motel. I would prefer a motel that had transportation to and from the airport, and be near fun things to do, or in the case of DC, be near a metro station.
Anyway, I appreciate all the advice I have found on this site, and thanks in advance for your advice.
Randy
Apr 26, 2008 | 7:13 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Central New Jersey (EWR, ABE, PHL)
Programs: Marriott LT Plat,SW, Hertz #1 Gold, Amtrak SP, jetBlue, et al
Posts: 953
one..welcome to Marriott rewards!
two.....sometimes there are "point saver" awards at various hotels that can save you points...so you can stay in a nicer place for what it would cost at a select service...(like maybe a full service instead of a FF or CY.)
DC is fun........areas near Crystal City (in Arlington, near national airport) are close to the metro so you can get around.....
For example, 3 nights in mid June at the Crystal City (virginia) Courtyard would be 41000 points. I stayed there.....it was quite nice. They can shuttle you to and from the airport and to the metro. (it's walkable, but hey, a ride is a ride!)
There is also a Residence Inn Arlington Rosslyn for the same points...walkable to another metro station you could cab it from DCA to the hotel, or take metro and walk...it's maybe 4 blocks more or less)....
So....if you plan, you can do very well! Both those hotels are very nice...at least at the RI, you get breakfast!
(BTW, DC in summer-on weekends, is a GREAT deal!!)
two.....sometimes there are "point saver" awards at various hotels that can save you points...so you can stay in a nicer place for what it would cost at a select service...(like maybe a full service instead of a FF or CY.)
DC is fun........areas near Crystal City (in Arlington, near national airport) are close to the metro so you can get around.....
For example, 3 nights in mid June at the Crystal City (virginia) Courtyard would be 41000 points. I stayed there.....it was quite nice. They can shuttle you to and from the airport and to the metro. (it's walkable, but hey, a ride is a ride!)
There is also a Residence Inn Arlington Rosslyn for the same points...walkable to another metro station you could cab it from DCA to the hotel, or take metro and walk...it's maybe 4 blocks more or less)....
So....if you plan, you can do very well! Both those hotels are very nice...at least at the RI, you get breakfast!
(BTW, DC in summer-on weekends, is a GREAT deal!!)
Apr 26, 2008 | 9:51 pm
#3
Join Date: May 2007
Location: NC
Programs: Marriott LT Plat, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 2,881
megtravels has given you some good ideas re DC...for other recommendations for a weekend getaway, if you could tell us where you live (not too great of a weekend if you have to fly too far to get there) and also some interests you have - do you want a lot to see and do, a place to chill by the pool or.........
give us a little more direction and I am sure you will be overwhelmed with ideas!
give us a little more direction and I am sure you will be overwhelmed with ideas!
Apr 27, 2008 | 6:19 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 3
I am in Kansas. My free plane tickets are with Airtran, which limits me to places the fly. DC is a good choice, but a beach area would be nice. I was looking for a motel that picked up at the airport, or was inexpensive to get to. I am not wanting to spend $50 a cab ride. I will rent a car, but I am not wanting to do that if I can get away with it. We are going to France next spring with my son's senior class and I (well mostly my wife) want to save money. My main goal is not to let these 2 plane tickets expire.
So I am looking for a place that meets those requirements and either has a nice beach/pool to lay around by, shopping for my wife, or things to do and see. I am leaning towards DC, but I am looking for options and advice from the experts, 
Thanks!
So I am looking for a place that meets those requirements and either has a nice beach/pool to lay around by, shopping for my wife, or things to do and see. I am leaning towards DC, but I am looking for options and advice from the experts, Thanks!
Apr 27, 2008 | 6:54 pm
#5
Moderator, Marriott Bonvoy & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: McKinney, TX, USA
Programs: United Silver; AA Plat/2MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,775
Do you have a Marriott branded CC yet? If not, you could sign-up for the base Marriott Signature Visa. It comes with a Cat. 1-4 free night cert, 20K bonus points and the first year there is no annual fee. (You can cancel the card before the first year if you don't want to pay the fee.) If you want a Cat. 1-5 free night cert each year there after, sign up for the Premier Marriott Visa. It has a $65/yr annual fee, but that free night at even a Cat. 5 hotel more than makes up for the fee.
If you have 52K points, you could stay 4 nights at the Arlington/Crystal City CY (Cat. 3 property.) I do believe the website says that they have a complementary shuttle to/from the Metro. But if you can get a Visa card, that extra night and points would allow you to spend 5 nights at the Cat. 4 Cyrstal Gateway Marriott. Now, as a Gold, you will get free breakfast in the mornings and snacks in the evenings. That can help you save even more money. If you stay at the Crystal Gateway Marriott, there is no need for a shuttle to the Metro as the hotel is right next to it.
If you already have a Marriott CC, does your wife? If not, she could apply and get the cert and the bonus points. Marriott does allow spouses to combine points for awards (actually based on posts here, Marriott doesn't even enforce the "spouse" rule. So you could combine your points with just about anyone.) So you could still make use of her points along with yours.
If you have 52K points, you could stay 4 nights at the Arlington/Crystal City CY (Cat. 3 property.) I do believe the website says that they have a complementary shuttle to/from the Metro. But if you can get a Visa card, that extra night and points would allow you to spend 5 nights at the Cat. 4 Cyrstal Gateway Marriott. Now, as a Gold, you will get free breakfast in the mornings and snacks in the evenings. That can help you save even more money.
If you stay at the Crystal Gateway Marriott, there is no need for a shuttle to the Metro as the hotel is right next to it.If you already have a Marriott CC, does your wife? If not, she could apply and get the cert and the bonus points. Marriott does allow spouses to combine points for awards (actually based on posts here, Marriott doesn't even enforce the "spouse" rule. So you could combine your points with just about anyone.) So you could still make use of her points along with yours.
Apr 27, 2008 | 6:56 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2007
Location: NC
Programs: Marriott LT Plat, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 2,881
If you live in Manhattan, KS - you live where I was born. (not that I remember too much of it - left @ 3 months!)
Looking at the cities to which Airtran flies; you might want to look at:
Sightseeing/things to do:
Boston, MA San Antonio, TX
Beach/Nice Pool:
Orlando, FLA Hilton Head, SC
A personal recommendation would be Austin TX with a stay at the Renaissance - one of our favorite hotels...but you would have to get a car. However, I was there in Feb and got one for $19 per day -
One of the difficulties you are going to have is to get a hotel with the criteria you want (airport shuttle, nice pool, beach etc) 50K points is not going to go real far. Boston is a great choice for no car, but the hotels are higher end and will use more points. Depending on when you go, the brand new Ren is running specials for $199 - hard to beat.
My only issue with DC is that it is so hot and humid in the summer - but that doesn't bother everyone.
Looking at the cities to which Airtran flies; you might want to look at:
Sightseeing/things to do:
Boston, MA San Antonio, TX
Beach/Nice Pool:
Orlando, FLA Hilton Head, SC
A personal recommendation would be Austin TX with a stay at the Renaissance - one of our favorite hotels...but you would have to get a car. However, I was there in Feb and got one for $19 per day -
One of the difficulties you are going to have is to get a hotel with the criteria you want (airport shuttle, nice pool, beach etc) 50K points is not going to go real far. Boston is a great choice for no car, but the hotels are higher end and will use more points. Depending on when you go, the brand new Ren is running specials for $199 - hard to beat.
My only issue with DC is that it is so hot and humid in the summer - but that doesn't bother everyone.
Apr 27, 2008 | 7:57 pm
#7
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Central New Jersey (EWR, ABE, PHL)
Programs: Marriott LT Plat,SW, Hertz #1 Gold, Amtrak SP, jetBlue, et al
Posts: 953
San Antonio is good, you wouldn't need a car (they have a super shuttle or some reasonable facsimile thereof....) but the hotels near the riverwalk are lots of points...
Hilton head, same thing...great but you would need a car...and the hotels are lots of points....
Yes DC can be a little hot...BUT the mass transportation system is great and they have passes good for unlimited metro rides after 9:30 AM weekdays and all day weekends and holidays!
www.wmata.com
how about chicago??? sometimes you can get decent points deals by O'hare and/or midway.....and the CTA is pretty good! (sometimes the rates in summer outside of Downtown are reasonable too, if you wanted to stay an extra day!) great shopping, museums, shedd aquarium, food....(you CAN eat cheaper if you plan!) You can get almost anywhere without a car! (i know-i did! all over the suburbs like schaumburg too!)
www.transitchicago.com
good luck!
Hilton head, same thing...great but you would need a car...and the hotels are lots of points....
Yes DC can be a little hot...BUT the mass transportation system is great and they have passes good for unlimited metro rides after 9:30 AM weekdays and all day weekends and holidays!
www.wmata.com
how about chicago??? sometimes you can get decent points deals by O'hare and/or midway.....and the CTA is pretty good! (sometimes the rates in summer outside of Downtown are reasonable too, if you wanted to stay an extra day!) great shopping, museums, shedd aquarium, food....(you CAN eat cheaper if you plan!) You can get almost anywhere without a car! (i know-i did! all over the suburbs like schaumburg too!)
www.transitchicago.com
good luck!
Apr 28, 2008 | 9:09 pm
#8
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: High Point, NC
Posts: 516
Florida
Having just come back from a long weekend in DC, my vote would be for Florida. I see AirTran flies into Orlando and Ft Lauderdale. My favorite in Orlando is the Marriott World Center, but it's a Category 6 and will run you 55,000 points for 2 nights, as is my 2nd favorite in Ft Lauderdale, the Harbor Beach Marriott. However the Renaissance Boca Raton is only a Category 5, and while not on the beach, has a very nice pool area with a tropical feel and a large pool bar right next to the pool, and 46,000 points for 2 nights. Also lots of shopping and restaurants close by (walking distance even)
Keep in mind that in the summer you can get the South Florida properties pretty cheap even if you're not using points. The Boca Renaissance I have gotten for $130 or less including breakfast. Pair that with an EEO or a BB, or both if its 3 nights and you could end up paying under $200 for 3 nights.
Cindi
Keep in mind that in the summer you can get the South Florida properties pretty cheap even if you're not using points. The Boca Renaissance I have gotten for $130 or less including breakfast. Pair that with an EEO or a BB, or both if its 3 nights and you could end up paying under $200 for 3 nights.
Cindi