A chartered accountant from Pune has made headlines after using his credit card points to stay at a luxurious Marriott resort in Uttarakhand for three nights without paying a single rupee.
Priti Jain accumulated 58,000 membership reward points by spending Rs 4 lakh on her American Express Platinum card. She then converted these points into Marriott Bonvoy points, the loyalty currency of Marriott International’s rewards program. Marriott Bonvoy points can be earned and redeemed for hotel stays and other travel experiences. These points can also be purchased, with their price varying based on demand.
Jain shared on X that the hotel had upgraded their stay, moving them from a regular room to a premier room on the first day, and then to an executive suite for the next two days. She described the experience as “feeling like royalty,” noting that the room’s usual rate was over Rs 90,000 per night.
Jain described her luxurious stay, mentioning that Marriott provided complimentary breakfasts and hi-tea, along with a Ganga aarti every evening on the deck overlooking the river. “There was live music, great food, and an overall relaxing experience for guests,” she said.
The stay was booked for 25,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. Jain explained that she had transferred her AMEX rewards to Marriott Bonvoy during a 30% bonus offer. By using 58,000 AMEX membership rewards earned on Rs 4 lakh in expenses, she secured a 3-night stay valued at Rs 1.5 lakh. With the suite upgrade and complimentary breakfast, the total value of the stay was nearly Rs 3 lakh, which she called “an incredible deal.”
Last month, another credit card enthusiast shared that he took his family on a luxury vacation to Masai Mara, a wildlife reserve in Kenya. They stayed at the ultra-luxurious JW Marriott lodge for five nights without spending a single rupee. The stay, worth Rs 27.5 lakh, was fully covered using his reward points.
