5 best hotels in Italy with Marriott points

Signing up for credit cards through partner links earns us a commission. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Here’s our full advertising policy: How we make money.

Update: One or more card offers in this post are no longer available. Check our Hot Deals for the latest offers.

Italy is a fantastic travel destination. The savory food, fantastic culture, and rich history make it a popular stop for folks visiting Europe. Also, there’s gelato.

If you’re looking for the best hotel credit cards to lessen the cost of an Italian getaway, you should be looking at the following:

• Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card – 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Terms Apply.
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card – 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card – 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Plus, earn up to $200 in statement credits for eligible purchases at U.S. Restaurants within the first six months of card membership. Terms Apply. Annual fee $450 (see rates and fees)
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card – 30,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.

There’s no better tip for earning Marriott points than opening one of the above cards. I’ll show you the best options for redeeming those points in Australia. Be sure to read our full Marriott Bonvoy review as well, to better learn how to use Marriott points.

Best Marriott hotels in Italy

If you’re planning a visit to Italy, you’ll have more than 60 hotels to choose from using Marriott points. There are hotels in all major Italian cities, such as Florence, Milan, Rome, and Venice — plus other hotels along the beautiful Italian coastline, even down to some beautiful Italian islands.

Remember, when you book an award stay of five or more nights, Marriott gives you the fifth night free. So if you want to stay at a hotel that costs 50,000 points per night, you’ll only need 200,000 points for a five night stay. That’s a great deal. Also worth mentioning is that if you’re booking a five-star hotel with cash instead of points, you should book via Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts with The Platinum Card® from American Express to get an enhanced experience, like room upgrades when available, free breakfast, spa credits, late checkout, and more.

I haven’t personally stayed at all these hotels, but they have great reviews. Let me know if you’ve had experience with any of them!

JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa

If you’re visiting Venice, but prefer to be away from the hustle and bustle of the city center, you might consider the JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa. Team member Brendan recently stayed at this five-star hotel, which you can only enter via boat, like unto a 007 supervillain’s secret lair. It’s located on an island, so a private water taxi is compulsory. The hotel offers a free shuttle to St. Mark’s Square, so you can still experience the local attractions no problem.

TripAdvisor reviewers love the relaxed nature of this hotel. You can spend time in the GOCO Spa or hang out by the rooftop pool, and the beautiful views and delicious breakfast buffet are also a hit.

Price: The Marriott award chart bases each hotel’s award prices on the “category” number in which it places the hotel. This is a Category 6 hotel, meaning you can expect to spend 50,000 points per night. Off-peak dates cost 40,000 points, and peak dates cost 60,000 points. Room rates can exceed $450 per night, so you can expect to receive a value around 0.9 cents per point when booking a free night.

And, because this is a Category 6 hotel, you can also redeem the annual free night you receive from the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card. You can use it for any hotel night that costs 50,000 points or less. You could single-handedly offset the card’s annual fee by using your annual free night at this hotel.

St. Regis Florence

Once the capital of Italy, Florence is brimming with the country’s rich culture. It’s home to beautiful cathedrals like the The Duomo, as well as famous art museums like the Uffizi Gallery.

For a luxurious stay in the city, you can book award nights at The St. Regis Florence. The hotel is located right along the Arno river, and is within walking distance to all the popular Florence attractions.

There are more than 1,300 excellent reviews for this hotel on TripAdvisor. The rooms are beautifully decorated, it’s conveniently located, and the amenities are terrific.

Price: This is a Category 8 hotel, which means you’ll need 85,000 Marriott points for a free night. Off-peak prices are just 70,000 points, and peak prices are 100,000 points.

This hotel can reach $850 per night. This means you can receive a value of 1 cent per Marriott point when staying here.

The Gritti Palace, Venice

Several of the MMS team has visited Venice and have returned with glowing reviews. Meghan encountered an actual life-changing plate of ravioli during her last visit. We recommend Doge’s Palace, St Mark’s Basilica and Piazza San Marco (St Mark’s Square). It’s also a great place for families because there is lots of stuff for kids to do, like gondola rides.

For your stay, you might consider The Gritti Palace, Venice.  It’s located in the heart of the historic Italian city, and it’s got magnificent views of St. Mark’s Cathedral and the famous Venice canals.

This is considered a bucket list hotel — many consider it to be one of the best Marriott hotels in the world. I haven’t personally stayed at this hotel, but some of my coworkers have. Reviews on TripAdvisor rank it among the top 10 properties in Venice, with exquisite decor (and no shortage of Italian marble).

Price: This is a Category 8 hotel, so you’ll need 85,000 Marriott points for a free night. Off-peak prices cost 70,000 points, and peak prices cost 100,000 points. The cash price, however, frequently reaches $1,100 per night. You can easily receive a value of 1.3 cents per Marriott point at this hotel.

Palazzo Naiadi, The Dedica Anthology, Autograph Collection

Rome is the tourism jackpot of Italy, with astonishing tattered history along every winding street. And Palazzo Naiadi, The Dedica Anthology, Autograph Collection, is located in the city’s heart. Less than one mile from the hotel you will find

• Trevi Fountain
• Spanish Steps
• Colosseum
• Quirinal Palace

Price: This is a Category 7 hotel. You’ll need 60,000 points for a free night here. If you book during off-peak dates, you’ll pay just 50,000 points, and if you book peak dates you’ll pay 70,000 points. During high season, this hotel can sell for $600 per night, meaning you can expect a value of 1 cent per point when staying here.

Cristallo, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Cortina d’Ampezzo

Situated among the stunning Dolomites, Cristallo, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Cortina d’Ampezzo, is a breathtaking hotel any season of the year. This quaint ski town offers world-class skiing in the winter (it even once hosted the winter Olympics), and is part of UNESCO World Natural Heritage ski area. It’s got fantastic hiking when the hills aren’t covered in white, and it’s a great destination for golfers, too. As with just about anywhere in Italy, it’s a huge hit with foodies (though the area is known for its affluent Italian patrons, so it maybe a bit pricey).

This is a Category 8 hotel, so you’ll need 85,000 points for a free night. During off-peak dates, you’ll need 70,000 points, and during peak dates you’ll need 100,000 points. This hotel can run for $650+ per night, so it’s possible to receive a value of around 0.76 cents per point at this hotel. That’s not very good, and rooms often cost less than $650. However, if you’re flush with Marriott points, this is a great hotel to visit.

Bottom line

If you’re planning to visit Italy, there are plenty of dreamy Marriott hotels that would love to take your points. And with more than 60 hotels all over the country, there’s a great chance you can find one that fits your preferences. To earn Marriott points, take a look at these credit cards:

• Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card – 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card – 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card – 100,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Terms Apply.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card – 30,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card, please click here

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card, please click here

Let us know your favorite Marriott hotel in Italy. And subscribe to our newsletter for more travel inspiration for redeeming your miles and points.