Top 5 hotels in Australia using Marriott points

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The lack of Marriott presence in Australia is very surprising. There are just a handful of high-end hotels on the entire continent, leaving you to search elsewhere for ultra aspirational, butler-attended getaways.

But Australia doesn’t need seven-star hotels to make your jaw drop. If you’re looking for the best hotel credit cards to discount your trip down under, here is a good start:

• Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card -Earn 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within your first 3 months of Card Membership. Earn up to $150 in statement credits within your first 6 months of Card Membership for all eligible purchases on your Card on U.S. Advertising in select Media. Plus receive complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status for one year (February 1, 2021-January 31, 2022). Offer ends 1/13/21. 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 3 months. Terms apply.
• 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.

Australia Marriott hotels with points

If you’re visiting Australia, you’ve got 24 options for redeeming your Marriott points. While many of these hotels are luxurious, you won’t find many luxury Marriott hotel brands here, like St. Regis and The Luxury Collection. Any room with a view of the Opera House deserves five stars, though. One thing you may notice is that it’s exceptionally difficult to receive outsized Marriott points value. That’s not a bad thing, though! It just means Marriott doesn’t charge an exorbitant rate for these hotels.

I’ll show you the best way to use Marriott points for those visiting Australia. Be sure to read our Marriott Bonvoy review, as well.

Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel at Circular Quay

There is no “bad” view when you’re staying at the Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel at Circular Quay.  You’ve either got a view of the bewitching harbor and the Sydney Opera House, or you’re looking at the incredible Sydney skyline. This hotel is located within walking distance to many forms of public transportation. It’s surrounded by plenty of shops, too — the popular Pitt Street Mall is just a 10 minute walk, with tons of restaurants and shops.

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 5 hotel, which means you’ll need 35,000 Marriott points for a free night. Off-peak prices are just 30,000 points, and peak prices are 40,000 points. This hotel sells rooms for $300+ per night, meaning you can expect a value of 0.86 cents per point. You could even use the annual free night from the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless (worth 35,000 points per night) to stay at this hotel. That’s sure to offset the annual fee.

Ritz-Carlton Perth

The Ritz-Carlton Perth is a new hotel, and the only Ritz-Carlton in Australia (though another is expected in late 2020). It’s got a prime waterfront location overlooking Swan River. It’s a view that it shares with the nearby King’s Park and Botanical Garden, a 1.5 square mile emerald at the edge of town. And just on the far side of King’s Park is an Instagram influencer’s dream — Lotterywest Federation Walkway.

And while it’s a good half hour’s drive away from the hotel, you’ve got to check out Swan Valley for its breweries and wineries.

Price: This is a Category 7 hotel, meaning you can expect to spend 60,000 points per night. Off-peak dates will cost 50,000 points, and peak dates will cost 70,000 points. Room rates can occasionally breach $400 per night, meaning you can receive a value of 0.67 cents per point at this hotel. That’s not a spectacular value, but a free stay at the best Marriott property in Australia is nothing to complain about!

W Melbourne

Situated 500 feet from the picturesque Yarra river, the W Melbourne is a luxury boutique hotel in the heart of the city. It’s in a fantastic location for both city and nature lovers — you can’t walk a mile in any direction without encountering either stunning gardens or glimmering waters. It’s also just a five minute walk to the Sea Life Melbourne aquarium.

Melbourne is world renown for its coffee — voted at one point as best in the world according to Booking.com. You can book coffee tours and enjoy the street art, another element for which the city is known.

Price: This is a Category 6 hotel, meaning you’ll spend 50,000 points per night. Off-peak dates will cost 40,000 points, and peak dates will cost 60,000 points. This hotel will open in June 2020, so we don’t know what prices to expect. But you can use the annual free night (worth up to 50,000 points) that comes with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card to stay at the hotel.

Pier One Sydney Harbour, Autograph Collection

Pier One Sydney Harbour, Autograph Collection is just about as “on the water” as you can get. The trade-off is that it’s not as centrally located as other hotels. Circular Quay, Darling Harbour, and the Sydney Opera House are all relatively close (a 10+ minute walk). Be sure to sign-up for an activity that gives you great views of the Opera House, like the highly rated BridgeClimb, or riding a Sydney Harbor ferry.

Price: This is a Category 5 hotel, meaning you’ll spend 35,000 points per night. Off-peak dates will cost 30,000 points, and peak dates will cost 40,000 points. Room rates can easily be $350+ per night, giving you a value of 1 cent per point at this hotel. A solid value!

Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa, Gold Coast

The Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa appeals to all ages. There are great activities for adults, like the rooftop tennis courts, and for kids, too, like the freshwater pool and saltwater lagoon.

There are also plenty of water activities to keep you busy, like whale-watching, kayaking, and river cruises. There’s even a hot air balloon tour, just half a mile away. Plus, Surfers Paradise Beach is just a couple of blocks from the hotel.

Price: This is a Category 5 hotel. Expect to spend 35,000 points per night, though you can find off-peak dates for 30,000 points, and peak dates will cost 40,000 points. Room rates can easily be $250+ per night, giving you a value of 0.71 cent per point at this hotel. Again, you can can use Marriott Bonvoy Boundless annual free night (worth up to 35,000 points per night) to stay at this hotel.

W Brisbane

Just 100 feet from the Brisbane River, the W Brisbane is near plenty of action — just one mile away is Suncorp Stadium, which regularly hosts soccer, rugby, concerts and more. And you won’t be surprised to know that the hotel is within walking distance of four beautiful parks. There’s even a golf course less than two miles away.

If you’re willing to stray, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is south of town, seven miles from the hotel. It’s a favorite on TripAdvisor.

Price: This is a Category 5 hotel, meaning you’ll normally spend 35,000 points per night. Off-peak dates will cost 30,000 points, and peak dates will cost 40,000 points. Room rates typically cost $250 per night, giving you a value of 0.71 cents per point at this hotel.

Bottom line

You can use Marriott points to stay at terrific hotels in Australia. Redeeming points can save you hundreds of dollars per night, though you should note that prices for these particular hotels aren’t often astronomical. They’re actually pretty reasonable.

Let me know which Marriott hotel you’d suggest for a trip to Australia. And subscribe to our newsletter for more trip inspiration and suggestions for using your points.