How Far Will The Chase Marriott 70K Offer Go For Hotels In Israel?

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Update: The 70K Chase Marriott bonus is schedule to end at some point tomorrow.
DDF member SamKey wrote a nice trip report from a points stay at the Ritz-Carlton Herzliya that you can read here.

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Originally posted on 07/28:

Point hotels in Israel are hard to come by.

Not long ago Starwood had 13 properties that were all bargains with Starpoints. I stayed in many of them on a month-long trek across the holy land in August of 2007 spending just a couple thousand Starpoints per night to stay in Jerusalem, Haifa, Eilat, Tiberias, and the Dead Sea.  Now there’s just 1 left, the Sheraton Tel Aviv, and at 12K-16K points per night it’s not the bargain it once was.

It seems hotels don’t need to stay part of a loyalty program to fill up their rooms in Israel.  Hyatt had a Jerusalem hotel but now has nothing. Hilton has had several hotels in Jerusalem over the years that have come and gone. The David Citadel opened as the Hilton Jerusalem in 1998 but left Hilton in 2001.  It’s anyone’s guess as to how long the newly opened Waldorf Jerusalem will stay part of Hilton, but at 80K points per night it’s out of the budget of most folks.

Chase recently released a limited time offer on the Chase Marriott card for 70K bonus points for spending $2,000 in 3 months.  On top of that you’ll also get a free night at a category 1-4 hotel upon account approval.  You also get a free night at a category 1-5 hotel every year that you renew the card.

The $85 annual fee is waived for the first year.

The Marriott program is split into “categories” and “tiers.”

Marriott has 9 categories of hotels that range from 7,500 to 45,000 points per night or 6,000 to 40,000 points per night when they’re on PointSavers.

Marriott also has 5 tiers of Ritz Carlton hotels that range from 30,000 to 70,000 points per night or 20,000 to 60,000 points per night when they’re on PointSavers.

When you stay 4 nights you get the 5th night free.  You can browse hotels in each of those categories and tiers via the find button on this page. While there you can look at the additional free night you receive at signup besides for the bonus points at category 1-4 hotels.

You can also transfer points into miles here. The ratios aren’t great, but if you need some Southwest points for Companion pass status that can be worthwhile.

Marriott also offers miles+nights packages.

Israel has 2 Marriott hotels:
The Ritz-Carlton Herzliya is a luxury hotel that opened 7 months ago and has been getting rave reviews. It is a Ritz-Carlton tier 2 hotel which means that it’s 40,000 points per night or 160,000 points for a 5 night stay (32,000 points per night).

A standard room for a tourist from 08/10-08/15 is $2,750 or $550 per night.  Or you can use 160,000 points, a value of 1.72 cents per point.  The 70K signup bonus would be worth over $1,200 for a redemption at that value per point.

A standard room for non-tourists would run $3,245 for the 5 nights with VAT. Using points would yield a value of 2.03 cents per point.

Marriott allows free point transfers between spouses, so if 2 spouses both get a Marriott card and spend $2,000 on each they would have at least 144,000 points in one account and 2 free category 1-4 nights.  You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Marriott, but in most cases there are better uses for Ultimate Rewards points.  After all you can buy increments of 1,000 points for $12.50 and Ultimate Rewards are worth more than that.  I’d rather buy the additional 16,000 points needed in that scenario for a 5 night stay for $200 than use 16,000 Ultimate Rewards points.

The Renaissance Tel Aviv Hotel is a category 7 hotel that goes for 35,000 points per night or 140,000 points for a 5 night stay (28,000 points per night.)

A standard room for a tourist from 08/03-08/08 is $1,475 or $295 per night.  Or you can use 140,000 points, a value of 1.05 cents per point. The 70K signup bonus would be worth $735 for a redemption at that value per point.

A standard room for non-tourists would run $1,741 for the 5 nights with VAT. Using points would yield a value of 1.24 cents per point.

2 spouses each getting the Marriott card would have more than enough points for a 5 night stay at the Renaissance Tel Aviv and they would still have 2 more free nights at category 1-4 properties.
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Other Chase consumer cards you can simultaneously include the Chase British Airways (50K signup points, 1.25 Avios per dollar, and an annual companion award ticket if you spend $30K+ in a  year), Chase United Explorer (50K signup points plus another 5K points for adding a free additional user, and it gives free luggage, free primary car rental insurance including in the US, expanded saver and standard award ticket availability, priority boarding, and more), the Chase Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card® Card (40K signup points plus another 5K points for adding a free additional user, no fee the first year, plus 2.14 points per dollar on travel and dining with no Foreign Exchange fees), the Chase Freedom (which has no annual fee, gives 5 points per dollar in rotating categories), .

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41 Comments On "How Far Will The Chase Marriott 70K Offer Go For Hotels In Israel?"

All opinions expressed below are user generated and the opinions aren’t provided, reviewed or endorsed by any advertiser or DansDeals.

Uri

The only chain with a semi-decent presence in Israel is IHG. Hope that does not go away.

Sam

Any hotel chain properties left in Yerushalayim (besides the references Waldorf)?

Don

Are there any options for the ihg points system in Israel

Dan

@Uri:
True, though most of the hotels aren’t very good.

@Sam:
IHG has the Crowne Plaza Jerusalem but it’s not a place where you’d want to stay…

There’s also the Ramada Jerusalem which is part of Wyndham.

@Don:
IHG sells their points for just 0.7 cents each (was actually under 0.6 cents during the Daily Getaways sale), so earning their points via credit cards is generally ill-advised. But Chase points do transfer their and there is a Chase IHG card.

You can just buy them when you need them.

george

is this card better than the SPG Starwood?

Anonymous

Does hyatt also offer 5th night free?

Dan

@george:
For spending, definitely not.

But the current signup bonus is arguably stronger than Starwood’s bonus and requires less spending.

Enrique

I just stayed in both the Ritz and Renaissance in July. The Ritz is an amazing hotel and worth every point. The view, room size, and location is amazing.

The Renaissance has an amazing location. Standard rooms are on the smaller size, but decent and clean.

Both had a tasty breakfast spread.

Dan

@Enrique:
Thanks for the feedback.

I do hope to try out the Ritz and the Waldorf on my next trip to Israel. Good to see luxury brands finally making their way to Israel.

george

Am i able sell these points?

Mo

Do you know how much longer this 70,000 point offer will be going on for?

Dan

@george:
Find someone going to a hotel and sell them to them?

@Mo:
Not sure, just says “limited time”

fraimal

@Sam:
i stayed in the crowne plaza jerusalem for a week using ihg points and it was great! hotel staff was so nice and view and location were great! the trick is that you need to stay in one of the redone rooms

Dan

@fraimal:
What was good about the location?
It’s not walkable to the places most tourists want to go.

And only 56% of people on their own website recommend the property: http://www.ihg.com/crowneplaza/hotels/us/en/jerusalem/jrscp/hoteldetail/hotel-reviews

@fraimal

my grandfather has owns an apt in the plaza, and i think that this hotel was even nicer. i admit the location isn’t great, but Tachana Merkazit (Central bus station)is literally a 5 minute walk and it takes you everywhere! the hotel was so neat and clean! again- the key is to stay in a redone room! i had a great experience! (and of course, i stayed there because it was free!)

a

when i looked at Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem it was 176,000 point not 80,000

Dan

@@fraimal:
It’s fine for free, but most tourists want to be able to walk to the old city, Mamilla, Ben Yehuda, etc.

Also if you stay on points I doubt they’ll give a renovated room 😉

Dan's the Man

Dan, The Intercontinential (IHG) hotels in Yericho/Jericho and Beis Lechem/Bethlehem are both pretty nice. Of course 99.9& of frum Jews wouldn’t want to stay there (and if they do stay there make sure you wear baseball cap and no yarmulka and no tzities out. Gotta look like a tourist, not a frum Jew). It’s in palestinian area (Area A). Also the food isn’t kosher but the hotels are nice and the cash prices are very good for Israel.

Dan

@Dan’s the Man:
Lol, once I’m risking my life I’ll take my chances base jumping, thanks 😀

mottele

IMHO the best use for Marriott points is on their “suite” hotels just outside major cities.
I’m taking a road trip this summer, and rooms at 209 each are just 10000 points each.
Plus no taxes or fees on redemptions, I’m well over 2 cents a point.

Dan

@mottele:
Great value there, which hotels have you booked or stayed in?

mottele

Towneplace near San Francisco

mitzvahman18

anyone know if the Ritz’s or marriort or crowne plaza’s include FREE breakfast when using points?

Suzy

I stayed at the Ritz Carlton Herzliya this year when it was 30,000 points per night. Paid for 4 nights and got the 5th free. Great hotel and location for me as my cousins live in Herzliya. @mitzvahman18 Breakfast was not included.
Also stayed 3 nights at the Hilton Tel Aviv with the free weekend nights and and access to the club floor which had a nice spread.

Josh

Hi I already have one marriott card from chase, threw it in in a 3 BM 6 months ago. Think I’ll get approved for a 2nd one without closing my existing one?

Other option

For hotels in Israel, you can always book with chase ur points. I booked the inbal using ur points for about 30,000 a night. This is definitely not as cheap as starwoods but gives other options for hotel stays in the holy land

eli

” Now there’s just 1 left..” you’re wrong. there’s 2. Sheraton Tel Aviv and Meridien Eilat

Hey DAN!!

Is the Ritz in Herzliya completely kosher? Or do i need to worry about hechsherim? Also i see someone said there isn’t a free breakfast?? Isn’t that a bit ridiculous for such an expensive hotel not to have a complimentary breakfast?

Keryn

How can you book hotels for free in Israel using Chase points ? I see someone posted about the Inbal?

Dead Sea

Any hotel there we can use point ?

Thank you

Ignorant Sam

Excuse my ignorance since I’m new to this. I applied and was approved (thank you Dan). If I want to apply on my wife’s name as well, who is dependent on me and has no income of her own, what is best to write as her income? Can I declare what I earn on her application?

Dan

@eli:
No, you’re wrong.
Get with the times…

@Keryn:
Sell the points and use them to book a hotel?

@Ignorant Sam:
You should always apply with all household income.

meir

but no free night hotel in israel !

Jeff

Thinking if I should jump on this or I should take the Hyatt card. What would you advise?

dan fan3

Hey Dan was wondering ur opinion I do alot of spending can u please name 2 great cards that are good for miles that u would spend it on . Thanks

Jeff

Thinking if I should jump on this or apply for a Hyatt. What do you think?

Anonymous

i know not the right place for this but with the big delta bonus for amex out there and people wanting to max out the bonuses on perhaps 2-3 cards i have this question: is it still possible to do 2bm with amex ? i tried twice for me and another to apply with 2bm and it didnt work. the first try one card got put(for five full days , then was approved-that was the amex gold business) on hold and the other(personal delta platinum)was approved right away. the second time both were put on hold (i think because i did it on two computers and pressed both submits together where as the other try i pressed the submit button a few seconds later)i spoke with amex about it they told me that when a to apps are submitted on same day they will not get instant approval.

Michael Feldstein

Are Marriott Rewards points transferable to airline miles? How many airline miles can I get on Delta or united for 70,000 points?

goodsamaritan

Hey Dan –
Looks like the offer is dead. However, before it died, I had my browser open to the page with the 70k offer, and I continued on to apply from there (and was approved) after the offer was already dead. Do you think I’ll get the 70k??

Miami or Bust

Dan, If I am planning a trip to Miami for December , what will be my options using the Marriott 70K points?

mh

Just stayed in early August for 2 nights at Waldorf Astoria for 160,000 HH points which were just sitting in my account for years.

I would say it is one of the top hotels in Israel now & the best use of HH points I ever redeemed.

The breakfast is awesome!

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