Daddy Travels Miles & Points

We checked out of the AC Hotel Porto by Marriott. We stayed here for 3 nights. This was the only choice for Marriott and I’m glad we stayed here. It’s a 4-star hotel.

Being a Marriott Gold Elite member, we were upgraded to a Superior Room with 2 twin beds, a desk, a living room/sitting area, a bathtub, a dual shower, and walk-in closet.

How did I get these free nights?

Using my Marriott Rewards, I used 20,000 Marriott points per night = 60,000 points. But, I had a free anniversary night certificate because this hotel is a Category 4. Therefore, I only used 40,000 points. The total out of pocket for me in cash? €6 or under $7. I was only charged for the city taxes.

How exactly did I book this

Quite simple really. I had a Marriott Bonvoy Boundless by Chasethat got me bonus points from signing up, and additional points from using the card. As of June 2018, the current sign-up bonus for this card earns you 100,000 Marriott Rewards (there’s a minimum spend of $5000 within the 1st 3 months to get to the bonus). Once you meet the spend, you get the bonus points and you can use it at many Marriott properties worldwide. So for a property like this, that’s good enough for 5 nights (at 20,000 per night). This card offers free anniversary night award, the annual fee of $95 pays for itself when you book a hotel like this. As I had mentioned, one night here could range from $130 to nearly $200 per night. For more details on how to get this card, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless by Chase.

We’ve stayed at so many Marriott properties, and the most memorable ones were the Wailea Beach Marriott on Maui, JW Marriott in Kuala Lumpur, and Fairfield Inn and Suites in New York City.

Overall, a fantastic stay

The AC Hotel Porto was not close to the city center. I’d say about 15-20 mins train ride and we were in the heart of the city. For this vacation, I didn’t want to pay for anything in cash, if possible. I’ve been diligently earning miles and points, and what a perfect time to use it.

The upgrade to a Superior Room was a big plus. Although it was only me and Madison, we felt quite special when given the upgrade. We stayed on their top floor with views of the Estadio Do Dragao, the stadium, and every night, we got treated to seeing the beautiful sunset from our room. It was only a 5 minute walk from the nearest train station, and there was also a mall, Alameda, right next to the hotel. There’s a supermarket as well. 

The room was kept clean. The beds, the sheets – were comfortable. We looked forward to heading back to our hotel room after a long day of exploration. I had my fair share of using the free Nespresso capsules every chance I got. We were also given premium Wi-Fi Access.

Last but not the least, the staff was especially accommodating and helpful. Guillermo from the front desk gave us tips where to go during the day around the city, where it was cooler to explore rather than being in the hot sun. He also suggested three locations to explore for a day trip.

Thank you, AC Hotel Porto Marriott, for your hospitality. I highly recommend this hotel to anyone who plan on going to Porto in the near future.