Daddy Travels Miles & Points

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It’s now 2022. I have to warn you and let you know that this is a very delayed post, a delayed review. This was our 2017/2018 visit. The world had changed since then but I believe most of the perks we enjoyed are still available (or perhaps modified).

Visiting New York City always offers such a thrill for me and my family. But as one might imagine, also a challenge. No matter what time of year, accommodations in NYC  tend to be quite expensive. This was the reason why I resorted to earning points earned with credit card sign up bonus, a sure way to help me afford staying in a top global travel destination such as New York.

We spent eight fantastic days in New York City at the end of 2018, and into 2017. When we arrived in New York on Saturday, December 30th, we decided to stay in Lower Manhattan at the Sheraton Tribeca. But for the remainder of our stay, we moved closer to Times Square at the Fairfield Inn Marriott Manhattan Times Square.

“Mr. Francisco. I see that we have you in one of our regular rooms, oh wait, sorry sir, you’ll be staying in one of our Penthouse Suites!” Our room had one  king bed and a sofa sleeper. It was perfect for our family.

We’ve stayed here in the past, and we love coming back to this hotel. It feels like home. These are our top reasons:

• Free Breakfast – that’s a big deal for my family. When we are in the city, we find ourselves always on the go, we tend to stay up late after watching a Broadway show, or after a late night exploration, therefore, having access to free breakfast is quite helpful. The selection is quite generous (fruits, hot items, bread, cereal, drinks, etc.)
• Friendly staff – I’ve been visiting this hotel since 2013, and have always had a pleasant experience with its staff. They’ve always welcomed me with a smile and that’s a big plus.

• Close to the Broadway Theatre District – within minutes, we find ourselves very close to many of the Broadway Theatres. We are big fans of watching Broadway shows, we like getting discounted seats (and sometimes have to be at the theatre quite early to get the tickets), and it’s close enough for us to walk back safely at night after watching a show that typically ends after 10pm.
• Next to Port Authority Bus Terminal (PABT) – the hotel is truly just across the street for the PABT which has access to the subway trains, and various buses, including the New Jersey Transit.
• Not the biggest rooms, but functional – I don’t expect much from NYC hotels. I only need a bed, a shower, toilet – pretty basic, that’s all I need. But the Fairfield serves it’s purpose for me. The rooms have always been kept clean.
• Close enough to Times Square – when I think of Times Square, I think of that section between Broadway and Seventh Avenue. This hotel is on W. 40th St. and Eighth Ave. In my mind, it’s still away from all the hustle and bustle of Times Square.

For a Marriott that’s near Times Square, I believe it’s the most inexpensive use of points, and for this most 2018 visit, I opted to book four nights, which led to me getting my fifth night free.

If there was something I would like the Fairfield Inn to resolve, I noticed that of the three elevators, there was always one elevator that was kept out of service, or probably broken. Hotels in NYC tend be the high-rise type, so one could be on a major hotel tour by stopping at multiple floors before getting to their desired stop. The elevators tend to be packed and busy during the day, so having a fully functioning set of elevators will surely help all the guests.

Other than that, I would consider coming back here again. It’s a hotel that is very familiar to me and I like that feeling. Thank you, Fairfield Inn.

Which credit cards could get you points with Marriott and/or FREE night certificates

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

• Earn 3 Free Nights ((each night valued up to 50,000 points) after qualifying purchases + 10X total points on eligible purchases in select categories.
• Enjoy a Free Night Award every year after your account anniversary with redemption level up to 35,000
• Annual fee – $95

Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card

• Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• Annual fee –  $0

Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card

• Earn 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn up to $150 back in statement credits on eligible purchases made on your new Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
• Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
• Annual fee – $125

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express Card

• Earn 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Plus, earn up to $200 in Statement Credits for eligible purchases at U.S. Restaurants within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points).
• Receive up to $300 in statement credits each year of Card Membership for eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy® hotels.
• Up to $100 TSA Pre/Global Entry Credit
• Up to $100 Credit when you book direct using a special rate for a 2 night minimum stay at The Ritz-Carlton® or St. Regis® and get up to $100 in credit for qualifying charges.
• Annual fee $450

For a list of over 60 credit cards, click here.

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Editorial Disclosure – The editorial content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuers. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuers, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuers.