5 free nights 10 ways: How to use the Boundless welcome offer 2025

As a Marriott Bonvoy loyalist, I like to try out different properties under the enormous Marriott umbrella. With over 9,000 hotels across the globe, there’s no shortage of options.

I am generally against having cobranded hotel cards. However, I’m seriously considering applying for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (see rates and fees) because of its current limited-time welcome offer.

New cardholders can earn five free night awards (each night valued at up to 50,000 points) after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months after account opening. Certain hotels have resort fees.

Based on TPG’s June 2025 valuations, this welcome offer is worth up to $1,750. It also matches the highest welcome offer we have seen on this card.

After pondering what hotel I would redeem the free night awards at, I wondered how other TPG staffers would use their five 50,000-point free night awards.

If you’re like me and are looking for some inspiration or just want to know where to go, here’s how we’d redeem five free night awards. It’s important to note that you can top each free night award with up to 15,000 points from your account; some of these options will require some topping up.

 

A sentimental stay in Santa Fe, New Mexico

I’d love to get back to La Posada de Santa Fe, A Tribute Portfolio Resort & Spa, where I got married in 2022.

It’s just steps away from Santa Fe’s top sights, shops and restaurants. I’ve never visited New Mexico in October, but it’s supposed to be beautiful that time of year.

There are several nights available for less than 50,000 points or close enough to the threshold that I could use points to top up the free night awards.

— Carly Helfand, director of content for credit cards and points and miles

Cash prices for a five-night stay start at about $1,500.

Related: United Airlines adds a new US destination to its route map

 

A return trip to New Orleans

I’d head to The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans as my top choice so I could return to the city where my husband and I held our joint bachelor/bachelorette party before getting married. I fell in love with the city during that trip and have been eager to get back.

It looks like there are some dates in the next couple of months where I could just add another 5,000 or so points per night to the 50,000-point award to make a five-night stay at the Ritz-Carlton happen.

If I couldn’t get that lower pricing on the dates I wanted, I’d then consider the JW Marriott New Orleans.

— Christine Gallipeau, senior editor for content operations

Cash prices for a five-night stay start at about $1,170.

Related: The best hotels in New Orleans, from the French Quarter to the Garden District

 

A multicity European adventure

I took advantage of the free five-night offer on the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card last year after meeting the minimum spend requirement (offer no longer available) and used three of those nights at London’s pretty swanky Sheraton Grand London Park Lane near Buckingham Palace, and the other two at the Renaissance Amsterdam Hotel.

I did have to do some topping off, as the hotels were closer to 60,000 points per night.

— Colin Hogan, newsletter editor

Cash prices for a five-night stay start at about $1,560 for the Sheraton and $880 for the Renaissance.

Related: The 25 best hotels in London

 

A repeat visit to the Maldives

I’d redeem the five free night awards to return to Le Meridien Maldives Resort & Spa for the third time.

Not only is there award availability around 50,000 points per night during select seasons — meaning you could top off your free night awards with just a few thousand points on some stay dates — you can also book into a sunrise overwater villa for the same number of points as a beach villa on many dates.

— Katie Genter, lead points and miles writer

Cash prices for a five-night stay start at about $1,380.

Related: 34 Maldives resorts you can book with points and miles

 

A vacation in Valencia, Spain

I’d stay at the brand-new Grand Hotel Centenari, Valencia, Autograph Collection. It’s the city’s first Autograph Collection property, opening its doors just last month. The Centenari is a boutique hotel with under 60 rooms and is situated within the historic Telefonica building. The photos show a blend of 1920s art deco design and contemporary luxury finishes.

Most nights are currently priced below 40,000 points, most likely because it is a relatively new and unknown hotel. However, I think it’s still a good use for each 50,000-point free night certificate — especially to experience the new hotel before it’s truly “discovered.”

— Matt Moffitt, contributing editor for credit cards

Cash prices for a five-night stay start at about $1,105.

Related: Timeless luxury in a historic and prime location: A review of Barcelona’s Cotton House Hotel

 

A bucket list trip to Prague

The Czech Republic is on my travel list, so I’d use my five free night awards at the Sir Prague hotel. The Sir Prague is in a 19th-century building fashioned in a Gothic style, giving it a layer of charm and historic appeal that many hotels lack.

While some award nights can climb as high as 80,000 points, there are plenty of nights available for 50,000 to 53,000 points.

I see a lot of 50,000-point award nights in November; if I were to book five nights with cash, it would cost me just under $2,000. That’s way out of my budget for a hotel, so without those free night awards, this hotel would remain on my bucket list forever.

— Olivia Mittak, credit cards editor

Cash prices for a five-night stay start at about $1,025.

 

A Christmas vacation in Germany

I’m planning a trip in December to explore the Christmas markets in Germany. I’d use five free night awards to tour some of the country’s top markets: one night at The Westin Grand Frankfurt (45,000 points per night), two nights at Le Meridien Grand Hotel Nuremberg (52,000 points per night) and two nights at Roomers Munich, Autograph Collection (48,000 points per night).

I would spend 4,000 extra points to top up my certificates for the Nuremberg property. Cash rates in Germany are pretty reasonable right now, but with the dollar’s recent downward trend, I’m happy to book my lodging with points to avoid sticker shock in case the exchange rate worsens by December.

— Rachel Craft, associate points and miles writer

Cash prices for this five-night stay start at about $760.

 

An outdoorsy retreat in Sedona, Arizona

I would use the points to book a five-night stay at the Element Sedona, located just minutes away from some of Arizona’s most iconic red rock trails. The hotel typically prices under 50,000 points per night, so I’d aim to use the full five-night bonus for a desert vacation.

Sedona has been on my list for years, and since hotels can book up quickly, especially during peak season, I’d use the points to lock in a well-located stay without paying out of pocket.

— Stephanie Stevens, associate credit cards writer

Cash prices for a five-night stay start at about $510.

 

A water park adventure in the Bahamas

The Coral at Atlantis on Paradise Island in the Bahamas comes in a little over budget for only 56,000 to 62,000 points per night, but that’s for an ocean view room. (There is no better sleep than when you can hear the ocean outside!)

It’s on my bucket list to visit the resort’s Aquaventure water park and go down the Leap of Faith slide that plunges through a shark tank!

— Tarah Chieffi, senior writer

Cash prices for a five-night stay start at about $1,075.

 

A ‘suite’ stay in Singapore

As for me, I almost exclusively use my Marriott points at properties abroad, and that would be no different here. I’d opt for a hotel in Singapore, such as The Singapore Edition or the JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach, where rooms typically start at an average of 50,000 points per night, with many nights routinely under that 50,000-point threshold.

If I stay during the offseason, I could book five nights without having to top off the free night awards with any extra Bonvoy points. Plus, I’ve found great success with complimentary upgrades outside the country due to my Titanium Elite status, and if that fails, I can use Nightly Upgrade Awards to get an upgrade to a suite without shelling out any extra points.

Cash prices for a five-night stay start at about $1,425.

Related: Singapore’s coolest new hotel for drinking and dining: A review of The Standard, Singapore

 

Bottom line

The limited-time welcome offer on the Bonvoy Boundless can really jump-start your next staycation or vacation. With free five-night awards (up to 50,000 points each), there are options to suit every traveler.

Let this guide serve as inspiration for how you can use your free night awards. While this isn’t a complete list, it can give you a great starting point.

To learn more, check out our full review of the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card.

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Apply here: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card

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