High Value Marriott Bonvoy 35k Free Night Certificate Redemptions in Japan
Marriott’s 35k Free Night Certificate can be attained through credit cards like the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless and Amex Marriott Bonvoy Business just for $95 or $125 in annual fee.
One of the more predictable features of the 35k FNC’s is that it would guarantee you up to a Category 4 hotel (plus topups), as they charge 46k points max per night as long as standard award availability is there. 35k FNC is ironically less frustrating to redeem than 50k FNC, though there are some nice 50k FNC redemptions in Japan as well.
Tokyo
Marriott hotels in Tokyo typically commands a high price, even for the mid-tier brands. There are 3 hotels that you can consider for 35k certificate redemptions like Courtyard Ginza, AC Hotel Ginza, and Aloft Ginza. All mentioned hotels are Category 5, which means there are great chances of redeeming them outside of peak seasons. Unfortunately, Category 5 is the lowest category for Marriott hotels in Tokyo.
Ginza is a convenient location where train stations are plentiful, and there are many high-end luxury shops that you can check on foot.
Yokohama
Yokohama is in south of Tokyo with generally cheaper points redemption overall. It’s possibly not a mainstay destination for first time visitors of Japan, but commuting to Tokyo from Yokohama can be done easily thanks to the robust public transportation connecting both cities.
The newest Marriott hotel is The Westin Yokohama, rated at Category 5. Thus, 35k certificate redemption is possible most of the time. If not, the Yokohama Bay Sheraton is another Category 5 option that you could choose from, albeit being the older hotel of the two.
Osaka
Osaka has assortments of Courtyards in the city that’s quite achievable with 35k certs like Courtyard Shin-Osaka or Honmachi rated at Category 5 on both hotels. But, you may be able to get W Osaka or Osaka Marriott Miyako Hotel; both Category 6 hotels when they hover around ~40k a night or so.
There are few Category 4 Moxy and Alofts in town that you could redeem 35k FNC’s for, but they don’t offer much value as the cash price are not much more than the $95 and $125 annual fees from Marriott credit cards that give 35k certs.
Nara
Marriott hotels in Nara are rated at Category 6, for both the JW Marriott and Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel. It’s possible to still redeem 35k certificate with popups, but you’d need to be more picky with the date you’re going. From reading the reviews, it seems JW Marriott is the better option of the two.
Kyoto
Marriott 35k FNC redemption in Kyoto won’t be as plentiful as in Osaka, but two properties that are quite achievable are The Chapter Kyoto, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel or Moxy Kyoto. Out of the two, I would gun for The Chapter Kyoto as the Moxy is quite cheap in cash, and won’t offer much more value.
Harder to attain, but possible in some dates, hotels are The Prince Kyoto Takaraigake (Autograph Collection), Genji Kyoto (Design Hotel), and Westin Miyako Kyoto. All hotels are rated at Category 6. If you wish to redeem 35k certificates on one of these hotels, you’d need to pick your dates around them.
Hiroshima
The Sheraton Grand is the only Marriott hotel in Hiroshima, and is rated at Category 5. Cash prices tend to be cheap here, but you could still offset the annual fees of your Marriott credit cards here. I suggest saving your 35k FNC elsewhere, but it could be a decent last resort option. The hotel is conveniently located right next to JR Hiroshima Station, which can get you to Miyajima in haste, and explore the city with the nearby tram.
Kyushu
Kyushu is an overshadowed region of Japan. But, that also means hotel categorization tend to be lower as well, which can be great for 35k certificate redemptions. Two Marriott hotels in Kyushu worth mentioning for 35k certs are Nagasaki Marriott and Sheraton Kagoshima.
Nagasaki Marriott is a Category 4 hotel, which means 35k certificates are guaranteed to redeem at this property. On top of that, Nagasaki Marriott will also let you book their 1 King Bed Premium Room with Balcony at the same price as the base Deluxe Room. It’s a free upgrade!
The other hotel, Sheraton Kagoshima, is a Category 4 hotel too. From this hotel, you can get a clear view of Sakurajima, the most active volcano in Japan! The hotel will also come with traditional onsen and natural hot spring foot bath.
Conclusion
These are some nice examples on where you can redeem your Marriott 35k Free Night Certificates. Realistically, Tokyo would be the toughest place to redeem them, but there’s more opportunities in Kansai area, particularly in Osaka and Kyoto. There’s also the less-visited places for tourists like Nagasaki or Kagoshima where 35k FNC’s can be easier to redeem, while at the same time, inspire you to visit the less crowded places in Japan.