Global List: Design Hotels 35K Free Night Certificate Redemptions
35k Free Night Certificates can be earned through Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless and Amex Marriott Bonvoy Business Card that cost $95 and $125 in annual fee respectively. Despite how basic a 35K FNC looks, it’s still possible to redeem them at upscale Marriott brand like the Autograph Collection.
We now know that Marriott still secretly assign categories to their hotels, and with that information, we can infer the possibility of our Free Night Certificates, as we can top them up with up to 15,000 Marriott points. In case of 35k FNC’s, we could redeem a hotel that would charge 50,000 Marriott points at most.
Here’s the secret Marriott award chart:
| Category | Minimum/Night | Maximum/Night |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5,000 | 18,000 |
| 2 | 10,000 | 28,000 |
| 3 | 15,000 | 36,500 |
| 4 | 22,000 | 55,000 |
| 5 | 35,000 | 76,000 |
| 6 | 40,000 | 88,000 |
| 7 | 50,000 | 109,000 |
| 8 | 52,000 | 140,000 |
| 9 | 80,000 | 158,000 |
| 9 (StR/RC Maldives) | 108,000 | 198,000 |
| 9 (JW Marriott Masai Mara) | 192,000 | 236,000 |
| RC Reserve Zadun/Nekajui/StR Red Sea (Cat 11) | 125,000 | 212,000 |
| RC Reserve Dorado Beach (Cat 12) | 163,000 | 254,000 |
| Nujuma, RC Reserve (Cat 12) | 187,500 | 327,500 |
| RC Masai Mara (Cat 14) | 294,000 | 361,500 |
| North Island Seychelles (Cat 17) [Marriott Exit on Jul 1, 2025] | 443,000 | 605,000 |
For context, I will add the set Category level for each Autograph Collection hotels listed below. In terms of 35k FNC redemption at Autograph Collection hotels, only Cat 4-6 are the ones you should look out for. Here’s what each Category means:
- Cat 4: Nearly guaranteed & may or may not need topup (100% guaranteed on 40k FNC’s plus topup)
- Cat 5: Good chances except during peak times; topup most likely required
- Cat 6: Topup required; must be very picky with dates and plan trip around hotel redemption. Sometimes impossible on resort properties.
While it could be possible to redeem them at Category 7 properties, I decided to include them on the 50K FNC redemption list for Design Hotels instead for simplicity due to how challenging it already is to redeem 35K FNC at Category 6 properties.
For Design Hotels brand, there could be some hotels set at Category 2-3. Whether or not that’s worth redeeming a 35K FNC is up to you, but I recommend at least breaking even with the annual fee of either the Boundless or Business ($95 & $125 respectively).
Here’s a list of possible Design Hotels location around the world by countries:
Austria
- Augarten Art Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- The Cōmodo, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 6)
- Rote Wand Gourmet Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 6)
Belgium
- The Dominican, Brussels, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
Bulgaria
- Junó Hotel Sofia, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Sense Hotel Sofia, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
Canada
- Hotel St. Paul, Montreal, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
Czech Republic
- Sir Prague, a Member Design Hotels (Cat 6)
Ecuador
- Carlota, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
Finland
- Hotel St. George, Helsinki, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
France
- Vertigo Hotel, Dijon, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Le Pigalle, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 6)
Georgia
- Rooms Kazbegi, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
- The Blue Fox Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
Germany
- Mauritzhof Hotel Munster, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
- Sir Savigny Hotel, Berlin, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
- Provocateur, Berlin, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- The Mandala Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- The Qvest Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Roomers Frankfurt The Legend, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- The Pure, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- The George Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- SIDE, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 6)
Greece
- The Met Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
- Fresh Hotel, Athens, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
- MANNA, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- New Hotel, Athens, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Periscope, Athens, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Semiramis Hotel, Athens, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Myconian Kyma, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- The Tanneries Hotel & Spa, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 6)
- Olea All Suite Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 6)
Hong Kong
- Mira Moon Hong Kong, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- The Mira Hong Kong, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
Indonesia
- Somewhere Lombok, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Innit Lombok, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 6)
- The Bohemian Bali, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 6)
Italy
- Gombit Hotel Bergamo (Cat 4)
- Parkhotel Mondschein, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
- C-Hotel & Spa, Cassago Brianza, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
- Elizabeth Country House, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
- STRAF, Milan, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Hotel Greif, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Vigilius Mountain Resort, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
Japan
- Genji Kyoto, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 6)
Kenya
- Trademark Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
- Tribe Hotel, Nairobi, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
Lithuania
- Hotel Pacai, Vilnius, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
Malaysia
- Macalister Mansion, George Town, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- The Prestige Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
Mauritius
- SALT of Palmar, Mauritius, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 6)
Mexico
- Casa Habita, Guadalajara, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
- Elena de Cobre, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
- Rosas & Xocolate, Mérida, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Circulo Mexicano, Mexico, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Downtown Mexico, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- CONDESA df, Mexico City, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Habita, Mexico City, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Baja Club Hotel, La Paz, Baja California Sur, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 6)
Morocco
- AnaYela, Marrakesh, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
Netherlands
- Sir Adam Hotel, Amsterdam, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Sir Albert, Amsterdam, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Kruisherenhotel Maastricht, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
Poland
- H15 Boutique Hotel, Warsaw, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
Portugal
- Immerso Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Altis Belém Hotel & Spa, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Memmo Principe Real, Lisbon, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Torre de Palma Wine Hotel, Monforte, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
Singapore
- 21 Carpenter, Singapore, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- The Warehouse Hotel, Singapore, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
South Africa
- Ten Bompas Hotel, Johannesburg, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
South Korea
- Nest Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
Spain
- Hospes Palacio del Bailío, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
- Hospes Palacio de San Esteban , Salamanca, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
- Bohemia Suites & Spa, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
- Seaside Palm Beach, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
- Hospes Amérigo, Alicante, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Hospes Palacio de los Patos, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Hospes Las Casas del Rey de Baeza, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Hospes Palau de la Mar, Valencia, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- ORA Hotel Priorat, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Sir Victor Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 6)
- Hospes Puerta de Alcalá, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 6)
Sweden
- Hotel J, Stockholm, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Blique by Nobis, Stockholm, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Nobis Hotel Stockholm, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Hotel Skeppsholmen, Stockholm, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Miss Clara by Nobis, Stockholm, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Stallmästaregarden, Stockholm, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
Switzerland
- Chandolin Boutique Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Giardino Lago, Minusio-Locarno, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- The Home Hotel Zürich, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
Taiwan
- Hotel Proverbs Taipei, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
Thailand
- Casa de La Flora, Khao Lak, Phang Nga, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
Türkiye
- Casa Foscolo Hotel, Istanbul, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
- Gezi Hotel Bosphorus, Istanbul, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
-
The Bank Hotel Istanbul, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
United Arab Emirates
- FORM Hotel Al Jaddaf, Dubai, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
United Kingdom
- Town Hall Hotel, London, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Inhabit Queen’s Gardens, a Member of Design Hotel (Cat 6)
- Inhabit Southwick Street, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 6)
United States
- Bradford House, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
- guesthouse by good neighbor, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 4)
- Hotel Ulysses, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Scribner’s Catskill Lodge, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- Hotel June West L.A., a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 5)
- The Robey, Chicago, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 6)
- The Dwell Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 6)
- Drift Nashville, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 6)
- Austin Proper Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 6)
- San Francisco Proper Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 6)
- Downtown Los Angeles Proper Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 6)
- Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort and Mineral Springs, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 6)
- Granger Hotel Gaslamp Quarter, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 6)
- Avalon Hotel Beverly Hills, a Member of Design Hotels (Cat 6)
Conclusion
Design Hotels offer attractive properties that are close to nature and hotels designed around local cultures in mind. Those reasons alone could make up for their lack of free breakfast for elites. The hotels in this list would cost more than what you’d pay for the annual fees of the credit cards you’d get the 35K FNC’s from.
If you find this list useful and are interested in 35K Free Night Certificates, please consider using my referral links below for the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Business and/or Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless to help support this site! Thank you very much!