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Exclusive Ritz Carlton Reserve properties can’t be booked with points, right? Wrong.
There are 3 Ritz Carlton Reserve properties in the World: Phulay Bay, Bali, and Puerto Rico. These are THE MOST EXCLUSIVE PROPERTIES that Marriott has in the world. Bar. None. You CAN’T EARN POINTS by staying at them and you CAN’T REDEEM POINTS to stay at them. Wait, that’s what Marriott says, but they’re WRONG! Marriott Timeshare Owners CAN REDEEM POINTS to stay at MANDAPA: A Ritz Carlton Reserve property located in Ubud, Bali. As luck would have it…I stayed there in 2017.
I have tons of pictures that will make you want to fly to Bali for $50 in Cathay Pacific First Class and order a cake, BUT – here’s the bad part: As luck wouldn’t have it…my family didn’t use points and WE COULD HAVE. DOH!
I updated this article for 2019, after the merger between Marriott and Starwood. Luckily, Mandapa is still a part of the Vacation Club Portfolio that can be booked with their timeshare currency of points. We give you details below.
Mandapa is Breathtaking. Here’s a few pics. I understand why Ritz Carlton Reserve properties are in a league of their own.
Mandapa even kindly reminds you that they don’t participate in Marriott Bonvoy. FYI – the Reserve Suite is entry level. All 1076 sq ft of it. After taxes + fees that comes out to about $610/night. Points would sure be nice.
Reserve properties are the ELITE OF THE ELITE. The staff to guest ratio is high. The services are UBER LUX. The rooms are ENORMOUS – I mean…1076 sq ft for entry level?!
Ritz is aiming at Peninsula, Aman, Belmond, etc with these Reserve Properties. Thus…no Points – or so they thought.
Marriott Vacation Club Owners can use their points for “Explorer Collection” Properties.
This collection consists of luxury properties all over the world and often time provide a great way of getting luxury hotels for well under the equivalent value of Marriott Rewards.
Marriott Vacation Club Owners CAN USE THEIR VACATION CLUB POINTS for MANDAPA via the Explorer Collection!
Vacation Club Points can be VERY Valuable. My folks took an ALL EXPENSES PAID LUXURY IRISH TOUR last year using NOTHING but Vacation Club Points.
In 2017, I was poking around and discovered that Marriott has added new redemption options to their Vacation Club Points portfolio. Lo and Behold…Mandapa, A Ritz Carlton Reserve. 
Unfamiliar with Vacation Club Points? They are worth 32 Marriott Rewards per point.
Vacation Club Owners have the ability to convert a portion of their points every year, or every other year ( depending on your contract ) from VCP to Marriott Rewards ( Bonvoy now )
This is merely an option you can perform if you’re a Marriott Vacation Club Owner if you’d wish to use them for a property not in the Explorer Collection, and I’m only bringing it up to provide a basis for value.
In practice, when you redeem for Mandapa you’ll actually be utilizing Vacation Club Points redeemed directly via Marriott Vacation Club. You won’t convert to Bonvoy.
1500 points, the minimum price for Mandapa, would equal 48k Bonvoy. That would put Mandapa at roughly a Bonvoy Category 6 Redemption. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Incredible value.
How do you book?
Currently, the only way you can book is to call into Marriott Vacation Club. The Marriott site won’t provide a link, nor does the member portal for Marriott Vacation Club. You’ll need to call: 855-682-4847
You’d use the chart above, repeated below, to find the number of points you’d need during the year and then call in book. If there is availability, you’re just a call away from redemption
How do cancellations work?
Depending on your status, you’ll told the period of time you have to use the points towards another redemption. However, the big caveat is that once those points are designated to be used in the Explorer Collection, you’ll need to use them within that program. Could be St Ermin’s in London, JW Marriott Chicago, etc.
You just couldn’t use them for another timeshare property, tour, etc.
Don’t worry…we’re always looking for more ways to get you More Lux for Less Bucks!
In fact…you can also use Vacation Club Points to stay at several Ritz Carlton and Marriott properties around the world.
Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Welcome Offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual Fee
$95
Points Earned
Transferrable Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 5x on all travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3x on dining, including eligible delivery services for takeout & dining out
- 3x on select streaming services
- 3x on online grocery purchases
- (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
- $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit via Chase Travel℠
- The begins immediately for new cardmembers and after your account anniversary for existing cardmembers
- 2x on all other travel
- 10% Anniversary Bonus
- Every year you keep the card, your total spend will yield a 10% points bonus. If you spend $10k in a year, you’ll get 1k bonus points
- Chase Sapphire Preferred continues to redeem at 1.25c in the Chase Travel℠ and the slew of other benefits remain in tact including Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver ( primary ), purchase protections, etc.
- Points are transferrable to 14 Ultimate Rewards partners
- Redeem in Chase Travel℠ for 1.25 cents per point
- No foreign transaction fees
- Suite of Travel and Purchase Coverage
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver is my favorite
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- $95 Annual Fee
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists the best ever offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Historically 80k is a very, very good offer and hit in both 2022 and 2023. In 2021, we saw the offer hit an all time high of 100k. Who knows if that will ever come back.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® is exceptional starter card and offers transferrable Ultimate Rewards, and pairs well with other Chase cards.
If you carry this card alongside Chase’s cashback cards like the Chase Freedom Flex® and Chase Freedom Unlimited® or the business versions: Ink Business Cash® , Ink Business Unlimited® you can combine the points into Preferred account and transfer into hotel and airline partners
Annual fee is quite low at $95 a year + you get a 10% anniversary bonus on points + $50 hotel credit in Chase travel.
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