✈ Splurging on an Aspirational Hotel, Cruise vs. All-inclusive Resort & More Daily News From TPG ✈

Also: Why Premium Plus and higher fare classes are the secret to United upgrades [The Points Guy]( WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY Aug 19, 2022 SPLURGING ON A SPECIAL STAY Last weekend, my husband and I stayed at [Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai]( (pictured above) for our 13th wedding anniversary. This hotel is about 45 minutes outside Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. We redeemed 140,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for a two-night stay before Marriott removed its award charts. Now, award nights at Al Maha range from 96,000 to 120,000 points per night. As I discussed in an article last year about [whether Al Maha is worth the splurge]( redeeming 70,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night was far more than I've ever personally spent on a stay. In 2019, Al Maha was the fourth-most-popular Marriott property in the Middle East and Africa region for award stays. Unsurprisingly, we weren't the only guests on-site who had [redeemed Marriott points]( We met another couple who said they'd redeemed points for a five-night stay to get a [fifth night free](. Award nights at Al Maha book into a stand-alone suite with a private pool and [include three meals and two activities daily](. Despite visiting during the hot summer season, we had an excellent stay that I don't regret splurging on. If you're considering a [luxury hotel redemption]( check out the following stories: - [Dubai was named the ‘most popular destination’ — here’s where to stay on points]( - [Could a wave of new luxury hotels price people out of national park vacations?]( - [Marriott will open a luxury safari lodge in Kenya’s Masai Mara Reserve]( - [Book low-end or luxury to get the best value from your hotel points]( Katie Genter, Senior Writer Posts in this newsletter contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, [visit this page](. TODAY'S TOP STORIES [English not your 1st language? Use these 8 tips to help your points and miles game]( Living in the U.S. can make it easy to earn points and miles, unlike what you may find if you live in another country. [Read more]( [Why now is a great time to apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex]( TPG's Ashley Onadele explains why she's strongly considering adding this card to her wallet. [Read more]( [Cruise vs. all-inclusive resort: Which budget-friendly option is best for you?]( Both vacation types can provide an easy trip, with accommodations and activities bundled into one package price. [Read more]( [Why Premium Plus and higher fare classes are the secret to United upgrades]( United’s upgrade waitlist emphasizes upgrading travelers in the most expensive coach seats. [Read more]( [How I spent $0 using points and miles on an epic Highway 1 road trip]( Learn how TPG's Colby Kirkpatrick leveraged points and miles to cover travel costs and earn more in the process. [Read more]( THE LATEST 1 [Trendy and affordable steps from the French Quarter: My stay at the Canopy by Hilton New Orleans Downtown]( 2 [A guide to guest policies for airport lounges]( 3 [10 reasons the Hard Rock Hotel New York is a teenage dream]( 4 [Should you get a cruise line credit card? Here's a closer look]( 5 [7 ways to save on your next family vacation]( 6 [Bank of America cardholders can enjoy a year of Grubhub+]( 7 [Fly premium economy from more than 150 US cities to Helsinki, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo and Warsaw, starting at $900]( 8 [Why United’s expanded Premium Plus rollout isn’t exclusively good news]( 9 [Choosing the best airport lounge at DFW — and how you can get inside]( 10 [Register now: Earn bonus Hilton points with these special offers]( [fb]( [insta]( [yt]( [tw]( [in](#) [mail](mailto:tpg@thepointsguy.com) You are receiving this because you opted in at [thepointsguy.com](. Where to find us: The Points Guy 100 5th Ave., 16th Floor New York, NY 10011 USA0 USA Changed your mind? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe]( at any time. Advertiser Disclosure: The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which [ThePointsGuy.com]( receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Please view our [advertising policy page]( for more information. Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. THE POINTS GUY © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2022