My First Year With the HDFC Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card - Was It Worth It?

I signed up for the HDFC Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card mainly for two benefits:

1. A Free Night Award (up to 15,000 points redemption)
2. 10 Elite Night Credits every membership year

The annual fee is ₹3,000 + taxes, which felt reasonable if the card delivered enough value.

Card Acceptance: Excellent in India, Weak Overseas

In India, the card has worked smoothly around 95% of the time — from local shops to high-end restaurants. No issues there.

However, when I travelled to Azerbaijan, the experience was completely different. I stayed at Pik Palace Shadag, and the staff did not recognize the Diners Club network. Throughout the country, very few places accepted the card. I had to rely entirely on a VISA card for all payments.

Summary:

• India – strong acceptance

• Some international destinations – poor acceptance

If you travel abroad frequently, you must carry a backup VISA or Mastercard.

Free Nights and Milestone Benefits

Along with the joining Free Night Award, I reached the spending milestones of ₹6 lakhs and ₹9 lakhs. This was mainly due to bulk booking flights (Mumbai to Singapore) and paying for land packages for friends. These high spends helped me earn additional free night certificates.

Using free nights is simple in standard city hotels like Courtyard and Westin in metro locations. But for aspirational resorts, availability and top-ups become necessary.

My target list includes:

• Westin Rishikesh

• JW Marriott Walnut Grove, Mussoorie

• Marriott properties in Jim Corbett

• Weligama Bay Marriott, Sri Lanka

These require more planning and possibly extra points.

Room Only: No Breakfast Included

One difference compared to Accor stays is that Marriott redemptions offer only the base room. Breakfast, taxes and any upgrades are additional costs unless you hold a higher Elite status (Platinum and above).

This is not a deal-breaker, but important to understand when budgeting a stay.

Golf Privileges: Untapped Value

The card includes golf access, but I did not use this benefit during the year. I plan to make use of it going forward.

Final Verdict: I’m Renewing for Another Year

Despite the limitations abroad and room-only redemptions, the card has delivered value - especially through milestone free nights. My plan is to collect more points and certificates toward a future vacation at one of the listed resorts.

If you frequently stay at Marriott properties in India, this card can offer strong return on the annual fee. Just ensure you have another internationally accepted card when traveling overseas.

Let me know your best Marriott Bonvoy redemption experience - always good to learn from fellow travellers.