9 Best New York City Hotels to Book With Points [for Max Value]
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New York City is one of the most iconic cities, not only in the U.S. but in the world. The Empire State Building, Central Park, Times Square, Broadway shows, food, and fashion are just a few reasons why you should visit this incredible city.
As with any visit to a major U.S. city, you will have your pick of hotels to choose from. In this article, we will outline the best value hotels that you can book with points. Our value is based on cents per point and our goal is to ensure that you are receiving the best return for your hard-earned points.
After we dive into hotels that offer high value, it is helpful to see how best to earn the hotel points that you will need. Properties from Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton, and IHG were evaluated, however, the cents per point value of Hyatt and Marriott’s were the strongest.
Table of contents
- Best Value New York City Hotels
- Park Hyatt New York (World of Hyatt)
- Gild Hall, a Thompson Hotel (World of Hyatt)
- Parker New York (World of Hyatt)
- AC Hotel New York Times Square (Marriott Bonvoy)
- Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel (Marriott Bonvoy)
- Conrad New York Midtown (Hilton Honors)
- Hilton New York Fashion District (Hilton Honors)
- InterContinental Hotels New York Times Square (IHG Rewards)
- Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan (IHG Rewards)
- Earn Hotel Points to Redeem in New York City
- Final Thoughts
Table of Contents
- Best Value New York City Hotels
- Park Hyatt New York (World of Hyatt)
- Gild Hall, a Thompson Hotel (World of Hyatt)
- Parker New York (World of Hyatt)
- AC Hotel New York Times Square (Marriott Bonvoy)
- Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel (Marriott Bonvoy)
- Conrad New York Midtown (Hilton Honors)
- Hilton New York Fashion District (Hilton Honors)
- InterContinental Hotels New York Times Square (IHG Rewards)
- Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan (IHG Rewards)
- Earn Hotel Points to Redeem in New York City
- Final Thoughts
Best Value New York City Hotels
Now that we’ve highlighted our methodology and goals of the article, let’s dive into the New York City hotels that you can book with points.
Park Hyatt New York (World of Hyatt)
Travelers looking for a luxury hotel in the heart of Midtown should look no further than the Park Hyatt New York. This property is located a block off of Central Park and has several amenities including on-site dining, a spa, fitness center, and pool.
The Park Hyatt New York is a Category 6 hotel that currently requires 30,000 points per night. During peak travel dates, your point value will be 3.72 cents per point — a great luxury hotel redemption!
Hot Tip: Park Hyatt New York offers a Masters of Food & Wine series. Guests experience an interactive food and beverage tasting hosted by Park Hyatt chefs, mixologists, and sommeliers.
Category: 7
Hyatt Points Required: 30,000
August-December Rate: $1,117
Points Value: 3.72 cents per point
Bottom Line: Luxury and location are what you can expect as a guest of the Park Hyatt New York.
Gild Hall, a Thompson Hotel (World of Hyatt)
The Seaport District may not be an area of the city you’ve heard of, but it’s one you should check out. Gild Hall, a Thompson Hotel, is located in the Financial District, near the Seaport District. It’s a boutique property with several amenities including an on-property Italian restaurant.
Peak travel date cash rates are $418 and 15,000 Hyatt points per night are all the points you will need to book a free night. This results in a cents per point value of 2.78.
Hot Tip: The World of Hyatt cards comes with a free award night at a Category 1-4 hotel. Gild Hill would be the perfect place to use your free night certificate.
Category: 4
Hyatt Points Required: 15,000
August-December Rate: $418
Points Value: 2.78 cents per point
Bottom Line: If your goal is to stay in a quieter part of the city in a boutique hotel, Gild Hill needs to be at the top of your list.
Parker New York (World of Hyatt)
A second hotel just off Central Park is Parker New York. This luxury hotel has a fitness center, an on-site restaurant, and a spa that will ensure your stay is relaxing.
Guests can expect to receive 2.64 cents per point in value during peak travel dates. Cash rates average $661 and 25,000 points per night lands you a free night.
Category: 6
Hyatt Points Required: 25,000
August-December Rate: $661
Points Value: 2.64 cents per point
Bottom Line: The Park Hyatt New York sets the bar with luxury in the city, however, you should not overlook the Parker New York.
AC Hotel New York Times Square (Marriott Bonvoy)
A Spanish restaurant and a rooftop bar with views… these are just 2 of the things you will find at the AC Hotel New York Times Square. If the Times Square scene is what you are after, check out this hotel.
1.7 cents per point is the average value you will receive during peak fall and winter travel dates. This hotel’s standard rate is 35,000 points per night and the cash rate average is $599 per night.
Category: 5
Marriott Points Required: 35,000 (standard)
August-December Rate: $599
Points Value: 1.7 cents per point
Bottom Line: AC Hotel New York Times Square is a good mid-tier Marriott hotel that can provide value with your points.
Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel (Marriott Bonvoy)
The Sheraton New York Times Square is another Marriott property to book if you are looking to stay in Times Square. Property amenities include a ritzy restaurant, and a plush cafe and bar, in addition to a fitness center with instructors and daily classes.
This property’s standard rate is 40,000 points per night and the cash rate average is $675 per night. The average value you will receive during off-peak dates is 1.7 cents per point.
Hot Tip: Off-peak award pricing can be found in December, an expensive time to stay in New York City.
Category: 6
Marriott Points Required: 40,000 (off-peak)
August-December Rate: $675
Points Value: 1.7 cents per point
Conrad New York Midtown (Hilton Honors)
Travelers who are looking for an all-suite hotel near Central Park and Times Square should look into the Conrad New York Midtown. Amenities available to guests include a fitness center and a bar with a French menu.
0.7 cents per point is the average value you will receive during peak fall and winter travel dates. This hotel’s standard rate is 95,000 points per night and the cash rate average is $680 per night.
Hilton Points Required: 95,000
August-December Rate: $680
Points Value: 0.7 cents per point
Hilton New York Fashion District (Hilton Honors)
If you’re after a modern hotel in Chelsea, the Hilton New York Fashion District may be what you need. As a hotel guest, you’ll have access to a bar and grill, a rooftop cocktail lounge, and a gym.
This property’s standard rate is 70,000 points per night and the cash rate average is $469 per night. The average value you will receive during off-peak dates is 0.7 cents per point.
Hilton Points Required: 70,000
August-December Rate: $469
Points Value: 0.7 cents per point
InterContinental Hotels New York Times Square (IHG Rewards)
If you want to stay in Times Square, check out the InterContinental New York. Hotel guests have access to amenities that include a cocktail bar, a French restaurant, and a gym.
40,000 to 70,000 points per night are what you will need to book a free night at this property. Cash rates average $406 resulting in a cents per point value of 0.6 to 1.0.
IHG Points Required: 40,000 to 70,000
August-December Rate: $406
Points Value: 0.6 to 1.0 cents per point
Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan (IHG Rewards)
Towards the north end of Times Square is where you’ll find the Crowne Plaza Times Square. This hotel has a restaurant, a bar, a gym, and a lap pool (access fee required).
This IHG hotel requires 30,000 to 60,000 points per night. 0.4 to 0.8 cents per point in value is what to expect for this hotel that averages $254 per night during peak travel dates.
IHG Points Required: 30,000 to 60,000
August-December Rate: $254
Points Value: 0.4 to 0.8
Earn Hotel Points to Redeem in New York City
New York City is an expensive city no matter which way you slice it. The good news is that you can reduce your overall spend by using points. With that said, here are the ways you can earn points within each major hotel loyalty program.
World of Hyatt
World of Hyatt Credit Card
For the Hyatt enthusiasts out there, the Hyatt Credit Card is a no-brainer. It comes with a slew of benefits and upsides with a reasonable annual fee. But what about if you are not a road warrior who can earn Hyatt elite status? Is the Hyatt Credit Card worth it? The short answer is yes!
| World of Hyatt Credit Card - Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent. We like how you also get one free night at any Category 1–4 Hyatt hotel (or resort) every year after your cardmember anniversary. See how to best use your free night for maximum value! |
In addition to a the signup bonus above, this card offers the following perks:
- Up to 9 points at Hyatt — 4 points per $1 at Hyatt plus 5 base points per $1 as a Hyatt member
- 1 free night at a Category 1-4 property after your cardmember anniversary
- 1 additional free night at a Category 1-4 property after spending $15,000 during your cardmember year
- 5 elite night qualifying credits
- 2 additional elite night credits for every $5,000 spent on the card
- Discoverist status as long as you have the card
As you can see, not only is the Hyatt Credit Card worth holding, it is a card that makes sense to put spend on. The more that you spend on this card, the more benefits that you will unlock. For those of you who can spend $15,000 on this card, the bonus free night is the icing on the cake.
World of Hyatt Award Chart
The World of Hyatt program has delayed anticipated changes to introduce off-peak and peak award pricing until 2021 due to COVID-19. Until that time, standard award pricing shown below will be in effect.
| World of Hyatt Award Chart | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel Category | Standard Room Points per Night | Regency/Grand Club Points per Night | Standard Suite Points per Night | Premium Suite Points per Night |
| 1 | 5,000 | 7,000 | 8,000 | 10,000 |
| 2 | 8,000 | 12,000 | 13,000 | 16,000 |
| 3 | 12,000 | 17,000 | 20,000 | 24,000 |
| 4 | 15,000 | 21,000 | 24,000 | 30,000 |
| 5 | 20,000 | 27,000 | 32,000 | 40,000 |
| 6 | 25,000 | 33,000 | 40,000 | 50,000 |
| 7 | 30,000 | 39,000 | 48,000 | 60,000 |
| 8 | 40,000 | — | — | — |
Other Ways to Earn World of Hyatt Points
The World of Hyatt card is likely going to be your most efficient way to earn Hyatt points. As mentioned earlier, you will earn up to 9x points at Hyatt, which is hard to beat.
Another way to earn Hyatt points is by transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt. Chase has 3 Ultimate Rewards cards in the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card, and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. These cards earn Chase points with your spending.
You can also convert Chase cash-back into Chase points if you hold an Ultimate Rewards card. Chase cards like the Chase Freedom® card (no longer open to new applicants), Chase Freedom Flex℠ Credit Card, Chase Freedom Unlimited® card, Ink Business Cash® Credit Card, and Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card earn cash-back.
Marriott Bonvoy
Marriott Bonvoy Credit Cards
Marriott is a bit different in terms of credit cards compared to Hyatt. Marriott does not have 1 credit card but instead has 4 co-branded cards. Each credit card is geared towards a different type of traveler, but it also can make sense to hold multiple Marriott credit cards.
The Marriott Bonvoy credit card lineup is as follows:
| Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card - Earn 3 Free Nights (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after qualifying purchases, plus 10x total points on eligible purchases in select categories. Get automatic silver elite status each account anniversary year; and a free night award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary. Plus, earn up to 17X points per $1 at over 7,000 participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, and 2X points per $1 on all other purchases. Annual Fee is $95. |
| Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card - Earn 30,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. Earn up to 14X points per $1 at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, earn 2X on other travel purchases, then 1x on all other purchases. A solid card for Marriott loyalists looking for a no-annual-fee card offering Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status. |
| Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card - Earn 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Plus, earn up to $200 in Statement Credits for eligible purchases at U.S. Restaurants within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Earn 6x per $1 at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels plus 3x at U.S. restaurants and flights booked directly with airlines. Annual Fee is $450. Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Bonvoy Brilliant card, click here. |
| Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card - Earn 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 of eligible purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn up to $150 back in statement credits on eligible purchases made on your new Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership. This is a solid card for business owners who will get complimentary Marriott Bonvoy silver elite status. Annual fee is $125. Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business Card, click here. |
Now that we have the cards laid out, let’s dive into each card and review what you will receive as a cardmember.
- 1 free award night every cardmember anniversary at a property requiring up to 35,000 points
- 6x point per $1 at Marriott
- 15 elite night credits annually, qualifying you for Silver Elite status
- 3x points per $1 at Marriott
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card:
- $300 annual statement credit for Marriott purchases
- 1 free award night every cardmember anniversary at a property requiring up to 50,000 points
- 15 elite night credits annually
- 6x points per $1 at Marriott
- Complimentary Gold Elite status
- $100 credit at Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis for 2-night stays
- Priority Pass Select lounge access
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
- Free 2-day shipping with ShopRunner
Marriott Bonvoy Business card:
- 15 elite night credits annually qualifying you for Silver Elite status
- 1 free award night every cardmember anniversary at a property requiring up to 35,000 points
- 6x points at Marriott
Marriott Bonvoy Award Chart
The Marriott Bonvoy program also has off-peak, standard, and peak pricing. What may be clear when comparing the Marriott and Hyatt award chart is the difference in the number of points per night required.
When you start looking at Category 5-8 Marriott properties, the number of points per night ramps up substantially.
| Marriott Bonvoy Award Chart | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel Category | Off-Peak Points per Night | Standard Points per Night | Peak Points per Night |
| 1 | 5,000 | 7,500 | 10,000 |
| 2 | 10,000 | 12,500 | 15,000 |
| 3 | 15,000 | 17,500 | 20,000 |
| 4 | 20,000 | 25,000 | 30,000 |
| 5 | 30,000 | 35,000 | 40,000 |
| 6 | 40,000 | 50,000 | 60,000 |
| 7 | 50,000 | 60,000 | 70,000 |
| 8 | 70,000 | 85,000 | 100,000 |
Other Ways to Earn Marriott Points
Putting your spend on Marriott credit cards is going to be the easiest way to earn Marriott points. When you factor in the sign-up bonus on top of consistent spend on Marriott cards, you will have your fair share of points to redeem.
Staying at Marriott hotels is another way to earn Marriott points. You will earn 10 points per $1 spent as a Marriott member and 10-75% bonus points depending upon your Marriott elite member tier.
Marriott also partners with American Express and Chase. This means that you can transfer American Express and Chase points to Marriott. The value is low when making these types of transfers so we recommend that you transfer American Express and Chase points to their high-value airline (and hotel with Hyatt and Chase) partners instead.
IHG Rewards
IHG Rewards Credit Cards
Chase issues both of the IHG credit cards that are subject to the 5/24 rule. This is important to keep in mind if you plan on applying.
| CREDIT CARD | CARD INFO |
|---|---|
IHG® Rewards Club Traveler Credit Card |
|
IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card Apply Now (at Chase's secure site) |
|
IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card
The IHG Premier card used to be the IHG® Rewards Club Select Credit Card (no longer open to new applicants). As a cardmember, the top perks of this credit card are IHG elite status, the annual certificate for a property requiring up to 40,000 points per night, and a fourth night free on an award booking.
IHG® Rewards Club Traveler Credit Card
The other co-branded IHG card issued by Chase is the IHG Traveler card. Earning additional points at IHG properties, in addition to bonuses at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants, is the main reason to pick up this card.
In addition to the bonus category earnings, cardmembers receive an award night when you redeem points for any stay of 4 or more nights. Not bad for a card without an annual fee!
If IHG Gold Elite status is what you are after, the IHG Traveler card allows you to earn your way towards this status.
IHG Rewards Award Chart
Similar to Hilton Honors, IHG uses dynamic award pricing. The number of points required to book a room is variable, so to know how many points you will need per hotel per night you will need to run an award search.
Other Ways to Earn IHG Rewards Points
There are a couple of easy ways that we recommend earning IHG Rewards points —spending on IHG credit cards and staying at IHG Hotels & Resorts.
Another option is to transfer Chase points directly to IHG to book an award stay. Chase points have a ton of value so we do not recommend that you make this transfer. Instead, we recommend redeeming Chase points with its more valuable airline and hotel partners.
Hilton Honors
Hilton Honors Credit Cards
Hilton partners with American Express to issue its credit cards. No matter what type of traveler you are, there’s a Hilton credit card for you.
Free weekend night certificates for a standard room are the carrot Hilton uses to incentive new credit card sign-ups. These cards have annual fees, however, but it’s easy to offset the fee by redeeming these certificates.
| CREDIT CARD | CARD INFO |
|---|---|
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card Learn More (at Amex's secure site) |
|
Hilton Honors American Express Card Apply Now (at Amex's secure site) |
|
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card Learn More (at Amex's secure site) |
|
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card Apply Now (at Amex's secure site) |
|
The Hilton Aspire card is Hilton’s premium card geared towards travelers who find value in its free weekend night certificate. Another Hilton card that allows you to earn an additional free weekend night certificate is the Hilton Surpass card. By spending $15,000 in a calendar year on this card, you’ll earn an additional free night.
Like the Hilton Surpass card, by spending $15,000 in a cardmember year on the Hilton Business Amex card you’ll earn a free weekend night certificate. An additional free weekend night certificate can be earned by spending $45,000 in a cardmember year.
Bottom Line: Check out our Amex Hilton Honors credit card comparison if you need a deeper dive into Hilton cards. Everything you need to know is covered in this article.
Hilton Honors Award Chart
Hilton does not use an award chart and instead uses dynamic pricing. This means that the number of points per night will change depending on the date.
The Points Explorer tool is what we’ve found helpful in determining the number of Hilton points you need to book a free night. Enter your destination in the Where do you want to go? search bar. Then enter the number of points that you have in the How many Points per night are you working with? scroll bar. Last, the search results will show you how many points you will need to book a hotel in that area.
Other Ways to Earn Hilton Honors Points
Hilton credit cards make it easy to earn the Hilton points that you need. 3x and 14x points in spending categories like airfare, grocery stores, Hilton purchases, and restaurants is what you can earn with the array of Hilton cards currently available.
Other ways to pad your Hilton points balance include paying for cash stays at Hilton properties, taking Lyft rides, and transferring American Express points. Similar to Chase and IHG, we do not recommend transferring Amex points to Hilton but do recommend using Lyft to earn 3x points per $1 spent on rides.
Final Thoughts
Deciding which hotel to book for your next trip to New York City can feel overwhelming. It feels like there is a limitless supply of hotels and you want to receive the most value. The good news is that we’ve done the work for you and found that the cents per point value for New York City hotels will range from 0.7-3.7, depending on the hotel that you book.
Looking for tours and activities to finishing planning your trip to New York? Explore the best activities and tour in New York City for a great trip to the Big Apple.
The information regarding the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card and Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and was not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, please click here.
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