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.
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.
Redeem points to stay at the Park Hyatt New York. Image Credit: HyattTravelers 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 8 hotel that requires 35,000-45,000 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: 8
Hyatt Points Required: 35,000-45,000
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.
Grab a drink at the Gild Hall bar. Image Credit: HyattThe 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 17,000-23,000 Hyatt points per night (standard) are all the points you will need to book a free night. This results in a cents per point value of 2.09.
Category: 5
Hyatt Points Required: 17,000-23,000
August-December Rate: $418
Points Value: 2.09 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.
Use points to stay at one of Hyatt’s newest hotel additions, the Parker New York. Image Credit: HyattA 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.
Use Marriott points to stay at the AC Hotel New York Times Square. Image Credit: MarriottA 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 starts at around 35,000 points per night and the cash rate average is $599 per night.
Marriott Points Required: From 35,000
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.
The Sheraton New York Times Square provides easy access to Central Park. Image Credit: MarriottThe 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 starts at 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: The cheapest award pricing can be found in December, an expensive time to stay in New York City.
Marriott Points Required: From 40,000
August-December Rate: $675
Points Value: 1.7 cents per point
Use your Hilton Honors points for an award stay at the Conrad New York Midtown. Image Credit: HiltonTravelers 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
Stay in Chelsea at the Hilton New York Fashion District. Image Credit: HiltonIf 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
Stay in Times Square at the InterContinental New York. Image Credit: IHGIf 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
Hot Tip: If you don’t have enough points for a redemption or just want some additional budget-friendly options, check our guide to the best cheap hotels in Manhattan.
Redeem IHG One Rewards points for a stay at the Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan. Image Credit: IHGTowards 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
The World of Hyatt Credit Card
For the Hyatt enthusiasts out there, the World of Hyatt Credit Card is a no-brainer. It comes with a slew of benefits and upsides with a reasonable annual fee.
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.
Hot Tip: If you’re a small business owner, consider opting for the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card, which offers big earning potential and an easier path to Globalist elite status.
World of Hyatt Award Chart
| World of Hyatt Award Chart |
|---|
| Hotel Category | Off-Peak Points Per Night | Standard Points Per Night | Peak
Points Per Night |
|---|
| 1 | 3,500 | 5,000 | 6,500 |
| 2 | 6,500 | 8,000 | 9,500 |
| 3 | 9,000 | 12,000 | 15,000 |
| 4 | 12,000 | 15,000 | 18,000 |
| 5 | 17,000 | 20,000 | 23,000 |
| 6 | 21,000 | 25,000 | 29,000 |
| 7 | 25,000 | 30,000 | 35,000 |
| 8 | 35,000 | 40,000 | 45,000 |
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®, 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:
| Credit Card | Benefits & Info |
|---|
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
Learn More (at Chase's secure site) | - Earn 3 Free Nights (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after qualifying purchases.
- New Benefit! Earn 3X Bonvoy points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
- New Benefit! Earn 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend.
- 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
- Earn up to 17X total Bonvoy points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card.
- 2X Bonvoy points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
- Receive 15 Elite Night Credits annually, automatic Silver Elite Status each account anniversary year, and path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each calendar year.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Good to Excellent (670-850)
- Annual Fee: $95
$1,050 |
New 100k Welcome Offer
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card
Learn More (at Amex's secure site) | - Earn 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points and 1 Free Night Award after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months.
- Enjoy up to $300 in statement credits each year of Card Membership for eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program.
- Earn 6 Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program. 3 points at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines. 2 points on all other eligible purchases.
- Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at a participating hotel. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- Enjoy unlimited airport lounge visits when you enroll in Priority Pass™ Select membership.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Good to Excellent (670-850)
- Annual Fee: $450
- Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, click here.
$700 |
Now that we have the cards laid out, let’s dive into each card and review what you will receive as a cardmember.
Marriott Boundless card:
- 1 free award night every cardmember anniversary at a property requiring up to 35,000 points
- 6x point per $1 at Marriott
Marriott Bold card:
- 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 at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program
Marriott Bonvoy Award Chart
Like Hilton and IHG, Marriott has dropped its award chart in favor of dynamic pricing. This means you’ll need to check individual dates for prices.
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 One Rewards
IHG Credit Cards
Chase issues all of the IHG credit cards and 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 Traveler Credit Card
Learn More (at Chase's secure site) | - Earn 120,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening
- Earn up to 17 points total per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel
- Earn 3 points per $1 spent on purchases on monthly bills, gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- Redeem 3 Nights, Get the 4th Night Free
- IHG Rewards bonus points are redeemable at hotels such as InterContinental®, Crowne Plaza®, Kimpton®, EVEN® Hotels, Indigo® Hotels & Holiday Inn®
- Good to Excellent (670-850)
- Annual Fee: $0
$600 |
IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card
Learn More (at Chase's secure site) | - Earn 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- Enjoy a Reward Night after each account anniversary year at eligible IHG hotels worldwide. Plus, enjoy a reward night when you redeem points for any stay of 3 or more nights
- Earn up to 26 points total per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel
- Earn 5 points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Platinum Elite status as long as you remain a Premier card member
- Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS Statement Credit of up to $100 every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card
- IHG Rewards bonus points are redeemable at hotels such as InterContinental®, Crowne Plaza®, Kimpton®, EVEN® Hotels, Indigo® Hotels & Holiday Inn®
- Good to Excellent (670-850)
- Annual Fee: $99
$700
|
IHG® Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
Learn More (at Chase's secure site) | - Earn 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- Enjoy a Reward Night after each account anniversary year at eligible IHG hotels worldwide. Plus, enjoy a reward night when you redeem points for any stay of 3 or more nights
- Earn up to 26 points total per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel
- Earn 5 points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, gas stations, select advertising, and restaurants. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Platinum Elite status as long as you remain a Premier card member
- Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS Statement Credit of up to $100 every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card
- IHG Rewards bonus points are redeemable at hotels such as InterContinental®, Crowne Plaza®, Kimpton®, EVEN® Hotels, Indigo® Hotels & Holiday Inn®
- Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-850)
- Annual Fee: $99
$700 |
The IHG® Rewards Premier Credit 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 night free on eligible award booking.
The other personal co-branded IHG card issued by Chase is the IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card. Earning additional points at IHG properties, in addition to bonuses on monthly bills, gas stations, 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!
IHG One 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 One Rewards Points
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) | - Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- Plus, you can earn an additional 50,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend a total of $10,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months.
- Earn a Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- Earn 12x Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio.
- Earn 6x Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases on your Card at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
- Earn 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
- Spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn Hilton Honors Diamond status through the end of the next calendar year.
- Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-850)
- Annual Fee: $95
- Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Surpass Card, click here.
|
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Learn More (at Amex's secure site) | - Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $1,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio.
- Earn 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
- Earn 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status with your Card. Plus, spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors Gold status through the end of the next calendar year.
- Good to Excellent (670-850)
- Annual Fee: $0
- Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Amex Card, click here.
$400 |
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Learn More (at Amex's secure site) | - Earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after spending $4,000 on eligible purchases within your first 3 months of card membership
- Enjoy a free Weekend Night Reward within your first year and every year after renewal.
- Earn 14x Hilton Honors Bonus Points on eligible purchases at participating hotels or resorts within the Hilton Portfolio.
- Earn 7x Hilton Honors Bonus Points on eligible purchases: on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com, on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies & at U.S. restaurants.
- Earn 3x Hilton Honors Bonus Points on all other purchases
- Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-850)
- Annual Fee: $450
- Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Aspire Card, click here.
|
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
Learn More (at Amex's secure site) | - Welcome Offer: Earn 130,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors Business Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- Earn Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases on your Card: 12X at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio, 6X at US gas stations, on US purchases for shipping, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from US service providers, on flights booked directly with airlines or with Amex Travel, on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies, and at US restaurants, 3X on all other eligible purchases. Terms & Limitations Apply.
- Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Status with your Hilton Honors Business Card.
- Earn a Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- Earn another Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend an additional $45,000 in purchases on your Card in the same calendar year.
- Good to Excellent (670-850)
- Annual Fee: $95
- Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Business Card, click here.
$650 |
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 tours in New York City and kid-friendly Manhattan activities 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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