Use Marriott Rewards Points [Europe trip]

[curbysplace]

We are planning a European vacation next summer using rewards points for the air/hotel package.

Thinking about Italy and adding a second week at MVC-Marbella or MVC-France via II trade or DC points but are open to go anywhere in Europe. I am looking for suggestions for country and city or cities, which category and which Marriott hotels in the category (can you use the hotel nights at different hotels?), the airline choice and what city or cities for our arrival and departure points. I have over 110k miles on both Delta and American and 55k on United; all three fly out of our home-town airport. Minneapolis and Omaha are easy drives for alternative airports.

I've been to Europe spending six months in Spain and in school 40 years ago; my wife never has been there. She is a teacher and teaches summer school so we are limited to two periods of two weeks each--early June and mid August.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and ideas.

 

[LAX Mom]

If you redeem points for a hotel/air package, the hotel nights must all be used at the same hotel. You can't split it between different hotels.

 

[bazzap]

If you redeem points for a hotel/air package, the hotel nights must all be used at the same hotel. You can't split it between different hotels.

True,but worth noting that you don't have to use the hotel part of the package on the same trip as the air part of the package.

 

[budnj]

We did our first European trip earlier this year, partly with a rewards points travel package. My wife doesn't like flying, so we took the QM2 to Southampton, then trains to Granada, Paris and London. Enjoyed all three cities, London the most. Stayed at Marriott London County Hall, would not recommend unless the refurbishment is complete. Also spent one night at St. Pancras Renaissance, highly recommended. If you don't stay, consider a visit just to see the building. They offer free guided tours (weekends only?)
Flew back Heathrow to EWR, first class. (United has one way tickets which are usually half fare of r/t). My wife enjoyed first class so much she would gladly do it again!
Saw three shows in London, very nice.
We stayed at Airbnb in Paris and Granada, so no Marriott recommendations.
One other thin I recommend is a debit card from Charles Schwab. No atm fees, no foreign transaction fees.
Enjoy!

 

[chunkygal]

I second the Charles Schwann debit card rec for foreign travel

 

[Mamianka]

I second the Charles Schwann debit card rec for foreign travel

You have GOT to be an old-time recorded music collector! SCHWANN was the man who had the huge index of all the vinyl, cassettes, etc. of available music in the US. We conservatory students in the Sixties treated our copies as if they were our Bibles (which - they kinda were . . ). Now, everything indexing is digital - and most people buy their music in other ways than flipping thru albums in a *record store*. We still have several hundred vinyls (down from a thousand or more) that now live in our basement, FREE to serious musicians and students who appreciate the vintage performances, which have NOT been re-released digitally - although today we bought the HUGE Richter box of all of his recorded-and-hoarded piano recitals and concert appearances. HEAVEN. As for a debit card - I have no specific knowledge of the Schwabb one - we are Morgan Stanley people - still . . .

 

[dgf15215]

We've used reward points frequently in Europe, this last spring used reward points for fifteen nights in Italy - five each in Rome, Venice and Milan. If you're interested in specific suggestions about where we stayed and why I'll be glad to respond. All three were part of a chain that Marriott bought over there that were classic establishments. Of course, you know that if you use reward points for four nights you get the fifth for free - so you can bet that we always do that.