HDFC launched Marriott co-branded credit card in August 2023 and was the first co-branded hotel credit card from Marriott in India. As the name says, the card is designed for people who want to use credit card rewards to enjoy Marriott hotel stays. The card has its own share of sweet spots which make it must-have for the credit card holders. But let’s get into the details of the card first.

Application process

The application process is fairly simple. You need to click on the tab below.

• Need to enter the details, your existing Marriott Account number and within few days, expect the card to be approved

If you are already holding HDFC bank account or another HDFC card, then the approval can happen quickly.

Fee and charges

• Annual Fee – ₹3000+GST
• Renewal Fee – ₹3000+GST

Annual Benefits

• Silver Elite Status in Marriott Bonvoy® upon card activation
• 1 Free Night Award (FNA) worth up to 15,000 points on first eligible spend of ₹500 or upon fee payment
• 10 Elite Night Credits every year, helping you fast-track to higher elite tiers

As you can see that the fee is compensated by the free night award received along with other annual benefits.

Rewards Structure

• 8 points per ₹150 spent at Marriott hotels
• 4 points per ₹150 spent on travel, dining, and entertainment
• 2 points per ₹150 spent on other categories

Points are credited directly to your Marriott Bonvoy® account. They can be redeemed for hotel stays, flights (via transfer partners), or experiences.

Milestone Benefits

Earn additional Free Night Awards (FNA) worth up to 15,000 points each based on annual spending:

• ₹6 Lakhs: 1 Free Night
• ₹9 Lakhs: 1 Free Night
• ₹15 Lakhs: 1 Free Night

Each award is valid for 12 months and you can top-up additional 15000 Marriott Bonvoy (MB) points from your Marriott account and use this award night for a stay worth 30000 MB points.

Exclusions from Reward Earnings

No points are earned on the below categories –

• Fuel purchases, EMI transaction, Wallet or prepaid card loads, Voucher purchases, Cash advances, Card fee payments, Government and rental transactions

Other Perks

• Airport Lounge Access: 12 domestic + 12 international visits per year
• Golf Access: 2 complimentary rounds per quarter globally (Green Fee Waiver) – Games/ lessons
• Foreign Currency Markup: 3.5% on international spends

My Own Experience

I have been holding HDFC Marriott Credit card since last 2 years and have got 2 Free night awards which I have redeemed on Westin Rishikesh and Mulberry Shades Bengaluru Nandi Hills

Westin Rishikesh – One night revenue price was Rs 35000 while the points requirement was 28000 Marriott points. Here, the free night award worth 15000 points was redeemed and 13000 points were transferred from American express account in 1:1 ratio.

Mulberry Shades Bengaluru Nandi Hills – This hotel on the outskirts of Bengaluru near the airport had a revenue price of Rs 23000 while the points requirement was 18500 points.
Here also, 1 Free night award was redeemed and balance 3500 points were transferred from Amex.

As you can see that in both the redemptions, the Free night award priced at Rs 3.5K was redeemed at outsized value of atleast 5 times the annual fee.

Second, real usage of this card has been the usage at 080 arrival lounge at Bengaluru T2 terminal. At this lounge, very few cards are accepted with HDFC Marriott being one of the few.

Another key feature that I have used from this card has been the complimentary golf lessons. This card gives 2 golf lessons per quarter and I have done few golf lessons and learnt the basics of the game. The card has some golf courses which are exclusive to this card if I compare with Mastercard golf programme.

Final Words

The reward rate is exactly not great if you compare with the other earning possibility through American express credit cards where practically 1 Amex point can be transferred to Marriott in 1:1 ratio. Also, the FNA milestones are quite steep particularly the 1st FNA milestone at Rs 6Lac.

But do note that for a joining fee of ₹3,540, the welcome benefits alone (Silver Elite + 10 status nights + Free Night Award) can easily outweigh the cost so the card is must-have and helps learning about the Marriott points ecosystem at a fraction of the cost. Also, the renewal fee of ₹3,540 gives same benefits.

As you can see in the 2 redemptions I did, this fee of Rs 3.5K can give outsized redemptions. I have already planned few options for the next Free night award redemption.

To sum up, If you’re already into points strategy (like transferring Amex points to Marriott for stays or flights), this card adds another layer of flexibility to your travel rewards game and if you want to learn, the fee of ₹3,540 is quite low for learning.