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Ritz-Carlton Rewards® Credit Card
The new Ritz-Carlton Rewards® Credit Card is a Visa Infinite card, a higher tier than the Visa Signature that nearly all other premium rewards cards top out at.
In addition to Gold Elite status (which is honored at Marriott hotels, comes complimentary the first year and that you retain each year you spend $10,000 on the card); a $300 Airline Fee credit, $100 Global Entry credit, and unlimited use $100 Airline Ticket discounts when buying for 2 or more passengers; 3 complimentary upgrades to The Ritz-Carlton Club® Level each year valid on paid stays of up to seven nights; plus airport lounge access and a premium concierge, the card gives you:
- A great signup bonus of 3 complimentary nights at any participating Tier 1-4 Ritz-Carlton hotel after $5,000 spend on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
Hotel cards often give 2 night stays. That’s great for a Friday to Sunday, or as part of a stay. But 3 nights makes a big difference for a trip. A long weekend, a real getaway. Here are some ideas for where to redeem your 3 complimentary nights.
The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel
This Southern California resort is a great place for spa, golf and surfing. But it’s held a special place for me since my first visit there in February 2001.
I used to work with (now well-known conservative writer) Mollie Hemingway and we stopped in on a business trip to tour the property as a possible place for an event the following year. As a result our drinks were comped, and we sat with wine overlooking the Pacific as the sun set. The location of the hotel is really magnificent.
Glass of chardonnay or perhaps a martini on a cliff overlooking the ocean as the sun sets? Yes please!
Room rate found for a long weekend in winter: ~ $489++ per night
Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, Credit: Ritz-Carlton
The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua Maui
The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, Maui is a AAA 5 Diamond beachfront resort.
Room rate found for a long weekend in winter: ~ $637++ per night
Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, Credit: Ritz-Carlton
The Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park
The Ritz-Carlton New York Battery Park is a preferred hotel of money deals in New York. Goldman Sachs bought the nearby Embassy Suites, but supposedly firm partners wouldn’t stay there and they were running up such bills at the Ritz that they needed to convert their own hotel to a Conrad to get their executives to shift the business and save money.
It’s in a beautiful spot and with service that can be tough to find in New York (I criticize most New York service having grown up in New York myself, and I find it endearing).
Room rate found for a long weekend in winter: ~ $387++ per night
Credit: Ritz-Carlton
The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay
The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay is just 20 miles from San Francisco airport and a great base from which to explore Northern California wineries.
Perched on a cliff overlooking the ocean, it’s also a fantastic spot for the sunset and a place to enjoy their fire pits on chillier evenings.
Room rate found for a long weekend in winter: ~ $607++ per night
Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, credit: Ritz-Carlton
Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, credit: Ritz-Carlton
The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island
When you think of Florida beaches you might first go to Miami, or the state’s West Coast hot spots of Naples and Ft. Myers.
But there’s wonderful beachfront on Florida’s Northeastern coast — Amelia Island. Fly into Jacksonville, and you’re closer to Georgia than what most people think of as Florida. So it’s really the Florida beach getaway in the midst of ‘the South’. The ocean, spa, dining and golf make for a fantastic long weekend.
Room rate found for a long weekend in winter: ~ $319++ per night
Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island, credit: Ritz-Carlton
Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island, credit: Ritz-Carlton
Earning Ritz-Carlton Nights With This New Visa Infinite
Based on reader feedback and other reports Chase doesn’t seem to be imposing restrictions on getting this card like they are many of their other cards. Customers haven’t been reporting being denied for too many new cards in the last 24 months.
And you can earn more Ritz-Carlton nights quickly, too. In addition to the complimentary nights signup bonus offer you also get 10,000 bonus points when you add the first authorized user to your new account and make a purchase within 3 months from account opening.
The card earns 5 points per dollar on Ritz-Carlton and Marriott spend, and double points on airline tickets purchased directly with the airline, and at car rental agencies and restaurants. You also earn a 10% annual bonus on points earned through card purchases made during the year.
A PointSaver reward at a category 1 Ritz-Carlton costs 20,000 points. After spending the $5000 required to earn the bonus, and adding an authorized user to your Ritz-Carlton credit card, you’ve got a minimum of 15,000 points. If your initial spend is on airline tickets or restaurants you’ve got the points for a complimentary night. And you can transfer points from the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card to Ritz-Carlton to top off as well.
Ritz-Carlton Rewards® Credit Card
Good god man, have you not written this same piece at least 2 other times. Give it a rest already.
@ Ben, I’m sure it’s not so easy to come up with original material every day. What’s the harm in re-posting entries? Nobody forced you to read it anyway. Geez.
Strong recommendation for the Ritz Carlton Rancho Mirage in the California Desert. Absolutely gorgeous and only a 2-3 hour drive from all point Los Angeles and San Diego.
Gary you paid the USD500+ transfer from Male airport to the hyatt hadahaa?
That sounds steep for people redeeming free nights and cant believe any bloggers are happy to pay it.
I just got the card to use to extend my trip to Paris in June 2017, how much is second card bc I want to add my wife as an authorized user
Agreed that Gary has already posted this exact post twice. Last time I called him out on it, he ignored my post. Understood that Gary needs to make a living by selling credit cards, but to post the exact same thing three times???
@Mike D, OMAAT does it!
Man the affiliate fees on this card must be good. Gary keeps posting it.
Actually the hotels are different, I previously posted a sampling of hotels around the world this is US only.
@Someone yes, I paid for domestic flights, roundtrip flights aren’t free (and it includes roundtrip boat ride as well) and it’s the same price whether you’re paying for the room or using points
In September my husband and I stayed at the Ritz Carlton on Amelia Island. We had an ocean front room and loved it. The room was very clean and well equipped with extra towels, toiletries, etc., the hotel staff was friendly and the service was good. There were a few pieces of furniture we thought looked a bit tired while the rest of the room’s decor looked updated. The quality of the restaurant food and service was not consistent. We ate breakfast in the Coast restaurant each morning. The food and service the first day was fantastic. But there was a different staff for the second and third day and the food we ordered from the chef was not good and the service staff was poor. The third morning we only received one cup of coffee and one glass of water, and eventually had to ask another server to wait on us. Each evening we ordered food in the lounge area where there was music and dancing and the food and service was fantastic. After our stay we received a survey which I stated these same words and received a vm from the Ritz and when I returned it, never heard back from them. That was very disappointing.