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Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Card (Representative 53.3% APR Variable, Annual fee applies, 18+, Subject to status, terms and conditions apply)
It’s not that I don’t like reading a book on a sun-lounger by the pool, lazing in a beachside hammock, or getting pampered at a hotel spa – I love all of those things – but I only like doing them once I’ve filled the day with some adrenaline-charged activity first.
Whether you’re rafting, surfing or mountain biking, adventure travel gets you out into nature and out of your comfort zone – it makes your holiday more memorable, and your relaxation time feel so much sweeter.
I can’t think of the last holiday I went on that didn’t involve some kind of outdoor or ocean-based adventure. Maybe it was in early childhood when my parents tried to take me around their choice of city-based museums a few times before realising we’d all have a far more relaxing trip if we chose holidays centred around the beach, where I would spend all day playing in the waves.
I still love being in the sea, and surfing is one of my favourite pastimes. There are so many incredible places around the world for wave riding – from Sydney’s iconic Bondi beach (where I visited as a youthful backpacker), to Seminyak, a beach resort area at the southern end of Bali – that it can be difficult to choose one destination when you’re booking a holiday.
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Courtyard Bali Seminyak Resort
Seminyak is a popular destination for surfers of all ability levels. Stay at the Courtyard Bali Seminyak Resort, a vibrant hotel just a short walk from the beach and a stone’s throw from some of Bali’s finest bars and restaurants. Alternatively, Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Cardmembers can accumulate 6 points for every £1 spent at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy, so you could use your Card to dine at the hotel’s restaurant, savouring local and international flavours – ideal for those who have built an appetite after a busy day in the surf. And with two points for every £1 spent elsewhere, using your Marriott Bonvoy® Amex® Card means that whatever you spend can also help towards your next surfing trip.
And there are other activities aside from surfing. Guests can try their hand at kitesurfing or wakeboarding lessons, or even travel to the island’s tropical jungle-rich interior for a mountain bike trip, including a descent down a volcano.
In fact research has found that biking and hiking are the most popular activities for adventure-seeking holidaymakers. And for me, it’s easy to see why. When I was younger, my most memorable travel experiences were mountain biking on boulder-strewn trails in South Africa’s Western Cape and through black lava fields beneath Bali’s Mount Batur, hiking amid wonderful canyons in Chiapas, Mexico, and the jagged peaks of Poland’s Tatra mountains.
If you are after a more leisurely cycling holiday, albeit still one filled with adventures, head to Copenhagen, one of the world’s most bike-friendly capitals. Explore this outdoorsy city on two-wheels, taking in its beaches, its famed harbour baths, and traditional Danish fare, such as open-faced rye sandwiches, all while collecting Marriott Bonvoy® points as you go – which you can redeem for future stays, experiences and more.
Whether you choose to stay at a hotel participating in Marriott Bonvoy, such as Residence Inn Copenhagen Nordhavn (you can rent bikes at reception) on the waterfront, or the Nobis Hotel Copenhagen, a Member of Design Hotels, housed in an historic building that once served as the Royal Danish Conservatory of Music, the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card will help elevate your stay. All Cardmembers automatically start with Silver Elite status, which includes perks such as Priority Late Checkout (subject to availability) And after all that cycling, your legs might thank you for a later start. You can upgrade to Gold Elite status with even more benefits when you spend £15,000 in a year as a Marriott Bonvoy Amex Cardmember.
I am fortunate in that my children (aged 12 and 14) and husband are as hungry for adventure as I am. Our highlight trips have included a surf and safari adventure in Sri Lanka and climbing via ferratas in the French Alps. This summer, we’re planning to go rafting and on an overnight bivouac hike in the French Pyrenees.
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Residence Inn Copenhagen Nordhavn
And it appears, with our thirst for adventure, we’re not alone. More holidaymakers than ever are looking to book trips which include unique and immersive thrill-seeking activities, and that trend is set to accelerate over the next decade, according to research. And if you’re having so much fun on your holiday that you’re reluctant to go home, Marriott Bonvoy American Express Cardmembers can also benefit from a Free Night Award – creating extra time for more adventures.
How does the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card work?
For every £1 you spend on your Card, you’ll receive two Marriott Bonvoy® points. If you’re using your Card at a hotel participating in Marriott Bonvoy, you’ll receive six points per eligible £1 spent. Points can then be redeemed to explore 9,500 properties across more than 30 leading brands in 144 countries and territories, and on more than 150 airlines.The Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card is also well suited to regular travellers. All Cardmembers start with Silver Elite status, and they are eligible for a Free Night Award after spending £25,000 in a year.
Search for Amex Marriott Bonvoy for more information
Representative 53.3% APR Variable, Annual fee applies, 18+, Subject to status, terms and conditions apply.
Important Information
You will receive 6 Points from American Express for each full £1 of eligible purchases made on your Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Card at participating Marriott Bonvoy® properties. You will be awarded 2 Points for every full £1 you spend on purchases. Points are not earned on balance transfers, cash withdrawals, American Express Travellers Cheques purchases, foreign exchange transactions, interest, any spending in excess of your credit limit, changes for returned payments, late payments, referral charges, or American Express Credit Card finance charges. Written details are available on request.
Redemption level at or under 25,000 Points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy ®. Certain hotels have resort fees. If you reach £25,000 in net purchases charged to your account in any Cardmembership year, you will earn a Free Night Awards, redeemable within one year for an available single-or double-occupancy standard room at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Account must be in good standing. On the annual reset date, the amount of annual net purchases resets to zero. Additional Terms and Conditions apply. Free Night Award and no blackouts apply to standard rooms only as defined by each participating property; contact the property before booking to check availability. To view the full Terms and Conditions, visit marriott.co.uk.
You will receive complimentary Marriott Bonvoy ® Silver Elite status with your Marriott Bonvoy ® American Express ® Card. This complimentary Silver Elite status benefit is only available to the Basic Cardmember. If your Card is cancelled for any reason, your complimentary Silver Elite status provided with the Card will be cancelled.
If you reach £15,000 in net purchases charged to your Account in any Cardmembership year, you (the Basic Cardmember) will be enrolled for at least 12 months in the Gold Elite tier of the Marriott Bonvoy ® loyalty programme (unless you are already enrolled in an equivalent or higher level – Marriott Bonvoy ® associates excluded). Please allow 12-16 weeks after your eligible spending equals or exceeds such amount for the applicable year for enrolment to become effective. On the annual reset date, the amount of annual net purchases resets to zero. Additional Terms and Conditions apply.
Your upgrade to Gold elite Status is valid for the remainder of the calendar year in which it was earned and the subsequent calendar year. Your enrolment will expire after that subsequent calendar year unless your eligible purchases during the next calendar year again qualify you for enrolment, or you qualify for Gold Elite Status under Marriott Bonvoy terms. You cannot receive enrolment in Gold Elite Status through Marriott Bonvoy if you are already enrolled at Gold Elite Status or any higher status.
15 Elite Night Credits: Upon opening your Card account, a maximum or 15 Elite Night credits will be credited to your Marriott Bonvoy ® Member Account within 60 days. On or before 1 March of each subsequent calendar year, a maximum of 15 Elite Night Credits will be credited to your Marriott Bonvoy Member Account operated by Marriott International, Inc., in accordance with Marriott Bonvoy terms and conditions To be eligible to receive the 15 Elite Night Credits with this Card, you must be the Basic Cardmember, your Card account must be in good standing at the time of the 15 Elite Night Credit deposit, and you must have an active Marriott Bonvoy ® programme Account. To receive the 15 Elite Night Credit deposit, your Card account must be linked to a Marriott Bonvoy ® programme Account in your name. You will receive a maximum of 15 Elite Night Credits per calendar year even if you have more than one Marriott Bonvoy ® Credit Card account or have more than one Marriott Bonvoy ® programme Account. American Express is not responsible for fulfilment of this benefit. It will take approximately eight weeks from the Card account approval date for the credits to be applied to your loyalty account.
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