The Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card is the best – and only – hotel co-branded credit card in Canada. It’s a solid card that rewards you heavily for staying at Marriott properties, offers an annual free night certificate, and has plenty of redemption options. If you’re looking for a credit card that will let you collect points for future hotel stays, a handful of other cards fit the bill. We’re breaking them all down below.
Key Takeaways
- There are a few hotel credit cards to choose from in Canada.
- The only co-branded hotel credit card is the Marriott Bonvoy American Express.
- Cards that earn American Express Membership Rewards are excellent alternatives to earn points that you can redeem for hotel stays.
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6 best hotel credit cards in Canada
Here's our listing of the best hotel credit cards in Canada. And yes, this world belongs to American Express.
| Category | Credit card | Current offer | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best co-branded card | Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card | 50,000 bonus points (terms) | $120 |
| Best for everyday spending | American Express Cobalt Card |  $100 GeniusCash + Up to 15,000 bonus points (terms) | $191.88 |
| Best for premium perks | American Express Platinum Card | Up to 100,000 bonus points (terms) | $799 |
| Best for no annual fee | American Express Green Card | 10,000 bonus points (terms) | $0 |
| Best for international travel | Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card | $100 GeniusCash + 35,000 bonus points (terms) | $150 |
| Best for businesses | Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card | Up to 60,000 bonus points (terms) | $150 |
The best co-branded card
If you want a credit card with hotel branding on it, there's only one choice in Canada: the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card. The card offers competitive rewards, earning you 5 points per $1 on your Marriott Bonvoy stays and 2 points per $1 on all your other purchases. Plus, you’ll get hotel-specific perks like an annual free night certificate, automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status, and 15 Elite night credits. High spenders will also get their Marriott status upgraded to Gold.
Pros:
- Up to 50,000 welcome bonus points
- Annual free night certificate worth 35,000 points
- Flexible redemption options
- Ability to transfer reward points
Cons:
- Lower acceptance as an American Express
- Lower insurance coverage compared to similar cards
Best for everyday spending
×8 Award winner 
GC: $100
8x Award winner If you want to earn the most points, the American Express Cobalt Card is the card you should turn to. After all, the best credit card in Canada is also the best hotel credit card for general use. While you won’t earn bonus points on hotel spending, you can earn up to 5 points per $1 on your everyday purchases. While flight redemptions offer the most value for Amex Membership Rewards, you can transfer your points to Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors at a rate of 5:6 or 1:1, respectively.
Pros:
- Up to 15,000 welcome bonus points
- 4 ways to redeem points for high value
- 10 types of insurance included
Cons:
- Lower acceptance as an American Express
Best for premium perks
The American Express Platinum Card takes credit card perks to a whole new level, offering an annual $200 travel credit and $200 dining credit, plus automatic advanced hotel status at Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton hotels. You’ll earn up to 2 points per $1 on restaurants and travel. We did the math and found that these rates can give you roughly 29,400 Membership Rewards and Hilton points, or 35,280 Marriott Bonvoy points based on average spending.
Pros:
- Up to 100,000 welcome bonus points
- More perks than any other credit card in Canada
- Unlimited airport lounge access at over 1,400 lounges
- 4 ways to redeem points for high value
- 11 types of insurance included
Cons:
- Lower acceptance as an American Express
- High annual fee of $799
Best for no annual fee
If you hate paying an annual fee, consider the American Express Green Card. It keeps the rewards simple: 1 point per $1 spent on all purchases. If you spend an average of $2,000 per month, that's 25,200 Amex or Hilton points per year, or 30,240 Marriott points. When you’re ready to redeem points, you have lots of flexibility – from transfers to airline and hotel programs to travel with the Amex Fixed Points Travel Program and more. And since you’re not paying an annual fee, all those rewards go straight into your pocket.
Pros:
- Up to 10,000 welcome bonus points
- Points worth up to 2 cents each
- 4 ways to redeem points for high value
Cons:
- Lower acceptance as an American Express
- Minimum insurance included
Best for international travel
GC: $100
The only non-Amex card on our list is the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card. While it doesn't offer bonus rewards or hotel-specific perks, it’s your best bet for travelling abroad since it has no foreign exchange fees and offers airport lounge access with 6 free passes. We also love the generous welcome bonus and extensive insurance that this Visa includes.
Pros:
- Up to 35,000 bonus points
- Up to 3 points per $1 spent on select purchases
- Visa Infinite benefits
- 11 types of insurance included
- 6 airport lounge passes per year
Cons:
- High income requirements of $60,000 personal or $100,000 household
- Lower overall rewards compared to other premium credit cards
Best for businesses
The Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card is the only co-branded hotel card in Canada – and it offers some of the best rewards on hotel stays with 5 points per $1 spent at Marriott properties. What makes this a great travel business card is the comprehensive insurance package it includes. The card is similar to the Marriott Bonvoy personal card but has a slightly higher annual fee; a higher earn rate for gas, dining, and travel; and a bigger bonus.
Pros:
- Up to 60,000 welcome bonus points
- 3 points per $1 spent on gas, dining and travel
- Annual free night certificate worth 35,000 points
- Automatic Silver Elite status
Cons:
- Lower acceptance as an American Express
What makes a good hotel credit card?
The best hotel credit cards offer free hotel nights or bonus point certificates every year. You might also look for a card that automatically upgrades your status with a loyalty rewards program or gives steep discounts on travel.
That said, most cards that aren’t co-branded won’t offer hotel-specific perks. Other things to look for that make these cards worthwhile include no foreign exchange fees, airport lounge access, comprehensive insurance coverage, and the flexibility to transfer your points to other travel programs (like Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors).
It can be difficult to find a single card that includes all of these benefits, but if you can pinpoint what perks you’d use the most, you can find a solid hotel credit card that suits both your spending habits and travel preferences.
Should you get a hotel credit card?
Since there is only one true hotel credit card in Canada, we recommend you think more about what features, perks, or conditions you want in a credit card. If you stay in Marriott hotels frequently, the branded Marriott Bonvoy card might be perfect. But if you want to earn points that can be used towards bookings with other hotel brands, for example, you’d be better off with a non-branded option.
When choosing any credit card, you’ll also want to consider the annual fee, welcome bonus, insurance coverage, interest, and unique perks and benefits offered.
FAQ
Is it best to pay for a hotel with a credit card?
Most hotels require you to book a room using a credit card, so it makes sense to pay for the room using the card, too. When you check in, you’ll need to provide a credit card for incidentals. Plus, you usually have lots of opportunities to earn great rewards for future hotel stays.
How many Marriott points do you need for a free night?
The number of points you need for a free night varies greatly by location and hotel. The best way to see how many points you need is to head to the Marriott website and search for hotel stays. Be sure to check the box to use your points/rewards.
How do you get hotel discounts with a credit card?
The discounts you’re eligible for (or not) depend on the credit card you hold. If you have a Marriott Bonvoy card, you’ll earn bonus rewards on your Marriott stays that you can put towards free nights on future travels. Other credit cards offer rewards that you can transfer to hotel programs or redeem for hotel bookings. You can also join many free hotel loyalty programs to unlock slightly discounted rates – and as you climb the elite status ladder, the loyalty perks get better.
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