This means it costs between 30,000 and 40,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to do a night.Depending on the period (and the public price), this hotel is a “good candidate” to use the free annual one-night certificate (worth up of 35,000 points) offered at the renewal of:
Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$255Total$255Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
$255
Welcome offerGet 1,250 points after $750 in purchases per month for 12 months
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
The American Express Cobalt® Card is a versatile American Express card, whether you want points for travel or cash back.
American Express Cobalt® Card welcome offer
The welcome bonus is paid out monthly over your first 12 months. You earn 1,250 Membership Rewards points for each monthly billing period in which you charge $750 in net purchases to your card, in any category (1X, 2X, 3X or 5X). That adds up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points over the year, a welcome offer valued at $255.
Earning the full bonus means $9,000 in net purchases spread across 12 monthly billing periods. This offer rewards steady monthly spending rather than one large purchase.
You can use these points as statement credits on everyday or travel purchases, at the same rate either way: 1,000 points = $10.
You can also transfer them to Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways and Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors. With the full welcome bonus, that is a choice between:
15,000 Aeroplan points
15,000 Avios points
15,000 Flying Blue Miles
18,000 Marriott Bonvoy points
American Express Cobalt® Card benefits
Here is what the card gives you, starting with the benefits cardholders use most.
5X points on eligible eats and drinks in Canada: groceries, restaurants and bars, and home food delivery. A spend cap applies.
3X points on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada.
2X points on eligible gas, public transit and ride sharing purchases in Canada.
1 additional point on eligible hotel and car rental bookings made through American Express Travel Online.
1X point per dollar on everything else, with no category restrictions.
Points that hold the same value either way: 1,000 points = $10 as a statement credit, or a 1:1 transfer to several airline and hotel loyalty programs.
No minimum income requirement, as with every American Express Canada card.
Additional cards at no extra cost: the first and every other supplementary card is $0.
The Hotel Collection: a room upgrade when available, 12pm check-in and late check-out when available, and up to $100 USD in hotel credit on amenities charged to the room for a stay of two or more consecutive nights, booked through American Express Travel.
Front Of The Line® presale and reserved tickets for concerts and theatre performances, plus offers and events curated for cardmembers through Amex Experiences.
A soft credit check before you apply: you can see whether you will be approved with no impact to your credit score. This applies to American Express personal card applications.
The 5X categories and where they apply
The 5X rate is the reason most people carry this card. In Canada it covers three kinds of merchants:
Groceries: Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, Safeway, Whole Foods.
Restaurants and bars: sit-down meals, takeout and drinks.
Home food delivery.
Convenience stores (Couche-Tard, 7-Eleven): not part of 5X, 1 point per dollar.
The 2X rate covers gas stations such as Esso, Shell and Petro-Canada, along with public transit and ride sharing.
With the American Express Cobalt® Card, you earn between 1 and 5 points per dollar:
Category
Points per dollar
Grocery (Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, etc.)
5
Home food delivery
5
Restaurants and bars
5
Convenience stores
1
Streaming services
3
Service station
2
Transport
2
Travel
1
Other
1
That works out to a 1 to 5% return on those purchases. For example, if you spend $1,000 per month across groceries, restaurants and food delivery, you earn $50 back per month, or $600 per year from that category alone. Transfer the points to a program such as Aeroplan instead and the return can be higher.
You can also stack these categories with the hundreds of stores that offer 5x points.
American Express Cobalt® Card insurance coverage
The card comes with a broad insurance package. The amounts below are the coverage limits; conditions, age limits and exclusions are set out in the certificate of insurance linked in the Insurance section above.
Travel insurance
Emergency medical: up to $5,000,000 for the first 15 days of a trip.
Travel accident: accidental death and dismemberment of up to $250,000 for you, your spouse and dependent children under age 23 when travelling on a common carrier (plane, train, bus or ship) and the tickets are charged to your card. Supplementary cardholders and their families are covered too.
Flight delay: up to $500 for necessary hotel, meal and sundry expenses bought within 48 hours when you are delayed or denied boarding for four hours or more and no other transportation is available. This $500 is an aggregate limit per occurrence, shared with missed connection and delayed baggage coverage.
Delayed baggage: up to $500 for essential clothing and sundries bought within four days when your outbound luggage is delayed six hours or more. This $500 is an aggregate limit per occurrence, shared with missed connection and flight delay coverage.
Lost or stolen baggage: up to $500 per occurrence for all insured persons combined, for checked or carry-on baggage and personal effects in transit, when the airline tickets are charged to your card. Within that limit, jewellery is capped at $300 per occurrence and golf clubs, including golf bags, at $250 per occurrence.
Hotel and motel burglary: up to $500 against the loss of most personal items if your hotel or motel is burglarized, when the stay is charged to your card.
Rental car insurance
Theft and damage coverage is included for a rental car with an MSRP, for its model year, of up to $85,000 excluding all taxes, for rentals of up to 48 days. To use it, decline the Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) or any similar option from the rental company and charge the full rental to your card. There is no cost for this coverage, and it replaces the daily insurance the rental company charges, usually $16 to $23 per day.
Mobile device insurance
Your device is covered for up to $1,000 per occurrence when it is charged to the card, for up to two years from the date of purchase. The payout is based on the depreciated value of the device, which falls by 2% of the purchase price for every completed month, less a 10% deductible. Theft and accidental damage coverage starts on the 91st day after purchase, because the first 90 days are covered by purchase protection.
Purchase protection and extended warranty
Eligible items charged to your card are insured against accidental physical damage or theft for 90 days from the purchase date, up to $1,000 per occurrence for all items combined. The card also extends the original manufacturer’s warranty by up to one additional year on eligible items, with indemnification limited to $10,000 per insured item and $25,000 per Cardmember per policy year for all items combined.
American Express Cobalt® Card fees
Card fee: $15.99 per month, which equals $191.88 per year, for residents outside Quebec. Quebec residents are billed $191.88 per year.
Additional cards: $0.
Purchase interest rate: 21.99%.
Cash advance interest rate: 21.99%.
Foreign transaction fee: 2.5%.
Minimum income required: none.
Because the fee is billed monthly rather than in one annual charge, you can stop and restart the cost in step with how much you are actually using the card.
Legal
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, we may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.
Annual fee
Primary card$191.88
Additional card$0
Annual income required
Individual$0
Household$0
Conversion fees
2.5%
Earning rate
5xRestaurants
5xGroceries
3xStreaming
2xTransit
2xGas
1xAll spending
Value
1st Year Value$1,675
2nd Year Value$799
Transfer partners
AeroplanAirline
British Airways ClubAirline
Cathay Asia MilesAirline
Etihad GuestAirline
Flying BlueAirline
Hilton HonorsHotel
Marriott BonvoyHotel
Travel insurance
Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $500
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $500
Travel AccidentUp to $250,000
Purchase protection
Purchase ProtectionUp to $1,000 / 90 days
Extended Warranty+1 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 2 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days
It is ideally situated for exploring Kuala Lumpur, at the foot of the Petronas Towers.
It costs 35,000 points per night, which is high for Kuala Lumpur, but we were able to take advantage of a $180 fee for the first night and used a free night’s certificate from one of our Marriott Bonvoy cards for the second night, which was much more expensive!
We like the design of W Hotels
His address: No. 121, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur 50450 Malaysia
He always reserves one night in the hotels we visit. In addition to the flexibility this gives us, it also makes negotiations easier: it’s easier to get an upgrade for a single night, than for an extended stay. And once in the suite the first night, the hotel usually arranges for us not to have to change rooms if we decide to extend our pleasant stay in the establishment 😉
The Lobby is located on the 8th floor and as in all hotels, the Marriott Bonvoy logo is present!
The Lobby is spacious and stylish, in the colours of the W brand!
Welcome drinks will be offered and others are also available near the elevators.
During check-in, children will have fun on the outdoor balcony where beautiful sofas are laid out.
We will then go to the elevators to get to our suite. As in every W, the carpets are changed 3 times a day (Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening)!
We love the cosy atmosphere in the corridors leading to the rooms!
The Suite
When we walk into our suite, we are impressed by its design. It is composed of a bedroom and a large lounge.
The lounge
The entrance to our suite is through the lounge. There is also a very colourful atmosphere and the mirrors placed everywhere add a feeling of space.
In the middle of the lounge, there is a high table with a welcome gift that our children will devour!
Cleverly concealed, the Nespresso coffee machine as well as the mini-bar and dishes.
From the lounge, a breathtaking view of the Petronas Towers!
The room
Let’s move on to the room which is on the corner of the building overlooking both the Petronas Towers and the hotel’s swimming pool.
A beautiful, colourful sofa is arranged along the windows.
I spent long minutes observing every detail because there were so many of them.
As in most of the Marriott Bonvoy hotels we visited, a JBL station was present, allowing us to connect our devices by bluetooth to play music.
And what a comfortable bed: probably the most comfortable of all the hotels tested so far! A real cloud!
If the living room and the bedroom blew our minds, the bathroom is not to be outdone!
With a bathtub (with a view!), a double shower, a double washbasin and a dressing room separating it from the bedroom, it is simply perfect in my eyes!
There was a screen hidden on the wall, I almost didn’t see it. Its location is not the most ideal in my opinion.
The only negative point finally in this bathroom is the toilet which is behind a glass door. But there are more available at the entrance to the suite.
And some views of the dressing room separating the bathroom from the bedroom:
The Wet area of the W Kuala Lumpur is composed of a superb outdoor swimming pool, facing the Petronas Towers.
We will have a great time during our stay, especially since there was no one there!
A very nice bar is adjacent to this pool, which turns into a nightclub at night.
Impressive pool, isn’t it?
Breakfast
Breakfast is at the hotel restaurant: Flock. A very beautiful interior room, however if you wish to have a view of the towers, it is possible to settle down on the terrace!
How about breakfast? Exceptional. And that word is weak! Both quantity and quality were present. An incredible variety of dishes to satisfy all customers.
Fortunately, Jean-Maximilien’s Titanium status allowed us to enjoy it for free every morning and our children could eat there for free.
Here is a gallery of 26 photos to show you the variety of dishes on offer!
After a gargantuan buffet like this one, we could go on until the evening!
A word about the concierge service
During our stay, after a good month spent with our children 24 hours a day, we needed to blow one evening with Jean-Maximilien.
So he checked with the hotel concierge to find out why:
find a trusted nanny service
get good addresses for romantic getaways
And I might as well tell you that Concierge Sirine – a trainee at the hotel – went above and beyond all our requests! Within an hour, she had answered all these requests, but she also had a surprise for us when we returned to our room!
She had lots of pictures of our favorite city – New York – with quotes and dates that mattered to us! And chocolates (not to be left to the children this time!).
Bravo and thank you Sirine!
Bottom Line
The hotel W Kuala Lumpur is certainly one of the most beautiful hotels of our family world tour. Its exceptional location as well as the quality of its services justifies its category 5 status.
With the children, we appreciated its location, especially since in the Petronas Towers Park, 5 minutes walk from the W Kuala Lumpur there are huge playgrounds for all ages!
The only negative point: from our room located on the pool side, we could hear the nightclub. Sleeping in traffic jams didn’t bother us, but I should warn you!
Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$600Total$600Plus $100 of bonus paid after the first year, not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
The Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card is the best credit card in Canada for free hotel nights.
New Cardmembers can earn up to 70,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points with the current offer:
Earn up to 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership.
Plus, earn 10,000 points after you spend $500 on your Card in your 13th month of Cardmembership.
The annual fee is $120, and there is no annual fee on Additional Cards, so you can add a partner or a family member at no extra cost.
Every year after your first Card anniversary, you receive an Annual Free Night Award good for a redemption of up to 35,000 points at eligible hotels and resorts worldwide. At a valuation of 0.9 cents per Marriott Bonvoy point, that certificate is worth roughly $315, which on its own more than covers the $120 annual fee. That is the main reason to keep this Card year after year instead of cancelling it.
To get the most out of the certificate, aim it at a night that would otherwise price close to the 35,000 point ceiling.
The Card also gives you 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year and automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status. Those credits count toward the next Elite tier, so you begin every year 15 nights ahead of where you would otherwise start.
You move up to Gold Elite status automatically when you reach $30,000 in purchases on the Card in a year, or when you combine 10 qualifying paid nights within one calendar year with the 15 Elite Night Credits from your Card.
Marriott Bonvoy points are generally valued at 0.9 cents each. On that basis, the 70,000 point welcome offer is worth about $630, and an Annual Free Night Award used at its full 35,000 point ceiling is worth about $315.
Marriott Bonvoy points pull their weight on free nights rather than on gift cards or merchandise, which is why this Card should be judged on the hotel stays it produces.
You earn 5 points per dollar on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases. Points can be redeemed for free nights with no blackout dates at more than 7,000 hotels around the world.
The Card carries a solid package of coverages: $500,000 travel accident insurance, flight delay, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage and hotel or motel burglary at $500 each, car rental theft and damage up to $85,000 for rentals of up to 48 days, Purchase Protection for 90 days and a one year Extended Warranty.
Two things to plan around: the 2.5% foreign transaction fee on purchases made in a foreign currency, and the 21.99% purchase interest rate, which makes this a Card to pay in full every month. Like all American Express Canada Cards, no minimum income is published for this Card, and you can see whether you would be approved before you apply, with no impact on your credit score.
Legal
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, we may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.
Annual fee
Primary card$120
Additional card$0
Annual income required
Individual$0
Household$0
Conversion fees
2.5%
Earning rate
5xMarriott Bonvoy hotels
2xAll spending
Value
1st Year Value$1,110
2nd Year Value$312
Travel insurance
Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $500
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $500
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000
Purchase protection
Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days
Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$600Total$600Plus $100 of bonus paid after the first year, not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
The Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card is the best credit card in Canada for free hotel nights.
New Cardmembers can earn up to 70,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points with the current offer:
Earn up to 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership.
Plus, earn 10,000 points after you spend $500 on your Card in your 13th month of Cardmembership.
The annual fee is $120, and there is no annual fee on Additional Cards, so you can add a partner or a family member at no extra cost.
Every year after your first Card anniversary, you receive an Annual Free Night Award good for a redemption of up to 35,000 points at eligible hotels and resorts worldwide. At a valuation of 0.9 cents per Marriott Bonvoy point, that certificate is worth roughly $315, which on its own more than covers the $120 annual fee. That is the main reason to keep this Card year after year instead of cancelling it.
To get the most out of the certificate, aim it at a night that would otherwise price close to the 35,000 point ceiling.
The Card also gives you 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year and automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status. Those credits count toward the next Elite tier, so you begin every year 15 nights ahead of where you would otherwise start.
You move up to Gold Elite status automatically when you reach $30,000 in purchases on the Card in a year, or when you combine 10 qualifying paid nights within one calendar year with the 15 Elite Night Credits from your Card.
Marriott Bonvoy points are generally valued at 0.9 cents each. On that basis, the 70,000 point welcome offer is worth about $630, and an Annual Free Night Award used at its full 35,000 point ceiling is worth about $315.
Marriott Bonvoy points pull their weight on free nights rather than on gift cards or merchandise, which is why this Card should be judged on the hotel stays it produces.
You earn 5 points per dollar on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases. Points can be redeemed for free nights with no blackout dates at more than 7,000 hotels around the world.
The Card carries a solid package of coverages: $500,000 travel accident insurance, flight delay, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage and hotel or motel burglary at $500 each, car rental theft and damage up to $85,000 for rentals of up to 48 days, Purchase Protection for 90 days and a one year Extended Warranty.
Two things to plan around: the 2.5% foreign transaction fee on purchases made in a foreign currency, and the 21.99% purchase interest rate, which makes this a Card to pay in full every month. Like all American Express Canada Cards, no minimum income is published for this Card, and you can see whether you would be approved before you apply, with no impact on your credit score.
Legal
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, we may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.
Annual fee
Primary card$120
Additional card$0
Annual income required
Individual$0
Household$0
Conversion fees
2.5%
Earning rate
5xMarriott Bonvoy hotels
2xAll spending
Value
1st Year Value$1,110
2nd Year Value$312
Travel insurance
Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $500
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $500
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000
Purchase protection
Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days
Our editorial integrity
Our reviews and rankings are based on an objective assessment. Advertisers do not influence our content. We may receive compensation through some links; our analysis and opinions remain independent.
