Here’s exactly where we stayed and how I used various credit card benefits to dramatically reduce our costs:
1. Le Massif Resort and Spa, Courmayeur (One Night)
Benefit used: Amex Platinum $200 Fine Hotels + Resorts Credit Booked through Amex Travel
Cost after credit: $18.27
The gorgeous Le Massif Resort and Spa offers breathtaking views of the Alps and includes complimentary access to their spa facilities. The FHR booking also came with daily breakfast, a room upgrade (subject to availability—but we did get one), and a $150 property credit that I used for a massage at the spa. The experience set the perfect tone for our Italian adventure. As we were only there for one night, we made ourselves an extensive charcuterie board that we enjoyed from our balcony with wine and a card game.
2. Hotel La Vallee Blanche, Courmayeur (Four Nights)
Benefit used: Citi Prestige 4th Night Free on Hotels Booked Through Citi Travel
Cost after benefit: $337.08
After our luxury night at Le Massif, we moved to Hotel La Vallee Blanche so we could explore more of Courmayeur. The Citi Prestige card (not currently open to applications) has a fourth night free benefit that saved us about $112 on this booking, making an already reasonable rate even better.
Foodie highlight: One of the culinary highlights of our time in Courmayeur was dinner at Ristorante Trattoria di Campagna in nearby Sarre, where we were lucky enough to dine at the private table inside their impressive wine cellar with over 1,100 labels (sommelier Beatrice Cortese won Slow Food’s 2024 “Best Wine List” award). The third-generation family-run restaurant serves hearty Aosta Valley classics—the homemade bread with lardo from Saint-Rhemy and the rich carbonada were standouts—that felt like coming home for a big family meal, paired perfectly with local wines from small regional producers.
3. Il Torchio B&B, Saint-Vincent (Six Nights)
Benefit used: Citi Strata Premier $100 Off a $500-Plus Hotel Booking Through Citi Travel, excluding taxes and fees
Cost after credit: $463.04
This was one of the highlights of our trip. Il Torchio is a charming bed and breakfast run by two incredibly friendly women who made us feel like family. They prepared fresh breakfast every morning, shared homemade nocino (Italian walnut liqueur) with us one evening, and provided the kind of warm, personal touches you simply don’t get at big chain hotels. These are the experiences that make travel truly special.
Foodie highlight: Beyond the B&B, we discovered Vecchio Ristoro in Aosta, a one-Michelin-star restaurant housed in a stunning 17th-century mill where the original wheel and millstone are still visible in the dining room. We opted for the tasting menu in what was one of the most intimate dining settings I’ve experienced. Chef Filippo Oggioni’s contemporary take on traditional Aosta Valley cuisine showcases seasonal ingredients with occasional French influences, while partner Paolo Bariani guides diners through their 300-bottle wine cellar.
4. W Verbier, Switzerland (Two Nights)
Benefits used: 2X 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy Free Night Awards + 16,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points + Two Suite Upgrade Awards
Cost after points: $0
This was the crown jewel of our trip. I used two of my annual 85,000-point Free Night Award certificates, which I earn from the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (Terms apply, see rates & fees) and The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card* (no longer available for applications), plus an additional 16,000 points to cover the point difference, as the property cost more than 85,000 points per night. Marriott allows a top-up of up to 15,000 additional points for each certificate used.
But here’s where it gets even better: I also have Marriott Bonvoy® Platinum Elite status through my Bonvoy Brilliant card, which includes the option for five annual Nightly Upgrade Awards for the Annual Choice benefit. These awards allow you to request suite upgrades based on availability. Since we visited during the off-season in September, availability was good, and we were able to stay in an awesome bi-level suite both nights.
If we had booked with cash, our suite would have cost a whopping $2,300 per night—a stay we absolutely would not have booked at that rate. Beyond the luxurious accommodations, our booking included complimentary access to the gondola, allowing us to take it up the mountain for some incredible alpine hiking that we otherwise would have paid extra for.
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Foodie highlight: In my opinion, you can’t visit Switzerland without having proper fondue, and despite visiting during the off-season when many restaurants were closed, we found an excellent traditional cheese fondue at Restaurant Les Moulins. Chef Michel Thomas is known for his mastery of wood-fire grilled meats, but his Swiss specialties are equally impressive—and fair warning, the fondue alone was so filling we didn’t need anything else!
5. Al San Michele, Stresa (Four Nights)
Benefit used: Citi Prestige 4th Night Free on Citi Travel Hotel Bookings
Cost after benefit: $338.40
Stresa sits on the beautiful shores of Lake Maggiore and served as our base for exploring the Borromean Islands. Once again, the Citi Prestige’s fourth night free benefit saved us roughly $113 on our stay at Al San Michele.
Foodie highlight: A short drive from Stresa brought us to Al Sorriso in the tiny hilltop village of Soriso, a one-Michelin-star restaurant where owner Angelo Valazza takes pride in the fact that his restaurant IS the destination. We had the tasting menu prepared by self-taught chef Luisa Marelli (also Angelo’s wife) and it exceeded all expectations—one of the best cheese selections I’ve ever encountered, truffles adorning multiple dishes and Angelo himself proving to be one of the most hospitable people I’ve met. He explained everything in great depth, answered all our questions and kept us thoroughly entertained throughout the meal, making us feel like honored guests in his home rather than diners at a world-class restaurant.
6. Apartment in Bergamo (Seven Nights)
Benefit used: Citi Strata Premier $100 Off a $500-Plus Hotel Booking Through Citi Travel, excluding taxes and fees (booked with my partner’s card)
Cost after credit: $563.70
For this leg of the trip, we booked an apartment through Citi Travel to have more space and the ability to cook some meals. While it wasn’t our favorite accommodation of the trip, the $100 discount from my partner’s Citi Strata Premier card still made it worthwhile.
Foodie highlight: The standout dining experience in Bergamo was at Roof Garden, located on the eighth floor of Hotel Excelsior San Marco with floor-to-ceiling windows offering one of the best views of Città Alta you’ll find anywhere. We arrived right before sunset—perfect timing—and watched the ancient upper city’s Venetian walls, bell towers and terracotta rooftops glow in the golden light. Meanwhile, we enjoyed Chef Gianpietro Semperboni’s innovative Italian cuisine, including the local casoncelli (stuffed pasta) that everyone who visits Bergamo should try at least once.
7. Additional Nights (Six Nights)
Cost: $574.30
We stayed a total of six additional nights in various locations where we didn’t use any specific credit card benefits for booking, bringing our total out-of-pocket cost to $574.30 for these nights.