Originally Posted by
controller1
The following are bookings using SPG Starpoints.
- I currently have a 5-night stay booked for the St. Regis NYC at the end of August which is yielding 4.8 cents per point and that is at the current rate which I hope I will be able to improve on when the loyalty programs are merged as the property is decreasing in Category from August-December, subject of course to award availability.
- I have a couple of stays during sporting event weekends in New Orleans at the Sheraton New Orleans which are yielding 3.2 cents per point.
- I had a week in January at The Westin Playa Conchal in Costa Rica which yielded 3.1 cents per point.
- I have an upcoming stay in January at The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa which is yielding 3.0 cents per point.
- I have an upcoming stay in March at The Westin Maui Resort & Spa which is yielding 2.9 cents per point.
Those are a sampling of my upcoming award stays.
If you're using Starpoints and only receiving 0.5-0.8 cents per point, why not pay cash? I can't imagine spending 10,000 Starpoints per night on a Category 4 Sheraton when the total Room+Tax was only $50-$80/night.
0.5-0.8 cents per point is for new points, i.e. Marriott points. I only use current SPG points when I'm getting 2 cents per SPG point, which I guess would imply that my Marriott cutoff point is about 0.7 cents. But I don't often get a ton more than 2 cents per SPG point -- occasionally, but not often.
I would definitely believe it's possible to get great redemption rates for certain super-peak -- ski resorts during peak season like your Riverfront stay often being some of the best uses of points. Personally I don't ski so that one doesn't arise. And generally I tend to avoid going places at their peak times for a variety of reasons (crowds, high airfares, etc.) so I guess that would depress what value I could get for my points relative to someone who does a lot of peak travel.
BTW Westin Maui is also a target for you to rebook come August.