I need to redeem some AA miles for a hotel stay to help out a friend who needs a place to stay in or around UCLA for two weeks and I'm wondering what the best deal is for AA miles transfers for hotel points. I'm much more familiar with mileage rewards and starwood and not so much with AA.

Obviously since it's a two week stay, I'm trying to just minimize the damage, so if there's maybe a $$ off certificate I can acquire or a % discount certificate, that sounds like more of a use of the miles than purchasing award certificates for particular nights. I see that the Renaissance Hotel (a Marriott) is only $200 a night and that's why I'm leaning that way.

Anyway, any thoughts or suggestions would be wonderful. Thanks in advance.