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I mentioned yesterday that I was going to be giving away 60,000 Starwood Starpoints — 30,000 apiece to two lucky winners.
American Express offered the points to help you “stretch your summer” with a last-minute getaway.
Two summers ago American Express introduced a 30,000 point signup bonus on their Starwood cards for the first time. I got the card for the first time in 2001 — with no signup bonus at all.
Way back in May 2002 when I first started this blog I wrote, “the credit card I recommend most often for earning miles is the Starwood American Express, because points transfer 1:1 into most airline programs and you get a 5k mile bonus for transferring 20k points — equivalent to earning 1.25 miles per dollar on all purchases.”
My Starwood Amex has gotten me an overwater bungalow on Bora Bora and an ocean pool villa in Phuket.
(Sala Pool Villa at the Westin Siray Bay, Phuket)
It’s gotten me stays at the W hotels in Hong Kong, Seoul, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Seattle. And free stays at the Le Meridien in Chiang Rai, the Sheraton on the river in Bangkok, the Parker Meridien in New York. Not to mention the St. Regis in DC, the Diplomat in Hollywood, Florida, the Westin Beijing, and the Le Meridien Barcelona. And many, many more stays over the years.
(Bar at the W Seoul)
30,000 points may not seem like a ton in a world of 50,000 and 100,000 point bonuses. But Starwood points are the single most valuable currency there is. They’re flexible with more and more airline mileage transfer options than anyone else and with ways to stretch points on hotel stays with cash and points awards — a category 4 property like the Sheraton Nassau, Westin Hilton Head, or Walt Disney World Dolphin runs 4000 points and $60 per night, those 30,000 points can go a long way.
Whether you win points, earn them as a signup bonus for using the card, or both you can use book last minute hotel rewards, planned in advance hotel rewards, or transfer your Starwood points to airline miles to redeem for premium cabin international awards.
I actually don’t like getting away much during the summer. I live in the DC area, the place clears out in August. That never made sense to me. I want to leave when it’s cold. Why would I want to go someplace warm when it’s warm at home? Maybe that’s just an excuse, since summer is also my busiest time at work. I can’t take more than a weekend away. But everyone else around me looks to make summer their time for relaxation and enjoyment, and never wants it to end…
So here’s the contest, 30,000 points to each of two readers who tell me how they plan to stretch their summer.
How To Enter
- Enter with an answer to the question, “What Starwood hotel or resort property would you like to visit — in the coming weeks — to ‘stretch your summer’ and make the most out of the last days before the Northern Hemisphere cools down, before the leaves turn, and before we’re expected to pretend we’re no longer on break?”
- This is the official entry post. Leave your entries as a comment to this post.
- You may enter only one time per 24 hours, you need to wait at least 24 hours from your previous entry to enter again. Make sure not to leave more than one comment in this thread every 24 hours under any circumstances or you will disqualify yourself.
- Contest ends, and your last chance to enter, August 14th at 5pm Eastern time.
- The winner will be chosen at random. In the usual fashion for giveaways, with the assistance of Random.org.
- All judgments, interpretations, and decisions by me are final. By entering you agree to that, agree not to give me a hard time, acknowledge that I am trying to give points to my readers and not taking any points from American Express or Starwood to do this. So please please please and you agree not to give me a hard time or sue me. There, that’s my legalese, thank you!
Two winning readers will each receive 30,000 Starpoints, which can be redeemed at their discretion under the Starwood Preferred Guest program rules. To win you have to either have or open a Starwood Preferred Guest account (since the points need somewhere to go.) American Express is going to ask for a W-9 form from the winner, which tells me that as a prize it’s probably considered tax-reportable. (They say the retail value of the prize is $750.)
So…. for a chance to win 30,000 Starpoints, what SPG property would you use to stretch your summer?
(View of pool from my room at Le Meridien Chiang Rai – a category 2 property, 3000 to 4000 points per night)
Got questions about this contest? Email them to me, as they may get lost in the entry comments.
(Note that the links to the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express card and Starwood Preferred Guest Business American Express card offer a referral credit to me, they also represent the best currently-available offer. I appreciate your applying through those links very much.)
Sheraton Uptown Albuquerque – It might not seem that exciting, but we have family nearby and the hotel is big dog friendly.
W Retreat & Spa Bali would perfect with a Bintang beer
I would use it at The St. Regis Princeville.
I would like to Streach my summer by going to the W Leicester Sq in London.http://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=3464
San Diego W. Padres games! Craft beer!
The Sheraton Palace on Union Square, San Francisco.
I would extend my summer at Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort!
The Naka Island, Phuket!
Without a doubt, Sheraton Reston because I love the friendly staff there and my stay usually precedes an early morning departure from IAD for an exotic vacation!
Sunset Key Guest Cottages, a Westin Resort
St. Regis Bora Bora
Phonician in Scottsdale, Arizona for me!
W Doha Hotel and Residences
Le Méridien Bora Bora
westin st john
Hotel Pulitzer, Amsterdam!
Westin St. John Resort & Villas in order to stretch my wife and my “summer” legs 🙂
The W Seattle
Westin Maui
St. Regis Bora Bora!
At the St. Regis in Princeville of course!
The Westin Tampa Harbour Island
(Would be great to add a few nights to our budgeted Florida vacation!) 🙂
I would have to go where I have not been Park Tower, Buenos Aires
W Retreat & Spa – Maldives
I want to visit the St Regis in Deer Valley to see some nice mountaintops before they are covered in snow!
The Sheraton Luxor. Someday.
W Hong Kong
St. Regis Bal Harbor for me!
Theres a nice prop in edi. Good spot to play the old course and carnoustie.
If I get the points, I’d definitely want to go to either the Westin Maui. My dream vacation this summer is to go to all 4 islands for an ultimate Hawaiian experience. I would like to spend 1-2 nights in each island, and I have stays planned for 3 islands already, and 3 free nights at a nice Westin would be quite fitting for the 4th and the best island in my opinion, Maui. Thanks!
Westin Tokyo!
Le Méridien Eilat is my choice
Le Méridien Bora Bora
St. Regis Bal Harbour!
Mais oui, W Paris!
Going to the St. Regis Punta Mita in January. I will use a free night there
W koh samui
Oh man! Sheraton Doha for sure!
I’d spend 1 night at St Regis Princeville
W hotel in Hong Kong
The St. Regis Bora Bora is definitely on my travel list and i’d love to Stretch My Summer there with Starwood!
I would stretch it out at the St. Regis Princeville.
I would stretch my summer at the St. Regis Bora Bora.
Le Méridien Dead Sea
the villa at the Westin Siray Bay, Phuket, of course!
The Danieli in Venice
I’d stretch out my summer at the W Hong Kong.
By dreaming of W London Leicester Square for next summer (newbie)
Westin Seoul
Sheraton Full Moon Resort Maldives