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We are an independent publisher. Our reporters create honest, accurate, and objective content to help you make decisions. To support our work, we are paid for providing advertising services. Many, but not all, of the offers and clickable hyperlinks (such as a “Next” button) that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. The compensation we receive and other factors, such as your location, may impact what ads and links appear on our site, and how, where, and in what order ads and links appear. While we strive to provide a wide range of offers, our site does not include information about every product or service that may be available to you. We strive to keep our information accurate and up-to-date, but some information may not be current. So, your actual offer terms from an advertiser may be different than the offer terms on this site. And the advertised offers may be subject to additional terms and conditions of the advertiser. All information is presented without any warranty or guarantee to you.
This page may include: credit card ads that we may be paid for (“advertiser listing”); and general information about credit card products (“editorial content”). Many, but not all, of the offers and clickable hyperlinks (such as a “Apply Now” button or “Learn More” button) that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. When you click on that hyperlink or button, you may be directed to the credit card issuer’s website where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer. Each advertiser is responsible for the accuracy and availability of its ad offer details, but we attempt to verify those offer details. We have partnerships with advertisers such as Brex, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo and Discover. We also include editorial content to educate consumers about financial products and services. Some of that content may also contain ads, including links to advertisers’ sites, and we may be paid on those ads or links.
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Update: This offer for the Starwood AMEX cards is no longer available but check Hot Deals for the latest offers!
Ready for a long break? I’ll show you how to earn and use 40,000 Starwood points to get 11 award nights at Starwood Category 2 hotels worth well over $1,000!
The best part is you’ll pay nothing or very little out-of-pocket. This is an excellent way for folks to get Big Travel with Small Money in popular spots like Cancun and Las Vegas!
Relax, Stay a While! 40,000 Starwood Points Is Enough to Stay 11 Nights in Places Like Cancun, Punta Cana, and Orlando!
I’ll show you how it works so you can start planning your extended getaway!
Earn 35,000 Starwood Points With the AMEX Starwood Cards
Link: Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express
Link: Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express
1 Starwood point per $1 you spend on everything else
Unlimited use of Boingo Wi-Fi hotspots (excluding in-flight)
For small business cardholders, access to Sheraton Club lounges (free breakfast and hors d’oeuvres) for cardholder and 1 guest staying in the same room (3rd party bookings are excluded).
How to Earn the 40,000 Starwood Points for 11 Nights
By spending $5,000 on purchases within the 1st 3 months with your new Starwood card, not only will you unlock the limited-time 35,000 point sign-up bonus, but you’ll also earn at least 1 Starwood point per $1 spent.
So your grand total will be at least 40,000 Starwood points (35,000 point bonus + 5,000 points for spending $5,000).
Weekend Award Stays at Starwood Hotels Are a Terrific Bargain Because They Cost 1,000 Fewer Points!
When you check-in on a weekend night, and stay 2 consecutive weekends, you’ll have 4weekend nights in total, which costs 12,000 Starwood points.
The remaining 7 nights are weekday award nights, so you’ll pay 28,000 Starwood points for those nights of your 11-night stay. That adds up to 11 nights altogether, at a cost of 40,000 Starwood points!
For example, you could stay:
Saturday (3,000 points)
Sunday (3,000 points)
Monday (4,000 points)
Tuesday (4,000 points)
Wednesday (4,000 points)
Thursday (4,000 points)
Friday (4,000 points)
Saturday (3,000 points)
Sunday (3,000 points)
Monday (4,000 points)
Tuesday (4,000 points)
Total: 40,000 Starwood points
The key is to find a nice Category 2 hotel. I’ve researched the following 4 but you might also consider Starwood hotels in places such as Memphis, Atlanta, Phoenix, Dallas, Charlotte, Tucson, Kansas City, Niagara Falls, and more!
Four Starwood Hotels Where You Can Stay 11 Nights
An 11-night stay won’t work for everyone. But it’s a fun option for:
Folks who can use 7 vacation days to wrap around weekends off
Retirees who want to spend time in a new destination
Folks on sabbatical, conducting research for work, or who need time to find a new apartment or home
If you can make it work, the AMEX Starwood personal and small business cards offer a tremendous savings.
Note: Some Starwood hotels (especially resorts) add pricey resort fees to paid and award nights. Before you book, check the hotel policy to decide if it’s worth it for you. And here are my tips on how to avoid them! I’ve noted in my examples which hotel adds a resort fee. Note: Prices listed are based on room available in July 2016. And I was able to find 11-night award stays at each of these hotels!
1. Aloft Cancun
The Aloft Cancun is located at the end of the Hotel Zone in Cancun, Mexico – perfect for a long break along the Caribbean Sea! Eleven nights gives you plenty of time to work on your tan at the rooftop swimming pool or on the beach.
Plus, you’ll have time to visit the city away from the touristy areas. And plan activities like diving off the coast of Isla Mujeres. Or rent a car and visit ancient Mayan temples!
Go Snorkeling, and Really Get Into the Fun Activities Available in Cancun! Or, Unwind With 11 Glorious Days on the Beach When You Stay at the Aloft Cancun!
Eleven nights here cost ~$1,595. Or, you can pay 40,000 Starwood points instead. That makes your sign-up bonus worth well over $1,000 toward a relaxing getaway, which is an incredible deal!
You’d Pay Nearly $1,600 for 11 Nights in Cancun Out-of-Pocket
In this case, each Starwood point is worth nearly 4 cents each. Not only can you treat yourself and your loved ones to a great vacation, but you also get a fantastic value when you use your points this way!
It’s next to the airport, so you can arrive and start your vacation right away. If you rent a car, you can drive to nearby beaches, golf courses, or drive along the coastal highways. And the hotel is near lots of restaurants and shops.
Folks on TripAdvisor report great stays here and gave it lots of 5-star reviews!Bavaro Beach Is a ~20-Minute Drive From the Four Points by Sheraton Puntacana Village. Get 11 Nights Worth Over $1,800 With Starwood Points!
Eleven nights cost ~$1,877. Or you can use 40,000 Starwood points!
In this example, each Starwood point is worth nearly 5 cents each. If you can find a cheap flight to the Caribbean or use your miles & points to get there, this would be a fantastic way to get Big Travel with Small Money for some time off!
Emily Had a Great Time Visiting the Dominican Republic!
You could take your time at each theme park. And enjoy Orlando’s restaurants and shopping. There’s also an outdoor pool with a splash area for the kids.
Make the Most of Your Time in Orlando! And Save Your Money to Explore the Area’s Many Theme Parks!
If you stay 11 nights, you’d pay ~$1,798 including $165 for resort fees ($15 per day X 11 days). Even with the resort fee considered, your 40,000 Starwood points are worth ~$1,633 ($1,798 – $165). That’s only $15 per night for a hotel in Orlando – an amazing deal!
If you want to explore the surrounding area, consider driving 2 and a half hours to gorgeous Zion National Park in Utah. Many folks combine a day trip to the park with some fun in Vegas. The drive is spectacular when the weather is nice!
Start Your Fun in Sin City With Starwood Points! Stay Here and Soak in the Town, or Venture to the Beautiful Country Beyond!
An 11-night stay here costs ~$1,429, or 40,000 Starwood points. When you use points to cover your stay, you can stay a little longer at the slot machines. Or play a few more rounds of blackjack!
Hopefully this gives you some ideas. And shows you how valuable your Starwood points can be!
Bottom Line
40,000 Starwood points is enough for 11 consecutive nights at Starwood Category 2 hotels. Because you’ll pay 4,000 Starwood points for 7 weekday nights, and 3,000 Starwood points for 4 weekend nights in total. I was able to find 11-night award stays at each hotel I checked!
A longer award stay is a fantastic opportunity to have more time for relaxing or fully exploring the area. Your 40,000 Starwood points can easily be worth over $1,000 toward your extended break.
Let me know which Starwood hotel you’d choose for an 11-night stay!
Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)
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