Want to take a longer vacation, but don’t have enough Starwood points to stay at a top-tier hotel the entire time?
Save then splurge by mixing award stays between Starwood Category 2 hotels and their mid-range or luxury Category 4 through 6 hotels!
You can stay 1 night in a luxury hotel as a treat. And extend your vacation by spending the other nights in a Category 2 hotel.
Here are 5 fun ideas for where to use your Starwood points for longer stays!
Use the AMEX Starwood Bonus for a 5-Night (or Longer!) Stay
Link: Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express
Link: Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express
Link: How to Fill Out an American Express Business Card Application
Link: How to Use Starwood Points
Until March 30, 2016, you’ll earn 35,000 Starwood points on both the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express personal and small business cards after completing the minimum spending requirements.
This is the biggest bonus there’s EVER been for these cards! And it’s more than enough Starwood points for these 5-night stays!
It’s worth noting that most of these examples cost fewer Starwood points than using the 5th night free perk. The 5th night free benefit is good for Category 3 to 7 hotels only. And Category 3 hotels cost 7,000 Starwood points per night. So using this perk costs a minimum of 28,000 Starwood points (7,000 points X 4 nights).
1. Phoenix
Phoenix is a great spot to spend a longer vacation. There are world-class golf courses, great shopping, tons of outdoor activities, and year-round sunshine!
You could take a 5 night vacation and spend fewer Starwood points by mixing your award stays between hotels.
For example, spend your 1st 4 nights at the Category 2 Four Points by Sheraton Phoenix South Mountain.
This hotel gets good reviews on TripAdvisor because of the easy access to nearby shopping and restaurants as well as its comfortable beds!
You could then splurge for your last night of vacation at the Category 4 Sheraton Grand Phoenix for 10,000 Starwood points.
This hotel gets 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor. Folks love it for its great location and helpful staff.
So, a 5-night trip would cost 24,000 Starwood points (14,000 points for the 1st 4 nights and 10,000 points for your last night).
2. Orlando
Many people vacation in Orlando to visit the popular local theme parks including Disney World, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld.
You could save Starwood points and extend your vacation by spending the 1st 4 nights at the Category 2 Four Points by Sheraton Orlando Studio City. It gets 4 stars on TripAdvisor. Reviewers especially like the views of Universal Studios from the hotel!
People love the spacious rooms, kitchenettes, and pools. It’s also conveniently located near Disney World, SeaWorld, and Universal Studios. It’s a great spot to splurge for 1 night!
A night at this hotel costs 10,000 Starwood points. So, for a 5-night vacation, you’ll only spend 26,000 Starwood points.
That’s because you could spend 4 weekday nights at the Category 2 hotel for 4,000 points per night. Then 1 more night at the Category 4 hotel for 10,000 points. And that’s saving you Starwood points, because the minimum cost for a 5-night stay using the 5th night free benefit is 28,000 points!
3. Montreal
How about a trip up north to Canada? Montreal is a beautiful European-style city that’s know for its fun summer festivals!
The Aloft Montreal Airport is a Category 2 Starwood hotel near the airport, but only 15 minutes to downtown.
You could spend 4 nights here for 14,000 to 16,000 Starwood points. Because weekend nights cost 3,000 points per night and weekday nights cost 4,000 points per night.
This hotel gets good reviews on TripAdvisor because of its modern design and large, clean rooms.
You could then splurge on your last night of vacation at the Category 5 W Montréal. It gets nearly all 5-star reviews on TripAdvisor! Folks love its central location and friendly staff.
A night here would cost 12,000 Starwood points.
So if you spent 4 nights (2 weekend nights & 2 weekday nights) at the Category 2 hotel PLUS 1 more night at the Category 5 hotel, you’d spend a total of 26,000 Starwood points.
4. Atlanta
If you’re headed to Atlanta, the Sheraton Atlanta Airport Hotel is a comfortable and conveniently located Category 2 Starwood hotel.
Atlanta is a fun city with great restaurants, bars, and a number of major league sports teams!
Folks on TripAdvisor give this hotel good reviews. They commented on the friendly staff and accessible location.
You could treat yourself the last night and move to the Starwood Category 5 W Atlanta – Downtown hotel. It costs 12,000 points per night, and gets 4 stars on TripAdvisor for its clean rooms and attentive staff.
So, for a 5-night stay in Atlanta you could spend as little as 26,000 Starwood points (14,000 points for 2 weekend and 2 weekday nights at the Category 2 hotel + 12,000 points for 1 night at the Category 5 hotel)! And that’s a great deal!
5. Cancun
of the most popular destinations in Mexico, and a great place to escape for a longer vacation.
If you’re looking to spend fewer Starwood points, you could stay for 4 nights at the Category 2 Four Points by Sheraton Cancun Centro in the heart of downtown. This hotel isn’t on the beach, but it’s in a convenient location.
It gets 4 stars on TripAdvisor because of the friendly staff, its accessibility to Cancun’s attractions, and the great rooftop pool!
So, you could spend 2 weekend nights and 2 weeknights here for 14,000 Starwood points (3,000 points per weekend night & 4,000 points per weeknight).
Then, splurge on your last night at the Category 6 Westin Lagunamar Ocean Resort Villas & Spa. This hotel costs 20,000 Starwood points per night. But it could be worth it for a luxury experience!
Folks on TripAdvisor give this hotel almost all 5-star reviews. They love its beachfront location, great concierge service, large rooms, and amazing pools!
Four nights at the Category 2 Four Points by Sheraton Cancun Centro hotel and 1 more night at this Category 6 hotel will cost a total of 34,000 to 36,000 Starwood points.
Other Ways to Save Money on Longer Stays
There are lots of ways to get a great deal when you want to stay for 5 or more days in 1 place.
Here’s how you can save even more money on paid and award stays:
- Free nights on paid & award stays
- Mix and match award & paid hotel stays
- Use AMEX Membership Rewards points for Airbnb stays
- Find a great price on TripAdvisor
- Use Starwood’s Points & Cash
- Get the 4th night free on paid stays with Citi Prestige
- Save money with discounts from Visa SavingsEdge
- Save money with AAA discounts or an AARP membership
- Use Hotel Hustle to search for award nights
Or, instead of mixing and matching, some Million Mile Secrets readers save points and money by staying longer at mid-range hotels.
So you have lots of choices for creating a fun and interesting trip no matter where you want to go!
Bottom Line
There are lots of ways to mix-and-match Starwood award stays for longer trips. Some spots are worth exploring for more than just a few days!
Consider staying at a Starwood Category 2 hotel for a few days. And then splurge for a night at a Category 4 through 6 hotel! It’s a great way to save points & money if you want to stay longer in 1 place.
If you’ve traveled to a city for an extended stay using Starwood points, let me know your best tips!