Through April 5, 2017, the sign-up bonuses for the AMEX Starwood personal and small business cards have increased to a total of 35,000 Starwood points after meeting tiered minimum spending requirements. And there are lots of beautiful and interesting hotels in Central and South America where you can stay with Starwood points!
Now is an excellent time to sign-up for these cards. Because the sign-up bonus has NEVER been higher! And because of the Marriott Starwood merger, we don’t know if or when these cards will be discontinued.
35,000 Starwood points is more than enough for an award night at top-tier Starwood hotels, like the Sheraton Iguazú Resort & Spa in Argentina!
I’ll show you some top places to use Starwood points for hotels in South America.
Top Starwood Hotels Series Index
- 7 Best US Starwood Hotels to Book With Points
- 5 Totally Free and Fantastic 5-Day Hotel Stays Using This Limited-Time Bonus
- 5 Top Hotels in Europe to Book With Starwood Points
- 5 Best US Beaches to Enjoy With Limited-Time AMEX Starwood Bonus
- 5 Top Hotels in the Caribbean and Mexico to Book With Starwood Points
- 5 Fantastic US Marriott Hotels to Book Using Starwood Points
- 5 Top Hotels in Central & South America to Book With Starwood Points
Starwood Points for Hotels in South America
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
Link: Limited Time: Best-Ever 35,000 Point Sign-Up Bonus With AMEX Starwood Cards Returns!
Until April 5, 2017, you can earn an increased 35,000 point sign-up bonus when you apply for the AMEX Starwood personal and small business cards and meet tiered minimum spending requirements. The sign-up bonus on these cards is usually 25,000 Starwood points, so this is a good deal!
35,000 Starwood points is enough to stay at excellent Starwood hotels, like Le Meridien Panama. Million Mile Secrets team member Meghan stayed at this hotel last month on a Central American trip with her mom.
With the personal AMEX Starwood card, you’ll earn 25,000 Starwood points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. And 10,000 more Starwood points for spending another $2,000 on purchases within the first 6 months.
And with the AMEX Starwood small business card, you’ll earn 25,000 Starwood points after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. And 10,000 more Starwood points for spending another $3,000 on purchases within the first 6 months.
If you’d rather stay at a Marriott or Ritz-Carlton hotel, you can transfer your points between your Starwood and Marriott account at a ratio of 1:3 (1 Starwood point = 3 Marriott points). So you have a lot of hotels you can redeem your Starwood points for!
Here are some great Starwood and Marriott hotels around Central and South America.
1. The Ritz-Carlton, Santiago, Chile
The Ritz-Carlton, Santiago is ~7 miles from the center of town. The hotel is right next to the metro, several restaurants, and Teatro Municipal Las Condes, where you can see a variety of musical and plays, like orchestras by Beethoven and Mozart (even performances by the Shaolin monks!). Costanera Center, the #1 shopping center in Santiago, is a ~13 minute walk from the hotel.Ritz-Carlton is known for its beautiful hotels and 5-star facilities. But this hotel’s glowing reviews are usually about the friendly and helpful staff. Folks like how it’s clean and quiet, and nearly everyone on TripAdvisor comments on the great concierge!
This is a Ritz-Carlton tier 2 hotel. I’ve seen this hotel sell for $500+. But you can reserve a room for just 40,000 Marriott points (or 13,333 Starwood points) per night. That’s a value of 3.4 cents per point ($350 per night / 13,333 Starwood points).
2. JW Marriott Hotel Lima, Peru
Folks love the JW Marriott Hotel Lima because of its fantastic location. The hotel is in the Miraflores district, which is well-kept and walkable. It’s across the street from Shopping Center Larcomar, the top shopping destination in Lima. And it’s just a 4-minute walk to the beach.
This district is pretty touristy, so if you are looking for authentic Peru, this might not be the place for you. But folks consider it to be very safe.
This is a Marriott category 8 hotel. Rooms here usually sell for $350, but you can reserve a free room for 40,000 Marriott points (or 13,333 Starwood points) per night. That’s a value of 2.6 cents per point ($350 per night / 13,333 Starwood points).
3. Insólito Boutique Hotel, Buzios, A Member Of Design Hotels, Brazil
The Insólito Boutique Hotel, Buzios, A Member Of Design Hotels is a quiet, intimate beachfront hotel in southern Brazil. Though most folks describe this hotel as romantic getaway, the hotel seems to be very family-friendly, too.
There are lots of restaurants in the area, but the in-house restaurant is one of the best! If you want to explore the local culture and try new things, head to Rua das Pedras, just 1.5 miles from the hotel.
This is a Starwood category 6 hotel. Rooms here usually sell for ~$440, or 20,000 Starwood points per night. That’s a value of 2.2 cents per point ($440 per night / 20,000 Starwood points).
4. Hotel Punta Islita, Autograph Collection, Costa Rica
The Hotel Punta Islita, Autograph Collection is situated on a steep hill overlooking the Pacific. The hotel’s restaurants have great views of Playa Islita beach just steps away. The hotel is great for kids of all ages.
Folks like the on-site activities, like cooking classes, zip-lining, and even bird watching. Costa Rica has beautiful and colorful wildlife! The popular Ara Project is just a 15-minute walk from the hotel, where you can see stunning macaws.
This is a Marriott category 8 hotel. Rooms here sell for ~$350, but you can reserve a free room for 40,000 Marriott points (or 13,333 Starwood points) per night. That’s a value of 2.6 cents per point ($350 per night / 13,333 Starwood points).
5. JW Marriott Hotel Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The JW Marriott Hotel Rio de Janeiro is right across the street from the beautiful and gigantic Copacabana Beach. It’s less of a relaxing beach and more of a people watching beach. A must-see when you’re in Rio!
Just a short car ride away are 2 wonders of the world – Rio de Janeiro Harbor, and Christ the Redeemer. And Sugarloaf Mountain, the top attraction in Rio, is just a 4-mile drive (or walk??) from the hotel.
Folks really like the hotel’s Moon Lounge, a rooftop lounge with views of the entire city.
This is a Marriott category 8 hotel. Rooms here can sell for $400+, but you can get a free room for just 40,000 Marriott points (or 13,333 Starwood points) per night. That’s a value of ~3 cents per point ($400 per night / 13,333 Starwood points).
Bottom Line
There are plenty of Starwood and Marriott hotels in Central and South America where you can use Starwood points to get Big Travel with Small Money. You’ll save hundreds per night by booking with Starwood points, especially if you’re staying in popular destinations like Rio!
The sign-up bonus on the AMEX Starwood personal and small business cards is usually 25,000 Starwood points. But if you apply by April 5, 2017, you’ll earn a total of 35,000 points after meeting tiered minimum spending requriements.
There has never been a higher sign-up bonus for these cards. And because of the upcoming Marriott Starwood merger, we don’t know if or when these cards will be discontinued! So it’s a great time to apply, especially if you’re considering a trip south of the border to any of these locations!
What’s your favorite Central or South American Starwood hotel?