I Saved ~$250 Off a Meal at the Ritz-Carlton Santa Barbara Using the AMEX Starwood Luxury Card
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I recently spent a long weekend visiting my sister in Santa Barbara – the land of endless sunshine. I absolutely love spending time there (and seeing her, of course 😉 ). And luckily for me, she works at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara, a stunning resort overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
To celebrate our visit we made reservations at the hotel’s fine dining restaurant, Angel Oak. Knowing it would be a pricey, albeit delicious meal, I was already anxious about the expense. But then remembered that I’d just recommended that my sister upgrade her Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express card to the Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card because she’d been targeted for a 100,000-point welcome offer after meeting minimum spending requirements.
Plus, one of the card’s benefits is an annual $300 statement credit valid for purchases at participating Marriott hotels! It’s perks like these that make utilizing the best credit cards for travel all the more worthwhile!
Before the trip, I double checked with an AMEX chat rep to ensure that a charge from the hotel’s restaurant would, in fact, qualify for the credit. And we had an incredible meal!
I truly believe that getting into the miles & points hobby has allowed me to enjoy experiences like these even more. Because I’m less worried about splurging on things I otherwise couldn’t afford. And I can tell you I’ll hold the memory of the meal we had while watching the sunset with me forever!
Plus, I was happy to see that the credit showed on my sister’s statement within 3 days. The terms state that the annual $300 statement credit at participating Marriott hotels can take up to 8 to 12 weeks. So seeing it so quickly was a nice surprise.
If you’re ever in Santa Barbara I’d highly recommend a stay at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, or even just a meal at Angel Oak. You won’t regret it!
What perks from some of the best credit cards for travel do you enjoy using most? Let me know in the comments!
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