Starwood Redemptions value for points?

[BVT]

Howdy,

Does anyone have a view (ducks for cover) on wheter or not the Points plus Pay option is the best use of SPG points?

EG: 10,000 for 1 night at the Westin Melbourne or 4,000 plus $60.

My logic - quite possibly fractured - is that the Points and pay option is the best deal.

Most grateful for all advice; especially if it is useful.

BvT

 

[drron]

It all depends on the price per night and what you want.Certainly points + pay generally better value than a pure points reward.Say the hotel was $250 a night then points award values your points at $0.025 whereas points + pay it would be $0.049.
For me though i am chasing AA LTP plus I redeem my AA miles for RTW J awards and I get a value of $0.07-$0.010 per point.Not everyone wants to do that however.

 

[Febs]

I often find points + cash to be by far the best deal, when it's available. That's the tricky part - try finding points + cash dates in popular destinations like NYC - not easy!

Cheers,
- Febs.

PS: I have had some luck in convincing local property managers to offer points + cash on dates they usually don't (e.g. W Barcelona last year, one day after it opened. I stayed one night @ 20k pts, and the other night @ 8k pts + $150USD). Was the 3rd person ever to check into the hotel, they tell me.

 

[BVT]

I often find points + cash to be by far the best deal, when it's available. That's the tricky part - try finding points + cash dates in popular destinations like NYC - not easy!

Cheers,
- Febs.

PS: I have had some luck in convincing local property managers to offer points + cash on dates they usually don't (e.g. W Barcelona last year, one day after it opened. I stayed one night @ 20k pts, and the other night @ 8k pts + $150USD). Was the 3rd person ever to check into the hotel, they tell me.

Febs,

Nothing like a direct negotiation. Back in the day when I was top tier in the Sheraton Club, they had the call centre in Brisbane. The CSA's were often up to do a deal. Not so, now that the call centre is in Asia.

Drron, thanks you must be correct. Your reasoning and calculations are exactly the same as mine!

cheers

 

[markis10]

Febs,

Back in the day when I was top tier in the Sheraton Club, they had the call centre in Brisbane.

cheers

And they had a hotel in Brisbane as well, could be along time before they have a presence here again which is a pity, the Sheraton Brisbane was a nice property with good treatment of elites.

 

[serfty]

Sometimes "Speciality Select" rates are good value. Depending upon the property they can even include lounge access for your extra 1500 SPG.

Very useful when you no SPG status and are unlikely ever to have it again.

 

[BVT]

And they had a hotel in Brisbane as well, could be along time before they have a presence here again which is a pity, the Sheraton Brisbane was a nice property with good treatment of elites.

Big sigh ....

Yes, those where the days ...

Had a similar experience with JQ call centre. After hours it went to Asia, rules strictly applied. If you can bear the wait during office hours and you luck out and get a local, sometimes "it" happens ....