Starwood Preferred Guest makes it Easier to Redeem Hotel Stays with 'Cash & Points Award Nights'

Starwood Preferred Guest is making it even easier for members to redeem their Starpoints for dream hotel stays with "Cash & Points Award Nights."

From 1 August to 30 November 2003, Starwood Preferred Guest members can combine Cash and Starpoints to book stays at participating Starwood hotels and resorts around the globe.

Starwood Preferred Guest is one of the first hotel loyalty programs to offer an award option of this kind, which provides members with smaller Starpoint balances a valuable way to redeem their points for hotel stays. For instance, a member would normally need 3,000 Starpoints to redeem one free night at Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers in Bangkok, but with "Cash & Points Award Nights" members can now book a hotel night with a combination of only 1,200 Starpoints and US$25.

A one night award stay at the "new look" Sheraton on the Park in Sydney usually requires 7,000 Starpoints but now members can stay in the heart of Sydney's shopping district using a combination of only 2,800 Starpoints and  US$45. And The Westin Shanghai can now be enjoyed with a combination of only 4,000 Starpoints and US$60, instead of the usual 10,000 Starpoints.

"Starwood Preferred Guest, with its No Blackout Dates and Instant Awards, has been highly recognized as having the most flexible award redemption in the industry," said John Mims, Vice President Sales & Marketing, Asia Pacific, Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

"As leisure travel picks up, Cash & Points Award Nights will provide even greater value and reason for members to travel and book award nights at participating Starwood hotels around the world," added Mims.

In Asia-Pacific, members can redeem Cash & Points Award Nights at hotels in Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, China, Fiji, Guam, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.