Last month, I spent four nights at the Sheraton Ann Arbor while attending the Ann Arbor Art Festival Do.
It was a perfectly nice hotel — exactly what you’d expect from a Sheraton. It offered nothing particularly noteworthy, except for the complimentary shuttle service which was outstanding.
I booked a “Cash & Points” stay. As a Category 3 Starwood hotel, the fixed Cash & Points rate is 3,500 points per night plus $55 (plus tax).
This four night holiday put a big dent in my SPG points balance.
Cash & Points stays do not earn Starwood (SPG) points. To replenish my account, I took advantage of a couple of promotions to earn a total of 2,500 points:
- Make a Green Choice — 1,500 points
- Local restaurant promo — 500 points
- 2x points using Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card to pay the cash portion of the bill — 500 points
Make a Green Choice
SPG’s environmental initiative — “Make a Green Choice” — aims to conserve water and energy. The Ann Arbor Sheraton offers guests the option to decline daily housekeeping service in exchange for 500 Starpoints per night (except day of departure). Since I was not sharing the room, I opted for the Starpoints.
Welcome SPG Members!
The hotel website indicated another welcome offer was in effect. You could earn 500 Starpoints by showing your SPG card and spending $25 in food and drink in the hotel restaurant.
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Starpoints are the most difficult currency to accumulate. There are no bonus points categories, save for 2x points at Starwood hotels. Unlike most other points programs, there is not a shopping portal to earn extra points for shopping online.
I was pleased to get 2,500 points back for this stay — to go toward my next trip!
As Kermit once said, it’s not easy being green.
Do you participate in hotels’ environmental programs? Should hotels incentivize these programs by offering points in their loyalty programs?