Ok, Ok, I admit it. I’m a little tight with the dollar. Particularly when I know something can be had at a better price if I wait them out. The cash and points redemption from Starwood is a perfect example.
When I started planning this around the world trip, I located all the Starwood Hotels in the places I planned to stay. In Bangkok there is a hotel called the Plaza Athenee which suits our needs just fine. It is a category 3 Starwood property and my choices for payment were:
- 5,600 Thai Bahts or $161 US or
- 7,000 Starwood points or
- 2,800 Starwood points and $45 US (cash and points)
When I was assured of the dates for Bangkok, I went back to book it, there was no cash and points option? The dilemmas we face in life.
After 60 days of waiting Starwood out, the cash and miles option showed up again last night and I booked our room.
The math is as follows:
If I paid 7,000 Starwood points for the room, I would be receiving 2.3 cents of value for each Starwood point.
But, by using the cash and points option my 2,800 Starwood points redeemed were worth:
$161 minus $45 co pay left $116 divided by 2,800 or a value of 4.1 cents per Starpoint 
That is not quite twice the redemption value of a straight points redemption, but well worth the wait to me.
Of our 61 nights on this Around the World adventure, 28 are booked with Starwood hotels and every redemption is with the cash and points option.
I guess I am as tight with Starpoints, as I am with cash.
