by PointsGuru | Jun 28, 2016 | International Travel, Starwood Preferred Guest
Things are really changing this year to make Cuba one of the top places to go in 2015. Full diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba will resume on April 10, and the six-story building off Havana’s Malecón esplanade that was once the U.S. embassy (and is now the U.S. Interests Section) is primed to reclaim its status after 54 years. Tourism infrastructure catering to U.S. travelers is next.
While Americans were permitted to make educational visits to Cuba in tour groups, a tourism ban has barred individuals from traveling there under most circumstances. Under new revisions, Americans who plan a trip with a full schedule of educational exchange activities, including interacting with the Cuban people, will for the first time in decades be able to travel on their own to Cuba without special permission from the U.S. government.
Although tourism is still barred by statute, the new rules amount to permission for any American who wants to travel to Cuba to plan an educational sojourn there, as long as they keep records of their activities for five years. (more…)
by PointsGuru | May 7, 2015 | Starwood Preferred Guest
Starwood hotels aka SPG is offering a Spice It Up promotion to members to get double Starpoints on dining when you spend $10 or more at participating restaurants from May 1st to July 31, 2015. Plus, you’ll earn an extra 250 Starpoints in addition to the double Starpoints offer for each time that you spend $200 or more.
You just need to Register by July 15, 2015 and dine at a restaurant inside a Starwood hotel that you are not staying at while dining. This is an odd promotion because you could be staying at a hotel close to the Sheraton in Seattle then head over to the
Fountain Wine Bar and Lounge and get double points. The hotel could be a competitor hotel such as The Roosevelt Hotel.
Starwood may need to focus on bringing more hungry tummies into their restaurants instead of tired bodies to their beds in this promotion. It’s only valid for Starwood Preferred Guest Members making eligible food and beverage purchases at participating restaurants when the member has not booked to stay at the Starwood Hotel or Resort where the restaurant resides during the same date, so this offer is applicable for non-stay related food and beverage transactions only.
Make sure that you present your SPG card or supply your SPG membership number to the server upon arrival in order to receive the benefits of this offer. This offer is only available at participating restaurants, which you can view on the registration page at SPG.com. Double Starpoints will post to your account within 2 to 4 weeks after the qualifying non-stay dining transaction posts.
by PointsGuru | Feb 25, 2015 | Starwood Preferred Guest
Starwood Preferred Guest aka the SPG rewards program and Uber today started a partnership where SPG members can earn one Starpoint per dollar spent on Uber services. After completing a qualifying stay at a Starwood hotel, SPG members can start earning one Starpoint for every $1 spent on Uber, and additional bonus Starpoints can be accumulated during hotel stays. This is a way to get 2% off your Uber rides in the form of 1 Starpoint per dollar charged on rides.
If you use Uber services during your hotel stay, you can earn 1 additional points as a non-elite member making it a total of 2 per $1, 2 additional Starpoints for Gold and Platinum members making it a total of 3, and 3 additional Starpoints for Platinum members for a total of 4 per USD spent.
You can sign up for this offer but you have to have a hotel stay at a Starwood hotel to start earning these points. You do not have to be staying at a hotel to get the 1 point per dollar spent just have one stay on record. If you’re a big baller the maximum number of Starpoints that you can earn from your Uber rides yearly is capped at $10,000 spend.
How To Get this Offer and Link Accounts:
1. Make sure 
you are signed up with the same email for both Uber and SPG. Sign up at spg.com for the Starwood Preferred Guest Program and go here to sign up for Uber.
2. Visit spg.com/uber to link your accounts.
3. Log-in to your existing SPG account, or create a new SPG account here.
4. Log-in to your Uber account.
5. Complete a qualifying stay this calendar year at any Starwood hotel.
6. Begin taking rides and start earning Starpoints!
Make sure that you use the same email account when you sign up for this promotion and that it matches the Uber and SPG accounts. If you are like me and sign up for lots of promotions and freebies then you might have to go into the profiles and match emails first.
Up to $15 Uber First Ride Discount
SPG Gold, Platinum, and non-elite members are eligible for $30 first ride discount by applying promotional code UBERVIP4ME at the time of signing up for the service.
Promotion For 15,000 Bonus Starpoints and Free Ride
To kick things off they are giving Uber and SPG members in Dubai, London, Mexico City, New York, and San Francisco the chance to ride free and you will also receive 15,000 bonus Starpoints if you get the specially marked SPG car. Just sign up for the offer and then choose the “SPG” vehicle option for the chance to catch a free “SPG #SuiteRide” between 2 pm and 7 pm local time.
Lucky riders will receive 15,000 Starpoints – good for a free night* at a qualifying Starwood hotel and a door-to-door branded hotel experience on wheels featuring one of Starwood’s nine distinct brands—Aloft, Element, Four Points, Le Meridien, Sheraton, St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W Hotels and Westin. Another cool bonus is that each SPG #SuiteRide highlights unique brand features and offers all-time favorite amenities including the Westin Heavenly Robe or W Hotels Bliss Spa Travel Pack. Around 460 passengers will be eligible to receive this onetime bonus.
