The new SPG Suite at the O2 – an outstanding non-travel redemption

Starwood Preferred Guest, the loyalty programme for Sheraton, Westin, Le Meridien etc, has an interesting redemption option called SPG Moments.  This lets you use your points for tickets to sport, dining and cultural events around the world.

The UK arm of SPG Moments has had some good deals in the past –  I often got Cirque du Soleil tickets from it, for instance.  Over the last few months, however, SPG Moments has had little to offer.  This is because Live Nation, which worked with Starwood to put together many of these packages, began to work with Hilton instead.  I covered their new – and so far underwhelming – Hilton @Play scheme in this article.

SPG is fighting back.  It has taken a lease on a hospitality suite at the 02 in Greenwich and will be making the tickets available to Starwood Preferred Guest members.  The first batch have just gone up.  Dates are available until July although you need to adjust the search calendar to show results that far out.

Do you fancy seeing Paul McCartney in concert from a private suite at the 02, with hospitality?  Or Fleetwood Mac?  Mark Knopfler?  Take That?  Olly Murs?  Neil Diamond?  Or, erm, a darts tournament?

All of these are available for booking via the SPG Moments site.  Here is the best part – the cost is only 20,000 Starwood Preferred Guest points for two people.

As well as earning points at Starwood hotels, SPG is also an Amex transfer partner.  You can move your American Express Membership Rewards points to Starwood at a 2:1 ratio.  This means that the 30,000 points you get for signing up to American Express Platinum (review) would be almost enough for a pair of tickets.  You also receive 10,000 Starwood points (11,000 if referred) for taking out the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express card (review).

I will be attending the Paul Simon and Sting concert next week as the guest of SPG.  (This is on a different night to the night being offered by SPG Moments.)  I will hopefully be able to get some photographs of the suite onto Head for Points over the next fortnight.

---

How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards (April 2024)

There are various ways of earning Marriott Bonvoy points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

The official Marriott Bonvoy American Express card comes with 20,000 points for signing up, 2 points for every £1 you spend and 15 elite night credits per year.

You can apply here.

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points by converting American Express Membership Rewards points at the rate of 2:3.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Marriott Bonvoy Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points indirectly:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (40,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Marriott Bonvoy points is 2:3.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Marriott Bonvoy points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)