We only have a week and a day for December break 2016, so planning really big trips like I have the last three years to Israel, Hawaii and Costa Rica are a thing of the past for now. This year, we are LA bound!
I just booked 8 nights at the Le Méridien Delfina Santa Monica (SPG Category 5) using the Cash and Points option that Starwood Preferred Guest frequently offers. I booked the 8 nights for 6,000 Starpoints per night plus $110 per night. So I am spending a total of $880. The room would have cost $400 per night ($3,200 total), so I consider that a savings of about $2,300.
Recall that I usually have an abundance of SPG points because I usually convert my Colorado timeshare options into SPG points. I also stay at Starwood Resorts a lot and always use my American Express Starwood Preferred Guest Card for any incidental hotel charges. On these charges I earn 2 points per dollar with my Amex plus 3 points as a Gold member, so I earn 5 points per dollar on all of my Starwood charges.