Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Marriott’s acquisition of Starwood was by far one of the travel industry’s biggest stories in 2016. Since then, you’ve been able to transfer points from your SPG account to your Marriott Rewards account at a 1:3 ratio, which has opened up a slew of sweetspots for redeeming points within each program.One such sweetspot is redeeming points at a new Ritz-Carlton partner hotel near Dubai called The Al Wadi Desert, Ras Al Khaimah resort. This desert property features private pools with desert views in each villa, an extensive spa and plenty of dining options including an Arabian or Western barbecue dinner on the dunes underneath a star-filled sky.The Al Wadi resort is a luxury desert oasis near Dubai. Image courtesy of the hotel.If you were to pay cash to stay at the base-level villa at this property you’d have to shell out about $530 per night. However, since it’s only a Tier 2 Ritz-Carlton rewards property you can stay for just 40,000 Marriott or Ritz-Carlton Rewards points per night — even for a higher level room which has a paid rate of $600+ per night. According to TPG’s latest valuations, your 40,000 points are worth about $360 — making this a great use of points.You can score a higher-level room for the same number of points as the base room.If you wanted to transfer Starpoints to your Marriott account to book a stay at this property you’d need just 14,000 for a night. As a comparison, Starwood has a property of its own called Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort and Spa in the area, but this resort would cost you at least 30,000 Starpoints (90,000 Marriott Rewards points) for one night.If you’re in need of Marriott Rewards points, consider applying for the Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card, which is currently offering a sign-up bonus of 75,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 within the first three months of account opening.Sign up for our daily newsletterEmail addressSign upI would like to subscribe to The Points Guy newsletters and special email promotions. The Points Guy will not share or sell your email. See privacy policy.Are you planning to use Marriott or Ritz-Carlton Rewards points to book this luxury desert retreat?H/T: One Mile at a Time
