2018 College Football Playoff National Championship: Where to Stay on Points

It’s that time of year again. You know what I’m talking about—the time when NCAA chooses the Alabama Crimson Tide to play in the College Football Playoff. All jokes aside, many football fans will travel to the two bowl games as well as the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship game held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Jan. 8.

This post-season, the Clemson Tigers will take on Alabama in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, and the Oklahoma Sooners will play against Georgia Bulldogs at the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, Calif. Both semi-final bowl games are on Jan. 1. It is tough to travel around the U.S. for New Year’s, so let’s explore the ways of getting to the championship game in Atlanta.

2018 College Football Playoff National Championship

Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football Leagues, is the host site for this season’s championship game. Jan. 8 is a Monday, so let’s use Jan. 6 to Jan. 9 as our sample dates. As you might expect, the dates are popular, but there are still decent options with various hotel programs available for your trip to the game.

Starwood Preferred Guest

Starwood guests can redeem 10,000 Starpoints per night to stay at The Westin Buckhead Atlanta. Located just 9 miles from the stadium, this is an affordable way of staying nearby. Paid nights cost $444 per night, and it’s a great use of your points.

Not too far away is another SPG property. The Whitley, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Atlanta Buckhead, the former Ritz-Carlton and a Category 5 hotel, will set you back 12,000 Starpoints per night. What a steal when compared to the cash rate of $585 per night!

Hilton Honors

Most Hilton properties are sold out for our dates, but if you don’t mind staying near the airport, you can snag a deal or two. Also 9 miles from the stadium, but in opposite direction from the city, the Hilton Atlanta Airport has rooms for 30,000 Hilton Honors points, or $254 per night. Hilton Honors points are typically worth 0.5 cents, but you get a redemption value of 0.85 cents in this case, which isn’t terrible.

The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Atlanta North Druid Hills – Emory Area is located 8 miles from the venue and also costs 30,000 points per night for a standard room. You can also pay $201 per night, but using points will spare you a large bill at the end of your stay.

Marriott Rewards

Marriott has got plenty of options to stay on points. About 9 miles from the stadium, Renaissance Concourse Atlanta Airport Hotel costs 25,000 Marriott Rewards points, or $208, per night.

If cheap is your thing, you can redeem 10,000 Marriott Rewards points per night at the Courtyard Atlanta Airport West. Your entire three-night will cost just 30,000 points. It’s a bit father than previously listed properties, about 14 miles from the stadium, but you can’t beat the price. Cash rates here are $136 per night, so you get a great value by redeeming points.

World of Hyatt

If you’ve got World of Hyatt points, there are options for you as well. Hyatt Place Atlanta Airport – North costs just 5,000 points per night and has availability on our preferred dates. Rooms here go for $225 per night on those dates, and you will get a fantastic value out of your points. Hyatt Place Atlanta Airport – South is also going for 5,000 World of Hyatt points, or $211 when paying cash, per night. Both of these hotels are by the airport but a great use of points if you can take public transportation or Uber/Lyft to the game.

IHG Rewards Club

InterContinental Hotels Group doesn’t have a lot of rooms that are bookable with points available. The Holiday Inn & Suites: Atlanta Airport – North will set you back 25,000 IHG points per night, or $133 if you prefer to spend cash.

Extracting a good value for your points might be by staying at the Holiday Inn Express: Atlanta Airport ­– College Park. Rewards nights here cost just 15,000 IHG points. When you compare that with a cash rate of $158, you get great value.

Are you traveling to the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship? Where are you staying?