Miles & points can let you have some pretty incredible experiences for pennies on the dollar. With airline miles you can fly almost any first or business class product in the world, as there are very few aspirational products that aren’t bookable with miles.
Hotels are a different story, though. There are a lot of great points hotels, though the reality is that many boutique and high end brands don’t belong to any of the major hotel groups with loyalty programs. That means there’s no way to redeem points for stays there, short of earning cash back through credit cards and then redeeming that toward a stay.
In this post I thought it would be fun to take an updated look at some of the points hotels that are on my list to stay it in the near future. First I want to recap some of the top points hotels I’ve stayed at in recent years, and then I’ll share my updated list.
In this post:
The best points hotels I’ve stayed at recently
Over the past cfew years, I’d say the following are my favorite points hotels that I’ve stayed at:
- Waldorf Astoria Maldives (bookable with Hilton Honors points), which has beautiful villas, great dining, and is an all-around impressive property with a lot to do
- Gritti Palace Venice (bookable with Marriott Bonvoy points), which is one of Venice’s oldest properties, and has a great sense of place, though is perhaps past its prime
- St. Regis Venice (bookable with Marriott Bonvoy points), which has a great location, beautiful terrace, and feels modern and luxurious
- Hotel Maria Cristina San Sebastian, Marriott Luxury Collection (bookable with Marriott Bonvoy points), which is a historic property with an ideal location and friendly service
- Ritz-Carlton Kyoto (bookable with Marriott Bonvoy points), which has exceptional service, and is a great use of Marriott points
- Park Hyatt Kyoto (bookable with World of Hyatt points), which is a design masterpiece, and is in the heart of the action in Kyoto
- Park Hyatt Auckland (bookable with World of Hyatt points), which is a lovely city hotel with a great location and amenities
- Alila Jabal Akhdar (bookable with World of Hyatt points), which is one of the most scenic properties I’ve ever stayed at
- Alila Hinu Bay (bookable with World of Hyatt points), which is simultaneously quite random yet also peaceful and enjoyable, with great dining
- Alila Napa Valley (bookable with World of Hyatt points), which is a lovely wine country escape in the charming town of St. Helena
- Miraval Arizona (bookable with World of Hyatt points), which is a nature escape that I enjoyed a lot more than I was expecting to
- Hotel Du Palais Biarritz, Hyatt Unbound Collection (bookable with World of Hyatt points), which is an incredible coastal French Palace hotel with gorgeous views and top notch dining
- Zemi Beach House Anguilla, Hilton LXR (bookable with Hilton Honors points), which is a good value getaway on points, with a stunning beach
I’m pretty pleased I managed to check all of these out, as they were on my previous list.
Points hotels I’d like to stay at
With the above out of the way, let me share some awesome points hotels that I look forward to staying at. As I plan future travel, I’ll largely use this list to decide which destination to visit next, so this also factors in my hotel elite status strategy. Since I’ve earned Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador status this year, I’ll have a bit more focus on that brand than usual.
As you’ll see, these aren’t exclusively intended to be the “best” points hotels that I could possibly stay at, but rather they also overlap with the places that I hope to visit.
I’m only including properties on this list that are already open. There are plenty of new openings I’m excited about, which I won’t include on this list. For example, the Park Hyatt Los Cabos, Park Hyatt Johannesburg, Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica, Waldorf Astoria London, Waldorf Astoria New York, and Waldorf Astoria Osaka, come to mind.
Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island
This is one of the newest Waldorf Astoria properties, and arguably is one of the all-around most exciting new points hotels out there. The property is located on a private island in the Seychelles, and rates here are regularly $2,000+ per night. The catch is that management seems to be doing everything it can to make the property unattractive to people redeeming points. It seems the hotel even created an all-new room category that’s not a villa in order to offer award availability, though at least upgrades seem to be offered.
Booking with points: 120,000 Hilton Honors points per night, though you can maximize value by taking advantage of a fifth night free
St. Regis Hong Kong
St. Regis is my favorite Marriott brand, partly because I like the style of the hotels, and partly because I like that St. Regis actually honors elite benefits, unlike EDITION and Ritz-Carlton. Probably the St. Regis I’m most interested in staying at is the Hong Kong property. The hotel seems to have a beautiful design, and great dining.
Booking with points: Marriott Bonvoy has dynamic award pricing, though you can maximize value by taking advantage of a fifth night free
Park Hyatt London River Thames
The Park Hyatt brand has finally come to London, though in an unusual location. The 203-room property opened in 2024, and I’m keen to check it out. The property’s design looks beautiful, and I’ve heard good things about the elite recognition, and the pool area. However, the location is certainly a head-scratcher.
Booking with points: 25,000-35,000 World of Hyatt points per night
Park Hyatt Jakarta
Jakarta is one of the best value cities in the world when it comes to luxury hotels, and I’ve heard that the Park Hyatt Jakarta is incredible, despite its relatively low rates. I’m planning to visit Jakarta soon, and definitely plan to check out this property.
Booking with points: 12,000-18,000 World of Hyatt points per night
Ritz-Carlton Jakarta Pacific Place
Ritz-Carlton is known for its incredible club lounges, though one property really takes that to the next level. The 62-room Ritz-Carlton Jakarta Pacific Place is an all-club hotel, so all guests have access to the club lounge, offering several food presentations per day. I’m curious to experience this firsthand, and to see if this is awesome, or if it’s less impressive when everyone has access to it.
Booking with points: Marriott Bonvoy has dynamic award pricing, though you can maximize value by taking advantage of a fifth night free
Domes Miramare Corfu
Greece is one of my favorite countries in the world, and I’d like to visit Corfu, as I’ve never been in that part of the country. Fortunately Corfu has a well regarded Luxury Collection property, and it’s even often a good value on points. I’m hoping to visit the property this coming summer.
Booking with points: Marriott Bonvoy has dynamic award pricing, though you can maximize value by taking advantage of a fifth night free
Tambo Del Inka Peru
This is a hotel that’s not on my list because I think the hotel as such is that amazing, but rather because I still haven’t visited Machu Picchu. The fact that Marriott has good options in both Cuzco and the Sacred Valley is all the more reason to take this trip sooner rather than later.
Booking with points: Marriott Bonvoy has dynamic award pricing, though you can maximize value by taking advantage of a fifth night free
Hotel Marqués De Riscal Elciego
While I’ve visited the major cities in Spain and have also been to many of the beach destinations, I’d like to explore more of the country. Hotel Marques de Riscal is in Elciego, and was designed by Frank Gehry. I mean, just look at the hotel — how could you not want to stay there?
Booking with points: Marriott Bonvoy has dynamic award pricing, though you can maximize value by taking advantage of a fifth night free
Miraval Berkshires
Miraval is Hyatt’s wellness brand, and I had an amazing stay at Miraval Arizona a bit over a year ago. Next I’d love to visit the Miraval property in the Berkshires. I love the Northeast in summer, and think could be a cool property to visit. Miraval stays include all food and non-alcoholic drinks, as well as many activities. When redeeming points you also get a $175 per person credit.
Booking with points: 57,500-72,000 World of Hyatt points per night (for two people)
St. Regis Bermuda
Bermuda has long been on my list of places to visit, though I haven’t made it there until now. Bermuda used to lack points hotels, but the St. Regis Bermuda has changed that. I’ve heard mixed reviews about this property, but it still seems like the best of the options.
Booking with points: Marriott Bonvoy has dynamic award pricing, though you can maximize value by taking advantage of a fifth night free
Reykjavik EDITION
Admittedly Iceland isn’t a destination you usually travel to for luxury hotels, though Marriott’s EDITION brand has a property in the capital, Reykjavik. This is likely the best hotel in the city, so you can’t beat being able to redeem points for a stay there.
Booking with points: Marriott Bonvoy has dynamic award pricing, though you can maximize value by taking advantage of a fifth night free
Hilton Garden Inn Faroe Islands
Ordinarily I wouldn’t put limited service hotels on a list of the points properties I’m most looking to stay at. However, I’ve been wanting to visit the Faroe Islands for years, and the Hilton Garden Inn seems to be one of the better properties there, so it’s where I’d like to stay. For a Hilton Garden Inn, this place looks great, in my opinion.
Booking with points: Hilton Honors has dynamic award pricing, though you can maximize value by taking advantage of a fifth night free
Koenigshof Munich
Germany isn’t exactly known for its world-class hotels. Marriott Luxury Collection did recently expand to Munich, with the opening of Koenigshof, and it looks like a great property. Given the lack of other luxury points hotels in Munich, I look forward to checking this out.
Booking with points: Marriott Bonvoy has dynamic award pricing, though you can maximize value by taking advantage of a fifth night free
Paragraph Freedom Square Tbilisi
Tbilisi, Georgia, is probably the city in the world that I’m most interested in visiting. Historically it hasn’t been a very exciting hotel market, though the recent opening of the Paragraph Freedom Square seems to set the new standard. This property belongs to Marriott Luxury Collection, and even has a club lounge, so I’d love to check this out.
Booking with points: Marriott Bonvoy has dynamic award pricing, though you can maximize value by taking advantage of a fifth night free
St. Regis Astana
I briefly visited Kazakhstan several years back, and only had one night in Astana. I found the city to be fascinating, and have been wanting to return. Nowadays there’s a St. Regis there, which is very reasonably priced as well. So I hope to return to the city and stay at the St. Regis in the not-too-distant future.
Booking with points: Marriott Bonvoy has dynamic award pricing, though you can maximize value by taking advantage of a fifth night free
St. Regis Belgrade
Serbia’s capital recently got a new level of luxury when it comes to points hotels, with the opening of the 119-room St. Regis. This is one of the more affordable St. Regis city hotels, so I’d like to check this out, as I’ve enjoyed my past visits to Belgrade.
Booking with points: Marriott Bonvoy has dynamic award pricing, though you can maximize value by taking advantage of a fifth night free
Park Hyatt Niseko
Niseko is in a part of Japan I’ve never been to before, and there’s a Park Hyatt there that fascinates me. I actually have a confirmed trip to Niseko for this winter, so am looking forward to checking out this property. The scenery looks gorgeous!
Booking with points: 35,000-45,000 World of Hyatt points per night
Ritz-Carlton Reserve Higashiyama Niseko Village
Since I plan to visit the Park Hyatt Niseko, I also plan to check out the nearby Ritz-Carlton Reserve, which might just be even nicer. The Ritz-Carlton Reserve brand participates in Marriott Bonvoy nowadays, so it’s possible to earn and redeem points for stays at these properties.
Booking with points: Marriott Bonvoy has dynamic award pricing, though you can maximize value by taking advantage of a fifth night free
Ritz-Carlton Nikko
I adore everything about Japan, so when you combine being in Japan with a great luxury points hotel, that’s a great combo, as far as I’m concerned. The Ritz-Carlton Nikko looks beautiful, and is a fairly short train ride from Tokyo. The hotel is set along Lake Chuzenji, so as someone who loves nature, this seems like a cool side trip the next time I’m in Tokyo.
Booking with points: Marriott Bonvoy has dynamic award pricing, though you can maximize value by taking advantage of a fifth night free
Ritz-Carlton Fukuoka
Okay, I’ll be honest, I actually don’t know that much about Fukuoka and how high I should prioritize it in terms of visiting (I’d love feedback!), but it’s a place in Japan and has a great luxury points property, so for me that’s reason enough to visit. I always have a great time in Japan, so anything outside of Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, sounds like a new adventure.
Ritz-Carlton Melbourne
In 2023 we saw the opening of the Ritz-Carlton Melbourne. This is a unique property, as it’s Australia’s highest city hotel, located at the very top of an 80-story tower. While I’ve heard the location isn’t ideal, the property’s facilities look great, and I look forward to checking out this hotel.
Booking with points: Marriott Bonvoy has dynamic award pricing, though you can maximize value by taking advantage of a fifth night free
St. Regis Cairo
You can file this one under “I’m a weirdo” more than anything. I’ve never witnessed a hotel opening that was as delayed as the one at the St. Regis Cairo. The hotel’s opening had already been delayed by years, and then the Gulf blockade happened. The hotel had been ready to open for years, but it couldn’t open because it had Qatari investors.
Fortunately the hotel did finally open, though I imagine it’s already outdated at this point. 😉 Of the properties on my list, unfortunately this one is probably most unrealistic for me to visit, given my issue with Egypt. But hey, it can’t hurt to dream, right?
Booking with points: Marriott Bonvoy has dynamic award pricing, though you can maximize value by taking advantage of a fifth night free
JW Marriott Masai Mara
JW Marriott Masai Mara is located in Kenya, and is Marriott’s first luxury safari property in Africa. The resort looks beautiful and is an amazing use of Marriott Bonvoy points, given that all meals and drinks are included. I’m still puzzled by how this property ended up being branded as a JW Marriott (usually associated with large conference hotels), but that doesn’t take away from this being an awesome use of points.
Booking with points: Marriott Bonvoy has dynamic award pricing, though you can maximize value by taking advantage of a fifth night free
Ritz-Carlton Maldives
I’m not actually sure when I’ll return to the Maldives, though the Ritz-Carlton Maldives is the next property there I’d like to check out. It’s a great use of Marriott Bonvoy points, given how high paid rates are.
Booking with points: Marriott Bonvoy has dynamic award pricing, though you can maximize value by taking advantage of a fifth night free
North Island Seychelles
I’ll throw this one in for fun, though I doubt I’ll ever make it here. Rather puzzlingly, the $8,000+ per night North Island property in the Seychelles became a Marriott Luxury Collection property in 2019, which I can’t make sense of.
The points rates are totally different than any other Marriotts, so it’s outrageously expensive. Also not included is food/drinks or the helicopter ride to the hotel. But it doesn’t cost anything to dream, right?
Booking with points: 365,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night, with the potential for a fifth night free
Bottom line
There are tons of incredible hotels that can be booked with points. I’ve had some amazing points hotel stays in the past couple of years, including with Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott. There are lots of other points hotels on my radar, which I hope to check out soon.
Which points hotels do you most want to stay at? And has anyone stayed at any of the properties on my list?
Curious why you've skipped out on IHG? There are some aspirational IHG luxury redemptions when it comes to Regent, Six Senses and Intercontinental
Although it's true as Stuart says that Ritz Carlton Maldives is a man-made island, I felt it reflected the Maldivian spirit. Further thoughts:
https://www.tripadvisor.com./ShowUserReviews-g26224257-d23300306-r879328464-The_Ritz_Carlton_Maldives_Fari_Islands-Fari_Islands.html
I think it is worth being careful. The value could be very different and may not be worth paying on points depending if it is low season or high season, etc
RC Nikko is beautiful but it's really the only thing up by the lake in germs of five star accommodation or dining
Most guests (we went during CoVid) were Japanese visiting for a night or two so the place was very busy
The problem is that it was so busy the restaurants can't handle the volume of guests so you may not be able to get dinner even as a guest!
This...
RC Nikko is beautiful but it's really the only thing up by the lake in germs of five star accommodation or dining
Most guests (we went during CoVid) were Japanese visiting for a night or two so the place was very busy
The problem is that it was so busy the restaurants can't handle the volume of guests so you may not be able to get dinner even as a guest!
This is annoying but would be bearable if there were good dining options nearby but that unfortunately is not the case
I would reserve your meals in advance
The onsen is lovely though
I've commented before how Tambo del Inka was kinda unimpressive but that Palacio del Inka (also part of luxury collection) should be on the list. It's a Latin American hotel with pre-columbian history, which I personally cannot name another property (in all of the Americas) that can boast that.
PS: Yes, PH Jakarta is that good
I stayed at Park Hyatt London and St Regis Belgrade in November and December, respectively. I used award/points for both stays and both stays were within 30 days of opening. I noticed Park Hyatt London had suites available up until 24 hours before my checking-in but completely sold out on the day of my arrival. I got one category upgrade as a Globalist. It seems to me the hotel was only half full at best...
I stayed at Park Hyatt London and St Regis Belgrade in November and December, respectively. I used award/points for both stays and both stays were within 30 days of opening. I noticed Park Hyatt London had suites available up until 24 hours before my checking-in but completely sold out on the day of my arrival. I got one category upgrade as a Globalist. It seems to me the hotel was only half full at best during my stay. The property is nice but does not feel luxury. Service was polite but easily forgettable. Breakfast was a small buffet with a la carte options. I used SNAs for St Regis Belgrade and they were cleared three days prior to arrival. The suite is huge with separate living room and dining room, and comes with great views of Sava River. The minibar has a variety of good quality complementary snacks and drinks, excl. alcoholic beverages. Breakfast is a la carte and you can order anything on the menu. I also asked for some Serbian dishes that are not on the menu and the kitchen was happy to prepare them. Staff are very professional. Many of them have worked in the hotels in U.S. previously or have studied abroad. They were very pleasant to interact with and engage conversations. The hotel is part of new waterfront development but it is only 20-30 minutes of pleasant walk to old town. I highly recommend it to anyone who is visiting Belgrade. For Ben, you may want to time your visit with the opening of new Air Serbia lounge. The late December opening has been pushed back to early 2025 with no definitive date.
Domes Miramare Corfu is a beautiful property in a beautiful location, but the atmosphere and service is closer to what you’d expect at a Mexican all-inclusive.
Lines to get a table at breakfast, and good luck getting a bed at the beach.
The unconcerned, and almost rude at times staff really doesn’t fit the luxury description.
Would i stay there again? Probably… but i’d for sure be looking around to see what other properties were available.
Having lived in London for a while, the Park Hyatt wouldn't have been able to be built nearer to the city center, given the combination of the lack of high-rises and how the prime locations are all "taken". Nine Elms is near one of the newest major developments, right next to a Tube station, and a short ride away from the city center - most places where it would've been feasible to have a high-rise...
Having lived in London for a while, the Park Hyatt wouldn't have been able to be built nearer to the city center, given the combination of the lack of high-rises and how the prime locations are all "taken". Nine Elms is near one of the newest major developments, right next to a Tube station, and a short ride away from the city center - most places where it would've been feasible to have a high-rise with a good view over the city center would've been much further out.
Ritz Carlton Maldives is a man made island so lacks that traditional Maldivian feeling.
Ritz Carlton Melbourne don't rush to. i have stayed there twice, and it has failed to impress on both occasions. Awful location too.
The Faroes are amazing but don't bother with Hilton Garden Inn in the Faroes. Not nearly as nice as the photos and they charge extra for everything including the jacuzzi.
Fukuoka has some great ramen, so there's that. Also some fun food stalls near the river. The oldest Zen temple in Japan is there. They have a huge festival with floats in the summer, you can see them at other times in a museum. A different vibe from other big cities in Japan. It's worth a visit, and of course a trip report!
Don't like the location of the RC Melbourne at all. It is supposed to be nice though. If you earn AUD it is very expensive.
It will be interesting to see how it goes in a few years when additional hotels open (eg Shang 26 and FS in 28).
Hermitage Bay Antigua should be on this list.
In terms of Hyatt, I'm surprised to see Hinu Bay on the list of favorites/bests. I liked the hotel overall, but for how far out of the way it was (not only from a major city, but from the city of Salalah itself), I didn't think it was good enough to warrant a recommendation.
PH Jakarta was as good as they say (or better).
I continue to have a self-imposed Marriott ban. Third year running.
Hotel TwentySeven in Amsterdam, bookable with Hilton points.
I just looked Hilton properties in Hokkaido for this upcoming Christmas and all properties are sold out using both cash or points. Hopefully space opens up later.
@Ben
Ritz-Carlton honours their elite benefits, have you ever been to an RC that did not deliver the defined benefits? You might prefer that the elite benefits were more expansive, or find that the current offering is weak, and those would be very fair points. But to say they don't honour them is plain and simply wrong.
While I usually like St Regis in the sum of the experiences, a lot of them have started...
@Ben
Ritz-Carlton honours their elite benefits, have you ever been to an RC that did not deliver the defined benefits? You might prefer that the elite benefits were more expansive, or find that the current offering is weak, and those would be very fair points. But to say they don't honour them is plain and simply wrong.
While I usually like St Regis in the sum of the experiences, a lot of them have started skimping on the brand standard of champagne sabering, and serving a glass of champagne to everyone present.
PH Niseko does not offer suite upgrades to the residence section any longer, so no more options to get a room with a private onsen on a points booking. It is a huge place, and while very nice the service does take some hits from the size.
RC Nikko is highly recommended
Inconsistent across the Marriott portfolio. No breakfast etc when compared to St Regis
Think you missed some great points properties by excluding Mr&Mrs Smith, SLH etc
Inconsistent yes, but that is not an issue of "not honouring benefits". Not honouring means that there is a written policy that is not being delivered on.
Really looking forward to the reviews of the Japan hotels, as well as the Reykjavik Edition if you swing it.
Faroe Islands is also high on my list.
Stayed at both Reykjavik Edition, PH Niseko, and visited Ritz Niseko. The Edition was one of my favorite stays of the year. Super custom, hidden speakeasy, great rates and rooms. Must do in Iceland. Loved PH Niseko too
I booked the JW Marriott Masai Mara on points for our safari early on July 2024 but due to the flooding, they closed for rebuilding and canceled our reservations four weeks prior to our trip. They said they were expecting to reopen in mid-July. Guess what, we saw their staff picking up guests at the airport and then their safari trucks at the Maasai Mara entrance gate! Wouldn't it be a courtesy to let canceled...
I booked the JW Marriott Masai Mara on points for our safari early on July 2024 but due to the flooding, they closed for rebuilding and canceled our reservations four weeks prior to our trip. They said they were expecting to reopen in mid-July. Guess what, we saw their staff picking up guests at the airport and then their safari trucks at the Maasai Mara entrance gate! Wouldn't it be a courtesy to let canceled guests know that they reopened early (if that was the truth) and if those guests would like to stay there??? Nope...I guess I was not a cash customer!!!!
I don’t know what’s going on with this property because availability is very random even for cash stays!
Having visited Georgia twice, I think Tbilisi is an amazing city and absolutely worth a visit. Probably sooner rather than later, since its government seems keen on turning it into Belarus 2.0. Visiting now would give you the opportunity to witness a historic moment, since this seems to be Georgia’s equivalent of Ukraine’s Euromaidan protests in 2014. Enjoy the food and wine, just be street smart and avoid large crowds if you don’t feel safe.
Now that you’ve reviewed the lounge at CTS, if you have any extra time preflight during your Niseko trip I’d recommend the pre-security food options. The standing sushi place is amazing and they also have a ramen hall.
I'd advise against the Domes property. My room was full of ants and service was poor.
St Regis Cairo. Do it !
Thanks for this list. I've only warmed up my new Ritz-Carlton card and it's frightening how much more attention I'm now paying to Ritz-Carlton, in hopes of using those valuable Club-Level certs. Cairo? KL? Scary how loyalty and cards can make us do things we would never other wise do, in my case paid stay at Ritz-Carlton.
It’s funny - we all complain about how few benefits elites get at a Ritz Carlton and Edition, yet we still want to visit these properties, rightfully so because they are good hotels. I am going to try to hit the Editions in Madrid and/or Rome this year…