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 at 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. I like to refresh this list pretty frequently, since I consult it when deciding where I hope to stay next.
In this post:
The best points hotels I’ve stayed at recently
Over the past few years, I’ve stayed at quite a few luxury points hotels that were on previous renditions of this list, including the following:
- Waldorf Astoria Maldives (bookable with Hilton 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 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 points), which has an ideal location, beautiful terrace, and feels modern and luxurious
- Hotel Maria Cristina San Sebastian, Marriott Luxury Collection (bookable with Marriott points), which is a historic property with a central location and friendly service
- Ritz-Carlton Kyoto (bookable with Marriott points), which has exceptional service, and is a great use of Marriott points
- Park Hyatt Kyoto (bookable with Hyatt points), which is a design masterpiece, and is in the heart of the action in Kyoto
- Park Hyatt Auckland (bookable with Hyatt points), which is a lovely city hotel with a great location and amenities
- Alila Jabal Akhdar (bookable with Hyatt points), which is one of the most scenic properties I’ve ever stayed at
- Alila Hinu Bay (bookable with Hyatt points), which is simultaneously quite random yet also peaceful and enjoyable, with great dining
- Alila Napa Valley (bookable withHyatt points), which is a lovely wine country escape in the charming town of St. Helena
- Miraval Arizona (bookable with 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 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 points), which is a good value getaway on points, with a stunning beach
- St. Regis Hong Kong (bookable with Marriott points), which is a solid city hotel with impressive dining and a lively vibe
- Park Hyatt London River Thames (bookable with Hyatt points), with feels quite grand and luxurious, though lacks a bit when it comes to location and vibe
- Koenigshof Munich, Marriott Luxury Collection (bookable with Marriott points), which has a central location and a cool design
- Park Hyatt Niseko (bookable with Hyatt points), which is an incredible ski resort, with great dining, and endless amenities
- Ritz-Carlton Reserve Higashiyama Niseko Village (bookable with Marriott points), which unfortunately disappointed me quite a bit, given the experience Ritz-Carlton Reserve is supposed to offer
- St. Regis Longboat Key (bookable with Marriott points), which positively delighted me, as one of the most family friendly luxury resorts I’ve stayed at
I’m pretty pleased I managed to check all of these out, as they were on my previous lists.
Points hotels I’d like to stay at in the near future
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 currently have Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador status, I 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. I’m also only including properties belonging directly to the major chains, and not those bookable through some marketing partnerships (like Hilton’s partnership with Small Luxury Hotels of the World). While those can be super useful, the properties that participate can change fairly frequently, which is why I’m not including them.
Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island
This is one of the newer 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. This is probably the single points hotel I’d most like to actually vacation at, rather than just quickly passing through.
Park Hyatt Johannesburg
The Park Hyatt Johannesburg is one of the newest properties in the brand’s portfolio, and one thing makes it particularly noteworthy — this is the world’s smallest Park Hyatt, with just 31 rooms. I’ve been meaning to take an airline review trip to Africa soon, and that will certainly entail traveling through Johannesburg, so I can’t wait to spend a night here.
Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur
The world’s newest Park Hyatt is located in Kuala Lumpur, and it also has another cool distinction — it’s the world’s highest Hyatt property, and one of the world’s all-around highest hotels. The hotel takes up the top floors of the Merdeka 118 building, which is the tallest building in all of Asia-Pacific.
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.
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.
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.
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?
Miraval Berkshires
Miraval is Hyatt’s wellness brand, and I had an amazing stay at Miraval Arizona a couple of years 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Hotel du Couvent Nice
Hotel du Couvent Nice opened in 2024, as part of Marriott Luxury Collection. This hotel in the south of France is housed in a restored 17th century convent, and looks downright gorgeous. This isn’t your typical, cookie cutter Marriott, and I hope to check it out the next time I’m in the region.
Osaka Station Hotel
This one might sound a bit random in comparison to some of the other hotels on my list. However, the Osaka Station Hotel belongs to Marriott Autograph Collection, and I’ve heard generally great things about it. There’s one angle I find unique.
The hotel has what’s called a “Specialty Salon,” which they insist isn’t a club lounge, so they don’t have to allow elite members in. However, they do let Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador members in, so that aspect intrigues me. I’ve heard the club is kind of amazing, and service includes caviar, uni, A5 wagyu, and more. So I figure it’s my duty to check this out!
Waldorf Astoria Osaka
I adore Japan, and we recently saw what might just be a new “flagship” property for the Hilton portfolio, with the opening of the Waldorf Astoria Osaka. This property simply looks spectacular in terms of design and all the facilities and finishes.
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.
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.
St. Regis Red Sea
Saudi Arabia is investing an unprecedented amount of money in tourism, and it’s anyone’s guess how this all plays out. As someone who covers the industry, I can’t help but be intrigued, if nothing else. A large part of this investment involves the Red Sea Project, which includes plans for dozens of resorts, intended to almost offer a Maldives-style experience. The St. Regis was among the first of these properties to open, and I’d sure like to check it out.
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?
Waldorf Astoria New York
We recently saw the reopening of the Waldorf Astoria New York, after a closure of many years. To be honest, I don’t have very high expectations of hotels in the United States when it comes to service and overall guest experience. That’s especially true when you consider the hotel has 375 rooms. That being said, I’m certainly curious about the experience, and hope to check it out the next time I visit New York.
St. Regis Lhasa
I’ve long wanted to visit Tibet, though I haven’t made it there yet. I’m hoping to visit in the next couple of years, and if I do, I’d like to check out the St. Regis Lhasa. It’s one of the more reasonably priced St. Regis properties out there, and I can’t decide if it looks great or just okay. Regardless, I’d like to visit primarily for the destination.
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?
We lived in Tbilissi and in Kazakhstan.
Arguably the hotel scene in Tbilissi isn't fantastic but the city is amazing. If you visit in winter, you could also take a short ski trip to Gudauri or Bakuriani.
Kazakhstan: make yourself a favour Ben and visit Almaty. Astana is okish, but Almaty is a much more interesting city.
Surprised not to see Cap Rocat in Mallorca on your list. We stayed there in May on Hilton points and it was amazing!
You must be kidding, Park Hyatt London on the river in that dangerous neighbourhood and that dangerous underground metro station? Why would anyone want to go there? Points or cash.
If you liked the Fogo Island Inn, you should love the Radisson Spitsbergen in Longyearbyen, with a heated pool overlooking the tundra. Or the Funken Lodge in the same town(bookable through Choice)
Great list Ben! What about the Conrad Hamburg? You stayed there when it was a Hyatt, sure it would be cool to see the same hotel under a new brand. Plus: Hamburg (my hometown ;) ) is always a great place to visit.
I highly recommend the St Regis Osaka - beautiful rooms and views, fantastic breakfast, excellent location.
I would recommend Fukuoka—laid-back but still a major city, great food, and off the beaten path. I agree with the comment about Nagasaki being better, though. The Marriott in Nagasaki is great.
Waldorf Astoria Osaka is good until you waited 30 mins for breakfast with tens of Aspire holders.
Hilton Garden Inn Faroe is an eyesore in a beautiful place. Luckily its far out of town.
Fukuoka has a great food scene but in my humble opinion is just a bit of a meh city. Nothing wrong with it but nothing unique or interesting that makes me desperate to return. It is however a good place to base yourself for a trip around Kyushu which has some spectacular places to visit. I highly rate Nagasaki - so much more to it than the atomic bomb site, an equally awesome food scene...
Fukuoka has a great food scene but in my humble opinion is just a bit of a meh city. Nothing wrong with it but nothing unique or interesting that makes me desperate to return. It is however a good place to base yourself for a trip around Kyushu which has some spectacular places to visit. I highly rate Nagasaki - so much more to it than the atomic bomb site, an equally awesome food scene and a chilled, laidback coastal city atmosphere. If only it had a St Regis of its own ;)
The RC Nikko is a gorgeous hotel in a very pretty are.
The Hilton Garden Inn in Faroe has free laundry machines!
Cairo, eh? Ben, of all people!
I got a good chuckle when I saw it on the list! LOL!
I do not think you will make it to Lhasa anytime soon. A Chinese tourist visa, visa free, or arrival transit visa is not enough for travel to Lhasa. It requires you to be on tour through a registered travel agency and for you to obtain a permit. The policies of issuing permits are always on and off. It is difficult if you are not based in China to go because the policy could change any time.
This is not true. I visited Tibet last year and it was easy and drama-free. If you book an organized tour, you get in; if you don’t, you don’t. Pretty simple.
Booking a trip to Lhasa is very straight forward and not difficult. I booked a private tour without any issues. While yes, you need to be with the guide for the main sites (ie Potala Palace) you are also able to walk around Lhasa city on your own. We stayed at the St. Regis and while the property and location are nice, it is not at the same level of luxury as other St. Regis properties. This being said, I would stay there again.
Any particular reason you mostly ignore Accor/LHW/Choice/I Prefer ? Think they have some interesting options
Ben Nujuma Ritz Reserve Red Sea is much better than St Regis
I’ll offer up what’s probably the most remote points hotel- Mantis Jamestown St. Helena (Accor). It’s reached by a once a week flight Johannesburg flight that has a technical/fuel stop in Namibia to get there. Mantis is a really niche southern Africa brand with assorted safari and city properties and at one point was the only way you could get to Antarctica on points.
Its really odd to say "you can’t beat being able to redeem points for a stay" at the Reykjavik EDITION. The hotel is priced ~30% higher than any other hotel in the city, and the main reason to visit Iceland is see nature, not the hotel stay.
There are so many better ways to use Marriott points elsewhere in the world.
Let’s be honest, Ben is not going to be hiking in an ice cave or driving the Ring Road.
Paragraph Tbilisi maybe the best elite lounge I’ve been to. Crazy views and great food and drinks. Excellent service. Breakfast good and didn’t even get to make it to their spa which looked ridiculously good as well. Yes many rooms empty on my floor but felt more comfortable zclusive that way I supose. Not worried about blowing up this hotel because I probably won’t be back to Georgia soon but highly recommend and is a standard against which I rate other hotels
I stayed at Paragraph Freedom Square (Tbilisi) this summer and was not really a fan. It's a huge hotel with no sense of place and gave off conference hotel vibes. I way preferred my stay at the Stamba (not a points hotel), which is the original luxury option there. Marriott actually has a few Luxury Collection and Autograph Collection there and Yerevan. I had a great stay at the Alexander in Yerevan (Marriott Luxury Collection),...
I stayed at Paragraph Freedom Square (Tbilisi) this summer and was not really a fan. It's a huge hotel with no sense of place and gave off conference hotel vibes. I way preferred my stay at the Stamba (not a points hotel), which is the original luxury option there. Marriott actually has a few Luxury Collection and Autograph Collection there and Yerevan. I had a great stay at the Alexander in Yerevan (Marriott Luxury Collection), and I highly recommend visiting both countries on a trip as they compare and contrast really well.
Just got back from The Reykjavik EDITION and wow, what a letdown for the price. Staff was completely indifferent from check-in to checkout - no one greeted us, no help with bags, zero interest in making the stay special. Paid for their most expensive room and got a view of work vans in a car park.
Room build is very cheap, there was a huge crack in the bed frame and they couldn't even be...
Just got back from The Reykjavik EDITION and wow, what a letdown for the price. Staff was completely indifferent from check-in to checkout - no one greeted us, no help with bags, zero interest in making the stay special. Paid for their most expensive room and got a view of work vans in a car park.
Room build is very cheap, there was a huge crack in the bed frame and they couldn't even be bothered to fill the body wash properly until requested thrice. When I mentioned it at checkout, the front desk person didn't care.
For what we paid, could've gotten a park view suite at Hotel Borg. Definitely going there next time. This place feels like a wannabe luxury hotel that's all style and no substance. Staff acts like they expect guests to just accept mediocrity. If you've stayed at actual 5-star places, you'll see right through this. Save your money and go to the Hotel Bord.
I was in Melbourne in July for work and decided to book at the RC Melbourne, even though a Lifetime Globalist and regularly at the Park Hyatt there. I thought it might be nice to try something new. When I arrived to the hotel around 10AM after the slog from LA on UA I was informed that all their systems were down until later in the afternoon and they had no ability to check anyone...
I was in Melbourne in July for work and decided to book at the RC Melbourne, even though a Lifetime Globalist and regularly at the Park Hyatt there. I thought it might be nice to try something new. When I arrived to the hotel around 10AM after the slog from LA on UA I was informed that all their systems were down until later in the afternoon and they had no ability to check anyone in. They did have plenty of rooms that were available but insisted that they could not just let me into a room without formally checking me in on their system. I canceled, went to Park Hyatt and was nicely upgraded with 20 minutes notice to the Diplomat Suite. Not sure I will give RC a chance again. It really ruined me for the property at how the desk people (who appeared less than concerned) just brushed off my simple request with no outside the box thinking.
As a Melburnian I'd take the Sofitel over the RC any day, but with Accor's microscopic presence in North America it seems to escape the attention of US points redeemers. PH Melbourne has recently changed hands, and it will be interesting to see if the new owners plan anything in the way of renovations, as the faux Deco decor needs a bit of a tweak in places. Grand Hyatt Melbourne is definitely getting a complete...
As a Melburnian I'd take the Sofitel over the RC any day, but with Accor's microscopic presence in North America it seems to escape the attention of US points redeemers. PH Melbourne has recently changed hands, and it will be interesting to see if the new owners plan anything in the way of renovations, as the faux Deco decor needs a bit of a tweak in places. Grand Hyatt Melbourne is definitely getting a complete redevelopment in the near future, with a "façade redesign" and "reimagining and refurbishment of interior spaces". Hopefully this doesn't mean a full transformation into the dreaded "international beige".
PH MEL is, no doubt, tired. I have been staying there for years and, well, nothing has changed, lol. Service is still wonderful though. I imagine they will have to undergo a serious reno to compete. But it still has a character even today. Charlie has died though so it's a good time for the new owners to gather up a new vision (and dog).
I know you said points hotels. But in Faroes, you want to stay at Hotel Føroyar.
Have stayed at Park Hyatt Jakarta twice and in 2 weeks will be there again. Got upgraded to a Mona View Suite last time and it was incredible. ALL staff greets you by name! Spectacular property!
Next Sunday we will be at the Alila Jabal Akhdar!
Have a wonderful time at Alila Jabal...one of my favorite properties in the world. The rooms are nothing to write home about but the food, service and, of course, views, are out of this world. Just stayed there in August and was blown away. One advice on rooms...try for the Alila or Jabal Terrace rooms. The terrace is truly breathtaking and will have a hard time leaving it for activities. Avoid (if you can) the...
Have a wonderful time at Alila Jabal...one of my favorite properties in the world. The rooms are nothing to write home about but the food, service and, of course, views, are out of this world. Just stayed there in August and was blown away. One advice on rooms...try for the Alila or Jabal Terrace rooms. The terrace is truly breathtaking and will have a hard time leaving it for activities. Avoid (if you can) the Loft upgrade as, while wonderful if you are a family with kids, it is less than ideal for a couple, loses a lot of the views, and they are awkwardly on the walkway that everyone uses next to the dining. As to food, just tell the fantastic Indian chef to "surprise me." He will do so and it will be fantastic, especially the lamb cooked overnight in the ground in front of the dining room.
Stayed this year at Osaka Station and Marques de Riscal, both are very good by the latter is even better.
Osaka Station salon access also gets you into the Onsen, which is otherwise only open to those in high-level suites. You’ll be swoon by the speakeasy train bar as well, but the food outlets may not impress as much. Practically walking distance to the new Waldorf as well. This is a sleeper. Please don’t blow it up before my next (third) points stay there!
Park Hyatt Saigon is a bucketlist hotel if you have not been there.
I'd add the Conrad Osaka to that list as well. I picked that over staying at the Waldorf Osaka. As to why, check out one of the many youtube video reviews of the hotel (the design below me away).
Second PH Saigon. I was at the Sofitel (which was fine and I absolutely love the one in Hanoi) but after visiting a friend's room at PH, I was a little jealous.
As for Japan, I'm a weirdo but I love the business hotels. Small comfy rooms, nothing essential forgotten and beer/beverage vending machines on each floor. All while totally quiet and peaceful. I spend 90% of my time in Japan off-property, so never...
Second PH Saigon. I was at the Sofitel (which was fine and I absolutely love the one in Hanoi) but after visiting a friend's room at PH, I was a little jealous.
As for Japan, I'm a weirdo but I love the business hotels. Small comfy rooms, nothing essential forgotten and beer/beverage vending machines on each floor. All while totally quiet and peaceful. I spend 90% of my time in Japan off-property, so never have splurged. Would like to check out a lux property there one day.
(And I get that business hotels don't work for families or couples.)
Always enjoy when you update this list. regarding Fukuoka, check out Lee abbamonte's instagram post from today about it, seems like a worthwhile city to checkout.
Super list, Lucky. Lots of good ideas.
I just stayed at the Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur on my recent trip to Asia, and from the moment I walked into the lobby on the 75th floor and see the view of KL behind the front desk agents, I knew I was going to be impressed. Got upgraded to a Twin Tower view room (via Hyatt Prive) on the 106th floor, and that view was nothing less than spectacular. The service was also impeccable,...
I just stayed at the Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur on my recent trip to Asia, and from the moment I walked into the lobby on the 75th floor and see the view of KL behind the front desk agents, I knew I was going to be impressed. Got upgraded to a Twin Tower view room (via Hyatt Prive) on the 106th floor, and that view was nothing less than spectacular. The service was also impeccable, and the dining and drink options are worth stopping at even if you don't have a stay planned there (all 3 of the dining venues are on the 75th floor). Definitely worth the price premium to stay here.
The Ritz-Carlton Fukuoka is fabulous! Fukuoka is also a great city to visit. Much more relaxed and manageable than Tokyo and great food.