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Guides
14 cities where you can book luxury hotels at budget prices
Katie Genter is a digital nomad who has traveled full time since June 2017. She writes and edits stories about points and miles, and loyalty programs, often letting her personal experiences color these stories.
July 2, 2021 • 26 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
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Quick summary
The article highlights 14 global cities where luxury hotels can be booked for relatively low points through major hotel loyalty programs.
Destinations such as Abu Dhabi, Bali, Bangkok and Istanbul offer high-end accommodations at lower point redemption rates compared to pricier cities.
Award pricing varies by program, with some using dynamic pricing, so checking both cash and points rates is recommended before booking.
Maximizing value often involves leveraging program perks like free nights on longer award stays.
What to consider
Award rates can fluctuate due to dynamic pricing, so rates may differ based on booking and travel dates.
Some programs offer additional value, such as a fifth night free or suite upgrades, when redeeming points for multiple nights.
Always compare the cash rate to the points rate to ensure you are getting at least TPG's valuation for your redemption.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed city-by-city breakdown of specific luxury properties, point requirements and redemption strategies for each hotel loyalty program.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Luxury hotels, including Park Hyatt, St. Regis and Waldorf Astoria hotels, can cost well over $1,000 per night in some destinations. Redeeming hotel points for luxury hotel stays can undoubtedly save you some money. But award rates can also skyrocket to well over 100,000 points per night in some hotel loyalty programs.
Luckily, there are destinations where everything from drinks to hotel stays will cost less. In fact, you'll see less expensive luxury hotel rates regardless of whether you're booking with points or cash.
Today I'll introduce 14 cities where you can book luxury Marriott Bonvoy, World of Hyatt, Hilton Honors and IHG Rewards hotels using relatively few points. For each of the hotels I mention, be sure to also consider the cash rate before redeeming points. Ideally, you should get at least TPG's valuation from your hotel points.
Now, let's get started!
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
I loved the views from my room at the Hyatt Andaz Capital Gate in Abu Dhabi. (Photo by Katie Genter/The Points Guy)
Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates and offers excellent luxury hotels bookable for relatively few points.
For example, if you want to redeem World of Hyatt points, the Category 2 Andaz Capital Gate Abu Dhabi is an excellent choice. I loved my stay at this property in 2019 due to its unique design, great views and friendly staff. You can book this hotel for just 8,000 World of Hyatt points per night for a standard room.
As an example, a four-night stay next April with a fourth night reward (a perk available to select IHG Rewards cardholders) would cost just 57,000 IHG Rewards points (effectively 14,250 points per night).
(Screenshot courtesy of ihg.com)
Finally, if you want to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points or free night awards in Abu Dhabi, there are some excellent options, including:
Category 4 (20,000 to 30,000 points per night): Marriott Hotel Downtown Abu Dhabi, Le Royal Méridien Abu Dhabi, Le Méridien Abu Dhabi and Sheraton Abu Dhabi Hotel & Resort
Category 5 (30,000 to 40,000 points per night): The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi Grand Canal, The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa and W Abu Dhabi Yas Island
I grew up north of Atlanta, GA and my parents still live in the area. So, although I'm very familiar with the city, I've rarely stayed in its hotels. But after finding some appealing luxury hotels bookable for relatively few points, I may stay downtown for a few nights on a future trip.
There are also plenty of luxury Marriott Category 5 hotels in Atlanta. In particular, there are 13 Category 5 hotels within five miles of the center of downtown Atlanta. Category 5 hotels cost between 30,000 and 40,000 points per night, so you'll be able to use 35,000-point Marriott free night awards for off-peak and standard nights at these hotels.
(Screenshot courtesy of marriott.com)
Finally, you can redeem IHG Rewards pointsat several luxury hotels in Atlanta. Award pricing will vary based on when you book and stay. But, if you want to stay in Buckhead, the Kimpton Sylvan Hotel or InterContinental Hotels Buckhead Atlanta may not cost you many IHG points. And if you want to stay by the airport, the Kimpton Overland Hotel Atlanta Airport is known for its good views of the nearby Porsche handling course and airport.
The popular tourist destination of Bali, Indonesia, has a surprising amount of inexpensive luxury hotels. However, before redeeming points for any of these properties, check the cash rates and promotional packages as you may find you'll get better value on a paid rate.
Alternatively, you can redeem a few as 18,000 Hilton points per night at the Conrad Bali. If you want to save a few points or prefer the location, you could redeem as few as 14,000 points per night at the Hilton Bali Resort. Hilton uses dynamic pricing for its awards, though. So you'll see different pricing based on your stay dates and when you book.
Bangkok, Thailand, is a popular budget travel destination, but you'll also find many inexpensive luxury hotels. For example, suppose you want to redeem World of Hyatt points in Bangkok. In that case, you have three Category 3 hotels to choose from: Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok, Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit or Akyra Thonglor Bangkok. All three are well-located, so you only have to decide what location and experience you prefer.
(Screenshot courtesy of hyatt.com)
Alternatively, if you want to redeem Hilton Honors points in Bangkok, you can book the Conrad Bangkok for just 13,000 points on select dates. However, note that Hilton uses dynamic pricing for its awards. So, as tourists return to Bangkok, I expect cash and award prices will increase at this Conrad.
I've snagged some inexpensive cash rates in Beijing. But, if you want to redeem points, there's some good value to be found with luxury hotels. For example, if you want to redeem Hilton Honors points, you can redeem as few as 40,000 points per night to stay at the Conrad Beijing. Especially considering the 16.6% taxes and fees on cash rates and the ability to get a fifth night free as a Hilton Honors elite, redeeming points may provide great value.
(Screenshot courtesy of hilton.com)
If you have World of Hyatt points, some of the Category 2 and 3 properties in Beijing look appealing. For example, you can book the Category 2 Hyatt Regency Beijing Wangjing for just 8,000 points per night. And I've enjoyed staying in the Wangjing part of Beijing on past trips.
Or, for 4,000 more points per night, you can stay at a Category 3 property, including the Grand Hyatt Beijing, BEI Zhaolong Hotel and Commune By The Great Wall. As you might imagine from its name, the Commune By The Great Wall looks to be a beautiful escape for a few nights outside Beijing.
(Screenshot courtesy of hyatt.com)
And if you have Marriott Bonvoy points, there are many luxury hotels in Beijing you can book, including:
Finally, if you want to redeem IHG Rewards points for a luxury stay in Beijing, your best option will likely be the InterContinental Hotels Beijing Beichen. However, if you can snag award space at the Regent Beijing, you may prefer its location. And the InterContinental Hotels Beijing Sanlitun is also a good luxury choice. But, due to IHG's dynamic award pricing, rates for these hotels will vary.
Cairo, Egypt, is high on my wish list of places to visit. After all, on top of having sites I want to see, Cairo also has many luxury hotels I can book for minimal points or cash. For example, I could redeem IHG Rewards points to stay along the Nile River at the InterContinental Cairo Semiramis. Since IHG Rewards uses dynamic award pricing, award pricing will vary. However, when I searched for a random night in December, I found a night bookable for 16,000 points.
(Screenshot courtesy of ihg.com)
If you prefer to redeem Hilton Honors points for your stay in Cairo, there are two great choices. Like IHG, Hilton uses dynamic award pricing. But, you can currently book the Ramses Hilton for as few as 18,000 points per night and the Conrad Cairo for as few as 19,000 points per night.
Chengdu, China, is best known among U.S. tourists for its pandas. But, you can also often snag a good deal on a luxury hotel in the city. For example, if you want to redeem IHG Rewards points, you can choose from four InterContinental Hotels. And, some of these InterContinentals are bookable for a little as 19,000 points per night on some dates.
If you prefer to redeem World of Hyatt points, there are two Category 2 World of Hyatt hotels in Chengdu: the Grand Hyatt Chengdu and The Langbo Chengdu. You can book a standard room at each of these hotels for just 8,000 points per night, which could be a steal on dates with high cash rates.
(Screenshot courtesy of hyatt.com)
Finally, there are also plenty of Marriott Bonvoy hotels in Chengdu to consider. I'd likely go for a Category 2 Marriott hotel such as the Renaissance Chengdu Hotel or the Sheraton Chengdu Lido Hotel.
But, if you're willing to spend more points or you have some Marriott free night awards, the Category 4 The Ritz-Carlton Chengdu is appealing. After all, it's rare to find a Ritz-Carlton you can book for just 20,000 points on off-peak dates.
Chennai has multiple luxury hotels that don't require a large stash of points or a massive budget. For example, you can book a standard room at the Category 1 Hyatt Regency Chennai or Park Hyatt Chennai for just 5,000 Hyatt points per night. And you can book a standard suite at both hotels for just 8,000 points per night.
Finally, it's a bit outside the Chennai city center, but the InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort looks beautiful. And, it's bookable for as few as 19,000 IHG Rewards points per night on select dates. So, it could serve as a good beach retreat during a more extended trip to India.
Paid rates are sometimes high in Doha, but you don't have to redeem many points to stay at a luxury hotel in the city. For example, you could redeem IHG Rewards points to stay at the InterContinental Hotels Doha The City or the InterContinental Hotels Doha. Both hotels are bookable for around 30,000 points per night on various dates, although award rates will likely increase as travel demand increases.
Or you could redeem Hilton Honors points to stay at the Hilton Doha. Hilton uses dynamic award pricing, but this hotel is bookable for as few as 35,000 Hilton points on select dates.
(Screenshot courtesy of hilton.com)
Finally, there are several Category 4 and 5 Marriott Bonvoy luxury options in Doha, including:
Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, offers a surprising number of luxury hotels at excellent cash and award rates. For example, the Park Hyatt Saigon is a Category 4 hotel. So, you can book a standard room for 15,000 World of Hyatt points per night. Or, you can use Hyatt Category 1–4 reward night certificates for your stay.
Istanbul is one of my favorite cities to visit -- and it certainly doesn't hurt that Istanbul has plenty of inexpensive hotels you can book with points (and in some cases, cash). For example, you can redeem 12,000 World of Hyatt points to book a standard room at the Grand Hyatt Istanbul.
Finally, if you want to redeem Hilton Honors points, the Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus may be a good choice. You can book some nights for as few as 30,000 points. But, due to dynamic award pricing, you may need many more points for your stay.
If you're looking to redeem the fewest points possible for a luxury stay in Jakarta, you'll want to focus on World of Hyatt and Marriott Bonvoy. After all, World of Hyatt has two luxury Category 3 hotels in Jakarta. In particular, you can book a standard room at the Grand Hyatt Jakarta or the Alila SCBD Jakarta for 12,000 points per night.
(Screenshot courtesy of hyatt.com)
And you can book relatively inexpensive Marriott Bonvoy awards at several luxury hotels in Jakarta. For example, you'll need to redeem 15,000 to 20,000 points per night at the Category 3 JW Marriott Hotel Jakarta. Or, if you want to stay at the Category 4 Ritz-Carlton Jakarta Mega Kuningan, you'll need to redeem between 20,000 and 30,000 points per night. If you have a 35,000-point free night award, you could use it on an off-peak or standard night at the Category 5 Ritz-Carlton Jakarta Pacific Place.
Mumbai, formerly called Bombay, is India's largest city. If you want to redeem World of Hyatt points for your stay in Mumbai, you could stay at the Category 2 Grand Hyatt Mumbai Hotel & Residences. A standard room requires 8,000 points per night, while a standard suite requires 13,000 points per night.
You can book some fantastic luxury hotels for a relatively small number of points per night. And by booking these inexpensive awards, you can stretch your points budget further. You may even be able to get multiple nights in an affordable city for the cost of a single night in a more expensive destination.
However, be sure to check paid rates before redeeming points. After all, many destinations that offer inexpensive award rates also offer cheap paid rates.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
