10 truly special luxury hotels and resorts you can book with points

There are many ways to redeem points for hotel stays. For example, you can stretch your points for many nights at good-value properties that cost a relatively low number of points. You can also use points to unlock stays at spectacular properties that you couldn’t — or, at least, wouldn’t — book without points.

There are many wonderful hotels and resorts that you can book with points, but this article focuses on points properties that are truly exceptional and next-level special. As such, properties like Japan's Park Hyatt Kyoto, which is amazing but features essentially no award availability, are excluded from the list.

Here’s a look at some of the most amazing luxury hotels you can book with points, including some of my favorites.

Alila Ventana Big Sur in California

Cost in cash: From $2,317 per night

Cost in points: From 45,000 World of Hyatt points per night

You visit Alila Ventana Big Sur to escape and unwind. This rustic forest resort near Monterey, California, features 54 rooms and suites. Each resort booking includes all meals and select activities like gardening, nature walks, fitness classes and soapmaking.

Alila Ventana Big Sur is a resort where your World of Hyatt points can provide significant value.

"Ventana Big Sur is the perfect escape from the real world — all without driving too far. The suites are gorgeous, the food is great, the property is pristine, and the amenities are top-notch," former TPG senior reporter Zach Griff wrote in his 2021 review of Alila Ventana Big Sur.

Related: I didn’t expect to love World of Hyatt, but here’s why I do

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However, standard room award availability is relatively rare at Alila Ventana Big Sur. During the December 2025 update of this story, standard room awards were only bookable for stays later in the month, and every date with availability for standard rooms, standard suites or premium suites carried peak pricing. So, be prepared to keep your dates flexible when booking, and check the points calendar on Hyatt's website to find award availability.

The resort doesn't prevent guests from bringing children, but it is adult-oriented and offers only double-occupancy accommodations (where even infants count as one of the two allowed guests per room). Note, too, that the glamping side of Alila Ventana Big Sur is different from the resort and doesn’t come with access to resort amenities unless you purchase a pool pass at $250 per adult.

Related: The 14 best Hyatt all-inclusive resorts in the world

Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Cost in cash: From $1,630 per night

Cost in points: From 250,000 Hilton Honors points per night

The Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal is an excellent option for using Hilton free night certificates, particularly if you prefer to stay within North America.

TPG director Carly Helfand says it's one of her favorite points properties.

"I just adore the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal," Carly told me. "Every room has a private balcony, plunge pool, and every day at happy hour, they deliver Coronas and guacamole to your room. The food and drinks are of very good quality, and they also have a swim-up bar and a hot tub."

Related: The 17 best Waldorf Astoria hotels and resorts in the world

It is compelling that every room features a private plunge pool and ocean views, including the room type bookable with points as a standard room award. The hotel also offers some excellent dining options, including one that TPG director Eric Rosen frequents whenever he's in the area (as he revealed in his Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal review).

Standard room award availability is plentiful during some seasons and sparse during others. So, if you want to get good value when redeeming Hilton points or free night certificates for your stay, you must be flexible with when you visit Cabo San Lucas.

Related: Hilton Surpass vs. Hilton Amex: Is it worth paying $150 for extra perks?

Calala Island in the Pearl Cays near Nicaragua

Cost in cash: From $4,018 per night

Cost in points: From 240,000 Hilton Honors points per night

Calala Island — a private island resort off the coast of Nicaragua with just six villas and a maximum of 12 guests on any given night — is by far the most aspirational, truly special stay I have experienced.

Most guests relaxed around the pool during the day and then met at the bar after sunset for predinner drinks. After dinner, most guests returned to the bar to chat and get to know each other. Where else does that happen nightly at a luxury resort?

Calala Island's all-inclusive nature meant we didn't have to worry about additional expenses during our stay. However, this remote resort vibe isn't for everyone. If you dislike bugs, require air conditioning, aren't fond of sand, struggle with prop planes or will be miserable on an adventurous boat journey, Calala Island likely isn't for you. Otherwise, I recommend saving up your Hilton Honors points for a stay at Calala Island, especially if you enjoy rustic beach luxury.

Related: How to earn Hilton Honors points: From hotel stays to credit card spending

Calala Island is part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World program and is one of the SLH properties you can book with Hilton points. Award availability is limited, and a three-night minimum stay is required regardless of whether you book a paid or award rate. However, if you have some flexibility in your schedule, you can likely find standard award availability that suits you. I highly recommend redeeming points for a five-night stay in a standard room, as this allows you to get your fifth night free if you have Hilton elite status.

Related: 6 ways to maximize Hilton Honors redemptions

Miraval Austin Resort and Spa

Cost in cash: From $733 per night for single occupancy (from $1,466 per night for double occupancy)

Cost in points: From 40,000 World of Hyatt points per night for single occupancy (from 57,500 points per night for double occupancy)

Miraval is Hyatt’s most luxurious wellness-focused brand, with full-scale resorts and spas in Texas, Arizona and Massachusetts (and another set to open in Saudi Arabia in early 2026). All meals, snacks, coffee, smoothies and nonalcoholic beverages are included in stays, as are some scheduled wellness activities and a shared shuttle service from a nearby airport — Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), in the case of Miraval Austin.

All three open Miraval resorts are well loved by travelers. I stayed at Miraval Austin in 2024 and can personally recommend it (see my Miraval Austin review for all the details). How much you'll get out of a stay — or a day visit — is up to you and how much you lean into the experience and its opportunities. But especially if you're looking to improve your fitness routine, diet or digital mindfulness, a stay at Miraval Austin could be a very memorable and positive experience.

Miraval stays don't come cheap, though. Although there’s a special higher-than-usual World of Hyatt award chart for Miraval resorts, redeeming Hyatt points still provides good value on most dates. If you earn one or more Miraval extra night awards through Hyatt's Milestone Rewards program, you can use each award for an extra night (even when redeeming Hyatt points for your stay).

Related: The best all-inclusive wellness resorts and packages

The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands

Cost in cash: From $2,030 per night

Cost in points: From 132,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night

If you have a lot of Marriott Bonvoy points and want a spectacular stay in the Maldives, then The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands is an excellent option.

The Ritz-Carlton Maldives is just a 45-minute speedboat ride away from Velana International Airport (MLE), where most international flights arrive in the Maldives. However, the mandatory speedboat will cost you an additional $1,027 per person round-trip, regardless of whether you book a paid or award stay.

The standard point redemption earns you a one-bedroom pool villa with an ocean view. However, you can redeem more points or pay a cash upgrade fee at booking to secure a different villa type.

Related: How to redeem Marriott points for upgraded rooms

Frankly, I doubt I’ll ever be willing to redeem the amount of Marriott points required to stay at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands. However, especially considering paid rates, you’re getting a steal on most dates — particularly if you redeem points for at least five nights of your stay and benefit from Marriott's "stay for five, pay for four" benefit.

Related: Stay at these amazing Ritz-Carltons across the world

Six Senses Laamu

Cost in cash: From $915 per night

Cost in points: From 166,000 IHG One Rewards points per night

I've stayed at Six Senses Laamu twice now, and it's one of my favorite resorts in the world, thanks to the down-to-earth, barefoot luxury experience it provides.

Six Senses Laamu is a rustic yet luxurious resort focused on environmental sustainability. It employs a team of marine biologists, offers amazing on-site snorkeling opportunities, includes memorable experiential activities, has a cool kids club and features multilevel overwater villas as its base room type.

Related: How to earn IHG points via stays, credit cards and more

The 65-minute seaplane transfer between MLE and the resort will cost $1,209 round-trip, regardless of whether you book with points or cash.

However, you may get better value on the transfer and your stay if you book a paid rate (which earns IHG One Rewards points if you book directly with IHG) instead of redeeming points. Redeeming IHG points for a stay at Six Senses Laamu usually won't make sense if you can book a half-board rate that includes discounted room rates and transfer fees. Six Senses Laamu periodically offers these discounts, so be sure to check the paid rates before redeeming your points.

Related: Most luxurious Six Senses resorts across the world

Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa

Cost in cash: From $966 per night

Cost in points: From 25,000 World of Hyatt points per night

When it comes to resorts in the Maldives that participate in major hotel loyalty programs, the Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa is one of the best deals you can find. I stayed at this resort in 2024 and loved snorkeling the massive house reef and partaking in the daily Hyatt Globalist happy hour.

The Park Hyatt is home to more than 50 beach and overwater villas. A 360-degree reef surrounds the private island resort, so you can enjoy excellent snorkeling from overwater villas, the beach and the two jetties. Amenities at the resort include four dining venues, a poolside bar, multiple pools, a fitness center, a spa and an on-site dive center.

Thanks to World of Hyatt’s generous award chart, this Category 7 property costs only 25,000 to 35,000 points per night, depending on the dates. When you redeem Hyatt points, you'll book into a beach villa. However, the resort typically offers paid upgrade options — including those for overwater villas — before your stay.

Whether you book with points or cash, you must pay $610 per adult for mandatory round-trip transfers between MLE and the Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa. These transfers include a Maldivian Airlines flight to a domestic airport near the resort and then a short speedboat ride to the resort.

Related: 34 Maldives resorts you can book with points and miles

Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai

Cost in cash: From $1,017 per night

Cost in points: From 108,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night

I debated for years whether Marriott’s Al Maha resort near Dubai was worth splurging on. After visiting in the summer of 2022, I’m happy my husband and I decided to try out this aspirational, essentially all-inclusive resort in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. Our two-night stay was certainly memorable, from the meals on our villa’s patio and hours spent in our private pool overlooking the desert to the included activities.

The resort has 42 private villas with swimming pools, and guests enjoy full board at the resort's restaurant and two activities per day. Activities include archery, nature walks, wildlife drives, falconry demonstrations and camel trekking. I learned a lot during our desert nature walk and enjoyed the sights during our wildlife drive.

I felt a two-night stay was the perfect amount of time to enjoy the resort, but thanks to Marriott's "stay for five, pay for four" perk on award stays, you could pay zero points for a night if you redeem Marriott points for at least five nights. However, considering the resort's remote location, five nights would be a long time to spend unless you're really hoping to unwind.

Related: 30 best Marriott hotels in the world that you can book with points

Conrad Bora Bora Nui in French Polynesia

Cost in cash: From $1,348 per night

Cost in points: From 200,000 Hilton Honors points per night

TPG senior director Summer Hull loved staying at the Conrad Bora Bora Nui in 2019, saying it was her best Hilton points redemption to date and a stay she'd never forget. Former TPG senior reporter Cameron Sperance stayed more recently and also gave it good marks in his Conrad Bora Bora Nui review.

You’ll have access to four different beaches at the Conrad Bora Bora Nui. You can also borrow snorkeling equipment, kayaks and paddleboards to see marine life around the resort. Daily activities — including demonstrations on how to open a coconut and play the ukulele — await.

Standard award nights usually cost 200,000 Hilton Honors points per night. Standard award night availability can be sparse to nonexistent during some seasons, but it’s possible to find five or more consecutive standard award nights during other seasons. This is great news since Hilton elite members get every fifth night free (up to four free nights per stay) when redeeming points for a stay of five or more nights in a standard room.

However, unless you have more points than you’ll ever be able to redeem, you’ll likely want to avoid the outrageous Hilton premium award night pricing.

Related: 8 best all-inclusive resorts and packages in Bora Bora

Nanuku Resort Fiji

Cost in cash: From $593 per night

Cost in points: From 105,000 Hilton Honors points per night

Some resorts have a truly special vibe, and Nanuku Resort Fiji is certainly one of these exceptional destinations. As I wrote in my Nanuku Resort Fiji review, the resort is an ideal escape if you're looking for a secluded vacation with plenty of outdoor activities, a casual style of luxury and memorable experiences for kids.

I enjoyed the resort as part of a couple without any children. However, the resort truly shines for families with children 12 and under. That's because Nanuku provides a complimentary dedicated nanny between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. for every child under the age of 6. Plus, children between the ages of 6 and 12 can opt for a staff member buddy during daily activities at the resort.

Nanuku Resort Fiji is part of SLH. As such, it's bookable through Hilton Honors, meaning Hilton elite members can get a fifth night free when redeeming points. A five-night stay might be the perfect amount of time to truly enjoy the resort and its offerings.

Related: Racing to Fiji: American Airlines vs. Cathay Pacific vs. Fiji Airways

Bottom line

This is far from a comprehensive list of luxury hotels you can book with points, and you’d likely include different hotels on your list. For instance, while many travelers would include the Park Hyatt Sydney on their list, I personally think the best hotels are those that are remote and separated from urban life.

Many travelers would also include the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi on their list, and it was a great resort for me and my husband to redeem Hilton free night certificates in 2024. However, I couldn't justify including more than three Maldives resorts in this article, and I was unwilling to exclude any of the three I featured.

Even if your idea of an amazing hotel differs from mine, I hope this list helps you dream about how you want to spend your hard-earned points.