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6 (almost) impossible hotel redemptions you can book now
Kyle Olsen is the former points and miles reporter at TPG. He specializes in maximizing points and miles, elite status and credit cards so readers travel more comfortably and at a lower cost.
October 17, 2023 • 9 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 six luxury hotels worldwide where booking with points can provide exceptional value compared to high cash rates.
Award bookings at these properties offer flexibility, often allowing cancellations with points refunded if done within the allowed window.
Some hotel loyalty programs provide a free night benefit on award stays, increasing the value of redemptions at select properties.
Recent and potential future devaluations in hotel and airline loyalty programs make it advantageous to redeem points sooner rather than later.
What to consider
Award availability at these high-demand hotels is limited, so booking early and monitoring for openings is essential.
Free night benefits and waived resort fees on award stays vary by hotel loyalty program and may require specific status or eligibility.
TPG's valuations as of 2023 indicate that some redemptions at these properties can yield significantly higher value per point than average.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of each featured hotel, including specific redemption strategies and tips for maximizing value at each property.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
As we hurtle toward the end of 2023, many travelers are shifting their attention from planning holiday travel to next year's vacations. And savvy readers know how leveraging points and miles can be a key component in a strategy to save money as they look ahead to upcoming trips.
With the anticipation of future adventures and the booking of trips for 2024 underway, we have gathered a collection of six extraordinary hotel redemptions. These carefully selected properties have piqued our interest and excitement as they offer unparalleled experiences that may appear challenging to secure — yet they're available on many dates next year.
Here are six (almost) impossible hotel redemptions you can book now.
Why hotel points?
Before we explore the properties that have sparked the excitement of TPG's staff with award availability, let's highlight some key advantages of booking with points.
Flexibility
Firstly, having a contingency plan in place is always important when making reservations. It's wise to prepare for any unexpected developments. Flexibility is crucial.
Hotel award bookings tend to offer greater flexibility compared to cash bookings. If you need to cancel your award hotel reservation, your free night awards or points are typically returned to your account without penalty if you cancel within the specified cancellation window.
Nonrefundable hotel award reservations are uncommon, giving travelers peace of mind and the ability to modify or cancel their plans without significant consequences.
High cash rates
Cash rates have increased from where they were a few years ago. Previously, travelers had to contemplate saving their airline miles and hotel points for a future period when cash rates would be expensive. While numerous hotels still offer heavily discounted cash rates, the properties with "impossible" hotel redemptions have long kept their cash prices considerably high.
Get an additional free night on award stays
With the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, you can get the fourth consecutive night for free when using points. With Marriott Bonvoy, the lowest-priced night is free when you redeem Bonvoy points, while Hilton Honors allows travelers with Hilton elite status to get the fifth night free on redemptions (and remember that all Hilton credit cards include automatic status, thus opening up this perk).
MARRIOTT.COM
This is a fantastic way to get more value from your points, and you'll want the extra night at the hotels we have in store for you.
Moreover, the hotel sector is also experiencing a fair share of uncertainties. Marriott Bonvoy, for instance, has shifted its approach to hotel redemptions by abandoning its category-based system, opting instead for a dynamic pricing model.
With all that said, here are some terrific properties where you can use your hotel points into 2024.
The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands
CHRIS DONG/THE POINTS GUY
TPG’s director of content, Eric Rosen, has his eyes on The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, which is one of the newest hotels in the Maldives.
Our reviewer said the “resort just oozes luxury in a classy, contemporary and restrained way.” Cash rates for this hotel are generally around $2,500 per night. On a five-night stay, you can expect to pay $10,000 for the base room rate, while with points, you can stay from 390,000 points for five nights thanks to the “free” fifth night.
MARRIOTT.COM
It’s not hard to get more than 3 cents per Marriott point at this property, which is four times our valuation. If you consider a trip to the Maldives, you might travel from November to May to avoid summer monsoons.
Summer Hull, TPG’s director of travel content, stayed at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek two years ago and is planning a stay again this year. You can find excellent value for your points at this property, even during peak times.
Cash rates easily exceed $1,000 per night at this hotel, but points rates range between 35,000 and 45,000 World of Hyatt points per night.
HYATT.COM
Although Hyatt doesn’t have a fourth- or fifth-night-free perk like IHG, Hilton and Marriott, resort fees are waived when staying on points at Hyatt properties. It’s not hard to get more than 4 cents per point at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek, which is roughly 2 1/2 times TPG’s valuation.
Our staff is also eyeing the ample standard room availability at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills.
Standard rooms can be booked for 120,000 points per night, while cash rates start at around $1,188 per night. By redeeming Hilton points to book at this hotel, you’ll likely get around 1 cent per point, which is 60% higher than TPG’s valuation.
HILTON.COM
InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa
TPG senior writer Katie Genter hopes to take advantage of a free fourth night at the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa. Although availability for four consecutive nights is rare, if you make it a priority to check regularly, you might be able to find award space.
A four-night stay would require around 530,000 IHG points (the fourth night is free for those with select IHG credit cards), which is no small drop in the bucket, but given that cash rates are over $1,500 per night at this property, you would get nearly 1.2 cents per IHG point on a four-night stay, which is more than double our valuation.
IHG.COM
The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort
Since my stay there in June 2021, I’ve continually had my eyes on a return trip to the St. Regis Bora Bora.
Hands down, it was the best hotel that I’ve ever stayed in. Cash rates are very high, but it’s an excellent option on Marriott points if you can find availability.
MARRIOTT.COM
Without points, the total cost for this stay would be 993,024 Pacific Island francs (roughly $8,735).
MARRIOTT.COM
Even the entry-level room, bookable on points, has a total combined indoor and outdoor private space of just over 2,700 square feet. Additionally, there is a private pool. When I stayed at the hotel on points, my Ambassador Elite status landed us an overwater bungalow.
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Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal
HILTON
With just 115 rooms, the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal is arguably the most deluxe points hotel in Baja California. I enjoyed a dinner at the property in 2017, which was one to remember. We enjoyed fresh seafood to the sound of the waves with a breathtaking outdoor dining setup immediately adjacent to some of Cabo San Lucas’ scenic cliffs.
HILTON.COM
As cash rates start around $1,500 per night, it’s no surprise the availability is limited. Still, it will be one of the best redemptions of Hilton points across its network if you find availability. You can expect to spend 480,000 Hilton points with standard room rewards, thanks to the fifth-night-free benefit. You would be redeeming Hilton points at roughly 2.1 cents per point, almost four times our most recent valuation.
HILTON.COM
How to pay for the incidentals on your award booking
Although your points will cover the bulk of your hotel bill, you can put incidentals (like food, spa treatments, transportation expenses, taxes and resort fees) on one of these credit cards:
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Earn 14 points per dollar on Hilton stays
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card: Earn 6 points per dollar on Marriott stays
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card: Earn 10 points per dollar on IHG stays
World of Hyatt Credit Card: Earn 4 points per dollar on Hyatt stays
With any luck, 2024 will be a year of travel and excellent redemptions.
Between added flexibility, high cash rates, the ability to score a free night and risks of future devaluations, now is an excellent opportunity to redeem points at hotels that are nearly impossible to book on points.
Comments
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.
