TPG readers’ best award hotel redemptions of 2019
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We recently asked our TPG Lounge readers to share their best award hotel redemptions of 2019. Here's a look at some of our favorite answers. (Some responses have been lightly edited for style and clarity).
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Memorable stays at Marriott properties
From tropical getaways in the Hawaiian Islands to stays in some of the best luxury hotels in Europe, our TPG Lounge members definitely know how to make the most of their Marriott Bonvoy award redemptions.
"240,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for a suite at the all-inclusive The Westin Golf Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal in Costa Rica for five nights. We loved it so much we went back a year later with our five kids and two connecting suites for 480,000 Marriott points." — Randi P.
"Five nights for 180,000 Marriott points at the Domes of Elounda in Crete. We were upgraded to a three-bedroom villa that retails at $3,500 a night." — Brandon P.
"Six nights at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel for 230,000 Marriott points, plus free parking (worth about $150) and free breakfast (worth about $500). Paying $0 out of pocket, with a cash value of almost $8,000." — Sawyer H.
"Haven't gone yet but [cashed in] 240,000 Marriott Rewards for five nights at the W Maldives over Christmas. If anyone's going to be there, hit me up!" — David P.S.
"Eight nights over Christmas at the The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Ka'anapali for 320,000 Marriott Bonvoy points!. — Todd B.
"Five nights at Wailea Beach Resort - Marriott, Maui, for 200,000 Marriott Bonvoy points." — Gino
"240,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for a five-night stay at the The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort." — Shana G.
"The Gritti Palace in Venice, booked for 60,000 points per night and used Marriott Suite Night Awards to get a suite upgrade. The room was going for $1,400 a night when I looked!" — Colleen C.S.
"Currently at Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park on five-night stay for 130,000 Marriott Bonvoy points and five Suite Night Awards. I was upgraded to corner suite overlooking the park." — Kurt N.
"[Booked an] anniversary stay at Dead Sea Marriott Resort & Spa using points for the most basic room. We were then upgraded to the biggest room, The Royal Suite, and given a whole host of complimentary gifts. It was one of the best stays ever." — Pratish M.
"Seven nights in Italy for 420,000 Marriott Bonvoy points: three nights at The Pantheon Iconic Rome Hotel, two nights in a suite in The St Regis Florence and two nights in a suite at The Gritti Palace in Venice." — Patrick L.
"Five nights (with one free) at The St Regis Bora Bora for 320,000 Marriott Bonvoy points." — Amanda B.
"Five nights in an oceanfront suite at the Sheraton Kona for 140,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. It was so good we went back and did it a second time." —Neil G.
Related: Best ways to earn points with the Marriott Bonvoy program
Saving with Hilton and IHG
Some TPG Lounge readers mentioned award stays at beautiful hotels in the Maldives, Thailand, Europe, Mexico and the South Pacific that they were able to score by cashing in Hilton Honors or IHG Rewards points.
"Spent five nights at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island for 380,000 points and earned back 400,000 points from my stay. There was lots of money charged to the room bill for seaplane transfers (which were about $590 per person round-trip, I believe) and all that jazz. Money was going to be spent anyway so it was nice to earn some points back, and I have the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card for extra points plus the current 3x promo." — Dennis H.
"Conrad Koh Samui with two weekend night certificates from the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire card and was upgraded to one-bedroom ocean-view infinity pool villa. Since this is a Hilton resort, I was able to use the $250 resort credit for food and round-trip airport transfers, effectively bringing my out-of-pocket cost to under $100." — Dan L.
"50,000 or so Chase Ultimate Rewards points to stay in a king overwater bungalow at Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa, including breakfast." — Nicole S.
"Seven nights at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi for 720,000 Hilton Honors points." — Shelley F.
"Hilton Aspire weekend nights: one at Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa and one at the Conrad New York Midtown. It would have been $800 a night for each. Great value in that card." — Jessica R.
"InterContinental Madrid and InterContinental Lisbon. My husband and I both got the IHG Rewards card with the annual free night anywhere before the devaluation. We stayed in each city for three nights and had the annual free nights and points to cover both stays." — Soroya G.
"Eight nights at the Holiday Inn Resort Aruba-Beach Resort & Casino, five nights at the Hilton Puerto Vallarta Resort and three nights at Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta, all for $0." — Scot S.
"InterContinental Lisbon for 40,000 IHG points per night with the fourth night free. Also scored an incredible upgrade to a massive suite by being an IHG Spire Elite (status achieved due to a Marriott status match)." — Julian R.
The information for the Hilton Aspire Amex card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: Best ways to earn points with the Hilton Honors program
High times at Hyatt
Our well-traveled TPG Lounge audience never fails to impress us with their World of Hyatt award redemptions. Here's a look at some of our favorites, from New York City to Sydney.
"15,000 World of Hyatt points per night at Hyatt Regency Phuket Resort. Also got upgraded to a suite valued at $450 per night." — Saurabh P.
"Hyatt Regency Chicago for 36,000 World of Hyatt points per night. Got a junior suite overlooking the Lights Festival on Magnificent Mile." — Chris W.
"Three nights at the Andaz London Liverpool Street for 20,000 points per night. We're saving almost $1,700." — Soroya G.
"15,000 World of Hyatt points + $280 a night for the Park Hyatt Sydney in February. I booked before Hyatt changed their cash and points rules. The hotel is typically $800 or more a night." — Jeff H.
"Párisi Udvar Hotel Budapest, part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt. I booked it for 8,000 World of Hyatt points per night, right before it went from a Category 2 to a Category 5 property. (Increase to 20K per night)." — Phillip D.
"Park Hyatt New York for 30,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per night when the cash rate was $1,200 a night. We stayed for four nights and loved every minute of it." — Thu Pham A.
"Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos, an all-inclusive resort for three days for 60,000 World of Hyatt points." — Randall C.W.
"Six nights at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa for 120,000 World of Hyatt points, booked before the hotel went a category up, for Christmas, with lounge access. Cash price is more than $8,700." — Loli C.
Related: Best ways to earn points with the World of Hyatt program
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