TPG Lounge Readers Reveal the Points Hotels With the Best Beaches
Editor's Note
We recently asked our TPG Lounge audience which points hotels they thought had the best beaches in the world. As always, there were plenty of opinions on the subject. Here's a look at some of our favorite answers. (Some responses have been lightly edited for style and clarity).
Beautiful Beaches in Florida, Puerto Rico and Hawaii
Whether it was a great-value points hotel in Florida with its own private swath of sand or a dream hotel stay in Puerto Rico or Hawaii, our TPG Lounge members shared their favorite beachfront points properties in the US.
"I really liked the Quality Hotel Clearwater Beach Resort. Not the fanciest hotel, but it's right off the beach, with its own private one, and has some of the most beautiful water I have seen. Honestly, with a beach that pretty, there is no need for a fancy hotel." — Brian B.
"The Ritz-Carlton, Naples, in Vanderbilt Beach, Florida." — Mary R.A.
"The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami, for best Florida beach." — Matt R.
"The San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino has an amazing beach!" — Lisa B.
"The Intercontinental San Juan is also very nice." — Mel R.
"The Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas are pretty awesome." — Heidi C.E.
"The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort." — Tony W.
"Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Autograph Collection." — Nathan N.
"Andaz Maui At Wailea Resort." — Brian M.
"Hilton Hawaiian Village." — Jason R.
Your Favorite Beaches Around the World
From beautiful white-sand beaches in Mexico and the Caribbean to the crystal-clear waters of the Maldives and the South Pacific, our readers have been just about everywhere, using their precious hotel points to stay along some of the prettiest patches of sand in the world.
"InterContinental Presidente Cancun Resort also has a great beach. Only 35,000 points." — John M.
"Andaz Mayakoba [Resort Riviera Maya by Hyatt]." — Andrew L.
"I would say Renaissance Island is much nicer than any of the Palm Beaches in Aruba. Stayed five nights at Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, one at Renaissance Ocean Suites. The water at Renaissance Island’s beach was clearer, calmer and [because] the island beach is protected from wind, it's also good for snorkeling by the rocks. The Palm Beach water was sandy and unclear but just my opinion." — Max P.
"I adore Atlantis Bahamas, through Marriott. I think it is technically in the Autograph collection and you have to book via Marriott’s site." — Darcy F.E.
"Hyatt Zilara Cancun and The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman are two that come to mind." — Scott H.
"The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman [and] I’ve been to the Westin six times — it's my home away from home." — Kim S.K.
"The Westin Grand Cayman and Hyatt Regency Aruba have pretty awesome beaches!" — Toshiba G.
"Stayed at The Westin Grand Cayman in September and am going to be staying at the Hyatt Regency Aruba in February. I guess I’m doing things right! All on points." — Conley B.
"The Domes of Elounda, Autograph Collection, in Crete, Greece." — Kyle B.
"Love the Conrad Ko Samui." — Matt E.
"The St. Regis Bali Resort." — Raj S.
"The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi." — Rikhil A.
"Conrad Maldives Rangali Island." — Michael B.
"Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa." — Greg W.
"It's going to be a new IHG property (re)opening in July 2019 so I'm stoked for Hayman Island InterContinental in Australia! 70,000 points per night for $450 rooms is a great value I think." — Carl C.
"Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Gold Coast, but I'm going to The St. Regis Bora Bora soon and I'll get back to you then." — Antonia W.
"I'm at the Le Méridien Ile des Pins [in New Caledonia] currently and it's out of control." — Jeff C.
"Conrad Bora Bora Nui." — Julie S.
Readers Helping Readers
We love it when our TPG Lounge members get so involved in a topic they end up answering with advice based on their own experiences. That's what happened when TPG reader Carl C. asked for tips about an upcoming trip to Australia.
"I'm booking four nights around Christmas. I found confirmed first-class tickets from Melbourne (MEL) all the way to New York (JFK) via Singapore (SIN) and Frankfurt (FRA). Stumbled upon Hayman Island InterContinental [formerly One & Only Hayman Island] when researching where to spend time in Australia. Are there any activities we shouldn't miss or sights we must see? We're thinking about doing the helicopter transfer from Hamilton Island. Other than that, we're open to suggestions." — Carl C.
"I’ve stayed several times at the One & Only Hayman [Editor's note: it's officially going to be a points hotel run by InterContinental as of July 2019]. We have been there twice at Christmas with our three kids. I really enjoy Australia in general. There’s a fair amount to do — diving, hiking, reef tours, jet skis. It was a good resort prior to the typhoon but I’ve heard property upgrades will be great. You can take a seaplane, helicopter or yacht to the resort — I’d take the yacht at least one way. If you have time, hit Sydney for New Year's Eve. It was a bucket list event for my daughter and we weren’t disappointed. We also went to Byron Bay. Lots to see and do in Australia." — Eric M.
"I was at Sydney Opera House and saw La Boheme on New Year's Eve. Stayed for the after party at the Opera House and saw the fireworks show from the third level balcony. It was spectacular and surpassed the considerable hype." — Jeff C.
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Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
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- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
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- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.