Hilton pulled off a major coup in the world of lodging this year when it stole the chain of Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) away from Hyatt, opening the door for Hilton members to book hundreds of additional boutique properties around the globe – including using points. That day has come.
After testing the waters with its newest partnership by adding just over a dozen properties to the fold in recent months, Hilton is ready to throttle up. As of Tuesday morning, 390 SLH properties are now bookable, and as of publication, award availability booking with Hilton Honors points is progressively rolling out to more and more properties … for as few as 60,000 points per night!
With nearly 400 hotels now live, that's a sizable chunk of the 560 SLH properties Hilton initially promised it would eventually pull under its umbrella. It's unclear when the rest of the remainder of the SLH properties will go live.
“Integrating with Small Luxury Hotels of the World allows us to expand the Hilton stay experience and travel aspirations for all guests, with special opportunities for our loyal Hilton Honors members,” Chris Silcock, Hilton's president of global brands and commercial services, said in a statement.
Check out the full list of SLH properties now bookable through Hilton!
Small Luxury Hotels of the World is a portfolio of boutique properties scattered across the globe, but they’ve been a bright spot in Hyatt’s portfolio for years. What they might lack in extra-special treatment for travelers with top status, they more than make up for it with unique inns, resorts, and properties in great locations with complimentary breakfast travelers can book with Hyatt points. These aren’t your normal, stuffy big-box hotels.
The portfolio of nearly 400 SLH properties and counting now bookable through Hilton runs the gamut from charming estates across the country to hotels and resorts throughout the Caribbean, Europe, and Southeast Asia. There are castles in the English countryside, timeless Japanese ryokans, and longtime SLH favorites like the Canaves Oia Suites in Santorini and Calala Island, a private island resort in Nicaragua.
While these aren't your typical Hilton hotels, they're priced much like any existing property when redeeming Hilton Honors points. From the limited availability we've seen thus far, top-notch city hotels will typically cost you 70,000 to 85,000 points per night while five-star resorts go for 120,000 to as much as 150,000 points a night. But much like your usual Conrad, Waldorf Astoria, or even a Hilton Garden Inn, you might also see far higher priced award nights, too – Hilton's so-called “Premium Room Rewards” can easily climb north of 300,000 points a night.
That all may not sound like the bargain of a lifetime, but that's par for the course with Hilton's usual (and admittedly inflated) award rates. And compared to the lackluster pricing through Hyatt and its new partnership with Mr. and Mrs. Smith, this is a big win.
For example, you can now book Arctic Bath – an incredible-looking retreat in Swedish Lapland – for just 100,000 points per night.
I loved our stay at the Tomtom Suites in Istanbul a few years back – when it was bookable using World of Hyatt points instead. The location was second to none for exploring the city, the suites and service felt more personal than your big box Hiltons and Hyatts, and the classic (and complimentary) Turkish breakfast in the top floor restaurant was to die for.
At just 60,000 points a night next spring, this property would be at the top of my list for any trip to Turkey.
As Hilton introduced a handful of SLH properties over the last few weeks, we saw extremely limited award availability at the dozen or so properties that were previously bookable: typically just a two-week stretch in October, January, or May at each property. But a Hilton representative promised that would change, saying “availability will increase now that we have completed the testing phase.”
You can search for and book these SLH properties the same way you would for any other hotel in Hilton's portfolio.
Read our complete guide to earning and redeeming Hilton Honors points
Whether you book with cash or points, Hilton members will get much the same treatment as at your typical Hilton hotel:
- Everyday Hilton members get the same “guaranteed member discount,” complimentary standard Wi-Fi, complimentary late checkout, a free bottled water/hydration per stay, and pay no resort fees on reward stays.
- Hilton Silver members get all those perks plus earn 20% more points when booking paid rates and a fifth-night free benefit when redeeming points
- Hilton Gold members get those perks but earn 80% more points when booking paid rates,
- Hilton Diamond members get a 100% elite tier bonus, complimentary breakfast for two, space-available upgrades, and that same fifth-night free perk when redeeming points
Bottom Line
Months after officially stealing this excellent portfolio of boutique hotels and resorts from its competitor, Hilton's SLH partnership is really taking flight.
Nearly 400 SLH properties are now bookable through Hilton – and award space bookable with points seems to be rolling out as we speak. Don't sleep on these excellent new options to book through Hilton.