For most of us, staying at a five-star hotel or luxury resort is out of the question – especially if you're paying cash. But that's where hotel and credit card points come in … if you know where to look. And we do.
Thrifty Traveler Premium Hotel Alerts officially launched last month. For an additional $24.99 a year, Thrifty Traveler Premium members can opt in and start getting alerts to book some of the best properties in the U.S. and across the globe using their Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, or Marriott points – or transferrable
It hasn't even been a month, but we've already sent more than a dozen spectacular hotel alerts to help travelers book some of the best properties all over the world this year and next. The deals span from elegant new luxury properties in the heart of London to incredibly hard-to-book resorts in Greece to near-private island experiences in the Caribbean – all bookable with points.
Want a glimpse into what hotel alerts our members have been getting recently and where some travelers are going? These are the best hotel alerts we've sent.
Curious about how our hotel alerts work? Read all about it!
Island Resorts for Under 150K Hilton Points
At Thrifty Traveler Premium, booking luxury experiences using points is our bread and butter. And in just the last few weeks, we've dug up some stunning hotel redemptions to some of the best destinations on Earth.
Let's start with one of the hardest properties to book using points. We helped make it happen.
For 150,000 Hilton points per night, our members booked Calala Island – a near-private island experience staying in one of just a half-dozen villas off the coast of Nicaragua, all right on the beach. Fish, snorkel, paddle board, island hop, and even do private rum tastings to your heart's content – it's all included!
Get this: This resort typically costs $4,000-plus a night. You won't find a better way to redeem Hilton Honors points.
If the Maldives is on your bucket list, the Waldorf Astoria Maldives might be your cup of tea. It's also generally quite hard to book…
These dates are long gone now – get the next alert with Thrifty Traveler Premium Hotel Alerts!
This resort in the Maldives is typically impossible to book with points, but we found wide-open availability to book a stay at this property this summer and fall for 150,000 Hilton points a night. Stay in one of the property's spacious suites with an outdoor terrace perched over the ocean and its own private pool. They typically run north of $2,000 a night.
We found another unicorn: Canaves Oia Suites on the coast of Santorini – one of the most sought-after hotels in the Greek Islands and a prized redemption back when it was bookable through Hyatt – was suddenly available to book with Hilton points or free night certificates.
And not just for a few dates here and there. No, our members could book the Canaves Oia Suites this summer and fall … plus wide-open availability every day from April 1 through August 15 next year!
Get deals like this in your inbox – add Hotel Alerts to your Thrifty Traveler Premium membership for $24.99 a year!
We certainly wouldn't be willing to shell out thousands of dollars to stay at these island resorts unless they were bookable with points. Fortunately, subscribing to our Thrifty Traveler Premium Hotel Alerts puts you in the loop for the next best hotel deals.
A Five-Star Hotel in London & Prized New York Property from 25K Points
Travel to Europe could be expensive, but that doesn't mean you should settle for a shabby stay at some sketchy property … especially when you could be at a Park Hyatt, World of Hyatt's top brand.
How about a brand-new Park Hyatt in the heart of London? The Park Hyatt London just announced this property will open this fall, and we were the first to spot availability to book it for just 25,000 Hyatt points a night. The property is located on the banks of the River Thames and is close to Big Ben and Buckingham Palace.
You don't need to have racked up a bunch of stays with Hyatt to get enough points to book this deal, though. If you're earning Chase Ultimate Rewards on cards like the *chase sapphire preferred*, you could transfer them to Hyatt to book a few nights at this property.
Sticking closer to home, thinking about the Big Apple?
Hilton's loss was Marriott's gain earlier this summer when Marriott officially took over the fan-favorite Conrad New York Midtown, a property with massive suites (at least by New York standards…) just blocks away from Central Park. For weeks, the reflagged Luxury Collection Hotel Manhattan Midtown wasn't bookable with Marriott Bonvoy points … until a few weeks ago, when we spotted award nights had opened for just 34,000 points a night!
Get this: This property is now charging more than 80,000 Marriott points a night! Our Hotel Alerts helped members save big on a trip to New York City.
Top Resorts in the Maldives & Beyond for Under 150K Marriott Points
Chase Ultimate Rewards has a 70% transfer bonus to Marriott Bonvoy right now that ends Aug. 14. This is your chance to stay at some of the cream-of-the-crop Marriott resort properties like the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge, and Al Maha.
This is a rare instance where transferring Chase points to Marriott Bonvoy can be worth it. Considering you're able to book these properties for fewer points with the transfer bonus, where you would typically have to pay upwards of $1,5o0, is an incredible way to use your Chase (or Marriott) points.
Luxury Resort in Mexico for Under 60K IGH Points
We didn't forget about InterContinental (IHG) properties! For less than 60,000 IHG points, you could book a stay at one of IHG's top brands.
Grab some Spanish tapas or Mexican dishes at either of the two restaurants. Head to the rooftop pool and grab a cocktail to unwind under a cozy cabana, or check out a bike to ride around the city.
This is an incredible deal given a night here typically runs you $600 on average.
Bottom Line
Thrifty Traveler Premium hotel alerts have been hot recently, and we're just getting started.
We've sent some incredible properties that our members have booked in some of the most beautiful places on earth. There are so many incredible destinations that our members are flying out to in 2024 and 2025. There's so much more to come.