Best Small Luxury Hotels (SLH) to Book with Points

In a major move in the hotel industry, boutique luxury hotel brand Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) announced in February 2024 that the brand would be terminating its partnership with Hyatt and would be beginning a new partnership with Hilton. The SLH portfolio includes around 560 boutique luxury hotels in 90 countries, which means that Hilton’s network will be expanding considerably as a result of this new partnership.

This change is great for Hilton Honors members, as they can now redeem their rewards points at SLH properties all around the world. However, it’s not so great for those who were hoping to book award stays at SLH properties at high-value award rates. While the World of Hyatt program uses a series of award charts to price most of its award stays (except for Mr & Mrs Smith properties), which means that it’s fairly easy to find award stay redemptions offering high value, the Hilton Honors program uses a dynamic pricing model, which means that award prices vary based on cash prices (making it much more difficult to find high-value redemptions).

So, while you may have been able to find great value for award stays at SLH properties when the brand was partnered with Hyatt, you’ll most likely get much less value by redeeming points for award stays at SLH properties now that they’re part of the Hilton Honors program.

Nonetheless, the SLH portfolio includes some seriously amazing hotels and resorts. And booking stays at these locations with Hilton points is a great way to avoid paying cash out of pocket. We’re going to look at some of the best SLH hotels and resorts that you can book through the Hilton Honors program.

How To Redeem Hilton Honors Points for Stays at SLH Hotels

Before we look at the best SLH properties you can book with Hilton points, let’s discuss how you can search for and book SLH hotels and resorts through Hilton. Of course, the easiest way to book SLH hotels (or any Hilton Honors-participating hotel) through the Hilton Honors program is by going to Hilton’s website.

Once you’re on Hilton’s website, you can search for the hotel you want to stay at by name or by destination. So, if you know the name of a specific SLH hotel where you want to stay, you can type the name of that hotel in the search bar. Or, if you’re looking for SLH hotels in Hawaii, you can simply enter Hawaii as your destination. Then, you can enter your desired dates and number of guests and hit the “Find Hotels” button.

From there, if you want to search for award stays only, you can click the “Use Points” checkbox to view the rates of eligible stays in Hilton points. If you want to filter for only stays at SLH properties, you can click the “Hotel Brands” filter and select the “SLH” option.

Once you apply this filter, you’ll see all of the SLH properties in your selected region that are available to be booked with Hilton points.

Once you find a hotel that interests you, click the “View Rates” button to see the room rates at your selected property and then proceed from there to book your desired room.

Best SLH Properties to Book With Hilton Points

Now that you’re familiar with the process of booking SLH properties through the Hilton Honors program, let’s take a look at some of the best SLH properties you should have on your radar the next time it’s time to redeem some Hilton points.

It’s worth noting that certain award stays at SLH properties will offer far more value than others. So, it’s important to calculate the value that each of your options offers before making your redemption. You can do this by dividing the cash rate for the room by the number of points you’d have to pay for the same stay.

Unfortunately, booking stays at SLH properties with Hilton points tends to provide pretty poor value per point on average. So, while you’ll certainly have a wonderful experience if you book a stay at an SLH hotel, don’t expect great value per point.

Here are some of the best SLH hotels and resorts to book with Hilton points and the respective redemption values that these properties offer.

Rusty Parrot Lodge and Spa (Jackson Hole, Wyoming, USA)

One of the most famous outdoor destinations in the United States, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is a natural wonderland with endless outdoor activities to indulge in, such as skiing, fishing, rafting and more. The area is also an amazing location to observe wildlife, including bison, elk, moose, deer, antelope, bald eagles and much more. If you’re going to visit Jackson Hole, one of the finest accommodations in the area is Rusty Parrot Lodge and Spa, an SLH property.

The Rusty Parrot includes excellent rooms and suites featuring European down comforters, soft terry robes and slippers, flat-panel satellite TV and more. Plus, you can unwind at the Body Sage Spa with a facial or a massage, or you can dine on world-class food at the Wild Sage Restaurant.

Unfortunately, booking stays at the Rusty Parrot provides very poor value per point. For instance, the award rate for a one-night stay in a King Room is 94,000 points, the rate for a Two Queen Room is 101,000 points and the rate for a King Fireplace Room is 201,000 points.

If you were to book these same rooms on the same dates at the Hilton Honor, a King Room would cost $391 (a value of about 0.4 cents per point), a Two Queen Room would cost $423 (a value of about 0.4 cents per point) and a King Fireplace Room would cost you $433 (a value of about 0.2 cents per point).

As you can see, booking stays at the Rusty Parrot Lodge and Spa with Hilton points doesn’t provide very good value. However, this is pretty much what you can expect when booking SLH properties with Hilton points.

The George Christchurch (Christchurch, New Zealand)

If you’re planning a trip to the beautiful nation of New Zealand, then there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself visiting Christchurch, one of the country’s most beloved destinations. Christchurch is also the location of one of SLH’s best hotels in the world. The George Christchurch is a prestigious five-star hotel boasting incredible amenities and an excellent location with views of Hagley Park and the Avon River.

The overall ambience of The George Christchurch is intimate and elegant and all guests are entitled to complimentary parking, EV charging and complimentary Wi-Fi. If you want to feed your inner gourmand, you can sign up for a three-course Chef’s Selection dinner. And, in the morning, you can enjoy a delicious breakfast at the on-site 50 Bistro.

Once again, though, the value per point provided by booking stays at The George Christchurch is very poor. For instance, a one-night stay in an Executive Accessible Room is 97,000 points, a Premium Executive Twin Room is 105,000 points and a Junior Suite is 157,000 points.

If you were to book these same rates on the same dates with cash at the Hilton Honors member rate, an Executive Accessible Room would cost you 316 New Zealand dollars (about $193), which gives you a value of less than 0.2 cents per point, a Premium Executive Twin Room would cost you 341 New Zealand dollars (about $209), which gives you a value of less than 0.2 cents per point and a Junior Suite would cost 511 New Zealand dollars (about $313), a value of about 0.2 cents per point.

So, unfortunately, while you’re guaranteed to have a comfortable stay at The George Christchurch, it’s not a very practical way to use your Hilton points.

Point Grace Resort and Spa, Grace Bay (Providenciales, Turks and Caicos)

If you’re planning a Caribbean vacation, then you can’t go wrong with a visit to the beautiful tropical archipelago nation of Turks and Caicos. And, one of the finest beaches in the entire country is Grace Bay, on the island of Providenciales. This beach also happens to be the location of Point Grace Resort and Spa, one of the nicest resorts in the SLH portfolio. This property is located steps from the ocean and offers the opportunity to stay in beautiful cottages where you’ll hear the waves of the ocean as you fall asleep.

Point Grace Resort includes Hutchings Restaurant, which serves Caribbean favorites for breakfast and lunch. For dinner, we recommend dining at Infiniti, a classy restaurant serving fresh seafood that even has its own raw bar.

The value per point offered by award stay bookings at Point Grace Resort and Spa is slightly higher than our two previous examples. However, the values are still far from ideal. A Poolside 1 Bedroom Suite costs 120,000 points, a Pool View Cottage 1 Bedroom Suite costs 120,000 points and an Ocean Front 2 Bedroom Suite costs 637,000 points.

If you were to purchase the same rooms on the same nights with cash at the Hilton Honors member rate, the Poolside 1 Bedroom Suite would cost you $637 (a value of slightly over 0.5 cents per point), the Pool View Cottage 1 Bedroom Suite would cost $735 (a value of about 0.6 cents per point) and the Ocean Front 2 Bedroom Suite would cost $1,274 (a value of 0.2 cents per point).

So, while booking a stay at Point Grace Resort and Spa may give you slightly better value than award bookings at other SLH properties if you book the right room type, these redemptions still provide pretty poor value.

Nimb Hotel (Copenhagen, Denmark)

One of the finest hotels in the European portion of the SLH network is Nimb Hotel, located in the historic city of Copenhagen, Denmark. The city of Copenhagen is known for its cobblestone streets, its excellent urban design and its stunning architecture. Nimb Hotel itself is a gorgeous work of architecture located within the city’s famous Tivoli Gardens (which helped inspire Walt Disney when he was creating Disneyland in California).

The five-star Nimb Hotel is a Moorish-style palace with a captivating Venetian marble facade that’s impossible to miss if you’re walking through Tivoli Gardens. From this location, you can access all of the major sites in the city. Or, if you want to spend time at the hotel itself, you can hang out at the Nimb Roof bar and restaurant where you can enjoy delicious barbeque food and a great view of the surrounding neighborhoods. There are also several other on-site restaurants serving world-class cuisine.

Once again, the value provided by booking award stays at Nimb Hotel with Hilton points is disappointing. A Double Room would cost you 105,000 points per night, a Deluxe Room would cost 120,000 points per night and a Balcony Deluxe Room would cost 423,000 points per night.

If you were to book these same rooms on the same nights with cash at the Hilton Honors member rate, the Double Room would cost you 3,332 Danish Krone (about $487), a value of just under 0.5 cents per point, a Deluxe Room would cost you 4,802 Danish Krone (about $702), a value of about 0.6 cents per point, and a Balcony Deluxe Room would cost you 5,782 Danish Krone (about $845), a value of about 0.2 cents per point.

So, compared to other SLH properties, Nimb Hotel provides pretty good value per point on Double Rooms and Deluxe Rooms. However, compared to other redemption options available through the Hilton Honors program, these values are still very poor.

Canaves Epitome (Santorini, Greece)

Santorini, Greece, has long been a popular vacation destination for those who want to experience the finest Mediterranean luxury. Unfortunately, booking hotels in Santorini with cash can often be very expensive. Luckily, the Hilton Honors program has several locations in Santorini available to be booked with points, including SLH’s Canaves Epitome. Located in the quaint seaside village of Oia, Canaves Epitome is an all-villa luxury resort that offers incredible sunset views.

Every villa at Canaves Epitome has its own private pool, meaning you don’t even have to leave your villa to plunge into the water and soak up views of the surrounding ocean. There’s also an on-site spa where you can enjoy rejuvenating treatments as well as on-site bars and restaurants where you can eat the finest Greek cuisine and enjoy a drink.

The values offered by award stays at Canaves Epitome are still pretty poor. However, if you book a Honeymoon Suite with a Plunge Pool, these rooms can provide slightly higher value than most other award stays at SLH properties. We found a Honeymoon Suite with Plunge Pool for 140,000 points per night. You can also book a Hideaway Pool Suite for 722,000 points per night or a One Bedroom Pool Villa for 776,000 points per night.

If you were to book the same rooms on the same nights with cash at the Hilton Honors member rate, a Honeymoon Suite with Plunge Pool would cost you 892 euros (about $974), a value of slightly under 0.7 cents per point, a Hideaway Pool Suite would cost you 1,333 euros (about $1,456), a value of about 0.2 cents per point, and a One Bedroom Pool Villa would cost you 1,431 euros (about $1,563), a value of about 0.2 cents per point.

So, once again, while Canaves Epitome is an amazing location that’s available to book with Hilton points, it’s definitely not the best way to maximize their value.

Cap Rocat (Mallorca, Spain)

Mallorca, Spain, is another very popular European island destination. This island is known for its secluded coves, gorgeous limestone cliffs, clear blue water and dazzling Spanish architecture. Mallorca is also home to one of the nicest properties in the SLH portfolio: Cap Rocat. This resort is housed in an ancient fortress overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, making it extremely secluded and private.

Located at the world-famous Bay of Palma, Cap Rocat sits in a protected natural area, which means there’s plenty of wilderness in the surrounding area for you to explore during your stay. Cap Rocat also has two on-site dining experiences available, Sea Club and La Fortaleza Restaurant, both of which offer the finest in Mediterranean gastronomy.

Cap Rocat actually offers the best value per point of any SLH property that we’ve found so long as you book the Suite Cap Rocat room type. You can book a Suite Cap Rocat for 130,000 points per night, a Suite Del Mar for 1,229,000 points per night and a Suite El Cabo for 1,443,000 points per night.

If you were to book the same room types on the same dates at the Hilton Honors member rate, a Suite Cap Rocat would cost 1,179 euros (about $1,288), a value of slightly under 1 cent per point, a Suite Del Mar would cost 2,257 euros (about $2,465), a value of about 0.2 cents per point, and a Suite El Cabo would cost 2,649 euros (about $2,893), a value of about 0.2 cents per point.

Booking a Suite Cap Rocat offers a value of nearly 1 cent per point, which is the best value for an award stay at an SLH property that we’ve seen since SLH joined the Hilton Honors program. However, compared to certain other award stays that you can book through Hilton Honors, this is still pretty poor value.

Tabacon Thermal Resort and Spa (La Fortuna de San Carlos, Costa Rica)

One of the most unique and adventurous locations in the SLH portfolio is undoubtedly Tabacon Thermal Resort and Spa in La Fortuna de San Carlos, Costa Rica. This resort includes thermal hot springs that are naturally heated by volcanic activity under the Earth’s crust. That’s because this resort is located in Arenal Volcano National Park, the site of Costa Rica’s most famous volcano.

Tabacon Thermal Resort and Spa is a great place to rest after your hike if you plan on climbing Arenal Volcano, which is a popular activity among tourists in the area. There’s no better feeling than soaking your sore legs in a natural hot spring. Plus, this resort includes top-of-the-line amenities, such as an on-site spa, two restaurants and four bars serving craft cocktails. You can also book private dining experiences in an outdoor bungalow surrounded by rainforest.

As with our other examples, booking a room at this SLH property provides poor value per point. For instance, an Orchid 2 Queen room costs 184,000 points per night, a Honeymoon Suite costs 238,000 points per night and a Tabacon King Suite costs 263,000 points per night.

If you were to book the same room types on the same nights with cash at the Hilton Honors member rate, an Orchid 2 Queen would cost you $367 (a value of about 0.2 cents per point), a Honeymoon Suite would cost you $475 (a value of slightly under 0.2 cents per point) and a Tabacon King Suite would cost you $524 (a value of slightly under 0.2 cents per point).

So, while Tabacon Thermal Resort and Spa is one of the most unique and interesting properties in the SLH portfolio, it’s definitely not the best way to maximize the value of your Hilton points.

The Bottom Line

Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH), a brand consisting of boutique luxury hotels around the world, terminated its strategic partnership with Hyatt on May 15, 2024, and began a new strategic partnership with Hilton.

This is good news for Hilton Honors loyalists as they can now book award stays at SLH properties with Hilton points. Unfortunately, this is bad news for those who wanted to book SLH award stays at high-value rates.

While it was possible to get solid value on SLH award stays when they were bookable through World of Hyatt, now that SLH is part of the Hilton Honors program, award stays at SLH hotels and resorts tend to offer very poor value per point.

So, if you’re looking to stay at some of the most unique and luxurious hotels and resorts that are available with Hilton points, searching for SLH award stays is a good idea. However, if you want to get good value out of your Hilton points, then it’s best to look at properties from other brands in the Hilton Honors program, such as these great Hilton hotels.