Hilton recently expanded its portfolio by adding about 400 Small Luxury Hotels in the World property (formerly part of World of Hyatt). SLH is a collection of boutique hotels from Romantic Cliffside Retreat in Greece ARRIVE cowboy themed ranch in Colorado. It prides itself on offering unique services that reflect local culture better than typical chain hotels.
Hilton’s partnership with SLH will bring the best of both worlds, providing travelers with more memorable stays while allowing them to earn and redeem points Hilton Honors point.
Not all SLH hotels are part of the Hilton Honors program, although more are expected to be added as the partnership continues to grow. You can see a list of currently participating hotels here. on Hilton website.
Hilton Honors members can now experience these boutique hotels with all the benefits of Hilton’s loyalty program—like redeeming points, earning points, and accessing elite membership perks. Learn all the ways you can take advantage of Hilton’s new SLH collection.
Related: Hilton Takes Back the World’s Small Luxury Hotels Alliance from Hyatt
How to redeem points at SLH Hilton locations
Because Small Luxury Hotels of the World are luxury by definition, they tend to have high prices. As a result, they offer some great ways to maximize your Hilton Honors points.
To see what SLH properties are available at your destination, pull up Hilton SLH Partners Map.
As you zoom in, prices will pop up for each hotel. You can check the “Use Points” box at the top to see the prices for award stays. (At the time of writing, points values were not showing at some SLH properties, but that will change as Hilton works through the issues on its website.)
Click on the hotel you’re interested in, then click “Select Dates” in the pop-up box to see a calendar with prices for multiple months. You can switch between cash and reward prices by clicking “Special Rates” and checking or unchecking the “Use Points” box.
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While Hilton does not operate on an awards chart, SLH properties follow standard award room rates. This means that rooms considered “standard” will earn a certain number of points.
However, if you want to book a non-standard room, that is dynamically pricedThis means that award travelers often won’t get the best Hilton points redemption rates.
For example, you can experience your own fairy tale at the Botaniq Castle in Tura, Hungary for just 80,000 points per night for a standard reward room, or $468 per night in cash. This will give you a redemption rate of 0.59 cents per point, close to TPG’s Hilton Honors in July 2024. valuation 0.6 cents per point. Note that premium rooms in November start at 408,000 points per night, or $831 per night in cash. This would give you a value of 0.2 cents per point, which is significantly lower than our valuation.
Since Hilton prices non-standard rooms dynamically, you can typically get around 0.2 cents per point, making this not the best use of Hilton points.
When searching the Hilton website to redeem points, be sure to enter a specific date, as some search results indicate the hotel is “sold out” when viewed through the calendar feature.
Check the “Use Points” box to see available room types and how many points are required (or whether you can use a standard room reward).
Also, be sure to scroll down, as points prices may not be sorted from low to high. For example, at Sowaka—a restored ryokan in Kyoto, Japan—standard room rewards are just 120,000 points per night, but they’re hidden among much more expensive options.
These rooms cost 196,000 yen (or about $1,215) a night, which works out to 1 cent per point—a great use of Hilton Honors points, which TPG values at 0.6 cents per point.
If you happen to have one of Hilton’s valuable items free night couponValid for any standard room award (up to 150,000 points per night), the SLH collection gives you some great new options for redemption.
However, keep in mind that standard room rates are subject to availability, so you may have to be a little flexible with your travel plans.
Related: Everything You Need to Know About the Hilton Honors Loyalty Program
How to earn points at SLH Hilton properties
Redeeming points can allow you to stay at luxury resorts that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford, especially on peak travel day. But when cash rates are low, you can book paid stays at these places and watch your Hilton Honors points climb.
Earning Hilton points at SLH properties is easy, thanks to the new partnership. All you have to do is log in to your Hilton Honors account, search for dates and destinations, and book through the Hilton website.
There are many other ways to reserve SLH properties, including online travel companies like Expedia, credit card portals, and hotel websites. But you won’t earn Hilton Honors points if you book through any of these portals, and you won’t be eligible for any of the privileged benefits. However, you can earn other rewards and benefits through credit card portals like Chase℠ Travel And American Express Luxury Hotels + ResortsAlways consider the pros and cons of each option before deciding how to book your tickets.
When you book a stay at a Boutique Luxury Hotel through Hilton, you’ll earn Honors points just like you would at any Hilton hotel. Members earn points at different rates depending on their status level:
- Basic Membership: 10 points per dollar
- Silver Member: 12 points per dollar
- Gold Member: 18 points per dollar
- Diamond Member: 20 points per dollar
At most Hilton properties, these points are earned not only on your room rate but also on qualifying room charges like room service, spa services, and parking. But at SLH properties, you’ll only earn Honors points on your room rate.
These points are in addition to the rewards you earn on the credit card you use to pay for your room. If you don’t have Hilton Co-Branded Card Earn Honors points when you stay at Hilton, consider using one of our hotel card.
Related: Ways you can earn more Hilton Honors points
Elite Membership Benefits at SLH Hilton Properties
Thanks to the new partnership, Hilton Honors members (both basic and elite) can take advantage of a number of perks when staying at SLH properties. However, these benefits appear to be a little different at the SLH Collection than at other hotels.
For basic members, many of the key benefits are the same, including guaranteed membership discounts on paid holidays, free stay for award stays and free standard Wi-Fi. But some benefits may not be available at SLH properties, like digital check-in and room keys, the ability to choose your room, and access to Hilton Honors Experiences. And some new benefits have been added at SLH properties: free late check-out and bottled water.
Silver members still receive 20% bonus points and Thursday night free when staying at SLH resorts, this is a great perk if you want to save thousands of points. Plus, it’s easy to earn Hilton Silver status, especially if you have the right card, such as the Hilton Honors American Express Card or The Platinum Card® from American Expressoffers cardholders complimentary Hilton Gold elite membership (requires enrollment).
But elite members may not enjoy the usual 15% discount at all-inclusive spas.
Gold and Diamond members will still receive 80% and 100% points rewards and upgrades based on availability. Instead of the usual food and beverage credit, they will receive complimentary breakfast for up to two guests at SLH properties. Diamond members may miss out on the usual premium Wi-Fi (which includes free standard Wi-Fi), a 48-hour room guarantee, and access to the executive lounge.
Members also have access to special offers and promotion. We recommend checking out Hilton current supply before you book any holiday and register all applicable information.
If you’re aiming for the next Hilton status level, stays at SLH properties now count toward that goal. Hilton status is achieved by staying a minimum number of nights, completing a minimum number of stays, or earning a minimum number of points. Staying at SLH properties can now help you get closer to your next status level, just like any other Hilton property.
Related: Your Guide to Hilton Honors Elite Membership
Last line
Hilton’s new partnership with SLH is a boost for Hilton Honors members, who now have access to nearly 400 unique luxury and lifestyle properties around the world—and that number is expected to grow. SLH hotels offer a variety of ways for members to maximize their points and free night certificates, grow their Hilton Honors balance, and take advantage of elite perks.
