Introduction

I’ve been invested in this points and miles hobby for more a decade now. Throughout this 10 year journey together with my wife, it has led us to some amazing and often memorable experiences that we couldn’t get anywhere else. For this post, I thought I look back at some of the best redemptions that we’ve made and why they were so remarkable. 7 is my favorite number and so i’ll nominate 7 of my favorite hotel redemptions throughout this decade!

What’s interesting to me was that of the 7, 3 of them were from Hyatt, 3 of them were from Hilton and 1 from IHG. Oddly, I thought a Marriott property would show up, but when comparing value in reference to points, perhaps this is a reason why I consider the World of Hyatt program #1, with Hilton coming in close! Another thing to point out - some of these are not replicated anymore due to devaluations from the hotel programs. This is why it’s so important to jump and not wait for opportunities to pass by!

In no particular order, where are my 7 award redemptions of the decade!

Alila Napa Valley

Using 60,000 Hyatt points for 2 nights, we ended up in one of the best, if NOT the best room on the property, which would have easily cost us close to $4,000 USD! Currently, it’s now a category 8 property, meaning it can range from 35,000 to 45,000 points a night, which is quite a bump in points. However, the property remains fantastic value during peak wine season and is a fantastic anchor for those visiting famous wineries like Beringer, HALL and many more.

Why: The Alila Napa Valley is one of my personal favorite and one of the best redemptions I’ve made in 2021. It’s also where Little Boy From Taiwan’s popularity started to grow in terms of search indexing! Prior to its devaluation and category bump (currently, it’s a category 8), I spent 60,000 Hyatt points for 2 nights, but due to my Globalist status, we got upgraded to what I consider to be the best room on the property.

During our stay, we were treated like VIPs and the GM even came out to greet us and asked for any feedback and suggestions to make their hotel even better. Their welcome amenity was a jar full of some of the best chocolate chip cookies I ever had, and it even came with two jars of milk! If you’re a fan of Napa Valley and have points stashed up, this is the best of what Hyatt has to offer. (note, this is now an Adults Only property, so sadly no kids or pets anymore)

The property is stunning. In fact, it was so beautiful and breathtaking that I also begin my Youtube channel from this very hotel!

Alila Ventana Big Sur

This is probably the best redemption from a points to cash value redemption perspective. In 2019, I spent only 60,000 Hyatt points for two nights, which would have costed us nearly $5,500 USD ! Due to the staff’s fantastic service, upgrades and just a beautiful Christmas environment, we had fond memories of this resort and all the small attention to details. Sadly, this hotel has skyrocketed in popularity and is one of the most notoriously hotels to book on the Hyatt platform.

Why: I mentioned this before in the blog post, and i’ll mention it again. WOW.

This mythical and legendary resort was the best redemption (and sadly, the one I can’t replicate anymore) I’ll ever make on the Hyatt platform in 2019. For Christmas, my wife and I, along with our corgi puppy went to Big Sur to celebrate Christmas together. When we arrived, we fell in love immediately. The property itself was beautiful and so tranquil. The activities and happy hours were amazing. The food was fantastic. Even though it was busy that year, we still got upgraded and boy, did we have fun!

While this property has gone up to category 8 as well, what makes it a great redemption is simply its cash to point value, which is staggering. If you can snag a room using points, you’re already well ahead in terms of value, as each night is close to $1,500 for a base room, all the way to a staggering $5,000 a night for a suite! It’s all-inclusive now, so meals are also included!

Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa

This is without a doubt one of my favorite Hyatt hotels in the world. On off-peak seasons, 25,000 Hyatt points is easily one of the best bargains I’ll ever see in this industry. Let’s not even start with its amazing hospitality, massive resort grounds and one of the coolest restaurants on Kauai.

Why: This was easily the best redemption in 2021 without a doubt. With each night at 25,000 Hyatt point, we were upgraded to one of the best standard suites on the resort (Suite 1038) and potentially one of the best suites I’ve ever stayed at purely from a points redemption value.

But what makes this redemption so absolutely worth it is just the magnificence of the hotel grounds itself. From the massive resort grounds to the breathtaking views of both the sunrise and sunset to the ridiculously good breakfast buffet and its dining grounds to the spa, it’s no wonder most people just meander around the hotel during the day. There’s so many activities (the pools, wow) and things to do, and the staff were incredibly friendly and super helpful.

Intercontinental Robertson Quay

It’s an absolute bargain when your annual free night certificate with the IHG credit cards can pay for this 5-star hotel, and an even more amazing bargain when you’re an Intercontinental Ambassador member. The breakfast quality and the laksa, OMG. This is such an underrated and under-the-radar type of luxury hotel, and I hope it continues to stay that way!

Why: This is one of my favorite Intercontinental hotels in the world, and with one very strong reason. It qualifies for the annual free night certificate for those that an IHG Rewards or Premier Card. That alone makes this hotel a fantastic redemption when you consider that the annual fee for those credit cards are only $99 and the average room rate at this hotel is well over $300 on any given week.

But even then, if you have IHG points, this hotel is fantastic value for what you get. It’s not as location-friendly as say its counterpart, the Intercontinental Singapore, but then again, it doesn’t have a river next to it and a lovely running path all the the Merlion and the Marina Bay Sands. What makes it stand out was their attentive service and what I consider one of the sleekest modern bedrooms out there. For me, this is one of the best bargains in the IHG brand, and hopefully will continue to be a strong value for me going into 2024!

Conrad Osaka

This is without a doubt, the pinnacle of 5-star luxury hotel in Osaka. Go ahead, find me another property. Hilton still has it at 95,000 points per night, which is an insane value for the ridiculously service, amazing breakfast and one of the best views of Osaka you’ll find in the vicinity. This is one of our favorite hotels and one that I’ll be heading back into in 2024!

For 2 nights, we used 95,000 points each, at a time when the hotel rooms were close to $800 a night back in 2019. Incredibly enough, it is still bookable for 95,000 points, which is fantastic deal for those traveling to Osaka in the near future. When we booked our stay, it was at peak occupancy. Even so, the amazing guest relations manager Midori gave us an executive king room, that was absolutely stunning and beautiful in every right.

People do compare the Conrad Tokyo vs. Conrad Osaka, and I think I still prefer the Osaka over the Tokyo. Both are astoundingly magnificent in their own right, but there’s just this vibe that makes the Osaka more preferable. I think the service here is one of the best that I’ve seen in my travel adventures, and it’s probably why it’s so sought after now in 2023.

Conrad Seoul

This hotel is an absolute steal for 70,000 Hilton Points. I’m literally shocked they’re still keeping it this low compared to their competitors and counterparts, such as the JW Marriott, Fairmont and the Park Hyatt. Even with a base room, the breakfast is one of the best we ever had. On top of that, it has one of the best fitness gyms I ever seen.

Why: If my wife had to only choose one of her favorite hotels in Asia, it would easily be the Conrad Seoul, hands down. This was also one of my favorite hotels in Seoul and perhaps the best redemption that I’ve made in 2022.

For 4 nights, I used 171,000 Hilton points for a King Bedroom. However, during check-in, I noticed a Grand View Executive Suite available and inquired if I could be granted an upgrade. Because I was a Diamond member, the very kind front desk granted us the upgrade, and boy was it an insane one! It was one of the largest suites I ever encountered and its massive 180 view of the Seoul skyline. It was so big that we literally couldn’t hear each other from the bathroom, the closet to the living room. It’s kinda wild.

On top of that, the location for the Conrad Seoul is insanely good for those traveling to Seoul for the first time. In addition, the shopping mall is literally downstairs and a ton of food courts, restaurants and shopping awaits you. It’s one of the best hotels in my opinion in Seoul, Korea right now.

ROKU Kyoto, LXR Hotels & Resorts

Even with the devaluation of Hilton properties (95,000 to 110,000 points), the ROKU Kyoto is a no-brainer and easily one of my favorite redemptions in Japan. If you’re a fan of minimalism and an utmost appreciation for nature, this is probably the best, if NOT the best property that evokes Japanese architecture with Japanese hospitality at its very finest.

Why: From a points to cash value proposition, this is one of my favorite redemptions in 2023, and is so good that we’re actually heading back for round 2 in 2024! This is truly an aspirational property that definitely is worth spending at least 2 night at the hotel. A contemporary resort nestled in the foothills of Kyoto’s beautiful mountains, its simple yet modern craftsmanship and design is something that would bring a sense of awe and peace upon arrival.

From a points perspective, even with the devaluation that occurred with Hilton recently, 110,000 points per night is actually worth it if you also have Hilton Gold, and even more worth it if you have Hilton Diamond, whether that’s through the Amex Hilton Aspire Card or through the organic way of staying at Hilton hotels.

But the real reason why I love this hotel so much in terms of value? S-Tier Service. Just some examples:

I lost my Nikon 24-70mm lens cap during an excursion around Kyoto. During the afternoon, I told the concierge about my mishap, and she responded by stating she could get someone to buy a lens cap for me by the end of the day. We came back from dinner, and she immediately came to find me with brand new lens cap. Talk about butler-like service!
Running parallel to the above example, the concierge also booked us a Mercedes-Benz shuttle van (there were six of us, so two taxis was kinda expensive) and surprised us by saying it was on the house!
When heading to Kyoto Train Station in the morning, we were assigned a BMW 7-Series and a Lexus LM (which is a very luxurious minivan) and was also given a guide that brought our luggage and tickets all the way to the train platform. Yeah, you heard me right - from the hotel all the way to the platform. Talk about 5-star service!

On my Youtube channel, you can also check out the hotel and the room we stayed in and get a glimpse of this amazing property!