One Mile at a Time flagged the incredible redemption opportunity at Calala Island which is an SLH Hotel property in Nicaragua. Through Hyatt’s alliance with SLH you can redeem 40,000 Hyatt points per night there. That’s a lot of points, however:
- It goes from $2300 and up per night with cash
- It’s all-inclusive, including flight and boat to and from the Managua airport and not just meals but alcoholic beverages too
- There are just 4 rooms on the private island, 3 of which are redeemable with points
Credit: Calala Island Resort
The place looks amazing and special and a great deal using points. The property is 11 acres off the Nicaraguan coast and there are 25 employees taking care of guests in those four rooms.
Since the property is so small availability can go quickly in peak season. You can search the hotel’s own website for junior suite availability (there are 3 junior suites and a master suite) and when a junior suite is available go to Hyatt’s website to redeem. There are often 3 night minimum stays and sometimes more required, though given the remoteness of the location and what it takes to get there it’s not a place most people would do for just a night to two anyway (and they need to amortize the inclusive transportation over multiple nights).
I’ve said in the past that most SLH properties don’t offer outsized value with Hyatt points, though there are some special places. Overall it seems like Hyatt is paying properties more than comparable Hyatt hotels, and they need to charge higher points prices to compensate. However since the cost of a redemption maxes out at 40,000 points per night a hotel that retails for over $2000 per night represents a great deal.
It wouldn’t surprise me to see Hyatt impose a 10,000 point surcharge here, which is what they did with the Sailrock Resort back in March when that property added local transportation into the rate.
@ Gary — Booked 6 nights earlier today. No AC, but per the chat rep, no mosquitoes. Not sure if the mosquito part is really true.
Nice to see you mention something in Central America, Gary.
Gene: I bet they would not put that moskie thing in writing. 😉 Nor (biting) sand flies. No worries, just take some repellent and be sure to use it (especially) at (what I suspect will be incredibly amazing) sunsets. I do truly suspect you will have an absolutely fantastic time, nonetheless. I have been to a number of the other islands off the east coast of CA. Bon voyage! Oh, don’t spend any more time (at all) than you have to in Managua: only transit and never leave the airport? Perfect.
I’ve traveled extensively throughout CA, with Guatemala being (by far) my favorite country in the region, including the absolutely amazing people. It’s been a couple of years and I truly, truly miss it. The more I travel, the longer my travel list becomes. The Nicaraguans were, by far, my least favorite locals (although, I suspect that the professionals at the resort will all be excellent, at every ‘level’.). Those in Honduras? Also, extremely wonderful and lovely, including in SPS (one of the ‘murder capitals of the world’.) I’ve loved my times in the Bay Islands, including diving with the amazing whale sharks….then hanging out on the coast with sunsets like pictured above (and have also had plenty on the west coast, including the wonderful black sand beaches of Guate.)
full disclosure: I usually do not travel at the levels of a resort like this.
** writing: I mean official from a higher up, not ‘chat’
Although, again, I imagine this will be an absolutely wonderful holiday
Nicaragua is rated more dangerous than Syria per the state department, doesn’t seem like a safe place to go at the moment
*nevermind Syria isn’t safer than Nicaragua. haha
@ Tony — Thanks. Yep, Cat 3 State Dept warning. No thank you. Cancelled.
@ Tony — Syria is Cat 4, which is unsurprisingly more dangerous rating.
I booked 4 nights and then cancelled after reading the reviews. Between getting there and then dealing with no ac and people complaining about getting over 100 bites, it isn’t worth it. Some of the reviews even talked about taking close to 8 hours between the extra flight and boat ride just to get there.
What brand of champagne do they serve? What are the options of Scotch/Whiskey?
Not trying to be too picky but this is Brando-level pricing, and I can’t find any real review of this place.
90% of the reviews on trip advisor are from British people who bought this at a steeply discounted charity auction. Curious if I should back out…
Gene: are you illiterate? Or are you just a complete and utter pansy and ignoramus? Or stupid? I gave you a very thoughtful and detailed response, yet you are too selfish and self-centered to give a response to me. You’re welcome.
Gary: ’tis no wonder why you don’t write more about the wonderful CA (which I truly applaud you, for doing so.)
Of course, Gene is too stupid to know that so many places that he travels to are far more dangerous than the islands of CA. Compare the stats to Chicago…or so many other places in the USA (this coming from a very proud American –yet not from a complete and utter idiot.)
Hey Gene: might I suggest you GFY?
Yet, I, also, truly thank you. I am SO glad that I will not meet such a worthless POS during my travels to the (almost without exception) wonderful CA.
Please have fun getting shot in NY, or IL, or TX, or GA, or PA, or NJ… or… I can only guess at how, ermm, “small” you are.
Oh, and Tony: how do your examples compare to the crime rankings of major US cities? Nevermind, I’m sure you have no interest in facts. Or reality.
Uttr fing idiot.
Full disclosure: I have absolutely no $$ holdings/interests in CA. I just try not to be a complete and utter fing idiot.
Oh, and both of you, would you please raise your hands when you come into my USA-city (level 1) shock-trauma center. I’d love to know with whom I’m I dealing. xoxo