Hyatt’s loss was Hilton’s gain. When Hyatt acquired premium boutique hotel booking platform Mr and Mrs Smith their SLH Hotels partnership was always going to end. Hilton scored a coup linking up with SLH. It’s been a game-changer for the Honors program.
Honors points are normally low value, but since the points cost of SLH Hotels is capped at the most expensive pricing for Hilton properties, you can get outstanding value – 3 to 4 cents per point in some cases, as opposed to less than half a cent per point normally. And the hotels are much nicer than most Hilton brand hotels.
One great example is Raiwasa Private Resort in Fiji, on the island of Taveuni, a one hour flight from Nadi. The property is small, so rooms aren’t available all that often even for sale but it appears that when Hilton can sell you a room at this price they can also book it on points:
- You’d spend over $4,300 per night for an over-2,000 square foot room plus 933 square foot deck.
- But you can redeem 150,000 Hilton Honors points per night instead
Grand Villa 2 Bedroom offers a seamless indoor-outdoor living experience with two separate suites, both have King beds with open ceiling design and a full bathroom.
One has a view of the ocean while the other of the garden. Each suites also has a luxurious outdoor bathtub and walk-in shower. Villa features separate living room, veranda/wrap around decking, living room, full kitchen with refrigerator, air conditioning, complimentary WiFi access, High Definition TV, tea and coffee maker.
Credit: Raiwasa Private Resort
This is an inclusive property, which covers your meals, and your room sleeps six.
The hotel boasts that “99.3 % of our guests vote their Raiwasa experience as one of their top 10 travel experiences of their lives.”
It’s perched high above the South Pacific, with an awesome 180-degree view overlooking the Somosomo Straight and surrounded by a lush tropical carpet of green rainforest and swaying palm trees. The dramatic sunsets are equaled only by the brilliance of the stars at night.
Credit: Raiwasa Private Resort
Dine in eight locations, with complimentary all day room service, “Ritchie and Rosie will be your dedicated chefs, they have a combined 20 years of experience in prestigious 5 star resorts, restaurants and hotels in both Fiji and the Cook Islands” and they offer a free cooking class.
Credit: Raiwasa Private Resort
Complimentary resort activities including kayaks, paddle boards, bikes, and snorkeling plus they provide return transfers between the property and Matei airport.
As with many small, remote properties the cancellation penalties are stringent. They can’t just stick a discounted rate online and fill a room at the last minute, so a cancel genuinely impacts the property. Here’s what they say for both paid and points nights: “Cancellations fees: 25% of total stay if cancelled between booking date and 3PM (local) – 61 days prior to arrival; after 60 days prior to arrival – 100% of total stay.”
There’s also Riverview Ranch in Montana, Calala Island in Nicaragua, and Hermitage Bay in Antigua – truly special places you’d probably never experience with cash, the sorts of places that run $3,000 to $5,000 per night, but that are now accessible from 130,000 to 150,000 Hilton points each night.
I’d jump on some of these outsized values. For now Hilton says they price within their normal redemption bands, but it’s possible that could change or they could increase the top range in points prices. Hilton historically hasn’t offered this kind of value, so I wouldn’t let the opportunity sit.
How about you disclose the 20% cancellation fee if you cancel at any time after you book it? Gonna be a pretty expensive cancellation fee if you book 5 nights and decide you want to cancel a few days later.
For here and RiverView
No rooms available on the calendar in a quick check thru June
@Bruce – try searching more than a one-night stay, I found plenty of availability just now.
@Kevin,
As with many small, remote properties the cancellation penalties are stringent. They can’t just stick a discounted rate online and fill a room at the last minute, so a cancel genuinely impacts the property. Here’s what they say for both paid and points nights: “Cancellations fees: 25% of total stay if cancelled between booking date and 3PM (local) – 61 days prior to arrival; after 60 days prior to arrival – 100% of total stay.”
If you book with points and cancel, do you lose points or cash for the cancellation policy?
Capital One shopping is showing the rate of $3,816 per night for 3 nights for a stay starting Oct. 2nd. That comes with $2,747 in rewards after your stay. That’s gotta be a record.
I’m seeing Hermitage Bay for over 1.2M points per night…
Fiji has some outstanding values. If you want a simple, low-cost experience with the best snorkeling I’ve ever seen, right outside your beachfront bure, stay at Barefoot Manta Fiji. It will make your top ten too. 30 day cancellation deadline.
Fiji Airways is your best choice to get there.
The No doubt the cancellation penalty on an award will be based on the cash rate.
25% cancelation fee starting the second you book is remarkably punitive if I am reading it correctly. I’ve needed to cancel bookings due to several deaths in the family in recent years so this type of policy is a complete red line for me. I’m aware exceptions are often made but based on personal experience, the last thing you want to be doing when a family member is dying in a hospital bed is calling front desks begging them to make an exception.
Welp RIP this sweet spot , there goes this hotel’s availability on Hilton now that people are posting articles about it and exposing it. Was good while it lasted.
Hi Gary,
How did you confirm that’s all inclusive? I read the listing up and down and there’s nothing that says it’s all inclusive.
@Daniel A – to be clear, it is not *all* inclusive, for instance they talk about a premium beverage package, but the meals are clearly inclusive (the website advertises for instance all day complimentary room service)
There is literally only 1 villa at this property…hence the term “private resort.”
Appreciate the comments by those pointing out that there is a 25% cancellation fee. I went straight to the website and tried a booking without finalizing and tried it myself. I did see that warning. (was next Aug 6-9 still there at time of writing if anyone interested and wants those days. Good deal but didn’t float my boat in comparison to other places in the world I could go ) I’ve traveled a lot on points and been fortunate to have stayed at so many great places and flown in style because of it, but am still by no means an expert. So, I have seen IHG in the past have a cancellation fee when using points. However, I think this is the first time I have seen Hilton do it. I am usually so quick to book when using points with Hilton because I never saw them doing that. I guess I better slow down and watch more carefully from now on. Sucks that chains are starting to do this more and more when using points.
FYI, the percentage charged for cancellation is cash not points. I verified with multiple Hilton reps after booking multiple SLH properties. So beware of and plan accordingly with these high end properties otherwise you’re potentially spending thousands in fees for a cancellation. A small note is that I’ve only noticed this for properties that were 130k and 150k. Some 110k properties I’ve booked haven’t even mentioned any real cancellation fees just the standard Hilton policy.
Gary, please stop with rampant SLH postings. This is why we can’t have nice things.
No longer accepting points