How to earn and use Hilton Honors points at Small Luxury Hotels of the World

Hilton has recently added around 400 Small Luxury Hotels of the World (formerly part of World of Hyatt) to its collection. SLH includes a range of boutique hotels, from romantic cliffside getaways in Greece to cowboy-inspired ranches in Colorado, offering one-of-a-kind experiences that capture the essence of local culture, far beyond the typical chain hotel.

The Hilton-SLH collaboration combines the best of both brands, giving travelers more memorable stays and the opportunity to earn and spend Hilton Honors points.

While not all SLH properties participate in Hilton Honors, the number of participating hotels is set to increase as the partnership grows. You can check the current list of participating hotels on Hilton's official website.

Hilton Honors members now have access to these exclusive boutique hotels, enjoying all the perks of Hilton’s loyalty program—such as earning points, redeeming them, and benefiting from elite status. Let’s explore all the ways you can take full advantage of Hilton’s new SLH collection.

How to redeem Hilton Honors points at SLH hotels

Given the luxury nature of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, their prices can be quite high. However, they offer excellent opportunities to make the most out of your Hilton Honors points.

To explore available SLH hotels in your chosen destination, check out Hilton’s interactive map of SLH partners.

As you zoom in on the map, you'll see the rates for each hotel. You can also check the “Use Points” box at the top to view award night prices. (At the time of writing, point values weren’t showing at some properties, but this should be fixed as Hilton updates their site.)

Click on the hotel you're interested in, then select 'Select Dates' in the pop-up to view a calendar displaying rates for multiple months. You can switch between cash and points rates by choosing 'Special Rates' and checking or unchecking the 'Use Points' box.

While Hilton doesn’t follow a fixed award chart, SLH hotels adhere to typical award pricing. This means standard rooms have a capped point value.

However, nonstandard rooms are priced dynamically, meaning award bookings may not offer the best value for your Hilton points.

For instance, you can stay in Hungary's Botaniq Castle of Tura for 80,000 points per night for a standard room, or $468 per night in cash. This results in a redemption rate of 0.59 cents per point, which aligns closely with TPG's July 2024 Hilton Honors point valuation of 0.6 cents per point. However, premium rooms in November start at 408,000 points or $831 per night, offering only 0.2 cents per point—a significant decrease from the valuation.

Since Hilton dynamically prices nonstandard rooms, you can usually expect to get only about 0.2 cents per point, making these rooms less ideal for point redemptions.

When browsing Hilton's website to redeem your points, make sure to enter specific dates, as some hotels may appear 'sold out' when viewed through the calendar feature.

Check the 'Use Points' box to reveal the available room types and their point requirements, or to see if you can use a standard room reward.

Also, be sure to scroll down, as the point costs might not be listed from lowest to highest. For example, at Sowaka, a renovated ryokan in Kyoto, Japan, standard rooms only cost 120,000 points per night, but they may be hidden among more expensive options.

These rooms are priced at 196,000 yen (around $1,215) per night, offering a value of 1 cent per point — a fantastic way to use Hilton Honors points, which TPG estimates at 0.6 cents each.

If you have one of Hilton's valuable free night reward certificates, which can be used for any standard room reward (up to 150,000 points per night), the SLH collection presents some great new opportunities for redemption.

However, remember that standard room award availability is subject to change, so you might need to remain flexible with your travel dates.

How to earn points at SLH Hilton hotels

Redeeming points can help you secure a stay at luxurious properties that might otherwise be too expensive, especially during peak travel seasons. However, if cash rates are low, it might be more cost-effective to pay cash for your stay and save your Hilton Honors points for future use.

Earning Hilton points at SLH properties is straightforward with the new partnership. Simply log into your Hilton Honors account, select your dates and destination, and book your stay via Hilton's website.

You can also book SLH properties through other channels, such as online travel agencies like Expedia, credit card portals, or the hotel’s own website. However, bookings made through these channels won’t earn Hilton Honors points, and you’ll miss out on elite status benefits. That said, you may earn other perks or rewards through credit card portals like Chase Travel℠ or American Express' Fine Hotels + Resorts. Weigh the pros and cons of each option before making your decision.

When you book a Small Luxury Hotel through Hilton, you'll earn Honors points just like at any other Hilton property. The number of points you earn varies depending on your elite status level.

• Basic members: 10 points per dollar spent
• Silver members: 12 points per dollar spent
• Gold members: 18 points per dollar spent
• Diamond members: 20 points per dollar spent

At most Hilton properties, you earn points not only for your room rate, but also for eligible charges such as room service, spa treatments, and parking. However, at SLH properties, points are only earned on the room rate itself.

These points are in addition to any rewards earned on the credit card you use to pay for your stay. If you don't have a Hilton cobranded card that earns bonus points, consider using one of our top-rated hotel credit cards.

Elite status perks at SLH Hilton properties

With the new partnership, Hilton Honors members—both basic and elite—can enjoy several perks when staying at SLH properties. However, some of these benefits may differ from what you'd experience at other Hilton hotels.

For basic members, many benefits remain the same, including member-exclusive discounts on paid stays, waived resort fees on award stays, and free standard Wi-Fi. However, some perks may not be available at SLH properties, such as digital check-in, room selection, and access to Hilton Honors Experiences. On the flip side, new benefits at SLH hotels include late checkout and complimentary bottled water.

Silver members still enjoy their 20% tier bonus points and the fifth-night-free benefit on award stays, which is a great way to save points. Earning Hilton Silver status is relatively easy, especially with cards like the Hilton Honors American Express Card or The Platinum Card® from American Express, which grants cardholders complimentary Gold status (enrollment required).

However, elite members may not get their typical 15% discount at all-inclusive spa services.

Gold and Diamond members continue to earn 80% and 100% bonus points, respectively, and enjoy space-available upgrades. Instead of the usual food and beverage credits, they’ll receive complimentary breakfast for up to two guests at SLH properties. However, Diamond members may not have access to their usual premium Wi-Fi (standard Wi-Fi is provided), 48-hour room guarantee, or executive lounge access.

Members can also take advantage of exclusive deals and promotions. We suggest checking Hilton's current offers before booking your next stay and registering for any that apply.

If you're aiming for the next Hilton status level, your stays at SLH properties now count toward that goal. Hilton status is earned through a combination of nights stayed, number of stays, or points earned. Staying at SLH hotels can help you achieve your next tier, just like staying at any other Hilton hotel.

Bottom line:

Hilton's partnership with SLH is a major advantage for Hilton Honors members, offering access to nearly 400 distinctive luxury and lifestyle properties worldwide—and that number is expected to grow. SLH hotels provide numerous opportunities to earn and use points, redeem free night certificates, and enjoy elite member benefits.