Stay at Hilton all-inclusive resorts for FREE: Here’s where to redeem your points

Insider Secret

If you book an award stay at a Hilton resort, Hilton will charge resort fees. But you won’t be charged resort fees on award stays at all-inclusive hotels.

If you’re dreaming of an easygoing vacation with free food, drinks, alcohol, snacks and entertainment, you can get tremendous value from your points by redeeming them at Hilton’s all-inclusive resorts.

Loading...

Load Error

There are a handful of all-inclusive resorts you can book with Hilton points right now, and more on the horizon with Hilton’s partnership with Playa Hotels & Resorts. You’ll save big by using points instead of cash — sometimes hundreds of dollars a night — and that’s not counting the savings you’ll get by not having to pay for meals or drinks.

Hilton points are some of the easiest to earn, especially with the best Hilton cards offering 150,000-point welcome bonuses (we’ll get to those at the end). You’ll have no trouble earning enough points to book an all-inclusive stay. But there are a few things you should know about booking Hilton all-inclusive resorts, so we’ve compiled information to make it easier for you to plan your trip.

Hilton All-Inclusive Resorts

Here are some Hilton all-inclusive resorts you can book right now:

ResortLocationCost (points)Amenities IncludedMax Persons Allowed per Standard Room
Hilton Puerto Vallarta ResortMexico48,000 – 70,000food, drinks, non-premium alcohol, Wi-Fi, live entertainment, children under 5 stay free, non-motorized water sports4 total guests
Hilton Rose Hall Resort & SpaJamaica63,000 – 70,000food, drinks, non-premium alcohol, Wi-Fi, live entertainment, children under 5 stay free, non-motorized water sports5 total guests
Hilton Sharks Bay ResortEgyptstarting at 12,000food, drinks, non-imported alcohol, Wi-Fi, live entertainment, children under 7 stay free4 total guests
Hilton Marsa Alam Nubian ResortEgyptstarting at 20,000food, drinks, non-premium alcohol, Wi-Fi, entertainment, sports, kids activities4 total guests
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Antalya-KemerTurkey25,000 – 50,000food, drinks, non-premium alcohol, Wi-Fi, entertainment, sports, kids activities, cinema hall, room service4 total guests
Hilton Dalaman Sarigerme Resort & SpaTurkey40,000 – 70,000food, drinks, non-premium alcohol, Wi-Fi, entertainment, sports, kids activities, room service, basic spa services4 total guests
Hilton La Romana for FamiliesDominican Republic41,000 – 95,000food, drinks, premium alcohol, Wi-Fi, intro scuba lessons, live entertainment, 24-hour room service4 total guests
Hilton La Romana for AdultsDominican Republic41,000 – 95,000food, drinks, premium alcohol, Wi-Fi, intro scuba lessons, live entertainment, 24-hour room service3 adults per room, no children allowed
Hilton Playa Del Carmen (formerly The Royal)Mexico59,000 – 94,000food, drinks, premium alcohol, Wi-Fi, intro scuba lessons, live entertainment, 24-hour in-suite dining4 adults per room, no children allowed

Read the fine print specific to each resort regarding Wi-Fi, extra guests, etc. Here are some examples of varying policies:

  1. Standard Child Policy: Children up to age 5 stay and eat free; children ages 6-14 pay $75 per child per night, and children 15 years and older pay the adult nightly room rate. Fees for children will be charged at check-in. Free Wi-Fi is in the lobby only. In the rooms, Wi-Fi is free for Hilton Honors Gold and Diamond members.
  2. Children up to age 5 stay and eat free; children ages 6-12 incur an additional $65 per child per night (paid upon arrival), and children ages 13 and older will be charged an adult rate and should be registered as adults. Otherwise, $120 per child per night will be added to your account at check-in. Free Wi-Fi for Hilton Honors members only. The delivery charge for in-room dining is $7.
  3. Children ages 12 and up will be charged the full adult rate. First child up to age 12, sharing the room with a parent stays free. Second child up to age 2, sharing the room with a parent stays free. Second child age 2-11 is charged 50% of the adult rate.

What does all-inclusive actually mean?

As you can see from our table above, “all-inclusive” can vary from resort to resort.

But there are some amenities you can count on being included in your stay. There will always be food and drink options available at no extra charge. Travelers note there will at least be buffet options available (and more a la carte options available at additional cost).

But let’s talk alcohol — I know you’re curious. In most cases, non-premium alcohol is complimentary. Newer Hilton resorts, like the Hilton La Romana, offer complimentary premium alcohol. Most reviews state that bottle service at dinner is usually an additional cost so simply order by the glass.

Generally, the price of your stay, if you pay in points, will vary with the number of guests you’re bringing. Some resorts allow a specific number of children under certain ages to stay for free and other resorts charge fees based on tiered age requirements.

You’ll find that some resorts offer more amenities exclusive to Hilton Honors members. At specific resorts where beach cabanas aren’t included, Hilton Diamond members have reported getting one day free with their stay. Additionally, most resorts have free Wi-Fi in public areas and advertise free Wi-Fi in the rooms for Hilton Honors guests only.

Lastly — should you tip? I say yes, but the staff at some resorts do not expect tips. However, I’m sure you’ll find better service at bars or restaurants you frequent when you show your appreciation for the service. Ultimately, it’s up to you.

How to earn Hilton points

Below you’ll find the current Hilton credit card bonuses which will help you rack up Hilton points in a hurry.

CardAnnual feeCurrent offerOffer value*Top Perk
Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express$450 (see rates and fees)150,000 Hilton points after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. Terms Apply.$750 (150,000 points at .5 cents per point)Hilton Diamond Status. up to $250 annual Hilton Resort Credit and up to $250 annual airline fee reimbursement
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card$95 (see rates and fees)150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you use your new Card to make $2,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn a $150 statement credit after your first purchase on the Hilton Surpass Card within your first 3 months. Terms Apply.$750 (150,000 points at .5 cents per point)Hilton Gold Status, Free Weekend Night Certificate after spending $15,000 per cardmember year
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card$95 (see rates and fees)150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn a $150 statement credit after your first purchase on the Hilton Honors Business Card within your first 3 months. Terms Apply.$750 (150,000 points at .5 cents per point)Hilton Gold StatusFree Weekend Night Certificate after spending $15,000 per cardmember year
Hilton Honors American Express Card$0 (see rates and fees)100,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of account opening. Plus, earn a $100 statement credit after your first purchase on the card in the first three months. Terms Apply.$500 (100,000 points at .5 cents per point)Hilton Silver elite status.

The information for the Hilton Aspire card has been collected independently by Million Mile Secrets. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Is it worth using points to book Hilton all-inclusive resorts?

So, should you spend your hard-earned Hilton points at a Hilton all-inclusive resort? We’ll help you do some math to figure it out.

With Hilton tossing out its award chart, it’s difficult to nail down the value of Hilton points. We estimate they are worth 0.5 cents each, on average.

Let’s look at the Hilton Playa del Carmen, an all-inclusive, adults-only resort, in Mexico. I found room rates in December when a night costs $286 for two adults or 53,000 Hilton points. If you redeem points for your stay, you’ll get a value of 0.54 cents per point. This value is… average.

But remember that you’ll get the fifth night free when you book five consecutive award nights, as long as you have Hilton elite status (included with any of the Amex Hilton cards). If you were to spend five nights at this resort, you’d get a value of 0.67 cents per point. That’s a much sweeter deal!

And with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, you can receive up to $250 in statement credits per anniversary year when you make eligible purchases at participating Hilton Resorts. Read more about how the Aspire is a great compliment to anyone who is booking a trip at a Hilton resort.

Bottom line

You can book incredible stays and save hundreds of dollars at Hilton all-inclusive resorts when using Hilton points. It’s a great way to redeem your points since you’ll get free food, drinks, activities and plenty more at most resorts. And lots of resorts are family-friendly. It’s as close to a completely totally free vacation as you can get.

If you need more Hilton points, it’s easy to earn them with Hilton credit cards like:

  • Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Best overall Hilton card for points travelers
  • Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: Best mid-tier card with great spending bonuses
  • The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card: Best business credit cards for earning Hilton points
  • Hilton Honors American Express Card: Best for no annual fee

Have you stayed at a Hilton all-inclusive resort? Share your experience in the comments. And subscribe to our newsletter for more travel tips and recommendations like this delivered to your inbox once per day!

For rates and fees of the Amex Hilton Aspire, click hereFor rates and fees of the Amex Hilton Surpass, click hereFor rates and fees of the Amex Hilton Business Card, click hereFor rates and fees of the Amex Hilton Credit Card, click here

Source: Read Full Article