Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) is a group of mid-size, boutique hotels that spans more than 90 countries. Each property is independent, but allows SLH to market them via its distribution channels and loyalty program.
Earlier this week, SLH sent an e-mail out that announced a new partnership with Capital One that includes 193 out of the 500+ properties in the program. When booking through Capital One Travel, Venture X and Venture X Business cardholders will enjoy a suite of benefits that mirrors what World of Hyatt offers through its own partnership with SLH: daily breakfast for two, upgrades and, I think, credits. As is often the case when Capital One launches new products or programs, the news seems to be out in front of the details. Currently, there’s nothing that I can find about it on Capital One’s own website.
Speaking of Hyatt, when Loyalty Lobby (LL) wrote about Capital One and SLH earlier this week, they dropped an intriguing, little nugget:
The (SLH) collaboration with Hyatt…will dissolve due to Hyatt’s purchase of the Mr & Mrs Smith platform. The date of this termination is unclear, as is when Mr & Mrs Smith hotels will become bookable through Hyatt.
We have no idea if Loyalty Lobby got this directly from someone at SLH/Hyatt or if, like the rest of us, they just assume that it’s going to happen eventually due to Hyatt’s purchase of Mr & Mrs Smith. But, I wouldn’t be surprised if the SLH/Hyatt partnership is on the rocks and it’s interesting to see Loyalty Lobby’s aside.
The Deal
- Some Small Luxury Hotels of the World properties now provide additional benefits for Capital One Venture X and Venture X Business cardholders when booked through Capital One Travel. Benefits include:
- Daily breakfast for two
- Room upgrades (based on availability)
- On-property credits
Quick Thoughts
Properties that participate in SLH will usually charge more when you book through SLH than when you book direct, understandable since they have to pay to be a part of it. This has been an issue with the current Hyatt partnership as well, since that adds in another “middleman” platform.
I did a quick spin around Capital One Travel to see what pricing looked like for SLH properties. I picked five random properties in five different countries (on a random weekend in April) and found that, across the board, pricing was higher via C1: 20-40% more than booking with SLH, 30-60% more than booking direct with the property or via an online travel agency like Expedia. Interestingly, each property was also more expensive on Capital One Travel than when booking through Hyatt, but pricing was much closer.
Five hotels is obviously a very small sample size. That said, I would imagine that, generally, booking SLH through C1 will cost significantly more than booking direct. For some folks, the ability to use the Venture X’s $300 travel credit to book SLH properties, as well as the additional benefits provided for cardholders, will make it worth paying that additional cost. However, I’d certainly check what you’re paying against other booking options and also look see what benefits the property provides when booking with it directly.
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[…] Mrs Smith (causing the company to cut ties with IHG), and now last month’s announcement of SLH’s new partnership with Capital One Travel. This alone seemed like an odd partnership, given SLH is undoubtedly a premium travel brand, and […]
Re: Hyatt/SLH partnership. I searched two SLH properties I booked in the last year via Hyatt points, both of which had widespread award availability when I booked. I did about 50 searches and couldn’t any award availability after March at the Nanuku Resort, whereas at the time I did the searches for my booking there was widespread availability across the year. I was able to find some availability at Chalets at Blackheath after March, but compared to available almost every night at that time I previously looked. I wonder what others are seeing on SLH properties after 3/30? Hopefully it’s just an issue with Nanuku and SLH/Hyatt stay together!
Tried to book two rooms for three nights each all on Chase points at The Cellars-Hohenort Hotel SLH Cape Town South Africa in early June 2024. Could not do it. Kept getting “unavailable” messages. Tried a dozen combinations to no avail.Backed off to one room for one night and that was, points, available. The next night was available too but not if I tried to book it as a two night stay. Any idea what is going on here?
Thank you.
[…] Capital One Travel 预定部分 SLH 酒店可以享受双早、房型升级等福利（HT: Frequent Miler)。之后 SLH 可能还有新的合作伙伴，如果要预定 SLH […]
Anyone know if Citi Travel does price matching?
[…] Capital One Partners with Small Luxury Hotels of the World (But What’s Up with Hyatt?): Capital One Venture X cardholders can now get extra benefits with booking Small Luxury Hotels of the World in the Capital One travel portal. See this post on Frequent Miler. […]
That Loyalty Lobby article frustrates me too no end. There is no evidence that Hyatt/SLH are breaking up, just a single flyer talk thread speculating. It is absolutely horrible journalism to make that statement, it is presented as is it is definitely, 100% happening when it is not a sure thing. Definitely click bait
Agree 100%. Pure speculation written as if it’s a confirmed fact.
There are people in the comments asking for some substantiation and the author ignores them while responding to other comments. Agreed, it’s absolutely terrible “journalism” from loyalty lobby to report on message board speculation as if it’s a hard fact.
I always use price matching on C1. But it is annoying that you need to call them on the date you book the hotel.
C1 price matching used to be great. Now it’s a credit, which I value significantly less. Also, I’ve been denied a price match recently due to hotel’s direct booking price in local currency and not USD, which is annoying.
Capital one travel offers a price-match guarantee. I took advantage of it for a hotel I booked a couple months ago and was instantly credit the difference (as a capital one travel credit though—but it never expires). Not sure if SLH properties would be excluded from price match.
Would be eligible for price matching? Wouldn’t that lower the price to the direct booking cost
That’s a great point! Would be curious too.
I have stayed at some SLH properties using Hyatt points but I’m not really thrilled with the arrangement. I work hard to make Globalist and in exchange I want Globalist benefits. I can’t use suite upgrades at SLH. My Hyatt status means nothing at SLH properties. The rooms I have received at SLH properties are very much standard, unlike Hyatt where I have received wonderful upgrades even without using suite upgrade awards. So, if given a choice between SLH and a Hyatt, I’ll choose Hyatt, which has always treated me well. I will be very interested to see how Mr. and Mrs. Smith properties are integrated, because that will be a determining factor in how much I prioritize Hyatt in the future (since I have already stayed at most of the Hyatts on my bucket list and getting those 60 nights each year isn’t easy for me).
This practice by the banks in offering benefits for booking through their OTA, and then yanking those benefits away with ridiculous markups, is getting quite old (looking at you, Amex Travel…).
What happens to reservations booked via Hyatt for SLH? Hopefully those will still be hoored
Guess We’ll find out soon. I have some for March that i really don’t want to mess with. Same, as there were plenty of SLH’s on my list.
If Hyatt and SLH do end their partnership, I’d expect that all previously made reservations will be honored.
When a Hyatt property leaves the portfolio, all points based reservations are usually cancelled. It’s happened more than once to me. I would be concerned about Points and FNC reservations.
For which portfolio that Hyatt left did that happen, if you can share?
Hyatt Regency Albuquerque and Hyatt Place Cleveland – Independence
Thanks. I planned an Italy trip for Oct 2024 around a SLH points booking. Really hoping the reservation holds!