Now that Preferred Hotels & Resorts can be easily booked online, I was curious to see which ones offer the best value for your points. To get at this, I found hotels that offer a minimum of 1 cent per Choice point value year-around. Given that both Citi ThankYou Rewards and Wells Fargo Rewards transfer 1 to 2 to Choice, this means that the hotels shown in this post offer a minimum value of 2 cents per Citi or Wells point. That’s excellent.
Methodology
To find the best gems, I matched up Choice point prices with Preferred Hotels “starting at” cash prices (found here). Not all Preferred Hotels show starting at prices, but most do. I then filtered to all hotels that dependably offer about 1 cent per point value or better (I actually filtered to hotels offering greater than 0.95 cents per point value).
Note that since I only used “starting at” prices, I only found the hotels where you will get good value year around. There are many, many hotels who’s prices go way up during peak season and therefore deliver great point value during those times. This post does not include hotels that offer great value only seasonally.
In summary, you’ll find here a number of hotels that offer great value year around when booked with Choice points. Missing from the list are those in which the Preferred Hotels website doesn’t list a starting at price. Also missing are hotels that offer great value only during peak season.
Great value Preferred Hotels bookable with Choice points
The following hotels offer a minimum of approximately 1 cent per Choice point value year around. These best value hotels are sorted to the top.
All of the following information, including photos and descriptions of each hotel, was found on the Preferred Hotels & Resorts website.
The One Palácio da Anunciada (Lisbon)
FIVE-STAR BOUTIQUE HOTEL IN A 16TH-CENTURY PALACE
Lisbon, Portugal
- Point Price: 25000
- Starting At Cash Price: $500
- Cents Per Point Value: 2
The Sherry-Netherland (New York City)
NEW YORK’S LEGENDARY CRÈME DE LA CRÈME NEAR CENTRAL PARK
New York, New York, United States
- Point Price: 55000
- Starting At Cash Price: $769
- Cents Per Point Value: 1.4
THE THIEF (Oslo)
OSLO’S GOLD-AND-GLASS CROWN JEWEL
Oslo, Norway
Please note that this hotel is also bookable directly with Choice points through the Choice Privileges website (and there are advantages to doing so). See this post for details: Two ways to book (Nordic) hotels with Choice points.
- Point Price: 20000
- Starting At Cash Price: $268
- Cents Per Point Value: 1.34
Capellan de Getsemani (Colombia)
A BEAUTIFUL SPANISH COLONIAL HOTEL ON COLOMBIA’S CARIBBEAN COAST
Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
- Point Price: 25000
- Starting At Cash Price: $299
- Cents Per Point Value: 1.2
Castelfalfi (Tuscany)
A Luxurious Countryside Retreat with Breathtaking Tuscany Views
Montaione Tuscany, Italy
- Point Price: 55000
- Starting At Cash Price: $600
- Cents Per Point Value: 1.09
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The Broadmoor (Colorado Springs)
A GRAND, LAKESIDE RESORT SURROUNDED BY EPIC MOUNTAINS
Colorado Springs, Colorado,United States
- Point Price: 45000
- Starting At Cash Price: $480
- Cents Per Point Value: 1.07
ATELIER Playa Mujeres (Cancun)
SECLUDED AND LUXURIOUS BEACHFRONT ALL-INCLUSIVE ADULTS ONLY GETAWAY
Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico
- Point Price: 55000
- Starting At Cash Price: $574
- Cents Per Point Value: 1.04
Hotel Unique (São Paulo, Brazil)
WORLD-CLASS DESIGN AND GASTRONOMY IN A PICTURESQUE NEIGHBORHOOD
São Paulo, Brazil
- Point Price: 45000
- Starting At Cash Price: $461
- Cents Per Point Value: 1.02
Erinvale Estate Hotel & Spa (South Africa)
A CHARMING BOUTIQUE COUNTRY ESTATE SURROUNDED BY MOUNTAINS AND VINEYARDS
Somerset West, South Africa
- Point Price: 25000
- Starting At Cash Price: $254
- Cents Per Point Value: 1.02
Grand Hotel Santa Lucia (Naples)
ENCHANTINGLY ELEGANT BOUTIQUE HOTEL IN THE BAY OF NAPLES
Naples, Italy
- Point Price: 35000
- Starting At Cash Price: $349
- Cents Per Point Value: 1
Hotel Metropole Geneve (Switzerland)
HISTORIC BEAUTY IN THE HEART OF GENEVA WITH GORGEOUS LAKE VIEWS
Geneva, Switzerland
- Point Price: 55000
- Starting At Cash Price: $529
- Cents Per Point Value: 0.96
Quinta Real Oaxaca (Mexico)
A BOUTIQUE HOTEL IN AN ARTFULLY RESTORED SPANISH COLONIAL CONVENT
Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico
- Point Price: 35000
- Starting At Cash Price: $335
- Cents Per Point Value: 0.96
Never Available Hotels
The following hotels seem to offer a minimum of 1 cent per Choice point value year around. However, at the time of writing, the points-booking calendars for these hotels showed that they were unavailable through to the end of the schedule. In other words, here’s a list of hotels that would be great to book with Choice points, but don’t get your hopes up because they’re probably not available…
Montage Laguna Beach (California)
A STYLISH CLIFFTOP RESORT IN AN ARTSY BEACH TOWN
Laguna Beach, California, United States
- Point Price: 55000
- Starting At Cash Price: $808
- Cents Per Point Value: 1.47
Ojai Valley Inn (California)
AN ICONIC SPA RETREAT IN THE HEART OF THE OJAI VALLEY
Ojai, California, United States
- Point Price: 55000
- Starting At Cash Price: $729
- Cents Per Point Value: 1.33
Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba (Tokyo)
A CONTEMPORARY SKYRISE WITH VIEWS OVER TOKYO BAY
Tokyo, Japan
- Point Price: 25000
- Starting At Cash Price: $320
- Cents Per Point Value: 1.28
Boston Harbor Hotel (Boston)
A FIVE-STAR HOTEL PERFECTLY PLACED BETWEEN SEA AND CITY
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Point Price: 55000
- Starting At Cash Price: $681
- Cents Per Point Value: 1.24
7132 Hotel (Switzerland)
AN ARCHITECTURAL MASTERPIECE IN THE VALS VALLEY
Vals, Switzerland
- Point Price: 55000
- Starting At Cash Price: $676
- Cents Per Point Value: 1.23
Hotel Xcaret Mexico (Playa del Carmen)
An All-Inclusive Ecological Resort Built into the Mayan Jungle
Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico
- Point Price: 55000
- Starting At Cash Price: $675
- Cents Per Point Value: 1.23
Fess Parker Wine Country Inn (California)
ROMANTIC RETREAT IN THE HEART OF CALIFORNIA’S WINE COUNTRY
Los Olivos, California, United States
- Point Price: 55000
- Starting At Cash Price: $650
- Cents Per Point Value: 1.18
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Nemacolin (Pennsylvania)
SET ACROSS MORE THAN 2,200 ACRES OF MAJESTIC HIGHLANDS
Farmington, Pennsylvania, United States
- Point Price: 55000
- Starting At Cash Price: $649
- Cents Per Point Value: 1.18
Hotel Californian (California)
SANTA BARBARA BEACH ESCAPE WHERE THE OCEAN MEETS THE CITY
Santa Barbara, California, United States
- Point Price: 55000
- Starting At Cash Price: $620
- Cents Per Point Value: 1.13
Storchen Zürich – Lifestyle Boutique (Switzerland)
FINE SWISS HOSPITALITY IN THE HEART OF ZÜRICH OLD TOWN
Zurich, Switzerland
- Point Price: 55000
- Starting At Cash Price: $585
- Cents Per Point Value: 1.06
The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston (Texas)
AN ULTRA-LUXURIOUS HIGH-RISE HOTEL WITH SIGNATURE DINING
Houston, Texas, United States
- Point Price: 55000
- Starting At Cash Price: $557
- Cents Per Point Value: 1.01
Wellington Hotel & Spa Madrid (Spain)
CLASSIC GLAMOUR IN MADRID’S STYLISH SALAMANCA DISTRICT
Madrid, Spain
- Point Price: 45000
- Starting At Cash Price: $453
- Cents Per Point Value: 1.01
Salamander Middleburg (Virginia)
FIVE-STAR RESORT IN THE FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS
Middleburg, Virginia, United States
- Point Price: 55000
- Starting At Cash Price: $550
- Cents Per Point Value: 1
The Dominick (New York City)
UPTOWN LUXURY MEETS DOWNTOWN EDGE WITH ICONIC CITY AND RIVER VIEWS
New York, New York, United States
- Point Price: 55000
- Starting At Cash Price: $548
- Cents Per Point Value: 1
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I think the Preferred Hotels plays games with availability. Atelier was wide open a couple of weeks ago and is completely unavailable now along with Live Aqua.
I wonder if there are any tricks to booking. We’ve heard amazing things about the Xcaret Playa del Carmen and I was stoked to see it on this list. But on the Choice/Preferred site, it shows no availability at all for even a single night for the duration of the calendar.
I don’t know of any tricks but if you find any let us know! That hotel was in the section of this post titled “Never available hotels”
The Boston Harbor Hotel, when I stayed there about a decade ago, had somewhat dated rooms which hopefully have been refreshed. However, the saltwater lap pool and jacuzzi are amazing, as was the spa.
To me it looks like a huge devaluation since last year. I spent 8000 per night for 7 night at the Hotel Principessa Isabella in Rome. Hotel Bolivar near by was bookable at 12000 per night in 2023. Now Bolivar went up to 20000 and Principessa Isabella is not bookable at all. All hotels in Oslo used to be in 12000 to 15000 range. Things have changed a lot.
Those rates were cheaper than my stay 8 years ago. Incredible.
Booked this one in Istanbul for 55k per night (rates > €1600 per night):
AJWA HOTEL SULTANAHMET
Looks nice!
Cancellation policy is unclear. I am trying to book with points Atelier hotel. It says it will take 25% payment now. And if cancelled 2 days prior arrival will charge 25% of cost.. Does it mean it will take off 25% points at booking and I can cancel with no penalty until 2 days prior arrival? Thank you!
You’re absolutely right. It’s worded terribly: “Cancellations made 2 days before the check in are subject to 25% of total stay as cancellation penalty.”
I believe it means that you’ll get your deposit back if you cancel more than 2 days in advance, but I’m not 100% sure. I’d be nervous about booking this one also.
I matched my Bonvoy elite status to preferred hotels and now titanium with preferred. Anyone knows if status recognized and what that dining credit for titanium if booked preferred hotel.
Your best option is to email the hotel and find out if they honor the preferred status. I came across a hotel the other day that was in the iprefer for booking but the hotel did not acknowledge membership status. So they are partners but not when it comes to status
Most of the ones listed as not available were the ones I was most interested in. RIP Montage Laguna Beach, Ojai Valley Inn and the Californian
I think park centraal in Amsterdam is also never available and 25k points would have been great for a hotel at the next door of Rijksmuseum and sell for $200 or more typically. I redeemed my choice points for a 5 night stay back in 2022 but it has become unavailable since then
I stayed there in 2023. Was a great deal. They tried to charge me taxes after my see which I fought. Sad to see it go.
The Thief in Oslo is an absolute steal. Lovely hotel on the waterfront in Oslo with a great breakfast. We just booked The Wort in Jackson Hole for 5 nights using my former lingering Radisson stash.
I was considering the other Preferred Hotel for an upcoming stay in Oslo. Did you look at that hotel before booking The Thief?
I am assuming you are talking about Amerikalinjen. I highly recommend this hotel. We booked this directly through Choice for 20k points. Whether to pick this one or the Thief may depend how long you have in Oslo. Amerikalinjen is much more centrally located, literally across the street from the train station, which you will use if you take the train from the airport or take a train to Bergen, etc. Many of the main sites are really close to Amerikalinjen. The rooms were small, but breakfast was fantastic. I think the views are probably better from the Thief, but I much preferred the location of Amerikalinjen.
Awesome, I really appreciate your thoughts on those 2 properties 🙂
No. We really wanted to be near the waterfront. We took the train in from the airport. Had luggage and walked to The Thief from there. it took about 20 minutes. We walked through some nice gardens, down the main street and then over to the waterfront, which was quite pretty. We were only there one night-SAS layover on the way back from Athens. There is a great Japanese restaurant across the street from the Thief, and a cool tree that changes colors on the peninsula across a canal.
Gotcha, thank you for the info 🙂
I searched tokyo and didn’t find the listed hotel. Only comfort hotels showed up.
These won’t show up if you search directly through Choice Privileges. Instead, follow the instructions found here: https://frequentmiler.com/preferred-hotels-now-bookable-online-with-choice-points/