How to Book Small Luxury Hotels Through Hilton

Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) has nearly 600 independent, upscale hotels in 90 countries around the world. These are individual properties without a brand affiliation that maintain their local identity and charm while tapping into the larger power of SLH’s name recognition and reservation engine.

A 2024 partnership with Hilton Honors brings hundreds of interesting and special hotels to the collection. It also opens up SLH properties to the large audience of more than 180 million Hilton Honors travelers that may be interested in staying with them. The Hilton Honors partnership comes on the heels of a big swap from an SLH partnership with World of Hyatt.

Is Hyatt part of Hilton? No. SLH swapped its affiliation with World of Hyatt for the larger Hilton Honors group of properties.

Hilton luxury hotels around the world include brand names like Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts and LXR Hotels & Resorts. With the addition of this new group of luxury small hotels, it has grown exponentially.

Most larger brands have a formula that comes with a set standard for what each hotel should be like. Of course, properties still have local flair, but they must conform to certain brand guidelines.

SLH properties, however, are independently owned and operated. They work with SLH solely to belong to a larger booking system to grow awareness around the world.

You should look into a Small Luxury Hotels stay if you like staying in smaller properties that often blend into their neighborhood or local area. They are all different, which makes it an interesting experience to look forward to, and while you won’t see Hilton name tags, you will see a Hilton Honors logo somewhere indicating the subtle connection.

If you are someone who prefers small boutique properties to larger chain hotels, SLH is a great option for one-of-a-kind experiences.

It also gives Hilton an entrance into smaller markets where some of its existing brands may not be otherwise a great fit given the destination size or location.

Almost all of the SLH hotels in the group will participate in Hilton Honors, but there will be a few exceptions.

The best way to book SLH hotels if you want to take advantage of Hilton Honors points is through any Hilton reservation channel (website, app or phone). These will show what hotels are in your chosen destination and the price in either cash or Hilton Honors points.

With so many Hilton partners and ways to earn Hilton Honors points, SLH hotels add yet another group of Hilton boutique hotels where members can redeem points.

There are some exciting hotels and destinations now available to Hilton Honors members that provide dramatic luxury, exceptional views or special experiences worth noting. They include alpine chalets, island retreats, Old World palaces and urban hotels.

On the banks of Lake Como, this chic property gives Hilton Honors members more choice by the lake. There are several famous luxury hotels in the area, but this property certainly makes a land-based splash.

Perched at the edge of the city’s famous old town and along the shore of the Adriatic Sea, Hotel Excelsior is sure to be a favorite. It has two sections: the original 1913 royal villa and a more modern wing. The Dalmatian Coast is growing in popularity with travelers, especially because of its starring role HBO’s Game of Thrones.

In the city’s famous old town, this property sits within a 350-year-old former Carmelite convent that has been completely renovated to maintain its history. From the whirlpool on the rooftop to the beach club and Puerto Rican menus, this hotel has true regional character that other big hotels on the island cannot match.

Vietnamese decor and cuisine are highlights here, but so is the beach that fronts the property. There are two glistening swimming pools surrounded by swaying palms. This hotel is a far cry from the larger resort factories that are along the Vietnamese coastline.

Staying at a small boutique hotel is not for everyone, but SLH hotels are not always small in room count despite the group’s name. These are some of the things you should consider when booking SLH hotels via Hilton.

• Hilton Honors perks, but only if you book through Hilton. Members will earn base points and bonus points for elite status members in the same way they do at other Hilton Honors properties, but only on the room rate.

• Hilton Honors elite perks. Elite status members will receive similar perks when staying with SLH hotels booked via Hilton, including complimentary breakfast for Gold and Diamond members as well as space-available upgrades. When reserving an SLH hotel using Hilton Honors points, any resort or destination fee will be waived.

• 5th night free benefit. When redeeming points, elite status members can pay for four nights and receive the fifth night free.

• Hotel locations. Most SLH hotels are in Europe with 344 properties. If you are looking for properties elsewhere, the network is next strongest in the Asia-Pacific (120) and Americas-Caribbean regions (103). Travelers bound for Africa and the Middle East have fewer choices.

• SLH has its own loyalty program named Invited, which might offer more value. It does not offer points earning or redemption, but members can earn perks based on how many nights they stay with SLH. You may want to consider this program first to see if the cost of staying 13 nights would yield better value than earning or redeeming Hilton Honors points. Invited members receive free Wi-Fi and late checkout. Once they reach the second elite tier (after staying 4 nights), they receive free breakfast and space-available room upgrades. The third tier (after 13 nights) receives a $300 voucher plus special event invitations.

The addition of Small Luxury Hotels of the World brings even more value to Hilton Honors by adding more Hilton boutique hotels eligible for points earning and redemption.

Boosting Hilton’s luxury portfolio has been a strong focus for the hospitality company over the fast year, and SLH becoming one of the many Hilton partners is a coup for the brand and customers.