Hotels
How I Booked 5-Star Hotels With Chase Points (Tuscany, Rome and Florida)
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THE QUICK ANSWER
You can book luxury hotels with Chase Ultimate Rewards points through Chase Travel, Chase's own booking site. I used Chase points for a 5-star resort in Radda in Chianti and a staycation at The St. Regis Longboat Key, and I transferred Chase points to World of Hyatt for Palazzo Manfredi in Rome. Chase Travel prices rooms in points based on the cash rate, so it's simple and flexible, but it isn't always the highest value per point. Compare it with transferring to a hotel partner like World of Hyatt before you book.
People assume points are only for flights. Some of my favorite points redemptions have been hotels, and three of them were booked with Chase points.
A 5-star resort in Chianti, on Chase points
Day one in Radda in Chianti and we were completely blown away. We stayed at Pieve Aldina, a 5-star resort we booked with Chase points through Chase Travel's collaboration with Mr & Mrs Smith hotels. I can't even begin to describe how beautiful it is: rolling hills, quiet mornings, and wine that tastes better because you didn't pay cash for the room.
The rooms are exactly what you picture when you dream about Tuscany: wood beams, terracotta ceilings, soft linen everywhere, and a soaking tub I didn't want to leave. Then you walk outside to olive groves, cypress trees and a sunset like the one at the top of this post.
Palazzo Manfredi in Rome, by transferring to Hyatt
On one of our trips to Rome, we stayed at Palazzo Manfredi, a 5-star hotel in the Small Luxury Hotels of the World collection. This one wasn't booked through Chase Travel. I transferred Chase points to World of Hyatt and booked it as a Hyatt award, because Hyatt partners with Small Luxury Hotels of the World and lets you use Hyatt points at many of their hotels.
Chase points move to Hyatt 1 to 1, and Hyatt is one of the best places to send them. It's a great example of why it pays to check transfer partners before you book through the travel portal.
A staycation at The St. Regis Longboat Key
You don't have to cross an ocean to use your points. The St. Regis Longboat Key is about an hour south of where we live in St. Pete, and it's in my top five favorite hotels, and we've stayed at some pretty amazing resorts. The lazy river awaits and the spa is to. die. for.
I booked it through Chase Travel with Chase points. Was it the best redemption I've ever gotten? Maybe not. Was it so worth it? Absolutely. Sometimes the right use of points is the one that gets you a long weekend you'd never pay cash for.
Chase Travel vs. transferring points
There are two main ways to use Chase points for hotels:
- Book through Chase Travel. You search like you would on any travel site and pay with points. Prices follow the cash rate, so what you see is what you get. It's simple, it works for almost any hotel, and you don't need to understand award charts.
- Transfer to a hotel program. Chase points can move to hotel partners like World of Hyatt. At the right property, a transfer can stretch your points much further than Chase Travel. The tradeoff: transfers are one-way, and you need an available award room.
My rule: price it both ways. If the hotel is in a transfer partner's program, check the points price there. If it isn't, or the difference is small, Chase Travel is a great, easy option.
How to book a hotel through Chase Travel
- Log in to your Chase account and open Chase Travel.
- Search your destination and dates, and filter for the hotel you want.
- Compare the points price to the cash price, and to the hotel's own points price if it has a program Chase transfers to.
- Read the cancellation policy. Chase Travel bookings follow their own rules, which can differ from booking with the hotel directly.
- Pay with points, or a mix of points and cash.
When I pay cash instead
I'm a points queen, but not every stay needs points. On a past trip to Tuscany we stayed at Relais Val d'Orcia in Pienza, which didn't take points, and it was worth every penny in cash. Points are a tool, not a rule.
Keep it all in one place
The Beginner Points and Miles Tracker: your cards, points, perks, 5/24 count and trip goals in one plain-English spreadsheet. Excel and Google Sheets.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Chase points at Small Luxury Hotels of the World?
Often, yes. Chase points transfer 1 to 1 to World of Hyatt, and Hyatt lets members use points at many Small Luxury Hotels of the World properties. That's how I booked Palazzo Manfredi in Rome. Check that the hotel is bookable on Hyatt's site before you transfer.
Can you book luxury hotels with Chase points?
Yes. You can book hotels, including luxury properties, through Chase Travel using Ultimate Rewards points, or transfer points to a hotel partner like World of Hyatt and book with that program.
Is Chase Travel a good use of points?
It's simple and works for almost any hotel, but prices follow the cash rate, so it isn't always the highest value per point. Compare it with a transfer partner's price before you book.
Should I transfer Chase points to Hyatt instead?
If the hotel is a Hyatt property, check the World of Hyatt points price. Transfers can give you more value, but they are one-way and need an available award room, so confirm the room before you transfer.
Do Chase Travel hotel bookings get hotel loyalty perks?
Often they don't, because the hotel sees a third-party booking. If elite benefits or hotel points matter to you, check the hotel's policy before booking through Chase Travel.
Liane Jamason is a St. Petersburg, Florida real estate broker who has flown business class to Italy, France and the UK on credit card points. She founded Points & Provisions to make points simple for beginners. Read her story or follow along on Instagram.
