yoshapman

Thinking about traveling somewhere from Dec 24-28 from NYC area, and would like to know if there is a list somewhere or if anyone has any advice for amazing properties in the US that don't cost very much points-wise. I have points in SPG, UR (Hyatt), Marriott, Hilton, and IHG. Would be interested in Caribbean?Mexico/Central America also, but have Flexperks to cover a flight up to $600, and that is mostly only the US for the dates I need, since everywhere else is over $600.

It was actually this post that got me thinking about this - http://mommypoints.boardingarea.com/....XluBYNX0.dpbs

Since it will be winter, would like somewhere with a nice indoor pool, and close to some shopping/destinations.

I don't care that much about food.

Thanks in advance!

mnscout

You are vacationing during the "hottest" week of the year. I'm afraid you won't find too many great properties available for points or at least standard rate. You might also find that the airlines hike their rates considerably during this time of the year.

If you want a beach vacation, I would begin by looking at some Cancun properties, although finding a reasonable airfare will still be a challenge.

sdsearch

I'm confused about where you want to go. It will be winter where you are based (the NYC area), but it won't be (or at least seem to be like) winter in Caribbean/Mexico/Central America.

If you're happy with it being winter outside your hotel, and you just want a nice indoor pool, it might as well be driving distance for you (unless you don't have a car in NYC), since that means you only need to concern yourself iwth hotels and not air travel cost. And, coincindentally, hotels where it's winter (in the suburbs, anyway) will be a lot easier to get on low points than hotels where it's prepetual summer (Caribbenean/Mexico/Central America).

But you also haven't explained what kind of shopping or destinations you want. There are "outlet mall" locations in the US, for one kind of shopping, but I don't know if that's the kind of shopoing you mean. But they tend to be in outlying suburbs, far away from other destinations, and I'm not sure with the way you wrote "shopping/destinations" what you meant by "desitnations".

Without even looking at the list first, I can tell your right off the bat: Most of the low point hotel redemptions are in suburbs and smaller towns, not in big cities. NYC, Boston, DC, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, if you want to be close it to all without a rental car, the hotels tend to need a lot points. If you're happy bieng in a car-required location like Amarillo TX or Marion NC or maybe the further-out suburbs of one of these cities, that's where the low point hotel redemmptions are likely to be found.

And the exceptions tend to be in harder-to-get to cities (ie, there's less air service options to them, which may drive up prices, or they may simple be far away).

The one on that list that I spot as being reasonably near a city center maybe (and in the continental US) is the Hyatt Regency Albuquerque. Albuquerque is at a high elevation, so it can definitely be winter there.

84fiero

That week will be a tough one especially for the hotel programs that up their rates during peek times. Or even finding rooms available with points in many cases.

That said, I would go to the sites for each hotel program and see properties are potentially available at the lower end of the points spectrum, and then which of those match up with what interests you in a destination.

Do you want a beach experience in weather suitable for sunbathing, swimming, etc. or just somewhere nicer than up north? In general, you'll have the hardest time with availability on points with the warmest/most popular of the wintertime destinations (but doesn't hurt to look) that week. If so, consider some places perhaps a bit farther north that, while not beach weather, are still likely to be milder and more pleasant.

alaskantraveler

Check out awardmapper.com A great site. shows all the major hotels and how many points needed for a nights stay. Easy to find great deals on lower category hotels

SanDiego1K

Thinking outside the box, Merida, Mexico is at the heart of the Yucatan and has both a Hyatt and an IC. The town itself is pleasant, and you could take a little trip to some of the Mayan ruins. We drove and found it easy enough. There are also some wonderful historic Starwood properties in the Yucatan. Most of them are very small with just a few rooms.

It's straightforward to look at Hyatt properties by level. You'll see Merida is the lowest level, or level 1. Note there is a property in Panama also on the list. http://goldpassport.hyatt.com/gp/en/...ction=standard Look and see what appeals location wise, then come back to FT and research the property.