Best Luxury Hotel on Points - Australia
Sep 5, 2015, 7:38 pm
#1
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Join Date: Jun 2001
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Best Luxury Hotel on Points - Australia
I like to use my points on luxury travel: first class seats on planes and beautiful hotels. We're headed down under in a month or so, and I was super disappointed to learn that Wolgan Valley no longer accepts Emirates Skywards redemptions.
What other beautiful, five-star luxury properties would you recommend outside of the cities where I could use my points? (We've already got a reservation at the Park Hyatt in Sydney!) Ideally rugged wilderness or beaches, but either way seclusion is a good thing for our R&R. Assume I have points in most of the major programs (or can get to them somehow). Our aim is to stay in Australia ...
I saw the Sheraton Noosa and one other SPG property, but they looked like big, not so luxurious hotels.
Anyone have any ideas of great hotel destinations on points outside of the major cities?
What other beautiful, five-star luxury properties would you recommend outside of the cities where I could use my points? (We've already got a reservation at the Park Hyatt in Sydney!) Ideally rugged wilderness or beaches, but either way seclusion is a good thing for our R&R. Assume I have points in most of the major programs (or can get to them somehow). Our aim is to stay in Australia ...
I saw the Sheraton Noosa and one other SPG property, but they looked like big, not so luxurious hotels.
Anyone have any ideas of great hotel destinations on points outside of the major cities?
Sep 6, 2015, 6:46 pm
#2
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GA
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No specific regions in mind? You'll go anywhere in Australia if there is a nice hotel there?
I am not sure if any of these can be booked with points as I am not familiar with every program. But here are a few you might be interested in researching:
Thorngrove Manor Hotel, near Adelaide SA
Saffire Freycinet, Tasmania
Echoes Resort, Blue Mountains NSW
Voyages Longitude 131, Ayers Rock NT
Woodbridge On The Derwent, Tasmania
Qualia Resort, Hamilton Island, QLD
I am not sure if any of these can be booked with points as I am not familiar with every program. But here are a few you might be interested in researching:
Thorngrove Manor Hotel, near Adelaide SA
Saffire Freycinet, Tasmania
Echoes Resort, Blue Mountains NSW
Voyages Longitude 131, Ayers Rock NT
Woodbridge On The Derwent, Tasmania
Qualia Resort, Hamilton Island, QLD
Sep 7, 2015, 3:53 am
#3
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Location: Portland OR Double Emerald (QF and AA), DL PM/MM, Starwood Plat
Posts: 19,589
...What other beautiful, five-star luxury properties would you recommend outside of the cities where I could use my points? (We've already got a reservation at the Park Hyatt in Sydney!) Ideally rugged wilderness or beaches, but either way seclusion is a good thing for our R&R. ...
Sep 7, 2015, 3:15 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: UK
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It's not Australia, but it's close... I really liked the Le Meridien Ile de Pins in New Caledonia, which is available for SPG redemptions. Very quiet, private beach, amazing lagoon a short walk away which feels like you're swimming in an aquarium!
Sep 13, 2015, 1:08 pm
#6
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Hmm ... just what I feared!
I love the Ile de Pins suggestion -- it looks like a fantastic property (although gets decidedly negative reviews on service). We'll check it out! I'm assuming it's not an easy trip from Sydney, though.
I love the Ile de Pins suggestion -- it looks like a fantastic property (although gets decidedly negative reviews on service). We'll check it out! I'm assuming it's not an easy trip from Sydney, though.
Sep 13, 2015, 1:33 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: UK
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I believe there's a Qantas or Air Calin flight from Sydney to Noumea every day. On arrival, you'd need to drive for 30 odd minutes from the international to the domestic "airport" (I think they call it an air-station rather than airport!), then fly down to Ile de Pins. The Le Meridien will collect you from the airport there. You might well have to stop over in Noumea one way, due to connection timings, but that's not the end of the world unless you're really pushed for time
We didn't have any issues with the service at the LM, but it's very much a French hotel, not an American one. By French standards, we found everyone very friendly and helpful, certainly better than you'd get at most Parisian hotels, on par with most French hotels outside very large cities. However, just as with in Paris, it might be a shock if you were expecting American style fawning service...
We didn't have any issues with the service at the LM, but it's very much a French hotel, not an American one. By French standards, we found everyone very friendly and helpful, certainly better than you'd get at most Parisian hotels, on par with most French hotels outside very large cities. However, just as with in Paris, it might be a shock if you were expecting American style fawning service...