Luxury for LESS: 5 Nights at Waldorf Astoria Seychelles for $150!

[@TheStallion234]

This is the video I’ve been waiting for since you talked about it on the pod. Love it, Serena!

[@LetsGetToThePoints]

We're so glad you enjoyed the video! It's always exciting to find luxury experiences at such great prices.

[@PassionForPoints]

Thank you so much for your support! It means a lot that you were excited about this video. I just hope it helps those who are looking to save some money while living high on the hog.

[@ninil.1067]

Great episode! It's on my bucket list now.

[@PassionForPoints]

I'm so glad you enjoyed the episode! The Seychelles is definitely a dream destination. Hope you get to experience it soon!

[@LetsGetToThePoints]

Thank you so much for the kind words!

[@RewardHacksAndStacks]

This was the complete package for a video and I loved it. It was great for Serena's peaceful voice, great imagery from the stay itself, and breakdown of how it was made possible. Thanks for it!

[@LetsGetToThePoints]

Thank you for your kind words! We appreciate your support!

[@JennyKunna]

Fantastic recap! Serena, you're my spirit animal 🥰🤩I'm all about welcome drinks!

[@LetsGetToThePoints]

So glad you enjoyed the recap! Welcome drinks are definitely a must for the ultimate relaxation experience!

[@jimmyjames6492]

Hilton. For the Stay. Looks amazing!!! Thanks for the info + video!

[@PassionForPoints]

I'm glad you liked the video! The Waldorf Astoria Seychelles is definitely a stunning place....For The Stay! 😊

[@LetsGetToThePoints]

Hilton really knows how to do it! Glad you liked the vid! Time to book that trip!

[@ChewsToExplore]

Wow what an amazing stay you had us reminiscing and really wanting to go back. All of the turtles and wildlife wow. And still still so much has changed as well. We did not have a lot of those menu items as well. You guys did amazing with the costs and savings. I really wish you went before we did because you al gave a ton of amazing tips especially with the seaplane transfer!

[@PassionForPoints]

Hi Chew! Thank you for watching! Credit goes to you for encouraging the staff here to finally get an American Express machine! Because of you, we can now all use our Hilton credit cards on property. 🥳 I have a feeling a lot will still change in the near future as they get acclimated to welcoming more and more guests! Happy New Year to you and Liv!

[@tsaistreaming1531]

Go Conrad Bora Bora, dream destination❤

[@LetsGetToThePoints]

We did!!! Did you see our Bora Bora video? Conrad Bora Bora is so meh and pales in comparison to Waldorf Seychelles.

[@alexledonio8245]

Such an inspiring video to see another Waldorf 🩵🩵🩵

[@LetsGetToThePoints]

We'e glad you found it inspiring! Waldorfs are truly a stunning brand to experience luxury. 🩵

[@epeben1]

Have watched this multiple times! Thanks for all the details Serena. Booked for later this year! Hilton resort credits usable here?

[@PassionForPoints]

Congrats on your booking, Gene! I’m excited for you! Yes, Hilton credits will work here for the Hilton credit cards and Amex Biz Platinum. Same goes with the resort credit for the Hilton Aspire card. However, I did not bother trying the Hilton gift cards. I doubt any Hilton issued gift cards would work.

[@LetsGetToThePoints]

We're so glad the video helped you book your trip. Let us know how it goes!

[@reliev33]

Great voice over work 🎉

[@LetsGetToThePoints]

Thank you! Voice overs are not easy!

[@PassionForPoints]

Thank you! 😊

[@sunnycheng4612]

Is the villa with pool the standard room and bookable with 130k points or did you get upgraded from having Hilton status?

[@PassionForPoints]

Hi! This is an upgrade. Important to note is they are currently not using the default standard room for anyone right now. Everyone is being upgraded at the moment. When capacity increases, we expect guests will start occupying the standard rooms.

[@sunnycheng4612]

Thank you

[@LetsGetToThePoints]

Gotta love a poolside villa!

[@reneecopeland1095]

Great video! I would love to visit the island.

[@PassionForPoints]

Thanks for watching! The Seychelles is truly a paradise, and I hope you get to visit soon!

[@LetsGetToThePoints]

The island is calling your name!

[@alliea6112]

Impressive! 🎉

[@PassionForPoints]

Thank you! I'm glad you found it impressive! The Seychelles is truly a dream destination.

[@LetsGetToThePoints]

Who knew luxury could be so affordable.

[@CarlosHdz-rm6sg]

Amazing video! Will be taking the wife there in the next 10 years or so

[@LetsGetToThePoints]

We're glad you enjoyed the video! The Waldorf Astoria Seychelles is definitely a dream destination. We hope you both have an amazing time when you get there! It'll be worth the wait!

[@monkeyfamilyadventures]

I love the part about asking for other food options for breakfast and the ask is for noodles. I would want noodles too 😅 that’ll make me happy in the morning 😂 Did they let you know about upgrading you beforehand or when you checked in as the base room booked on pts is not the hawkshill pool villa correct? Do you think 5 nts was the right amount?

[@PassionForPoints]

Of course I had to ask for noodles!!! They even apologized to me for not having a wok.😆I first asked for dumplings but that wasn't possible. I did not know what room I was getting ahead of time. Currently, they are upgrading everyone but I expect that will change as occupancy rates increase over time. Five nights was perfect. However, with 6 nights, the plane transfer is included...unknown if that applies to points bookings.

[@bfan2816]

Verryyyyy Noiceeee!

[@PassionForPoints]

Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed the video! 😊

[@LetsGetToThePoints]

At that price, it’s practically a steal!

[@Enigma-KA]

I’ll be visiting soon, and in my culture, tipping isn’t a common practice. Could you let me know what the typical gratuity would be for a 6-night stay?

[@LetsGetToThePoints]

We’re very excited for you! Tipping is always optional and given for service you want to reward. We would think 10 USD - 50 USD per day is reasonable, dependent on how much effort and value your concierge adds to your experience. The plane transfer is included with 6 night stays so that will be nice!!!

[@lukesui]

Hi, how do you prepay the $200? Do you ask the hotel to charge you when you book? Thanks.

[@LetsGetToThePoints]

Yes, you can reach out to the hotel. We talked more about this during Episode 49: What's In Our Wallet.

[@epeben1]

Loved this episode, thanks Serena. Planning to go, maybe latter part of 2025 or early 2026. Have some Hilton certs and points I can use. So looks like the Hilton gift card works there?

[@PassionForPoints]

Hi Gene! I did not even bother trying the Hilton gift cards because I haven't had luck with them at international properties. Instead, I would bring and swipe the Amex Biz Plat and Hilton cards outright instead of trying to use the gift cards. I hope you get to go!

[@joefletcher8924]

So it’s 100k points per person for the round trip sea plane transfer? Did you stay any where else in Seychelles? We’re going for 6 nights but everything we read on FF is that we have to visit La Digue and Praslin and it would be a miss to just visit the WA. Curious in your thoughts

[@PassionForPoints]

Correct. 100k per person for the RT transfer to Platte Island. We did not stay anywhere else in the Seychelles. Unfortunately we had limited time. We spent some time before Seychelles in Oman and needed to get back home to the kids. Fortunately with points and miles, we can always go back another time. I would love to return to explore the other islands!

[@LetsGetToThePoints]

La Digue and Praslin are definitely worth a visit at some point! Each island has its own unique charm. But it's not necessary to do it all at once.

[@TR3NDSETR]

Do you think 2 nights is too little. Im traveling solo, and inwant to experience the island, but i think i might get bored if i stay longer. Does look lime an amazing expereince none the less.

[@PassionForPoints]

Hi! With a destination like this with the weather so unpredictable, I would hate for you to go and get overcast skies. The longer you are there, the more chances for blue skies. But if that doesn't matter to you, definitely go for the 2 nights. When I was there, it was not very lively at night, so I also wouldn't go for the nightlife. I have a feeling you will make your own party wherever you go!

[@WornWithTime]

How did you get there? I’m just getting started and love love your podcast! What points/cards did you use to get to the seyshells? Thank you for breaking down how to get the points for the hotel!

[@WornWithTime]

Also, is this more of a couples resort? We are looking for a spot for our little fam of 3 ( we have a 1 yr old)

[@soapa4279]

Hilton strategy, multiple Aspires and points

[@02Hrothgar]

May want to consider the Conrad Maldives. Great for families. As far as cards to get overseas, I would consider Amex cards (business cards are great if you can meet the spend) as you can get a lot of points fairly quickly. Also, Amex transfers 1:2 to Hilton (look for transfer bonuses too!) in case you need to top off your Hilton balance. Hope you and your family get to enjoy!

[@ping0313]

MR to HH is 1:2

[@02Hrothgar]

@@ping0313 Yes! Thank you! I meant 1:2

[@LMaNdRe83]

I will be honest. When I saw the title I was already annoyed that it is another clickbait title. I knew about the high transportation costs for the flight per person and already thought about my comment here. BUT I did not know about the Hilton Honors Expierence option. I just checked and its a round trip. It means you save like 250 USD per person when you buy the points before when there is an offer like right now. I learned something new. However, the credit cards are also not for free and would needed to be involved in the calcultion too. Unfortunately we have much less credit card options in Germany compared with the US and only one from Hilton.

[@LetsGetToThePoints]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts! We're glad you found value in the Hilton Honors Experience. Every country has its quirks when it comes to credit cards, but it's great that you’re exploring ways to save!

[@niravpatel7278]

First!!

[@PassionForPoints]

Congrats on being the first to comment! Hope you enjoyed the video!

[@LetsGetToThePoints]

Thank you for watching and commenting! We appreciate your support!

[@TravelHacktivist]

As much as I like this video - it feels like an ad for the resort, even though you redeemed points for the stay. No place is ever perfect, and since it seemed like you were the only two on the island, they gave you extra-special attention. I feel these elements, if true, need to be disclosed in order for your viewers to make better judgement on redemptions/paid stays. Anything that's too positive must be hiding something negative.

[@PassionForPoints]

Hi and thank you for your comment. Occupancy was 15%. It was low but we were not the only guests. We chatted with a couple that arrived 5 days before us and they said they were the only ones there. The big con for me was the mechanical issue with the dive boat, which I mentioned in the video, but it turned out we were very happy with the snorkeling. Another con was the high cost of entrees, which I also mentioned in the video. Full Disclosure: I paid for everything on my own either out of pocket or with Hilton points. I also never once mentioned to management or the staff that I was a content creator nor planning to create a KZbin video on the property. Everyone will have different opinions about a property based on their experience. This was mine. Thank you for watching and I'm glad you like it!

[@RandyBertrand]

Looks like you did not use $50 Hilton gift cards. Do they not work on this property? Looks like you only used a single quarterly $50 Hilton Surpass quarterly credit for charges against your room. We are planning to go for 5 nights in the new Waldorf Astoria opening up in Costa Rica this year and it would be nice if they accepted Hilton gift cards as we will have $400 accumulated but I hear these Hilton gift cards are not accepted at many Hiltons. That seems unethical to me that Hilton would not honor their gift cards at their own hotel. It appears this Hilton benefit is not worth it's face value. Reminds me of Celebrity Cruises limiting their own gift cards where they can only be used for new cruise bookings. They are worthless once you get on-board. At least we can use our $200 resort credit from Aspire at the Waldorf in Costa Rica :)

[@LetsGetToThePoints]

Hi Randy! That Waldorf in Costa Rica is on our list! Please let us know how your experience is! We would not hold our breath using any Hilton gift cards at any international property. We keep trying and strike out miserably. Going forward, we aren't going to bother. Hilton gift cards are best used at US properties. Serena just used them at the Waldorf in Beverly Hills and had no problem. If you keep trying and the Hilton gift cards don't work, call the number on the back of the card and protest. They might give you your money back. Good luck!

[@RandyBertrand]

@@LetsGetToThePoints Thanks for the good info on the gift cards. I think the Waldorf in Costa Rica could be awesome but they may have problems with service since it will be brand new. Love that it's a quick low point flight away. There are a couple of SLH Hilton hotels in the Caribbean that would awesome redemptions as well. The all-inclusive Hermitage Bay Resort in Antigua is arguably a better luxury deal but we will be traveling during hurricane season so we will save the SLH luxury caribbean stays for another day.

[@LetsGetToThePoints]

It's very smart of you to think about hurricane season. Many people don't and that could ruin a vacation. We think the Waldorf brand does a great job of dialing in service, far better than other brands, so hopefully any issues you face will be minor.