“Hilton and Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) today announced an exclusive strategic partnership that will welcome Hilton guests to hundreds of independently minded luxury hotels in the most sought-after destinations around the world. The partnership will dramatically expand the luxury experiences offered by Hilton as unique SLH properties join the unparalleled hotels of the growing Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts and LXR Hotels & Resorts brands.”

– Hilton Press Release, February 7th, 2024

Credit. Hilton. Hilton Partnership With Small Luxury Hotels.

The New Hilton Partnership With Small Luxury Hotels

While the details are scarce, there are a few knowns at this time:

• SLH will remain independent from Hilton.
• Hilton Honors members will be able to both earn and redeem Hilton Honors points at participating SLH.
• SLH properties will be available for booking via all Hilton Honors channels (i.e. website, app, etc).
• Not all 560 boutique hotels in the SLH portfolio will participate in the partnership (similar to the Hyatt partnership).

There are no details on the potential benefits for each Hilton Honors status level, but the assumption is a similar benefits package to those offered through the previous World of Hyatt partnership and current Capital One partnership.

Credit. Small Luxury Hotels.

Final Thoughts

This is the final nail in the coffin of the World of Hyatt and Small Luxury Hotels partnership. With that said, what is a loss for Hyatt ends up as a gain for Hilton. The Small Luxury Hotels of the World program offers customers a curated collection of boutique accommodations and helps Hilton further establish itself in the Luxury hotel segment. At this point in time, however, there are two major outstanding questions. First, what benefits do Hilton Honors members receive when booking a SLH hotel stay via the various Hilton channels. Second, what redemption rates will SLH properties require under the Hilton dynamic award pricing model.