5 Best Hotels in Australia and the South Pacific You Can Book With Hilton Points — Use the Hilton Card Limited-Time Offers

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INSIDER SECRET: The free weekend night from the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card can be used at nearly any Hilton property, including the Conrad Bora Bora Nui which costs over $750 per night!

You’ll have a hard time finding a bucket list that doesn’t include Australia, New Zealand or the South Pacific. A Hilton hotel in the midst of the Sydney Harbor, the mountainous setting of the Adventure Sports Capital of the World, or even perched above a turquoise lagoon is the perfect setting for that dream vacation.

It’s easy to make these travel goals a reality with the Amex Hilton cards, which all have increased welcome bonuses:

  • Hilton Honors American Express Card – 90,000 Hilton points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening (limited-time offer through August 28, 2019)
  • Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card – 130,000 Hilton points and a free weekend night after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first four months of account opening (formerly the Hilton Ascend card) (limited-time offer through August 28, 2019)
  • Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express — 150,000 Hilton points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening
  • The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card – 130,000 Hilton points and a free weekend night after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first four months of account opening (limited-time offer through August 28, 2019)

The information for the Hilton Aspire card and Hilton Surpass card has been collected independently by Million Mile Secrets. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Any of these cards come with automatic Hilton status, which allows you to get the fifth night free on award stays of five or more consecutive nights.

Here are some of the best Hilton hotels in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific with points.

Visit some of the best Hilton hotels with points in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific with points, like the Conrad Bora Bora Nui. (Photo courtesy of Hilton)

5 Best Hilton Hotels in Australia and the South Pacific With Points

Find out about the Hilton credit card current offers

Read our guide: Do you know the difference between Hilton hotel brands?

1. Conrad Bora Bora Nui

One of the most luxurious Hilton properties is appropriately set on one of the most beautiful islands in the world. The name “Bora Bora” is derived from an ancient Tahitian phrase meaning “created by the gods.” When you gaze out your airplane window at the turquoise lagoon as you come in for landing, you’ll agree.

The Conrad Bora Bora Nui sits on a private island with overwater bungalows, white sand beaches and an infinity pool. If you close your eyes and picture the ultimate tropical paradise, you still might not do this resort justice.

On approach to Bora Bora, you quickly realize you are landing somewhere special. (Photo by Brian Biros/Million Mile Secrets)

With rooms costing at least $750 per night, this luxury comes at a price. However, with Hilton Honors points you can stay for free! And you can use the free weekend night certificate from the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card. At 89,000 points per night, you’ll get two nights at this hotel – one using points and one using the certificate. This is a $1,500 value with 41,000 points left over from the bonus.

2. Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa

Queenstown has labeled itself the adventure sports capital of the world, and rightfully so. Adrenaline junkies will have no shortage of options to fuel their appetites — bungee jumping, skydiving, canyoning, rafting, heliskiing and much more. After a day of extreme adventure, you’ve earned a stay at an upscale hotel.

The Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa overlooks the stunning Lake Wakatipu with a dramatic mountainous backdrop. Unwind in the spa or heated indoor pool, or just cozy up by the fireplace in your room and enjoy the heavenly views.

This is the perfect spot to unwind after a day of adventure. (Photo courtesy of Hilton)

Award stays start at only 34,000 Hilton points per night, although during their summer this jumps to 60,000. Cash prices follow a similar trend, so you’ll consistently get a value of roughly 0.5 cents per Hilton point which is average for Hilton hotels. However, there is nothing average about the Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa or the incredible city and country it resides in.

3. Hilton Sydney

Nestled in the midst of Sydney harbor and close to the famous Sydney Opera House, the Hilton Sydney is the perfect launching point to the best restaurants, attractions and views this amazing city has to offer. Of course, with the top-notch dining and bar options within the hotel itself, you may not even have to leave it to find what you are looking for.

The Sydney Hilton is the perfect home base to explore Sydney’s world-famous harbor. (Photo by Brian Biros/Million Mile Secrets)

Award nights here start at 36,000 Hilton points per night but vary drastically from day to day — going up to 70,000 points per night. Between the free weekend night certificate of the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card and nearly any combination of award nights, you’ll have enough points with the 130,000-point sign-up bonus for several nights in the heart of one of those most spectacular harbors in the world.

4. DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Fiji — Sonaisali Island

Even though the DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Fiji — Sonaisali Island is only the second-nicest Hilton in Fiji (the Hilton Fiji Beach Resort & Spa is even better), I want to highlight it here especially for the value you can get with the Hilton Honors American Express Card. When you earn the welcome bonus you’ll have enough for five nights at this hotel!

Here’s how that can work: Award rates at the DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Fiji — Sonaisali Island start at 23,000 Hilton points per night. Once you spend $2,000 on the Hilton Honors American Express Card you’ll have at least 96,000 Hilton Honors points. That’s more than enough for four nights at the lowest award rate. However, since Hilton gives the fifth night free on award stays of five or more consecutive nights to those with Hilton status, and the Hilton Honors American Express Card comes with automatic Hilton Honors Silver status, you can get a free fifth night as well!

Of course, the deal gets even sweeter with the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card, which will get you almost enough for two additional award nights. Throw in the free weekend certificate, and you’re looking at an eight-day vacation in Fiji.

5. Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa

In the same way that two sisters from the Williams family belong in any conversation about the world’s best female tennis player, sister islands of Bora Bora and Moorea belong in any conversation of the world’s most beautiful island. The Tahitian gods should be proud of their creations in French Polynesia, with these two islands as their poster children. You can debate between Moorea’s deep mountainous jungle versus Bora Bora’s impossibly turquoise lagoon, but really there are no losers here.

Another of Hilton’s most luxurious resorts, the Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa starts at $450 per night, making it another great use of a free weekend night certificate from the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card. When award nights are available, they cost a flat 80,000 points per night. In addition to the Hilton Surpass card, the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express gives you enough points for two nights at this fabulous resort when you include points from meeting the minimum spending requirement. And if you combine it with the free weekend night certificate you’ll receive when you open the card, you can make it three free nights!

You could get up to three nights at the fabulous Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa with the welcome bonus on the Hilton Aspire card. (Photo courtesy of Hilton)

Here’s an insider tip if you’re deciding between the Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa and the Conrad Bora Bora Nui. Moorea is located right next to Tahiti and its international airport in Papeete. So the Hilton Moorea is easily reachable from a quick, cheap ferry ride and bus or shuttle transfer. Getting to Bora Bora can be much more expensive. Flights for the short flight cost several hundred dollars each way, and the transfer from the airport to the private island of the Conrad Bora Bora Nui costs $70 per person. So if budget is a concern, Moorea is probably the way to go.

Bottom Line

Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific are well worth the journey, but staying at the finest hotels there can really add up. However, using points and certificates from a Hilton credit card by American Express, particularly one with a limited-time increased offer, can make your stay much cheaper or even free!

Here are the Hilton credit cards offered by American Express along with their current welcome bonuses:

  • Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express — 150,000 Hilton points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening
 

Want to learn more about Hilton points? Check out our guides:

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Brian Biros is a contributor to Million Mile Secrets, he covers topics on points and miles, credit cards, airlines, hotels, and general travel.

Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)

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