2026 Hot Destinations: Best UK Hotels to Use Points & Miles

Stop hoarding — start booking: how to turn 2026's hottest destinations into UK stays with points

Confused by variable award pricing, dozens of loyalty programmes and a dozen competing booking sites? You’re not alone. In 2026 travel planning looks a lot like a complex points puzzle: dynamic hotel awards, targeted transfer bonuses and renewed demand for both city breaks and outdoor escapes. This guide cuts through the noise and shows exactly how to redeem hotel points & miles from UK accounts for stays at home and in the top places The Points Guy highlighted for 2026.

Quick take — Immediate actions (read this first)

• Audit your balances: Log into AwardWallet or your banks’ rewards portals and list transferable currencies (Amex Membership Rewards, bank programme points) and hotel balances.
• Watch transfer bonuses: Late 2025 saw multiple targeted transfer bonuses — transferring during a 20–30% bonus can boost value dramatically. Follow deal trackers like Hot-Deals to spot promos.
• Be flexible with dates: dynamic pricing means shifting one or two nights can cut points cost by 25%+.
• Prioritise free-night certificates: If you hold a co‑brand card (Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors Amex), use the annual free-night certificate strategically for peak-season nights.
• Set alerts: Use hotel websites, AwardWallet and Google Alerts for award availability in your target destination.

"Make 2026 the year you stop hoarding points for 'someday' and book that trip." — The Points Guy Travel Team (Jan 2026)

Why 2026 is a unique year to redeem hotel points

Three macro trends shape hotel award strategies this year:

• Continued dynamic pricing: Most global chains now price awards based on demand, not strict categories. That makes flexibility and timing more valuable than ever.
• Promotions and transfer bonuses: After mid‑2025’s competitive push, several programmes increased promotions and targeted transfer bonuses — creating windows of outsized value.
• Staycations and outdoor travel: UK domestic demand remains high for rural and coastal stays. Chains that expanded or renovated UK properties (2023–25) are offering promotions to fill shoulder-season nights in 2026. See our micro-retreat playbook for hikers for practical ideas on planning rural stays: How to Run a Weekend Micro-Retreat for Hikers.

How to map The Points Guy’s 17 'where to go in 2026' picks to UK hotel loyalty strategies

TPG’s 17 picks span city culture, islands, adventure and remote escapes. Below we group those types of destinations and explain which UK loyalty programmes and redemption tactics typically give the best value.

1. European city breaks (Lisbon, Athens, Porto-style picks)

Best programmes: Accor Live Limitless, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors

• Why: Accor’s strong European footprint and attractive points + money options often beat dynamic pricing for short stays. Marriott and Hilton still offer good availability in major European capitals.
• Actionable tip: If you have Amex Membership Rewards, watch for 20–40% transfer bonuses to Accor or Marriott (late‑2025 saw several) — transfer during a bonus and book low-supply weekends.
• Example tactic: Target weekday award nights for lower demand, then use paid nights on weekends. Combine a free-night certificate for peak Friday night and points for midweek.

2. Outdoor & adventure (Iceland, Scottish Highlands, Azores type picks)

Best programmes: Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, IHG One Rewards

• Why: These destinations favour independent hotels and small brands, but there are often a handful of chain options near transport hubs. Hilton and Marriott tend to have the most full-service properties for late‑season comfort.
• Actionable tip: Use Hilton’s often-flexible award calendar for last-minute bookings. For remote properties, consider a hybrid approach: points for a city hub (cheap award night) + paid boutique stay near nature.

3. Island escapes & warmer weather (Madeira, Canary Islands, Mediterranean picks)

Best programmes: IHG One Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, Accor

• Why: IHG’s value promotions and Accor’s broad European footprint often produce good redemption rates for beachfront and resort-style hotels.
• Actionable tip: Use flexible points + cash for long stays — it reduces peak-night exposure and preserves certificates.

4. Long-haul urban luxury (Tokyo, New York, Dubai type picks)

Best programmes: World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, Accor

• Why: Hyatt uses points more sparingly but delivers strong value for aspirational stays; Marriott has the widest network for luxury brands in gateway cities.
• Actionable tip: Convert transferable points during a transfer bonus to get you over the free-night threshold for aspirational redemptions. Consider splitting nights into a points night at a luxury property and a paid night at a lower-tier hotel to save overall. For immersive pre-trip content and to preview luxury experiences, see Immersive Pre-Trip Content.

UK-focused game plan: Which programme to prioritise

Below is a practical cheat-sheet for UK travellers who want a single programme to focus on — depending on travel style.

Marriott Bonvoy — Best for widespread luxury options

• Why use it: Broad portfolio across the UK and Europe (Renaissance, Sheraton, London Marriott, Edition).
• How to maximise: Use annual free-night certificates from co‑brand Amex cards for peak nights in high-demand cities. Watch for peak-to-off-peak windows and book early for big events (music festivals, Wimbledon, Edinburgh Festival). See why boutique and alpine wellness properties are commanding premium redemptions: Evolution of Boutique Alpine Wellness Hotels in 2026.

Hilton Honors — Best for flexible last‑minute value

• Why use it: Frequent promotions, easy points-earning, family pooling and generous award availability at many UK airports and city hubs.
• How to maximise: Stack targeted promotions and double-dip offers (card + stay). Use points pooling with family to reach a free-night threshold quickly. For ideas on short, intentional retreats and wellness-focused microcations, see Microcations & Yoga Retreats.

IHG One Rewards — Best for mid-budget families and coastal breaks

• Why use it: IHG has strong middle-market and resort coverage across Britain, handy for staycations.
• How to maximise: Book during sale windows and use points for longer stays; IHG often runs points+cash and buy-points promos late in the year. Pair these tactics with local microcation ideas from our roundups: The Evolution of Microcations in 2026.

Accor Live Limitless — Best for European city-hoppers

• Why use it: Accor’s European reach and regular MR-style transfer bonuses make it a strong choice for multi-city European trips listed among TPG’s picks.
• How to maximise: Convert transferable bank points on bonus windows and use Accor’s membership promotions to stack discounts.

Practical step-by-step: Book a points-first trip in 7 actions

1. Define your destination type (city break, island, outdoor). That determines which programme is worth prioritising.
2. Audit balances and list transferable currencies (Amex MR, Tesco Clubcard transfers, bank rewards) and hotel points.
3. Search award availability on the chain websites first. Use flexible dates and check adjacent airports or towns.
4. Check transfer bonuses — a 20–40% bonus to a hotel chain or airline partner can flip the math in your favour. Track these promos via deal services like Hot-Deals.
5. Consider hybrid bookings (points night + paid night or split stays) to reduce total outlay and use certificates where they deliver most uplift.
6. Lock it in—book refundable award nights if you’re waiting on a transfer to complete, then cancel the refundable booking once points land.
7. Track and adjust — use AwardWallet and email alerts; if price drops, rebook (most chains allow cancellation and rebooking to a lower points rate if within policy).

Two real-world mini case studies (UK reader friendly)

Case study A — Long weekend: Lisbon (TPG-style European pick)

Goal: 3 nights in Lisbon during shoulder season using points.

1. Audit: 80,000 Amex MR and 40,000 Marriott Bonvoy.
2. Research: Accor and Marriott have several Lisbon hotels. A targeted 30% MR-to-Accor bonus in Dec 2025 meant converting 60k MR to Accor for a 3-night combo.
3. Book: Two nights at an Accor midscale property with points + one night paid at a boutique property. Result: Nearly free long weekend with a modest paid night for local charm.

Case study B — UK staycation: Lake District family break

Goal: 4 nights family stay with minimal cash outlay.

1. Audit: 120,000 Hilton Honors points + active Hilton Amex in wallet.
2. Strategy: Use Hilton for airport-adjacent or Lakes properties, watch for 5th-night-free award logic on the Hilton calendar (often applies); combine one paid night for a high‑end lakeside cottage.
3. Outcome: 4 nights where 3 nights were covered by points (including a 5th-night-free benefit stacked via consecutive award nights), saving hundreds at peak weekend rates.

Advanced strategies and common pitfalls in 2026

Advanced plays

• Transfer bonuses: Transfer during promotions to stretch transferable points (Amex MR remains the most valuable UK transferable currency for hotels when promos align).
• Free-night timing: Use certificates for high-market nights (festival weekends, bank holidays) and points for low-demand nights.
• Buy points — but only on sale: If a points sale brings cost-per-point below the equivalent cash rate, it’s a good buy for a planned redemption.

Pitfalls to avoid

• Don't assume static pricing: If an award looks expensive today, it may drop — but it can also rise, so set an alert and have a fallback plan.
• Avoid impulsive transfers: Hotel points transfers are usually one-way — only convert when you’re ready to book or during a promo.
• Check cancellation rules: Award stays sometimes have stricter cancellation and change policies than paid rates.

Tools, resources and alerts to use right now

• AwardWallet — track balances across wallets and travel programmes.
• Hotel chain award calendars — Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Accor, Hyatt websites (the canonical source for availability).
• Points sale and transfer trackers — sign up to newsletters from The Points Guy, Head for Points and our site for UK-specific promos. Also monitor deal hubs like Hot-Deals.
• Price alerts — Google Flights style alerts for flight + hotel packages; chain websites sometimes let you sign up for room availability changes.

What to expect in the rest of 2026 — trends that matter for redemptions

Late‑2025 and early‑2026 show the following patterns that will affect how you redeem:

• Targeted promotions over blanket discounts: Programmes are increasingly personalising offers — check your account for targeted award discounts and status matches.
• Sustainability credentials matter: Hotels with verified sustainability practices are moving to premium pricing for paid stays, but points redemptions can be a way to experience sustainable properties without the cash premium.
• Longer stays and subscription-like offers: Chains experimenting with longer-stay incentives (reduced points rate for 7+ nights) — great for remote-working travellers. See also ideas for subscription-style access in Micro-Subscriptions and Creator Co‑ops.

Final verdict — Where to focus your effort for the best value

If you can only prioritise one thing in 2026, do this: focus on transferable currencies (Amex MR) and one hotel programme that matches your travel style. For UK travellers who split time between city breaks and countryside escapes, we recommend keeping balances in Marriott Bonvoy (broad network) and Hilton Honors (flexibility and promotions). Use Accor for Europe-heavy itineraries when transfer bonuses appear.

Remember: flexibility is the currency of value in 2026. The best redemptions come to travellers who can shift dates, combine points and paid nights and capitalise on targeted transfer bonuses.

Actionable next steps — Your 10-minute checklist

1. Open AwardWallet and list all balances (5 mins).
2. Sign up for loyalty emails from Marriott, Hilton, IHG and Accor (5 mins).
3. Set Google Alerts for your target destination + 'award availability' (5 mins).
4. Identify one peak night you absolutely want to use a certificate on this year (10 mins).
5. If you have Amex MR, monitor transfer bonus windows — decide transfer only when availability is confirmed (ongoing).

Ready to book?

If you want hotel-by-hotel recommendations based on which of The Points Guy’s 17 destinations you’re eyeing, we’ll map those picks to the exact UK and European properties that represent the best value redemptions. Sign up for our newsletter for weekly award alerts, or use our curated booking links to compare cash rates and points redemptions across chains. You can also browse neighbourhood tools and community calendars to find local events and availability near your target dates: Neighborhood Discovery: Using Community Calendars.

Make 2026 the year you turn points into memories — with a few strategic moves you can convert your hoard into one amazing trip or several budget-luxury stays across the UK and Europe. Need a personalised plan? Click through to our hotel deals hub to compare cash rates and points redemptions for your chosen destination.

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