The Frequent miler team isn’t just sitting around earning miles adn signing up for new credit cards. Ok, we are. But we don’t *just* do that. We also travel a lot. Between all of us, we’ve spent at least a couple of hundred nights in hotels this year. But which ones stood out? Well, let us tell you.
This post contains lodging highlights for Greg, Nick, Stephen, and me from 2025. Just to be clear, these aren’t our favorite hotels in the world that are currently open…it’s our highlights from the ones *that we actually stayed in* during 2025.It might very well be the location, the time of year, the particulars of our stay, or a combination of all of them, but each of the properties below is still sticking with us at the end of the year.
## Frequent Miler’s Favorite Hotel Stays of 2025
### Greg *THE* Frequent Miler
#### Grand Hotel Victoria Lake Como
To celebrate our 30th anniversary, my wife and I spent 5 nights at the Grand hotel Victoria. It’s a Small Luxury Hotels of the World property, which we booked with Hilton free-night certificates. We had a terrific stay! It’s amazing what can be done with points and miles! This hotel is an excellent example of a place we would never have considered paying for in cash, but we got to enjoy thanks to Hilton’s partnership with SLH.
One of the best aspects of the hotel is its lovely front yard with a great view of Lake Como and the mountains beyond. We enjoyed several evenings sitting there, ordering cocktails and snacks.Breakfast each morning was delightful. The food, coffee, and juice (fresh squeezed!) were excellent. And we loved the views. We ate dinner at this restaurant one time, and the food was terrific (especially the pasta dish we shared, which was one of my favorite dishes of our entire trip).
Read Greg’s full review here.
#### Park Hyatt Milan
Nick
Table of Contents
JW Marriott Orlando Grande lakes
!JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes
We’ve been to Orlando a handful of times in recent years. Our go-to hotel had been the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, which is a solid value as a Hyatt category 4 property. Service is consistently good, and the property has a nice pool complex, a climbing wall, and a pitch-n-putt golf course.
However, we decided to try something new a few months ago and went for a single night at the JW Marriott Grande Lakes. At least, we expected to be there for one night. We ended up enjoying the property so much that we extended our stay for a couple of nights, and we cancelled plans to go to Legoland, as we thought the kids would have as much fun at the hotel without needing to spend the money on a theme park day.
We were right: between great pools, three awesome water slides, a water-based ropes course, games like ping pong and foosball, and more, we had a g
The rooms were cozy and well-appointed. We had a room with two queen beds that also featured a chaise lounge, so it was a comfortable space even though it wasn’t really an upgraded room. Everything was spotlessly clean,and the beds were comfortable.
Great Wolf Lodge Traverse City, Michigan
Grand Hotel Victoria, Lake Como: A Family Favorite
While my 5-year-old picked Great Wolf Lodge, my 7-year-old’s pick for favorite hotel of 2025 was the Grand Hotel Victoria in Menaggio, Italy. You read above about how Greg stayed during his 30th anniversary trip, though I think he forgot to mention that my family crashed his anniversary trip, with an overlapping stay of our own.
While Greg noted the views of Lake como from the front lawn and the delicious breakfast, what my kids love the most about Grand Hotel Victoria is the spa.
That’s probably an odd thing for a 5 and 7-year-old to love, but I love that the hotel offers family hours in the mornings, as my kids loved the many pool jets, the hot and cold pools to walk through, and the steam rooms. My wife and I love the spa there, too!
And Lake Como is gorgeous. I love a tropical beach as much as anyone, but I think that Lake Como has turned me into a mountain lake guy. I could spend hours just looking at the water.
Scotland’s Inverlochy Castle Hotel: A fairytale Stay Bookable with Hilton Points (or Free Night Certificates!)
We managed to snag two rooms for three nights. The award pricing at the time was 105,000 points per night per room versus a cash price of $852 per night. Rather than either of those options though, we redeemed Hilton free night certificates as we’d built up a large enough stash of them.
Fort William is a great location to visit as you can take a road trip through the Highlands, visit lots of Harry potter filming sites, take a gondola up Ben Nevis (Scotland’s highest mountain), and more. In fact,we returned for an additional two nights at the end of our trip in order to ride the Jacobite Steam Train which is what appears as the hogwart’s Express in the Harry Potter movies.
The Two Byres on the isle of Skye, Scotland
OK, so strictly speaking this w
## Redeeming Wyndham Points for a Scottish Highlands Escape at The Two Byres on the Isle of Skye
…to the extremely well-equipped kitchen…
…to the night sky unspoiled by light pollution. This was a photo we took with our Google Pixel 8 using the astrophotography mode.
The house was fantastic in every way, as was the Isle of Skye. What made it even better was that we didn’t have to pay cash for the stay.
The Two Byres is bookable through all kinds of channels such as Booking.com, airbnb,
The Clarion Prague Old Town often flies under the radar when people are choosing hotels in Prague, but it shouldn’t. This hotel offers a fantastic location, spacious rooms, and, in our case, a spectacular terrace with incredible views of Old Town and Prague Castle.
We recently stayed at the Clarion Prague Old Town and were blown away by the size of our room – and especially our terrace. It was lengthy, providing ample space to relax and enjoy the scenery. The view was the real star of the show, offering a picturesque panorama of both the charming Old Town and the iconic Prague Castle.
It’s a view you won’t soon forget! If you’re looking for a hotel in Prague with a bit of extra space and breathtaking views, the Clarion Prague Old Town is definitely worth considering.
## Hotel Highlights: Okinawa & Kenya to New Orleans
I’ve always loved Okinawa; it reminds me of a Japanese Hawai’i, with a culture, cuisine, and climate that’s very distinct from the mainland. I’ve long had my eye on the Hyatt Regency Seragaki Island, a unique hotel popular with divers that’s located on a small island connected to the mainland by a short bridge. My wife had never been to Okinawa before, so this seemed like an ideal time to kill two birds with one stone…and man, I loved this place.
Although it’s branded as a Hyatt Regency, there’s simply nothing about it that feels anything like its more cumbersome American cousins. It’s sleeker, smaller, and more intimate; seemingly everywhere you look, you see the ocean crashing onto rocks (because it’s perched on its own private island). The standard suite here is a marvelous use of a suite upgrade; I could have spent days sitting on the massive balcony listening to the waves. There’s a terrific Regency Club, excellent service, and superb food and beverage options. Opportunities to get in the water are everywhere, whether it’s in the sheltered, beachfront swimming area, serpentine stacks of pools, or in the ocean itself, partaking in the snorkeling and diving that’s practically out the front door. This hotel is a winner.
JW Marriott Masai Mara – Kenya
The JW Masai Mara is one of the most enjoyable points redemptions I’ve ever made. It’s my wife’s unqualified favorite. What’s on offer here is simply superb. The tents are luxurious, private, spacious, and have great views. The service is excellent, both in execution and in generosity. The food was surprisingly delicious; the juices, coffee drinks, and cocktails were some of the best I’ve had in a while…inside or outside a hotel. And the game drives were simply out-of-this-world; the quality and proximity of the wildlife viewing were on par with my private conservancy experience from years earlier.It’s hard to come up with cons here; there are so many delightful surprises and unexpected details.
Maison Métier New Orleans (Hyatt Unbound Collection) – New Orleans
Park Hyatt Zanzibar: A Tranquil Oasis in Stone Town
The Park Hyatt Zanzibar offers a luxurious and calming retreat in the heart of Stone town, Zanzibar. This hotel successfully blends the vibrant cultural influences of Africa and Arabia, providing a elegant base for exploring the “Spice Island.” While generally highly-rated, potential guests should be aware of occasional connectivity issues.
A Stylish Sanctuary in Stone Town
Located within the historic Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Park Hyatt Zanzibar distinguishes itself from some other properties in the chain by embracing the local aesthetic. The hotel is described as a “calm,leafy oasis” amidst the bustling alleyways and intricately carved doors that characterize Stone Town. Unlike some Park Hyatts that can feel impersonal, this location thoughtfully incorporates Zanzibar’s unique cultural heritage into its design.
The hotel boasts a sprawling waterfront terrace, offering panoramic views and a prime location for sunset viewing and people-watching.Inside, guests can enjoy cool, breezy interiors, ornate lounging areas, and peaceful, plant-filled courtyards.
Dining and amenities
A highlight of the stay is the included breakfast, praised for its quality and unique touches.These include fresh coconuts cut to order and a mobile spiced coffee cart, adding a local flavor to the dining experience.
Though, guests should be aware that internet connectivity has been reported as unreliable. This can be a significant inconvenience for those relying on a stable connection for remote work or other online activities. As of late 2023/early 2024, this issue persisted, though hotel infrastructure is always subject to change. it’s advisable to check recent reviews for the latest updates on internet service.
Exploring Zanzibar from the Park Hyatt
Despite potential connectivity issues, the Park Hyatt Zanzibar remains a highly recommended base for exploring Zanzibar. Its central location in Stone Town provides easy access to the town’s past sites, markets, and cultural attractions. From here, visitors can easily venture out to explore the island’s famed spice plantations, pristine beaches, and vibrant marine life.
Sources:
* Frequent Miler – Park Hyatt Zanzibar Review (Original source material)
* UNESCO – Stone Town (Information on Stone Town’s UNESCO status)