Small Luxury Hotels of the World Reviews 33

I have been staying in a number of Small Luxury Hotels and they are fine and good quality boutique hotels, most of them with impeccable service that leaves a long-lasting lovely impression.

As a member, I also get benefits if I book directly on their website so that is a plus point!

I was in Vietnam recently and my most recent stays with Azerai La Residence Hue and Namia River Retreat under Small Luxury Hotels enhanced my travel experiences in Central Vietnam. Both hotels are in very different styles and I feel the uniqueness and culture of the different cities while staying there. Another great thing about the hotels is that they are located not too far away which allow me to combine cities to make my itineraries more interesting so that I can see and do more things along the way on the road trip.

I highly recommend Small Luxury Hotels, do check them out!

I booked the Vintry & Mercer hotel in London through SLH and was delighted with the perks. At check-in, they recognized me as a club member and offered a room upgrade, complimentary breakfast, and a welcome gift. Kudos to SLH and V&M.

SLH is the ultimate brand for the luxury traveller. I have been travelling with SLH since 1992 and they never disappoint. You can always trust the properties to be the best luxury boutique property in the area.

I had another great stay at an SLH hotel (Manili Boutique Suites & Villas in Archanes, Crete). It reminded me just how high the quality of SLH hotels really is. Every SLH hotel I have stayed at has been of consistently high quality, with exceptional levels of staffing.

I have stayed in different SLH properties around the world in the last 5 years. I keep choosing them as SLH hotels really guarantee a high level of product and service with a lot of personalization which differentiates from most big chain hotels.
Recently stayed at The Goethe in Rome, which is located perfectly in the centre but in a quite corner. beautiful decor and excellent service.

Choosing the Small Luxury Hotels property is always a guarantee of quality and excellence. I have stayed at their hotels multiple times now and have always had a great experience. The quality standards are incredibly high, and I appreciate the personalized approach compared to other brands—I always feel welcome. Highly recommended!

I’ve had consistently great experiences booking through SLH.com. I love that the collection feels genuinely curated and full of unique independent properties rather than generic luxury hotels. The member perks like complimentary breakfast, potential upgrades, and flexible check-in/out when available make the experience feel even better. I've been upgraded thanks to SLH more times than I can count.

I’ve stayed at several Small Luxury Hotels of the World properties and have had some truly incredible experiences. One of my absolute favourites was The Margi is Athens.
Across the board, each property feels distinctly independent, with exceptional service, outstanding food, and a true wow factor that makes every stay memorable.

Without any doubt I'm a globetrotter and I’ve always been drawn to hotels with personality, and that’s exactly why I appreciate SHL.

What I like most about this collection is that every property feels different. Instead of the usual standardized luxury experience, these hotels tend to have their own atmosphere, identity, and connection with the destination. The stays feel more personal, more authentic, and much less “mass market” as it happens with other hotel collections.

I really appreciate the genuine hospitality I often find in many SLH properties. Service is usually attentive and warm without feeling overly formal, which makes the overall experience more relaxed and memorable.

Another aspect that stands out is the quality of the locations and the boutique approach to hospitality: some properties are stand-alone gems that would never fit the mass-market. Actually, many of these hotels offer a level of charm and character that’s becoming harder to find in larger hotel chain!

And while SLH is definitely positioned in the luxury segment, I often find the overall experience delivers very good value compared to more traditional luxury/expensive brands.

For travelers - like me! - who enjoy unique places and a more personal style of hospitality, I think Small Luxury Hotels offers a really interesting alternative.

SLH club membership almost always guarantees us a wonderful experience in a great location. Staff at these hotels are extraordinary! We just stayed in NYC at The Refinery and walked to all the things on our sightseeing list. Our room was quiet. Bed and pillows comfortable. Rooftop bar outrageous! Dining options a plenty. Service was the best!

I have enjoyed traveling the globe and staying at independent SLH properties. I've been able to experience off the beaten path, unique locations, that have made for truly special and very memorable experiences. Unlike typical cookie-cutter chain hotels, these properties have real character, thoughtful design, and a warm, local feel

We had a fabulous stay in Istanbul in the Vakko Hotel Sumahan Bosphorus - a new member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. The location was fantastic, the accommodation and design were stunning and the Italian restaurant was first-class. The experience was not cheap but was memorable and worth every penny!! This is an SLH hotel to cherish.

I book most of my hotel stays through Small Luxury Hotels of the World because I genuinely trust the brand, as I’ve consistently had great experiences.

I particularly like the variety within the collection...some properties are ultra-luxury, while others are more understated and relaxed...but all share the same boutique feel, excellent customer service, and attention to detail.

The member perks are also a real bonus. I’ve been lucky enough to receive several room upgrades over the years, which is always very much appreciated and makes each stay feel extra special!

I booked the Margi Hotel in Athens through my SLH Members account. I called the front desk in advance to ask about the upgrade I was entitled to. The front desk staff said they would provide the upgrade. I arrived at the hotel at 2:00 a.m., but they told me that my upgrade had already been taken because it was late at night. Strangely, they charged me for a full 24-hour stay (from 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 a.m.), even though the upgraded room was supposed to be waiting for me starting at 3:00 p.m.

I then asked to change the cost of the first night since I didn’t receive the upgrade I was entitled to as an SLH member, but my request was also denied.

At the same time, the friendly night manager at the front desk said he was ready to provide a voucher for the spa or restaurant. Since I was very tired and it was late at night, I asked to postpone receiving this voucher until tomorrow.

And I was very surprised when the next day I was told that:
no upgrade
no short-stay rate
no voucher

Moreover, Mr. Erojanis, the front desk manager, conducted the conversation in a raised tone. I don’t know what he didn’t like about my legitimate requests.

I want to address SLH members: don’t expect the hotel to follow any SLH membership rules or treat you accordingly. You will feel nothing like what is described in the SLH network’s marketing presentation about special treatment for members and guests.

Absolutely dreadful customer service. I contacted them to ask if my hotel booking had gone through. They told me they did not have a booking. I relied on that information and then they charged me £361 for not arriving for my booking that I knew nothing about. And now they won’t refund me when they told me there was no booking.

Extremely Disappointing Stay at an SLH-Affiliated “Luxury” Property

I booked this property expecting the high standards promised by Small Luxury Hotels of the World and Hilton for a 5-star property. Unfortunately, my experience was the opposite of “luxury.”

The room condition was far below what one would expect from an SLH property (see photos attached). There were stains on the bed, stains and mould/rust in the bathroom as well as worn furniture and fixtures. The light fixtures were noisily buzzing and the air conditioner continuously leaking.

When I raised concerns, I received dismissive and unprofessional treatment from management, including being accused of dishonesty despite providing evidence by hotel manager Alexandria.

I was told that others “enjoy the property” and that it had “passed an SLH audit.” If the room I stayed in truly passed SLH quality checks, that raises serious questions about the credibility of the audit process itself.

Instead of addressing the issues, I was repeatedly undermined and even discouraged from escalating my concerns to Hilton or SLH — conduct I found unacceptable from any hotel, let alone one claiming luxury status. To make matters worse, SLH, Hilton, and the property all acted as if they were independent from each other, each passing responsibility back to the other rather than taking ownership.

The pictures speak for themselves. This property cost me 80,000 points per night (equivalent of EUR 400 per night). I was offered a refund for one night and a complimentary stay at the same subpar hotel. This was not sufficient for the poor quality of the room, in my opinion.

I have stayed at many Hilton properties and luxury hotels and this is by far the worst service experience I have encountered. The property did not meet the quality, professionalism, or integrity expected under the SLH name.

Until meaningful improvements are made, both to the service and room quality, I would strongly advise anyone against booking this hotel if you are expecting the level of comfort and professionalism normally associated with SLH or Hilton.

I can only recommend to read and believe in the reviews that rate SLH as utterly s***.

I had a very similar experience. I booked a hotel on their platform and had to cancel our booking. After receiving a cancellation confirmation I received no feedback on the refund status. I am usually not bothered by these things, but I’d expect a luxury (!) provider to respond faster or at least provide automated updates, especially since we’re talking about larger sums of money that are involved. After reaching out to the customer service, I’ve received a direct mail from the hotel, asking why I’d like to cancel the booking and then looping in the SLH service asking them to forward the cancellation confirmation - like what? I asked SLH why this confirmation hasn’t been forwarded automatically. The customer service responded by putting the blame on the partner and not taking a hint of ownership. The audacity. Poor partners of SLH being treated like this.

1/10 would recommend. 1 star only because the hotel was super kind and patient with my outraged emails.

I have been very impressed with the SLH service and the first venue I stayed at in Ireland was wonderful, so I intend to avail myself of more of these opportunities. I booked my daughters recent stay in Edinburgh using an SLH venue on the basis of this, and she was absolutely delighted with the quality and service at the venue. 5 stars to Shelby in the reservation team who responded to my query regarding a reservation refund with prompt and useful information.

Amazingly helpful and quick response.

If a 0 star rating was possible that's what I would have selected.

I booked Cameron Highlands Resort in Malaysia through SLH for a 3 night stay in February 2025 and at the time of booking specifically requested a quiet room on a high floor. What I got was the noisiest room I have literally ever encountered, for context over the past few years I have spent over 80 nights in hotels, per year.

In my naivety I sent an email to SLH to request an earlier than planned checkout and partial refund, on the basis that what I got was the opposite of what I asked for in writing at the time of booking. When no response was forthcoming I sent another email. Again nothing.

My emails were polite but direct, and I was slightly perplexed to be 'blanked' but it demonstrated that SLH appear to have zero customer service and once they've got your booking they apparently couldn't care less about what happens next, or at least that is my experience.

I accept I was gullible and taken in by their exclusive 'club' style of brand marketing but they have demonstrated through their (lack of) actions that they appear to offer no support, and little in the way of value that I can see, I would probably have been better off booking the hotel directly.

What you choose to do with your leisure time is your business, but based on my experience I won't be placing my trust in SLH again.

I mean for goodness sakes what reputable organisation in the travel industry just completely ignores emails from their clients when they're overseas and reaching out for help?