Hey {{first name | reader}},

Happy Wednesday!

Welcome back to Where to Go Wednesday, your weekly reminder to stop procrastinating your trips and actually make them happen.

This week, we are going to Bali. Kind of.

Dan and Oskar have started a new hotel review series from Bali, and the concept is fun: can they find the best luxury hotel on the island by comparing four properties at different price points? They are starting with the most affordable luxury option and working their way up to the most expensive. Because spending more does not always mean getting a better stay. Sometimes a cheaper hotel offers a better breakfast, a better pool, or better overall value. And sometimes the expensive hotel is expensive for a reason.

Here's what's inside today's post:

Dan and Oskar's newest video kicks off their Bali luxury hotel comparison with the Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua. This is the "affordable luxury" starting point of the series, which makes it especially useful for anyone trying to figure out where to stay in Bali without overspending.

The stay had some real highs and lows.

The check-in experience was rough. They had even completed online check-in beforehand, and it still took around 25 to 30 minutes before they were properly helped. Not exactly the calm, tropical arrival you want after traveling to Bali.

The room also disappointed them. It looked much better in the official photos than in real life, and the design felt dated. The plunge pool room sounded great on paper, but the outdoor area lacked privacy and did not feel as polished as expected.

But then the resort started to redeem itself. The pool area looked beautiful, with different sections, tropical landscaping, and space to spread out. The beach views were impressive, with volcanoes and islands visible in the distance. And the breakfast was apparently excellent, one of the best parts of the stay, with a huge spread covering everything from Indonesian and Indian food to pastries, juice, and fruit.

Their final score for the Sofitel was 67 out of 100. Not a bad hotel, but not one that blew them away either.

That is what makes this series interesting. The next hotels are supposed to get better and more expensive, and it will be very interesting to see whether the price jump is actually justified.

If you are planning Bali, watch this before booking. Hotel photos can be very persuasive. Real reviews are much more useful.

If that first hotel is not quite your style and you want something more polished, there is a very nice offer at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay.

The Stay Longer, Fourth Night Free offer is valid for travel from January 15, 2026 through March 31, 2027. Book four nights and receive the fourth night complimentary.

That is a good structure for Bali specifically, because two nights is simply not enough. Bali rewards time. You want a few days to slow down, eat well, sit by the pool, and not feel like you are sprinting through a resort stay.

And as usual, we can add Four Seasons Preferred Partner benefits to the booking:

Four Seasons Jimbaran is one of those classic Bali resorts. Not the newest or flashiest hotel on the island, but it has a sense of place that many newer properties struggle to create. Jimbaran works well if you want beach, sunsets, and a relaxed resort feel without being in the middle of the busiest parts of Bali.

If you want to go further into the "ultimate Bali luxury" territory, Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Ubud, is also worth knowing about. Ritz-Carlton Reserve properties are not standard city hotels. They are intimate, destination-driven retreats built around nature, culture, and wellness. Mandapa is a jungle and river retreat with private pool villas, butler service, and that specific feeling of having completely disappeared from the rest of the world.

My simple Bali breakdown:

The best Bali trip often combines two areas. A few nights by the beach, then a few nights in Ubud. That is the move.

Hilton Honors points are back on sale with up to a 100% bonus, bringing the best price down to $5 per 1,000 points.

The promotion runs from June 10 through July 24, 2026, and the 100% bonus appears to kick in when buying at least 5,000 points in one transaction.

Would I buy speculatively? No. Hilton points go on sale very regularly throughout the year, so there is no urgency to stock up just because a sale is live.

But buying can make sense in a few specific situations: you found standard room award availability at a high-value property, the cash rate is significantly more expensive, and you need to top off your balance for a specific stay you are ready to book.

One thing worth knowing: if you are booking a five-night award stay, Hilton elite members get the fifth night free. Even Silver status qualifies for this. So if you are planning a five-night stay, the math can improve quickly when you stack the fifth-night-free benefit with points bought at $5 per 1,000.

That combination, a good property, a specific award stay in mind, and the fifth-night-free benefit, is when buying Hilton points makes the most sense.

That's it for today. Watch Dan and Oskar's new Bali series if Indonesia is on your radar, consider Four Seasons Jimbaran for a polished beach resort stay with a free fourth night, and only buy Hilton points if you already know exactly how you plan to use them.

Stop procrastinating your trips. Make them happen.

Catch you in the clouds,

Tomi from Points Master