Heading to Japan? Stay in Some of the Top 100 Hotels in the World Using Points

The 100 Best Hotels list has been released, and it’s true: You can stay at some of the world’s top designated hotels using your points.

This is especially exciting if you’re planning a trip to Japan, since a few bucket-list properties around the country have made the World’s Best 100 Hotels list — and they’re part of traditional points programs.

While some hotels on the list are not part of a points-fueled loyalty program, if you think outside the box, you might be able to stay for a more affordable rate, get additional perks and benefits, or even erase the cost of the stay.

Here’s how you can stay in some of the top hotels in the world on your next trip to Japan for (nearly) free.

Which Top 100 Hotels Are in Japan, and Can You Book Them With Points?

Out of the top 100 Hotels in 2026, 11 hotels in Japan made the list. 4 of these are bookable with points, with 7 others that aren’t part of traditional loyalty programs.

World’s Best Hotels in Japan Bookable With Points

Top Hotels in Japan: How To Stay Using Points

Japan is ranked the No. 1 destination by the World Economic Forum’s 2026 Travel and Tourism Development Index. And it’s no secret that Japan is high on many travelers’ bucket lists, thanks to its cuisine, cultural highlights, and of course, Tokyo Disneyland.

If you want to visit Japan and stay for nearly free at 1 (or some) of the world’s top 100 hotels, you can. Here’s how.

1. Park Hyatt Kyoto (No. 37 on the List)

You might mistake the Park Hyatt Kyoto for a boutique property or a quiet village. Its location on historic temple grounds feels sacred and special, and there are only 79 guest rooms and suites.

You get zen-like views from your room, whether they’re of the century-old Kyoyamato Gardens or the Yasaka Pagoda. The light wood, muted green, and beige furniture and fixtures of the rooms and suites inspires rest and relaxation. Sip drinks at the Kohaku Bar, which overlooks the city’s skyline, do yoga or meditation at the spa, or sample teppanyaki at Yasaka, the hotel’s signature restaurant.

Rates start around $800 per night, but you can use a mininum of 35,000 Hyatt points to book this Category 8 hotel. The hotel may enforce stay requirements (usually at least 3 or 4 nights) around prime times and local holidays. Finding award availability can be tough, but setting up award alerts on a website like MaxMyPoint can help.

2. Park Hyatt Tokyo (No. 53)

The Park Hyatt Tokyo has always been one of the most famous Park Hyatt properties in the world — if it looks familiar, you may have seen it in “Lost in Translation,” which was filmed in many of the hotels’s common areas in 2003.

Thanks to a recent renovation that focused on luxury and comfort, the rooms have features like double sinks, Aesop products, and, in typical Japanese fashion, Toto Neorest AS smart toilets.

The hotel sits on the 39th to 52nd floors of Shinjuku Park Tower, which means you have views of panoramic views of Mount Fuji and Tokyo’s urban sprawl from the rooms and most other areas of the hotel, including from the indoor pool and fitness center. The New York Grill restaurant, with floor-to-ceiling windows and high ceilings feels especially glam in the evening, as you can admire the glittering skyline to live jazz music.

Rates at the Category 8 property start around $800 per night and can run as low as 35,000 Hyatt points per night. Right now, there’s wide-open points availability throughout 2027, though rates are usually 45,000 points per night.

3. Hotel the Mitsui Kyoto, a Luxury Collection Hotel & Spa (No. 79)

Set next to the UNESCO-listed Nijo Castle, Hotel the Mitsui is on an estate that dates back 250 years and was once home to the powerful Mitsui business family. Today, the serene property offers rooms and suites with stone bathtubs and city or garden views, and some suites even have private onsens for the ultimate in-room relaxation experience.

The main hotel restaurant Toki offers Japanese and French fusion, while the Garden Bar offers you the opportunity to dine and drink while admiring bonsais. The Mitsui also features a private thermal spring, which feels like you’re relaxing in a peaceful cave.

Rates start around $750 or 118,000 Marriott points per night.

4. Waldorf Astoria Osaka (No. 89)

Another luxury retreat for travelers who love views, the Waldorf Astoria Osaka‘s 28th-through-38th-floor location means you can admire the city’s dazzling skyline and Yodo River.

Rooms are elegant, bright, and large, featuring espresso machines, automated drapes, and inviting bathtubs. There are several places to dine, but Peacock Alley is the most famous, with its massive windows and stunning views. The spa offers one-of-a-kind, Japanese-inspired rituals, such as tea ceremonies, shiatsu massages, and full moon meditations and sound baths, plus an indoor pool and Jacuzzi.

Rates start around $860 or 120,000 Hilton points per night.

World’s Best Hotels in Japan Bookable Through Credit Card Travel Portals

There are 7 additional hotels on the list in Japan. If you hold certain flexible rewards credit cards, you could find stays at most of them at a lower price (or even for no extra cost) or for additional rewards, discounts, or statement credits.

Depending on which cards you hold, make sure to check cash rates and points rates for Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts, Chase’s The Edit, Capital One Premier Collection, and The Reserve by Citi Travel. At the time of writing, 6 hotels out of the additional 7 Japan properties are available for booking via at least 1 premium credit card travel portal — and possibly more.

If you have the Platinum Card^® from American Express, check if your chosen hotel is part of Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts, where you can get perks like upgrades when available, free breakfast, and property credits. You might also be able to book your hotel using Amex Membership Rewards Points in AmexTravel.com. Plus, the card offers 2 up-to-$300 semiannual credits for prepaid FHR bookings in AmexTravel.com. Effective January 1, 2027, Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings will require a minimum 2-night stay to be eligible for the $600 Hotel Credit.

Other major banks have their own travel portals and luxury hotel collections, too. Chase features its most upscale properties as part of the The Edit, which you can book with a card such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® and end up with additional perks and benefits for your stay. This card comes with 2 $250 credits for The Edit bookings annually. 

You might also be able to book some of The Edit’s properties using Chase’s Points Boost in Chase Travel, where you can get a value of up to 2 cents per point.

Likewise, Capital One has its Capital One Premier Collection, which offers additional perks on stays paid with Capital One Miles, cash, or a combination of both. You might also get $300 off a stay booked in Capital One Travel if you pay with your Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, which features a $300 annual credit.

Citi, not to be left out, recently launched The Reserve by Citi Travel, where you can book high-end hotels using cash or Citi ThankYou Points (or a combination of both) with a card like the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (this also comes with a $300 hotel credit for hotels booked in Citi Travel) and additional perks.

Finally, some of these hotels in Japan or on the larger top 100 list may be part of lesser-known loyalty programs, such as ALL – Accor Live Limitless, Leading Hotels of the World, or Preferred Hotels I Prefer Hotel Rewards. And some may be part of Small Luxury Hotels (Hilton) or Mr & Mrs Smith (Hyatt), so look for points opportunties there.

These programs are always changing and evolving, so if your desired hotel isn’t bookable through them, you never know — it might be in the future.

Final Thoughts

The hotels on the 2026 World’s Best list are some of the most exceptional properties in the world, and most of them are expensive. However, if you’re planning a trip to one of them, especially if it’s in Japan, you might be able to use your points to pay for your stay and have a sophisticated, luxury experience at one of the world’s top-rated without the high price tag.

If one of the hotels you’re dreaming of staying at isn’t part of a traditional loyalty program, think outside the box. You might be able to stay for no extra cost, for less, or at least get some coveted, money-saving perks like resort credits, statement credits, or free breakfast by booking in the right credit card travel portal.