One of the most common complaints I hear about hotel points is that people think they can only earn and redeem points at cookie-cutter properties at the big hotel chains.
Over the past few years, however, many of the major hotel loyalty programs have begun to expand their business by acquiring or forming partnerships with more exotic boutique hotels.
For example, Hilton now partners with Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Marriott acquired Postcard Cabins a year ago, and perhaps most interestingly, Hyatt acquires Mr & Mrs Smith in 2023.
Mr & Mrs Smith is the booking platform for more than 1,800 luxury boutique hotels around the world and since the acquisition, hundreds of these hotels can now be booked through Hyatt and points can be earned and redeemed as with any other stay.
Thanks to my relationship with Mr. and Mrs. Smith, World of Hyatt has actually become my go-to hotel points program for booking stays at alternative (but upscale!) boutique hotels around the world.
So, on Bastille Day last summer, I found myself at one of my favorite wine country hotels, Leeu House, located in the small village of Franschhoek in the Cape Winelands of South Africa. Far from a standard hotel experience, my stay was exactly what I loved so much about Hyatt’s partnership with Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
What is Leeu House?
Leeu House is a luxury boutique hotel with just 12 rooms and suites on Huguenot Street, Franschhoek’s main thoroughfare.
Made up of several Cape Dutch-style buildings, the hotel has beautiful, sculpture-filled gardens and even a stunning swimming pool with stunning views of the Drakenstein Mountains.
It’s centrally located, which means you don’t even need a car if you don’t want to rent one. You can walk to all of the town’s restaurants and boutiques, and the hotel also offers a shuttle service to nearby wineries and its sister hotel, Leeu Estates, just outside the village.
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That’s what Leeu House feels like: you can just sit down by the crackling fireplace in the front living room and sip a glass of wine from the region while admiring the impressive art collection of Leeu Collection founder Analjit Singh.
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Eric Rosen/Point Guard
Most rooms are located off the central courtyard, so you may encounter other guests here or there, although there is good privacy in the spacious rooms.
Since the hotel is small and has a limited number of guests, every member of staff will know you by name upon arrival, and they’ll also be on hand to help you book restaurant and winery tours, as well as provide recommendations on the best nearby hiking trails.
Rooms at Leeu House
My classic room was just off the lobby and had a set of glass doors that I could pull up for privacy. Although in the starter category, it’s nearly 400 square feet and has a spacious master bedroom area with a king-size bed covered in Egyptian cotton sheets.
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Eric Rosen/Point Guard
There’s plenty of wardrobe space, a minibar with coffee and tea making facilities, a table by the door, a flat-screen TV and lovely blue and white tile accents.
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Eric Rosen/Point Guard
A large part of the room is taken up by the bathroom, which is very luxurious. It has beautiful black and white tiles and a huge glass shower, along with a freestanding rustic claw-foot tub and double marble vanity. The bathroom is stocked with Healing Earth bath products made in South Africa.
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Eric Rosen/Point Guard
My room was spacious and luxurious and felt like a little cocoon to relax and unwind after a day of hiking and wine tasting.
Dining at Leeu House
Leeu House has a small bar in the common living room at the street entrance, and there is a main restaurant called The Conservatory next to the garden, which is mainly a breakfast place, but there are some standard dishes on the all-day menu, including some sandwiches and pasta.
The breakfast buffet, while modest, includes a tempting selection of freshly baked pastries, plenty of seasonal fruit, and a variety of coffee drinks, teas, and freshly squeezed juices. Guests can also choose from favorites such as avocado on rye toast, local creamy mushroom toast, eggs Benedict and French toast.
Interestingly, breakfast is included in the rate booked through Hyatt, and when you redeem points for a room, breakfast is included, which is a great bonus considering the quality of the food.
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Eric Rosen/Point Guard
Most guests don’t stop for lunch or dinner at The Conservatory, instead tending to head to the various tasting rooms in the area that offer food, and a stay at Leeu House often includes a complimentary wine tasting at Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines in Leeu Estates.
The Leeu Collection also includes several other restaurants, some of which are located in Leeu Estates, such as the acclaimed La Petite Colombe, as well as branches in town, including Protege and Epic at nearby Le Quartier Francais (another boutique hotel in town, but not available for reservations through Hyatt).
You can also dine across the street from Leeu House at one of chef Ryan Shell’s elegant restaurants, including Eleven, serving seasonal Cape cuisine, Oku, Asian-inspired cuisine, and Yama, serving simple yet hearty sushi.
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Eric Rosen/Point Guard
Leeu House Facilities
Given its size, Leeu House doesn’t have many other on-property amenities to speak of other than a wonderful art collection and a tranquil pool.
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Eric Rosen/Point Guard
However, guests can use the gym at Leeu Estates, a 5-minute drive away, as well as the Leeu Spa at Healing Earth.
The hotel has a quiet relaxation area with a small swimming pool.
The treatments, meanwhile, use Healing Earth products, which contain ingredients from Africa such as marula oil and Kalahari melon. Signature experiences include a restorative hydrating facial ($75 for 60 minutes), a wine therapy body scrub and massage containing antioxidants derived from locally grown Pinotage grapes, and a clay body mask.
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Eric Rosen/Point Guard
Book Leeu House
If you want to earn or redeem points and enjoy any of the elite benefits you’re entitled to, the best way to book a Leeu House is through Hyatt.
Rather than a fixed chart with off-peak, standard and peak dates like Hyatt uses at its own properties, Mr. and Mrs. Smith’s hotels will be priced dynamically on a points basis.
This is both good news and bad news. The good news is that if you have the points and are willing to do so, you can book almost any available room or suite. The bad news is that you won’t get the best value for your points.
During my visit, classic rooms started at $524 per night, or 40,250 points per night, which is worth 1.3 cents per Hyatt point, well below TPG’s January 2026 valuation of 1.7 cents per Hyatt point; that seems to be the standard value you can get at this particular hotel, regardless of the date or type of room or suite you book.
However, if you use Hyatt points, redeeming them here can be a great way to save on expensive stays.
If you do want to pay cash, use a Hyatt-branded card (e.g. World of Hyatt Credit Card (see rates and charges) or World of Hyatt Business Credit Card (See Rates & Fees), both offer generous welcome bonuses, automatic elite status, and higher earn rates with Hyatt.
Or, if you want to redeem your Hyatt points for a stay, you can transfer them through something like Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (See Rates & Fees) Transfer directly to World of Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio so you can easily earn award nights.
bottom line
Thanks to Hyatt’s acquisition of Mr & Mrs Smith, World of Hyatt points can now be earned and redeemed at beautiful boutique hotels around the world, including boutique hotels such as the 12-room Leeu House in the Cape Winelands.
That’s why World of Hyatt remains one of my most important loyalty programs, and why I keep an eye on my points as more and more Mr. & Mrs. Smith hotels become available for booking through Hyatt.
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