As a huge college sports fan, I’m always looking for ways to be close to the action — especially around basketball championship season.
While it’s obvious how points and miles can help you travel for events, I was excited to learn about how Hilton Honors points can be redeemed for much more than just free hotel nights.
Enter Hilton Honors Experiences, a platform where you can redeem Hilton points for everything from exclusive dining experiences to behind-the-scenes access to sports and music events.
This includes this year’s Big Ten men’s basketball championship at the United Center in Chicago, which was a dream come true.
My mom and I recently attended a Hilton Honors Experience built around a full weekend of college basketball in Chicago. It included brunch with basketball stars Jalen Rose and Jimmy King, luxury box access, and a two-night stay at a stylish downtown hotel over St. Patrick’s Day.
Here’s a peek into what the weekend entailed.
2-night stay at theWit in Chicago
Chicago can be an expensive hotel market, especially during major events like St. Patrick’s Day (and the Big Ten men’s basketball tournament), when cash prices are often higher than in off-peak seasons.
The experience included two nights at theWit, a trendy Chicago hotel in the city’s Theater District. The hotel’s vibrant lobby featured eclectic artwork bathed in natural light from the floor-to-ceiling windows at the front of the property.
Our room was comfortable and spacious. Many rooms had views of the Chicago River, which was dyed green for St. Patrick’s Day. My mom and I were able to watch boats spray bright green dye into the river Saturday morning — a core memory for us.
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My mom and I also enjoyed the two on-site bars and restaurants. The property’s rooftop bar, aptly named Roof on theWit, is on the 27th floor and features gorgeous views of the city. The space has an elevated vibe with playful designs throughout. We also enjoyed spending time at State and Lake, which truly gave off that neighborhood-pub vibe.
Standard award nights at theWit start at 75,000 Hilton Honors points per night, or $266 per night in cash.
Related: How I doubled the value of my Hilton points for a college basketball weekend
Brunch with basketball stars
The main event Sunday started with a five-course brunch hosted at theWit. The layout was beautiful, with plenty of Big Ten signage and basketball details sprinkled throughout.
The real highlight was meeting two basketball legends: Jalen Rose and Jimmy King, members of the University of Michigan’s iconic Fab Five recruiting class in the 1990s.
Rose and King signed basketballs, took photos and spent the entire afternoon with the Hilton Honors members who redeemed their points for this experience. We chatted at the brunch table about everything from their NBA hot takes to life after basketball.
Rose is a big fan of San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, and the table erupted in laughs when he referred to Wembanyama as “ChatGPT” because of his elite play and outstanding early-career success.
This part of the experience is hard to quantify. The exclusive access and quality time with legends set this redemption apart.
Related: 6 ways to maximize Hilton Honors redemptions
Tickets for 2 days of basketball
This experience included a pair of tickets to two semifinal games Saturday afternoon, and the view from our seats couldn’t have been better.
My mom and I sat at the center of the court on the lower level, which provided a perfect vantage point that made us feel right in the middle of the action.
The atmosphere was absolutely electric, and we got to watch two incredible games with some local beers and stadium snacks.
Luxury suite access for the Big Ten men’s basketball championship
We watched the Big Ten men’s basketball championship game between Michigan and Purdue University on Sunday from a luxury suite. The suite provided food, drinks and desserts with rows of seats at a fantastic viewpoint.
The best part was watching Michigan play in the conference title game with Rose and King right there in the suite with us. The crowd went wild throughout the game, and nearby fans were elated when they noticed two Michigan legends in our suite.
At various points throughout the game, Rose and King took photos and signed autographs for the fans near us, which was really cool to watch.
Purdue won the exciting game, clinching its spot in the NCAA tournament.
Related: How to redeem Hilton points for upgraded rooms
What is a Hilton Honors Experience?
The Hilton Honors Experiences platform is where Hilton members can redeem points for culinary events, celebrity meet-and-greets, concerts, sporting events, spa treatments and more.
Examples of upcoming Hilton Honors Experiences include:
*Current bid at the time of publishing.
Experiences vary in redemption rates. Some take on a silent-auction style, while others can be redeemed at a flat point rate.
Related: Hilton expands loyalty program with debut of Hilton Honors Adventures
Bottom line
Hilton Honors Experiences provide unique redemption options for creating memorable travel memories — if you have enough Hilton points to redeem for one.
Of course, an experience is not always the best redemption option for every traveler. But if you find the perfect package for your interests, it can be an easy way to enjoy once-in-a-lifetime events.
For my mom and me, our time in Chicago for the Big Ten men’s basketball tournament was completely unforgettable. We couldn’t have predicted just how much fun we had, and it’s hard to put a monetary value on the memories we made together.
Related: Which credit card should you use for Hilton stays?
