This Traveler Took an Epic Journey to Hawaii After Spending 2 Months within the ICU—and Spent $0 on Her Lodge

Stella Shon at all times cherished to journey. After graduating from school in North Carolina, she moved to New York Metropolis to pursue a profession as a author at a serious journey publication. However in August of 2022, Shon’s life as a wholesome 26-year-old modified eternally. 

Shon was identified with Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), a uncommon however severe dysfunction affecting the pores and skin and mucous membranes. After battling flu-like signs for a number of days, her temperature spiked to 107 levels. This was accompanied by extreme ache, and Shon’s situation deteriorated a lot that she was pressured right into a hospital’s burn heart. 

“After I was within the ICU, my world fully shattered unexpectedly,” Shon mentioned. “I used to be blind for a few months, and components of my physique had been so broken that returning to my regular life, not to mention hopping on a aircraft once more, appeared inconceivable.” 

Miraculously, Shon survived the ordeal, beating a mortality price of 30-50%. Whereas she has nonetheless needed to navigate a seemingly endless array of physician’s appointments, continual ache, and uncertainty, journey turned a part of Shon’s routine as soon as once more. 

Eight months after her hospitalization, Shon took her first massive journey—an epic journey to Hawaii together with her finest buddy. “The journey felt like reclaiming part of my identification. With the ability to step again into journey, one thing I cherished, confirmed me that I may nonetheless pursue a significant life, even when on completely different phrases,” she mentioned. 

Right here’s how she made the lodge keep occur on factors, and what made it so significant. 

How She Booked It 

In March 2023, Shon jetted off on her first massive journey post-ICU, and Hawaii appeared like the proper vacation spot. Not solely had she not been there earlier than, however her finest buddy of practically a decade, Taylor Hobgood, had simply moved to Honolulu. 

“Taylor was considered one of my many wonderful buddies who spent days with me within the hospital and helped my household out as a lot as doable. She noticed me at my absolute worst, and I may belief her with my complete coronary heart to take issues gradual, see some lovely sights, and share new recollections collectively,” Shon recalled. 

Shon and Hobgood determined to go to Maui, with a keep at Hyatt’s Hana-Maui Resort. Shon booked the three-night getaway utilizing World of Hyatt factors—precisely 30,000 of them—per night time. Hyatt assigns every of its motels a class, they usually correspond to a set variety of factors. As a Hyatt Class 7 property, rooms on the Hana-Maui resort require between 25,000 to 35,000 factors per night time (relying on the season). For context, on the time, the Hana-Maui was charging over $800 per night time. 

The Hyatt chain has many aspirational motels, and its loyalty program typically has high-value redemptions. In addition to Hana-Maui, motels just like the soon-to-open (or reopen) Park Hyatt Tokyo and Park Hyatt Los Cabos at Cabo Del Sol might be booked with factors. 

Conveniently, two of one of the best loyalty packages within the area—Chase Final Rewards factors and Bilt Rewards factors—switch to the Hyatt program immediately, at a one-to-one ratio. To switch Chase or Bilt factors to journey companions, it’s worthwhile to log into your account, navigate to the respective journey portal, and choose the choice to switch to Hyatt. For first-timers, you’ll additionally have to enter your World of Hyatt account info. 

What the Expertise Was Like

For Shon, the expertise in Maui was about pursuing her love for journey as soon as once more. 

“This was my first massive journey the place I needed to rigorously plan and pack drugs for an prolonged time away, however I conquered it, which gave me the arrogance to proceed to journey fully by myself phrases.” 

In Hawaii, Shon says not a single second was taken without any consideration, regardless of now having to vary how she sees the world. “Earlier than I bought sick, I at all times cherished seashore holidays. I may spend hours simply floating within the ocean, fully mesmerized. Now, my situation means I can’t swim anymore, however there have been so many wonderful issues we did that we nonetheless snort about to today.” 

Shon recalled how the property, sprawled over 100 acres of land, was built-in into the primary city of Hana. The lodge distinctly felt prefer it was part of the group, Shon mentioned. “Meals vehicles are at the doorstep, and there’s a hidden pink sand seashore close by.” 

As well as, with Hyatt Globalist advantages—the best degree of standing with this system—Shon was upgraded from a backyard view room to a seashore bungalow, which not solely afforded her and Hobgood extra space, but in addition killer oceanfront views.

The dynamic duo went on loads of hikes close to the lodge, drove your entire size of the Street to Hana, and stopped at each meals truck they noticed for garlic shrimp, poke, acai, and banana bread. 

“Most of all, the journey gave me a way of normalcy I hadn’t felt for the reason that begin of my illness,” Shon mentioned. “Journey is not only a trip for me; I see it as proof of survival.”

A Factors and Miles Tip for Vacationers

Don’t be afraid to make use of your factors, Shon suggested. Her method isn’t to hoard and replenish over time, however as a substitute to redeem every time doable. Factors can unlock experiences price way over their money worth. And in contrast to cash, factors don’t respect over time. Airline and lodge packages can devalue with out warning. 

Most significantly, life is unpredictable, so when you’ve got the prospect to show factors into significant recollections or moments of therapeutic, take it. “If there is a reward in any of this, I’ve cherished embracing gradual journey and taking my time to discover a vacation spot,” Shon famous.  

Nowadays, Shon is an outspoken champion for SJS advocacy, and you’ll watch her TikTok movies right here.