This Traveler Took an Epic Trip to Hawaii After Spending 2 Months in the ICU—and Spent $0 on Her Hotel

Stella Shon always loved to travel. After graduating from college in North Carolina, she moved to New York City to pursue a career as a writer at a major travel publication. But in August of 2022, Shon’s life as a healthy 26-year-old changed forever. 

Shon was diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), a rare but serious disorder affecting the skin and mucous membranes. After battling flu-like symptoms for several days, her temperature spiked to 107 degrees. This was accompanied by severe pain, and Shon’s condition deteriorated so much that she was forced into a hospital’s burn center. 

“When I was in the ICU, my world completely shattered all at once,” Shon said. “I was blind for a couple of months, and parts of my body were so damaged that returning to my normal life, let alone hopping on a plane again, seemed impossible.” 

Miraculously, Shon survived the ordeal, beating a mortality rate of 30-50%. While she has still had to navigate a seemingly never-ending array of doctor’s appointments, chronic pain, and uncertainty, travel became part of Shon’s routine once again. 

Eight months after her hospitalization, Shon took her first big trip—an epic journey to Hawaii with her best friend. “The trip felt like reclaiming a part of my identity. Being able to step back into travel, something I loved, showed me that I could still pursue a meaningful life, even if on different terms,” she said. 

Here’s how she made the hotel stay happen on points, and what made it so meaningful. 

How She Booked It 

In March 2023, Shon jetted off on her first big trip post-ICU, and Hawaii seemed like the perfect destination. Not only had she not been there before, but her best friend of nearly a decade, Taylor Hobgood, had just moved to Honolulu. 

“Taylor was one of my many amazing friends who spent days with me in the hospital and helped my family out as much as possible. She saw me at my absolute worst, and I could trust her with my whole heart to take things slow, see some beautiful sights, and share new memories together,” Shon recalled. 

Shon and Hobgood decided to visit Maui, with a stay at Hyatt’s Hana-Maui Resort. Shon booked the three-night getaway using World of Hyatt points—exactly 30,000 of them—per night. Hyatt assigns each of its hotels a category, and they correspond to a set number of points. As a Hyatt Category 7 property, rooms at the Hana-Maui resort require between 25,000 to 35,000 points per night (depending on the season). For context, at the time, the Hana-Maui was charging over $800 per night. 

The Hyatt chain has many aspirational hotels, and its loyalty program often has high-value redemptions. Besides Hana-Maui, hotels like the soon-to-open (or reopen) Park Hyatt Tokyo and Park Hyatt Los Cabos at Cabo Del Sol can be booked with points. 

Conveniently, two of the best loyalty programs in the space—Chase Ultimate Rewards points and Bilt Rewards points—transfer to the Hyatt program instantly, at a one-to-one ratio. To transfer Chase or Bilt points to travel partners, you need to log into your account, navigate to the respective travel portal, and select the option to transfer to Hyatt. For first-timers, you’ll also need to enter your World of Hyatt account information. 

What the Experience Was Like

For Shon, the experience in Maui was about pursuing her love for travel once again. 

“This was my first big trip where I had to carefully plan and pack medications for an extended time away, but I conquered it, which gave me the confidence to continue to travel completely on my own terms.” 

In Hawaii, Shon says not a single moment was taken for granted, despite now having to change how she sees the world. “Before I got sick, I always loved beach vacations. I could spend hours just floating in the ocean, completely mesmerized. Now, my condition means I can’t swim anymore, but there were so many amazing things we did that we still laugh about to this day.” 

Shon recalled how the property, sprawled over 100 acres of land, was integrated into the main town of Hana. The hotel distinctly felt like it was a part of the community, Shon said. “Food trucks are at your doorstep, and there’s a hidden red sand beach nearby.” 

In addition, with Hyatt Globalist benefits—the highest level of status with the program—Shon was upgraded from a garden view room to a beach bungalow, which not only afforded her and Hobgood more space, but also killer oceanfront views.

The dynamic duo went on plenty of hikes near the hotel, drove the entire length of the Road to Hana, and stopped at every food truck they saw for garlic shrimp, poke, acai, and banana bread. 

“Most of all, the trip gave me a sense of normalcy I hadn’t felt since the start of my disease,” Shon said. “Travel is no longer just a vacation for me; I see it as proof of survival.”

A Points and Miles Tip for Travelers

Don’t be afraid to use your points, Shon advised. Her approach isn’t to hoard and stock up over time, but instead to redeem whenever possible. Points can unlock experiences worth far more than their cash value. And unlike money, points don’t appreciate over time. Airline and hotel programs can devalue without warning. 

Most importantly, life is unpredictable, so if you have the chance to turn points into meaningful memories or moments of healing, take it. “If there’s a gift in any of this, I’ve loved embracing slow travel and taking my time to explore a destination,” Shon noted.  

These days, Shon is an outspoken champion for SJS advocacy, and you can watch her TikTok videos here.