I first considered a trip to Vanuatu a few months ago, and it did not take long to realise there might be some great workarounds possible. The first workaround came through IHG, the InterContinental Hotels Group. I was able to use my Hilton Gold membership, alongside my Virgin Gold status, to “trade up” to IHG Platinum. This allowed me to stay more cheaply and collect more points than usual. After staying at IHG hotels in Taiwan and Sydney, I had enough points for four free nights at the Holiday Inn Resort in Vanuatu, normally a $400-per-night hotel.