3 Easy Routes to Elite Status With Hotel Credit Cards

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You don’t have to spend a lot of nights in a hotel in order to earn meaningful hotel elite status.

In fact, sometimes you don’t have to spend any time.

Below, I’ll show you how to use some credit cards to fast track your way to meaningful elite levels.

These are levels that will provide you with real value like better upgrades, free breakfast, and even lounge access.

Strategy overview

For each of the three elite programs below the optimal strategy is to:

Take advantage of automatic elite night credits (Marriott, Hyatt)
Utilize spend bonuses for elite night credits/free night certificates (Hyatt, Marriott)
Use points and free night certificates to help cover qualifying nights (All)
Fall back on automatic elite status offered by the card (Hilton, Hyatt)

Generally, I don’t think that the huge spend bonuses to earn elite status are worth it for hotel cards.

For example, spending $35,000 for Marriott Gold is not something I’d recommend pursuing on its own.

Too much spend, too little benefits.

But the spend bonuses to earn elite night credits can often come in handy, especially if it means racking up an additional free night and milestone benefits. See Hyatt.

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Marriott

The Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card will hook you up with 15 elite night credits upon approval and 1 Elite night credit for each $5,000 you spend.

Those 15 elite night credits will stack with the 15 elite night credits offered by the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card.

This means that you could start off each year with 30 elite nights which puts you only 20 nights short of Marriott Platinum status.

(These 15 elite night credits post within 60 days of account opening.)

Platinum is the first Marriott elite status that actually has value to me because you can get free breakfast and lounge access.

These Marriott cards also offer you free nights (redemption level up to 35,000 points) after your account anniversary so you can always use them to help you get even closer to status levels in the future.

Once you get to 50 nights, you can select an annual choice benefit of 5 elite night credits which will put you only 20 nights away from Titanium status.

That’s the second highest elite level with Marriott.

I’m still debating whether or not I want to chase Titanium status again, since so far it has been a little bit of a let down.

But some people do find it worth it and enjoy the perks that come with it like 48-hour guarantee availability and United Silver status.

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Hilton

The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card comes with Hilton Gold status but you can also get Hilton Gold with the Platinum Card® from American Express (enrollment required).

Gold is good enough for free breakfast ($10 to $25 dining credit in the US) and the occasional lounge access (assuming you get upgraded to a room on an executive floor).

So you don’t have to actually stay at any Hilton property to get some solid elite benefits.

Of course, if you want to go straight to the top of the food chain you can always get the The Amex® Hilton Aspire Card which gives you automatic Diamond status.

Because it’s so easy to achieve Hilton status with credit cards it does feel watered down compared to others.

That can make things a little tough when trying to get upgrades or late check-out but it doesn’t have an effect on some of the benefits like getting your dining credits.

I mean, who cares if 99% of the other guests are also “elite” if it still means you’re getting a free breakfast?

All information about the The Amex® Hilton Aspire Card has been collected independently by UponArriving.

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World of Hyatt

The World of Hyatt Credit Card will start you off with Hyatt Discoverist status.

Yes, it’s the bottom of the totem pole but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the status with an upgrade here and there and consistent late check out.

Here are the current elite requirements:

Status	Nights	Base Points
Discoverist	10	25,000
Explorist	30	50,000
Globalist	60	100,000

Where the World of Hyatt Credit Card will really help you with elite status is that it offers 5 qualifying night credits every year.

That puts you 25 nights away from Explorist.

Once you get to 30 nights needed for Explorist you could have 4 Club Lounge Access Awards stashed away via milestone awards.

You can also earn 2 additional qualifying night credits towards your next tier status every time you spend $5,000 on the World of Hyatt Credit Card.

So even with the modest annual spend of $15,000, you could be only 19 nights away from Explorist (plus you’d have an additional free night).

But right now, the real play with Hyatt it is to get the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card currently offering 60,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months.

The reason this offer is so special right now is that if you apply before October 6, 2022, you also get 2 Tier-Qualifying Night Credits for each night you stay from 8/23/22 through 12/31/22.

That means you could basically cut the elite requirements in half.

Final word

As you can see, you don’t have to spend months in a hotel to earn meaningful hotel elite status.

Even spending 20 to 25 nights in a hotel a year can qualify you for elite levels offering valuable perks.

With the help of free night certificates and earned welcome bonuses that often means that you only have to come out of pocket for about 15 to 20 nights per program.

And if you factor in points earned along the way, that’s probably shaving off a few more nights, depending on your spend and redemptions.

So it’s very feasible for some people to pursue middle and upper level elite statuses with multiple hotel programs by utilizing credit card benefits in a strategic way.

Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analysis & recommendations are UponArriving’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

Amex Disclosure: Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Daniel Gillaspia

Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.

World of Hyatt Business Credit Card: 60K + 2X Night Credits

The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card is out with a pretty hot offer that will provide steady value through the remainder of the year and even through next year, 2023.

This is especially true for those chasing elite status.

Let’s break down this card and see who it might be good for.

Welcome Bonus

The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card is currently offering 60,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months.

That’s a very solid bonus although the intro offer was at 75,000 (with a much higher spend requirement).

But the reason this offer is so special right now is that if you apply before October 6, 2022, you also get 2 Tier-Qualifying Night Credits for each night you stay from 8/23/22 through 12/31/22.

That’s a really valuable offer for people trying to move up in elite status with Hyatt.

Hyatt arguably has the best top levels of hotel elite status and so getting a shortcut for the remainder of the year is a pretty awesome benefit.

Here are the current elite requirements:

Status	Nights	Base Points
Discoverist	10	25,000
Explorist	30	50,000
Globalist	60	100,000

Tip: You need to be under 5/24 to get approved so be sure to use the WalletFlo eligibility checker to make sure you are eligible before you apply. Also, you can get both the personal and business version.

Bonus earning

The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card is also offering a special bonus earning deal for the remainder of the year and next year.

You can earn 2X per $1 spent in your top three spend categories each quarter through 12/31/23, (then your top two categories each quarter).

The categories include:

Dining
Shipping
Airline tickets when purchased directly with the airline
Local transit & commuting
Social media & search engine Advertising
Car rental agencies
Gas stations
Internet, cable & phone services

You also earn 2X on fitness memberships.

Hyatt points are some of the most valuable reward points so earning 2X Hyatt points is much more rewarding than something like 2X Hilton points.

So this is something you may actually want to pursue.

With that said, you could earn more points on some of these categories like dining, airline tickets, and transit using a card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

And some of the Chase business cards can also boost your earnings even better.

For example, the Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card earns 3X on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on:

Travel
Shipping purchases
Internet, cable and phone services
Advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines

The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card will earn you 5% cash back or 5X on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year at:

Internet, cable and phone services
Office supply stores

So if you are okay going the transferable points route, you could have much more lucrative earnings.

Perks

$50 statement credit

You can earn a $50 statement credit per qualifying Hyatt purchase with your World of Hyatt Business Credit Card up to 2 times each anniversary year (for a total of $100).

This is a pretty easy way to offset half of the $199 annual fee.

10% rebate

If during a calendar year you and any employee(s) collectively spend $50,000, you will receive 10% back on up to a total of 200,000 World of Hyatt points you redeem.

A 10% rebate on Hyatt points could be very valuable but it’s a pretty high spend requirement to trigger this benefit. The good news is that $50,000 worth of spend will trigger many qualifying night credits, as seen below.

Discoverist status

You will get Discoverist status and get 5 Discoverist Upgrade Awards to gift Discoverist to 5 employees.

While I would say you should be targeting higher levels of elite status if you get this card right now, don’t completely discount the value of Discoverist.

I’ve been able to receive some really late check-outs and gotten some nice little bumps in upgrades from Discoverist. It’s probably my favorite bottom of the totem pole elite level because I can actually notice its impact.

Elite credits

One of the strongest perks of the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card is that for every $10K you spend in a calendar year you’ll earn 5 tier qualifying night credits.

That is better than the personal card (which offers 2 qualifying night credits every $5,000) although the personal card does come with 5 tier qualifying night credits towards status every year.

Plus, you can get an extra free night at a category 1-4 Hyatt hotel if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year with the personal card (in addition to the annual free night).

Hyatt Leverage Membership

Get benefits like 15% off standard rates at participating hotels worldwide.

Final word

The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card is a solid hotel credit card.

If you’re trying to make a serious push to climb elite status with Hyatt, right now is a great time to apply while the limited time offer lasts.

And if you plan on putting a lot of spend on the card, you can benefit from the 5 tier qualifying night credits, making your progress even quicker.

Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analysis & recommendations are UponArriving’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

Daniel Gillaspia

Hyatt Category 7 Properties (Hotels List) [2022]

This year alone, Hyatt grew the footprint of category 7 properties from 15 properties worldwide to a total of 119 properties worldwide. It is partly because of Small Luxury Hotels of The World partnering up with Hyatt adding new unique properties and the addition of the Alila brand joining in.

As of today, I’ll list all category 7 properties and show you the cash prices of some of the properties so you can see which properties will offer you the best or worst value for your points.

Interested in finding out the top travel credit cards for this month? Click here to check them out!

World of Hyatt card

The World of Hyatt card is one of the best hotel credit cards available since it comes with a great sign-up bonus, great bonus category earning, and the opportunity for free nights. It’s also one of the best hotel cards for climbing your way up the elite status tiers for Hyatt.

Bonus earning:
- 4X spent with your card at Hyatt hotels, including participating restaurants and spas
- 2X on local transit and commuting, including taxis, mass transit, tolls, and ride-share services
- 2X at restaurants, cafes and coffee shops
- 2X on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline
- 2X spent on fitness club and gym memberships
Free nights:
- Receive one free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort every year after your cardmember anniversary
- Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort if you spend $15,000 during your cardmember anniversary year
Elite status:
- Comes with Hyatt Discoverist status
- Receive 5 qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every year
- Earn 2 additional qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
$95 Annual Fee

With the Hyatt credit card, you’ll be able to earn free night awards are for categories 1 through 4, so those wouldn’t do you much good for the properties found in this article (click here for category 4 properties). However, the bonus points you could earn at these properties with a card like the World of Hyatt card could certainly add substantial value.

If you’re wanting to earn free nights for category 7 properties there is a way to do it but it’s going to require a lot of stays. As you’ll need to stay 60 qualifying nights or earn 100,000 Base Points in a calendar year. Here’s a look at all of the free nights that you can earn with the World of Hyatt program.

Activity	Milestone Rewards
Stay 20 qualifying nights or earn 35,000 Base Points in a calendar year	2 Club Lounge Access Awards
Stay 30 qualifying nights or earn 50,000 Base Points in a calendar year	1 Category 1-4 Free Night Award and 2 Club Lounge Access Awards
Stay 40 qualifying nights or earn 65,000 Base Points in a calendar year	5,000 Bonus Points or A $100 Hyatt Gift Card or 10,000 Point savings on a FIND experience
Stay 50 qualifying nights or earn 80,000 Base Points in a calendar year	2 Suite Upgrade Awards
Stay 60 qualifying nights or earn 100,000 Base Points in a calendar year	1 Category 1-7 Free Night Award and 2 Suite Upgrade Awards and Access to My Hyatt Concierge
Stay 70 qualifying nights in a calendar year	10,000 Bonus Points or 1 Suite Upgrade Award
Stay 80 qualifying nights in a calendar year	10,000 Bonus Points or 1 Suite Upgrade Award
Stay 90 qualifying nights in a calendar year	10,000 Bonus Points or 1 Suite Upgrade Award
Stay 100 qualifying nights in a calendar year	10,000 Bonus Points or 1 Suite Upgrade Award

You’ll notice that some of the free nights are awarded at an elite level milestone for the different Hyatt elite tiers, which consist of the following tiers:

Discoverist (10 qualifying nights, 25,000 Base Points, or holding 3 qualifying meetings/events per year.)
Explorist (30 qualifying nights, 50,000 Base Points, or holding 10 qualifying meetings/events per year.)
Globalist (60 qualifying nights, 100,000 Base Points, or holding 20 qualifying meetings/events per year.)
Lifetime Globalist status (Earn 1,000,000 Base Points over the course of your program membership)

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Hyatt category 7 points required

Hyatt category 7 properties will require 30,000 Hyatt points per night. And now with the new changes for Hyatt points + cash, the price of the cash portion will be half of the standard rate for the properties. Also, you’ll be able to use points to book premium suites at some of these properties.

Here is a look at the Hyatt award chart:

Hotel category	Standard room points per night	Regency/Grand Club points per night	Standard suite points per night	Premium suite points per night
1	5,000	7,000	8,000	10,000
2	8,000	12,000	13,000	16,000
3	12,000	17,000	20,000	24,000
4	15,000	21,000	24,000	30,000
5	20,000	27,000	32,000	40,000
6	25,000	33,000	40,000	50,000
7	30,000	39,000	48,000	60,000
8	40,000	50,000	61,000	80,000

Which Hyatt properties are good value?

Since you’ll be spending 30,000 points if you cover the entire cost of a free night award, you can easily set a limit on your desired minimum value for your points.

I value Hyatt points at least 1.5 cents per point, so 30,000 Hyatt points are worth $450 to me. So, that means I’d generally want at least $450 in value for my redemptions.

You might value Hyatt points even higher and thus have even higher expectations for your redemptions if you’re focused mostly on truly aspirational properties (those with high prices of $700+ per night). I love those crazy expensive properties too, but I don’t feel like I have to use my points on them.

I’m more in the middle, but I wouldn’t be attracted to properties that cost below $400 because I would feel like I’m missing out on so much value with my points. That doesn’t mean that those are not quality properties, though.

In some cases, like when you really need a place to stay at, it can make sense to take less value for your points. It’s just a good idea to be aware of the range in value that you can get from Hyatt category 7 properties since it’s so wide and that’s what this article aims to do.

United States and Canada

California

Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas

Carmel Valley Ranch

Hyatt Carmel Highlands, Overlooking Big Sur Coast & Highlands Inn, A Hyatt Residence Club

Rates at Hyatt Carmel Highlands can be very low offering some of the worst value for your Hyatt points.

Colorado

Austria Haus (New)

Capitol Peak Lodge, A Destination by Hyatt Residence

Christiania Condominiums, A Destination by Hyatt Residence

Christiania Lodge

Countryside at Snowmass, A Destination by Hyatt Residence

Enzian, A Destination by Hyatt Residence

Hyatt Residence Club at Park Hyatt Beaver Creek

Montaneros in Vail, A Destination by Hyatt Residence

Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa

The Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa can be even lower at $222.

Shadowbrook, A Destination by Hyatt Residence

Stonebridge Inn

Tamarack Townhomes, A Destination by Hyatt Residence

Terracehouse, A Destination by Hyatt Residence

The Landmark, A Destination by Hyatt Residence

Top of the Village, A Destination by Hyatt Residence

Vail 21, A Destination by Hyatt Residence

Vail Residences at Cascade Village

Villas at Snowmass Club, A Destination by Hyatt Residence

Woodrun Place, a Destination by Hyatt Residence

Florida

Hyatt Centric Key West Resort & Spa

Hyatt Residence Club Sarasota, Siesta Key Beach

Hawaii

Hana-Maui Resort

Hyatt Residence Club Maui, Kāʻanapali Beach

Kaanapali Alii, A Destination by Hyatt Residence

Makena Surf, A Destination by Hyatt Residence

Polo Beach Club, A Destination by Hyatt Residence

Puunoa Beach Estates, A Destination by Hyatt Residence

Wailea Elua Village, A Destination by Hyatt Residence

Nevada

Hyatt Residence Club Lake Tahoe, High Sierra Lodge

South Carolina

Wentworth Mansion

Wentworth is an interesting property as it’s one of the few Small Luxury Hotels of The World in North America. The rates can get pretty high at certain times of the year, but hard to find availability and when you do find availability the rates aren’t too high.

Utah

Hyatt Centric Park City

Vermont

The Lodge at Spruce Peak

Caribbean & Latin America

Jamaica

The Trident Hotel

Martinique

French Coco

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Park Hyatt St. Kitts Christophe Harbour

I’ve heard so many wonderful things about St. Kitts that it really makes me want to head down there and see what the island is all about. The rooms aren’t too ridiculous with rooms at $576 in the winter and below $300 in the summer. It’s located on Banana Bay right on the beach, about 25 minutes from the main town which allows you to feel like you’re able to truly escape.

Brazil

Kenoa – Exclusive Beach Spa & Resort

Mexico

La Casa Que Canta

Las Alamandas Resort

Rancho Pescadero

Europe

Croatia

Boutique Hotel Alhambra

Hotel Excelsior Dubrovnik

Cyprus

Columbia Beach Resort

Located right on the beach this hotel might be an interesting choice. However, the hotel has one of the highest occupancy rates as it’s so aspirational. This includes both cash and point rates.

France

Domaine Misincu

Hôtel L’Hotel

Hôtel Relais Christine

Hôtel San Régis

Le Narcisse Blanc Hôtel & Spa

Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme (Now a category 8)

We stayed a couple of nights at the Park Hyatt Vendôme and I was honestly not too impressed with the service. With that said, the property is still in a great location in Paris and the rooms are very expensive so you’ll get great value for your Hyatt points. I might have just caught it on an off day and hopefully, your stay will be better.

Château La Chenevière

Hôtel du Palais Biarritz

Le Clos Saint-Martin Hotel & Spa

Les Sources de Caudalie

Chateau Eza

Chateau Eza is an interesting Small Luxury Hotel property as it’s located in Èze incorporating an over 400-year-old ancient wall used to be known as “The Castle of the Prince of Sweden.” It probably has some of the most breathtaking views of the Mediterranean sea on top of the hill it’s located on.

Domaine de Manville

Hotel Crillon-Le-Brave

Hôtel Lou Pinet

Hôtel Martinez

Tiara Miramar Beach Hotel & Spa

Greece

Boheme Hotel

Elounda Gulf Villas and Suites

Gold Suites

Magma Resort Santorini (Opening Soon)

Mykonos Ammos Hotel

Mykonos Riviera Hotel & Spa

Iceland

Hotel Rangá

Italy

Grand Hotel Cocumella

Romeo Hotel

Hotel Splendide Royal

Margutta 19

Villa Spalletti Trivelli

Lefay Resort & SPA Lago di Garda

Park Hyatt Milan (Now a category 8)

I loved my recent stay at the Park Hyatt Milan. It’s a beautiful property that is located near the Duomo and other iconic structures in the hear of Milan. The service was great and the rooms were great, especially the giant bathrooms. The rooms can range $600 to $800+ here too so it’s a great place to cash in your points.

7Pines Resort Sardinia (Opening Soon)

La Villa del Re

Sikelia

Sikelia is an all-suite Small Luxury Hotel property on the Island of Pantelleria. It’s spa retreat in the mountains for a great connection to nature. With rates that go $600+, it’s hard to go wrong at this lovely property.

Lefay Resort and Spa Dolomiti

Hotel Byron

Il Salviatino

Ca’ Sagredo Hotel

Escalus Luxury Suites Verona

Hotel Ai Reali

Palazzo Sant’Angelo sul Canal Grande

Montenegro

Villa Geba

Netherlands

The Dylan Amsterdam

Portugal

Quinta Da Comporta

Spain

7Pines Resort Ibiza

Aguas de Ibiza Grand Luxe

El Lodge Ski and Spa

El Lodge Ski and Spa is a southern Spain mountain lodge that ranges from $500 to $700 during peak season.

Nobu Hotel Marbella

Switzerland

Alex Lake Zurich

Crans Ambassador

Grand Hotel Villa Castagnola

Park Hyatt Zurich

Rooms for the Park Hyatt Zurich are around $600 so it’s another solid option for using your Hyatt points and the property has received some pretty great reviews and it’s within walking distance of Lake Zurich.

Villa Orselina

United Kingdom

Foxhill Manor

The Nare Hotel

Cromlix

Greywalls Hotel

Inverlochy Castle

Isle of Eriska Hotel, Spa and Island (New)

Africa

Kenya

Hemingways Nairobi

Morocco

Ksar Char-Bagh

Asia

Bhutan

Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary

Indonesia

Alila Villas Uluwatu

Want to stay on top of a cliff with views around the property viewing the beautiful Indian Ocean? This is your property and this redemption is worth it at this beautiful Alila property.

Viceroy Bali

Located in the heart of Ubud forests over the river valley surrounded with monkeys, it won’t get any better than this with the connection of nature at this small boutique Small Luxury Hotel. With rates that reach the $800+, this is what an aspirational property looks like.

Japan

Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills

Some say the Andaz is one of the best Hyatt properties in Japan. I agree as the Andaz is a spectacular modern infused Japanese property in Tokyo. Rates are lower than the Park Hyatt but certainly better if you like modern.

Hotel Gajoen Tokyo

Park Hyatt Tokyo

Room rates can be pretty reasonable at the Park Hyatt Tokyo with rates dipping close to $400, but that’s during the offseason. Some complain that the property is a bit dated but the consensus is that it’s still a fabulous hotel. While it’s on the lower side of where I like to use my points, I’d still consider this a good option, especially given its location.

Shima Kanko Hotel the Bay Suites

Sowaka

The Terrace Club at Busena

Tip: When booking properties in Japan, you need to factor in Japan’s high occupancy and service tax. Taxes or resort fees aren’t included in the rates shown above. That means you could see an increase in your nightly rate of up to 20% when paying cash. When you book using Hyatt points, you don’t pay any taxes or fees.

Kazakhstan

The Veil (New)

Maldives

Alila Kothaifaru Maldives

Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa

Located in North Huvadhoo, Park Hyatt Maldives is secluded all by itself on its own private island. However, cash rates can be reasonable during certain seasons. Not a crazy amount like certain other properties in other regions of the world.

Thailand

Keemala

Tongsai Pool Villas

Vietnam

Naman Retreat

Mainland China

Honor Resort Yun Shu Dali

Final word

As you can see the value from using your points at Hyatt category 7 properties can vary dramatically. Some of it depends on the location and most of the times it depends on the season. I personally like to only use my points at properties that offer maximum value but you should do whatever is best for you.

Daniel Gillaspia

Hyatt Category 4 Free Night (Hotels List) [2022]

One of my favorite credit card perks that I’ve used over and over again is the Hyatt free night certificate. It’s pretty easy to get your hands on free night certificates for Hyatt properties with the World of Hyatt Card and all of the other free night promotions offered by Hyatt.

But what are the best ways to use these free night awards?

This comprehensive article will show you all of the possibilities for using your free night awards for Hyatt category 4 hotels. I’ll also highlight the value and some of the strong points that make some of these properties worth visiting.

World of Hyatt Card

The World of Hyatt Card is one of the best hotel credit cards available since it comes with a great sign-up bonus, strong bonus category earning, and the opportunity for free nights. It’s also one of the best hotel cards for climbing your way up the elite status tiers for Hyatt. You can read our full detailed review here.

Welcome Bonus
- 30,000 Bonus Points after $3,000 in purchases within 3 months of account opening
- Plus, 2 points total per $1 spent on purchases that earn 1 point, up to $15,000 in spend in the first 6 months of account opening
Bonus earning:
- 4X spent with your card at Hyatt hotels, including participating restaurants and spas
- 2X on local transit and commuting, including taxis, mass transit, tolls and ride-share services
- 2X at restaurants, cafes and coffee shops
- 2X on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline
- 2X spent on fitness club and gym memberships
Free nights:
- Receive one free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort every year after your cardmember anniversary
- Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort if you spend $15,000 during your cardmember anniversary year
Elite status:
- Comes with Hyatt Discoverist status
- Receive 5 qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every year
- Earn 2 additional qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
$95 Annual Fee

As you can see, you will be granted one free night each year automatically and have the opportunity to earn an additional free night when you spend $15,000.

The free night awards are for categories 1 through 4, so this article is going to look at different ways that you can use your free night award at category 4 hotels since many people will want to maximize the free night at the top category.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Free night awards

You can also earn free night awards just by staying at Hyatt properties. Here are the different ways that you can earn free nights.

Actions Needed	Rewards
Stay at 5 different Hyatt brands and pay an eligible rate starting March 1, 2017	Free night award in a Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort (valid for one year from issuance)
Stay 30 qualifying nights or earn 50,000 Base Points in a calendar year	Free night award in a Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort
Stay 60 qualifying nights or earn 100,000 Base Points in a calendar year	Free night award in a Category 1-7 Hyatt hotel or resort
Stay 70, 80, 90 and 100 qualifying nights in a calendar year	Choose to receive 10,000 Bonus Points or a suite upgrade award

Note that all of the free nights are for free nights in the category 1-4 range except for the free night earned after staying 60 qualifying nights. That free anniversary night allows redemptions for properties up to a category seven. If you would like to see the best category seven Hyatt properties, then be sure to check out our article here.

Hyatt award chart

Below is the Hyatt award chart, which shows the price for awards at each of the different categories. The free night certificates are used to claim standard rooms, though you can always get upgraded if you have status with Hyatt.

Here is a look at the Hyatt award chart:

Hotel category	Standard room points per night	Regency/Grand Club points per night	Standard suite points per night	Premium suite points per night
1	5,000	7,000	8,000	10,000
2	8,000	12,000	13,000	16,000
3	12,000	17,000	20,000	24,000
4	15,000	21,000	24,000	30,000
5	20,000	27,000	32,000	40,000
6	25,000	33,000	40,000	50,000
7	30,000	39,000	48,000	60,000
8	40,000	50,000	61,000	80,000

When to use your Hyatt free nights

Since you can use your free night awards for properties in categories one through four, you obviously want to stay at category 4 properties as much as possible. It won’t always be possible to do, but if you can go with a category 4 hotel, that’s often where you’re going to maximize your value.

Once you are focused on category 4 properties, then you want to look at the price of a one night stay to see which hotels offer you the best value.

We know that category 4 hotels require 15,000 Hyatt points so if you value Hyatt points at 1.5 cents per point, then you’d want to shoot for around $225 in value per night to maximize your rewards.

That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t use your free night reward for nights that cost less than $225. Once you factor in things like property reviews, location, special features, etc., you might feel it’s worth it to use your free night on a property that doesn’t offer the maximum value and that’s fine.

But I do suggest that you try to get a baseline value for your free night so you at least know the value potential of that perk.

Below is a list of 176 category 4 Hyatt properties — note that this list is always subject to change and may not be 100% updated at all times. You can also search for properties here.

Canada

British Columbia

Spirit Ridge

United States

Arizona

Hyatt Residence Club Sedona, Piñon Pointe

California

Colorado

Hyatt Place Keystone

D.C.

The Grand Hyatt Washington is a great property for touring the DC area with a great location within mere blocks of many of the major DC attractions.

Florida

Georgia

The Andaz Savannah isn’t a crazy expensive hotel, but with room rates usually over $200, you couldn’t go wrong if you end up in Savannah using your free night award and want to stay at the highly-rated Andaz.

Guam

Hyatt Regency Guam

Hawaii

Illinois

If you’re ever visiting Chicago consider the Thompson Chicago. Room rates are close to $300 and the boutique hotel feel really makes it a great hotel to stay at compared to other properties.

Indiana

Kentucky

Hyatt Regency Louisville

Louisiana

The Hyatt Centric French Quarter New Orleans offers great value along with a great location in the French Quarter.

Maryland

Hyatt Place National Harbor

Massachusetts

With rooms going over $300, the Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor is a great place to redeem your points with a great location in the heart of Boston.

Minnesota

Hyatt Centric Downtown Minneapolis

Missouri

Nevada

The Las Vegas hotels don’t offer the best value as they offer some very low prices throughout the year.

New Jersey

New York

Pennsylvania

Puerto Rico

Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico

South Carolina

Tennessee

Hyatt Centric Beale Street Memphis

Texas

They Hyatt Regency Austin is a great place to cash in on value with your free night award. Rooms can go for over $400 per night, so this is often a great deal.

Utah

Virginia

Hyatt Regency Tysons Corner Center

Washington

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Caribbean & Latin America

Europe

Austria

Altstadt Vienna

Belgium

The Pand Hotel

France

Rooms for the Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile go for over $200 so this is another hotel that offers some decent value. It is about a 10 to 15 minute walk from the famous Arc de Triomphe and located by the Neuilly Porte Maillot station.

Germany

Greece

Ireland

Wilder Townhouse

Italy

The Hyatt Centric Milan Centrale Is located just outside of the main train station in Milan. It is about 15 minutes away from the Duomo via a taxi ride but this could be a great location if you will be coming in or leaving via the train station. Rooms can go for around $220 per night so this offers pretty good value.

Latvia

Hotel Bergs

Netherlands

Hyatt Regency Amsterdam

Norway

Opus XVI

Portugal

Spain

Sweden

Hôtel Reisen

Switzerland

Hyatt Place Zurich Airport The Circle (New)

Ukraine

Hyatt Regency Kyiv

United Kingdom

Africa

Kenya

Diamonds Dream of Africa

South Africa

Tanzania

Maison Dedine (New)

Middle East

Kuwait

Hyatt Regency Al Kout Mall

Qatar

Grand Hyatt Doha Hotel & Villas

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates

Rooms at the Grand Hyatt Dubai can go for around $300 per night so this hotel offer some really great value. The hotel is located near the airport and is about 15 minutes outside of the downtown Dubai area.

Asia

Mainland China

Hong Kong SAR

Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui

Macau SAR

Grand Hyatt Macau

India

Indonesia

Andaz Bali
Park Hyatt Jakarta (Opening Soon)

Japan

Malaysia

Gaya Island Resort

Singapore

The Outpost Hotel Sentosa

South Korea

Taiwan

Grand Hyatt Taipei

The Grand Hyatt Taipei Is a great use of your free night since the property can go for around $250 per night. It also has a fantastic location, located right next to the famous Taipei 101 Tower.

Thailand

Vietnam

Park Hyatt Saigon

Australia & Pacific

Australia

Melbourne is such a unique city and staying at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne is a terrific way to experience the city since you’re right in the heart of the city.

New Zealand

The George

Hyatt Category 4 Free Night FAQ

How can I get a Hyatt category 4 free night?

The World of Hyatt Card offers one free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort every year after your cardmember anniversary.

How many points are needed for a category 4 free night?

15,000 points are needed for a standard room per night.

How much is a Hyatt category 4 free night worth?

With a 1.5 cent per point valuation, your free night should be worth around $225. However, the value you get on your specific redemption could be lower or higher depending on the property.

Final word

As you can see, there are a lot of options for using your Hyatt free night awards for category 4 properties. I recommend coming up with a baseline number for the value of your free night certificates but try not to get to stuck on that figure since other factors also come into play when using free night awards.

This article was originally published by Steve Smith.

Daniel Gillaspia

Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach Review

Waikiki is filled with many resorts and hotels but you don’t have to break the bank to stay at a quality hotel.

One property that will offer you a quality experience without too steep of a price is the Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach. (It can also be a great place to stay when using points or free nights certificates.)

In this review article, I’ll break down everything you need to know about the Hyatt Place Waikiki based on our recent stay.

Booking Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach

We used a free night certificate to book one free night at the Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach.

It’s a category three property so we could have used the free night on a higher category but from the value perspective it was still a great redemption considering that rooms were going for around $200+ w/taxes and fees.

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Location Overview

The Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach is located on the southern part of Waikiki. It’s just a couple of blocks from Kūhiō Beach and it’s also very close to the Honolulu Zoo and Waikiki Aquarium.

You’ll have an ABC store right next to you for your every day needs and potentially some snacks souvenirs.

You also have a number of highly rated restaurants nearby (Mami’s Empanadas, JR Gourmet Franks & Links, d.k Steak House) and some cool places like a food cart that serves up ice cream rolls.

Something interesting about the property is that there is a Domino’s Pizza connected to the lobby so it doesn’t get more convenient than that for your pizza needs.

Check out: Using Uber at HNL Guide (Tips & Photos)

Check-in

Check-in went smoothly and we were able to utilize early check-in which was great. We decided to simply valet our rental vehicle which would run $45 a night.

That’s a pretty steep price but it is in line with the other hotels and resorts in Waikiki.

As part of our welcome gifts, we received a special Hyatt Place branded mask and water bottle.

I think these are items paid for by the resort fee (or “destination fee”) but since we booked our points we did not have to pay it.

The room

The first thing that stuck out to me at this property was the size of the room. Having stayed at the Holiday Inn Express about a week prior to this stay, this two queen bed room was considerably more spacious!

Our stay at this property came at the very end of a 10 night trip so it was very refreshing to have so much room to relax in. The room and all of the furniture also felt pretty modern, clean, and kept up very well. I was pretty impressed.

Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach two queen beds

Across from the bed is the workstation which also contains the coffee maker and all of the teas, coffees, and cups.

Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach two queen bed desk

There’s also a decently sized flatscreen TV. It sits atop a dresser which is where you can also find the mini fridge.

Then there is the sofa in the corner with an ottoman for you to relax on.

The bathroom was very basic but clean which is all that really matters to me at a property like this.

There was a single sink with a fair amount of counter space.

The shower was very standard and maybe a little bit cramped but just about what I would expect.

The other thing I really liked about this room that was better than the Holiday Inn Express was that they had a nice balcony. On the balcony, you’ll find a couple of chairs and a small table which allow you to relax and take in the view.

The side walls of the balcony protrude out far so it’s a very private feel.

They do have rooms with ocean views but I believe we were given a city view.

It still gave us a nice view of Diamondhead whenever we looked off to the side.

Check out: Jurassic World & Fallen Kingdom Filming Sites & Tours (Hawaii Guide)

Breakfast/pool area

The pandemic rules were still in effect during our visit so we had to experience the pandemic version of their breakfast.

Basically, you wait in line and then tell the servers what you would like included in your breakfast and then they stuff a container for you.

I never really look forward to these type of breakfasts but sometimes there are certain menu items that I find edible like bacon or maybe a muffin. In this case, they had some pretty decent French toast.

Check out: How to (Legally) Bring Pineapples From Hawaii to the Mainland

They had a variety of teas and a lineup of coffee.

You could also find orange juice and apple juice.

They had a decent set up on a rooftop terrace which is also where the pool was located. We arrived at breakfast very early since we had plans and it felt great out on the terrace, maybe even a little bit chilly.

The pool area and rooftop terrace was not as nice as at the Holiday Inn Express where you also have miniature golf and different activities along with bigger pools. Still, at least you have a pool to enjoy on a rooftop in Hawaii.

The hotel gym is also located on this terrace and it actually looks out to the eating area.

It’s kind of odd but while you are chowing down on the French toast you can watch people burning hundreds of calories during their cardio session.

We roamed around the property and checked out some other areas. It’s worth pointing out that they do have a laundry room with a few different machines.

Down on the main floor of the lobby, they have a little market station where you can purchase some cold food items, desserts, and pick up water bottles, juice, soda, etc.

They also have a little bar area.

And you’ll find a decent amount of areas to set up for work or lounging around.

Finally, I also noticed a couple of gift shops on the main floor.

Final word

I really enjoyed my stay at the Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach.

The free night redemption was great value and the hotel felt very well-kept and I loved the spacious room. Considering all the jumping around we had been doing over the past 10 days this was a perfect hotel to finish up the trip.

It’s interesting comparing it to the Holiday Inn Express because I liked the rooms here way better but it was nice having a better pool area and rooftop terrace at the Holiday Inn Express.

Daniel Gillaspia

Is Hyatt A Part of Marriott Bonvoy? (Key Differences) [2021]

There are so many different hotel chains and brands out there that it is almost impossible to keep up with all of them, even for the most experienced travelers.

It’s understandable that some people mix up Hyatt and Marriott Bonvoy and have questions about whether or not these hotel brands fall under the same corporate umbrella. Below, I am going to break down the key differences between these hotel chains and give you some insight into how your experience with these chains might be different.

Is Hyatt a part of Marriott?

No, Hyatt is not a part of Marriott. Instead, these are two competing hotel companies: Hyatt Hotels Corporation and Marriott International.

Hyatt began in 1957 while Marriott has been around since 1927. Both of these hospitality companies have a number of different brands with Hyatt totaling 20 brands and Marriott totaling 30 distinct brands.

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Key differences between Hyatt and Marriott

There are a number of key differences between Hyatt and Marriott, and I’ll summarize some of the major differences that stick out.

Footprint

A hotel’s footprint refers to the size of a hotel’s network here in the US and globally. Marriott has more than 7,000 properties worldwide in 131 countries. On the other hand, Hyatt has more than 1,000 hotel, all-inclusive, and wellness resort properties in 68 countries across six continents.

It’s pretty evident that Marriott has a much wider footprint than Hyatt. What this means practically is that on average you’ll find it easier to locate a Marriott property than a Hyatt property.

If you are staying in the heart of a major city you may not notice a huge difference in the number of higher-end properties between these two chains. But if you are regularly searching for hotels and traveling all around the globe, you will usually start to see the discrepancy play out.

Sometimes when you compare the number of high-end properties between Hyatt and other bigger chains, you realize there is not that big of a gap when it comes to the quantity of upscale properties. But that is not the case between Marriott and Hyatt.

For example, Marriott has about 108 Ritz-Carlton locations and 53 St. Regis-branded hotels, both of which represent high-end brands for Marriott. Meanwhile, Hyatt has about 35 Park Hyatts.

So it doesn’t really matter which way you slice it — Marriott offers many more options than Hyatt.

Point values

Point values refer to how much value you can obtain when redeeming your points for a given loyalty program.

For the most part when you are talking about the value of hotel points you are considering the value when the points are used for free nights. (Other types of redemptions could include gift cards, travel packages, etc.)

There is a pretty big difference in point values between these two hotel chains.

The valuation for Marriott points will vary based on the person but an acceptable valuation would be about .77 cents per point.

Meanwhile, Hyatt has some of the most valuable points in the hotel industry with some people valuing them at 1.5 cents per point or more.

So for Hyatt, you are generally talking about points that are worth two times as much as Marriott.

Something interesting about Marriott Bonvoy points is that these points can be transferred to a lot of different airlines (40+) and you get a bonus whenever you transfer large quantities of points.

When converting points into airline miles they will often transfer at the following rate of 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to 20,000 airline miles. For every 20,000 miles that are converted you get an additional 5,000 bonus miles.

This means that 60,000 Marriott points comes out to 25,000 airline miles. If you are using those miles for premium redemptions like business class and first class flights, you can get a lot of value from those 25,000 miles.

For example, if you were getting eight cents per mile, 25,000 miles could come out to $2,000 in value. This means that the value of the 60,000 Marriott points could equate to $2,000+ when used in an optimal way.

So in that sense, Marriott points can actually be extremely valuable.

Elite levels

Below is an overview of the different elite status levels. (Note that these are the standard qualifying thresholds that applied before coronavirus.)

Here are the different World of Hyatt elite levels and the requirements for each level:

Discoverist: 10 qualifying nights, 25,000 Base Points
Explorist: 30 qualifying nights, 50,000 Base Points
Globalist: 60 qualifying nights, 100,000 Base Points

Here are the different Marriott Bonvoy elite levels and the requirements for each level:

Silver: 10 to 24 nights
Gold: 25 to 49 nights
Platinum: 50 to 74 nights
Titanium: 75 to 99 nights
Ambassador: 100 nights + $20,000 U.S. dollars in qualified annual spend

The first difference you might notice (other than the funny names used by Hyatt) is that Marriott has five elite levels and Hyatt only has three elite levels.

That makes it a little bit tough to directly compare the programs but you can still compare them based on benefits offered.

For example, Marriott offers free breakfast when you obtain Platinum status but Hyatt does not offer that benefit until you reach Globalist.

Platinum status will get you lounge access with Marriott but you don’t get guaranteed lounge access with Hyatt until you hit Globalist (Hyatt offers two club lounge access awards when you hit 30 nights).

Both programs offer milestone rewards such as suite upgrade awards. Marriott will offer you five Suite Night Awards as an Annual Choice Benefit option when you reach 50 nights and 75 nights in a calendar year.

With Hyatt, you’ll earn 2 suite awards after 50 nights and 2 more suite awards after 60 nights. You’ll then earn one suite award for every 10 additional nights after that up to 100 nights. The great thing about Hyatt suite night awards is that you can use one award to cover many nights (unlike Marriott where it is a per night basis).

Marriott has a partnership with United and if you achieve Titanium status you can get automatic United Silver status which is the bottom level of elite status.

Silver status does not give you a lot of perks but it is a way to get upgrades on occasion to business class and more commonly upgrades to economy plus.

Hyatt also has the partnership with M-Life, which allows you to status match.

Credit cards

World of Hyatt Card

Welcome Bonus
- 30,000 Bonus Points after $3,000 in purchases within 3 months of account opening
- Plus, 2 points total per $1 spent on purchases that earn 1 point, up to $15,000 in spend in the first 6 months of account opening
Bonus earning:
- 4X spent with your card at Hyatt hotels, including participating restaurants and spas
- 2X on local transit and commuting, including taxis, mass transit, tolls and ride-share services
- 2X at restaurants, cafes and coffee shops
- 2X on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline
- 2X spent on fitness club and gym memberships
Free nights:
- Receive one free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort every year after your cardmember anniversary
- Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort if you spend $15,000 during your cardmember anniversary year
Elite status:
- Comes with Hyatt Discoverist status
- Receive 5 qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every year
- Earn 2 additional qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
$95 Annual Fee

Marriott credit cards

With Marriott, you have several different options to choose from and both American Express and Chase currently issue Marriott credit cards. Two of the most popular are the Boundless and Brilliant.

The Marriott Boundless credit card is offered by Chase and comes with the following perks:

6X Bonvoy points on Marriott
2X Bonvoy points on all other purchases
Annual Free Night Award
Automatic Silver Elite Status
Get Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each account year.
15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year
$95 annual fee

Meanwhile, the Bonvoy Brilliant is the premium Marriott card issued by American Express and offers the following perks:

$300 in Marriott statement credits (issued on card anniversary)
$100 property credit
1 Free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary for redemption levels at or under 50,000 points
Bonus earning:
- 6x at Marriott properties
- 3x at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines
- 2x on all other purchases
Complimentary Gold Elite status
Earn Platinum Elite status after making $75,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year.
15 nights towards the next level of Elite status.
Priority Pass Select membership
Receive a statement credit every four years after you apply for Global Entry ($100) or TSA Pre√^® ($85) with your Card. (Read about these programs here)
No foreign transaction fees
Annual fee: $450

Transfer Partners

You can transfer points from Chase Ultimate Rewards directly to Hyatt at a ratio of one to one. This is one of the best ways to use flexible points like Chase Ultimate Rewards. The reason is that Hyatt points are so valuable, you don’t lose much (if any) value when transferring.

You can also transfer your points from Chase to Marriott at a 1:1 ratio and American Express to Marriott where 2 Membership Rewards points = 3 Marriott Points. Generally, unless there is a transfer bonus or you have some specific use case such as topping off an award, transferring flexible points to Marriott is not an optimal choice.

Final word

Hyatt and Marriott have a lot of differences. Marriott offers a significantly larger footprint and has a great conversion method for many airlines. Hyatt offers a more valuable points currency for free night hotel redemptions and has a credit card that is great for spending your way into elite status.

Daniel Gillaspia

Hyatt Cancellation Policy Guide (Coronavirus changes) [2021]

Not having a full understanding of cancellation policies can be a major mistake when booking hotel stays. If you misunderstand the policy or have the wrong dates in mind, it could be a mistake that ends up costing you hundreds of dollars.

In this article, I’ll break down the Hyatt cancellation policy. I’ll talk about some of the new changes related to coronavirus and how those changes can impact you. I’ll also give you some things to be on the lookout for such as deposit deadlines.

What is the Hyatt cancellation policy?

Generally, you will have to cancel 48 hours prior to arriving to avoid cancellation penalties. However, the cancellation policy depends on the type of booking you make and also can depend on the property you are staying at.

Changes have been made to the cancellation policy due to the pandemic and I will break down those changes below.

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World of Hyatt elite cancellation policy

If you are a Hyatt Explorist, Globalist, or Lifetime Globalist and the cancellation deadline is 48 hours, Hyatt will allow you to cancel with no penalty up to 24 hours prior to check-in.

There are just a few things to note about this.

This only applies when the cancellation deadline is 48 hours. If you were dealing with a cancellation policy of more than that then this exception does not apply.

This exception does not apply to Hyatt Residence Club resorts, Miraval resorts and M life resort destinations and excludes pre-paid and non-refundable rates.

Coronavirus cancellation policy

If you made a reservation before July 1, 2020 the reservation should be able to be canceled at no charge up to 24 hours prior to your scheduled arrival.

This policy includes advanced purchase rates.

Certain types of bookings are excluded from this special cancellation policy.

Reservations made after April 1, 2020 at select Destination properties or under the Special Event Rates and after June 3, 2020 at Hyatt Residence Club properties are excluded.

For new reservations booked July 1, 2020 or after, you should be able to cancel at no charge up to 24 hours prior to your scheduled arrival.

Just note that some properties may have a different type of cancellation policy and if that is the case then the policy that is disclosed at the time of booking will apply.

Hyatt makes this clear when they say:

“Any reservations booked on July 1, 2020 or beyond that disclose a different cancellation or refund policy at the time of booking are excluded from this policy and subject to the cancellation or refund policy disclosed at the time of booking.”

Advanced purchase rates

An advanced purchase rate is usually the cheapest rate offered because it comes with the least amount of flexibility. If you are a Hyatt member, you can save as much as 15% with Member Rate Advance Purchase.

You will know if you are booking an advance purchase rate because you will see it when you click on view rates.

Typically, after you purchase an advanced purchase rate you are not allowed a refund for your stay. Thus, it is very important that you are extremely confident about your travel dates when booking these type of rates.

If you need to change your dates, you should contact the hotel and they might allow you to push the dates forward or backward without incurring a fee.

Due to the coronavirus changes, even many advanced purchase rates can be canceled 24 hours prior to check in. It’s not clear yet when this policy will end so always be sure to double check the cancellation terms.

In order to take advantage of these cheaper rates, you might have to book them further in advance than a standard rate.

For example, you may only be able to book an advanced purchase rate if you are making a booking 7 to 14 days ahead of your check in date.

For these reasons, it really does pay to plan in advance if you want to utilize the cheapest rates.

How to find the Hyatt cancellation policy

It’s usually very easy to find where the cancellation policy is stated for Hyatt.

Simply search for a hotel and after you click on that hotel and view the rates, you should see the cancellation policy listed under the “rate rules.”

If there is a 24 hour cancellation rule, you will see language like this:

“Cancellation Policy

24hours Prior To Checkin To Avoid One Night Fee”

The only issue that I have is that sometimes the language used to describe the cancellation policy is poorly crafted/formatted.

For example, the hotel might use shorthand to describe the policy such as, “Cxl more 7 days prior to arrival-full refund.”

I definitely think hotels should strive to achieve maximum clarity when spelling out these cancellation policies. People are already getting confused about cancellation rules all the time so why are they using shorthand/bad English?

Deposits

Sometimes in order to make a reservation, you might be required to put down a deposit.

If that is the case, the deposit will usually be the price of one night and when you view the rate rules you will see this clearly spelled out in the terms.

It will say something like:

“Credit Card Deposit Required 1 NIGHT(S) DEPOSIT WILL BE CHARGED TO CREDIT CARD.”

If you only need a credit card to guarantee your stay but no charge is necessary then the terms will likely just state something like:

“Credit Card Guarantee Required.”

Other times, you might also be dealing with a deposit that ties into the cancellation policy.

For example, for the Hyatt Ziva Cancun they require a credit card deposit for one night and it is nonrefundable 14 days before arrival.

You can tell just by viewing the cancellation policy:

“Cancellation Policy

Full Nonrefundable Deposit Due 14d Before Arrival.”

So just be aware when booking resorts that your cancellation deadline might be much further out than 24 to 48 hours. Often when dealing with resorts, the cancellation deadline is weeks and not days from arrival.

Sometimes you might have to deposit more than just one night to guarantee the reservation.

For example the Hyatt Miraval Austin requires a deposit of 50% of the stay at the time of booking to guarantee the reservation.

Exclusions

Some properties are specifically excluded from the waived change and cancellation fees. These include brands like Destination Residences, Hyatt Residence Club, and Miraval.

You can find the full list of excluded properties here.

Alternative cancellation policies

If you’re staying at one of the following brands such as MGM Resorts International, Small Luxury Hotels of the World, and Lindblad Expeditions, it’s very possible that the cancellation policies will be different from the standard Hyatt policies.

Cancellation fees

If you fail to cancel prior to the cancellation deadline, there’s a good chance that you will get hit with a cancellation fee. In most cases this will be the price for a one night stay.

Hyatt cancellation policy FAQ

What is the Hyatt cancellation deadline?

The deadline for avoiding a cancellation fee will vary based on the property but many properties are requiring cancellation only 24 hours prior to check in right now.

The standard deadline is 48 hours, however.

What is the Hyatt cancellation fee?

The cancellation fee is typically the price of a one night stay. To estimate the fee, simply look at the price of your first night scheduled.

What is the Hyatt cancellation policy for points bookings?

The cancellation for a points booking is typically the same as for a standard rate but it could depend on the property.

This means that you will typically need to cancel 48 hours prior to arrival to avoid a cancellation fee.

What is the cancellation policy for Hyatt Globalist?

If the original cancellation deadline is 48 hours, Globalist members can cancel up to 24 hours prior to arrival without penalty (subject exceptions).

This only applies if the original cancellation deadline is 48 hours.

What is the cancellation policy for resorts?

Resorts often have different cancellation policies than standard hotels. Sometimes the cancellation deadline will be 14 days prior to arrival or more.

Final word

As you can tell, the cancellation policy is relatively straightforward. Right now due to the pandemic, you can cancel up to 24 hours prior to arrival and avoid cancellation fees at many hotels. However, if you plan on staying at a resort the cancellation policy will likely be more strict.

Daniel Gillaspia

Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos Review (Food, Beaches, & Pools) [2021]

Choosing an all-inclusive resort can be difficult because the quality can vary so widely between resorts. And because you will probably be spending a lot of money, you want to make sure that you pick the right resort.

One respected brand for all-inclusive stays is the Hyatt Ziva.

So on a recent trip to Los Cabos, I was eager to try out the Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos. In this article, I will give you a detailed look at this resort. I also have many sub-articles that you can check out that will give you a more detailed look at some of the facilities like the restaurants and spa.

Booking

We paid for our three night stay with the Chase Sapphire Reserve and earned 3X the points on the purchase. During our stay in July, we paid roughly $500 per night for the suite.

We received an upgrade from an Ocean View One Bedroom Master Suite to an Ocean Front One Bedroom Master Suite, which I would highly recommend for reasons that I will talk about below.

The key difference is that the ocean front is directly on the beach while the ocean view just has a view of the beach.

If you want to use points to make your Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos booking, rates start at 20,000 World of Hyatt points per night.

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Location

The resort is not located in the heart of the party central known as Cabo San Lucas. Instead, it is found in historical San Jose del Cabo which is much more laid-back. It is a short 10 minute taxi ride from the resort to the city center of San Jose (Plaza Mijares) which I would highly recommend visit to.

If you want to head to San Lucas, it’s about 30 minutes away.

San Jose del Cabo has a charming old town feel to it due to its Spanish colonial history that dates back to the 1700s. In San Jose del Cabo there are a lot of little shops, galleries, restaurants and other places to check out among the colorful backroads. You really owe it to yourself to checkout this town.

It is also known for the art walk that takes place every Thursday, which unfortunately we were not able to do.

Arriving

After flying in on American Airlines Main Cabin Extra, we arranged to be picked up from the airport and were transported in a Cadillac Escalade.

We initially booked a Chevrolet Suburban for $150 roundtrip but were bumped to a Cadillac Escalade, which goes for $230. If you want to stick to a budget you can book a shuttle from the airport for $28 round-trip.

The Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos has a wide driveway that is covered and leaves plenty of room for multiple vehicles. I liked that the entrance was gated and that there was always an attendant there.

We arrived a couple of hours before check in and we were allowed to store our luggage and receive our bracelets while we waited for our rooms to be ready.

In my experience, it is rare for an all inclusive resort to allow you to check in early because they are usually running at high capacity.

The lobby is pretty huge. On one side there are information desks and on the other side you will find the check-in desks.

There was a separate check-in line for Hyatt elite Members (Explorist and Discoverist) although the main line was not very long. There is also a premium check-in area that you could utilize if you are Hyatt Globalist.

Resort premises

The Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos is one of the best looking resorts that I have stayed at.

As soon as you make your way through the lobby you will be amazed by the money shot, which looks out over the main pool and out into the deep blue Pacific ocean. For sure you will want to stop and snap a photo as you step through this breezy passageway,

The premises throughout the resort are beautiful, especially with all of the towering tall palm trees.

The landscaping is well-maintained and you will find many brightly colored flowers lining the clean walkways.

In the center of the resort you will find a lagoon area that consists of a tranquil cascade of pools that are not made for swimming but more for lounging.

In this area, you will find several platforms with comfy seating and fire pits. You owe it to yourself to spend at least one night hanging out on one of the floating fire pit platforms.

The area near the Lagoon is also where you might find a pop-up crepe station or some other type of eating station or events like an art walk.

Beach

The beach here is rough. And I’m not just talking about the sand.

The waves are powerful and the undercurrents are even stronger. This means that you probably will not want to go swimming because it can be so dangerous, especially for people who are not strong swimmers.

So instead of swimming in the ocean, your beach experience will be mostly limited to strolling around on the sand or lying around in a chair or cabana. You might also spend some time admiring the view.

If the idea of reading a book while listening to the waves pounding sounds like a dream to you then this will be your dream destination.

There are some beaches that you can drive out to that are swimmable in the nearby area. For more on the beaches in the area click here.

One bedroom ocean front suite

I really liked our one-bedroom oceanfront suite. I did a detailed review of the room here so I would suggest you check that out if you’re interested but I will summarize how I felt about it below.

Our suite was very spacious. It had a nice little dining area that had some bubbly and some chocolates waiting for us when we arrived.

There was also a pretty spacious living area that was connected to the balcony. The living area had a comfortable sofa and a large TV. It also came with a small refrigerator that was loaded up with some beer and other beverages.

The bedroom was also extremely spacious as well. It had a sofa that I believe pulled out into a bed and also a large king bed.

It also had a large TV.

And of course, you can’t forget about the oceanfront view which was just amazing, especially since you could see it from the bed.

And of course the room opened up to the balcony outside which was also very big. I absolutely loved the view looking out to the hills and mountains.

The bathroom was pretty nice as well. I thought the tub was a little bit on the small side but everything else was pretty nice.

Dining

When you are staying at an all inclusive resort, obviously the dining is a huge factor. Unfortunately, some all-inclusive resorts are known for their mediocre dining.

However, this resort was pretty solid in the dining department.

Did every meal just blow me away? Of course not.

But did I feel like this all inclusive resort was a step above the other all-inclusive resorts I have visited? Yes.

I have reviewed some of the restaurants in closer detail so in some cases you can find a link to those restaurants below. But I will just give you an overview of my experience.

Before jumping into the reviews one thing you should know. These restaurants do not always open at the times listed on the website. This caused some confusion for us and I think it is one thing the resort needs to work on.

So if you are trying to plan out your day you may need to contact the resort and ask what times the places will be opening and go from there.

La Plaza (International buffet)

Breakfast buffets are super important to me at all-inclusive resorts. I like to have a lot of variety and different ways to start my day each morning when it comes to what I want to eat. I also want to look forward to breakfast every morning.

I felt that this resort had a great breakfast buffet. As you can tell in my review, there are many different options for you to select.

I like that they had quality traditional American breakfast options like: egg omelettes, bacon, sausage, and even waffles, french toast, etc.

But I also really enjoyed the Mexican dishes that they had.

The lunch here was also on point.

I would highly recommend that you take advantage of the Mongolian Grill. Seriously it was amazing.

You simply choose your noodles and your proteins and whatever else you want to be cooked up and they will cook it up in a matter of minutes. This was definitely one of the highlights for lunch to me so don’t pass it up.

You can read the detailed review here.

Zaffiro (Italian restaurant)

I really enjoyed Zaffiro. It is located right on the beach and you have amazing views as you dine.

For dinner we tried their Italian breaded fried calamari which came with some tasty lemon and garlic oil. We also tried their pizza, which I thought was pretty good.

Overall, this was one of my favorite places for dinner for sure.

I did visit them for their “hamburger day” but was not super impressed. The hamburger patty just did not taste or feel high quality to me and kind of turned me off, despite how good it looked on the outside.

Coco Loco Snack Bar

Coco Loco Snack Bar is a great place to grab a snack while enjoying the pools. It is located just outside of the main pool area and you can choose from a lot of different types of snack foods like fish tacos, burgers and others. This place won’t disappoint when you have the munchies.

Coffee House

The Coffee House is a nice cozy place to grab some coffee or perhaps some pastries. I felt the quality of some of the pastries were lacking just a little bit but overall it was still a good place to grab a bite to eat to hold you over. You can read the detailed review here.

Deli Cactus (24 hour lounge)

I really loved the 24 hour lounge. It just had a really cool vibe on the inside and I like that there were so many grab and go options like sandwiches.

If you are getting ready to head out on an excursion all day this is a great place to stop by first to grab you a snack on the way out.

DoZo (Asian restaurant)

I really loved the Asian restaurant DoZo and we tried their teppanyaki grill which was amazing.

The chef was one of the best that I think I have ever seen which is saying a lot since I had eaten at a lot of teppanyaki-style grills. You can read the detailed review here.

Bon Vivant (French restaurant)

I felt that that the French restaurant was a little bit overhyped. It wasn’t bad and I tried their chicken Cordon Bleu which I thought was okay but the restaurant seemed to be a little bit overrated if you ask me.

El Cortijo (Spanish restaurant)

I really liked the look and feel of El Cortijo.

The service was great here and we enjoyed some of the different tapas and appetizers that they had to offer. The mojitos were on point and the lamb chops were not bad either.

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Bars & Lounges

There are a few bars that you can enjoy at the resort.

Now here is the thing, I do not drink. So what am I doing reviewing all-inclusive resorts? Well it is a long story but I only bring it up to explain that I didn’t experience the bars from the perspective of someone getting tipsy, buzzed etc.

With that said, the bars and lounges did look pretty cool.

There is a tequila bar which is right behind the lagoons.

There is also a sports bar, Spirit of 1968, which looks really cool and is full of pool tables and TVs. We visited during the women’s World Cup and the sports bar was pretty lit. So if you are visiting during a major sporting event this would be a great place to watch the game.

There is also a swanky lounge that is connected to the main lobby.

Pools

There are multiple swimming pools at the resort and I reviewed them in more detail here.

The main pool is located right in the middle of the resort and it is the first pool that you see when you make your way to the lobby. From the lobby, it is a very impressive view with the pool and in the foreground and the beautiful deep blue Pacific in the background.

It is a wide pool area and it is lined with chairs and you can find some cabanas surrounding the pool. The prices for the cabanas vary based on the location and the size. If you want to find out more about the pricing you can check out the review article I did on the pools.

Then there is the infinity pool which is smaller and closer to the beach. This is also where you can find a couple of the hot tubs.

This was a chill pool and I liked that it had a swim up bar.

The resort also has an adults only pool. I really liked the look of this pool and liked that it was connected to the swim up rooms.

It also had a nice bar area with a cool cactus garden on top. The adults only pool had a much more laid-back vibe as you would probably expect. It also just felt more sleek and the modern which I really liked. My guess is that this pool was added on more recently.

Finally, there is also the water park area. This has extremely shallow water but has a cool slide area for kids to splash around in and have fun.

Club lounge

The resort has an exclusive club lounge that is available to those staying in premium rooms and those who have top elite status. It’s a nice little area where you can grab some cold and hot food items and just relax.

The club lounge isn’t quite as valuable at an all inclusive resort because it is offering you a lot of things that you already are getting for free. But in this case you can find more premium liquors if you would like at the club lounge.

It’s a cool little spot and also has a great view of the pool and ocean. You can check out the full review here.

Fitness center

The fitness center is not the nicest fitness center that I have ever seen but it is still pretty good and has a lot of different machines for you to use.

I thought it was cool that they have this soccer-style pool table.

They also had an outdoor basketball court — something that I have not seen at many hotels.

There is also a tennis court. I’m not sure if you can rent tennis rackets but you could always ask.

I liked that there was an outdoor terrace with lounge chairs and a great view of the pool.

Just check out that view.

Zen Spa

I was not fortunate enough to try out spa treatment but I still did take a full tour of the spa. I have to say that it is one of the most amazing spa facilities I have seen at a hotel. It’s a large two story facility and I think it’s just a beautiful venue.

I was able to take a peek at some of the massage rooms like the couples massage room. The rooms are spacious and come with showers and some even have tubs, along with a sink area to freshen up. I was just very impressed with how they looked.

I would highly suggest for you to check out my full review of the facility here.

Activities

There is always something going on at the resort. When you check-in, you should be given a schedule of all of the activities to expect during the week.

There will usually be beach and pool activities going on throughout the day. These vary but some activities that you might find consist of: pool biking, aqua aerobics, beach volleyball, trivia, ping-pong, beach soccer, and foam parties.

When it comes to the nighttime entertainment they will put on shows, have live music, art walks, and other theater shows. So be sure to always check the latest schedule to see what is going on.

Excursions

The hotel offers a lot of recommended excursions. You can check out the different prices and options below. Just keep in mind that the prices are subject to change.

Service

The service really stood out at this hotel. Each time we walked buy a staff member in the hallway we were always greeted with a smile and a nice gesture. The staff in the restaurants were also extremely attentive and pleasant to deal with. And I never had a bad encounter in the pool area or anywhere else in the hotel.

So overall I would give them five stars out of five.

Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos FAQ

What is the best room at the Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos?

There are many great rooms at the Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos but I would recommend booking an Ocean Front One Bedroom Master Suite if you want to experience the beachfront from a balcony.

How expensive are rooms booked with points?

Rooms booked with points start at 20,000 points per night.

How far from the city center is the hotel?

It is a short 10 minute taxi ride from the resort to the city center of San Jose (Plaza Mijares).

How much does the shuttle cost from the airport?

You can book the shuttle for $28 round-trip.

Can you swim in the beach at the Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos?

Swimming is not recommended because the undercurrents are so strong.

What restaurants are at the Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos?

La Plaza (International buffet)
Zaffiro (Italian restaurant)
Coco Loco Snack Bar
Coffee House
Deli Cactus (24 hour lounge)
DoZo (Asian restaurant)
Bon Vivant (French restaurant)
El Cortijo (Spanish restaurant)

Is there an adult only pool?

Yes, there is an adult only pool.

Final word

Overall, I was very pleased with this all-inclusive resort. It definitely was a step above some of the other all-inclusive resorts that I have stayed at. I liked that there were some quality dining experiences and that the main buffet was very legit.

The hotel is also just a beautiful property and has some great views especially from the higher floors. If you can swing it, I would definitely try to go with an oceanfront room because the views and sounds are simply amazing.

Daniel Gillaspia

Hyatt Globalist Benefits Guide (Upgrades, Breakfast, etc.) [2021]

Hyatt Globalist (formerly Hyatt Diamond) is the top status offered by the World of Hyatt program.

But how do you earn this status and what are the benefits?

This article will go in deep into all of the different ways to earn Hyatt Globalist status and give you an idea of what to expect when it comes to benefits like upgrades, breakfast, lounge access, suites, etc.

Interested in finding out the top travel credit cards for this month? Click here to check them out!

What is Hyatt Globalist?

Hyatt Globalist is the top-tier elite status offered by World of Hyatt. It offers special perks like upgrades to suites, free breakfast, lounge access, late check-out, and a number of other benefits that I’ll cover below.

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Hyatt elite levels

Here’s how Globalist stacks up to the other Hyatt tiers.

Discoverist (10 qualifying nights, 25,000 Base Points, or holding 3 qualifying meetings/events per year.)
Explorist (30 qualifying nights, 50,000 Base Points, or holding 10 qualifying meetings/events per year.)
Globalist (60 qualifying nights, 100,000 Base Points, or holding 20 qualifying meetings/events per year.)
Lifetime Globalist status (Earn 1,000,000 Base Points over the course of your program membership)

How to earn Hyatt Globalist elite status?

There are a few ways that you can earn Hyatt Globalist status.

Earn via stays

As just shown, you can earn Globalist status by completing 60 qualifying nights, 100,000 Base Points, or holding 20 qualifying meetings/events per calendar year.

You can also earn it with only 55 nights if you’ve already earned it via 60 nights (or 55 nights) the previous year. (This benefit is subject to ending.)

Hyatt Globalist status challenge/fast track

Hyatt has offered status challenges/fast track in the past which have allowed you to earn Globalist status with only 20 nights stayed so be on the lookout for those offers.

Some of these tend to go out to Hyatt credit card holders, so you might want to think about getting the card for that reason.

Hyatt Globalist status match

Status matches for Globalist are not very common but they have gone out in various forms over the past few years.

The World of Hyatt Card

Bonus earning:
- 4X spent with your card at Hyatt hotels, including participating restaurants and spas
- 2X on local transit and commuting, including taxis, mass transit, tolls and ride-share services
- 2X at restaurants, cafes and coffee shops
- 2X on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline
- 2X spent on fitness club and gym memberships
Free nights:
- Receive one free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort every year after your cardmember anniversary
- Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort if you spend $15,000 during your cardmember anniversary year
Elite status:
- Receive 5 qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every year
- Earn 2 additional qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
$95 Annual Fee

The World of Hyatt card allows you to receive 5 qualifying night credits towards elite status and allows you to earn 2 qualifying night credits every time you spend $5,000.

There is no limit to the qualifying night credits you can earn.

For high spenders, this could be an easy way to quickly work your way up to Hyatt Globalist status and it’s one reason why I consider it to be one of the top hotel credit cards (see the full list of top hotel cards here).

This is also just a great credit card because it comes with up to 60,000 points at times and has some solid bonus earning potential with 4X at Hyatt properties. Getting the free nights each year is a nice plus, too.

What are the Hyatt Globalist benefits?

30% Bonus Points
Premium internet
Late check-out
Upgrade to best room, up to standard suites
Club Lounge Access
Priority access to available rooms when checking in early
Complimentary parking
48 hours guarantee
Status with M life Rewards
Guest of Honor
Resort fees waived on Eligible Rates & Free Night Awards
Exhale benefits
Small Luxury Hotels of the World Benefits
American Airlines benefits

Bonus Points

As a World of Hyatt member you earn 5 base points on stays, dining, spa services and more at participating locations.

If you’re a Globalist member, you’ll receive a 30% bonus on your base points, which amounts to 6.5 points per dollar spent.

If you value Hyatt points at 1.5 cents per point, that’s 9.75% back. Compared to other programs, this isn’t the best top-tier return but if you value Hyatt points closer to 2 cents per point, it’s actually a great return on your hotel spending.

Also, remember that if you use the World of Hyatt Card you’ll be earning an additional 4X on your spending at Hyatt properties. At that point, you’re earning over 10 points per dollar at Hyatt properties, which allows for a great return.

Suite upgrade awards

You’ll earn 2 suite awards after 50 nights and 2 more suite awards after 60 nights.

Complimentary Suite Upgrade Awards are valid on nights for which the Member has paid an Eligible Rate or has redeemed points for a standard-room Free Night Award, a Club Free Night Award, or a Points + Cash Award, up to a maximum of seven consecutive nights.

Also, Complimentary Suite Upgrade Awards are to be used for standard suites — they cannot be redeemed for premium suites (i.e., any Specialty, Premier, Presidential or Diplomatic Suites or similar suite categories).

Note that there are many properties where these upgrades cannot be used, including the following hotels or resorts:

Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa, Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa, Park Hyatt Sydney, Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills, Hyatt Regency Kyoto, Hyatt Regency Phuket Resort, Hyatt Regency Tulsa, Hyatt Regency Wichita, Hyatt Paris Madeleine, Hyatt Herald Square New York, Hyatt Key West Resort and Spa, Hyatt City of Dreams Manila, Hyatt Centric Santa Barbara, Hyatt Centric South Beach Miami, Hyatt Place hotels or M life Resorts.

There are some big name properties on that list so make sure you’re aware about the exclusions. You can find a list of example upgrades at various Hyatt hotels here.

Premium internet as available

Globalist members will receive premium internet as available. While a nice perk, this is also offered to Discoverist and Explorists.

Late check-out

With Globalist you’ll be able to check out as late as 4pm. This is a nice increase from the late check out offered to Discoverist and Explorists, which only allows for late check out at 2pm.

Note that I’ve received 4pm late check out from Hyatt with only Discoverist status.

Upgrade

Globalists may be upgraded to the best room, up to standard suites.

According to the Hyatt FAQs, “Specialty, Premier, Presidential, Diplomatic, and other suites other than standard suites are not included in this benefit.”

In many cases, you’ll have to proactively seek out your upgrade by asking the front desk about upgrades. Make sure that you’re specific about upgrades for Globalists, too.

Some hotels are better about offering you upgrades without you even having to ask. You can check out this Flyertalk thread on data points for receiving upgrades at various hotels like the Park Hyatt New York.

Note: While the terms may specify a standard suite, it’s completely possible to get bumped up to a premium suite at many properties.

Club Lounge Access

Globalists will be given Club Lounge access. The Club lounges are great places to relax and have breakfast and evening hors d’oeuvres daily.

If there is not Club Lounge then you’ll be able to enjoy a complimentary full breakfast daily for each registered guest (up to 2 adults and 2 children).

A breakfast for up to four people at certain properties could amount to a huge savings, so this is a great perk.

Priority access when checking in early

You’ll be given priority access to available rooms when checking in early. This means that if the type of room you booked is not available during early check-in, you’ll get first dibs on the room when it becomes available.

Complimentary parking

Complimentary parking on free night awards at participating Hyatt hotels and resorts with parking that can be charged to a guest’s room.

48 hours

You can be ensure a room is available at participating Hyatt hotels 48 hours in advance of arrival (blackout dates apply.)

Gold status with M-life Rewards

Globalists get Gold status with M-Life, which can get you the following benefits:

Extended Expiration For Points and Express Comps
Invitations to Members-Only Events, Tournaments or Promotions
20% Bonus on Points Earned Playing Slots at M life Rewards Destinations Nationwide
20% Bonus on Express Comps Earned at M life Rewards Destinations Nationwide
Read more about M-Life Gold status here.

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Guest of Honor

You can share in-hotel benefits with friends or family when you gift an eligible award. (Note: this is not available on paid stays and these need to be booked over the phone.)

This is one of the cool perks of Hyatt that allows you to pass on your elite benefits to someone when you make a booking in their name.

By transferring your points to a Globalist member, this is a way for guests without Globalist status to get in on the fun and enjoy things like upgrades and lounge access (you can’t use the guaranteed upgrades for these bookings, however).

Exhale Benefits

You can earn 10 Hyatt Base Points per dollar spent at more than 15 participating Exhale locations.

Plus, Globalists receive a Week of Wellbeing, including a week of unlimited Barre, Cardio, Yoga, and HIIT classes, 25% off spa therapies, and 15% off boutique purchases.

Globalists also receive complimentary classes when paying an eligible rate at any Hyatt hotel.

United Club passes

~~Globalists will be able to enjoy two complimentary United Club one-time passes annually, which will allow you to relax in a lounge in an airport served by United.~~ To get a sense of what these lounges are like you can click here.

Update: Starting January 1, 2019, Globalist members will no longer receive two United Club℠ one-time passes upon achieving Globalist status.

American Airlines benefits

World of Hyatt elite members can earn 1 World of Hyatt Bonus Point for every $1 spent on qualifying American Airlines flights.

Hyatt Milestone Awards

Hyatt offers special free night awards and other perks for when you hit certain milestones. These are known as Milestone Rewards.

The ten Milestone Rewards are:

Stay at five different brands
20 elite nights or 35,000 base points
30 elite nights or 50,000 base points
40 elite nights or 65,000 base points
50 elite nights or 80,000 base points
60 elite nights or 100,000 base points
70 elite nights
80 elite nights
90 elite nights
100 elite nights

The ones to note here are those you receive when you hit 60 nights or 100,000 base points since that is when you qualify for Hyatt Globalist.

You’ll receive a free night good for up to a category 7 property (which is much better than the standard free night for a category 4). You’ll also get the 2 suite upgrade awards and access to a dedicated agent via My Hyatt Concierge.

Once you hit 60 nights, your My Hyatt Concierge representative will reach out to you within 4 weeks.

Hyatt phone number

To book an award or join World of Hyatt, call the Hyatt phone number at: 1(800)304-9288.

Final word

Hyatt Globalist status is one of my favorite top-tier elite statuses because it offers confirmed suite upgrades (though they come with many limitations). But it also has a lot of other perks like lounge access, breakfast, and many more. This is one of the tougher top-tiers to achieve though so it will likely take some planning and/or serious spending to achieve it.

Daniel Gillaspia

Hyatt Place Keystone Review

We recently visited the beautiful Hyatt Place Keystone on a summer trip to Colorado. This hotel seems to be primarily a winter destination for those looking to snowboard and ski but it also is a nice summer destination.

There were hardly any visitors during our summer stay which made the experience very relaxing and enjoyable. In this review article, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about the Hyatt Place Keystone.

Booking the Hyatt Place Keystone

We were completing a bit of a mattress run (for Titanium with Marriott) in Denver but decided to head up into the mountains for a couple of days to acclimate before our first 14er hike. The Hyatt Place Keystone sits around 9,400 feet so it seemed like a perfect place to do that.

I decided to use a free night certificate from my World of Hyatt Credit Card along with 15,000 points to cover two nights total. When doing this you need to call the hotel ahead of time so that they can link your reservations and keep you in the same room but you will have to remember to reactivate your room keys during your stay.

With taxes and fees, each night came out to around $220, which offered about 1.46 cents per point in value for the 15,000 points. That’s not the best value I have received with Hyatt points but with the upgrade (discussed below) the value was much better.

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Location overview

The Hyatt Place Keystone is located in Keystone, Colorado which is about 1.5 hours west of Denver and 20 minutes to Breckenridge.

Keystone, full of mining and logging history, is a small unincorporated mountain village with a population of somewhere around 1,000. It’s known for being home to the Keystone Resort — the only place to offer night skiing in the area.

The town has 20 lifts including two gondolas, two express six-pack and four high speed quads. Find more on the trails here.

The Snake River runs right behind the hotel and there are little walkways that take you on bridges over the river for some nice strolls. It’s truly scenic and worth it to check out.

You’ll find a lot of condominiums nearby but also a decent selection of restaurants. When we visited in July 2021 some of the restaurants were still shuttered from covid but many of them were completely open and did not require a mask.

Directly adjacent to the hotel is a place called Goat Soup & Whiskey Tavern. We didn’t try it out but I saw they had a lot of good reviews for both their soup and whiskey. There’s a Mexican restaurant directly across the street called Dos Locos Mexican Restaurant & Cantina which we did try and while we loved the queso the entrées were just okay.

If you walk about 15 minutes east you will hit the heart of the town: River Run Village.

This is where the Keystone Ski Resort is found and where you can find a lot more restaurants, the gondola, some ice-skating, etc. We tried the Pizza On the Run and felt like the pizza was pretty average. (Overall, none of the places we ate at in Keystone were a home run.)

We were going to give the gondola a shot but it was $33 per person (only day passes sold) and that would’ve only given us about 1.5 hours to utilize. That was a hard price to stomach considering Telluride offers free gondola rides.

If you head west from the hotel you can also find major attractions just minutes away like Keystone Lake, which is the largest maintained outdoor ice rink in the U.S. Keep heading west and you’ll hit Dillion where the Dillion Reservoir is located — a great scenic drive.

Be sure to check out the Sapphire Point Overlook which is found on a short loop trail (.6 miles, 36 feet in elevation) offering some pretty great views of the water and surrounding peaks.

Check-in (early check-in granted)

On the way to the hotel I was able to confirm that we would receive early check-in so we were able to get into our room around noon. The hotel staff member specifically mentioned my Hyatt Discoverist status, when offering me early check-in which was nice and I think the third or fourth time I’ve gotten early check-in due to Hyatt Discoverist status.

At check-in we were also able to confirm an upgrade to a Mountain View room. Although we were only placed on the second floor it was still a really nice view.

The total cost for the upgraded room would’ve come out to around $530 for two nights. So I basically got $265 in value for my free night certificate and for my 15,000 points which came out to a more respectable 1.76 cents per point.

The hotel offers both valet and free parking. You can find some parking spots below the hotel and others surrounding the property. To access the parking follow the one-way lane that takes you underneath the property.

The room (Mountain View King Bed)

The Mountain View King bed is small to medium sized room at 300-square-foot but it’s got mostly everything you need.

A as soon as you enter there is a full-length mirror and on the other side, a small, single-serve coffee/tea station.

Tip: head downstairs to the lounge area to pick up more tea flavors.

There is also a nice little mini fridge below the coffee station but no microwave.

Directly beside the coffee station, you’ll find the work station, which comes with a comfortable chair along with power outlets and USB ports. The large 42 inch TV is just to your side but you can swivel the screen so that it faces the bed a — feature I thought was pretty cool about this room.

There is also a little sitting area with an ottoman which looks out to the view. I really enjoyed sitting on the sofa and watching the rain roll in from the mountains. (If you’d like, you can open up one of the smaller windows by turning its handle.)

The furniture does feel a bit cluttered given the limited space but ultimately this was not a big deal to me with the large windows that open up the room.

The king bed was really comfortable, so I don’t have any complaints there. There are lamps built in to the floating headboard on either side of the bed and you will have two power outlets at your convenience. On one side you’ll have the phone and on the other side, the alarm clock.

The bathroom was nice and clean and came with a single sink and KenetMD Skincare amenities.

The shower is pretty spacious (long). The water pressure was fine but this was one of those hotel showers where there is a very thin line between warm water and scolding hot water. So pretty difficult to find the sweet spot.

Facilities

On the main floor, there is a nice cozy lounge area complete with a fireplace and large flatscreen TV.

There is also a bar area with plenty of seats surrounding it. (It is just behind this area where breakfast is served.)

Near the bar area there is a station for coffee and tea and also a Soda Stream machine.

If you are not familiar, Soda Stream is a company that produces sparkling water products. They have small machines that you can use in your kitchen to create your own sparkling water and it is one of the best purchases we have made in the last couple of years.

But at the hotel they have an industrial machine that serves up all kinds of different flavors. They had just set it up whenever we arrived and so they were adding new flavors every morning. It was all complimentary when we visited and it was a very nice surprise (although I will say that the level three carbonation is not as strong as the at home machines).

Beside the bar area there is a decent amount of seating with some nice views and you can also opt to sit outside if the weather is cooperating.

The breakfast was a pretty standard continental breakfast with juices, cereal, milk, fruit, Jimmy Dean sausages, etc. I’m not sure if there are any more offerings during non-pandemic times but you can take a look at the breakfast spread below.

Gym

The Hyatt Place Keystone has a really nice gym with most of the basic equipment you’d be looking for.

Hot tubs

There are three different hot tubs you can choose from at the Hyatt Place Keystone.

The first one is located on the bottom level, just outside of the parking garage. It has some privacy glass surrounding it so you can enjoy the hot tub with some degree of privacy, even though it’s found near an entrance to the hotel.

The other two hot tubs come with a view.

One is located on the fifth floor and the other is on the sixth floor. Both should have towels for you on-site.

We spent some time relaxing in the hot tub on the sixth floor and it was very nice especially with the amazing view.

There is also a pool that is shared with other nearby facilities. You just need to show your room key in order to access the pool but we did not try it out during our stay.

Final word

Overall, this was a great little summer getaway. The primary reason we stayed here was to acclimate to a higher elevation (which seemed to have worked for our hike by the way). But I enjoyed pretty much every aspect of the stay. The service was great and I really enjoyed soaking in the hot tub with such beautiful views.

Daniel Gillaspia

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