ijkh

Stupid question:

Does Hyatt status match or is there a quick way to obtain status upgrade from Discoverist to Explorerist. Ty

Mary2e

There currently isn't a status match program that I'm aware of.

ATD

We just booked the Andaz by Hyatt in Delhi for three nights on our Hyatt credit card. It was considerably cheaper to do so on Orbitz using Orbucks and a coupon.

Does anyone know if Hyatt will still give us Hyatt points even if not booked directly through them?

Thanks,

--ATD

ClarkGriswold

Generally speaking status, night credits, and points (at least for the hotel room) aren't honored through third party bookings.
You should be able to given them your WoH # and earn points on incidentals though.

Red259

I'm curious as to what point of return will most people decide to use points over cash. I have an upcoming trip and my return rate is like .015 per point if I use points on the room. I like to try to get at least .02 per point, but I am finding that hard to do in many cases. What is a worthwhile return on a points redemption?

CloudCoder

Each person could have a different answer. I aim for 2 cents per Hyatt point.

MarkOK

It really depends. I have thus far redeemed for no less than 2 cents per point. My best redemptions are over 5 cents per point. On average, it is about 2.8 cents/pt as most are near the 2 cent/point. The goal is to redeem for the most value for your own current and expected travel plans, and I would only keep a 1.5 year window when it comes to planning-Points can get devalued and they earn no interest being held. Typically, I have my next 12 months booked. Every month, I re-evaluate everything booked on cash rates (and rebook if prices drop), and I will look at where I get the most value changing a cash reservation for points, or if nothing is too appetizing and my stash isn't too large, holding off another month to allow for more points to accumulate and have another month of travel to plan for in the future.

1.5 cents per point isn't a -bad- redemption rate though, unless :
1. You 'bought' the points with cash, even if on sale. - OR -
2. You earned points largely via a credit card where alternatives would have been earning points worth more (fairly unlikely), or that have a higher than 1.5% cash back rate (that gets in the weeds of strategy with bonus categories to track etc).

Right now, I could still redeem 100,000 points I don't have for about 2 cents per point. After that, my redemption rate starts to fall quite a bit quite fast (I have many stays where the cash rate is low enough that the redemption rate would be less than 1.0 cent per point). Right now, I earn 5-15 K points a month via credit card because I can still redeem for 2+ cents per point. I have had to figure out where I need to change this behavior -- I have one card that gets me 2% cash back but for years I have had tied it up with a long term zero percent interest rate offers (cheaper to float debt on it than put the debt on my mortgage). I've decided that if/once my burn rate gets to be worse than 1.5 cents per point, that is where I would stop earning Hyatt points on 'non-bonus' categories and shift around my CC spend away from accumulating too much Hyatt points. But after that switch, nothing wrong burning at around 1.5 cents per point if my points are coming from Hyatt stays/promos and bonus categories on the Hyatt Chase card (and UR cards).

Red259

My points are mostly from chase cards both URs and Hyatt card. Some left over from stays etc. The points I already in my hyatt account. I'm getting about .02 redemption for Japan but for China and korea i'm not thrilled with the return I am finding. Still my next trip is to Colombia so room rates there will probably be even lower so points less useful.. Member rate is like $201 for properties in China and Korea I am considering but they want 15k points which is a .013 value. I just hate shelling out cash when I have these points sitting there, since it will rapidly add up. .

opiuman

Just curious with the 20 night fast track late last year, did anyone try to do some of the 20 nights in M life properties? I think by the Terms it counts but I didn't hear anyone that tried.

MarkOK

So, yeah. It seems that you are getting kind of where I will be before too long and so you have to look at your alternative CC return rates and figure at what redemption rate with Hyatt does it makes sense to pull your non-bonus spending off your UR and Hyatt cards. At 1.5 cent redemptions and points from stays coming, I would bet you are at that line where your non-bonus category CC spending may be better off chasing value in cash back or other rewards. It's a calc you have to do, but if I was in your shoes, I would accept the 1.5 cent redemption but move back non-bonus category spending to a cash back card that gets ~1.5-2% on non bonus categories to prevent having too many points with poorer than 1.5 cent redemption options.

ClarkGriswold

That's where the personal situation really comes into play. Personally, for the amount of travel that I do, coupled with my ongoing rate of points accumulation, my required redemption rate threshold starts dropping down once I'm above ~300K excess/unallocated points. I'd rather burn points at "less than ideal" rates rather than just accumulate them and burn real money. Points aren't a savings vehicle -- they're worth diddly until they are redeemed.

I do think MarkOK's suggestions of an 18-month window is spot on. Also agree it's important to think through the opportunity cost of accrual to see if there's a more efficient flow of spend for better redemptions / cash back rates elsewhere.

clublevel15

I made a booking for a new hotel from 1.5.-15.5.2018. Now the hotel only opens on 1.6.
Does anyone know what compensation you receive if the booking cannot be carried out? Finally I would like to get the nights evaluated, if I now have to go to another hotel. Thank you.

Rene23

I am having hard time deciding on which Hyatt in Tokyo to book. I'd like to use all points or P&C and see great availability at all 5 hotels. My problem is that I need 2 rooms for 5 adults and only the Andaz is showing any availability for 3 people on an award room. Since I'm an Explorist, I'd like to take advantage of my Club Lounge Access awards - which I can't use at the Andaz. My slight preference based solely on location and the Club Lounge, is the Grand Hyatt, and they do have cash room availability for 3 people. I'm wondering if I should book the rooms for 2 people and just email and ask them if they will allow a rollaway. Of course, I'd be willing to pay extra if requested. I guess I'd just love some input regarding these hotels and if anyone has experience booking 3 people in an award room.

Red259

I have lower status with you but I'll give you my thoughts. I have stayed at Grand Hyatt, Andaz and Park Hyatt. On an upcoming stay in Tokyo I opted to go back to the Andaz. I was just much more impressed with it than the others. The Grand Hyatt is probably the closest to a metro station, but I felt more like a number there than an individual customer. It wasn't bad per se but there just seemed to be waits for everything from check in to concierge. Pretty much every time I needed something I had to wait around where at the other properties I didn't. Recently I asked on here if I should do Andaz or spend some extra points and book a club room at grand hyatt. The consensus seemed to be go with Andaz over club room. I was somewhat disappointed by the park hyatt. I used my free nights there, but I could never imagine spending the type of money they charge on the room rates. The room I got was ok but the hotel felt dated. The bed was great and the concierge guy gave me a good day trip idea. Still i'm not returning to the park hyatt this time. If you were going to get upgraded to a suite or something then that may very well change the calculations, since some of the suites look quite good. None of them are bad properties. its more of a matter of where your priorities lie.

wiivile

Can you book a standard room at a refundable cash rate and then switch it to a points reservation at a later date? Since Hyatt guarantees award availability if a standard room is available, I don't see why this wouldn't work either by:

a) calling the hotel/WOH directly; or
b) cancelling the room and immediately rebooking as points.

I understand that cancelling the standard room may not make it immediately available in the inventory, so option "a" above is preferable, but it requires the hotel/WOH to essentially do you a favor. I guess it's more likely to succeed if you're an Elite member, since they realize you could simply just cancel the whole reservation if they don't accommodate your request, so why piss off an elite member like that?