zombietooth

Well, I dispute your assertion without proof. Believe me, I have tried to use my free nights this year many times, and it looks like they will expire worthless.

Value is also determined by contemporaneous availability. I am not going to make a special trip to get one night free, but if I can use it on a stay that I am making for a real (i.e. business or vacation) reason, then I will apply it.
Time and time again this year, I have not been able to tack a free night onto a revenue stay, and I am currently at 71 nights with Hyatt this year, so it is not for lack of effort.

These things are harder to use than advertised.

nineworldseries

Hyatt Place Nashville

zombietooth

^

notquiteaff

That's why I earlier said that it really shouldn't be part of the program rules any more than any other promo.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/27449733-post1300.html

notquiteaff

Exactly. I am not traveling to Costa Rica (or Nashville) in order to maximize the value of a certificate if I don't have a plan to stay at that property anyway and happen to have the certificate available. Tail wags dog?

notquiteaff

I asked that question earlier. The club awards are valid on paid stays, cash+points, and point award stays, but not on free certificate nights.

From the T&C:

Explorist Club Upgrade Awards are valid for one (1) year from the date of issuance and must be redeemed for reservations with a checkout date before the expiration of the Explorist Club Upgrade Award. Explorist Club Upgrade Awards can be tracked through the “My Awards” section. A Member must redeem an Explorist Club Upgrade Award when making the underlying reservation. Explorist Club Upgrade Awards are redeemable only at participating Hyatt hotels and resorts that offer accommodations with Club lounge access and are not valid at Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Hyatt Zilara, Hyatt Ziva, or Hyatt Residence Club hotels and resorts, or M life Resorts. Explorist Club Upgrade Awards are only valid for standard Club lounge-access rooms, as defined by the applicable hotel or resort. There are a limited number of Club lounge-access rooms available at each hotel or resort and they are subject to availability. Explorist Club Upgrade Awards cannot be redeemed for premium Club lounge-access rooms (i.e., any Club View, Deluxe Club, Club Suite, or similar room categories), as designated by the applicable hotel or resort. Explorist Club 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, Suite Free Night Award, or a Points + Cash Award, up to a maximum of seven (7) consecutive nights. Not valid in connection with any Free Night Award other than those identified above, including, without limitation, Hyatt Credit Card premium and anniversary Free Night Awards, 5-brand Free Night Awards, Category 1-4 Free Night Awards (defined below) or any other promotional Free Night Award

atravelguy

I can't possibly comment on most of that because I don't know how you travel, how and when you choose to search for awards nights or how you value points and free night certificates.

I provided a few examples in 2 posts that I quickly found on my phone and 1 property that is no longer available - if you don't want to verify the others and simply dismiss my argument, I can't stop you nor won't try, I'm just trying to help provide the good word if others want some examples about how to max out the certificate and maybe some might see these and it works out for them. Shrug.

bjk497

Using my cert at Hyatt Regency Bonita Springs between Christmas and NY. Free night from Cert and over 3 cents per point for award nights.

iflyjetz

Using a Cat 1-4 certs on anything much north of $200 has proven to be nearly impossible for me over the years. If a Cat 1-4's much over $200, using the free night cert is rarely an option.

rbAA

OK, so changes seem to bring the worst out of people on this site. The first part of your post was helpful; the second part not. A couple things:

1. You are not a "Hyatt Globalist" as that doesn't exist until March 1, 2017; and
2. "25 stay freeloaders" are not freeloaders. Instead they follow the rules as they exist.

So, not really helpful to be so pretenious and elitist.

zombietooth

Value cannot be determined by a few outliers on the high end of the bell curve.

In order to get a $400- value out of your free night cert., you need special circumstances to increase the price far above normal market value (e.g. a Holiday or sporting event) combined with actual availability-a very rare combination in the search matrix. You have found a few of the rare combinations and assert that this indicates true value. However, true value can only be assessed when you analyze all combinations (e.g. low demand periods with lots of availability) and average the value across the entire year of room nights.

atravelguy

I agree, however again I was providing examples of when rates was over $400 as asked. Many both on this board and elsewhere plan trips based on holidays, specific weather seasons and special events (see most sporting events) when demand is high and thus prices are high, making that award more valuable. Regardless of the next week that same hotel may only sell for $100, its at each holders discretion how and when they choose to use it and how they value it.

My award is always used last second because I rarely plan travel months out and this topic had me thinking about using my certificate this weekend in Seattle at the Olive 8 since the rate is $344, however I decided against it since I don't value the hotel nearly that high. However, it doesn't change the fact that I could redeem it for $344 and that is money I wouldn't be spending.

Miesque

I have to use this opportunity to point out from my personal experience that it is much, much easier to use HHonors points in those high demand special periods like sporting events (if there is availability) than Hyatt. In fact at least 80% of my HHonor point usage fits that category.

OsakaWino

^

People who consider 25-night diamonds freeloaders are pretty much limited to those who earn their status on the company's money.

Markie

One final warning - if posting continues off topic, about other posters, or continues to call others names then suspensions will be coming along. It is a long time since we have had to do this in Hyatt.

I know emotions are high but please focus these emotions on the changes, and not each other.

We all need to accept that Hyatt is making changes, some will win and some will lose. Discuss.....

Markie Co-Mod, Hyatt