Matt4200

I have a Cat 1-7 Certificate that will expire in early May. Between now and then I honestly don’t plan to be in any areas where I’d find it to be of much use. I would really have to go out of my way to use it.

I would love to use it at Ventana Big Sur, and I will be in SoCal but from anywhere I am it would be at least a 4 hour drive there and 4 Hours back. So as much as I know it would be an amazing experience, at the same time it’s just not practical.

I may be in Chicago but when I’m there I would have to switch hotels (while with SO and our toddler) just for 1 night to use it so that’s not practical either, as nice as PH Chicago is

I will be going to Andaz Papagayo in April and I’ve already paid for the trip in points. I’m actually considering swapping either the 1st or last night out of the stay to use the Cat 1-7 for that and keep the 20k points.

Using a Cat 1-7 on a Cat 5 is just wrong, I really wish they had a 12 month expiration so I could use it over the summer!

I mean something may come up, but it’s pretty unlikely (95%) that it would be convenient to use it.

What are people’s thoughts on this?

soyunrosa

You just gotta use it since it will be wasted if you don't. Any Category is better than not using it at the end.
You can change one of the award nights redeemed to Certificate by calling Hyatt CS or you can always gift as GOH to
family or friends.. or even a stranger like me!

59Impala

I basically look at what I can save by using the Cat1-7 (I actually have 2 expiring in May). I want to use a TSU in April, hence cannot use the 2 certs, so I am using them for 2 individual nights at the HR Dar es Salaam, which is a Cat 3, but I save 2x 240 USD.
as mentioned, it's better than letting them expire, and the risk that they will not give me points after expiration is too high.

The hotel category also does not indicate a better use of a Cat1-7. There are Cat 4 hotels which are more expensive than Cat 6 or even 7. Using it at a cheaper Cat 6 I'd call a "waste of certificate". I find the thread title misleading.

f you can plan ahead and use for a 1000$ Cat 7 hotel, then great. Else simply look at the cash value and optimize the expenses.

uppereastsider

I'd rather save 20k points in Costa Rica then let the certificate go to waste... that sounds better unless you are planning to use or used a TSU, as TSUs don't work on certificate nights.

You can also use GOH to treat someone to a nice night with your full benefits.

I treat the Cat 1-7 free night as a nice gift from Hyatt. I've never used it at a Cat 7 and generally use it at the Hyatt Ziva Cancun and am grateful Hyatt saved me 25k points on my Cancun vacation

MarkOK

I have yet to use a cat1-7 at anything above a cat 5. The short expiration (and general lack of cat 6 and 7s where I am going) make it too hard.

creativeguess1

Would be GREAT if they could make it 12 months. If it can't be used within 12 months, well that's not a HYATT problem. I have one that expires in May, would love to use late June. Err Normally I like to time out this cert, couldn't do it this year.

hedoman

Typing from Ventana, using cert about to expire. Drove more miles out of my way than you would from LA area. Rain and more rain. Totally worth it!

cmjaffe

We have a cert expiring in may
As everyone mentions it will be hard to use something like this before June
But if we could GOH at ventana to son who's in bay area it might be worth it
Just a thought

joe_miami

Hyatt obviously doesn't want everyone hoarding these for the same peak times, and I can't really blame them.

uppereastsider

yes, you can do this. I used my cat 1-4 night for someone under GOH

jmandc

If you truly aren't able to use it, then you are able to cash in an expired Cat 1-4 for 10,000 points or an expired Cat 1-7 for 20,000 points. It's a little secret that Hyatt doesn't publicize (I've done it before). Call your concierge or the WOH number to confirm.

59Impala

as i mention in post #3 , this not guaranteed. They gave points in 2018, officially not any more. There seem to have been exceptions, but don’t plan on it. My concierge clearly stated last year that this policy would cease in 2019.

joe_miami

It didn't, though, for Globalists. I can't recall any Globalists being shot down for points after expiration. Obviously, no guarantees what will happen in 2020.

dpb132

FWIW, I received 10k points for an unused Cat 1-4 cert last week.