synzero

Vastly better. Peak/off-peak is set by corporate not by individual hotels, long in advance. Peak/off-peak rates are set for multiple hotels in an area at once, not one by one. Redemption values are still frequently very, very good, much better than the borne chains.

sciconf

Which ones are in "borne chains"? IHG also seems terrible lately - prices and black out dates are fast changing/

What is the hugest CC sign on bonus they offer - I see 60k now?

synzero

Haha that was just a typo that got weirdly autocorrected by iOS. I meant to type other chains. Pretty much all of them are far worse, IHG, Hilton, Marriott. Difficult to get any sort of outsized value. Hyatt doesn't do blackout dates though some hotels do play games with the redemptions like requiring minimum stays etc., for the most part Hyatt is vastly superior to other chains for value.

The best value is getting signup bonuses with Chase cards, and having a Sapphire preferred or reserve that allows 1:1 transfer to Hyatt.

sciconf

Sapphire preferred or reserve, you need to wait for 4yrs right?
I got it during the pandemic.

synzero

The point is you can transfer points to Hyatt from almost all Chase cards as long as you have a Sapphire. The WoH card is key for getting status however.

sciconf

What is the most sign on bonus been thee - seeing 60k?

What it takes to loose your status?

beltway

Any primary cardholder of a premium (i.e., has an AF) UR-earning card can transfer points to travel partners. It’s not limited to CSR/CSP; Ink Preferred works just as well & there are a few legacy cards besides. The wiki at Ultimate Rewards - Airline and Hotel Transfer Partners, Rules, Timelines, (2017 on) covers this in detail.

GUWonder

Sometimes the disconnect between categorization as peak, off peak and standard is way off from what the cash rates are like. For example, very recently and repeatedly used 5,000 points for Cat 1 room night while the hotel was asking for over the equivalent of c. $1600 (USD) for the night. That cash rate is higher than any cash rate I had seen previously at any (non-SLH) Hyatt hotels in the country when standard rooms were available for sale; and the the points+cash rate was also something crazy with the equivalent of a c. $900 cash component.

Since Hyatt sets the peak/off peak calendar for using points and award night reimbursement works as it does, I wouldn’t be surprised if maybe some creative property management types were to play games with the regular paid/cash rates and award availability in order to try to get Hyatt to do things differently for them in the future.

Matt4200

Even if it were a “peak” night that’s still a great deal.

Even if someone was starting from scratch that could easily just buy the 5k points from Hyatt to use making the cash rate irrelevant.

I’m sure Hyatt coughed up a pretty penny to reimburse the hotel though for your stays.

drnilescrane

I'm almost certain that happens - we're seeing it right now with crazy 2022 rates translating into more peak nights and higher award categories.

My understanding of the process is that Hyatt does a rate study for the previous 12 months at the property and uses that to set the reimbursement rates, on a night by night basis. That's how they can publish a peak/off peak calendar. Presumably there's some mechanism for truing up should the hotel hit full occupancy - if that's 100% of actual ADR or 100% of predicted ADR is unknown.

I don't think a property manager has a direct incentive to be in a certain category or have a certain amount of peak nights, instead what they want is ADR to be as high as possible while only using award stays to fill spoilage (rooms that would otherwise sit empty) and push you towards a sellout. It's obviously a lot better when that's happening on a $1600 rate.

DeltaNeutral28

Is it common to have a month of off peak days and then they sprinkle in a peak night once a week in that same month? I truly don't understand the logic other than "we want to capture the peak rate at least one of your nights"

Matt4200

Well most people don’t book for a full 7 nights. I would also say it’s pretty rare to find a full month of Off Peak at a a property even with 1 Peak night added in a week…

EJRofChicago

Apologies if this is the wrong thread!
Any thoughts as to why neither of the Hyatts in central Amsterdam (Regency and Andaz) are taking points bookings in early July 2024? The points calendar at both properties shows "standard" on the specific dates I hope to be there, but there's no "Pay My Way" option (and yes, I'm checking the Member Rate while logged in) for either property when I start the booking process.

EJRofChicago

Answer = Taylor Swift

eethan

How often can the peak points rate change?

Is there any point to checking whether an existing booking has fallen in price?