There's one here: Grand Hyatt Washington DC REVIEW - MASTER THREAD

David

Yes Manchester Grand Hyatt as well. Though many club lounges are still closed.

Do you have a WOH credit card? If yes, spend $5000 before your December statement closes and receive two bonus nights.

One thing I’ve done in the past if I was really close (1-3 nights off) is to go to a local women's shelter and ask if they were over capacity and needed a nice room for a mother and child for a night or two. Not only did this allow me to help someone out but I could count the rack rate of the room as a tax write off.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

As it turns out, had to cancel one of my 2 night trips last night so now I’m 4 nights away from Explorist which makes the math more challenging.

5k spend for 2 nights may be an option and matching from MGM might be another option worth exploring.

Thanks again for all the ideas.

I booked a regular king room at the Andaz on points a couple of weeks ago, and was upgraded to an Ocean View King - with great views of the ocean from the balcony. Would I have gotten the upgrade if I were just a Discoverist? Seems doubtful to me. Better upgrades, even if not suites, may be worth pushing for Explorist. I think I will try to get it for 2024 (I believe I fall back to Discoverist on February 1)

Can just do the MGM - Explorist match merry go round and reacquire Explorist with 0 effort. No need to go out of your way to pursue Hyatt status once you reach Explorist once unless Globalist is somewhat within reach.

I've had good (not to suites, but to very much not base room!) upgrades during my Explorist days -- Andaz Savannah and Park Hyatt Chicago come to mind. Will be back at Explorist in about six weeks after not requalifying for Globalist so interested to see what I get at upcoming visits to full-service properties (a few HRs both domestically and abroad coming up this year). Especially when work is paying, I'll gladly take the extra points :)

I would gladly have Hilton Diamond over explorist Have had some great treatment in Asia as you mention and even domestically always get lounge access and have had some decent breakfasts too. But Hhonors Diamond pales obviously to Hyatt Globalist.

But back to this thread, I would say explorist is pretty weak, but not worthless. Most of the benefits I presume most could get by smiling at the front desk agent at check in. If it was for sale I'd pay $50 for it.

Is this still available? My friend said that MGM is actually following calendar year now instead of end of February. If that is the case, you can't keep matching. My understanding is Wyndham/Caesers is still available.

I’m gonna see if I can earn Explorist the hard way. Then I will see if I can make Globalist. Unlikely but we will see.

Will end January with

11 Hyatt nights (5 card)
27 Marriott nights (25 card)
2 boutique nights

Really need some kind of double nights promo for Hyatt

Well after a magical year as Globalist I'm back down to Explorist. So far it's not gotten me anything. I've had three stays (one Hyatt Place, one Andaz and one Hyatt Regency). No upgrades, not even to a "corner room" or similar. Obviously no lounge access or breakfast. Couple that with the same check out time as Discoverist basically all it gets you is slightly more bonus points. It's pretty disappointing for a mid tier status.

Some bottles of water, sometimes 2pm checkout and maybe a lower chance to end up on the lowest floor in a room with the worst possible view/noise problem possible at the property. Have seen some Explorist “upgrades” to a somewhat higher floor or marginally better view, but nothing worth paying a premium for to stay at Hyatt properties.

In some places, maybe a higher chance to get breakfast included where it would otherwise not be. But in such cases it may make sense to reach out to the hotel before the booking and/or before the booking’s cancellation deadline and ask if they will include it for an Explorist or not.

The Andaz 5th Avenue had reached out to me in advance of my stay, I was already in one of the most expensive non suite rooms, I asked about an upgrade and they offered to sell me an upgrade to a suite for $450 :(

Did you ask them about having them include breakfast as a courtesy well in advance of the cancellation deadline? My comment was about breakfast, and even seeking breakfast is pushing it when it comes to a hotel that has enough business not to care about Explorists asking for more than is required by Hyatt. Suite upgrades are an even harder thing to pull off. Even on high rates. The Andaz 5th Avenue has never been generous with upgrading me, and I would be surprised if they would deliver on a request for breakfast to be included as complimentary.

The point of World of Hyatt setting up the Globalist tier was to cost cut and make a lot of the former Diamond type customers into Explorists not entitled to much of anything valuable/costly, while still having a carrot for “extra achievers”.