WoH 2023 Category Changes to Take Effect on Mar 28
Mar 1, 23, 9:10 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2022
Location: Mars
Posts: 61
WoH 2023 Category Changes to Take Effect on Mar 28
Full list here, changes will take effect at 8am CT on Mar 28. Book now!
Spoiler alert: this year isn’t good, not by a long shot. Out of 372 change-pending properties only 158 moved down, and the rest of 214 properties are all going up, with a few all-inclusive properties jumping up multiple categories, nearly doubling the points required.
A few Cat. 7 to 8 jumps I deemed noteworthy include:
And these are the Cat. 4 to 5 jumps I deemed notable:
A few other mentionable category hikes:
The all-inclusive properties receiving multiple category hikes:
And the very few favorable changes I deemed noticeable:
Spoiler alert: this year isn’t good, not by a long shot. Out of 372 change-pending properties only 158 moved down, and the rest of 214 properties are all going up, with a few all-inclusive properties jumping up multiple categories, nearly doubling the points required.
A few Cat. 7 to 8 jumps I deemed noteworthy include:
- PH Zurich
- PH Beaver Creek
- Alila Marea Beach
- Carmel Valley Ranch
- Hotel Martinez Cannes
- Hyatt Carmel Islands
- HC Key West (!)
And these are the Cat. 4 to 5 jumps I deemed notable:
- PH Saigon
- Thompson Madrid (not surprising)
- Andaz San Diego
- The Eliza Jane
- Chicago Athletic Association
- GH Seoul
- GH Jeju
- GH Sanya
- HR Amsterdam
- HP Moab
A few other mentionable category hikes:
- Bangkok: GH (2 to 3), PH (5 to 6)
- Bali: GH & HR (1 to 2)
- LA: The Shay & Andaz West Hollywood (5 to 6)
- Oceanside: Mission Pacific + Seabird Resort (5 to 6)
- Dubai: HR Deira (1 to 2), PH (5 to 6)
- Andaz 5th Ave (6 to 7)
- PH Aviara (6 to 7)
- Andaz London (5 to 6)
- GH Baha Mar (5 to 6)
- tommie Austin (3 to 4)
The all-inclusive properties receiving multiple category hikes:
- Hyatt Ziva + Zilara Cancun (C to E, 25k to 40k)
- Hyatt Ziva + Zilara Cap Cana (C to E, 25k to 40k)
- Secrets Moxché Playa del Carmen (C to E, 25k to 40k)
- Secrets Impression Moxché (C to F, 25k to 50k!!)
- Zoëtry Casa del Mar Los Cabos (C to E, 25k to 40k)
And the very few favorable changes I deemed noticeable:
- Thompson Denver (6 to 5)
- Thompson DC (5 to 4)
- HR Suzhou (2 to 1)
- Hotel Eclat Taipei (3 to 2)
- Kyoto: HR (6 to 5) & HP (4 to 3)
Last edited by tailorgiven; Mar 2, 23 at 3:44 pm
Mar 1, 23, 9:14 am
#2
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Washington DC
Programs: BA GLD, AA GLD 1MM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 1,550
Originally Posted by tailorgiven
That’s a lot of not-so-good changes
Mar 1, 23, 9:41 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2022
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy Titanium, HH Diamond, OZ Gold, UA Gold
Posts: 141
Wow, that is a lot of very unfortunate changes.
GH Kauai and The Cape going to Category 7 really sucks, Cat 1-4 continues to be devalued with CAA / Eliza Jane / HP Moab / PH Saigon / GH Seoul & Jeju gone. Carmel Valley Ranch and the Alila Marea also really don’t deserve to be Category 8…
GH Kauai and The Cape going to Category 7 really sucks, Cat 1-4 continues to be devalued with CAA / Eliza Jane / HP Moab / PH Saigon / GH Seoul & Jeju gone. Carmel Valley Ranch and the Alila Marea also really don’t deserve to be Category 8…
Mar 1, 23, 9:49 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Kuwait (KW)
Programs: Qatar Airways, Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 2,341
This is pretty bogus - specifically sad to see Thompson Madrid move out of reach of Cat 1-4 certs, and it still bites despite being an inevitability. Quite a few overly-aspirational Cat 8s, and the general upward hike of the legacy Hyatt properties vs. SLH spells out what isn't being explicitly said: devaluation.
Sigh... nothing stays the same.
khabah
Sigh... nothing stays the same.
khabah
Mar 1, 23, 10:21 am
#9
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: AA Plat Pto, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,500
Originally Posted by lAzyTraveler
Andaz SD will be Cat. 5 but not Manchester GH San Diego?!
Madrid goes up, Japan goes down. I am unlikely to visit the all inclusives but 100% of changes being increases does sting.
Mar 1, 23, 10:46 am
#11
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Heart of America.
Programs: I sign up for programs so they have my preferences on file.
Posts: 13
My local Hyatt Regency is going to a Cat 3 AND the 2 next closest Hyatt Regencies are too…not happy, there’s no bang for my buck anymore. At least we still have charts.
Mar 1, 23, 10:47 am
#12
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 223
Originally Posted by Exiled in Express
I was expecting to lose MGH availability on certificates. MGH is by far the better experience but I suspect Andaz has a higher ADR given they have less rooms to fill.
Madrid goes up, Japan goes down. I am unlikely to visit the all inclusives but 100% of changes being increases does sting.
Madrid goes up, Japan goes down. I am unlikely to visit the all inclusives but 100% of changes being increases does sting.
Mar 1, 23, 11:05 am
#15
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: MR-Amb, Hyatt-Globalist, AA-EXP
Posts: 1,722
Not too unexpected, but a few of the new category 8s are head-scratchers. Chatwal not dropping to a 7 is crazy considering it's rates, although I was presently surprised to see HR Austin stay at Cat. 4. That and the Bellevue in Philadelphia are two of my go to options for those certs.
I'm disappointed they didn't bump the certificates up to Cat. 1-8 since clearly that's just an extra (non-special) category and those certificates were always pitched as being good at any property (*other than the super special and unique ones). I'll probably still drop my personal Hyatt card and just keep the business card with the further reduction in Cat. 4 options though.
I'm disappointed they didn't bump the certificates up to Cat. 1-8 since clearly that's just an extra (non-special) category and those certificates were always pitched as being good at any property (*other than the super special and unique ones). I'll probably still drop my personal Hyatt card and just keep the business card with the further reduction in Cat. 4 options though.
