Last Updated on March 19, 2024 by CreditFred
The focus often is on earning points, but most don’t really know best to use them when the time comes. In this post, I’ll be sharing some incredible places as examples of where you can get outsized value for your World of Hyatt point redemptions!
Hotel Examples
Below are just a handful of properties that I’ve found to illustrate well the power of Hyatt points. These are redemptions that provide a value anywhere from 3 to 30 cents-per-point (cpp)!
1. Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills (30,000 pts / $8700+)
Tokyo, Japan
Hotel Highlights:
- Situated atop a 52-story skyscraper with views of Tokyo Tower (hotel occupies 47 through 51)
- Rooms have huge windows overlooking Tokyo Bay
- Amenities include rooftop bar, indoor lap pool, and spa
- Free drinks, snacks, and mini-bar
This is an extremely good deal (especially during peak periods) as the award cost usually stays around the same while cash prices can be insanely high. In this example I made a dummy booking for New Year’s eve (pre-covid pricing), where you can use the equivalent of 30,000 points (~$300-450) to book a $87o0+/night hotel.
Redemption Value: 30cpp+
2. Ventana Big Sur Alila Resort (30,000 pts / $2100+)
Big Sur, California
Hotel Highlights:
- Adults-only all-inclusive resort
- Room rate include all meals (including in-room dining), snacks, and free water bottles
- Amenities include spa, Volvo chauffeur service, experiences such as yoga, hikes, meditation etc.
I generally avoid redeeming my Hyatt points in the US as they tend to cost substantially more than international locations while underdelivering in quality. However, this is a property that I would seriously consider. For a minimum of 30,000 points (~$300-450), which includes tax, tips, and food, I can book a room that would otherwise cost $2100+/night!
Redemption Value: 7cpp+
3. Cape Fahn Hotel Thailand (20,000 pts / $900+)
Koh Samui, Thailand
Hotel Highlights:
- Part of Hyatt’s SLH (Small Luxury Hotels of the World) partnership portfolio, this boutique resort is made up of 22 one and two-bedroom villas located on a private island
- Each villa has their own large plunge pool and private sun deck
For 20,000 points (~$200-350), you can redeem for a villa that would otherwise cost $900+ to book in cash! This is really where you can get outsized value for your redemptions.
Redemption Value: 4.5cpp+
4. Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa (30,000 pts / $900+)
Maldives
Hotel Highlights:
- The resort features 50 villas (36 on land and 14 water villas)
- Villas have beach/reef access, floor-to-ceiling windows, private deck and some even include a private plunge pool
- Amenities include main pool, spa pool, dive center, fitness center, snorkeling, etc.
Most properties in the Maldives are expensive to book with cash. However, among the various hotel loyalty programs (Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton, etc.), this is where your points can really make the dream vacation come true without breaking your wallet. If you have status with the hotel chain, you can even squeeze more value out of your stay with free upgrades, breakfast, etc.
Redemption Value: 3cpp+
More Info
What Exactly Is Good Value? When Should I Book Using Points vs. Cash?
This is really subjective. Is it technically a better deal to splurge 50,000 points for a 1-night stay at a 5-star hotel? Or is it better to stay at a 10,000 points hotel for 5-nights? In the end, it really depends on what your goals are.
In order to quantify this, I’ll be using what the points & miles community view as “fair value” for these points. As of writing, Hyatt points are generally considered to be worth at a minimum of 1.5~2 cents-per-point (cpp). This essentially means:
10,000 Hyatt Points = ~$150-200 USD
I usually use this as a baseline to determine whether I should book a hotel using points or cash. It is important to note that Chase is a transfer partner of Hyatt (see this post on how to use Chase Ultimate Reward points), so you can transfer 1:1 from Chase to Hyatt for redemptions. Chase also allows cashing out or redeeming for travel with a 1.5cpp value if you hold the Chase Sapphire Reserve, or 1.25cpp value if you hold the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
Therefore, any value below the 1.5/1.25cpp threshold, you will be better off cashing out the points and then booking with the cash (which earns you nights and points for your paid stays)!
How to Earn
The best way to earn Hyatt points is through the Chase World of Hyatt credit card (review coming soon) for Hyatt spend. Since Chase Ultimate Rewards is a 1:1 transfer partner, you can also use points from UR earning card and transfer them over!
For more info on Chase UR, check out this post.
How to Book
Hyatt award redemptions are incredibly simple to look up and book. Most stays can be booked directly online if you have sufficient points in your account. Remember that Hyatt allows pooling of points (although you will have to reach out to customer service) and that you can transfer your Chase UR points 1:1 to Hyatt.
Conclusion
There are so many properties (mostly international) in Hyatt’s portfolio that can stretch the value of your point to the extremes. Of course, whether a booking is a good deal is really subjective and depends on your goals and needs. Hopefully this article provides a starting point so you can make better decisions when deciding between using points or cash!