Last Call!!! Book your Hyatt Award Stays Now!

This is a quick reminder that tonight (January 6) is your last opportunity to book Hyatt award reservations under the current award chart. This primarily affects standard rooms for category 5 and 6 hotels and suite and regency club rooms for all hotel categories. This is also your last opportunity to purchase Hyatt Stay Certificates. Read the post for more detail. Even if you aren’t sure of your travel plans, book now!!!

Back in November I posted that Hyatt is unfortunately devaluating their points come January 7, 2014. You have until Monday, January 6, 2o14 (TOMORROW!) to make all your desired reservations using points under the current award chart.

Recap of the negative changes:

• Category 5 and 6 standard rooms are increasing:
  • Category 5 hotels are increasing from 18,000 points a night to 20,000 points a night 
    
  • Category 6 hotels are increasing from 22,000 points a night to 25,000 points a night 
    
• Category 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 regency/club rooms are increasing:
  • Category 2 regency club rooms are increasing from 10,000 points a night to 12,000 points a night
  • Category 3 regency club rooms are increasing from 15,000 points a night to 17,000 points a night
  • Category 4 regency club rooms are increasing from 18,000 points a night to 21,000 points a night
  • Category 5 regency club rooms are increasing from 22,000 points a night to 27,000 points a night
  • Category 6 regency club rooms are increasing from 27,000 points a night to 33,000 points a night
• Category 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 suite rooms are increasing:
  • Category 2 suite rooms are increasing from 12,000 points a night to 13,000 points a night
  • Category 3 suite rooms are increasing from 18,000 points a night to 20,000 points a night
  • Category 4 suite rooms are increasing from 23,000 points a night to 24,000 points a night
  • Category 5 suite rooms are increasing from 27,000 points a night to 32,000 points a night
  • Category 6 suite rooms are increasing from 33,000 points a night to 40,000 points a night
• Hyatt is adding a category 7, which will include: Park Hyatt Beaver Creek, Park Hyatt Milan, Park Hyatt Paris Vendome, Park Hyatt Sydney, Park Hyatt Tokyo, Park Hyatt Zurich
  • Category 7 standard rooms will require 30,000 points a night
  • Category 7 regency club room will require 39,000 points a night
  • Category 7 suite rooms will require 48,000 points a night
• The cost to upgrade a paid stay with points to a regency club room will increase from 3,000 points PER STAY (up to 4 nights) to 3,000 points PER NIGHT!
• The cost to upgrade a paid stay with points to a suite room will increase from 6,000 points PER STAY (up to 4 nights) to 6,000 points PER NIGHT!
• 21 hotels are moving to a higher category! This includes some great hotels like the Hyatt 38 Lex, Hyatt Place New York/ Times Square, Hyatt Union Square New York, Andaz West Hollywood, Grand Hyatt Melbourne, Park Hyatt Melbourne, etc.

Also remember, Hyatt is getting rid of the Stay Certificates. You can purchase those up until tomorrow as well. You can read more about this here.

While overall this is a decent devaluation, there are some positive changes Hyatt is making (although they by no means make up for the cons). This includes:

• 17 hotels are moving to a lower category. There are a few desirable hotels, which include: Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach & Spa, Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe, Hyatt Regency Maui, etc.
• There will be a new Points + Cash award option. Points + Cash option is definitely best for category 2-6 hotels, however are capacity controlled so might now always be available. You also need to call Hyatt at 800-228-3360 to book the reservation as of right no they are not available online.

• Platinum and Diamond members will be eligible to get 20% off the daily rate on any standard room. While sometimes there are much better rates available than the standard rate, this could bring the standard room rate to be the lowest one available. One of the good things about the standard rate is usually they have generous cancelation policies, unlike the advanced booking rate.
• Points will not expire for 24 months with no activity. Although this was always super easy to get around by just booking a room and canceling.

Even if you are not 100% sure of your travel dates, still book by January 6, 2014. Although this change isn’t going into effect until January 7, 2014, if your hotel stay is booked PRIOR to that date even for a future date, the current award chart will be applied. Also, if you book now for a hotel that is going down a category, you will be able to receive a refund for the point difference.

Redemptions for Hotels Moving to a Higher Category 
Any Free Night Award booked prior to January 7, 2014, at a property that is shifting to a higher category on January 7, 2014 and thus would require more points will not be affected. Reservations will remain in place, and the number of points required will remain at the point level required at the time that the reservation was made. For example, a Free Night Award booked at a Category 1 hotel for 5,000 points before January 7, 2014 will still only require 5,000 points even if that hotel is moving to Category 2 and would thus require 8,000 points on or after January 7, 2014. Please note that modifications to this reservation will affect this.

Redemptions for Hotels Moving to a Lower Category 
Any Free Night Award booked prior to January 7, 2014, at a property that is shifting to a lower category on January 7, 2014 and thus would require fewer points will receive an adjustment. Hyatt Gold Passport Customer Service will proactively deposit the point difference into a member’s account. For example, a member with a Free Night Award booked before January 7, 2014 for a Category 2 hotel for 8,000 points will receive 3,000 points returned to his/her account if that hotel is moving to Category 1 and would thus only require 5,000 points on or after January 7, 2014. Points will be deposited into a member’s account after January 7, 2014. Please note that modifications to this reservation will affect this.

One good thing Hyatt is doing (which is not normal for hotel chains to take this approach), is they are allowing changes for award stays post January 7, 2014 for existing reservations. You can modify any points reservation that is booked pre-January 7 up till February 15, 2014. The current award chart for those stays will stay in place. This is for modifications to the dates, NOT to a different hotel. However, modifications are NOT available for reservations using the free anniversary award nights from the Hyatt credit card.

Overall, I am bummed to see this devaluation, but regardless, make sure to book book book! You can check out the current and new award chart here. I will give you all a final reminder tomorrow as well.