Hyatt redemptions - Check first

[sriki]

This might be well known for a few but not for me until today. I was looking at Grand Hyatt Washington for the labor day weekend (end of August). I was comparing paid vs points value.

Grand Hyatt Washington (on Hyatt.com):

20,000 Hyatt Gold Passport Points per night
$169 per night

I value 20,000 points more as I like to redeem Hyatt points at high end Park Hyatts. So, looking through I found something on the Chase Ultimate rewards portal. For the same days, the rates are as follows:

Grand Hyatt Washington (on Hyatt.com):

12,901 Chase UR Points per night
$161.26 per night

The price difference in dollars is not much. However, the points difference is remarkable considering UR transfers to Hyatt 1:1. I believe this difference comes exists due to the valuation of UR points by Chase not exactly in line by how Hyatt categorizes its hotels and the prices they sell the rooms at.

 

[f0xx]

I was just reading this over at MMS.
While it's a nice way to redeem Chase UR vs transferring... My only issue with this route is that it don't earn Hyatt nights.

 

[sriki]

I was just reading this over at MMS.
While it's a nice way to redeem Chase UR vs transferring... My only issue with this route is that it don't earn Hyatt nights.

We wouldn't earn Hyatt nights when redeeming free nights anyway, right?

The time where the UR portal is better is when a hotel is in a higher category but its price is a little less. In this case, 20,000 doesn't line up with $169. However, it costs more points to book at Park Hyatt Vendome if booking through UR as the cost of a paid night there is higher. The higher lower argument is made based on chase valuation of a UR point.

Each Chase UR point ~= 1.25 cents

So, go to Hyatt website and look up the rate for a hotel in $ (in cents) and in points. Now, divide the $/points. If the value is greater than 1.25 cents, then booking on Hyatt webiste is better than UR. If not, UR portal offers more value.

I hear the benefits apply equally even if the room is not booked on the Hyatt site. YMMV

 

[smittytabb]

All I can say is if you can get the GH Washington for $161.25, book it. DC hotel availability goes super quickly and that is a very good rate in that market, especially over a holiday. Save your points for points + cash and more aspirational redemptions.

 

[f0xx]

All I can say is if you can get the GH Washington for $169, book it. DC hotel availability goes super quickly and that is a very good rate in that market, especially over a holiday. Save your points for points + cash and more aspirational redemptions.

Ugh. It's my biggest pet peeve about NOVA/DC. The availability.
I usually just go to my usual spot when that happens. lol

 

[jonasan]

Did you end up booking the room via Chase? If you have status w/Hyatt, I'd be curious to see if they honor Platinum/Diamond benefits for your stay (let us know when your stay is over please!). I know it's probably a YMMV type deal as you mentioned, but I haven't seen many data points on this.