Best use of Hyatt points: We’ll show you how to get a steal at these top hotels

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Hyatt’s generous award chart, which makes it easy to book free nights at any of the 850+ Hyatt hotels around the world, make this hotel chain a favorite among the Million Mile Secrets team and many of our readers. And even though they’re moving to peak and off-peak pricing, that change isn’t happening until 2021. So there’s still time to take advantage of the prices shown below, and the change to dynamic pricing isn’t all bad news.

Because Hyatt is a Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partner, Hyatt points are easy to earn. If you have a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, you can transfer the Chase Ultimate Rewards points you earn to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio.

However, some Hyatt redemptions are better deals than others. Here are eight of the best ways to use Hyatt points.

Best use of Hyatt points

Hyatt has eight award categories ranging in price from 5,000 to 40,000 Hyatt points per night and no blackout dates for award nights. So, if there is a standard room available, you should be able to book it with points.

During popular times of the year, standard rooms sell out quickly but you can book Hyatt hotels up to 395 days (13 months) in advance. If you plan ahead, you usually won’t have a problem booking an award.

Calala Island

Calala Island is about as good as it gets if you’re looking for a remote and exotic stay using Hyatt points. It’s an ~11-acre private island just off the coast of Nicaragua that accommodates just eight guests. You’ll pay 40,000 Hyatt points per night, but that’s a deal considering rooms regularly sell for more than $2,350 per night.

This gem has already been discovered by points enthusiasts, so you’ll have to do some digging if you want to book a stay.

Others who’ve booked the resort note that there is a three-night minimum stay (and even longer on some dates). It’s best to search through the Calala website first to find junior suite availability, then go to Hyatt’s website and redeem your points.

There is a 90-day cancellation policy for award stays.

Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa

The Maldives is a bucket list destination for many, so it’s no surprise to see the Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa on this list. As a category 7 Hyatt hotel, nights here cost 30,000 points. That’s no drop in the bucket, but given that the cash price can easily exceed $700 per night, you’ll be saving a lot of cash using your points here.

At the Park Hyatt, you’ll have to take both a commercial flight and a boat ride to get there, but it’s well worth it. With white-sand beaches, turquoise blue water, endless watersport activities and beautiful villas (both on land and over water), it’s one of the most idyllic locations in the world, especially for romantic getaways.

Hyatt Centric South Beach Miami

The Hyatt Centric South Beach Miami is in the middle of all South Beach has to offer. You’ll be within walking distance to pristine beaches, luxury shopping, fine dining and trendy nightclubs.

Get your shopping done at nearby Lincoln Road Mall, a mile-long pedestrian shopping area listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Afterward, rent a bike or take a walk to see the area’s famous art deco buildings from the 1920s and 1930s.

If you’re traveling with kids, visit the Miami Children’s Museum, located on an island between South Beach and downtown Miami. Skip the neighboring Jungle Island Zoo and make the trip to Zoo Miami, which is half the price.

Miami is the world’s leading cruise port and this hotel is a great place to spend a night before setting sail. Team member Jason stayed here before his cruise and was happy to be a 15-minute ride from the PortMiami cruise terminals.

Depending on the time of year, you can expect to pay $300 to $600+ per night. The Hyatt Centric South Beach Miami charges a daily $28 resort fee, which is waived for award nights.

An award night costs 20,000 Hyatt points. Including the resort fee, you could get a value of 3.14 cents per point ($600 room rate + $28 fee/20,000 Hyatt points) on the most expensive nights.

Hyatt Centric Park City

The Hyatt Centric Park City is a ski-in/ski-out resort, so you won’t have to travel to get to the slopes. Reviewers on TripAdvisor enjoyed the convenience of having ski valet service to store and retrieve their equipment each day. And there is a complimentary shuttle to take you to Park City to tour the shops, museums and restaurants along the city’s historic Main Street.

The resort is dog-friendly, but you’ll pay a $150 pet fee for any stay of six nights or less and an additional $150 cleaning fee if you’re staying seven to 30 nights with your pooch.

If you want to book a winter ski trip at the Hyatt Centric Park City, expect to pay $600+ a night and a $30 per day resort fee (waived on award nights). Or you could save yourself the cash by staying for 25,000 Hyatt points per night. So you’ll get a value of ~2.52 cents per point ($600 room rate + $30 fee/25,000 Hyatt points).

If you want a better deal, consider staying during the Sundance Film Festival in late January or early February, when rates skyrocket to over $900. Book early because rooms sell out quickly during that time.

Palacio Duhau – Park Hyatt Buenos Aires

Give yourself the royal treatment with a free night at this former palace. Fine art lovers will be right at home at the Park Hyatt Buenos Aires. The hotel is two buildings connected by a tunnel that serves as an art gallery. The surrounding Recoleta neighborhood is home to art galleries, posh boutique stores, beautiful French architecture and the National Museum of Fine Arts.

While you’re in the area, browse for a book at El Ateneo Grand Splendid, a former theater that has been converted into one of the world’s most beautiful bookstores.

Rooms typically cost $450 to $650 per night, depending on the season. But you can book it for 25,000 Hyatt points, worth up to 2.6 cents per point ($650 room rate/25,000 Hyatt points).

Park Hyatt Sydney

The Park Hyatt Sydney is the pinnacle of luxury and there are few better ways to enjoy the Sydney Harbor than by relaxing at the hotel’s rooftop pool. Don’t miss the afternoon high tea.

You’ll experience the best weather during peak tourist season from December to February. This is also when prices can easily top $850 a night.

The Park Hyatt Sydney is a Category 7 hotel, so awards nights cost 30,000 Hyatt points. And you could get a value of ~2.83 cents per point ($850 room rate/30,000 Hyatt points).

Hyatt Zilara Cancun

A number of Million Mile Secrets team members have stayed here and would go back in a heartbeat. The Hyatt Zilara Cancun is an all-inclusive resort. So you can dine at any of the six restaurants or drink top-shelf cocktails at one of the five bars and lounges for no additional cost.

The resort offers a wide range of activities including yoga, cycling, scuba lessons, tennis and beach volleyball. Or spend the day reading at a pool or oceanside cabana and fill your evenings with live bands and other performances. Reviewers on TripAdvisor say you shouldn’t miss Tuesday night’s foam party.

Depending on the time of year, a double-occupancy room can cost $900+ per night. Award nights are 25,000 Hyatt points for double occupancy and you’ll pay an additional 12,500 Hyatt points per person for up to two additional people per room.

So, a couple booking an award night at the Hyatt Zilara Cancun will get 3.6 cents per point ($900 room rate / 25,000 Hyatt points),  and savings will actually be even higher because you won’t be paying for drinks or food during your vacation.

Note:  The Hyatt Zilara Cancun is an adult only (18+) resort. If you’re traveling with anyone under 18, the Hyatt Ziva Cancun is an all-inclusive family resort, which you can book for a similar price or 25,000 Hyatt points.

Hyatt Regency Kathmandu

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a luxury hotel any closer to a UNESCO World Heritage site. The resort’s 37-acre campus is an easy five-minute walk from the Boudhanath Stupa, an ancient Tibetan Buddhist shrine and UNESCO World Heritage site since 1979.

While you’re in Kathmandu, have your fill of yak butter tea, and don’t miss a chance to visit the monkeys at Swayambhunath. If you happen to be visiting Nepal in late November, watch a match of the Tiger Tops World Elephant Polo Championships.

The hotel costs ~$145 per night during peak season (September to November), when the rainy season is over and winter hasn’t arrived. The Hyatt Regency Kathmandu is a Category 1 Hyatt, so it’ll only cost 5,000 Hyatt points for a free night. That’s a value of 2.9 cents per point ($145 room rate/5,000 Hyatt points).

Any Category 1 Hyatt House for a week

Hyatt House hotels are great if you’re looking to get away and you’re on a tight budget. All hotels include free breakfast with made-to-order omelets, regardless of your elite status.

Many Hyatt House hotel rooms come with fully equipped kitchens. Free breakfast and  making your own meals could save a family of four more than the cost of the hotel room.

There are 19 Category 1 Hyatt House locations in the U.S., one in Mexico, one in Turkey and five in China. So you’ve got options.

Category 1 Hyatt locations only cost 5,000 Hyatt points per night.  You could book an entire week for only 35,000 Hyatt points and save even more money by cooking your own meals.  Most category 1 hotels cost $100 to $150 a night, so you’ll be getting 2 cents ($100 room rate / 5,000 Hyatt points) to 3 cents ($150 room rate / 5,000 Hyatt points) per point.

How to use Chase Ultimate Rewards points for Hyatt stays

You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points directly to Hyatt if you have one of these credit cards:

• Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Chase Ink Plus (no longer available)
• Chase Ink Bold (no longer available)

And if you have a no-annual-fee card like the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, Chase Freedom®, Ink Business Cash Credit Card and Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card, you can move points to an eligible Chase Ultimate Rewards account that allows you to transfer them directly to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio.

The information for theChase Freedom has been collected independently by Million Mile Secrets. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Once you’re ready to transfer points, use this step-by-step guide to get them into your Hyatt loyalty account.

Step 1.  Confirm award night cost and check if rooms are available

Hyatt has a no blackout date policy. But a standard room must be available for you to use points to book an award stay.

Before you transfer points to your loyalty account, it’s a good idea to confirm if award nights are available. Once you transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt, you can not transfer them back.

You just have to search your desired hotel and travel dates. Then, check the box to “View Points.”

In our sample search at the Andaz Napa, it shows award nights are available for 25,000 Hyatt points per night. This makes sense because it’s a Category 6 hotel.

If it looks like award rooms aren’t available, there’s still hope. As long as you see a standard room available to book with cash, you can call Hyatt at 800-228-3360 to see if you can book using points.

You can’t book award stays at Hyatt’s all-inclusive hotels online. You must call Hyatt to book a room at an all-inclusive resort. It’s an extra step but it’s worth it to save money on a fantastic stay.

Step 2.  Link your Hyatt account to your Chase Ultimate Rewards account

Now that you know how many points you’ll have to transfer, log into your Chase Ultimate Rewards account and link your Hyatt account.

Under the “Use Points” tab, click “Transfer to Travel Partners.”

Then, scroll down to the hotel transfer partner section. Next to Hyatt, click “Transfer Points.”

On this page, enter your Hyatt loyalty account number.

Once your Hyatt account is linked, the information will automatically save to your Chase Ultimate Rewards account. This means you can instantly transfer points in the future.

Step 3. Transfer points

It’s time to move your points to Hyatt. Just enter the number of points you’d like to transfer to your loyalty account. You must transfer your points in 1,000-point increments.

Once you move points, there’s no going back. So double-check to confirm you’re moving the right amount of points.

Step 4.  Book your Hyatt award stay

Chase Ultimate Rewards points typically transfer instantly to your Hyatt loyalty account. Once you complete your points transfer, log in to Hyatt and book your award stay.

Similar to Step 1, find the hotel you want to book and enter your travel dates. When you see the cost of the award night and room type, click “Select” to book. Then, enter the required information to finalize your reservation.

Remember to check the hotel’s cancellation policy when booking. If you have to cancel within the eligible time frame, points will go back into your account.

That’s it. Enjoy your free Hyatt award stay.

Bottom line

Lots of the MMS team and our readers love booking award nights at Hyatt hotels. Hyatt has a simple award chart, which can save you $100s a night for fewer points than what other hotel awards would cost.

There are lots of great redemptions at Hyatt hotels that you can book with only 5,000 Hyatt points or you can splurge on a luxury Category 7 hotel, like the Park Hyatt Sydney, for 30,000 Hyatt points.

What’s the best Hyatt award night you’ve booked?

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