When Hyatt Says Award Rooms Aren’t Available, There’s Still Hope!
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Million Mile Secrets reader Jasmin emailed:
I’ve had several situations with Hyatt where the hotel had lots of paid rooms available but no award rooms. How can I get an award night?
Here’s how Jasmin can book a room using Hyatt points even when the website shows NO award nights are available!
What to Do When Hyatt Says Award Nights Aren’t Available
Link: Hyatt Gold Passport Terms and Conditions
Jasmin wants to book an award night at the Park Hyatt New York on May 23, 2015, for Memorial Day weekend. But the Hyatt website shows no rooms (using Hyatt points) are available. But cash rooms are available at the Hyatt Daily Rate.
So Jasmin thought she was out of luck when she read the Hyatt Gold Passport FAQs:
Why does the hotel I want to go to have rooms available, but I am being told that I can’t redeem my Hyatt Gold Passport points?Hyatt Gold Passport award allotment is limited contractually and is subject to availability. When a hotel’s award allotment is filled, the hotel is no longer required to offer free nights using points.
However, Hyatt has a no “blackout date” policy. And the Hyatt Gold Passport terms and conditions say:
Hyatt Gold Passport Free Night Awards apply when standard rooms are available at the Hyatt Daily Rate. Standard rooms are defined by each hotel and are not subject to blackout dates.
This means a room can be booked using Hyatt points. So there’s still hope for Jasmin!
Call Hyatt
Jasmin should call Hyatt at 888-228-3360 and ask to book a room using Hyatt points.
If the agent says no rooms are available, Jasmin should politely state that Hyatt doesn’t have blackout dates and refer to the terms and conditions. If the 1st agent can’t or won’t help Jasmin, she should hang up and call again.
If the 2nd agent won’t help, Jasmin should nicely ask to talk to a supervisor.
Because the terms are very clear and there are standard rooms available, Jasmin should be able to book an award night at the Park Hyatt New York on May 23, 2015. Or any date that shows standard rooms for sale!
Nick from The Points Guy did this to book an award night at the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome. And a poster on this thread on Flyertalk was also able to book an award night with help from the Hyatt Concierge.
Bottom Line
The Hyatt hotel Jasmin wants to book does NOT show available award nights. But the hotel DOES list standard rooms available for cash.
However, Jasmin should be able to book the standard room with points, even though the site says she’s can’t!
That’s because Hyatt has a no “blackout dates” policy. And the Hyatt Gold Passport terms and conditions state if a hotel has standard rooms available, you can book it with Hyatt points.
So Jasmin can call Hyatt at 888-228-3360 and nicely ask to book a room using Hyatt points.
Good luck, Jasmin. Let me know if it worked for you!
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