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On Monday, we helped Shannon find her way from Dallas to Myanmar. As part of her trip, she wants to also visit another location in Asia. Opportunities abound, so we set off to discover where she could best put her Ultimate Rewards points to use. As a 1:1 transfer partner with Hyatt, the hotelier immediately came to mind.
We hadn’t spent a substantial amount of time considering Hyatt options in this part of the world prior to doing research for this feature. We began with Category 5 and 6 properties, and discovered a few that look amazing. For example:
Grand Hyatt Hong Kong – Category 6
The Grand Hyatt Hong Kong is a beautiful Category 6 property adjacent to Victoria Harbour, putting it right in the center of an exciting, world-class city.
Average Cash Price Per Night, June 17-20, 2014:
Standard Room: $515
Suite: $1,160
Park Hyatt Beijing – Category 5
The Park Hyatt Beijing is a Category 5 property in the middle of Beijing’s central business district. Its contemporary design, infinity pool and bevy of amenities make this a stunning place to stay in the Chinese capital.
Average Cash Price Per Night, June 17-20, 2014:
Standard Room: $367
Suite: $1,160
However, nice as these properties may be, they are not the incredible values to which we’re referring. What’s truly incredible is the value possible at the lowest end of Hyatt’s category system. Check out these Category 1 and 2 properties:
Hyatt Regency Hotel & Casino Manila – Category 2
This 5-Star Hyatt Regency in Manila is a beautiful property listed as just a Category 2 redemption despite being located near the city’s exceptional cultural and historical attractions. The hotel offers views of Manila Bay and tropical gardens and combines the best of modern touches with a distinctly Filipino flair.
Average Cash Price Per Night, June 17-20, 2014:
Standard Room: $148
Suite: $310
Hyatt Regency Guiyang – Category 2
This is another 5-Star Hyatt Regency listed as just a Category 2 redemption. The hotel has a palatial lobby and is outstanding in every aspect. It’s located nearby the Qingyan Ancient City and Huangguoshu Waterfall – the largest in China – and is a half-hour’s drive from the Guiyang airport. Here’s a chance to visit a piece of China off the well-traveled paths to Beijing and Shanghai.
Average Cash Price Per Night, June 17-20, 2014:
Standard Room: $127
Suite: $260
Hyatt Regency Saipan – Category 2
The Hyatt Regency Saipan is listed as just a Category 2 redemption despite its outstanding oceanfront, sunset view of the Pacific and convenient location 30 minutes from Saipan International Airport. The hotel offers Italian and Japanese restaurants, as well as two others offering a variety of international fare. The hotel is located nearby the Kingfisher Golf Resort and Laolao Bay Golf Resort, and offers a variety of the kind of tropical resort activities and amenities you might expect.
Average Cash Price Per Night, June 17-20, 2014:
Standard Room: $245
Club: $375
Hyatt Regency Kuantan – Category 1
The Hyatt Regency Kuantan is, unbelievably, listed as a Category 1 redemption. The oceanfront resort is near the world’s oldest rainforest, located on Telok Chempedak’s beachfront 20 minutes from the Kuantan Airport. The hotel offers an array of dining options friendly to the American palate and specializes in oceanside weddings and events.
Average Cash Price Per Night, June 17-20, 2014:
Standard Room: $116
Suite: $305
Bali Hyatt – Category 1
The Bali Hyatt is another ridiculously excellent Category 1 redemption. If you’re familiar with the Polynesian Resort at Walt Disney World, the Bali Hyatt shares a somewhat similar aesthetic, but is the real deal. A 40 minute drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport, this 5-star resort is next to Sanur beach and features an array of outstanding amenities and eating options.
Average Cash Price Per Night, June 17-20, 2014:
Standard Room: $133
Club: $233
Hyatt Regency Kathmandu – Category 1
The Hyatt Regency Kathmandu is our favorite Category 1 option. Set on 37 acres of landscaped grounds in Nepal just outside Kathmandu, the resort is just 2 miles from the Tribhuvan International Airport and 3 miles from the city center on the road to Boudhanath Stupa, the holiest of Tibetan Buddhist shrines and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The hotel features two simming pools, fitness and spa centers, a beauty salon, four restaurants and many activities. Its rooms and suites are very well appointed with furnishings appropriate to the exotic location. Note that Nepal is considered part of the Indian Subcontinent, unlike the other locations listed above, and therefore has different miles requirements for travel than “South Asia” or “Asia 2”.
Average Cash Price Per Night, June 17-20, 2014:
Standard Room: $165
Suite: $515
Hyatt Award Chart
Of course, it’s important to understand Hyatt’s award chart in order to see what a value these properties truly offer:
| Redemption Type | Cat 1 | Cat 2 | Cat 3 | Cat 4 | Cat 5 | Cat 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Room Night: | 5,000 | 8,000 | 12,000 | 15,000 | 18,000 | 22,000 |
| Regency/Grand Club Room Night: | 7,000 | 10,000 | 15,000 | 18,000 | 22,000 | 27,000 |
| Suite Night: | 8,000 | 12,000 | 18,000 | 23,000 | 27,000 | 33,000 |
| Regency/Grand Club Upgrade: | 3,000 | 3,000 | 3,000 | 3,000 | 3,000 | 3,000 |
| Suite Upgrade: | 6,000 | 6,000 | 6,000 | 6,000 | 6,000 | 6,000 |
As you can see, Hyatt caps out at just 22,000 points per night for a standard room in their most sought-after properties. This offers tremendous for destinations like Paris, London and New York compared to other hotel programs, as we’ve said in the past, but is nothing compared to the pittance of 5,000 and 8,000 per night required for stays at Category 1 and 2 properties. At 8,000 points per night for a suite in a Category 1 hotel, you can get four nights for the price of one in a Category 6 suite.
Even better is the ability to upgrade paid stays to suites for almost no cost at all. Upgrades are good for up to four nights, so for a mere 6,000 points total, you can stay for up to 4 nights in a suite for paying only the Hyatt Daily Rate for a standard room. That’s very appealing at a property like the Hyatt Regency Kathmandu mentioned above, where the Daily Rate was listed at only $165 per night while the suite is listed at $515. Multiplied by 4 nights, that means you can get $2,060 of value for $660 + 6,000 points.
While there’s no doubt that Hyatt’s properties in global capitals and well-traveled vacation destinations like Hawaii offer good value and an exceptional stay experience, it’s remarkable what kind of treasure resides at the bottom of the company’s award chart.
For the same number of points, you can stay here:
Or here:
The next time you’re considering a trip to someplace exotic, think a little farther out of the box. In many cases, using a few more airline miles and planning with a bit of creativity can take you to somewhere just as splendid, if not more so, and reward you with incredible value for being willing to step off the beaten path.
