Quick Update On The Hyatt Category Changes
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Now that I’m not on a train anymore, I took a few minutes to go over the Hyatt Gold Passport award category changes we learned about earlier this evening.
First, a full list of the properties going up in category:
First of all, I actually stayed at Excalibur, though I haven’t reviewed it yet. It’s a bit scary to me that it’s moving up to a category 3, requiring 12,000 points a night. Grand Hyatt Sao Paolo is probably under-priced, though I’ll have a first-hand report when I go on my crazy mileage run next year.
The properties at the top of the chart going up (PH Seoul, Andaz Amsterdam, HR Nice and Maldives) don’t strike me as outrageous changes. There aren’t that many changes at all at the top of the chart, which is a good thing in my eyes. Less than 5% of the properties going up is a win in my book given the increase in rate and occupancy.
Here’s the full list of properties going down:
Properties like Grand Hyatt and Hyatt Regency San Antonio, Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport and Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six all seem like a downgrade in category is justified.
I’m happy to see downgrades at Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and Park Hyatt Washington, all of which I’ve stayed at. Only Grand Cypress seems like it should be a 4 instead of a 5, but because of the proximity to Disney World I’m guessing they have had a higher rate in the past.
What’s Next?
For properties going up in category, you have until January 22nd, 2015 to book awards at the old rates.
If you have a reservation at one of the properties that’s going down a category, you’ll receive a refund of the point difference automatically.
Bottom Line It For Me, Ed
There’s not much more to say than what I said when I originally reported on the new chart. Even though I’m a Hyatt loyalist, this is really a benign set of changes. They’re reasonable and largely don’t affect the value proposition of Hyatt Gold Passport in a meaningful way.
I’ll be surprised if the rest of the changes coming in the next 12 months are as tame.
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I’m very surprised to learn Andaz Amsterdam wasn’t a 6 already. It’s a very expensive hotel. And there’s no other Hyatt in the city.
I’m surprised that GH Sao Paolo was only a 3, especially in light of last spring’s World Cup. It’s a typical GH: excellent, consistent, dependable. The kind of hotel you want to be in as a business traveler in a foreign city.
My biggest surprise is all the Wash DC properties dropping, including PH DC down to a 5. The room I stayed in at PH DC was larger than most DC apartments.
David, PH DC is one of my favorite properties for suites, and I was a bit surprised (and mighty pleased) to see it drop!