While many of us were shopping, traveling and being beach bums, Hyatt slipped in an announcement on Flyertalk last Monday afternoon to state Hyatt Stay Certificates are being replaced by Hyatt Night Certificates and their purchase is restricted to bulk purchase by registered businesses. Hyatt Spa and Weekend Certificates are being discontinued.
Hyatt Stay Certificates offer a discount rate at some hotels. For example, in 2011, my family stayed at the Hyatt Highlands Inn in Carmel, California for $249 per night compared to the $500+ per night room rate available through Hyatt reservations for the December holiday season.
Hyatt Stay Certificates count as an award stay and do not qualify for points and promotions, except for points earned on incidental spend during the hotel stay.
Hyatt Gift Certificate/Card Changes 2014
As of January 8, 2014, Hyatt Stay Certificates will be replaced by Hyatt Nights Certificates, which are available for bulk purchase by registered businesses only. Hyatt Nights certificates are not available to the general public and are intended for use as corporate incentives, employee engagement, consumer loyalty, credit card redemption programs and auction packages. Hyatt will continue to honor Hyatt Stay Certificates through the expiration date printed on each certificate and subject to all terms and conditions applicable to such certificates.
Hyatt Nights certificates are sold in single-night increments and offer last room availability at participating Hyatt hotels worldwide when a standard room is available. Businesses interested in purchasing Hyatt Nights certificates may get more information at www.hyattincentiverewards.com. Participating Hyatt hotels and designated Hyatt Nights redemption levels can be viewed at http://hyattincentiverewards.com/Par…Locations.aspx.
Hyatt Weekend Certificates and Hyatt Spa Certificates sales will be discontinued on January 7, 2014, and participating hotels will accept existing certificates through April 30th, 2015.
Consumers may purchase Hyatt Gift Cards, Hyatt Check Certificates and newly available Hyatt eGift Cards, which are designed for purchase as gifts for friends, colleagues or loved ones. These are easy to use, cover any fees (such as resort fees) and often do not expire.
As of December 18, 2013, Hyatt eGift Cards are available for purchase on Hyatt.com. Hyatt eGift Cards are like traditional plastic Hyatt Gift Cards and valid at all Hyatt hotels in the United States, Canada and Caribbean toward the purchase of room charges, restaurants, spas and more, but they are also instantly delivered by email, incur no shipping and handling charges, provide Hyatt-branded design options or photo upload options, and can be redeemed by smartphone, tablet or printing.
Gold Passport Concierge
Some commenters on the FlyerTalk thread blame bloggers for publicizing these Hyatt Stay Certificates as a reason for the changes. I did a multi-post analysis with tables of Hyatt brand hotels showing the cost of a Hyatt Stay Certificate to quickly compare to the published rate.
That may or may not be the cause.
Regardless, you have until January 7 to buy Hyatt Stay Certificates.
I have been writing about Hyatt Stay Certificates since 2008 before Loyalty Traveler blog was on BoardingArea.com.
The Value of Hyatt Stay Certificates (April 2, 2008)
Hyatt Stay and Weekend Certificates (Nov 22, 2009)
Hyatt Stay and Weekend Prepaid Certificates (Jan 8, 2011)
Hyatt Stay and Weekend Certificates can be huge rate discount (Dec 13, 2011)
I created Hyatt Hotel tables in August 2013 where you can compare the cost of a Hyatt Stay Certificate to the hotel rate and decide which is the better option. Hyatt Stay Certificates purchased by January 7, 2014 will be valid for stays through April 30, 2015 and possibly longer.
Hyatt will implement an exchange program for Hyatt Stay Certificates to the new Hyatt Night Certificates. You can read about the exchange program and updated details on this FlyerTalk thread link. Hyatt representatives are answering questions about the changes.
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Loyalty Traveler tables on the price of Hyatt Stay Certificates for all Hyatt brand hotels. These tables show the lowest price certificate valid at each hotel.
Table of Lowest Price Hyatt Stay Certificate for USA Hotels (August 30, 2013)
Table of Hyatt Stay Certificates Price at 44 Europe, Middle East and Africa (August 31, 2013)
At the time of publishing the USA Hotels table would not load on my iPad. I broke the list down into separate posts organized alphabetically by State.
- Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas 14 hotels.
- California 53 hotels.
- Colorado, Connecticut and Delaware 23 hotels.
- Florida 38 hotels.
- Georgia, Guam, Hawaii and Idaho 32 hotels.
- Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana 38 hotels.
- Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri and Nevada 29 hotels.
- New Jersey, New Mexico, New York 34 hotels.
- North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island and South Carolina 45 hotels.
- Tennessee and Texas 54 hotels.
- Utah, Virginia, Washington, Washington D.C. and Wisconsin 37 hotels.
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Ric Garrido of Monterey, California is writer and owner of Loyalty Traveler.
Loyalty Traveler shares news and views on hotels, hotel loyalty programs and vacation destinations for frequent guests.
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