Check Hyatt Points+Cash and Suite Upgrade rates for reward night savings

This week I am examining different aspects of Hyatt reward nights for potential savings. There are deals to be found on standard rewards, Standard Suite and Premium Suite reward nights. This article examines a couple of hotels for dates when Points+Cash and Premium Suite Upgrade rates might be a better deal than Standard, Standard Suite and Premium Suite reward nights. 

One aspect of Hyatt points that differs from other hotel loyalty programs is the number of points you can buy annually is more restrictive than most programs. The ability to buy only 55,000 points in a calendar year means you can only buy enough points for 3 or 4 nights at a category 3 hotel on a standard room or suite reward stay. At category 5 hotels you can only buy 3 standard room nights with off-peak dates (51,000 points) or one premium suite night at 34,000 points. Conserving Hyatt points is where Points+Cash rates come in handy.

Hyatt Points+Cash Reward Nights

Be Aware of Cash Variable in Points + Cash rates

Grand Hyatt Athens is a Hyatt category 3 property and reveals a Points + Cash rate that may even be a better deal than booking a standard suite reward rate if you are looking to save Hyatt points.

The amount of cash is generally 50% of the Standard Nightly Rate for the room type, whether a standard room category or suite. If the standard room rate is $150 per night then Points + Cash will require about $75 + 6,000 points at a Category 3 hotel. Finding off-peak dates also reduces the points needed for a Points+Cash reward night to 4,500 points, then the $150 room will price at $75 and 4,500 points.

You should check different dates if that is an option for your stay to compare the cash rate component for this reward type. There is a small range of rates where the Points+Cash reward option offers a better redemption value than Standard reward nights. The more expensive a hotel room, the higher the cash portion of Points+Cash will be and favors Standard Reward rates. When room rates drop below a certain level, then pay cash rates when points are better saved for better high value points redemption opportunities.

Tip: Check specific room types offered with each redemption option to compare to paid rates.

Grand Executive Terrace Suite is 320 EUR/$338 USD for these dates.

270 EUR /$285 USD room for 20,000 points is not that good of a redemption value at $14.25 per 1,000 points. The cost to buy Hyatt points is more than the redemption value, meaning you are better off paying cash rather than buying Hyatt points at $16.80 per 1,000 points in the current sale through May 30, 2022.

Grand Hyatt Athens Parthenon Suite King

A Premium Suite reward night at Grand Hyatt Athens shows the Parthenon Suite for 24,000 points for a 360 EUR/$380 USD room. This gives a slightly higher redemption value for the premium suite compared to the standard suite, but is still too low a redemption value ($15.83 per 1,000 points) to make buying Hyatt points worthwhile.

In this example there are perhaps better Points Plus Cash reward rates available. 

Parthenon Suite is 24,000 points or 360 EUR per night. There are no standard room reward nights available on these dates.

Grand Hyatt Athens Standard Suite Points Plus Cash reward

Grand Hyatt Athens has three different Points + Cash reward night and one Suite Points Upgrade options:

• Standard Suite Points + Cash = 10,000 points + 135 EUR/$142 for a $264 room.
• Standard Suite Points + Cash = 10,000 points + 145 EUR/$153 for a $285 room.
• Premium Suite Points + Cash = 12,000 points + 190 EUR/$201 for a $380 room. 
• Lp Suites Points Upgrade = 6,000 points + 170 EUR/$179 USD

At these rates the Standard Suite Reward is not a great deal for 10,000 points to save $120 or $130. Premium Suite reward for $201 and 12,000 points gives about $180 value for 12,000 points. That is still lower redemption value than the $16.80 per 1,000 points to buy points.

Lp Suites Points Upgrade is an interesting option. I had to google this and found several relevant articles. The clearest explanation to me was found on FrequentMiler blog. 

“upgrade awards should be at the standard rate for a standard room at non-resorts or the standard rate for a deluxe room at resorts.”

Since I had no standard room rate to check for Grand Hyatt Athens, this explanation makes much more sense when looking at the Hyatt Regency Malta at the end of this post. 

This Suite Upgrade option offers a choice of Grand Executive Acropolis View Suite or Grand Executive Terrace Suite for 170 EUR/$179 USD + 6,000 points. The room rate for Grand Executive Terrace Suite is 320 EUR/$338 USD.

In this example, 6,000 points saves $159 on the price of a Grand Executive Terrace Suite for a redemption value of $26.50 per 1,000 points. 

Recap: You can book the $338 Grand Terrace Executive Suite at Grand Hyatt Athens for 20,000 points on a Standard Suite reward or $179 + 6,000 points on a Suite Points Upgrade reward night. Paying $179 to save 14,000 Hyatt points is a better deal, unless you are points rich and cash poor. That is like buying 14,000 points for $12.80 per 1,000 points. The only time Hyatt sells points lower than that rate is during U.S. Travel Association’s Daily Getaways, but those few points packages are about as easy to buy as winning a lottery.

 

Grand Hyatt Malta – Category 3 hotel

What makes Grand Hyatt Malta a great deal is the availability of off-peak rates for a Standard Free Room Night when room rates are high. 

Based on the Points Plus Cash rate of 4,500 points + 128 EUR, I can estimate the room rate for a standard room at 256 EUR.

 

256 EUR/$270 USD means 9,000 points for a Standard Room reward night is a great redemption value at $30 per 1,000 points. This is a hotel stay where buying Hyatt points at $16.80 per 1,000 points is a great deal. 

Points + Cash is a bad deal at Hyatt Regency Malta for these dates.

Hyatt Regency Malta is also an example of why Points+Cash rates are not a good deal when hotel rates are expensive at low category hotels. 4,500 points + 128 EUR/$135 USD means you are paying $135 to save 4,500 points. That is like buying points for $33.75 per 1,000 points.

Suites at Hyatt Regency Malta

The high price of rooms at Hyatt Regency Malta means a high copay for any Points + Cash reward nights in suites. For this hotel you will find better value booking Upgrade Premium Suite rate.

Points Plus Cash Premium Suite rate: Paying 9,000 points to save 378 EUR/$399 EUR gives great redemption value ($44.33 per 1,000 points), but paying $400 a night for a room is far above my travel budget allowance for a hotel night.

Remember that frequentmiler blog quote from before: 

“upgrade awards should be at the standard rate for a standard room at non-resorts or the standard rate for a deluxe room at resorts.”

Hyatt Regency Malta Upgrade Premium Suite reward is 256 EUR + 9,000 points for the Ambassador Suite.

For this Premium Suite Upgrade reward stay you pay 256 EUR/$270 + 9,000 points for a 719 EUR/$758 USD room. This reward nights stay has a points redemption value of $54.22 per 1,000 points. 

Why would anyone book the Points+Cash rate for 9,000 points + 378 EUR?

For a really special occasion I might spend $270 for one hotel night if I wanted to splurge on teh Ambassador Suite at Hyatt Regency Malta.

Still, the standard free night reward for 9,000 points seems like the best deal at Hyatt Regency Malta to me.

Ancestry.com recently adjusted my ethnicity to include 1% Malta heredity in my genes. Good reason for me to add Malta to my travel bucket list.

Hyatt Reward Rates Articles

Intro to Hyatt Hotels in Europe where buying points is a good deal

Hyatt deal for Premium Suite Thessaloniki, Greece