A year ago Hyatt introduced a new highest-priced category 8 to their award chart. The most expensive room in the system had been 30,000 points. Category 8 would be 40,000 points.
Hyatt promised that category 8 was just for special ‘SLH Hotels’ they were bringing into the program. SLH Hotels aren’t Hyatt hotels, they’re a set of properties they drive business to and allow members to redeem for. My sense was they might be paying SLH properties more for redemptions than they pay to their own Hyatt properties, and needed to offset that cost with higher points prices.
I also said, though, that once category 8 existed we’d start to see other hotels at that price. I predicted it would be ‘just a few’ hotels that are ‘very special.’ Hyatt has just announced that is happening as they add more Destination Hotels properties into the World of Hyatt program.
A year ago Hyatt announced its acquisition of Two Roads Hospitality and the Thompson, Joie de Vivre, Alila, and Destination brands (along with the nascent tommie brand). Destination Hotels started joining Hyatt August 20th.
Now Hyatt is sharing that,
- There are two more waves of Destination Hotels joining November 5 and November 12
- They’re adding Residence (timeshare) properties to the program
- Timeshare properties are usually designed as extended stay and as limited service. Elite upgrade, late check-out, guaranteed availability and breakfast benefits aren’t honored at all of them.
- Some properties are ‘earn only’ no redemptions permitted
- Five Destination Hotels will be category 8 – the first hotels within Hyatt’s own portfolio priced at category 8.
Credit: Kaanapali Alii
I don’t have an issue with limited-participation hotels, and it makes sense for timeshare hotels not to offer complimentary breakfast as an elite benefit. Late checkout is subject to availability, asis standard for resorts. I’m not sure the logic in refusing upgrades. However it’s not really fair to say that Hyatt is growing and delivering more value to members by adding hotels where redemption is not possible.
And I think we can assume that moving five Destination Hotels into category 8 is just the beginning. We’ll eventually see more at the inflated 40,000 points per night level.
Here’s the list of Destination Hotels, along with join dates and category (if redemption is permitted) and whether full elite benefits are honored:
| Hotel | Location | Join Date | Category | Elite Benefits? | Free Nights? |
| The Carolina Inn | Chapel Hill, NC | Aug 20 | 3 | Yes | Yes |
| Motif Seattle | Seattle, WA | Aug 20 | 4 | Yes | Yes |
| Quirk Hotel | Richmond, VA | Aug 20 | 3 | Yes | Yes |
| Tempe Mission Palms Hotel | Tempe, AZ | Aug 20 | 3 | Yes | Yes |
| Rizzo Center | Chapel Hill, NC | Aug 21 | 3 | Yes | Yes |
| The Scottsdale Resort at McCormick Ranch |
Scottsdale, AZ | Aug 21 | 3 | Yes | Yes |
| The Elms Hotel & Spa |
Excelsior Springs, MO | Sep 10 | 2 | Yes | Yes |
| Hotel De Anza | San Jose, CA | Sep 10 | 4 | Yes | Yes |
| Vail Residences at Cascade Village |
Vail, CO | Nov 5 | 8 | No | Yes |
| Christiania Condominiums, Residences |
Vail, CO | Nov 5 | 7 | No | Yes |
| Christiania Lodge | Vail, CO | Nov 5 | 7 | No | Yes |
| Enzian, Residences | Vail, CO | Nov 5 | n/a | No | No |
| The Landmark, Residences | Vail, CO | Nov 5 | 7 | No | Yes |
| Montaneros in Vail, Residences |
Vail, CO | Nov 5 | 7 | No | Yes |
| Vail 21, Residences | Vail, CO | Nov 5 | n/a | No | No |
| Vantage Point, Residences | Vail, CO | Nov 5 | n/a | No | No |
| Westwind, Residences | Vail, CO | Nov 5 | n/a | No | No |
| Aspenwood, Residences | Snowmass, CO | Nov 12 | n/a | No | No |
| Capitol Peak Lodge, Residences |
Snowmass, CO | Nov 12 | n/a | No | No |
| Countryside at Snowmass, Residences |
Snowmass, CO | Nov 12 | n/a | No | No |
| Interlude, Residences | Snowmass, CO | Nov 12 | n/a | No | No |
| Laurelwood Condominiums, Residences |
Snowmass, CO | Nov 12 | 5 | No | Yes |
| Lichenhearth, Residences | Snowmass, CO | Nov 12 | 6 | No | Yes |
| The Lodge at Spruce Peak | Stowe, VT | Nov 12 | 8 | Yes | Yes |
| Resort at Squaw Creek |
Olympic Valley, CA | Nov 12 | 6 | Yes | Yes |
| Shadowbrook, Residences | Snowmass, CO | Nov 12 | n/a | No | No |
| The Stonebridge Inn | Snowmass, CO | Nov 12 | 5 | No | Yes |
| Tamarack Townhomes, Residences |
Snowmass, CO | Nov 12 | n/a | No | No |
| Terracehouse, Residences | Snowmass, CO | Nov 12 | n/a | No | No |
| Top of the Village, Residences |
Snowmass, CO | Nov 12 | n/a | No | No |
| Villas at Snowmass Club, Residences |
Snowmass, CO | Nov 12 | 7 | No | Yes |
| Willows, Residences | Snowmass, CO | Nov 12 | n/a | No | No |
| Champion Ridge at Mauna Lani, Residences |
Waimea, HI | Nov 12 | n/a | No | No |
| The Islands at Mauna Lani |
Waimea, HI | Nov 12 | n/a | No | No |
| Kaanapali Alii | Lahaina, HI | Nov 12 | 8 | No | Yes |
| Lahaina Shores Beach Resort |
Lahaina, HI | Nov 12 | 4 | No | Yes |
| The Lodge at Kukui’ula |
Koloa, HI | Nov 12 | 8 | No | Yes |
| Makena Surf, Residences | Kihei, HI | Nov 12 | n/a | No | No |
| Mauna Lani Point Resort |
Waimea, HI | Nov 12 | 7 | No | Yes |
| Polo Beach Club, Residences |
Kihei, HI | Nov 12 | n/a | No | No |
| Puunoa Beach Estates | Lahaina, HI | Nov 12 | n/a | No | No |
| Wailea Beach Villas | Kihei, HI | Nov 12 | n/a | No | No |
| Wailea Ekahi Village, Residences |
Wailea, HI | Nov 12 | 6 | No | Yes |
| Wailea Ekolu Village, Residences |
Kihei, HI | Nov 12 | 6 | No | Yes |
| Wailea Elua Village, Residences |
Wailea, HI | Nov 12 | 8 | No | Yes |
| Wailea Grand Champions Villas, Residences |
Wailea, HI | Nov 12 | 6 | No | Yes |
| Wailea Point, Residences | Wailea, HI | Nov 12 | n/a | No | No |
Are you excited about any of the new Hyatt ski or Hawaiian Destination Hotels properties?
Time to give up the last status I marginally cared about.
Can any blogger who claims Globalist is worth $40000 buy my status for 25% off?
There will finally be one place to use Hyatt points on the Big Island, if I’m reading correctly. Finally.
Starts to turn the corner on Chase Freedom Unlimited as being a preferred non-bonus spend card. As Hyatt redemptions start hitting Marriott redemption levels, then 2x points per $ on a MR card start to look… better, though not good. A ways to go yet, though. Would eventually push me back to Citi 2x Cashback card as non-bonus spend card. Probably ought to be using it now……
This is fantastic. Many new properties in Vail, Aspen (Snowmass) and Maui where I can use my Hyatt points. Of course they are 40k – in some cases you are getting a timeshare that can accommodate your family as opposed to a suite upgrade (that is only avail to top elites). Compare to cost of 2 rooms in peak season.
I will decline to endorse the slippery slope argument until we see the expensive Cat 7s bumped up. No doubt that day will come but I expect it’s not imminent.
Several months ago I booked a FREE night using a Marriott certificate for a February, 2020 trip to Bangkok. When I had to change the date, I discovered that the hotel rates had increased from 35,000 pts. (allowing me to use my free night certificate) to 40,000 pts., (too high to use my free night certificate). I was told that these rates will continue to fluctuate.
Susan. I like TV.