Hyatt Next Big Thing Nights Extended Until June 30th for Diamond Members

Hyatt has updated a thread on Flyertalk stating that the Next Big Thing promotion free nights have been extended for redemption. So I've called the Hyatt Diamond desk and they have confirmed the extension.

General members - April 30th, 2010
Platinum Member - May 31st, 2010
Diamond Members - June 30th, 2010

Here are some pictures from our trip to the Grand Hyatt Kauai. One of my favorite Hyatt properties.

View from Room

View from Hallway outside of room

Bottom Line

If you have some free nights that you thought would go to waste, now is your chance to get on the phone with Hyatt and make those reservations. This is great for those of you who have earned more than you can burn by the original end of redemption date in March. You'll now have until as late as June if you are a Diamond member to redeem the free nights from the promotion.

Hyatt Promo - 2500 United Miles Per Stay

Hyatt has partnered up with United to offer 2500 bonus miles (2000 bonus + 500 base) per stay. Registration is required, click here for registration.

Back in September Hyatt and United ran a similar promotion where you could earn 5,000 miles per stay. During this promotion I racked up over 130,000 United miles without even flying United.

Details

United Airlines® Mileage Plus elite members are invited to earn 2,500 miles per stay (500 base + 2,000 bonus) at any Hyatt worldwide through January 31, 2011.

Participating Hyatt brands include Park Hyatt™, Andaz™, Grand Hyatt™, Hyatt Regency™, Hyatt Place™ and Hyatt Summerfield Suites™. Earn 2,500 miles per stay

Join Hyatt Gold Passport today.
Stay at any Hyatt worldwide between November 1, 2009 and January 31, 2011.
Provide your Hyatt Gold Passport and Mileage Plus account numbers at reservation and check-in.
Request Mileage Plus miles at check-in for each of your eligible stays.

Terms and Conditions

To participate in this promotion you must join Hyatt Gold Passport via url www.goldpassport.com/unitedelites and stay between November 1, 2009 and January 31, 2011 at any Hyatt Hotel & Resort™, Hyatt Place™, Hyatt Summerfield Suites™ or Andaz™ worldwide. To receive 2,500 miles (500 base and 2,000 bonus miles) per eligible stay, you must provide both your Hyatt Gold Passport and United Airlines Mileage Plus membership account number at time of check-in, choose miles for your stay and pay an Eligible rate.

"Eligible Rate" is any hotel published room rate, including, but not limited to rates found on hyatt.com, hyattplace.com, hyattsummerfiedsuites.com, prevailing rack rate, BAR, volume, AAA and senior citizen rates, etc. "Ineligible Rates" are discounted rates, including, but not limited to, any free night stays, Internet wholesale rates (such as priceline.com, hotels.com, etc.), traditional wholesale rates (such as GOGO Worldwide Vacations, Pleasant Holidays, etc.), airline crew rates, airline employee rates, travel agency employee rates, Club at the Hyatt discount certificate stays, Hyatt employee or employee family discount rates, airline interrupted-trip vouchers or contracted rooms (a contract room is a room that has been reserved pursuant to a written and executed agreement between a hotel and a corporation, government agency or individual for a negotiated room rate in exchange for an agreed upon number of rooms to be rented for an extended period of time).

Miles will be given for one room, regardless of the number of rooms. A qualifying stay means one or more consecutive nights at any participating hotel or resort when paying an eligible rate, whether or not the guest checks out and back in during such period; award stays do not qualify.

All hotel reservations are subject to availability and must be made in advance. Allow 6 to 8 weeks for bonus miles to be posted to your account. Miles are subject to the terms and conditions of the United Airlines frequent flyer program. This promotion is subject to the complete terms and conditions of the Hyatt Gold Passport program. For complete terms and conditions of the Hyatt Gold Passport program, please visit www.goldpassport.com. Hyatt reserves the right to alter or withdraw this program at any time without notice. Hyatt Hotels & Resorts™ encompasses hotels managed, franchised or leased by subsidiaries and affiliates of Hyatt Hotels Corporation. The trademarks Hyatt™, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts™, Park Hyatt™, Andaz™, Grand Hyatt™, Hyatt Regency™, Hyatt Place™, Hyatt Summerfield Suites™, Hyatt Gold Passport™, and related marks are trademarks of Hyatt Corporation. © 2009 Hyatt Corporation. All rights reserved.

Hyatt Next Big Thing Promo Combines United Miles Earning Option

Hyatt's recent Next Big Thing promotion allows you to earn a free night at a Hyatt for every 2 stays at a Hyatt property. This promotion was recently amended (see post #47) by Hyatt to allow you to select miles (instead of Hyatt points). This is fantastic news because United is running some really good mile promotions for staying at Hyatt properties right now.

United Promotions for Hyatt Stays

This is all good news so now you'll be able to combine the Next Big Thing promotion with the 2 United mile earning promotions (5k per stay & 2.5k per 2 stays). So you can now earn 5k United Miles + the standard 500 United mile amount for every Hyatt stay + 2500 United Miles for every 2 stays.

So lets assume you stay 4 nights a week and switch between Hyatt properties every night you'll earn at the following rate:

1st Night - 5000 United Miles + 500 United Miles

2nd Night - 5000 United Miles + 500 United Miles + 2500 United Mile Bonus

3rd Night - 5000 United Miles + 500 United Miles

4th Night - 5000 United Miles + 500 United Miles + 2500 United Mile Bonus

Total United Miles earned in 4 nights = 27,000 United Miles

Bottom Line

Even if you don't normally fly United, this promotion is well worth taking advantage of to earn the maximum amount of miles for your hotel stays.

Hyatt - Next Big Thing Promotion Available

Hyatt's Next Big Thing promotion is available for registration. We posted about this back on September 15th, but now the details are out.

Promotion

Between October 1, 2009 and January 31, 2010 members can choose to earn the reward you want.

• 1 free night award after every two stays OR
• 3,000 Hyatt Gold Passport bonus points on every stay, starting with your second stay.

To Earn Unlimited Free Nights or Bonus Points

• Register today for the reward you want – free nights or bonus points.
• Stay at any Hyatt worldwide between October 1, 2009 and January 31, 2010.
• Provide your Hyatt Gold Passport account number at reservation and check-in.

Bottom Line

This is one of my favorite promotions. You can earn a free night at a Hyatt hotel for every 2 night stays. This beats out Starwood's Free Weekend Nights by a long shot since it doesn't limit the category of hotel or limit the redemption to weekend nights only. If you have the chance rack up some Hyatt stays make sure you redeem/book as soon as possible before all the Faster Free Night availability gets used up.

Hyatt Diamond Members - Check Your Account for Free 1 Night Award

It seems Hyatt in addition to offering The Next Big Thing Promotion, and $20 Gift Card at Hyatt Place, is giving their Diamond members a free 1 night stay award at a Hyatt Place or Summerfield Suites. Hyatt emails will go out on Sept 24th, and the mail offer will come within a week.

Check your account to see if you were awarded one

• Log In
• Select Awards
• Select Promotional Awards
• View Your Award

Terms and Conditions

Member will receive one free night award at any Hyatt Place or Hyatt Summerfield Suites valid 9/23/2009 to 12/31/2009. Free night awards will be posted to your My Promotional Awards and can be redeemed by signing in to your Hyatt Gold Passport account via goldpassport.com or by calling 800 228 3360 or your nearest Worldwide Reservation Center. All hotel reservations are subject to availability and must be made in advance. Offer is not valid with groups/conventions and may not be combined with other promotional offers. Free night award is valid for standard guest room accommodations. Free night does not include service or incidental charges. Additional guests may be subject to additional hotel charges. Promotional blackout periods may apply due to seasonal periods or special events, and normal arrival/departure restrictions apply. Hyatt reserves the right to alter or withdraw this program at any time without notice. Hyatt Hotels & Resorts encompasses hotels managed, franchised or leased by subsidiaries and affiliates of Global Hyatt Corporation. The trademarks Hyatt, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, Park Hyatt, Andaz, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Placer, Hyatt Summerfield Suites, Hyatt Gold Passport, and related marks are trademarks of Hyatt Corporation. 2009 Hyatt Corporation. All rights reserved.

Hyatt Place Offers $20 Mastercard Gift Card with Each Stay

Hyatt Place is offering a $20 MasterCard gift card for stays between September 21st and November 25th, 2009. Note that this promotion is only good Mon-Thur. There is also a same offer from Summerfield Suites.

This can make earning with the Faster Free Night promotion even sweeter.
The Offer

Being on the road just got a little more rewarding. Simply stay one night, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday at a participating Hyatt Place® between September 21st and November 25th, 2009 and we'll make your stay even more satisfying with a $20 prepaid MasterCard gift card. Use it for anything you want – at home or on the road.

Make your reservation today at the Hyatt Daily Rate and request promotion code GFTCRD. Enjoy everything Hyatt Place has to offer during your stay and then enjoy a little something on us after you check out. After every qualifying stay, we'll send you a $20 prepaid MasterCard gift card – a welcome bonus you can use to treat yourself or share with someone special.

Terms and Conditions

Offer valid 9/21/09 to 11/25/09 for Monday through Thursday qualifying stays at participating Hyatt Place. Not valid for stays over Friday, Saturday or Sunday nights. All hotel reservations are subject to availability and must be made via telephone, HyattPlace.com, or GDS prior to the qualifying stay. Guest must request offer code GFTCRD at time of reservation and pay the Hyatt Daily Rate to receive $20 MasterCard Gift Card. One $20 MasterCard Gift Card per qualifying stay. A qualifying stay shall be defined as one or more consecutive nights at any participating Hyatt Place hotel for Monday through Thursday during the promotion period for reservations with the GFTCRD offer code. If the guest checks out and back in during the stay period, such multiple stays do not constitute a qualifying stay. Limit one gift card per qualifying stay, regardless of the number of rooms. Offer is not valid with groups/conventions and may not be combined with other promotional offers. A limited number of rooms are allocated to this promotion. Promotional blackout periods may apply due to seasonal periods or special events, and normal arrival/departure restrictions apply. Fulfillment of gift cards will be through Springbok via U.S. mail following your stay. Gift cards will be mailed 6-8 weeks upon completion of the qualifying stay. Gift card will not be replaced if lost or stolen. Gift cards are subject to all policies and terms and conditions set by issuer, which are subject to change at issuer's sole discretion. Hyatt Place reserves the right to alter or withdraw this program at any time without notice. Springbok Services is a registered agent of KeyBank National Association. Giftcards are issued by KeyBank National Association pursuant to a license by MasterCard International Incorporated. MasterCard and the MasterCard Brand Mark are registered trademarks of MasterCard International Incorporated.

Faster Free Nights Is Back at Hyatt

Hyatt announced on their website they are bringing back Faster Free Nights starting on October 1, 2009. Check out this flyertalk thread for more details.




The Next Big Thing From Hyatt Gold Passport

Launching October 1 you can choose your reward then earn as many as you can. Unlimited rewards. Unlimited hospitality. Registration begins September 25, 2009. Earn Faster Free Nights starting October 1, 2009 through January 31, 2010. Redeem Faster Free Nights between October 15, 2009 through March 31, 2010

Choose to earn 1 of the following offers:

• 1 free night award after every 2 eligible stays
• Or 3,000 Hyatt Gold Passport bonus points per eligible stay, starting with your 2nd stay
• Registration begins on September 25, 2009.

Bottom Line

This is one of my favorite promotions. You can earn a free night at a Hyatt hotel for every 2 night stays. This beats out Starwood's Free Weekend Nights by a long shot since it doesn't limit the category of hotel or limit the redemption to weekend nights only. If you have the chance rack up some Hyatt stays make sure you redeem/book as soon as possible before all the Faster Free Night availability gets used up.

5,000 United Miles Per Hyatt Stay

United is running a promotion with Hyatt where you earn 5,000 United Miles with every stay at a participating Hyatt hotel from September 1st through October 31, 2009.

• Stay at any Hyatt worldwide between September 1 and October 31, 2009.
• Provide your Hyatt Gold Passport and Mileage Plus account numbers at
  reservation and check-in.
• Request Mileage Plus miles at check-in for each of
  your eligible stays.

This sounds like a great promotion to use if your staying at a Hyatt hotel. For the past few months Hyatt has been running a 2,500 Hyatt point per stay promotion when you pay with a MasterCard. The 2,500 point promotion expires this week, September 15th. So this new promotion with United is very timely.

Bottom Line

The key thing to note with this promotion is it is yet again a "per stay" promotion and that it is only marketed to United 1k members. So if you can find a few Hyatt hotels in the city you are in, you can earn 20,000 United miles per week (5,000 x 4 nights) depending on how many nights in your staying pattern. After a few weeks you could have enough for a business class trip to Europe on Starr Alliance.

Terms and Conditions

To participate in this promotion you must join Hyatt Gold Passport via url www.goldpassport.com/united1K and stay between September 1, 2009 and October 31, 2009 at any Hyatt Hotel & Resort™, Hyatt Place™, Hyatt Summerfield Suites™ or Andaz™ worldwide. To receive 5,000 bonus miles per eligible stay, you must provide both your Hyatt Gold Passport and United Airlines Mileage Plus membership account number at time of check-in, choose miles for your stay and pay an Eligible rate.

"Eligible Rate" is any hotel published room rate, including, but not limited to rates found on hyatt.com, hyattplace.com, hyattsummerfiedsuites.com, prevailing rack rate, BAR, volume, AAA and senior citizen rates, etc. "Ineligible Rates" are discounted rates, including, but not limited to, any free night stays, Internet wholesale rates (such as priceline.com, hotels.com, etc.), traditional wholesale rates (such as GOGO Worldwide Vacations, Pleasant Holidays, etc.), airline crew rates, airline employee rates, travel agency employee rates, Club at the Hyatt discount certificate stays, Hyatt Vacation Club stays, Hyatt employee or employee family discount rates, airline interrupted-trip vouchers or contracted rooms (a contract room is a room that has been reserved pursuant to a written and executed agreement between a hotel and a corporation, government agency or individual for a negotiated room rate in exchange for an agreed upon number of rooms to be rented for an extended period of time).

Only one bonus will be given per member regardless of the number of rooms. A qualifying stay means one or more consecutive nights at any participating hotel or resort when paying an eligible rate, whether or not the guest checks out and back in during such period;award stays do not qualify. Only one bonus will be given per member, per stay, regardless of the number of rooms.

All hotel reservations are subject to availability and must be made in advance. Allow 6 to 8 weeks for bonus miles to be posted to your account. Miles are subject to the terms and conditions of the United Airlines frequent flyer program. This promotion is subject to the complete terms and conditions of the Hyatt Gold Passport program. For complete terms and conditions of the Hyatt Gold Passport program, please visit www.goldpassport.com. Hyatt reserves the right to alter or withdraw this program at any time without notice. Hyatt Hotels & Resorts™ encompasses hotels managed, franchised or leased by subsidiaries and affiliates of Hyatt Hotels Corporation. The trademarks Hyatt™, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts™, Park Hyatt™,Andaz™, Grand Hyatt™, Hyatt Regency™, Hyatt Place™, Hyatt Summerfield Suites™, Hyatt Gold Passport™, and related marks are trademarks of Hyatt Corporation. © 2009 Hyatt Corporation.All rights reserved.

Hyatt: $150 Food Credit and 5,000 Points for Resort Stays

Hyatt recently announced a new promotion designed to entice travelers to visit their resorts. To entice travelers Hyatt is offering a USD$150 food and beverage credit and 5,000 Hyatt Gold Passport bonus points for resort stays. Resorts in the U.S. and the Caribbean are eligible for stays between August 1, 2009 and January 31, 2010 according to the Terms & Conditions.

The Promotion

150 Reasons to Visit Hyatt Resorts

Visit one of our Hyatt resorts in the U.S. or Caribbean between August 1, 2009 and January 31, 2010, and enjoy your next meal on us. Be immersed in the sights, sounds and tastes of one of our breathtaking destinations. Experience the blending of local culture and natural beauty through a broad spectrum of activities, spa treatments, gourmet dining and more.

To receive a USD$150 food and beverage credit and 5,000 Hyatt Gold Passport bonus points, contact your nearest Hyatt Worldwide Reservation Centre or visit hyatt.com to book your stay and request Offer Code DEL5K.

Participating Hotels

• Hyatt Regency Aruba
• Park Hyatt Beaver Creek
• Hyatt Regency Cancun
• Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay
• Hyatt Regency Coconut Point
• Hyatt Grand Champions
• Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
• Hyatt Regency Hill Country
• Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach
• Grand Hyatt Kauai
• Hyatt Key West
• Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe
• Hyatt Regency Lost Pines
• Hyatt Regency Maui
• Hyatt Regency Monterey
• Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six
• Hyatt Regency Scottsdale
• Hyatt Regency Tamaya
• Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach

Park Hyatt's Bicycle Valet Program

Hyatt's Park Hyatt chain is offering the use of a hybrid bicycle to its guest for four hours each day of their stay in select cities. This is a fairly new Park Hyatt program but the number of hotels on board is growing with cities such as Washington D.C., Paris, Chicago, Buenos Aires, and Moscow onboard. By signing up with the hotel a week in advance of your stay, you will be provided with hybrid bikes for four hours, along with a lock, helmet, water, and map of area cycling trails. Contact the hotel's concierge for more information on the Bicycle Valet Program.

From Park Hyatt's Facebook page:

Whether it is taking a leisurely ride around the city, or getting acquainted with the global trend of urban cycling lanes, Park Hyatt makes it easy to enjoy the ride with its new Bicycle Valet program, slated to launch worldwide on August 1, 2009. Available through the concierge, this specialty service invites guests to uncover the city’s best sites with the use of a bicycle and the following amenities: a lock, helmet, lights, pump, kickstand, bottled water, and biking map, based on availability.

The Park Hyatt Bicycle Valet program will be complimentary at most Park Hyatt locations with a refundable deposit. Bicycles will be available in four-hour increments and guests will be required to complete a waiver before checking out a bicycle. Guests using the Bicycle Valet service at select locations will also be able to request a gourmet picnic lunch to take with them on their urban exploration.

My Prescription

Seeing a city by bike is a great way to see a lot of places in a very short period of time. This is especially true in bike-friendly cities such as Paris and Washington, D.C. With Hyatt's Faster Free Nights only a month away taking advantage of offers such as this one offered by the Park Hyatt should be considered when you are planning on your Hyatt vacations. Be sure to confirm the hotel offers the bicycle service before booking and contact the concierge as soon as possible after booking to ensure availability.

Camp Hyatt on Assignment

For those of us with kids, here is a fun way for you and your kids to spend some quality time together on your travels. Hyatt's Camp Hyatt program is running a promotion/contest, Camp Hyatt on Assignment, for kids between 6 and 12 to give kids an authentic destination experience, introduce them to the Camp Hyatt program and spark their journalist minds. Kids are asked to make a 1 to 2 minute video describing why they would be the perfect Camp Hyatt reporter. Grand prize is a week's vacation for 4 to a Hyatt Resort for a week of Camp Hyatt adventures. Entries must be submitted by September 4. For more information on the Camp Hyatt on Assignment promotion go to CampHyatt.com.

The Details

• Enter between July 23, 2009 and September 4, 2009
• Children ages 6 to 12
• Parent or legal guardian can upload the child's original one- to two-minute video describing why the child is the perfect Camp Hyatt reporter, which Hyatt Resort location and Camp Hyatt activities they would enjoy most and why.
• No purchase is required to enter.
• One grand prize winner with the most creative and entertaining video will win a 6-day/5-night trip for them and three guests to enjoy authentic hospitality at a Hyatt Resort of their choice in the US or Caribbean and experience a week of Camp Hyatt.

From Hyatt's website:

Do you know a budding journalist between the ages of 6-12 who loves to travel and enjoys the outdoors, learning about the environment, animals, and new cultures?

If the answer is yes, have them explore camphyatt.com to learn about the exciting destinations, adventures and activities offered by Hyatt Resorts and Camp Hyatt. Camp Hyatt offers kids 3-12 activities that focus on culture, history and the environment surrounding each unique location including dolphin sightseeing, nature walks, pottery, recycling, crafts and more.

Once kids have explored the site, a parent can upload their child's video detailing and describing why they want to visit Camp Hyatt and report like a journalist on their experience. One grand prize winner will be selected and will win a trip for them and three guests to a Hyatt Resort with Camp Hyatt and report on their experiences on camphyatt.com.

My Prescription

This is a great way to spend time with your kids that may also expose you and your children to a great offer provided by Hyatt. The grand prize is nice but the real prize will be the fun you and your children will have try to come up with a creative video for the contest. Get that video in by September 4.

Hyatt Gold Passport: "Free Trial" or Upgrade Offer

Hyatt Faster Free Nights are just a few weeks away so as you preparing your plans for Hyatt stays you may want to consider getting to Platinum or Diamond membership levels faster to take advantage of their benefits. Hyatt currently has a promotion will provide you with complimentary Platinum status that would normally take 5 stays or 15 nights to achieve. To maintain the Platinum status all you have to do is stay 5 nights with 120 days of enrollment. After completion of the 5 night requirement you will have the status until February of 2011. Diamond can be achieve with just 15 nights.

To receive the benefit of this promotion, new members must enroll in Hyatt Gold Passport via goldpassport.com/trialoffer and current members must call Gold Passport Customer Service at (800) 228-3360 between May 1, 2009 and September 15, 2009.

Trial Platinum Membership

• Join Hyatt Gold Passport today.
• Enjoy the benefits of Platinum membership, such as 15% point bonus. (Normally requires 5 stays or 15 nights)

Maintain Platinum Membership

• Stay 5 eligible nights at Hyatt within 120 days of enrollment.
• Membership valid through February 2011.

Upgrade to Diamond Membership

• Stay a total of 15 eligible nights at Hyatt within 120 days of enrollment.
• Enjoy the benefits of Diamond membership, such as 30% point bonus, complimentary Regency upgrade, welcome amenity and more. (Normally requires 25 stays or 50 nights)
• Membership valid through February 2011.

My Prescription

Take advantage of this offer. Sign up now and when you are doing your Hyatt stays for Fast Free Nights you will be at Diamond after just 15 nights. A great deal that will pay off with a better chance for upgrades when you use your faster free nights. For information on the Hyatt Rewards Program read my review published last month.

Hyatt: Earn 3,000 Airline Miles Per Two-Day Stay‏

Although this promotion that has been available for several weeks this one is worth mentioning in case you were not aware of it: Hyatt is offering 6x the airline miles per 2-day stay. The total amount of miles awarded per stay is 3,000 miles for a majority of the airlines. The offer is valid until August 31, 2009. Click on your airline program of choice from the list below to enroll:

Airlines

Air Canada (Aeroplan) - 3,000 Miles
Alaska Airlines - 3,000 Miles
American Airlines (AAdvantage) - 3,000 Miles
Continental (OnePass) - 3,000 Miles
Delta (SkyMiles) - 3,000 Miles
Midwest (Midwest Miles) - 3,000 Miles
Southwest (Rapid Rewards) - 3 Rapid Rewards Credits
United (Mileage Plus) - 3,000 Miles
US Airways (Dividend Miles) - 3,000 Miles
Virgin Atlantic (Flying Club) - 4,500 Miles

Rail

Amtrak (Amtrak Guest Rewards) - 3,000 points

The Terms and Condition of the American Airlines Offer (although they are all similar):

Stay 2 Nights and Earn 3,000 Miles! You can now earn 6 times the miles, for a total of 3,000 American Airlines AAdvantage(R) miles, on every Hyatt stay through August 31, 2009. To earn six times the miles:

• Enroll in Hyatt's Gold Passport program if you are not already a member.
• Stay at any Hyatt worldwide through August 31, 2009.
• Provide your Hyatt Gold Passport and AAdvantage(R) account number upon reservation and check-in.
• Request AAdvantage(R) miles at check-in for each of your eligible stays.

My Prescription

As stated in my review of Hyatt Gold Passport Program last week, Hyatt usually offers a conversion of points to miles at a 2.5 points to 1 mile ratio. To really leverage your Hyatt stays be sure to utilize the G code offer and the MasterCard promotion. With these promotions you will be able to earn over 3,500 points per stay in addition to the 3,000 airline miles. The 3,000 miles being offered per stay is equalivent to 7,500 points which, along with these promotions, is equalivent to getting 3+ one-day stays in a two-day stay.

Hotel Reward Programs: Hyatt Gold Passport (HGP)

This post is the second in a series that will provide an analysis of the various hotel reward programs. The analysis of the reward programs will include information on the participating hotel chains, ease of earning points, point redemption options and costs, program tiers, and, finally, an overall evaluation of the program. As more programs are reviewed a side-by-side comparison of the programs will be provided along with the program's Martini score, our unique valuation for reward programs that will allow you to effective compare programs.

Hotels

Global Hyatt subsidiaries own, operate, manage or franchise more than 370 hotels and resorts worldwide under the Hyatt®, Hyatt Regency®, Hyatt Resorts™, Grand Hyatt®, Park Hyatt®, Hyatt Place®, Hyatt Summerfield Suites® and Andaz™ brands with additional properties under development on five continents. A brief overview of the brands, in order from most luxurious and expensive to least:

• Park Hyatt Hotels - Smaller, luxury hotels designed to cater to discerning travelers.
• Andaz - Our newest brand focused on indulging guests with simple luxuries and unexpected details.
• Grand Hyatt Hotels - Grand in every sense, these hotels feature luxurious accommodations, dramatic architecture and state-of-the-art technology.
• Hyatt Regency Hotels - Our best-known hotels feature stylish, contemporary design, abundant meeting facilities and extraordinary restaurants.
• Hyatt Resorts - Local culture inspires unique experiences rarely found in travel guides at Hyatt Resorts. Experience distinctive architecture, localized spa experiences and gourmet regional cuisine with your stay.
• Hyatt Place - A new kind of hotel that puts style, innovation and The Hyatt Touch® within your reach.
• Hyatt Summerfield Suites - Upscale, residential style all-suite hotels with full kitchens that are more comfortable, more stylish, and more like home.
• Hyatt Vacation Club - Own a vacation of a lifetime from the most trusted name in vacation clubs

The Program

Hyatt Gold Passport is a three-tiered program that is known for its generousity in awarding point and free nights. The program is divided into three tiers (see membership levels below) with Diamond being the highest.

Achieving Platinum status is the key to increased points and it only takes 5 stays to make Platinum. The 15% and 30% point bonuses for Platinum and Diamond, respectively, is a relatively small increase in award points but the special rewards that occur after every third stay, complimentary internet access, and other perks make the Platinum and Diamond statuses appealing. Diamond members also enjoy the following amenities each stay:

Exclusive access to the Regency Club™ or Grand Club™ lounge featuring complimentary continental breakfast and evening hors d’oeuvres.

Daily complimentary full breakfast in hotels without a club lounge

Suite upgrade at time of reservation four times annually on paid room nights

Special welcome point bonus or food and beverage amenity during each stay (500 to 1,000 points award based on propery type).

Earning Points

Hyatt Gold Passport members earn five points for every eligible dollar spent at Hyatt properties. In addition, Platinum members earn a 15% point bonus while Diamond members receive a 30% point bonus. For example, a $100 night would earn 500, 575, and 650 points for Gold, Platinum, and Diamond status levels respectively. These points represent the standard points awarded for your stay.

In addition to the standard points awarded for each stay, there are several other options for earning points: Welcome amenity points, known in the frequent flyer community as "G" codes, promotional points, points earned with car rental partners, and points earned through Platinum and Diamond statuses.

Platinum and Diamond members earn special rewards, Platinum Extra Awards, after every third stay. The amount of the award increases with every sixth stay. Here is a breakdown of the awards:

Stay 03: 1,000 HGP Points

Stay 06: 1,000 HGP Points

Stay 09: 1,500 HGP Points OR 500 travel partner miles

Stay 12: 1,500 HGP Points OR 500 travel partner miles

Stay 15: 2,000 HGP Points, 1,000 travel partner miles, Regency Club upgrade, OR $10 Starbucks gift card

Stay 18: 2,000 HGP Points, 1,000 travel partner miles, Regency Club upgrade, OR $10 Starbucks gift card

Stay 21: 2,500 HGP Points, 1,500 travel partner miles, OR Regency Club upgrade

Stay 24: 2,500 HGP Points, 1,500 travel partner miles, OR Regency Club upgrade

These awards are a nice supplement to the standard and promotional points that can be earned. Even better is the 1,000 points that are available for Diamond members for each stay.

For each stay, there is also an option to earn airline miles directly. Five hundred miles are awarded per stay instead of the standard points per night. If airline miles are more important to you than the HGP points, then consider this option just as long as the miles awarded per stay is less than the 2.5 HGP point to 1 airline mile ratio.

Earning Hyatt Gold Passport Points with Avis and Sixt

HGP points can also be earned by renting cars at Avis and Sixt. Earn 300 bonus points for each qualifying rental at participating Avis or Sixt locations. A Hyatt stay is not required, simply request Hyatt Gold Passport points at the rental counter.

As a Gold Passport member, you can save up to 20% on car rentals worldwide with Avis. Visit Avis.com and provide the Hyatt Gold Passport/Avis Worldwide Discount number K817700 when making your reservation.

At Sixt, Hyatt Gold Passport Gold members receive a 15% discount, Platinum members receive a 25% discount, and Diamond members receive a 35% discount. Discount is valid on all eligible rental rates. Internet rates are not eligible. Call +49 (0) 1805 25 25 25 to book your rental. To receive your discount, be sure to show your Hyatt Gold Passport membership card when you pick up your vehicle. For more information on Sixt car rentals, visit Sixt rent a car.

Redeeming Points

As with most reward programs, hotel reward points can be redeemed for free hotel nights and airline miles. In addition, the HGP program allows points to be redeemed for car rentals. For only 6,000 points per day, an intermediate car can be rented free of charge from Avis® and Sixt Rent-A-Car®.

The most likely and common redemption for hotel reward points are free hotel nights. Hyatt hotels are divided into five categories as illustrated by the chart below. The points required for free hotel nights may seem high compared to competing hotel chains but upon closer inspection of the program, the amount of points that can be earned per stay actually puts the program on par with the competitors.

Hyatt Gold Passport points can also be converted into airline miles. Hyatt has partnerships with many of the leading airlines with a basic redemption rate of 2.5 HGP points to 1 airline mile. Redeeming 5,000 HGP points will result in 2,000 airline miles except with the following airlines:

• Aeromexico/LanChile ------------- 4,000 km
• China Eastern Airlines ---------- 3,200 miles
• Mexicana ------------------------ 2,500 miles
• Qantas -------------------------- 2,400 Points
• Southwest Airlines -------------- 2 Credits
• Virgin Atlantic Airways --------- 3,000 miles

A minimum of 5,000 Hyatt Gold Passport points is required for each conversion request. Additional point conversions can be made in 1,250 point increments. Converting 50,000 points initiates a 5,000 point bonus which results in a total of 25,000 airline miles. Allow up to 4-10 weeks for the miles to appear on your airline frequent flyer account.

The Bottom Line

The Hyatt Gold Passport program is a great program highlighted by the nearly annual Faster Free Nights promotion. That promotion alone makes this program one of the best in the industry. The recent changes to the program should enhance its appeal and make it one you should consider adding to your hotel rotation.

The Park Hyatt Paris Trip Report

To complete the trip report series of our trip to the Seychelles, Mauritius, and Paris I’ll provide a review of the Park Hyatt in Paris.

Arrival/Check In

Out of the cab and into the lobby we were immediately greeted by the bellman that took our bags away and directed us to the front desk. The check in was efficient and the front desk was very friendly. We were given a quick tour of the courtyard, restaurant, bar, fireplace sitting area, and business center. Although no upgrade was available, we were offered a chilled bottle of champagne for being a Hyatt Gold Passport Diamond member.

Hotel

Beyond the hotel entrance is a hallway with elevators to your right, continuing straight ahead will lead you to the business center and check in desks. To the left of the elevators is the breakfast/lunch spot which was packed during our stay. The continental breakfast buffet was a rip-off at 40 Euros per person. The area we really enjoyed was the sitting area next to the fire place. This ended up being a great spot to have an aperitif in the late afternoon and relax from a long day of visiting the city

Room

The room was a standard king and we were on a high floor with a view of the neighboring building. The washroom had a set of sliding doors which could really open up the room. There was metal artwork on the walls near the bed and windows.

The Room

Location

The hotel is located off the Palace Vendome. Just around the corner is the hotel Le Ritz, and the Westin. The end of the street dead ends into the park where the Louvre is located. Plenty of restaurants nearby including an Irish pub just around the right corner when heading out of the hotel. Instead of buying water in the hotel, go around the corner to the pharmacy shop where you can get liters of Evian for 1 Euro. Since we were so close we took the train up to Reims and toured the Champagne caves towards the end of our trip.

Champagne Region Caves

Hyatt Platinum Challenge Offer

There is a current promotion with Hyatt to earn Platinum Status. If you sign up at Hyatt Gold Passport you'll receive 4 full months of Platinum Status. However you must sign by August 31, 2009 and you must stay 5 nights within 120 days from enrollment.

Platinum Benefits

Here are some of the Platinum benefits as described on Hyatt's website.

• 15% point bonus on eligible stays
• Complimentary Internet access
• Best room available
• Guaranteed bed type
• Exclusive check-in area

Strategy to use Platinum Status Benefits

Consider using this promotion in conjunction with the expected Fall Free Nights promo (FFN).

Faster Free Nights = 1 Free Night for Every 2 Stays

If you take advantage of this Platinum challenge offer and earn Faster Free Nights in the fall you will be able to enjoy Platinum status on your free nights. This is only available for 4 months from signing up. I would suggest waiting until close to the end of the promotion, so that you'll have a maximum window to use the benefits during the Faster Free Nights promotion. Upgrades, more points, and free internet are just steps away.

Bottom Line

This is a great promotion to enjoy the perks of Platinum status in combination with the expected Fall Faster Free Nights promotion.

New Hyatt MasterCard Promotion – 2,500 Points Per Stay

Hyatt’s newest promotion earns a member 2,500 bonus points per stay from June 15th – September 15th, 2009 by paying an eligible rate with a MasterCard. A great promotion for those seeking to add to their Hyatt Gold Passport points.

Maximizing the Benefits of this Promotion

To maximize the benefits of this promotion you should try to increase the frequency of your stays since the promotion provides the bonus based on stays rather than nights. According to Hyatt's website, "A qualifying stay means one or more consecutive nights at any participating Hyatt Hotels & Resorts." So if you have a 4 night reservation this is considered 1 stay. But if you have 4 1-night reservations at different properties this is considered 4 stays. More stays = more points. Here is an analysis of the point diference over 5 weeks assuming you stay 4 nights a week.

Getting to the Point

With just five weeks of one-night hotel stays an additional 37,500 points can be realized. Looking at the Hyatt's award chart this could mean the difference between an additional trip, an upgrade to a more luxurious hotel, or adding a few more nights to your vacation.




Tip

Along with the Hyatt Exclusive offers is the relatively little known or used Hyatt Bonus offer, typically known as “G” code promotions. These promotional codes can be invaluable in your quest to build up hotel points. For example, some of the properties in California are giving 1,000-2,000 bonus points per stay, just by requesting the promotional code be added to your stay. To add these promotional codes to your stay, request the code be added at check-in, enter the code online, or call the Hyatt Gold Passport help line 800-228-3360.

Bottom Line

This promotion is a great way to add Hyatt points to your account. There are 230,000 bonus points up for grabs if you were to stay every night during the promotion period in a different hotel. Ulimately its up to you to read the terms and conditions and consider if the additional points are worth the extra effort before you begin your stays for this promotion.

Hyatt Gold Passport Program

Hyatt is one of the hardest programs to earn points mainly because of their limited properties and the lack of an point earning credit card. However they have some great properties for business and leisure. If you are not already a member, consider joining the program.