Hyatt Devaluation 2022
We were hit by a large Hyatt devaluation yesterday morning. A devaluation that was somewhat unexpected after Hyatt recently going to peak and non peak pricing. Hotel programs making adjustments to the category levels for certain properties is nothing new. During normal times it will happen around once per year for most hotel loyalty programs. That has been on pause, for the most part, during the pandemic. Even knowing all of that this seemed to hit below the belt a bit. It feels like Hyatt attacked all of our favorite properties and also doubled down on category 8 hotels.
World of Hyatt Category 8 Hotels
World of Hyatt first introduced category 8 hotels in 2018. Hyatt said they introduced the new category level, and the 40,000 point awards, to accommodate new partner hotels. This was mostly in response to their SLH partnership and some of their more unique properties. Technically the category 8 level was first introduced for the uber expensive Miraval properties but those were outliers until the formal category 8 level was added.
At the time we all thought this new category would lead to an eventual devaluation. It took a lot longer than we expected though, three and a half years to be exact. I would imagine the pandemic probably played a part in slowing this roll out.
In yesterday’s devaluation we saw 9 popular hotels moving from category 7 hotels, and their 30K standard night price point, to the 40K per night priced category 8. The non peak price of category 8 hotels is 35K and the peak price is 45K.
The Following Hotels Moved To World of Hyatt Category 8 Tier
- Alila Napa Valley
- Alila Ventana Big Sur
- Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort
- Park Hyatt New York
- Park Hyatt Kyoto
- Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono
- Park Hyatt Sydney
- Hôtel Lou Pinet
- Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme
- Park Hyatt Milan
Those are some of the most beloved properties in the miles and points universe. I doubt that is by accident. These hotels will now require approximately $150 more in points per night. That can add up on a multiple night stay pretty quickly. Going from a category 7 to 8 is also double the previous largest increase of 5,000 points from one category to the next. Every other jump in category is either 3,000 or 5,000 points.
Other Changes That Hit Below The Belt
Moving some of the most beloved aspirational hotels to the top award level wasn’t the only punch we had to take. Some of the better category 4 redemptions were moved to a category 5 hotel, and thus no longer category 1-4 free night cert worthy.
- The Confidante Miami Beach
- Hyatt Place Portland-Old Port
- Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina
- Gild Hall, a Thompson Hotel
- Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa
- Park Hyatt Zanzibar
Gild Hall probably hits the hardest for me here. The property wasn’t great but it was the only category 1-4 cert option in Manhattan. I know Hill Country Resort was a favorite for families too.
Other Increases That Stood Out
Here are some other hotels that shifted that stood out to me:
- Hyatt Regency Grand Cyprus
- Hyatt Regency Orland International Airport
- Hyatt Place Moab (2 category jump)
- Hyatt Centric Key West Resort & Spa
- Hyatt Place Las Vegas
- Hyatt Place Las Vegas at Silverton Village
- Thompson Central Park
- Hyatt House Washington DC / The Wharf
Not All Was Lost, A Few Improvements
These changes were not all bad. Of course some properties dropped in category as well. The issue is they usually dropped because they were not that exciting. There were a few that stood out to me though:
- Hyatt Regency Sydney
- Hyatt Regency Amsterdam
- Hyatt Centric Center City Philadelphia
- Hyatt Residence Club San Antonio, Wild Oak Ranch
- Grand Hyatt Macau
- Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui
I think the Hyatt Regency Amsterdam started out as a category 4 so that is a move back to where it was but it will be a great certificate option in Europe.
Hyatt Devaluation 2022: Final Thoughts
This feels like one of the worst category change lists we have seen from Hyatt, probably the worst honestly. A lot of that comes from the move of many top end properties into the very expensive category 8 price bucket. A 10,000 point a night jump, sometimes 15K, is huge. That is a few nights somewhere else at a category 1 hotel.
The list of hotels moving from category 4 to 5 wasn’t a lot better. Over the years we have lost a lot of value from the certs because of popular properties getting shifted upwards. Gild Hall and Chesapeake Bay were the two properties I have used my certificates at most recently. Hyatt Place Portland was one I had hoped to use in the future when doing a beer tour trip. I had booked that hotel for a buddy’s wedding present when rates were over $500 a night, huge value there.
There were a few improvements after the carnage of the Hyatt devaluation 2022. Hyatt Regency Amsterdam is one I will likely take advantage of in the future.
What were your biggest losses and biggest wins from the category changes? Share any other thoughts you have on that or the move to category 8 hotels in the comments below.
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This is VERY disappointing. To assist reaching the status we got the Hyatt Business and Regular
Card, that has helped. Now they pull this stunt?! We have stayed at the Park Hyatt for years as one of the few places we can go and enjoy even tho it’s so expensive. We have been loyal Hyatt members for years, first as a Diamond and now as a Globalist — makes me wanna think twice and actually switch to the Marriott with all my friends.
These increases are mostly 50% because of the peak pricing that is also going into place. Most travel dates for families will be during peak times.
True, a double whammy if you get hit with peak pricing too.
If my memory serves me right, when Hyatt introduced category 8, they promised it was ONLY for SLH properties and they had no plans to move their own properties into category 8…. Talking outside both sides of their mouths…
Yeah that is what was said but we all knew that wouldn’t be the case forever.
Yeah, Gild Hall hits hard … I don’t much care for the hotel, but at least it gave an opportunity to use a Cat 1-4 cert in Manhattan. On the bright side, some decent hotels in Asia have gone down a category (e.g., both Hyatts in Bali and a couple in Bangkok)
Gild Hall is a huge hit for certs. Bali is the place for awesome cheap hotels for sure!
I realize that this has nothing to do with the Hyatt devaluations but I’m opening a second business and wonder how that works with business credit cards. Can I get a card I already hold for the new company? Will I have to cut back credit limits with Chase on my current personal and business cards for them to issue me new cards? You seem to embody the entrepreneurial spirit so I suspect that you have have some firsthand insight. Any thoughts or suggestions? Maybe I’m searching the wrong thing but The Google doesn’t seem to offer much help, else I wouldn’t be bothering you.
For Chase they don’t have the 24 month rules on business cards so you should be fine grabbing another of the same you already have and getting the welcome offer.
Is Hyatt Regency Sydney so significant that it’s listed twice? 🙂
Might have to check it out now the beloved Park Hyatt Sydney has gone up to Category 8. That almost seems like Hyatt’s deliberate way of moving more award redemptions (in Sydney) from PH to HR.
I was just trying to make the list not seem so bad lol. Updated – thanks
Both Sydney hotels charge an additional fee for using a credit card? WTF?
This is quite common in Australia.
And, I’m wrong about hotel loyalty programs and property owners because . . . ?
They lost me when they went from the Hyatt Grand Bed I (soft) to the Grand Bed II (very firm), although I hope to use it for Baha Mar and figure out where to sleep lol.
I wouldn’t be too quick to call this “the Hyatt devaluation 2022.” We haven’t yet seen what else they’re going to do this year.
True that you never know. But with this, plus the peak and non peak stuff, I wouldn’t expect anything more major. They usually do the category changes once a year if I remember correctly. So fingers crossed I guess.