Hyatt Devalues All-Inclusives
Yesterday, Hyatt announced sweeping changes to its award chart. In our article, we highlighted the changes to the redemption levels for properties in the “Hotels” category. Unfortunately, hotel properties are not the only properties affected by these changes. In fact, Hyatt devalues all-inclusives and Miraval resorts along with everything else.
Please note that these changes will not take effect until sometime in May. Current reservations are unaffected. If you are considering booking one of these properties, it would be prudent to reserve it before the changes take effect.
Hyatt Award Chart Changes: All-Inclusive Resorts
The new award chart for All-Inclusive Resorts is as follows:
- Category A: 12,000 Lowest, 15,000 Low, 20,000 Moderate, 22,500 Upper, 25,000 Top
- Category B: 15,000 Lowest, 20,000 Low, 25,000 Moderate, 30,000 Upper, 35,000 Top
- Category C: 20,000 Lowest, 25,000 Low, 30,000 Moderate, 35,000 Upper, 40,000 Top
- Category D: 25,000 Lowest, 30,000 Low, 35,000 Moderate, 45,000 Upper, 55,000 Top
- Category E: 35,000 Lowest, 45,000 Low, 55,000 Moderate, 65,000 Upper, 75,000 Top
- Category F: 45,000 Lowest, 55,000 Low, 65,000 Moderate, 75,000 Upper, 85,000 Top
The categories themselves remain the same: A through F. But just like the hotels award chart, there are now five redemption levels instead of three for each property. These new categories are: Lowest, Low, Moderate, Upper, and Top.
Let's compare this to where we are now, to get a sense of how much this hurts. Because let's be honest, it's going to hurt.
Analysis of the changes: Hyatt Devalues All-Inclusives
This chart compares categories A-F of the current chart at peak, off-peak, and standard rates against the new lowest-, mid-, and highest-rates possible in the new five-tier award charts. We don't know how yet many nights will be assigned to these categories.
| Current Off-Peak (lowest) | New Lowest (lowest) | Current Standard (mid-tier) | New Moderate (mid-tier) | Current Peak (highest) | New Top (highest) | |
| Category A | 12,000 | 12,000 | 15,000 | 20,000 (+5,000) | 18,000 | 25,000 (+7,000) |
| Category B | 17,000 | 15,000 (-2,000) | 20,000 | 25,000 (+5,000) | 23,000 | 35,000 (+12,000) |
| Category C | 21,000 | 20,000 (-1,000) | 25,000 | 30,000 (+5,000) | 29,000 | 40,000 (+11,000) |
| Category D | 25,000 | 25,000 | 30,000 | 35,000 (+5,000) | 35,000 | 55,000 (+20,000) |
| Category E | 35,000 | 35,000 | 40,000 | 55,000 (+15,000) | 45,000 | 75,000 (+30,000) |
| Category F | 42,000 | 45,000 (+2,500) | 50,000 | 65,000 (+15,000) | 58,000 | 85,000 (+27,000) |
As you can see from the chart above, there are only two positive changes and three unaffected redemption levels. Again, every single change on the chart otherwise is an increase in the amount of points required. This includes some five-figure increases at the highest levels of the chart. Increases as a percentage of the prior rates can range from ~6% at the lowest to 66% at the highest.
Hyatt Award Chart Changes: Miraval
Separately, Miraval resorts have their own award chart from the hotels and all-inclusive resorts. These properties are inclusive, but not all-inclusive. The new chart for Miraval properties is as follows:
- Standard Room/Single Occupancy: 40K Lowest, 45K Low, 50K Moderate, 60K Upper, 75K Top
- Standard Room/Double Occupancy: 60K Lowest, 65K Low, 70K Moderate, 80K Upper, 95K Top
- Standard Suite/Single Occupancy: 65K Lowest, 75K Low, 85K Moderate, 95K Upper, 110K Top
- Standard Suite/Double Occupancy: 85K Lowest, 95K Low, 105K Moderate, 115K Upper, 130K Top
- Premium Suite/Single Occupancy: 95K Lowest, 105K Low, 115K Moderate, 125K Upper, 140K Top
- Premium Suite/Double Occupancy: 115K Lowest, 125K Low, 135K Moderate, 145K Upper, 160K Top
As you can see, these are the most expensive starting and ending points for double occupancy rooms within the Hyatt portfolio.
| Current Off-Peak (lowest) | New Lowest (lowest) | Current Standard (mid-tier) | New Moderate (mid-tier) | Current Peak (highest) | New Top (highest) | |
| Standard Room – Single Occupancy | 40,000 | 40,000 | 45,000 | 50,000 (+5,000) | 50,000 | 75,000 (+25,000) |
| Standard Room – Double Occupancy | 57,500 | 60,000 (+2,500) | 65,000 | 70,000 (+5,000) | 72,000 | 95,000 (+23,000) |
| Standard Suite – Single Occupancy | 65,000 | 65,000 | 75,000 | 85,000 (+10,000) | 85,000 | 110,000 (+25,000) |
| Standard Suite – Double Occupancy | 82,500 | 85,000 (+2,500) | 95,000 | 105,000 (+10,000) | 107,000 | 130,000 (+23,000) |
| Premium Suite – Single Occupancy | 95,000 | 95,000 | 105,000 | 115,000 (+10,000) | 115,000 | 140,000 (+25,000) |
| Premium Suite – Double Occupancy | 112,500 | 115,000 (+2,500) | 125,000 | 135,000 (+10,000) | 137,000 | 160,000 (+23,000) |
Frustratingly, this is the worst chart yet overall, with no positive changes whatsoever. At best, the points cost at the new lowest level remained the same as the current off-peak pricing. This means that every single change is neutral at best or negative at worst. As percentage increases go, these are not the most egregious of the changes. The highest increase is 30% over the current rates, with the lowest increase at 3% over the current rates. To even say the words “the most expensive Miraval night is now 160,000 points for 2 people” shocks the conscious. There really are no words to describe how bad that is.
Is there a silver lining?
Hyatt milestone rewards include an “Ultimate Free Night Reward” for those who earn 150+ elite night credits per year. Once earned, you can use this certificate for any participating Category 1-8 hotel, Category A-F all inclusive resort, or Miraval resort. Because this certificate covers such a broad range of properties within the Hyatt portfolio, it will still cover any of the properties mentioned in this article. Ultimately (pun intended) one of these certificates could be worth up to 95,000 at a Miraval resort or 85,000 at a Category F all-inclusive resort.
Hyatt Devalues All-Inclusives and Miraval: ToP Thoughts
The changes to all-inclusive resort and Miraval redemption levels is consistent with what we saw from Hyatt in the hotels category. In fact, in some ways, Miraval took the lightest hit with redemption levels increasing less dramatically than all-inclusive resorts and hotels.
Hyatt has increasingly devalued the all-inclusive resorts since adding them to the award chart. An aggressive expansion of all-inclusive resort offerings resulted in additional award categories. The cost for families to add children to reservations at family-friendly all inclusives trends upwards as well.
Does this change your strategy for how you'll redeem points with Hyatt once these changes take effect? Will you pursue an Ultimate Free Night Award in hopes of redeeming it at a Category F all-inclusive resort or a Miraval resort? Come tell us in the ToP Facebook group.
