Recently, we wrote about how to use Hyatt certificates as well as how easy it can be to split up certificates and points for the same stay. We at ToP are big fans of Hyatt. Not only do many of us have the Chase World of Hyatt credit card, we also use the Chase Sapphire Preferred to earn valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards, which can be transferred to Hyatt.
Booking
When I went to Portland, Maine in May, I originally had booked a stay at the Hyatt Place Portland: Old Port on a cash rate. However, I then decided to split up my stay with one certificate, one points night, and one cash night. I split it up so my cash night was the lowest priced night. Since using this method only allows you to use a standard cash rate, I first booked the two nights with certificate and points, and then booked the final night on the AAA cash rate, which was lower.
Usually, I email my Hyatt Globalist concierge for help, but she had been out of the office on extended family leave and replies had been a bit slower. I was at work late and decided to just split the stay up myself. I probably should have just emailed because I ended up emailing them anyway to remind them to merge the bookings into one.
In any event, I made the reservation successfully but found it odd that the confirmation did not show which type of certificate was used for the reservation.
The Mistake
I thought all had gone well until after my stay, I saw the certificates remaining in my account. Much to my dismay, I realized my category 1-7 certificate was used instead of my category 1-4 certificate. Uh Oh!
Hyatt certificates can be a bit confusing, especially with the ones from recent promos and the fact that all of them have the word “Promotion” or “Promotional” in them. This goes to show that I should have paid more attention.
Analysis
I had been looking forward to using this category 1-7 certificate at a nice property in the future. This could be somewhere I may not normally be able to stay. That certificate, combined with perhaps 25,000 or 30,000 points, could give me two nights at a really nice Hyatt property. The value of a category 1-7 certificate can easily be $600. In some cases it can exceed even $2,200 in the case of a booking at Big Sur in California.
As soon as I realized the mistake, I emailed my concierge. It took some follow up, but I was excited to see that they were able to switch out the certificates. I simply explained that clearly I would not have used that certificate when I had more than one category 1-4 certificate available. I am happy they agreed with me.
Final Thoughts
Always be careful and go slowly when booking. It is also a good idea to check your certificates after booking. As I showed, the booking itself did not show a certificate used in this case. I could have saved myself some hassle and stress. That being said, huge kudos to the Hyatt customer service. Being a Globalist may have helped, but I do not think I would have gotten this from another brand. Have you made a hotel booking error? Want to share yours? Come over to our Facebook group and let us know your thoughts.
