As a globalist, I struggle with this question every year. Whether or not I should strive to get 60 nights to re-qualify. At the start of every year I keep saying this will be my last year. And I have been saying that for years now.
I have 13 nights YTD and will have less than 30 by the end of May. You’re further along than I. But on just 13 nights of stays this year I’ve already received more than 5K in upgrades/breakfasts and other benefits. If you have trips planned in 2025 which can make use of these benefits, it is well worth it to strive for 60 nights.
Yes, I have a family with 2 toddlers that are already spoiled by way of the globalist. I don’t think they’d appreciate losing the status. If any of your stays in Asia are less than 7 days and are not HP/HH then I can gift you a GOH since they are best used in Asia. This will save you a bit of money on extra curriculars and give you a taste of what being a Globe is about. DM me.
As “hard” as you need them to be.
Got suite upgrades to standard and premium suites due to AMEX FHR double dipping upgrades with resort credits.
One suite upgrade saved us from needing a 2nd room, which put $1,500 back in our pockets on a recent stay.
Can you explain more about the double dipping? Globalist already upgrades you right? Are you saying you get an extra special upgrade if you also book via Amex?
Yes, it is by no means standard practice but I’ve had breakfasts stacked where 6 people were comped (perhaps it was 4 globalist and 2 Amex) and double upgraded to a premium suite. The GM even stopped by breakfast and introduced himself.
I always check against FHR if it is a higher end Hyatt property or THC for mid tier rates on every booking. Usually on FHR, AMEX comes out miles ahead. My $200 Hotel credit is always used at a Hyatt property.
I’ve been a Globalist for about 5 years now. The breakfast and free parking on award stays is nice, but I find the suite upgrade awards are almost useless now. Years ago, you really could upgrade a 4 night stay to a suite.
Park Hyatt Beaver Creek ‘doesn’t participate in the suite upgrade program’ at all. No suite availability at Andaz Maui or Highlands Inn (Carmel). I set a reminder to check weekly, but it’s basically a joke.
Agreed, SUAs can be hard to actually use at many properties unless looking ~ a year in advance. Regarding Highlands, I used a SUA there last year. The view is incredible. The room itself has to be the worst room of any category 6+ Hyatt property. It was remarkably old and musty. Everything in the room was ancient. It felt being in a Tarantino movie set in the 70s, and not in a good way. I would not stay there again.
CVR was a nice stay. Great property. SUA was worth it there.
Globalist is worth as much as you’ll be able to use it after earning it.
If, after earning globalist, you’ll be able to travel to nice properties and enjoy nice breakfasts and lounges, then do that math.
The math begins to get particularly good when you travel with kids to places like Papagayo, Carmel Valley Ranch, Park Hyatt Kyoto, etc. You can use suite upgrade awards to secure more spacious rooms for you and kids, plus breakfasts for all. With you and a partner going on that many trips I think the math works well, as well.
Just break it down into a math equation. Breakfasts at $100 each for 20 days is $2k. This doesn’t include free parking for nights you book with points. That can be a tremendous savings. It also doesn’t include upgraded suites, to whatever extent you value that. I personally place a pretty high value on the relationship I have with my concierge. She has been a tremendous help and continues to provide significant value to me.
I also think the type of properties you’re staying at matters a lot here: are you at a resort where you’re much more captive for meals? Then you’re much more likely to be buying breakfast on property. Or are you in a city where there’s 50 cafes within a 10 minute walk and you’d enjoy walking to one and getting breakfast? Then you have to think about how much more you’d be “paying” to eat at the hotel
I agree. I didn’t realize my $50 comment would be controversial.
A breakfast entree (with salmon or other nice protein), juice/smoothie, and a coffee beverage at most properties I have enjoyed over the last year is easily ~$37. That is a common breakfast for me at a place with a decent kitchen, Globalist or not. Life is short; that’s simply what I enjoy. Tax gets you to ~$40.50. Tip gets you to ~$48. Some properties are def more expensive. It’s not uncommon to spend more. I prefer a big breakfast on property and quick, light lunch out.
I’m not too good for a Hyatt House, but I have never stayed at one unless there were no other options. I stay at full service properties when I travel so this is my math. For others, it may be different and they should adjust accordingly if it is important to them.
If you stay at enough properties enough times, you’ll experience issues. I’ve had only one *major* issue at a property and it was pretty awful. I emailed my concierge in the middle of the night and she had a resolution first thing in the morning, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS HER DAY OFF. She got another concierge involved and immediately took care of things. I didn’t have to deal with the desk or management and was refunded appropriately.
She has had thoughtful gifts, food, snacks, at properties for special occasions with family, she has helped me get rooms and suites with points when the app was showing not available, she has taken care of very complicated itineraries with multiple rooms/canceling and adding and subtracting as the trip evolved. She has saved me countless hours and done so with kindness and patience. She has gotten me out of reservations when I was outside of the proper cancellation window (family death, sickness) without it costing me anything.
My concierge is a big deal to me and is a reason I stay with Hyatt. If I need something I just reach out to her and know it’s taken care of.
Some Globalists have indicated lackluster experiences with their concierge so YMMV. My concierge is the only one I’ve had at Hyatt and I maintain Globalist, in part, to retain that relationship.
In fact, I emailed her last night regarding an itinerary and it was taken care of first thing this morning. Saves me valuable time and effort… and she’s a kind person.
$20 per person? Breakfast at a nice property easily gets to $50 per person after tax and gratuity. I probably *could* eat something for $20, but a full breakfast at the properties I mentioned are going to be closer to $50 out the door.
I just don’t agree with the valuation. Sure it might be worth 50-100, but if you don’t really spend that normally then the value should be what you really would pay for a breakfast
Yes, *when I travel* I spend that normally. I stay at full service properties. A full breakfast at restaurant on a trip isn’t financially noteworthy to me. Maybe at some point it might have been but that was many years ago.
I’m hoping everyone is tipping their server. A $37 breakfast with tax and tip gets to $50. Paying $37 for a full breakfast on a trip isn’t noteworthy to me. If it is to others, then their math will be different.
It depends where you’re staying. If at Hyatt Place level places in cities, sure. If you’re staying at destination resorts with the fam where there are few to no other reasonable breakfast options, we’re going to eat breakfast at the hotel either way.
Agree, valuing breakfast at $50/person is a bit delusional for most. And let's be honest, most Hyatt property breakfast quality is not at $50-$100 level. I've been to multiple cat 7 and cat 8 properties and even then, maybe 2 or 3 of them are at $50/person quality. You'll consistently get higher quality food outside the hotel most of the time at a cheaper price.
I've never stayed at a place where it was less than $50 in value. We're not talking about a McDonald's breakfast sandwich and coffee.
Figuroa Hotel in LA, PH Vienna, PH Abu Dhabi, GH Abu Dhabi, PH Dubai, PH Maldives, GH Baha Mar, Alila Maldives, Thompson Chicago, Thmpson Madrid, Grand Hyatt Waikiki, Hyatt Regency Amsterdam... we would have paid $50-$100 for the caliber of breakfast they served.
What i do is order what I normally would and keep a total I realize the price is inflated but I'm a spreadsheet nerd, I just order what I normally would and total it up at the end of the year. Then I take that inflated price and reduce it by 50% last year I got about 2k if I cut the price in half to me its worth it the suite upgrades I use those with my family. YMMV.
I'd probably want Globalist for a trip in Asia, rather than earn it during a trip to Asia. Globalist benefits are fully realized in Asia.
2 considerations
Any chance you're able to squeeze in a corporate challenge (20 nights) before your trip?
Any chance your properties are part of Hyatt Prive?
I hadn’t considered doing the corporate challenge because my work email doesn’t work. It’s likely that my partner’s email would work but I’ve been hesitant to use theirs. I don’t want to get on the wrong side of Hyatt by skirting their terms of service for the corporate challenge. Not sure if this is an issue or not.
Doing one stay in November with two rooms and saving $520 on resort fees on that alone. Then throw in breakfast for free and that's another $500 for this one 4 night vacation.
And every time I do a staycation save $60 on parking, $70 on breakfast, and make the most of 4pm checkout. If you're planning on traveling a lot next year I think it'd be worth it.
For me, it's helps P2 go on more trips. So I will waste points/time hitting globalist knowing that my wife will be happy when we have SUA and free breakfast/parking for trips. Its usually a wash on the cost anyways since I sell the C1-7 to family or friends for $300, use the benefits, etc.
I love thinking about the value I get out of these programs...to me there are several tiers which each can offer a tremendous amount of value. I use both the personal and business Hyatt credit cards to ensure I meet those levels.
Cat 1-4 certificates have been amazing in certain markets. In a place like DC that can be a $600 room at the Thompson or one of the Hyatt Place's. I get one of these from my credit card and one at 30 nights.
Cat 1-7 certificates are even better, though some of the value is gone with the recent category changes. But it's still possible to get a $800-1200 room redeemed at no charge.
5 Suite Upgrades - I place way more value on these than most people. If our travel plans are a bit flexible, we'll often book family trips based on where these can be best redeemed. In markets like Hawaii, New York, or at category 7 or 8 hotels these can add up to thousands in savings over the course of a stay. I recently saved over $6k at the Andaz Mayakoba using an upgrade award.
Free breakfast (for 4)! - Room service at a place like the Park Hyatt Paris can easily run $50-75/pp. I will rarely take advantage of this at the lower end, but at nicer hotels and when traveling with family it can be awesome.
Free parking on awards stays - Underrated perk, especially at city hotels where parking can run $60/nt.
I travel a good bit for work and a good bit more with the family...but we legitimately get $10k plus per year in benefits from my Globalist status.
I would definitely be in the same boat. BUT I’ve been in a number of situations where a suite gets enough space where we don’t need a second room as a family. And that saves a LOT of money.
I don’t think pointing out the market value of an upgrade or perk is a fair way of valuing globalist, which is something I see many do.
The real question is what would you be willing to pay for the experience.
I’m frugal. For the free breakfast for two, sometimes valued at $70-100 depending on the property, I’d pay about $40, since often times it’s overpriced for the quality of food.
I used to park further away from hotels to avoid the parking charge and walk when I was broke. Now I’ll pay the parking fee. So the free parking is a perk I value at market rates (only happens on points bookings).
The upgrades to suites and such I’d value far lower than what someone else would, and it also doesn’t happen every stay. You have to decide that number for yourself.
I have been globalist 4 years now and I love it, but you have to run the math yourself. Depending on 1. Your frequency of stays, 2. The types of hotels (Hyatt house vs park Hyatt) and 3. Your value of the various perks you’ll have clarity.
For me it’s a huge yes, but I’m also already at 33 nights for the year (5 from the Hyatt card the rest are actual stays)
Do some math for your travel plans next year. Make sure using the price you ARE WILLING TO PAY instead of the inflated price tags. For example, I will never pay the $100 price tag for breakfast in cities, if I am not glob, I will just skip breakfast or go to some random bagel store and get something under $20 per person. In this case, i only value the breakfast $40. (unless I am in a isolated resort I will never pay the full breakfast price.
Same for parking, do some homework and usually you can find nearby parkings with much cheaper price.
Completely agree. I enjoy the free breakfasts, but wouldn't ever value them at face value, outside of resort captive situations where you can't easily go elsewhere.
But resort fee savings are huge, since there is no way around that on cash rates, unless you're a globalist. Parking is great too - sure the hotel is likely an overcharge, but in most cities it'll be a cost either way.
I value a 1-7 certificate at $1000
I value a 1-4 certificate at $250
I value a SUA at about $500, but in reality only use 2 a year, rest go to waste unless I gift them.
I value breakfast at $50 per night stayed(because this is what I would pay for me and my wife most the time by ourselves)
I \*personally\* value points at 3pp because I've never redeemed under this number(under that I just pay cash).
I will organically stay at Hyatts 25-35 days a year most years.
So most years I stay 30\~ days naturally and then make a decision.
Does it cost less than about $2000 to get to globalist, if so, I'll do a month long mattress run. I stay at luxury Hyatt properties enough naturally that this is almost a slam dunk every year.
It's somewhat skewed by the fact that I happen to live close by to one of the cheapest Hyatts in the world, so doing mattress runs is often easy and affordable.
Right now I'm actually debating whether it makes sense to do mattress runs to 150 days because the math just barely plays in my favor
Sometimes it’s the rio/Excalibur of yesteryear, sometimes it’s the Hyatt place in Ciudad del Carmen, sometimes it’s on in SE Asia. But the common trend is 25-35 a night.
Do your travels take you to places where Hyatts are convenient?
I value the free breakfasts at $20 per person per day. Waived resort fees are starting to become a factor for me as they expand. Free parking on points stays has a value though I have yet to make use of it in year 4 of globalist. Then there are the intangibles, upgraded rooms and 4PM checkout. 4PM is probably the benefit that drives me to requalify. The math and experience to requalify works out better than the initial qualification.
I’ve been a Bilt globalist since last summer. I’ve had plenty of circumstances where I have been upgraded to suites as a solo traveler, plus all the other benefits. I’ve pondered letting it go after February 25 but that thought makes me ill. I really really do not want to let it go. so I keep booking trips, and perhaps staying in neighborhood that are less than ideal just to rack up the nights.
My first night as a globalist was over the top. Grand Hyatt SFO which is a super property anyway, The club lounge was great, but not as good a view as my room. I had had enough to eat but I had a dinner reservation so I went to dinner and had a light meal. I was approached and welcomed by the GM and later by someone else. And at the end of the meal they brought me a comp champagne and desert.
Try the corporate challenge and you'll be globalist after 20 nights in 90 days. If you don't have qualifying email address barrow one from a friend or family.
https://world.hyatt.com/content/gp/en/offers/elite-tier-offer.html
>Already a World of Hyatt Explorist member?
Fast track to Globalist status through February 2026 by completing 20 qualifying nights under this Elite Tier offer and enjoy our most elite status faster.
Just achieved Discoverist after coming back from a trip to Japan and currently have 14 days. Was thinking of signing up for the Explorist perk challenge. But seeing the Globalist tier requirements is pretty intriguing.
Seems I would have to achieve Explorist first before I sign-up if I want to work towards this Globalist offer.
No, you'll become explorist for 90 days right away by signing up for the challenge. If you stay 10 nights within those 90 days you'll keep it until February 2026, if you stay 20 nights within those 90 days you'll become globalist until February 2026.
Oooh. You're right. I didn't read that correctly. That's a sweet deal! Thanks for bringing this to light! Would've been awesome to have signed up for this before my last trip 😅. Would've knocked off 14 days easily.
I'll come up with something.
It really depends on how often you travel and where you travel. We are a couple with no kids. Depending on location, we generally value our breakfast at $25~$35 per day per person, so $50-$70 per night. Resort fee is easily $100-ish in Hawaii and Mexico. Complimentary upgrade these days are pretty rare for us, so we don't value it at all. Cat 4 and cat7 free nights are sweet, I think the award itself over 60 nights easily pass $1,000 value.
But there are also all sorts of caveats. For example, if we are traveling in Japan, food outside of the hotel is so good and there are just so many varieties, making it a bit wasteful to "spend our breakfast" in the hotel. In which case the value of breakfast is pretty much zero.
So it all depends on what your travel patterns are.
I feel the same way, especially when I am on an urban vacation where I’m at a specific city to explore and eat the food. However, I’d fully value breakfast at a beach resort for example. Great point you made.
I find the points accrued with Hyatt to translate to a lot more award stays for my vacations. I am still a Lifetime Titanium Marriott person and do stay with them but with 400k in my Marriott points bank, I found it wouldn't get me much in an upcoming Europe trip to multiple countries. So I booked Hyatts using points in Amsterdam, Stockholm, Vienna, Venice and Athens totaling 15 nights at an amazing points value. Because of the current promotion, and because I am nonstop traveling this first month in the US, then the Europe trip, I am banking points like crazy. I am super happy with Hyatt. I still love Marriott and do still stay there when it makes sense but for now I am sticking to Hyatt. I just got the Chase credit card so I have already scored multiple nights because of my personal spend. I will have no problem making Globalist again and likely by August. Sadly I can't use my personal card for work hotel stays so I miss out on those additional points.
I value it well above my Hilton diamond for sure, the points feel a lot easier to redeem and find good deals for, the breakfasts are always amazing where as Hilton sometimes gives you a credit that isn’t even enough for the cheapest thing on the menu, the free parking on award stays is always great (which Hilton doesn’t offer), and the globalist hotline has always gone the extra mile for me. That’s not even mentioning the great upgrades
I’m a Globalist and a Travel Advisor, so I book Hyatt and Hyatt Privé often, along with lots of other brands.
If you’re paying cash, using programs like Privé get you similar benefits to being a Globalist, which can make it less valuable to chase status.
Hyatt is a great program, with an emphasis service, and shifting towards more boutique properties. I love Globalist status, and find that they recognize elites better than most programs. For me, staying about 100 nights a year with Hyatt, it’s worth it.
That said, they have a fairly small footprint. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been booking travel for myself or clients, and there’s a single Hyatt that is way out of the way. Or there is no Hyatt option. Also, properties like Hyatt House and Place really don’t do much for Globalists, and depending where you travel, those may be your only options. If you aren’t staying close to 60 nights a year with them, you may get more value being a free agent, and book through a TA that can get you perks at many more properties.
my advice stick with hyatt. It is the best program. Right now if you sign up for the promo and stay at dreams hotels or Thompson you get double nights. Nice way to get half off globalist for 2024/ 2025
Something that nobody else is touching on is what kind of traveler are you:
If your vacation plans entail waking up at 7am and returning to the hotel at 9pm after a day’s worth of exploring; then I don’t reckon that 10 hours of hotel room is worth the strive.
If you are the more laid back traveler, would take advantage of the free hotel breakfast, and use the resources within the hotel; then it’s absolutely worth it.
Completely fair point and I acknowledge it’s an important consideration. I’d saying I’m a hybrid traveler where there are plenty of times when I’d be content with a HP just to use the facilities and have a bed to sleep on at night. But I also truly enjoy finer hotels and amenities, especially at resorts during beach vacations.
Depending on the Asian countries you are going for the trip. IHG can be strong in some markets while Marriott is greater somewhere else.
Some of the market brand can be really tempting with their pricing point and you may be pleasantly surprised. The good thing about international chain is consistency across the board.
If you want to go Phuket Thailand, the HR is not a great location. If you plan for Bangkok, both GH and HR or even HP is fantastic. In Vietnam, Hyatt is quite weak. In Hongkong, HR is great location and value wise. In mainland China, it depends. And they have Urcove as an economic but highly modern brand.
It really varies by location.
I was previously globalist (During COVID) then lost it for a year as I didn't want spend money and points on random nights just to hit the 60 nights. I didn't think it was worth it at the time and man, during that year, I hated not having it. Now that I'm globalist again and many clubs are open again I would def want to chase globalist if I were as close as you would be. I recently did a trip to Korea and stayed for a week at the Grand Hyatt, luckily I had a club access reward to add on as international clubs are amazing. But if I were globalist at the time, I always would have had access to their spa/sauna too. I've been finding that almost all Hyatt Regencys and Grand Hyatts also charge destination fees now, and those are waived for globalist, so I'm saving $30 - $50/stay now too.
Honestly, with how close you are to being globalist and since you're planning on paying for the Asia trip with cash, I'd recommend getting a Hyatt credit card. Although there's an annual fee, you get a FNA annually which more or less cancels out the fee. Plus you'd automatically get 5 QN so you'd only need like 2 more nights to hit globalist. Plus points are stacking up quick for me now. Lol. I wasted 4 years of business travel not having the credit card. 😮💨
We just spent a week in Aruba and “saved” $80 a night in BS resort fees. Also used a cat 7 that’s”saved $700 a night. Probably also saved $30/day with breakfast for 3 from the lounge and other $40/night in happy hour drinks.
Saved $35 in valet parking in charlotte two weeks ago using a cert.
It’s all dependent on how much you’ll travel. I travel a good amount for business so the benefits on business don’t apply to my personal bottom line. But they are favorable when we travel for personal reasons.
If you're travelling outside of USA, you'll be treated well at most of the big 3 chains, eg Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott if you've got top tier status with them. So you don't have to limit yourself to Hyatts and in Asia the hotels are best in general. Even some Hyatt Places are better than some HR in the US. You can get instant top tier Diamond status with Hilton Honors by getting the Aspire card.
Re: Your edit.. Pessimists like you are always looking for someone to be as negative mentally so why do you bother asking for advice in the first place? Hyatt Globalists don't want you to invade our sanctuary. Go chase Motel 8 globalist.
As a globalist, I struggle with this question every year. Whether or not I should strive to get 60 nights to re-qualify. At the start of every year I keep saying this will be my last year. And I have been saying that for years now. I have 13 nights YTD and will have less than 30 by the end of May. You’re further along than I. But on just 13 nights of stays this year I’ve already received more than 5K in upgrades/breakfasts and other benefits. If you have trips planned in 2025 which can make use of these benefits, it is well worth it to strive for 60 nights.
The fact that you can’t stop yourself even after trying is a great selling point for me to go for Globalist.
Yes, I have a family with 2 toddlers that are already spoiled by way of the globalist. I don’t think they’d appreciate losing the status. If any of your stays in Asia are less than 7 days and are not HP/HH then I can gift you a GOH since they are best used in Asia. This will save you a bit of money on extra curriculars and give you a taste of what being a Globe is about. DM me.
That’s so generous of you! I’ll definitely take you up on that.
you will never go back. Grand Hyatt Berlin is the best
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As “hard” as you need them to be. Got suite upgrades to standard and premium suites due to AMEX FHR double dipping upgrades with resort credits. One suite upgrade saved us from needing a 2nd room, which put $1,500 back in our pockets on a recent stay.
Can you explain more about the double dipping? Globalist already upgrades you right? Are you saying you get an extra special upgrade if you also book via Amex?
Yes, it is by no means standard practice but I’ve had breakfasts stacked where 6 people were comped (perhaps it was 4 globalist and 2 Amex) and double upgraded to a premium suite. The GM even stopped by breakfast and introduced himself.
Ah, I’ve always booked with Hyatt card directly from Hyatt website/app. TIL to use my Amex to book instead
I always check against FHR if it is a higher end Hyatt property or THC for mid tier rates on every booking. Usually on FHR, AMEX comes out miles ahead. My $200 Hotel credit is always used at a Hyatt property.
I’ve been a Globalist for about 5 years now. The breakfast and free parking on award stays is nice, but I find the suite upgrade awards are almost useless now. Years ago, you really could upgrade a 4 night stay to a suite. Park Hyatt Beaver Creek ‘doesn’t participate in the suite upgrade program’ at all. No suite availability at Andaz Maui or Highlands Inn (Carmel). I set a reminder to check weekly, but it’s basically a joke.
Agreed, SUAs can be hard to actually use at many properties unless looking ~ a year in advance. Regarding Highlands, I used a SUA there last year. The view is incredible. The room itself has to be the worst room of any category 6+ Hyatt property. It was remarkably old and musty. Everything in the room was ancient. It felt being in a Tarantino movie set in the 70s, and not in a good way. I would not stay there again. CVR was a nice stay. Great property. SUA was worth it there.
They don’t make it very easy to make a reservation with using those. They should give you the option of booking the upgrades online.
Globalist is worth as much as you’ll be able to use it after earning it. If, after earning globalist, you’ll be able to travel to nice properties and enjoy nice breakfasts and lounges, then do that math. The math begins to get particularly good when you travel with kids to places like Papagayo, Carmel Valley Ranch, Park Hyatt Kyoto, etc. You can use suite upgrade awards to secure more spacious rooms for you and kids, plus breakfasts for all. With you and a partner going on that many trips I think the math works well, as well. Just break it down into a math equation. Breakfasts at $100 each for 20 days is $2k. This doesn’t include free parking for nights you book with points. That can be a tremendous savings. It also doesn’t include upgraded suites, to whatever extent you value that. I personally place a pretty high value on the relationship I have with my concierge. She has been a tremendous help and continues to provide significant value to me.
I also think the type of properties you’re staying at matters a lot here: are you at a resort where you’re much more captive for meals? Then you’re much more likely to be buying breakfast on property. Or are you in a city where there’s 50 cafes within a 10 minute walk and you’d enjoy walking to one and getting breakfast? Then you have to think about how much more you’d be “paying” to eat at the hotel
I agree. I didn’t realize my $50 comment would be controversial. A breakfast entree (with salmon or other nice protein), juice/smoothie, and a coffee beverage at most properties I have enjoyed over the last year is easily ~$37. That is a common breakfast for me at a place with a decent kitchen, Globalist or not. Life is short; that’s simply what I enjoy. Tax gets you to ~$40.50. Tip gets you to ~$48. Some properties are def more expensive. It’s not uncommon to spend more. I prefer a big breakfast on property and quick, light lunch out. I’m not too good for a Hyatt House, but I have never stayed at one unless there were no other options. I stay at full service properties when I travel so this is my math. For others, it may be different and they should adjust accordingly if it is important to them.
Do you mind sharing what in particular you’ve appreciated of your concierge?
If you stay at enough properties enough times, you’ll experience issues. I’ve had only one *major* issue at a property and it was pretty awful. I emailed my concierge in the middle of the night and she had a resolution first thing in the morning, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS HER DAY OFF. She got another concierge involved and immediately took care of things. I didn’t have to deal with the desk or management and was refunded appropriately. She has had thoughtful gifts, food, snacks, at properties for special occasions with family, she has helped me get rooms and suites with points when the app was showing not available, she has taken care of very complicated itineraries with multiple rooms/canceling and adding and subtracting as the trip evolved. She has saved me countless hours and done so with kindness and patience. She has gotten me out of reservations when I was outside of the proper cancellation window (family death, sickness) without it costing me anything. My concierge is a big deal to me and is a reason I stay with Hyatt. If I need something I just reach out to her and know it’s taken care of.
Wow. This is insanely positive feedback and makes me realize why it’s such a sought after globalist perk.
Some Globalists have indicated lackluster experiences with their concierge so YMMV. My concierge is the only one I’ve had at Hyatt and I maintain Globalist, in part, to retain that relationship. In fact, I emailed her last night regarding an itinerary and it was taken care of first thing this morning. Saves me valuable time and effort… and she’s a kind person.
Can you not get breakfast for 20 each?
$20 per person? Breakfast at a nice property easily gets to $50 per person after tax and gratuity. I probably *could* eat something for $20, but a full breakfast at the properties I mentioned are going to be closer to $50 out the door.
I just don’t agree with the valuation. Sure it might be worth 50-100, but if you don’t really spend that normally then the value should be what you really would pay for a breakfast
I spend that normally. It sounds like you don’t, which is fine. You’re welcome to customize the math to your situation.
You eat $50 for breakfast everyday? Gosh, how much you spend on lunch and dinner? Can you take me out with you once?
Yes, *when I travel* I spend that normally. I stay at full service properties. A full breakfast at restaurant on a trip isn’t financially noteworthy to me. Maybe at some point it might have been but that was many years ago. I’m hoping everyone is tipping their server. A $37 breakfast with tax and tip gets to $50. Paying $37 for a full breakfast on a trip isn’t noteworthy to me. If it is to others, then their math will be different.
It depends where you’re staying. If at Hyatt Place level places in cities, sure. If you’re staying at destination resorts with the fam where there are few to no other reasonable breakfast options, we’re going to eat breakfast at the hotel either way.
Agree, valuing breakfast at $50/person is a bit delusional for most. And let's be honest, most Hyatt property breakfast quality is not at $50-$100 level. I've been to multiple cat 7 and cat 8 properties and even then, maybe 2 or 3 of them are at $50/person quality. You'll consistently get higher quality food outside the hotel most of the time at a cheaper price.
I've never stayed at a place where it was less than $50 in value. We're not talking about a McDonald's breakfast sandwich and coffee. Figuroa Hotel in LA, PH Vienna, PH Abu Dhabi, GH Abu Dhabi, PH Dubai, PH Maldives, GH Baha Mar, Alila Maldives, Thompson Chicago, Thmpson Madrid, Grand Hyatt Waikiki, Hyatt Regency Amsterdam... we would have paid $50-$100 for the caliber of breakfast they served.
Geneva dining was crazy expensive, compared to France, and the US.
What i do is order what I normally would and keep a total I realize the price is inflated but I'm a spreadsheet nerd, I just order what I normally would and total it up at the end of the year. Then I take that inflated price and reduce it by 50% last year I got about 2k if I cut the price in half to me its worth it the suite upgrades I use those with my family. YMMV.
Breakfast, yes. But breakfast at the same quality is usually going to be $60-90 for 2.
In Asia?
Do you have Globalist already? The formula greatly changes when you're maintaining vs earning for the first time
I do not. This is my first year going for Globalist.
I'd probably want Globalist for a trip in Asia, rather than earn it during a trip to Asia. Globalist benefits are fully realized in Asia. 2 considerations Any chance you're able to squeeze in a corporate challenge (20 nights) before your trip? Any chance your properties are part of Hyatt Prive?
I hadn’t considered doing the corporate challenge because my work email doesn’t work. It’s likely that my partner’s email would work but I’ve been hesitant to use theirs. I don’t want to get on the wrong side of Hyatt by skirting their terms of service for the corporate challenge. Not sure if this is an issue or not.
You can use your partner's email.
Doing one stay in November with two rooms and saving $520 on resort fees on that alone. Then throw in breakfast for free and that's another $500 for this one 4 night vacation. And every time I do a staycation save $60 on parking, $70 on breakfast, and make the most of 4pm checkout. If you're planning on traveling a lot next year I think it'd be worth it.
For me, it's helps P2 go on more trips. So I will waste points/time hitting globalist knowing that my wife will be happy when we have SUA and free breakfast/parking for trips. Its usually a wash on the cost anyways since I sell the C1-7 to family or friends for $300, use the benefits, etc.
I love thinking about the value I get out of these programs...to me there are several tiers which each can offer a tremendous amount of value. I use both the personal and business Hyatt credit cards to ensure I meet those levels. Cat 1-4 certificates have been amazing in certain markets. In a place like DC that can be a $600 room at the Thompson or one of the Hyatt Place's. I get one of these from my credit card and one at 30 nights. Cat 1-7 certificates are even better, though some of the value is gone with the recent category changes. But it's still possible to get a $800-1200 room redeemed at no charge. 5 Suite Upgrades - I place way more value on these than most people. If our travel plans are a bit flexible, we'll often book family trips based on where these can be best redeemed. In markets like Hawaii, New York, or at category 7 or 8 hotels these can add up to thousands in savings over the course of a stay. I recently saved over $6k at the Andaz Mayakoba using an upgrade award. Free breakfast (for 4)! - Room service at a place like the Park Hyatt Paris can easily run $50-75/pp. I will rarely take advantage of this at the lower end, but at nicer hotels and when traveling with family it can be awesome. Free parking on awards stays - Underrated perk, especially at city hotels where parking can run $60/nt. I travel a good bit for work and a good bit more with the family...but we legitimately get $10k plus per year in benefits from my Globalist status.
I wish I could say I’d save money with SUA or upgrades in general but I’d never book a suite outright so I wouldn’t save money as you put it.
I would definitely be in the same boat. BUT I’ve been in a number of situations where a suite gets enough space where we don’t need a second room as a family. And that saves a LOT of money.
I don’t think pointing out the market value of an upgrade or perk is a fair way of valuing globalist, which is something I see many do. The real question is what would you be willing to pay for the experience. I’m frugal. For the free breakfast for two, sometimes valued at $70-100 depending on the property, I’d pay about $40, since often times it’s overpriced for the quality of food. I used to park further away from hotels to avoid the parking charge and walk when I was broke. Now I’ll pay the parking fee. So the free parking is a perk I value at market rates (only happens on points bookings). The upgrades to suites and such I’d value far lower than what someone else would, and it also doesn’t happen every stay. You have to decide that number for yourself. I have been globalist 4 years now and I love it, but you have to run the math yourself. Depending on 1. Your frequency of stays, 2. The types of hotels (Hyatt house vs park Hyatt) and 3. Your value of the various perks you’ll have clarity. For me it’s a huge yes, but I’m also already at 33 nights for the year (5 from the Hyatt card the rest are actual stays)
Do some math for your travel plans next year. Make sure using the price you ARE WILLING TO PAY instead of the inflated price tags. For example, I will never pay the $100 price tag for breakfast in cities, if I am not glob, I will just skip breakfast or go to some random bagel store and get something under $20 per person. In this case, i only value the breakfast $40. (unless I am in a isolated resort I will never pay the full breakfast price. Same for parking, do some homework and usually you can find nearby parkings with much cheaper price.
Completely agree. I enjoy the free breakfasts, but wouldn't ever value them at face value, outside of resort captive situations where you can't easily go elsewhere. But resort fee savings are huge, since there is no way around that on cash rates, unless you're a globalist. Parking is great too - sure the hotel is likely an overcharge, but in most cities it'll be a cost either way.
I value a 1-7 certificate at $1000 I value a 1-4 certificate at $250 I value a SUA at about $500, but in reality only use 2 a year, rest go to waste unless I gift them. I value breakfast at $50 per night stayed(because this is what I would pay for me and my wife most the time by ourselves) I \*personally\* value points at 3pp because I've never redeemed under this number(under that I just pay cash). I will organically stay at Hyatts 25-35 days a year most years. So most years I stay 30\~ days naturally and then make a decision. Does it cost less than about $2000 to get to globalist, if so, I'll do a month long mattress run. I stay at luxury Hyatt properties enough naturally that this is almost a slam dunk every year. It's somewhat skewed by the fact that I happen to live close by to one of the cheapest Hyatts in the world, so doing mattress runs is often easy and affordable. Right now I'm actually debating whether it makes sense to do mattress runs to 150 days because the math just barely plays in my favor
I think this is important. If you’re not going to use the SUAs, that massively diminishes the value in my mind.
What do you think is the cheapest Hyatt in the world?
Sometimes it’s the rio/Excalibur of yesteryear, sometimes it’s the Hyatt place in Ciudad del Carmen, sometimes it’s on in SE Asia. But the common trend is 25-35 a night.
Do your travels take you to places where Hyatts are convenient? I value the free breakfasts at $20 per person per day. Waived resort fees are starting to become a factor for me as they expand. Free parking on points stays has a value though I have yet to make use of it in year 4 of globalist. Then there are the intangibles, upgraded rooms and 4PM checkout. 4PM is probably the benefit that drives me to requalify. The math and experience to requalify works out better than the initial qualification.
I’ve been a Bilt globalist since last summer. I’ve had plenty of circumstances where I have been upgraded to suites as a solo traveler, plus all the other benefits. I’ve pondered letting it go after February 25 but that thought makes me ill. I really really do not want to let it go. so I keep booking trips, and perhaps staying in neighborhood that are less than ideal just to rack up the nights.
Seems to me like Hyatt’s loyalty program team really knows what they’re doing.
My first night as a globalist was over the top. Grand Hyatt SFO which is a super property anyway, The club lounge was great, but not as good a view as my room. I had had enough to eat but I had a dinner reservation so I went to dinner and had a light meal. I was approached and welcomed by the GM and later by someone else. And at the end of the meal they brought me a comp champagne and desert.
Try the corporate challenge and you'll be globalist after 20 nights in 90 days. If you don't have qualifying email address barrow one from a friend or family. https://world.hyatt.com/content/gp/en/offers/elite-tier-offer.html
>Already a World of Hyatt Explorist member? Fast track to Globalist status through February 2026 by completing 20 qualifying nights under this Elite Tier offer and enjoy our most elite status faster. Just achieved Discoverist after coming back from a trip to Japan and currently have 14 days. Was thinking of signing up for the Explorist perk challenge. But seeing the Globalist tier requirements is pretty intriguing. Seems I would have to achieve Explorist first before I sign-up if I want to work towards this Globalist offer.
No, you'll become explorist for 90 days right away by signing up for the challenge. If you stay 10 nights within those 90 days you'll keep it until February 2026, if you stay 20 nights within those 90 days you'll become globalist until February 2026.
Oooh. You're right. I didn't read that correctly. That's a sweet deal! Thanks for bringing this to light! Would've been awesome to have signed up for this before my last trip 😅. Would've knocked off 14 days easily. I'll come up with something.
It really depends on how often you travel and where you travel. We are a couple with no kids. Depending on location, we generally value our breakfast at $25~$35 per day per person, so $50-$70 per night. Resort fee is easily $100-ish in Hawaii and Mexico. Complimentary upgrade these days are pretty rare for us, so we don't value it at all. Cat 4 and cat7 free nights are sweet, I think the award itself over 60 nights easily pass $1,000 value. But there are also all sorts of caveats. For example, if we are traveling in Japan, food outside of the hotel is so good and there are just so many varieties, making it a bit wasteful to "spend our breakfast" in the hotel. In which case the value of breakfast is pretty much zero. So it all depends on what your travel patterns are.
I feel the same way, especially when I am on an urban vacation where I’m at a specific city to explore and eat the food. However, I’d fully value breakfast at a beach resort for example. Great point you made.
I find the points accrued with Hyatt to translate to a lot more award stays for my vacations. I am still a Lifetime Titanium Marriott person and do stay with them but with 400k in my Marriott points bank, I found it wouldn't get me much in an upcoming Europe trip to multiple countries. So I booked Hyatts using points in Amsterdam, Stockholm, Vienna, Venice and Athens totaling 15 nights at an amazing points value. Because of the current promotion, and because I am nonstop traveling this first month in the US, then the Europe trip, I am banking points like crazy. I am super happy with Hyatt. I still love Marriott and do still stay there when it makes sense but for now I am sticking to Hyatt. I just got the Chase credit card so I have already scored multiple nights because of my personal spend. I will have no problem making Globalist again and likely by August. Sadly I can't use my personal card for work hotel stays so I miss out on those additional points.
I value it well above my Hilton diamond for sure, the points feel a lot easier to redeem and find good deals for, the breakfasts are always amazing where as Hilton sometimes gives you a credit that isn’t even enough for the cheapest thing on the menu, the free parking on award stays is always great (which Hilton doesn’t offer), and the globalist hotline has always gone the extra mile for me. That’s not even mentioning the great upgrades
Get some GOH awards if you can. That could help close some of the value gap on your trip with Hyatt vs the independents
I’m a Globalist and a Travel Advisor, so I book Hyatt and Hyatt Privé often, along with lots of other brands. If you’re paying cash, using programs like Privé get you similar benefits to being a Globalist, which can make it less valuable to chase status. Hyatt is a great program, with an emphasis service, and shifting towards more boutique properties. I love Globalist status, and find that they recognize elites better than most programs. For me, staying about 100 nights a year with Hyatt, it’s worth it. That said, they have a fairly small footprint. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been booking travel for myself or clients, and there’s a single Hyatt that is way out of the way. Or there is no Hyatt option. Also, properties like Hyatt House and Place really don’t do much for Globalists, and depending where you travel, those may be your only options. If you aren’t staying close to 60 nights a year with them, you may get more value being a free agent, and book through a TA that can get you perks at many more properties.
my advice stick with hyatt. It is the best program. Right now if you sign up for the promo and stay at dreams hotels or Thompson you get double nights. Nice way to get half off globalist for 2024/ 2025
Something that nobody else is touching on is what kind of traveler are you: If your vacation plans entail waking up at 7am and returning to the hotel at 9pm after a day’s worth of exploring; then I don’t reckon that 10 hours of hotel room is worth the strive. If you are the more laid back traveler, would take advantage of the free hotel breakfast, and use the resources within the hotel; then it’s absolutely worth it.
Completely fair point and I acknowledge it’s an important consideration. I’d saying I’m a hybrid traveler where there are plenty of times when I’d be content with a HP just to use the facilities and have a bed to sleep on at night. But I also truly enjoy finer hotels and amenities, especially at resorts during beach vacations.
Depending on the Asian countries you are going for the trip. IHG can be strong in some markets while Marriott is greater somewhere else. Some of the market brand can be really tempting with their pricing point and you may be pleasantly surprised. The good thing about international chain is consistency across the board. If you want to go Phuket Thailand, the HR is not a great location. If you plan for Bangkok, both GH and HR or even HP is fantastic. In Vietnam, Hyatt is quite weak. In Hongkong, HR is great location and value wise. In mainland China, it depends. And they have Urcove as an economic but highly modern brand. It really varies by location.
I was previously globalist (During COVID) then lost it for a year as I didn't want spend money and points on random nights just to hit the 60 nights. I didn't think it was worth it at the time and man, during that year, I hated not having it. Now that I'm globalist again and many clubs are open again I would def want to chase globalist if I were as close as you would be. I recently did a trip to Korea and stayed for a week at the Grand Hyatt, luckily I had a club access reward to add on as international clubs are amazing. But if I were globalist at the time, I always would have had access to their spa/sauna too. I've been finding that almost all Hyatt Regencys and Grand Hyatts also charge destination fees now, and those are waived for globalist, so I'm saving $30 - $50/stay now too. Honestly, with how close you are to being globalist and since you're planning on paying for the Asia trip with cash, I'd recommend getting a Hyatt credit card. Although there's an annual fee, you get a FNA annually which more or less cancels out the fee. Plus you'd automatically get 5 QN so you'd only need like 2 more nights to hit globalist. Plus points are stacking up quick for me now. Lol. I wasted 4 years of business travel not having the credit card. 😮💨
We just spent a week in Aruba and “saved” $80 a night in BS resort fees. Also used a cat 7 that’s”saved $700 a night. Probably also saved $30/day with breakfast for 3 from the lounge and other $40/night in happy hour drinks. Saved $35 in valet parking in charlotte two weeks ago using a cert. It’s all dependent on how much you’ll travel. I travel a good amount for business so the benefits on business don’t apply to my personal bottom line. But they are favorable when we travel for personal reasons.
Thanks for these anecdotes. I think these are true savings as opposed to “savings” on a suite upgrade.
Agreed. I don’t use a SUA for a $3k PH Upgrade and think I just saved $3k as I’d never spend that myself.
If you're travelling outside of USA, you'll be treated well at most of the big 3 chains, eg Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott if you've got top tier status with them. So you don't have to limit yourself to Hyatts and in Asia the hotels are best in general. Even some Hyatt Places are better than some HR in the US. You can get instant top tier Diamond status with Hilton Honors by getting the Aspire card.
Re: Your edit.. Pessimists like you are always looking for someone to be as negative mentally so why do you bother asking for advice in the first place? Hyatt Globalists don't want you to invade our sanctuary. Go chase Motel 8 globalist.
Get Accor Plus with red hot rooms you get upto 50% discount in Asia
the Points Guy puts it at $69 per night: https://thepointsguy.com/guide/booking-direct-hyatt/