Here’s the situation — my family will need to be in New York for three nights in May. Thanks to Hyatt’s upcoming “Big Welcome Back” promotion we’ll definitely be staying at a Hyatt property.
The two logical choices are the Grand Hyatt New York and the Andaz Wall Street; both are a little over $200 per night, which is quite reasonable (and even more reasonable after using some Hyatt gift checks from Costco). So for easy math, let’s say one option is to stay at the Andaz Wall Street for the whole stay (which would cost $600 for three nights).
For that I’d earn:
5,000 bonus points through the “ANDAZ5” promotion
2,000 bonus points thanks to the “G2” promotion
1,000 bonus points as a Diamond welcome amenity
4,000 points (including 30% Hyatt Diamond bonus) base points
$50 hotel credit through “ANDAZ5” promotion
1/2 a free night through the “Big Welcome Back” promotion.
Not bad, right? But let’s theoretically say we hotel hopped:
First night at the Andaz Wall Street:
5,000 bonus points through the “ANDAZ5” promotion
2,000 bonus points thanks to the “G2” promotion
1,000 bonus points as a Diamond welcome amenity
1,333 points (including 30% Hyatt Diamond bonus) base points
$50 hotel credit through “ANDAZ5” promotion
1/2 a free night through the “Big Welcome Back” promotion
Second night at the Grand Hyatt New York:
1,000 bonus points thanks to the “G1” promotion
1,000 bonus points as a Diamond welcome amenity
1,333 points (including 30% Hyatt Diamond bonus) base points
1/2 a free night through the “Big Welcome Back” promotion
Third night at the Andaz Wall Street:
5,000 bonus points through the “ANDAZ5” promotion
2,000 bonus points thanks to the “G2” promotion
1,000 bonus points as a Diamond welcome amenity
1,333 points (including 30% Hyatt Diamond bonus) base points
$50 hotel credit through “ANDAZ5” promotion
1/2 a free night through the “Big Welcome Back” promotion
So what does this mean? If I stayed at the Andaz Wall Street throughout my stay I’d earn 12,000 points, would get a $50 hotel credit, and would earn 1/2 a free night through the “Big Welcome Back” promotion. If I hotel hopped as listed above, I’d earn 22,000 points, a $100 hotel credit, and 1.5 free nights.
So just for switching hotels I’d earn 10,000 extra points, an extra free night, and an extra $50 in hotel credit. Valuing Hyatt points at two cents each (and assuming a free night is worth 18,000 points), that’s a difference of $560 and $50 in hotel credit.
How the hell can I say no to that? I’m not wealthy enough to turn down that many points. But at the same time, what kind of a fool am I to switch hotels every night when I’m going to be busy?
The tough life of a points slut…
At one point do you do this on work trips? I've got 12 days in HNL coming up at the Hyatt. Trying to decide if it's worth it (er, reasonable) to swap each night.
Switch hotels every night.
Several years ago I did this with Starwood in San Francisco. In those days, they gave you online booking bonus; and, as a Platinum, they gave you 500 points per stay.
I hated switching every night, but a month later, I was glad I did (after I took a look/see at my large point balance).
I agree with the other commenters. If I'm by myself, I do ridiculous things like this all the time. However, when with others, take it easy.... especially in NY. Stay at the Grand Hyatt. It's an awesome hotel in a great location. Enjoy the trip!
Nothing is illogical when it comes to points. I've done this myself.
As others have said, it depends on who you mean by family. I assume that all close members of the Lucky family are MR's at heart. If so, then surely they will want to get a piece of this. If not, then perhaps this is the time to teach them!
What does "family" mean? You and your brither? You and your parents?
The best bang for your effort is stay 3 nights at Andaz, checking in and out each night, with someone else's name on th reservation on night #2.
Depend on distant and who is staying, we did it often last Jan, it was kind of fun hotel hopping and again I am slave to point and miles.
If you do the packing/unpacking for everyone, it is your choice. If a spouse/significant other does most of the packing/unpacking, it should be their choice.
This is "normal" for me. Back in January I was in Vegas for a week and bounced back and forth between Planet Hollywood (before Starwood left) and the Westin. While the discount sounds nice, I can't keep it if work is paying for the rooms. Better to bounce and get the stay......
ANDAZ5 promo must be booked by March 31. Be sure to keep that in mind as you make your reservations. Also, you could book day 1 and 3 in your name and day 2 in someone else's name. You might well have to change rooms, but that would be much easier than moving hotels.
I wouldn't switch.
I totally would if i was staying by myself, or with another mileage/points nut, but for me, the whole point of being a mileage/point nut is enjoying the trips that really matters, which are the trips with family or girlfriend.
Or very bad, as it means you always pay the higher price and never get any kind of discount.
I'm not that familiar with Hyatt (or Starwood properties for that matter...I'm just getting decent at understanding frequent flier programs, let alone hotel loyalty programs) so I'm not sure which it is, but from where I sit it could be either a good or bad thing that there's no discount. I've never noticed that in any other hotel pricing scheme.
The prices of the hotels are the same for one, two, or three nights versus one night each? That's very good. I am Elite with Starwood and they typically give you a small discount on two night stays versus pricing them out at one night each.