I should be earning lifetime World of Hyatt Globalist status shortly, and I’m hoping OMAAT readers might have creative ideas for how to make this fun.
In this post:
I’m close to lifetime Hyatt Globalist status
Most major hotel loyalty programs offer some sort of opportunity to earn lifetime elite status. Personally I’m really close to earning World of Hyatt Globalist status for life, which requires earning one million base points. I’ve been loyal to Hyatt for well over a decade, so I’m excited about reaching this milestone.
World of Hyatt Globalist status is the most valuable hotel elite status, in my opinion, and on top of that lifetime Globalist members get some awesome incremental elite perks, including four suite upgrade awards annually, plus a Category 1-7 free night award annually. You still qualify for the Milestone Rewards program, so if a lifetime Globalist earns 60 elite nights in a year, they’d receive eight suite upgrade awards, two Category 1-7 free night awards, etc.
Based on my current travel plans, I’m just a few thousand dollars of eligible spending from qualifying for lifetime Globalist status, and I’d like to lock it in this calendar year:
- You never know if/when rules for qualification will change, and I don’t want to chance it while this close
- There’s an opportunity cost with each year that I wait, as I’m missing out on those extra suite upgrade, free night certificates, etc. (I value those incremental perks at $1,000+ annually)
- World of Hyatt has a promotion launching in mid-September, so I can earn some bonus points on this special stay, lowering the real cost (at least based on how I do mental accounting)
What should I do for my lifetime qualifying stay?
I’ve spent a lot of nights in my life at Hyatt hotels, and I’d like to make my stay that qualifies for lifetime Globalist status special. Let me be clear, I don’t want a hotel to do anything special for me (I’m an introvert and don’t like attention), but rather I’d like to do something on my end that makes the stay memorable.
I’m not usually one for milestones or for feeling like I need to celebrate things, but I’d be kind of bummed if my stay that qualified for lifetime Globalist status were just at a roadside Hyatt Place, or a quick overnight at an airport Hyatt Regency. Hyatt has been such a big part of my life that I’d just like to do something a bit fun.
Under normal circumstances I would’ve planned an exciting trip around this. Maybe I would have booked a stay at the Alila Villas Uluwatu in Bali, or maybe I would have even booked the townhouse at Great Scotland Yard in London.
There’s only one small, roughly 11 pound, issue — we have an infant who’s not even a month old. We do hope to start traveling with him as of later this year, though I don’t think our first trip will be across an ocean. If I’m going to wrap this up before the end of the year, I have a few options, as I see it:
- We’d feel comfortable traveling with Miles when he’s at least three months old, which puts us to early November or later; however, we’d like to start slow, so travel nearby first
- I can also make a quick solo trip somewhere for a hotel stay, as I’ll still be doing some review trips over the coming months
- If it’s a quick trip, maybe Ford can even come along, as Miles could be in good hands for a couple of days, if needed
Some options I’m considering…
Like I said, my focus is on planning something a little bit memorable or interesting, and I need to rack up a bit of “qualifying” spending with Hyatt in the process. If it’s not going to involve Miles, I need to make it quick and (relatively) expensive. 😉
I don’t expect (or want) a hotel to throw me a parade or upgrade me to a presidential suite. Rather I just want something I can look back on and say “hah, that was kind of fun.” And as longtime OMAAT readers know, fun can come in many different forms for me.
A few ideas popped into my head, though I haven’t researched any of them too much.
One idea involves the partnership between World of Hyatt and MGM Rewards in Las Vegas. Not only can you earn points for hotel stays, but you can charge purchases to your room from any MGM food & beverage outlet:
- Are there any epic restaurants or other outlets at MGM properties, so that I can eat & drink my way to lifetime Globalist?
- Does anyone have experience with food & drink purchases at MGM properties properly crediting to World of Hyatt, or do they try to play games and not credit points for alcohol, etc.?
Another idea involves making a quick trip to the Hyatt Regency Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan. Why? Well, visiting Kyrgyzstan has been on my list for a long time, and staying at a Hyatt in Bishkek would certainly be memorable, even if the hotel is nothing special. I can’t come up with many interesting flight reviews to & from Bishkek, though, since I’ve reviewed Turkish Airlines so many times before, and I won’t be traveling through Russia for now.
Another idea involves a trip to a property in Argentina, like the Park Hyatt Buenos Aires or Park Hyatt Mendoza. Why? Does anyone know the latest as to whether these hotels accept payment in cash? Given the difference between the official and unofficial exchange rate, that would probably be the lowest cost opportunity to earn Globalist status. 😉 If I’m missing any obvious risks with this plan, please do let me know.
Otherwise, I love Hyatt’s partnership with Small Luxury Hotels of the World, and I wonder if there’s any particular hotel I should check out, that works with my timing (somewhere between September and December of this year).
Along the lines of the MGM idea, are there any Hyatt properties that have epic restaurants, and where food & beverage spending fully and correctly credits to folios?
Those are just the first few ideas that come to mind. I suppose alternatively I could just try to check out a few of the Hyatt hotels in the United States I’ve been most interested in, like a Thompson property in Atlanta, Denver, Hollywood, Savannah, or Seattle. I’m not sure that’s necessarily memorable in the same way, but at least they’d be potentially interesting reviews.
I’m open to just about anything here, within the above parameters. It’s fine if it’s far from home, as long as I can tie it in with some interesting flight reviews. Is there any specific Hyatt hotel room or suite type you’d like to see reviewed, even if it’s expensive (within reason)? I’ll consider it!
Bottom line
I’m very close to earning lifetime Hyatt Globalist status, which I’m excited about, after so many years of being loyal. I’m struggling to decide what to do for my lifetime qualifying stay, though. I’d like to do something memorable for this milestone, while taking into account that I’m a new dad, don’t want to travel for a long time, etc.
If anyone has any unique ideas, whether it’s a hotel and/or room you’ve always wanted to see reviewed, something that maximizes value, a Hyatt with an amazing restaurant that correctly credits food & beverage spending, or something that’s simply cool, I’d love to hear it!
As a plain ol' Discoverist, I had a blast at the Hyatt Regency San Antonio Riverwalk. Everyone was super nice, and while we didn't get a suite upgrade, they put us in a high corner room with a beautiful view. If you want adventure, just step out onto the Riverwalk. Maybe schedule your trip around an event you're interested in, and let the city entertain you.
Miles is only a baby just this once. Find a nice Hyatt within a short drive and spend time there as a family of three. It will give you a chance to relax together and will also help you determine what baby equipment Miles needs for travel.
If booking the Alila Villas Uluwatu I would make sure there is not a wedding. We were forced off the property at noon on check out day for a wedding. Not able to hang out and get a massage or drink at the bar after vacating the room, literally forced off property despite our flight being at night. Not how I expected to be treated at such a expensive property, especially considering the opportunity cost...
If booking the Alila Villas Uluwatu I would make sure there is not a wedding. We were forced off the property at noon on check out day for a wedding. Not able to hang out and get a massage or drink at the bar after vacating the room, literally forced off property despite our flight being at night. Not how I expected to be treated at such a expensive property, especially considering the opportunity cost of staying at a Aman at a similar price point in Bali. I understand globalist late checkout is not guaranteed at a resort but I don't expect to be kicked off property. The final 2 days we were on property was full of loud construction as staff prepared for the wedding, felt like a construction zone not a cliffside resort. Our service was not great either but staff was fawning over a Instagram influencer the whole stay so maybe you will be treated better as a blogger.
Book Miraval Arizona that way you can receive another category1-4 certificate
It’s one of the best places in the USA I have ever stayed that
After or Before Miraval do an MGM Stay by earning Hyatt Base points
That’s how I would celebrate personally but otherwise congratulations
The problem I've run into with MGM crediting to Hyatt is that it can take a wildly long time to post. I've seen six weeks at the extreme.
If you status run with them at the end of the year, you may not get confirmation that it's actually worked until it's too late to do anything about it if something's gone wrong.
Do you remember where your first ever Hyatt stay was? Even if it's not a remarkable property it would still be memorable in the sense that you would be "returning to your roots" in a way.
My first ever Hyatt stay was the Park Hyatt Tokyo
Now I am staying with Hyatt for their Globalist status every year and lifetime one day
Hi Ben, I stayed at PH Buenos Aires in February and I paid cash for obvious reasons. There was no problem with it. Do not stay at PH Mendoza. Definitely not PH.
Lucky actually pointed out a good one: Lifetime Globalist pays out every year, unlike Marriott or Hilton, so the earlier you get it, the more it pays out.
Say after you earn it you keep it for 30 years, so 30 years of Category 7 FN and 4 SUA.
Crunching the number, FN only it’s like $13500, and if counting one SUA as $90 (6000 hyatt points for one night suite point upgrade)...
Lucky actually pointed out a good one: Lifetime Globalist pays out every year, unlike Marriott or Hilton, so the earlier you get it, the more it pays out.
Say after you earn it you keep it for 30 years, so 30 years of Category 7 FN and 4 SUA.
Crunching the number, FN only it’s like $13500, and if counting one SUA as $90 (6000 hyatt points for one night suite point upgrade) then the numbers are closer to $25K. Lucky puts the value at $1000 so more like $30K (bit of high to me)
Pretty good return on the $200K put into Hyatt for attaining Lifetime Globalist.
Such nonsense.
FYI: One does not go for a Lifetime status; it comes to you based on the level of your involvement in one program or another over the years...
I did not set out to earn the HH Lifetime Diamond status. In 2017, I decided...
Such nonsense.
FYI: One does not go for a Lifetime status; it comes to you based on the level of your involvement in one program or another over the years...
I did not set out to earn the HH Lifetime Diamond status. In 2017, I decided on a whim to contact HH CSR to request my lifetime Hilton Honors stats and that is when I found out that my activities over the years as a HH Gold and Diamond had put me within a realistic "striking distance" of Lifetime Diamond status. I figured that if I just kept patronizing Hilton Honors at about the same level as I had in the past, I would eventually hit Lifetime Diamond. Then a couple of years ago, Hilton Honors decided to fast-track a number of its long-time and most loyal Diamond members to Lifetime Diamond status, apparently in order to create what would become the program's de facto highest elite status. To accomplish the "fast-tracking" the program collaborated with AMEX to begin counting as base points every bonus point earned with any AMEX Hilton Honors co-branded card. As you can see at the link to my Lifetime status info I provided in an earlier comment, with just 2 stays in 2022 so far I have already earned 130K+ base points, all through the incredible Aspire card, which were enough to qualify me for LF Diamond
Knowing how the program works, I suspect that Hilton Honors decided at some point to achieve a clear differentiation among its elite levels, and to do that turned to the airline FF model. Like for airline perks, hotel loyalty perks would be unambiguously prioritized by elite status. Therefore, like airplane cabin upgrades, Hilton Honors room upgrades (and I suspect all other perks) will be prioritized according to elite status: Gold < Diamond < Lifetime Diamond.
In that analogy, one can think of HH Lifetime Diamond as UA Global services; regular HH Diamond as UA 1K; and HH Gold as UA Premier Plat. The differentiation is clear and complete.
Now you know why Hilton Honors introduced their new Global Automated room Upgrades. which operate almost like airline cabin upgrades. It was part of a master plan to quietly and efficiently remake the structure of the program elite levels to better reward the most loyal members.
You missed a key point - I'm pretty sure non-status on a points stay trumps a Lifetime Diamond paying a cash rate. Important to note a major flaw in the program.
You can be pretty sure all you like , but you are demonstrably wrong because that initially promoted canard was set straight by a senior HH official. Non-status folks on any rate have no privileges. None. They get what they pay for
Just educate thyself if you're going to make claims that had quite likely been already debunked.
Also important to state, unlike airline status, Hilton room upgrades have no rules and are often denied even when better rooms are available. Typically have to beg or trick the front desk agent. Not typically a problem at Hyatts.
Please educate thyself before pontificating. You are not referring to Hilton's new Global Automated Upgrades that work just like airline cabin upgrades. They begin clearing 72h before day of stay, with Lifetime Diamonds getting priority for available rooms, including suites.
Will be happy to show how they work in practice, with my actual automated upgrade to a suite.
Does Lifetime Diamond at Hilton give out free night every year for you to enjoy without any other co-pay?
If not, then it can't be called "pays out every year" like Lifetime Globalist.
It also doesn't come out 4 Suite Upgrade Awards that can be easily used and confirmed in advance, that has a fair agreed floor value (6000 points)
And the time you spent on lecturing Lifetime Diamond > Diamond is nullified by the fact Lifetime Globalist > Globalist too.
Another vote for a Lindblad Expedition to Antarctica. Talk about memorable!
I made Lifetime Globalist back in October 2019 during my stay at the Andaz, San Diego.
That trip, they could not have done more for me...
I arrived late but the entire management team waited to welcome me with champagne with them in the lobby (about 10:30 pm). On the wall of the lobby they had a projection with a decorative 'Congratulations on reaching Lifetime Globalist' which was there the whole of my...
I made Lifetime Globalist back in October 2019 during my stay at the Andaz, San Diego.
That trip, they could not have done more for me...
I arrived late but the entire management team waited to welcome me with champagne with them in the lobby (about 10:30 pm). On the wall of the lobby they had a projection with a decorative 'Congratulations on reaching Lifetime Globalist' which was there the whole of my stay.
An upgrade to the best suite in the house with a private staircase from the suite to my own pool cabana.
And, when I checked out they presented me with a framed copy of a photograph of us all sipping champagne under the projected 'Congratulations'...
It was all really well done - the photograph sits in my office today.
I've always loved Hyatt but these folks made that event memorable.
Hope yours is too.
@ Russell -- Wow! I'm curious, did you let the hotel know about your milestone? I'm surprised that this would otherwise be tracked by Hyatt. If so, that's impressive. What a cool memory!
I did not Ben no... I did receive one of those personalised, pre-arrival 'anything we can do for you' type emails (of which I rarely see these days either) but I didn't respond, and it was a complete surprise to me.... Especially as it was 10:30pm and they'd been waiting for my delayed BA arrival into LAX..!
Kary Takach was the GM, I believe she has now take up a role in the corporate...
I did not Ben no... I did receive one of those personalised, pre-arrival 'anything we can do for you' type emails (of which I rarely see these days either) but I didn't respond, and it was a complete surprise to me.... Especially as it was 10:30pm and they'd been waiting for my delayed BA arrival into LAX..!
Kary Takach was the GM, I believe she has now take up a role in the corporate offices.
Best of luck your own event is memorable too... Look forwards to reading about it :-)
@Russell - Wow! Such a spectacle would have made feel very uncomfortable, just as it did briefly when in 2016 the crew of my SYD-LAX UA flight announced out of the blue that I'd made UA 1MM. Fortunately, it was not overdone and it all came to an end very quickly after I got up and took a bow.
For my HH Lifetime Diamond status, it was not easy for anyone other than HH's "numbers...
@Russell - Wow! Such a spectacle would have made feel very uncomfortable, just as it did briefly when in 2016 the crew of my SYD-LAX UA flight announced out of the blue that I'd made UA 1MM. Fortunately, it was not overdone and it all came to an end very quickly after I got up and took a bow.
For my HH Lifetime Diamond status, it was not easy for anyone other than HH's "numbers people" to know for sure when it would happen as the lion's share of my qualifying base points came from AMEX and had to be added in after each month's statement. So, about 5 days after the stay 9-night stay at DT London ExCel that put me over, I simply received an email from Hilton Honors welcoming me to what is now and will remain for a while the program's most exclusive status.
I made Lifetime Globalist back in October 2019 during my stay at the Andaz, San Diego.
That trip, they could not have done more for me...
I arrived late but the entire management team waited to welcome me with champagne with them in the lobby (about 10:30 pm). On the wall of the lobby they had a projection with a decorative 'Congratulations on reaching Lifetime Globalist' which was there the whole of my...
I made Lifetime Globalist back in October 2019 during my stay at the Andaz, San Diego.
That trip, they could not have done more for me...
I arrived late but the entire management team waited to welcome me with champagne with them in the lobby (about 10:30 pm). On the wall of the lobby they had a projection with a decorative 'Congratulations on reaching Lifetime Globalist' which was there the whole of my stay.
An upgrade to the best suite in the house with a private staircase from the suite to my own pool cabana.
And, when I checked out they presented me with a framed copy of a photograph of us all sipping champagne under the projected 'Congratulations'...
It was all really well done - the photograph sits in my office today.
Always loved Hyatt but these folks made that event memorable.
Hope yours is too.
The brand new Thompson Hotel in Madrid opens tomorrow. Was given a private tour a couple days a go. Has a beautiful rooftop swimming pool, bar. Looked very cozy and nice.
I do think it needs to be a core Hyatt brand, so no Andaz, Alila, MGM, SLH. The most iconic Hyatt ever is the PH Tokyo, for obvious reasons. But Japan is still closed…
The world cup starts Nov 20th till Dec 18th, so Qatar might be a good option since they'll have a ton of celebrations which would be a great way to celebrate a lifetime status :)
Another crazy option, PH Jeddah, Saudi Arabia :) you're welcome to the kingdom anytime. You can book a direct flight from JFK to Jeddah using Air France points. Or, fly from Miami to Dubai via Emirates and then from Dubai to Jeddah.
I like the rotating hotel at the top of the Hyatt Regency Atlanta. It was one of the first in the world.
It's kind of cheap though, so might take some hard spending to make that happen lol.
Dear Ben,
As there are two memorable occasions coming towards you (one on a daily base with your son, one rather on the once-in-a-lifetime side) why not combine them and shift focus: what would be the most kids/infant friendly Hyatt property in the North American hemisphere that would be a blast for the little one and by that give you a memory you won’t forget? I think, such a moment should be celebrated with...
Dear Ben,
As there are two memorable occasions coming towards you (one on a daily base with your son, one rather on the once-in-a-lifetime side) why not combine them and shift focus: what would be the most kids/infant friendly Hyatt property in the North American hemisphere that would be a blast for the little one and by that give you a memory you won’t forget? I think, such a moment should be celebrated with the most important ones around you to make it memorable - which doesn’t need big efforts…
Enjoy and btw congrats ;-)
New Year’s Eve at the Park Hyatt Sydney. It’s a package rate but we’ll worth it for the experience and being right in the middle of it all. They brought a different amenity to the room each day of our stay and included transfers from the airport. Book early since the packages sell out quickly. If you feel like dinner or a party, the opera house bar has a great party too but needs to...
New Year’s Eve at the Park Hyatt Sydney. It’s a package rate but we’ll worth it for the experience and being right in the middle of it all. They brought a different amenity to the room each day of our stay and included transfers from the airport. Book early since the packages sell out quickly. If you feel like dinner or a party, the opera house bar has a great party too but needs to be booked in advance.
Props to you for getting out there again to travel. As someone with a little one at home, it’s important to build the life that fits your family - not someone else’s. I grew up traveling and it was a priceless experience. I hope to do the same for my daughter.
There is literally nothing in Bishkek. The last time I was there the only two things that stood out was a shopping center tower that had a floor solely dedicated to souvenirs and an Indian restaurant right next to the Hyatt. If you want a memorable visit you would want to go to Uzbekistan (not sure that works with an infant) or Ashgabat which is as Disney as a city can get. But the totalitarian atmosphere quickly grates
When I stayed at the PH Buenos Aires back in 2015 I certainly paid in cash. They were quite happy to accept payment that way, even if it was a lot of money.
PH Buenos Aires is lovely as is BA. Ditto Mendoza. Easy overnight flight from US, no jet lag ... But any long flight with an infant can be dicey, as no guarantee they'll sleep.
I would recommend the PH Paris, fall weather setting in Paris would be a nice visit. I am hitting Lifetime this year as well. My stay will be at PH Zurich!
That was the view about a week ago when this very blogger wrote about the Hilton Honors Lifetime status program. But, of course, Lifetime status becomes special when it...
That was the view about a week ago when this very blogger wrote about the Hilton Honors Lifetime status program. But, of course, Lifetime status becomes special when it is offered by Hyatt, despite the chain's tiny footprint that limits the places where to enjoy the status or not offering the 4th or 5th award night free perk, the single most valuable in hotel loyalty and key to a Lifetime of outsized redemption values:
The "Paradox of Propaganda" aka "drinking one's own kool-aid"...
BTW, did I mention that I made the HH Lifetime Diamond status back in May 2022 after accumulating 2,000,000+ HH base points over 12 years continuously as a regular Diamond? Here's how the HH Lifetime Diamond membership card, the "Black Card", looks like:
https://bit.ly/3CdnjAc
I did not plan my 'special' Lifetime Hilton Honors Diamond hotel stay because I figured that my every stay going forward will be a HH Lifetime Diamond stay ;-)
This things aren't really contradictory. He never said lifetime status isn't worth it, just that it's not worth going out of your way *too much* for. If you're already loyal and approaching status with a hotel chain (any hotel chain--Hilton, Hyatt, whatever) then it's fair to say that booking a few extra stays to get that status would not be going out of your way too much. And that's exactly what Ben is describing in...
This things aren't really contradictory. He never said lifetime status isn't worth it, just that it's not worth going out of your way *too much* for. If you're already loyal and approaching status with a hotel chain (any hotel chain--Hilton, Hyatt, whatever) then it's fair to say that booking a few extra stays to get that status would not be going out of your way too much. And that's exactly what Ben is describing in this post.
Also worth noting that Ben's advice was not specific to Hilton lifetime status. It was made in the context of that, but his response was very clearly a blanket status for all lifetime statuses (as indicated by his reference to "loyalty programs" and not Hilton in particular).
You've clearly drunk as much kool-aid as Ben has drunk his own.
Please read his prior piece disparaging HH Lifetime Diamond.
The point was as clear as it was self-servingly ridiculous: Don't get hung up on Lifetime status, especially not HH Lifetime Diamond since you can it have as long as you have the Aspire (hint: Aspire Diamond is to HH Lifetime Diamond what UA 1K is to UA Global Services, i.e., no comparison).
...You've clearly drunk as much kool-aid as Ben has drunk his own.
Please read his prior piece disparaging HH Lifetime Diamond.
The point was as clear as it was self-servingly ridiculous: Don't get hung up on Lifetime status, especially not HH Lifetime Diamond since you can it have as long as you have the Aspire (hint: Aspire Diamond is to HH Lifetime Diamond what UA 1K is to UA Global Services, i.e., no comparison).
On the other hand, you should ignore all that stuff about not getting hung up about Lifetime status if it is Hyatt's Lifetime Globalist because it is the only real deal. In fact, it is such a real I'd appreciate input from you guys, my loyal followers, about how I should commemorate the life-altering milestone.
Make it a family reunion. Bring everyone from your family and Ford's family together. If you want more fun. Schedule it on a Miles' milestone day. Like 100 days or 150 days. You could even call it Miles' first milestone party. I'm sure you can easily find a suitable Hyatt in Florida.
This is a nice idea. I feel like there's not much for infants to enjoy about travel, since their activities are mostly sleeping and riding in strollers. They're not yet at the point where, like toddlers, they'll love playing on the beach or splashing in a water fountain play area. But everyone will enjoy picking up and cooing at the baby and it'll give you and Ford a break from the constant hands-on care.
Yes you can pay cash at the Park Hyatt Buenos Aires saving you about 35-40% and it credits to Hyatt at the full price. The hotel adds 20% tax when paying cash but they use the official rate so which is half price. Very special property!
Can you address whether your perspective has changed regarding both parents traveling on the same flight without their children., versus those who on purpose travel separate flights.
Do couples decline to ride in the same car without their child?
That's certainly more dangerous than flying on the same plane.
Piping in from Seattle - the Thompson Seattle is nothing special. Cool rooftop but generally a terrible part of town (crime related). All of the other Hyatts aren’t what you’re looking for either…
You COULD book the Suncadia resort which is about an hour or so drive from seattle but is up in the mountains. I believe it’s a part of the Destinations collection. Lots of winter activities (Ford could ski) all while being a relatively short drive from Seattle.
Suncadia is a lovely location, but the food is poor (black fried chicken), the service little better, and our golf course view room was instead mostly a parking lot
Choose your favorite Hyatt but don't expect much. I earned Lifetime Glob in 2018 and it was at the Park Hyatt Bangkok where the former GM was a good friend. He took me to dinner but thats it... so not much to be expected for getting Lifetime GLOB.
For Las Vegas: the Towers at Aria are awesome… my WoH matched to Gold and MGM offered me Noir…. I have stayed there twice… sometimes, you can book a normal suite and they’ll offer you a cheap cash upgrade at the desk….excellent service and amazing suites. For meals: Weekend brunch at Bardot Brasserie at Aria, Dinner at Robuchon at MGM. With the Tower Suites, you get a private pool deck, private checking, and arrival and...
For Las Vegas: the Towers at Aria are awesome… my WoH matched to Gold and MGM offered me Noir…. I have stayed there twice… sometimes, you can book a normal suite and they’ll offer you a cheap cash upgrade at the desk….excellent service and amazing suites. For meals: Weekend brunch at Bardot Brasserie at Aria, Dinner at Robuchon at MGM. With the Tower Suites, you get a private pool deck, private checking, and arrival and transfers to the airport. You could never leave Aria. It’s quite amazing. I have never had a problem with points crediting. Here is the trick… add your WOH number to your MGM rewards profile. Make sure you BOOK ON MGM not on Hyatt… when you check in, make sure that your woh number is actually there. You should have zero issues. Make sure you charge your ancillary charges to your room.
Or… you might consider also revisiting Alila Ventana in Big Sur? I also will tell you a secret… Hyatt Regency Mission Bay San Diego has done a great renovation where there are some AMAZING rooftop suites atop the tower. The hotel has a great location and has some lovely activities, and a very nice restaurant. Just a thought.
I would vote Park Hyatt Auckland, because its a hotel you have been wanting to check out, you have a connection to NZ from travelling there with your mum from a young age etc. Also it is a nature destination, and a luxury hotel.
That being said, could be an idea to go with Miles and Ford somewhere, closer I think considering its a big occasion don't go by yourself go with Ford and/or Miles or a family member friend etc.
Atelier and Joël in MGM are fantastic restaurants. The mashed potatoes at Altelier are something special. I thought they had cheese in them. Nope! Just a metric ton of butter and cream. No idea how the crediting to rooms are as I'm a local and when I do a staycation, it's definitely not at MGM.
I'm sure you've done a review, but the Grand Hyatt in Poipu is one of my favorite properties in...
Atelier and Joël in MGM are fantastic restaurants. The mashed potatoes at Altelier are something special. I thought they had cheese in them. Nope! Just a metric ton of butter and cream. No idea how the crediting to rooms are as I'm a local and when I do a staycation, it's definitely not at MGM.
I'm sure you've done a review, but the Grand Hyatt in Poipu is one of my favorite properties in the Hyatt portfolio and I usually get a solid room for a measly 25,000 points. Solid return. And I'm sure you could lava flow your way to Globalist in no time!
Wherever you stay be sure to have some premium quality root beer. You're a Dad now so you need to moderate with the champagne. Congrats!
My vote is for a Lindblad Expedition to Antarctica :D
I'd love to read that review, though I'm guessing you're a bit closer to the lifetime spend requirement than that haha!
I was just in Bogota and got the most awesome suite upgrade at the Grand Hyatt there. The hotel is AMAZING!!!! More Four Seasons than Hyatt blew my mind. Bogota is an amazing place but really you never never need to leave this hotel. The rooms looks out to the Andes the food and bars are fab and classy and chill and the city is exploding with food options. I Vote Bogota!!
For memorable, book at Skylofts and eat at Joel Robuchon proper (not L’Atelier).
Have stayed at Aria a couple times since the MGM partnership, never had an issue getting Hyatt points (just make sure you sign up for the MGM Rewards, or whatever it’s called now and link your accounts.That will give you free parking if needed at other perks.) There are a few excellent food choices too:. Bardot Brasserie (Micheal Mina), Julian Serrano Tapas. There’s Jean-George Steakhouse as well, though I don’t think you are much of...
Have stayed at Aria a couple times since the MGM partnership, never had an issue getting Hyatt points (just make sure you sign up for the MGM Rewards, or whatever it’s called now and link your accounts.That will give you free parking if needed at other perks.) There are a few excellent food choices too:. Bardot Brasserie (Micheal Mina), Julian Serrano Tapas. There’s Jean-George Steakhouse as well, though I don’t think you are much of a red meat eater. Also you can eat at any MGM property & charge it to your room no matter where you stay.
I’ll just offer that we had an incredible stay at the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome, where they really knew how to cater to families with a young child. We were blown away.
https://www.instagram.com/p/ChzD0X-rn4G/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
There are several intriguing SLH properties in the Caribbean that would be an easy flight for you...someone already mentioned Sailrock, but I'd love to stay at/read a review about Inn at English Harbour or the Liming Bequia
Stay at the Hyatt Regency Kathmandu and take a sightseeing flight around Everest. You could even take a helicopter to Everest Base Camp for a few hours if you wanted to splurge.
I stayed there in 2018. Besides the hotel being pretty nice, if you have them make you dinner reservations anywhere you get treated like a king because the locals seem to consider it one of if not the nicest hotel in town.
I stayed there only because the Nepal scheduled electricity blackouts are not an issue since the hotel always runs the standby electrical generator, unlike other hotels
Holy crap, you named your kid “Miles”. That’s AMAZING!!
Also, I’d vote for a miraval property if he is allowed.
Congratulations Lucky on the Lifetime Globalist status with Hyatt.
Coincidentally, I will be earning my lifetime Globalist status in December. I, too, am considering staying at somewhere special.
I am looking forward to read the suggestions in this forum.
Miraval Tuscon or Berkshire for sure
So far I had never earned any base points from Hyatt hotel restaurants. I don't know if lifetime status counts differently or if MGM counts differently. But be aware.
I'd do this way: earn enough points to almost achieve lifetime, like 99,9%. Then reach the top of Everest with just one night in a nice hotel in a city that has some meaning for you personally or for the OMAAT history.
I wish I had $200k to spend on Hyatt stays. I think I have like 98,000 base points lol...
Miraval Tucson? Perfect time of year for it.
How about flying United 8 across limited edition 777 J, then flying Delta's refurb 767 J domestically and then flying B6's old mint non-throne to see which US-based carrier offers the lowest possible expectation?
I recently spent a week at The Reisen (Unbound Collection) in Stockholm. Wonderful hotel and Stockholm is a perfect destination for your new family. I saw many, many parents pushing strollers and there are parks everywhere. I have never seen so many park benches in a city.
Perhaps the exact opposite of a Vegas trip, but if you want to celebrate this in peace and quiet, Hana Maui might be the perfect place. The oceanfront bungalows are quite amazing.
Funnily enough the Bishkek Hyatt was the first Hyatt I stayed at and it got me hooked on Hyatts ever since.
I think if anything qualifies as a good Vegas moment (outside of a bachelor party, shotgun wedding or midlife-crisis bender) it's taking your infant son to an MGM property to sip champagne and let lifetime hotel status wash over you. Just make sure to take lots of pics.
Just stayed at PH Buenos Aires. You can definitely pay cash, in fact the hotel recommended just down the street Cambio Posadas which was a legit/safe spot to get the "blue dollar" at the full web rate if you had crisp new 100s. I just know if pay in cash you are unable to be exempt from the VAT if you paid with credit card.
I am Globalist and stayed on points, but they...
Just stayed at PH Buenos Aires. You can definitely pay cash, in fact the hotel recommended just down the street Cambio Posadas which was a legit/safe spot to get the "blue dollar" at the full web rate if you had crisp new 100s. I just know if pay in cash you are unable to be exempt from the VAT if you paid with credit card.
I am Globalist and stayed on points, but they treated us very well. Upgrade without prompting to Park Suite with great views of the Palace. Champagne, cakes, goodies, etc. Service was great!
@ KBF -- Thanks! Out of curiosity, do you know what the exchange rate was at the place nearby?
The young Doubt just got 291 for $1 yesterday at Western Union in BA.
The "official" rate today looks like ~138.
@ Never In Doubt -- Interesting, thanks. I believe the 21% VAT applies when paying cash but not when paying by credit card, but to crunch the numbers...
A 1,000 USD room would cost the equivalent of 1,210 USD when paying cash (due to the VAT). However, you can exchange currency at 211% of the official exchange rate.
So you'd really be paying ~$573 for that stay, or ~57% of face value, based on the current rates.
Does that math sound right?
@Ben,
Here's another way of looking at it.
Let's say the hotel is 100,000 pesos a night.
At the official/credit card rate that's 100000/138 = $724, which you can get 21% VAT back, for a final cost of $572.
At the "blue/unofficial" rate your cost is 100000/291 = $343
That's obviously without credit card benefits included, but I doubt they'd tip the scale.
I might want to confirm that needing to pay with credit card part as well. I was just at the PH Buenos Aires for a week and to remove the VAT, they just asked to see the Visa / Transit email that you get the day after you arrive in the country. Once I forwarded them that, they reduced the bill, before even asking for payment.
Hi Ben!
I just came back. There is a good place to change to the blue dollar for 280 pesos. Its called Casa Cambio, behind the Alvear Palace hotel. Very easy and safe.
It was 285 which was the exact same as it said on bluedollar.net at the time.
“ If it’s a quick trip, maybe Ford can even come along, as Miles could be in good hands for a couple of days, if needed”
That’s the spirit! Get him used to being abandoned early!
As for hotels in ARG accepting cash, it seems universally possible. The young Doubt is spending the fall semester there and we’ll be visiting him and paying cash!
hahah that's exactly how I read it...it's just a baby!
Such an inconvenience this one month old 'toddler' for our lifestyle!
Let's go on a totally relevant status-run...
Higher priority - arbitrary status that at this point in his life can be achieved at any stay at any time or ya know...just a baby?
PH BA absolutely takes cash payments. You hand over the pesos and they'll whip out the bill counter to make sure it's all there.
In Vegas, one of the Robuchon restaurants would likely be the play.
Would love to see a review of one of the pricier SLH hotels. What about La Casa Que Canta in Mexico? There are some amazing looking suites there.
Or, at the other end of the Playa la Ropa beach in Zihuatanejo, the Thompson. It's on the beach (and absolutely wonderful) as opposed to the Casa Que Canta. We've stayed there several times and it's a beautiful property.
Just for shits and giggles you should pick the most ridiculously basic Hyatt Place in a suburban mall parking lot.
This was EXACTLY my idea. I can highly recommend some Raleigh/Durham-area Hyatt Places.
That's how I got Globalist last year in Q1!
I was thinking along similar lines, end it how it began- Grand Hyatt Tampa! Throw a big party for family and friends at that fish restaurant on the Bay (I know you know it, whatever it's called-- good times!
I'd vote for checking out the new Park Hyatt Auckland (even if it doesn't look outlandishly impressive) because I know you prefer nature and that can be the start of a great nature trip. Maybe Ford can take Miles direct and you can take the Island Hopper route from US to NZ?
I quite like the idea to travel to Bishkek. The Hyatt Regency there is really nice and well managed. Yes, it’s not fancy but rock solid. And the Kyrgyz people are extremely nice, you will definitely enjoy your trip.
The only warning: Bishkek in winter is beautiful, but tough …
I stayed at the Hyatt in Mendoza a few years back, lovely looking building in a great location. The communal spaces were nice, rooms fine. They didn’t bat an eye lid when I asked to pay cash, which made it a steal.
Love the idea of making the qualification count.
All SLH suggestions from me:
The Green O due to its pure Nature location and unique look.
Either SLH Marrakech properties are stunning for cultural immersion.
Or, the Maldives as it is truly a special place (and you can do a direct comparison of QR vs EK First post-pandemic)
/A
The Green O looks amazing! I'm sad to see it's not available through Hyatt, but it's cool enough to justify a stand-alone stay. I've added the Marrakech properties to my list too (one of them is available through Hyatt).
I turned lifetime at the Andaz Mayakoba. While not the most glam or exotic locale it would be great for you with the new one. They are super child friendly and an easy trip from MIA. Arriving there as a newly minted Lifetime Globalist I was welcomed with balloons all over the room with cake, champagne, and a framed photograph of the Andaz team all signed with thanks. A bit over the top but a lovely gesture overall.
Park Hyatt NY the "flagship" Hyatt would be a good one! Anything else of similar quality is across an ocean and just too far out of the way imo...
Hard pass. Absolutely nothing special about that place. No real restaurant, concierge is clueless, staff is snobby, no views, no sense of place, and it's in a part of Manhattan that isn't exactly cultural. And this is coming from the world's biggest Park Hyatt brand fanboy.
+1 to Super's comment. I was there last week. Rooms are fantastic. Service is weak bordering on non-existent. Exhibit A: Imagine a hotel that routinely charges $1300+ per night telling you at 3:30pm that "mixed drinks are not available until 4:30pm" in their bar area with a wall full of liquor.
Received no upgrade as a Globalist despite sutdios and park suites being available for sale. They nickeled and dimed on the breakfast charging me...
+1 to Super's comment. I was there last week. Rooms are fantastic. Service is weak bordering on non-existent. Exhibit A: Imagine a hotel that routinely charges $1300+ per night telling you at 3:30pm that "mixed drinks are not available until 4:30pm" in their bar area with a wall full of liquor.
Received no upgrade as a Globalist despite sutdios and park suites being available for sale. They nickeled and dimed on the breakfast charging me $20 for a side order of smoked salmon even though I didn't have an appetizer and the policy clearly said appetizer and entree were included.
I'm sad to agree with the other posters about the PH NYC. It was my first Category 7 redemption years ago, and I absolutely loved it (especially that pool!).
But 6-7 years on, a couple more stays at PH NYC after that one, and several other PH locations under my belt, I was disappointed when staying there again a month ago. The hotel is starting to show its age, the service was lacking, and...
I'm sad to agree with the other posters about the PH NYC. It was my first Category 7 redemption years ago, and I absolutely loved it (especially that pool!).
But 6-7 years on, a couple more stays at PH NYC after that one, and several other PH locations under my belt, I was disappointed when staying there again a month ago. The hotel is starting to show its age, the service was lacking, and they didn't offer any upgrade to me as a Globalist (I had to ask). They also never contacted me when my room was ready for me.
It's hard not to feel like the hotel's best days are behind it.
L'Atelier De Joel Rocuchon... MGM Las Vegas
Came here to say this.
Does it credit spend/points to Hyatt? I'd love to know for a future stay. I've had really bad luck getting dining and drinks spending to post correctly to Hyatt.
I just called Park Hyatt Buenos Aires (I'm from Buenos Aires) and they do not answer the phone to check if they accept cash. Email is [email protected] if you need.
They should though and you'll need to do a currency exchange with someone you'll trust (tourist currency exchange at a better rate it is not working at a bank I think, if you do it at a currency exchange place you'll lose about 50%...
I just called Park Hyatt Buenos Aires (I'm from Buenos Aires) and they do not answer the phone to check if they accept cash. Email is [email protected] if you need.
They should though and you'll need to do a currency exchange with someone you'll trust (tourist currency exchange at a better rate it is not working at a bank I think, if you do it at a currency exchange place you'll lose about 50% of the value). Also, if you change let's say USD 1.000 to ARS at the highest bill you'll end up with 270.000 and 270 bills (27 times the number of bills you started exchanging) so it'll be a bit tricky to conceal ;).
Alila Napa Valley. Didn't you stay there when it was a Marriott? I don't recall you reviewing the Alila branding version. The staff there is amazing and the guest experience manager there is exceptional.
I stayed here in April and it is exceptional.
They don’t allow Children though…
Here's my recent review of PH BsAs: https://cariverga.com/review-park-hyatt-buenos-aires/
Not very memorable.
I also stayed at PH Mendoza which was not bad, at all.
I redeemed points at both, but all hotels in Argentina do accept cash, why wouldn't they :)
Well.. Allow me to rant. I am glad you didn't choose the Alila Uluwatu in Bali to celebrate. I was there in June and was not impressed at all. It certainly makes for great Instagram photos but I would never recommend it. Food choices was limited especially for being so secluded. Breakfast took forever and they always forgot things, and dinner was simply not good. There was hardly any ocean view rooms except from the...
Well.. Allow me to rant. I am glad you didn't choose the Alila Uluwatu in Bali to celebrate. I was there in June and was not impressed at all. It certainly makes for great Instagram photos but I would never recommend it. Food choices was limited especially for being so secluded. Breakfast took forever and they always forgot things, and dinner was simply not good. There was hardly any ocean view rooms except from the upper level (where I stayed) even that was obstructed. There were weddings every night so I hope you like music, because everyone gets to here it. We really looked forward to this stay thinking it was going to stand out...I guess it did ,just not in the way we were expecting. Stayed on points as a Globalist, however rates are around 1K a night, if I paid that I would have lost my mind Oh... Beware of monkeys... Just saying
Appreciate the mini-review. Thanks!
I stayed in June as well. The music you were hearing could also have been from the nearby Savaya Night Club. We heard that on the Sunday evening when we arrived, but it wasn't terribly loud. Wouldn't have had trouble sleeping if we tried with the windows and doors open. Can't speak to weddings though and we didn't encounter any on our 3 night stay, also booked with points.
We missed the monkeys, but ended...
I stayed in June as well. The music you were hearing could also have been from the nearby Savaya Night Club. We heard that on the Sunday evening when we arrived, but it wasn't terribly loud. Wouldn't have had trouble sleeping if we tried with the windows and doors open. Can't speak to weddings though and we didn't encounter any on our 3 night stay, also booked with points.
We missed the monkeys, but ended up with a large hunstman spider in our villa. Thankfully turndown service was there at the time and they humanely removed the spider. I almost peed myself.
Spider scare included, we had amazing service throughout our stay. Nothing like getting a welcome kit of cold water, face mist, sun screen, insect repellent, and a power bank every time we arrived poolside. And the breakfasts were maybe the best I've had at any resort. I still dream about some of the smoothies, and one of the japanese breakfast "sandos" I had. We also loved the cocktails and views at sunset from the birds nest bar. Agreed it's secluded, but the resort is stunning as are the private villas.
I do agree it is secluded. Hailing a taxing or hiring a driver is your only way to avoiding dining at one of two restaurants, or I guess having lunch poolside or snacks through the bar. But we didn't have a bad meal when we dined at the resort.
My only real gripe was the astronomical price of laundry.
One month old children are not toddlers. They are infants.
Fountain view suite at the Bellagio. They are sub $2k and have 2 bedrooms. How could you not be sipping champagne and watching the fountain go off from your suite as you ring in your new status? There's no shortage of awesome restaurants if you can chase down crediting to your room.
Spago is unreal.
Since you mentioned MGM, maybe a fancy penthouse at one of their properties? Or an interesting SLH property like Rusty Parrot (or a super fancy one in Turks and Caicos).
Could also try a new property like Andaz Mexico City
Rusty parrott still isn't reopened from the fire. The website says target of late '22, but seems anything but a sure thing...
Alternatively, you could try to catch one of QFs updated A380s in J or F and stay at the iconic PH Sydney!
Isn’t Hyatt doing that sale for stays around Indochina? There are a lot of cool Alila and other Hyatt properties in Indonesia specifically (Bali and elsewhere) that could make for cool reviews.
Singapore Suites JFK-FRA-SIN, connect to DPS. Stay at Alila, fly Garuda F from DPS-CGK and stay at the new Park Hyatt in Jakarta...
:)
Getting food and beverage spend to credit to Hyatt from MGM properties has been virtually impossible. We spent ~$10K while we were there over multiple stays on food and beverage and nothing would post, even with our concierge intervening.
I only have one data point on MGM, from a stay at the Aria earlier this year - they did not credit anything besides the base room rate, even though we spent a few hundred dollars on food, drinks, and on-site concessions charged to the room.
PS - in your shoes, I might try to do Sailrock Resort. Seems like a very cool property, not all that far of a flight from Miami, cash rates that are high but not unattainable for a special occasion, and I sure wouldn't mind reading a review :)
I wouldn't recommend PH Auckland with or without a child. Weather is often rainy and. not exactly pleasant. With an infant, who will likely be in a stroller, keep in mind there are almost NO level sidewalks and roads in Auckland, so be prepared for a workout going up and down endless hills in the city.
As for PH Sydney on New Year's Eve, it would be nice for Ben and Ford, but not for...
I wouldn't recommend PH Auckland with or without a child. Weather is often rainy and. not exactly pleasant. With an infant, who will likely be in a stroller, keep in mind there are almost NO level sidewalks and roads in Auckland, so be prepared for a workout going up and down endless hills in the city.
As for PH Sydney on New Year's Eve, it would be nice for Ben and Ford, but not for an infant or toddler, in my opinion. Very. young children are often frightened by the sound of fireworks and break out crying from being scared by the loud noise, not to mention they have very sensitive ears.
Remember rule of thumb: Infants and small children need to have a sense of "safety." If you can get around that, the Sydney zoos are fantastic, but, again regarding young children, they generally have no memory of their life prior to age four. Whether it's a zoo, buggy ride, train or airplane trip, or a Disney Park, they'll have no memory of it in their earliest years. Their major needs are: Air, water (as in milk, formula0, food, and a sense of well-being, including safety and love.