Hyatt always updates its award chart around the end of the first quarter of each year. This time there is a big reduction to the Category 1 hotels and a sizeable increase to Category 8 hotels.

Friendly reminder to book hotels at any hotels going up in category by early Tuesday morning to lock in favorable pricing.

Hyatt announces changes in advance

The Hyatt website identifies all the changes that will be arriving on March 25, 2025 (8:00 AM Central Time). They have provided us with one month to prepare for the new pricing:

• For hotels going up in price, if you book prior to March 25, you’ll lock in your price at the current rate.
• For hotels going down in price, if your stay is after March 25, Hyatt will automatically issue a partial refund at some point in the future.
• If for some reason you need to modify your stay after March 25, awards will be repriced at their current rates.

The one good thing that I’ll say about this is that Hyatt at least is open about its award pricing. It announces hotel category changes in advance and gives members a chance to book prospective travel on current rates. We might not like the end result of awards becoming more expensive, but this is the way a program builds trust. There shouldn’t ever be surprise changes without an announcement (ahem, Marriott, ahem).

Hyatt’s changes from a macro view

I think it’s important to review these changes from a larger perspective first. This year, there are 118 hotels moving up in category and 33 hotels moving down. Some years Hyatt balances the weighting a bit more but clearly not this year. No hotels are moving by more than one category.

It’s also important to look at hotels bookable by Hyatt’s Category 1-4 and 1-7 Free Night Awards. This year, we’re seeing the following movement:

• 11 hotels moving from Category 4 to Category 5 (no longer bookable with Category 1-4 Free Night Awards).
• 6 hotels moving from Category 5 to Category 4 (now bookable with Category 1-4 Free Night Awards).
• 6 hotels moving from Category 7 to Category 8 (no longer bookable with Category 1-7 Free Night Awards).
• No hotels are moving from Category 8 to Category 7.

Distribution of hotels

Given I like looking at numbers, let’s take a deeper dive into the changes by looking at the distribution.

Quite frankly, what stands out the most is the big shift away from Category 1 hotels. A total of 37 hotels are leaving Category 1 to move to Category 2. That represents just over 30% of all Category 1 hotels becoming more expensive. If you were using Category 1 hotels to get a cheap stay, there’s a good chance you’re impacted by this.

On the flip side, we’re seeing an extra six hotels moving up from Category 7 to Category 8. That might not sound like much, but it’s a 40% increase to the number of Category 8 hotels. Unfortunately, it means Hyatt now expects you to pay 10,000 Hyatt points extra for your stay.

In terms of sheer numbers, the lower end of the spectrum is hit a bit more than the upper end. But please keep in mind that most hotels sit at the lower end.

Notable changes in Hyatt pricing

The devil is in the details. Included in this devaluation are quite a few hotels I’ve enjoyed in the recent past.

Personally-impactful hotels moving up to Category 5

Hyatt Regency Vancouver. We enjoyed this hotel and thought the service was better than expected for “just” a Hyatt Regency. I thought it was too good to be true that it was a Category 4 and apparently Hyatt thought so too. It’s ultimately a shame given it’s the only Hyatt property in town.

Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport. While I never reported out on our stay here, it was fairly nice and incredibly convenient. I like airport hotels that are directly connected to the airport, especially when you need to take an early flight out, which feels often needed out of Orlando.

Hyatt Regency Hong Kong Tsim Sha Tsui. This one is a good option in the city that’s overshadowed a bit by the excellent Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. Previously, it was a solid option for using those Category 1-4 Free Night Awards. Now? I’ll likely stay elsewhere in the city. The Grand Hyatt is a Category 6 hotel. At a one category difference between the Regency and the Grand, there’s little reason to stay at the Regency.

Hyatt Regency Étoile. This one stings. The hotel felt like a great deal when it was a Category 4, but some of that luster is lost when it moves up a level. The hotel is close to public transportation, though not the most convenient. There is a beautiful lounge that the hotel operates, though, and that view alone could convince me to come back again.

Other hotels moving up to Category 5: Hyatt Regency Newport Beach, The Bellevue Hotel, Hyatt Place Fort Worth Historic Stockyards, Hyatt House Tokyo Shibuya, Hyatt Regency Tokyo, Hyatt Regency Koh Samui, Hyatt Centric The Liberties Dublin.

Thoughts on hotels moving up to Category 8

Andaz Peninsula Papagayo (Costa Rica). This hotel had been on my list of places I wanted to check out but never got the time to do it. But this one in particular has seen massive inflation. In 2023, it moved up from a Category 5 to Category 6. Then one year later, in 2024, it moved again up to a Category 7. And now, again one year later, it moves up to Category 8? That’s absolutely ridiculous.

Park Hyatt Tokyo. We enjoyed our stay in 2024 as one of the last guests in the hotel before it closed for remodeling. It’s a special hotel, but I find it odd that they raised the price while the hotel is still closed. It doesn’t surprise me that the hotel moved up in category, not with the Park Hyatt Kyoto at an 8 as well. But I thought the hotel wouldn’t move categories until it reopened. Aren’t changes supposed to be based off room rates charged over the past year?

Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills. I never understood the pricing for the Andaz against the Park Hyatt. The Park Hyatt is supposed to be the nicer hotel, so shouldn’t there be a points difference between the two? Granted, it is a nice hotel, but my mentality has been to book the Park Hyatt over the Andaz when it’s available.

Grand Hyatt Tokyo. I didn’t get the other Tokyo moves and this one is even more questionable. Yes, hotels in Tokyo can get quite expensive during sakura season. But this hotel being a Category 8 is the most out of place of any in the roster. Expect it to be an early candidate for hotels moving back down to Category 7 next year. Or I guess you could see the introduction of Category 9 (there’s no way this hotel and Alila Ventana should be at the same level).

Grand Hyatt Kauai. We’ve stayed here and enjoyed the hotel a lot. It’s a huge resort out on Kauai that has a pretty good beach next to it. Hawaii is a popular destination, so it’s not a total surprise it would creep up to a Category 8. But it feels like it could use a bit of a refresh if it’s now on the same level as the Andaz Maui.

Other hotels moving up to Category 8: IL Tornabuoni Hotel.

Other noteworthy hotels

Grand Hyatt Baha Mar. We enjoyed this one when it was a Category 6. At Category 7, I personally feel less inclined to go. The Bahamas is not a cheap location, which is likely the reason for the points inflation. This feels like one of those instances where it might make sense to subsidize a lower cost to get you in the door, then gouge you on the price of dinner and activities while there. Instead, the higher price will turn me away.

Grand Hyatt SFO. This hotel has been one of my favorite airport hotels and seeing it move up to a Category 6 stings a bit. It becomes harder to justify staying here compared to the relatively inexpensive options just a short ride away.

Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill. We’ve stayed here and we liked it a lot. The service was as good as we thought it would be and the breakfast was also well-executed. The location isn’t too bad (though not ideal if coming from Heathrow). This is another peculiar arrangement where a lower-brand hotel is now the same cost (Category 7) as a Park Hyatt in the same city. I don’t fully get it.

Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht. One of the popular options for staying at a Hyatt in Amsterdam. We haven’t been to this one (yet) but it doesn’t surprise me that it’s moving up to a Category 7 from the generally positive commentary on the property. The Hyatt Regency Amsterdam is still at a Category 5 and represents excellent value if you want a cheaper option.

Things to note

Remember that you can book roughly a year out into the future, giving you a large window of opportunity to lock in current rates. Just remember to check the cancelation policy before you make prospective bookings because even award rates might be non-cancelable.

If you are a Globalist, you could also take advantage of points advance bookings if you do not have enough points in your account. Points will eventually be deducted roughly a week before your stay at the new rate of the stay. However, if the rate has gone up from when you originally booked it, you can give the Globalist phone line a call and get manually refunded the difference.

Also, since any change to your reservation can cause it to reprice, you might want to consider booking each night of your stay separately. For example, if you were looking to have a three night stay starting on August 1, instead consider booking one night each on August 1, August 2, and August 3. If you have any doubt that you might not stay the whole time, booking each night individually allows you the flexibility to cancel one night and not have to pay the new rate on the other nights.