I’ve collected a couple of Hyatt tips, tricks, and notes recently that I wanted to share.

Hyatt Points + Cash is a great way to get a better redemption value out of your Hyatt points, while earning elite stay credit and allowing DSUs. Obviously you can find cash rates and availability easily, and it’s pretty easy also to find points availability and rates when searching over all hotels in an area. However, if you’re looking for Points + Cash availability for multiple hotels, you normally need to click into a specific hotel to see whether Points + Cash is available.

Via Will Run for Miles, now there’s an easier way to find Points + Cash availability at multiple hotels at the same time. All you need to do is put 51440 into the Corporate or Group Rate field, and search as normal. If there is availability, the rate you see on the search page will show up as the cash rate for Points + Cash redemption option. If not, it will show as something else unless the cash rate is coincidentally the same as the Points + Cash rate, which normally doesn’t happen.

For example, if it was a category 4 hotel, the rate would show up as $100 USD. Reminder, the rates are:

I just tested, and this trick also works for foreign Hyatts as well. However, the rate will show up as the USD equivalent in the foreign currency, so may not be as intuitive. If you change the currency to USD too, the numbers are slightly off as well, as I don’t believe Hyatt updates their exchange rates super frequently.

Foreign exchange rates and Points + Cash

Speaking of foreign exchange rates, according to the @HyattConcierge, Points + Cash rates are always in USD and converted to the local currency, even if the exchange rate changes between when you booked and when you check out.

Thus, even if the local currency exchange rate gets much worse or much better for you, according to Hyatt you should be paying the equivalent in USD at time of check out. I have not personally tested this policy, but good to know. Though it seems like they don’t update the exchange rates super frequently given some recent searches I did.

Comparing the value of cash, points, and points + cash bookings

Now how do you calculate the value of the various booking options? There is a new tool via FrequentMiler called Hyatt MakeUpYourMinder (tool being a spreadsheet on Google Sheets) that helps you decide on what the total cost of each booking option in, calculating the value of the points you have redeemed based on various factors customized to your preferences. Check it out!