How I Stay at Park Hyatt Hotels All Over the World for $0

Park Hyatt is a brand synonymous with luxury. I’ve had the pleasure of staying at multiple properties around the world — with $0 out-of-pocket cost. What’s my secret? No, it’s not magic, I’m not a sought-after TikTok influencer, and I didn’t find a secret sale.

I used Hyatt points.

I’ve booked stays at hotels like Park Hyatt Chicago, Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme, Park Hyatt Zurich, Park Hyatt New York, and Park Hyatt St. Kitts Christophe Harbour (the only Park Hyatt in the Caribbean), all using World of Hyatt points. This is an excellent way to enjoy a luxurious hotel stay without breaking the bank.

My most recent Park Hyatt stay was at the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme. This elegant property is centrally located in Paris, within walking distance of popular spots such as the Tuileries Garden, Place de la Concorde, and the Louvre. I used 165,000 points for four nights at this hotel in May, and it was a fantastic experience. Had I paid cash, it would have cost $4,647.

Last summer, I stayed at Park Hyatt Zurich. The hotel’s understated elegance, central location, and spacious guest rooms made it an ideal choice for my trip. I paid just 75,000 Hyatt points for three nights, a stay that would have otherwise cost $1,565.

Getting consistently high value from my points (at fantastic hotels, no less) is one of the main reasons Hyatt is my favorite hotel program.

Related: How I Booked a Week in Europe Using Points and Miles

Park Hyatt

Park Hyatt is one of the most luxurious brands within Hyatt’s growing portfolio. There are currently 46 locations across 26 countries. In fact, some of Hyatt’s most desirable hotels fall under the Park Hyatt brand: Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa, Park Hyatt Sydney, Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme, and Park Hyatt Kyoto, to name a few.

There are also some exciting new hotels in the works. Park Hyatt Marrakech just opened its doors in July 2024, and Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, Park Hyatt Johannesburg, and Park Hyatt London River Thames are all expected to open later in 2024. Park Hyatt Los Cabos at Cabo del Sol and Park Hyatt Phu Quoc in Vietnam will debut in the first half of 2025, while Park Hyatt Toyko will reopen in the fall of 2025 after extensive renovations.

World of Hyatt Program

World of Hyatt is a loyalty program that allows members to earn and use points at more than 1,300 hotels and resorts in 76 countries around the world. There are 29 brands within the Hyatt portfolio, including luxury options like Park Hyatt, Alila, Andaz, Miraval, Thompson Hotels, and The Unbound Collection.

In addition to Hyatt’s own brands, you can also book Mr. and Mrs. Smith hotels, a curated collection of boutique and independent properties that Hyatt purchased in 2023.

This acquisition has added 700-plus hotels that are bookable through Hyatt, many of which are in locations that previously didn’t have any Hyatt hotels, including Anguilla (Malliouhana), the British Virgin Islands (Long Bay Beach Resort, The Hideout White Bay, and The Aerial BVI), and Turks and Caicos (Ambergris Cay).

How to Earn Hyatt Points

Before you can redeem points at Park Hyatt locations, you’ll need to earn them. Thankfully, this is simple and straightforward.

You’ll earn points every time you stay at any Hyatt hotel. All Hyatt members (it’s free to join) earn five points per dollar spent on eligible charges (stays at Hyatt Studios earn 2.5 points per dollar), and elite members (Discoverist, Explorist, and Globalist) earn an additional 0.5 to 1.5 points per dollar.

But there are also plenty of ways to earn points without stepping foot in a hotel.

The World of Hyatt Credit Card and World of Hyatt Business Credit Card earn points on every purchase. The World of Hyatt card earns four points per dollar spent at Hyatt hotels (including extras like restaurant charges), two points per dollar spent on dining, airfare purchased directly with the airline, local transit and commuting, and gym memberships. All other purchases earn one point per dollar.

In addition, this card comes with a complimentary free night at a Category 1-4 hotel each year after paying the annual fee ($95). You can earn another free night certificate after spending $15,000 in a year. I spend up to that $15,000 threshold each year because, in addition to the free night certificate, using this card helps earn Hyatt elite status (you’ll get two elite night credits for every $5,000 spent).

Transferring points to Hyatt is another excellent strategy for accumulating points.

Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio, and are usually instant. That means any points earned on Ultimate Rewards cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Preferred, and Ink Business Preferred can turn into Hyatt points with the click of a button.

Additional ways to earn Hyatt points include transferring from Bilt Rewards (a niche program aimed at renters) and flying on American Airlines (elite members earn one point per dollar spent on American flights).

How to Use Hyatt Points

Unlike many other big hotel brands, Hyatt still uses an award chart, so it’s simple to figure out how many points a stay will cost. This, and the fact that I can get consistently great value from my points, is why Hyatt is my go-to when booking hotels.

Most Hyatt hotels are divided into eight main categories (all-inclusive resorts have a separate chart). Within each category, there are off-peak, standard, and peak prices. So, any given hotel will have three possible prices per night (for a standard room).

At the low end, Category 1 hotels cost 3,500 (off-peak), 5,000 (standard), or 6,500 (peak) points per night. The top-level Category 8 hotels (which include many Park Hyatt locations) cost 35,000 (off-peak), 40,000 (standard), or 45,000 (peak) points per night.

When searching for a hotel on Hyatt’s website, slide the toggle to see the price in points instead of dollars. To view the prices for other nights, click on “Points Calendar” at the top of the page. (Note this function just shows off-peak, standard, and peak pricing; you’ll need to click on each date to see actual availability.)

Many hotels also offer the option to book a suite with points. If available, these prices will be in a tab next to the standard room prices.

Hyatt Elite Status

Another excellent feature of the Hyatt program is that elite members (Discoverist, Explorist, and Globalist) don’t pay resort fees on award bookings. This is a great perk considering you can get Discoverist status simply by having the World of Hyatt card.

The perks get even better once you hit top-tier Globalist status (achieved after staying 60 nights or earning 100,000 base points in a year). As a Globalist, you’ll be eligible for perks such as upgrades to standard suites (when available at check-in), a 4 p.m. late checkout, and a free breakfast.

The free breakfast benefit is especially valuable at high-end Park Hyatt properties. During my stay at Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme, the breakfast bill was more than 100 euros each morning for two people. Thanks to my Globalist status, those charges were erased. That’s a deal I’ll take every day.