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In my recent post about my perfect Hyatt mattress run, I mentioned paying more to secure a beachfront room. In response, a reader asked why I didn’t use a Hyatt Suite Upgrade Award for that purpose. The answer: Hyatt’s Suite Upgrade Awards don’t work at Destination Residences properties (which this was). And that makes sense because Destination Residence properties are apartment style usually with living room, dining, and kitchen areas separate from one or more bedrooms. In other words, you get a suite (or better) automatically. This question, though, made me wonder where else can’t we use our Suite Upgrade Awards?
Hyatt confirmed suite upgrades
With Hyatt, there are several ways to confirm a suite in-advance without paying the cash rate for the suite:
- Suite Free Night Awards: Hyatt’s free night award chart includes pricing for booking suites with points. Suite availability for awards is not guaranteed.
- Complimentary Suite Upgrade Awards: Through Hyatt’s Milestone Rewards, it’s possible to earn Suite Upgrade Awards (starting at 50 nights). On any paid or award stay, you can apply a Suite Upgrade Award to be upgraded to a suite for the entire length of your stay. One upgrade award can be used for a stay of up to 7 nights. Suite Upgrade Awards can be applied as early as the time of booking. To apply a suite upgrade award, a standard suite must be available for the entire length of your stay.
- Suite Upgrade Awards with Points: On qualifying paid rates, it’s possible to upgrade to a suite using points:
- Suite Upgrade: 6,000 points per night
- Premium Suite Upgrade: 9,000 points per night
Suite Award Ineligible Properties
Within World of Hyatt’s terms & conditions you can find a list of “Suite Award Ineligible Properties.” These are properties where you can’t book a suite through any of the methods described above. Here’s the list of ineligible properties:
- Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa
- Park Hyatt Sydney
- Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills
- Hyatt Regency Kyoto
- Hyatt Regency Wichita
- Hyatt Paris Madeleine
- Hyatt Herald Square New York
- Hyatt Key West Resort and Spa
- Hyatt City of Dreams Manila
- Hyatt Centric South Beach Miami
- Spirit Ridge at NK’MIP Resort
- Hyatt Rosemont
- Hyatt Regency Suites Atlanta Northwest
- Hyatt Regency Lisle near Naperville
- Hyatt Regency John Wayne Airport Newport Beach
- Thompson Seattle
- Chicago Athletic Association
- The Talbott
- Hotel Revival Baltimore
- Hotel Avatar
- Hotel del Sol
- Waterfront Hotel
- Park South
- The Laurel Inn
- Hotel Kabuki
- Alila Manggis
- Studios at Alila Sminyak
- Alila Villas Uluwatu
- Ventana Campground
- Destination Residences
- Caption by Hyatt
- Hyatt Place hotels or resorts
Suite Upgrade Ineligible Properties
In addition to the list of “Suite Award Ineligible Properties,” above, one brand is ineligible for suite upgrades (but apparently may be available for Suite Free Night Awards):
- Hyatt Residence Club hotels or resorts
Short Answer
If you’re anything like me, you’ll never remember the specific list of ineligible hotels, but you may be able to remember the much shorter list of Hyatt brands that don’t allow suite ugprades:
- Destination Residences
- Caption by Hyatt
- Hyatt Place hotels or resorts
- Hyatt Residence Club hotels or resorts
See Also
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Is there an article on which Hyatt locations have clubs where you can use Club Access?
No, but others have asked! I don’t know any good way to get that info though
Greg, Some of the suite award ineligible properties may be incorrect. I booked a suite using points at the Hyatt Regency Lisle near Naperville just two months ago.
That being said, great post. I’m glad the PH Kyoto isn’t on the list as that is where I was planning on using one of my suite upgrades.
Good to know, thanks!
You could add the Hyatt Regency Tokyo and Tokyo Centric Ginza as well. I don’t know if they “officially” take SU’s, but I have been told “No” on two separate trips.
I thought Ventana is an Alila brand not destination. And they can be used at alila no?
Yes, that’s right. At Ventana you can use suite upgrades, but not at Ventana Campground. Note that there are a couple Alila properties in the ineligible property list as well:
Just a tiny roast, Greg, but I’m sure that you meant to use “complimentary” not “complementary” suite nights.
Oops! Fixed.
This bonvoyesque list is making Globalist lite (not going for the 60 night milestone awards) look even better.
Will Hyatt Place upgrade Globalist to suite if available at check in? Don’t laugh. In looking at one where the suite is 800 sf.
Yes, they absolutely will.
It’s a “brand standard” issue because a significant percentage of HPs don’t have a true “suite”. And actually many of the larger rooms could be considered suites even though they are standard rooms (ie 2Q + sofabed).
I believe Park hyatt beaver creek is also excluded
It isn’t. Just used 1 there. Not a true suite though. It’s more like a large room.
Hyatt Regency Wichita, huh? #bonvoyed. Really though, the excluded properties do not follow the reasonably restricted categories giving this a Marriott aftertaste. The absolute number is not huge, but with Hyatt’s small footprint it makes an impact
Santa Barbara property is off limits too. Maybe it’s a brand (HRC). Just speaking from experience because it’s one of the few times I’ve gone to use them and no dice