15+ Best Ways To Use a Hyatt Category 1-4 Free Night Certificate

Key Takeaways

• You can earn a Category 1-4 free night certificate by staying at 5 different Hyatt brands or having 30 qualifying nights in a calendar year.
• Some of the best Category 1-4 Hotels you can book with your certificate include Andaz Savannah, Park Hyatt Mendoza, Hyatt Regency Mexico City, and Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile.

The World of Hyatt, Hyatt’s loyalty program, is a fan favorite among many award travelers, in particular, those who earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points because Hyatt is a direct transfer partner of Chase. Why do travelers like Hyatt? The primary reason is because of the value you can receive when booking Hyatt hotel rooms with Chase points.

Compared to other hotel programs like Hilton and Marriott, the points required to book a hotel room relative to the cash price for the same room are low, so you can receive solid value with the points that you use.

Another reason travelers like the Hyatt program is that you can earn free night certificates from your hotel stays or your credit card spending. Hyatt provides its members with these avenues to earn free nights, so why not take advantage of them?

In this article, we’ll show you how to earn a Category 1-4 night certificate as well as the best hotels to redeem the certificate at around the world.

How To Earn a Hyatt Free Category 1-4 Night

With the World of Hyatt program, you have 3 main ways to earn Category 1-4 free night certificates.

The first way to earn a free night certificate is to stay at 5 different Hyatt brands (known as the 5-Brand Free Night Award or Hyatt Brand Explorer). There are 25 brands in the Hyatt portfolio so you’ll have the opportunity to earn 5 free night certificates in this manner. Hyatt brands include:

Staying 30 qualifying nights or earning 50,000 Base Points in a calendar year is the second way to earn a free Category 1-4 certificate.

Another way to earn a free night is to stay at Hyatt properties for 60 qualifying nights or earn 100,000 Base Points in a calendar year. The free night that you earn this way is actually a Category 1-7 night instead of only a Category 1-4 night.

The last (and easiest) way to earn a free Category 1-4 night certificate is by holding The World of Hyatt Credit Card, which actually gives you 2 ways to earn a free night. The first is to simply be a cardmember. Every year that you pay the annual fee, you’ll earn a Category 1-4 free night certificate. The second way is to spend $15,000 on the card in a year as by hitting this threshold, you’ll earn an additional Category 1-4 free night certificate!

Bottom Line: The World of Hyatt program has a number of ways to earn a Category 1-4 free night certificate that you can use to book a complimentary hotel stay. The best way is to simply be a cardholder of the World of Hyatt card.

Hyatt Award Chart

You can use your Hyatt Category 1-4 free night certificate during off-peak, standard, or peak nights.

Best Category 1-4 Hotels To Book in the U.S. and Canada

The hotels in this article were first categorized by region, then a sample of prices was taken throughout the year for each hotel. By taking an average of the sampling pricing, you can now see what your average cent-per-point value would be for each of these stays.

The way to extract the most value is to book these U.S. and Canadian properties when the cash price is high.

1. Andaz Savannah (Georgia)

Heading south to Georgia, there is Andaz Savannah. This hotel would be an ideal place to check out the city’s antebellum architecture and historic district, as it’s within walking distance to many of Savannah’s popular attractions, including the riverfront and Forsyth Park.

The Andaz Savannah is a Category 4 hotel that averages $367 per night, giving you 2.4 cents per point in value.

JdV by Hyatt Locations

13 of the 18 JdV by Hyatt hotels in the U.S. and Canada are Category 1-4, including expensive options in big cities like San Francisco and Chicago:

Honorable Mentions

Here are a few additional intriguing hotels where you can use your Category 1-4 free night certificate.

• Hyatt Centric Chicago Magnificent Mile (Category 4; $318 per night, 2.1 cents per point)
• Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, Orlando (Category 4; $297 per night, 1.9 cents per point)
• Hyatt Regency Seattle (Category 4; $282 per night, 1.8 cents per point)

Bottom Line: The U.S. and Canada is one of the best regions in terms of the number of opportunities to book a Category 1-4 hotel. 

2 Best Category 1-4 Hotels To Book in the Caribbean and Latin America

1. Park Hyatt Mendoza (Argentina)

For those looking to experience the wine region in Argentina, the Park Hyatt Mendoza is the place to stay in the heart of the country’s wine region known for its Malbecs.

The Park Hyatt Mendoza is a Category 4 hotel that averages $260 or 15,000 points (standard) per night, netting you 1.7 cents per point.

2. Hyatt Regency Mexico City

Located in the upscale Polanco neighborhood in the heart of Mexico City, the Hyatt Regency Mexico City is close to shops, restaurants, and art galleries.

The cash costs for this Category 3 hotel average $273 per night or 12,000 points (standard), giving you 2.3 cents per point in value.

2 Best Category 1-4 Hotels To Book in Europe

Compared to other regions, using a Category 1-4 free night in Europe is going to be tough. There aren’t many properties where the value is more than 2 cents per point, however, there are still some great options worth considering.

1. Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile (France)

Just north of the Arc de Triomphe, you’ll find the Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile hotel. What is great about this hotel is that some rooms have incredible views of the Eiffel Tower, making any trip to Paris that much better.

The Étoile averages $331 or 15,000 points (standard) per night — a 2.2 cents per point in value for your free night certificate.

Hot Tip: Dig into our guide on the best hotels in Paris to book with points for more options. You can also use points and miles to fly to lots of destinations in Europe, including France!

2. Andaz Vienna Am Belvedere (Austria)

In Austria’s capital, Vienna, there’s an Andaz property worth keeping your eye on. The Andaz Vienna Am Belvedere is located just outside Vienna’s Old Town and would be an excellent place to use your Category 1-4 free night certificate.

The Andaz Vienna is a Category 3 hotel averaging $218 per night, giving you 1.8 cents per point in value.

2 Best Category 1-4 Hotels To Book in Africa and the Middle East

This region, like Europe, is another one that’s not well represented with Category 1-4 properties that offer valuable redemptions.

With that said, there are a few hotels that may be worth considering if you’re in Africa or the Middle East.

1. Hyatt Regency Aqaba Ayla (Jordan)

Hyatt has 2 properties in Jordan, and the Hyatt Regency Aqaba Ayla hotel is the one you’ll want to check out.

Situated in the port city of Aqaba, this Hyatt Regency is home to an ancient fort, archaeological museum, beaches, windsurfing, water sports, and scuba diving.

The Aqaba Ayla averages $228 or 12,000 points per night, so you should be able to receive about 1.9 cents per point in value.

2. Hyatt Regency Casablanca (Morocco)

If you’re wanting to check out Morocco, the Hyatt Regency Casablanca is a property to book on your trip. Casablanca is a French colonial port city with beautiful architecture, beachfront cafes, bars, hotels, and restaurants.

This Category 3 property in Casablanca averages $201 or 12,000 points (standard) per night. As a result, you can get about 1.7 cents per point in value.

Bottom Line: Africa and the Middle East do not have a vast selection of Category 1-4 hotels that offer more than 2 cents per point. 

3 Best Category 1-4 Hotels To Book in Asia

Asia is another region where you can use your Hyatt free night certificates for great value.

1. Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui

Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui is located in the Kowloon section of the city near lots of popular attractions and mass transit, making it easy to get around. Guests will enjoy the modern decor, fitness center, pool, and beautiful city views.

Rooms here average about $218 per night, giving you a 1.5 cents per point value.

Hot Tip: You can also use points for your flight to Hong Kong.

2. Hyatt Regency Tokyo (Japan)

The Hyatt Regency Tokyo is a great hotel to stay at during your trip to Japan. You’ll be able to check out the many izakayas, or bars, throughout the city, the Toyosu fish market, and the amazing food scene.

Historically room rates hover around $387, giving you about 2.6 cents per dollar in value. However, currently, prices have dropped, most likely because of COVID-19, so it may be best to wait a while to use your certificates in Japan.

Hot Tip: You can save additional money by using miles to fly to Japan. If you’re going during a popular time like Cherry Blossom season, be sure to book far ahead of time.

3. Grand Hyatt Taipei (Taiwan)

Island hop over to Taiwan, and you’ll find the Grand Hyatt Taipei. Taipei is known for its night markets, the National Palace Museum, and the 509-meter bamboo-shaped skyscraper Taipei 101.

You’ll have to pay $220 or 15,000 points per night to stay at this hotel, getting about 1.5 cents per point in value.

3 Best Category 1-4 Hotels To Book in Australia and the Pacific

Rounding out the list of Category 1-4 properties lands you in the Australia and Pacific region. All in all, this isn’t a region with a ton of sweet spots, so keep that in mind when you’re looking to redeem your Category 1-4 free night certificate.

1. Hyatt Centric Melbourne (Australia)

Hyatt Centric Melbourne is a modern hotel inspired by the local food scene. Centrally located, this Category 4 hotel has an average price of $285 per night, giving you a 1.7 cents per point value. However, we found many nights that cost well over $400 offering a value of over 2.5 cents per point!

2. Grand Hyatt Melbourne (Australia)

The Grand Hyatt Melbourne is centrally located within walking distance of many of the city’s most popular tourist attractions. This luxury hotel has multiple dining locations, a fitness center, a rooftop tennis court, and a pool.

This Category 4 hotel averages about $254 per night, giving you a 1.7 cents per point value.

Hot Tip: There’s a third Category 4 location in Australia that’s worth mentioning. Hyatt Regency Sydney recently dropped to a Category 4 hotel. It averages about $239 per night, offering a value of 1.6 cents per point.

Final Thoughts

Hyatt is a major hotel operator that continues to compete with the big brands of Hilton and Marriott. Many Hyatt elite members appreciate having their loyalty rewarded by being able to tap into the redemptions on this list.

Though Hyatt gets a bad rap for not having property coverage in many parts of the world, this list confirms that you have plenty of free nights available worldwide, just not always at a phenomenal value.

So when the time comes to redeem your Category 1-4 free night certificate, make sure to leverage this list to receive top value for your Hyatt free nights.