# New Year tip #2 - Get a Hyatt Credit card



## twinmommy19 (Jan 22, 2013)

I thought I had posted this last week, but I guess not.  I'm sure there are loyal Marriott and Starwoods cardholders on here, but the Hyatt CC is a really amazing deal.  My mom has a Marriott card, but this Hyatt card blows it away.  I by the way - do not own a Hyatt TS and benefit in no way whatsoever by promoting them.  

First of all, when you sign up for the Hyatt card you get two free nights at ANY Hyatt (not at pure TS places, but at all hotels).  So if you and a spouse each sign up for the card and pay the $75 annual fee, this entitles you to 4 nights at any Hyatt - no strings attached.  Yes - that inludes Beaver Creek Park Hyatt in the winter, Paris, NY, Hawaii, etc. in peak season. There are no black out dates or exceptions unless the hotel is legitimately sold out. We stayed at the Hyatt in Aruba in our first year.  This feature alone makes it worth signing up for this card (even if you cancel it after year 1).  In comparison, my parents just used their Marriott free night in Trumbull CT because it was so restrictive and was about to expire....

In subsequent years, Hyatt gives you one free night which is more restrictive than in the initial year, but not restrictive at all compared to some of the other hotel brand restrictions on the give away nights.  Hyatt lets you book up to category 4 which includes lots of very very nice properties (NYC, Cali, Florida, etc.) - we used our 2 free nights (one for each of us) this year at Hyatt Escala Lodge and also used points we had accumulated on the card (they actually add up quickly and the exchange rate per dollar spent is excellent) to book 5 nights in January.  We went with another couple who did the same thing.  The kicker though - was that they allow you to upgrade your free room at Hyatt Escala to the gorgeous suite units with FULL kitchen / washer dryer etc. for a small fee.  I.e. for $115 a night we upgraded one of the two deluxe room units to a 1 BR suite with a connecting room (lock out) to the other regular deluxe room unit.  So basically, we traded in 2 regular hotel rooms for a 2 BR deluxe suite at Hyatt Escala in peak season for $115 a night (this unit would NEVER come up on II and probably even Hyatt owners can't easily reserve it).  It was the nicest unit I've ever seen.  Since we were hotel guests not TS guests we also got daily maid service.  

Only having had this card for a year and a half, we've accumulated enough points that also covered a 2 night stay in Andraz Hollywood, and a 1 night airport stay at Hyatt House Denver (another bargain - Hyatt lets you combine points with other member for a reservation.  Airport hotels take very few points and with Hyatt House if you reserve a suite for a few extra points you get a 2 bedroom.  So when we went to Colorado with friends last year, each of us contributed half the points for one night in the 2 bedroom Hyatt House for a very low amount of points.  Don't remember the exact amount but it was next to nothing.)  

Hyatt also runs specials multiple times a year where you could buy points at 30% discount.  We haven't done this, but if we knew we needed a few extra nights at an expensive place, we might consider.

In any event, I am rambling now, so I'll stop here.  This card has offered amazing value for us, and unlike a TS there is no LT commitment to give it a shot.  You can always cancel the card. I highly recommend it for all Tuggers. 

Secondly


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## mav (Jan 22, 2013)

Wow! Thanks for the info! It sounds great!  We use a lot of airport hotels in different cities and countries.


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## Bxian (Feb 12, 2013)

I also recommend getting this card.  We used our 2 free nights at the Grand Hyatt on Kauai-amazing!


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## akp (Feb 13, 2013)

*My husband and I each got a Hyatt card *

We're having 4 nights in Moscow at the Park Hyatt for $150 (2 x $75).   

Love this game!!!  

Anita


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## Larry (Feb 13, 2013)

I have both Hyatt and Marriott cc's and agree that Hyatt is much better. I was able to get 2 free nights for January 2012 at Hyatt Aruba where price would have been over $450 per night plus tax just for upgrading my CC. 

I also used points for two nights at Hyatt Cancun and for an extra 2000 points per night was able to get concierge level with free breakfast and snacks and drinks throughout the day. These were both added on to beginning of timeshare stays which saved me a couple of hundred dollars on airfare by flying in during week rather than on weekends when airfare was higher.

I have been saving tons of points with Marriott over several years in order to get one of those deals with hotel and airfare. Every time I get close to point level needed for what I want they raise the points requirements

I also use both cards for avoidance of foreign currency transaction fees and for additional auto insurance coverage on car rentals so I never pay extra for that either. I also get the free night every year on both cards which more than offsets the annual card fee. I actually  saved more than the entire fee just by eliminating the foreign transaction fees.


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## IngridN (Feb 13, 2013)

Thank you bonk, this is certainly worth looking into for us as we would use the free nights. The Marriott free night is harder and harder to use mainly with the 6 month after anniv. restriction. 

A stupid question...will they give me a cc in my name even though I am retired? DH still works and there is more than enough income.

Ingrid


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## akp (Feb 13, 2013)

*Probably*



IngridN said:


> Thank you bonk, this is certainly worth looking into for us as we would use the free nights. The Marriott free night is harder and harder to use mainly with the 6 month after anniv. restriction.
> 
> A stupid question...will they give me a cc in my name even though I am retired? DH still works and there is more than enough income.
> 
> Ingrid



That's not a stupid question at all.

I'm a stay at home mom and I get approved for credit easily.  Read the description of income on the application and answer based on that.  You don't need to be drawing a salary, only demonstrate the ability to pay.

I put interest income on my applications and have never been denied credit.

Anita


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## IngridN (Feb 13, 2013)

Thx Anita, that's good to know.

Ingrid


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## JudyS (Feb 13, 2013)

IngridN said:


> Thank you bonk, this is certainly worth looking into for us as we would use the free nights. The Marriott free night is harder and harder to use mainly with the 6 month after anniv. restriction.
> 
> A stupid question...will they give me a cc in my name even though I am retired? DH still works and there is more than enough income.
> 
> Ingrid


Under the new federal credit card regulations, credit card applicants are required to have *personal* income, not just household income. This was intended to stop credit card companies from marketing to college students with no income, but has had the unintended consequence of preventing stay-at-home moms and other post-college-age people without personal income from obtaining credit cards. There is talk in Congress of changing this, but no action on this as of yet. 

You may still be able to qualify if you have pension/Social Security income in your own name, or if you have income from investments (as Anita mentioned.) However, if you don't have income in your own name, you are out of luck. This has been a problem for me as I have been too sick to work and therefore have no income in my name.


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## LisaRex (Feb 14, 2013)

JudyS said:


> Under the new federal credit card regulations, credit card applicants are required to have *personal* income, not just household income. This was intended to stop credit card companies from marketing to college students with no income, but has had the unintended consequence of preventing stay-at-home moms and other post-college-age people without personal income from obtaining credit cards.



It hasn't worked because both of my college students regularly receive credit card offers in the mail.  

I work part-time and still get tons of credit card offers.  My most recent one (Chase Sapphire) has a credit line equal to my personal annual income.


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## LisaRex (Feb 14, 2013)

FYI, here is the award chart for hotel rooms and Hyatt Vacation Club properties:

http://www.hyatt.com/gp/en/awards/hyatt_free_night.jsp


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## talkamotta (Feb 14, 2013)

This card could come in handy.  It seems like when I am stacking vacations;
 there is always one of the weeks that is fri to fri or sun to sun and I need a place to stay for one night.


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## JudyS (Feb 14, 2013)

LisaRex said:


> It hasn't worked because both of my college students regularly receive credit card offers in the mail.
> 
> I work part-time and still get tons of credit card offers.  My most recent one (Chase Sapphire) has a credit line equal to my personal annual income.


Lisa, were these just _offers_, or did you and your kids actually get _approved _after stating little or no personal income?

Generally, credit card companies have no way to tell a person's income, except by what the person writes on the credit card application. So, banks are still sending out offers to people with no personal income. However, they are not supposed to actually give credit cards to people who state little or no personal income. 

Perhaps instead of saying the new legislation was to stop marketing of credit cards to college students, I should have said it was intended to stop the _issuing_ of credit card to college students.


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## akp (Feb 14, 2013)

*Lots of options*



talkamotta said:


> This card could come in handy.  It seems like when I am stacking vacations;
> there is always one of the weeks that is fri to fri or sun to sun and I need a place to stay for one night.



Agreed.

And keep in mind that there are lots of options for cards that come with free nights.

The Hyatt card is great especially for high dollar locations (Hawaii, Aruba, Paris).

The Marriott free night, though recently devalued, would still be a good adjunct to a trip if there is a category 1-5 Marriott near your timeshare.

The Priority Club Visa gives an 80,000 point sign up bonus, and also you get a free night at any hotel (including Intercontinentals) every year you keep the card.  $49 annual fee.  

And there are at least SIX cards that give you free nights and / or significant bonuses for Hilton.

I'm working on a blog post about all of these but haven't gotten it done yet.  Too much else to write about!

Anita


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## LisaRex (Feb 14, 2013)

JudyS said:


> Generally, credit card companies have no way to tell a person's income, except by what the person writes on the credit card application. So, banks are still sending out offers to people with no personal income. However, they are not supposed to actually give credit cards to people who state little or no personal income.



I got the Chase Sapphire card within the last 18 months.  I've worked part-time for 13 years and never has my income even come close to what my lines of credit are. 

Now that I think about it, I'm more than positive that the application asks for 'household' income (or something like that) in addition to my personal income.  That is where I put my husband's income because it is, indeed, our money.

My oldest daughter does have a credit card in her name with a modest line of credit ($500?).  I encouraged her to do this to start building up her own credit score.  I don't know if the banks would ever issue one with those cards with great sign-on bonuses, because I tear them up.


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## akp (Feb 14, 2013)

LisaRex said:


> I got the Chase Sapphire card within the last 18 months.  I've worked part-time for 13 years and never has my income even come close to what my lines of credit are.
> 
> Now that I think about it, I'm more than positive that the application asks for 'household' income (or something like that) in addition to my personal income.  That is where I put my husband's income because it is, indeed, our money.
> 
> My oldest daughter does have a credit card in her name with a modest line of credit ($500?).  I encouraged her to do this to start building up her own credit score.  I don't know if the banks would ever issue one with those cards with great sign-on bonuses, because I tear them up.



You're doing your daughter a good turn here. Make sure she uses the card occasionally as that will help build her credit history (assuming she also pays it off each time!  I hope it is a no annual fee card that she can keep forever.  Help her understand that she shouldn't cancel this card as your oldest credit card plays a big role in your credit history. 

Anita


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## PClapham (Feb 15, 2013)

I'm confused-while checking out hyatts for Madrid I found a park Hyatt villa magna but on the Hyatt website it says there are no hyatts in Madrid.  Why this title if the Madrid hotel is not really a Hyatt?

Thanks in advance for clearing the confusion.

Anitak


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## litebrite (Feb 18, 2013)

My family got a Hyatt Credit card and we are using the free hotel rooms to stay in Disneyland! Thanks for all the great info!


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## akp (Feb 18, 2013)

*Interesting about the Hyatt*



PClapham said:


> I'm confused-while checking out hyatts for Madrid I found a park Hyatt villa magna but on the Hyatt website it says there are no hyatts in Madrid.  Why this title if the Madrid hotel is not really a Hyatt?
> 
> Thanks in advance for clearing the confusion.
> 
> Anitak



Villa Magna is no longer branded a Hyatt.  (As of 2008 from what I could tell).   

If you're headed to Madrid and need hotel nights, you might check either the Club Carlson credit card issued by US Bank or the Priority Club Visa issued by Chase.

The best Club Carlson card comes with 85,000 points as a bonus which is pretty decent.  But the best feature of this card is that the last night of every award stay is free for a cardholder!  So if you stay 3 nights, you only pay for 2.  If you stay for 2 nights, you only pay for one.  It's awesome.

If you and your husband each got a card, you could book two nights in his name , followed by 2 nights in your name.  The Radisson Blu (part of Club Carlson) hotels are said to be amazing.  (I *think* you might need to have the full number of points needed in your account when you book but I'm not sure.  I'll check and report back)

The Priority Club Visa comes with 80,000 points.  Most Intercontinentals  are 50,000.  This one also comes with a free night every year for the $49 annual fee.  My husband and I have given up on trying to get Manhattan Club reservations and now just use our two free Intercontinental nights for a weekend in NYC.

If you don't have enough points for the Priority Club hotels (Intercontinental, Holiday Inn, etc.) they have a points and cash option which is pretty awesome.  Contact me at weeksplusmiles@gmail.com if you have any questions, or PM me here.

Anita P


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## PClapham (Feb 18, 2013)

Thanks, Anita. We are set for Spain.  

aniitak


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## LisaRex (Feb 19, 2013)

BTW, Costco members save 10% at participating Hyatts.  Click through Costco.com or request offer code "Costco."


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## #1 Cowboys Fan (Feb 19, 2013)

*What was "New Year Tip #1"?*

I have been following this thread, and may sign up for the card.

I see that it is titled "New Year Tip #2"..............makes me curious..........................what was "....New Year Tip #1"  ??

Thanks,
Pat


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## akp (Feb 19, 2013)

*Here is the link*



#1 Cowboys Fan said:


> I have been following this thread, and may sign up for the card.
> 
> I see that it is titled "New Year Tip #2"..............makes me curious..........................what was "....New Year Tip #1"  ??
> 
> ...



http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=185714


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