Help Wanted - Hyatt trade for II and Places To Go

[SunandFun83]

i just closed on a Hyatt week that came with 4,000 EE points in Interval. There are 2,000 year one points and 2,000 year two points.

Your help is requested for two areas:

1. How high is the trading power of these Hyatt points and what is the best I can hope for? People have talked about internal preferences for Marriott and Starwood that may give owners inside the system the best ( New Years and Easter ) weeks,

2. Any recommendations on places to go? We will be at the Royal Sands for two weeks at the end of January. I rented my Ocean Pointe weeks to free up my calendar. What can you recommend for warm weather in March and/or April? Any ideas for November/ December of 2016?

Thanks for your help. I posted in Hyatt because it is specific to Hyatt trading power and II.

 

[Tucsonadventurer]

I too am curious what folks favorite trades have been using Hyatt and which properties besides Starwood are impossible to get.

 

[tschwa2]

My understanding of points that trade in II, through a fixed grid- it cost x points to get a 1 br during a tdi of 135, that trading power doesn't come into play. Your place in line is determined by when you put in your request. A Marriott or Startwood owner exchanging into a unit with priority would bump you if the week were in the priority period. If a week wasn't protected by priority, either priority had elapsed or it was deposited with no priority in place then you get the week if you were first to request it. This goes for Hyatt points, DRI points, Worldmark points, Welk points, Marriott DC points, Club Interval Gold points etc. If you are in a system that you need to use your points to book a week to deposit or your home week is deposited then you need to worry about trading power. Otherwise as long as you have enough points you are exactly equal with others with enough points and ahead of any weeks owners who make a request after you.

 

[tahoeJoe]

My understanding of points that trade in II, through a fixed grid- it cost x points to get a 1 br during a tdi of 135, that trading power doesn't come into play. Your place in line is determined by when you put in your request. A Marriott or Startwood owner exchanging into a unit with priority would bump you if the week were in the priority period. If a week wasn't protected by priority, either priority had elapsed or it was deposited with no priority in place then you get the week if you were first to request it. This goes for Hyatt points, DRI points, Worldmark points, Welk points, Marriott DC points, Club Interval Gold points etc. If you are in a system that you need to use your points to book a week to deposit or your home week is deposited then you need to worry about trading power. Otherwise as long as you have enough points you are exactly equal with others with enough points and ahead of any weeks owners who make a request after you.

All this is true which is why I tell people that Hyatt trading power in II is not very good. There is no preference like Marriott or Starwood. In fact one can't even trade back into Hyatt! Therefore, as mentioned, Hyatt is no better than Welk, DRI, etc? I see more, and better trades withmy SDO (Starwood) or Marriott than I do with Hyatt.

As for places to go, Orlando, Cancun, and Vegas are always sure bets.

 

[lizap]

We have had some wonderful trades in II with our Hyatt, including Marriott Ocean Pointe and Desert Springs II.

All this is true which is why I tell people that Hyatt trading power in II is not very good. There is no preference like Marriott or Starwood. In fact one can't even trade back into Hyatt! Therefore, as mentioned, Hyatt is no better than Welk, DRI, etc? I see more, and better trades withmy SDO (Starwood) or Marriott than I do with Hyatt.

As for places to go, Orlando, Cancun, and Vegas are always sure bets.

 

[SunandFun83]

Maybe there is an idea hidden here?

All this is true which is why I tell people that Hyatt trading power in II is not very good. There is no preference like Marriott or Starwood. In fact one can't even trade back into Hyatt! Therefore, as mentioned, Hyatt is no better than Welk, DRI, etc? I see more, and better trades withmy SDO (Starwood) or Marriott than I do with Hyatt.

As for places to go, Orlando, Cancun, and Vegas are always sure bets.

The comments about system preference for Marriott and Starwood, then mention of Welk and DRI might be a clue. Maybe I need to research the best rated resorts which do not give brand preference.

Any idea what the very best Welk and DRI resorts are? My Westin Lagunamar and Royal Caribean are II trades weeks 49/50 in Cancun. We will probably go back again. 49/50 are off season. A great time to visit Cancun without kids.

 

[tschwa2]

49/50 are also great times to visit Mexico or the Caribbean with children under 5, no school schedule to worry about, the cheapest airfares. It is cold enough at home that you feel like you are really getting away to somewhere warm and exotic and it's kind of neat to see palm trees decorated with Christmas lights. You can skip the shopping malls and just do a little online and gift carding and you feel like you had an excuse- I was away.

 

[sjsharkie]

The comments about system preference for Marriott and Starwood, then mention of Welk and DRI might be a clue. Maybe I need to research the best rated resorts which do not give brand preference.

Any idea what the very best Welk and DRI resorts are? My Westin Lagunamar and Royal Caribean are II trades weeks 49/50 in Cancun. We will probably go back again. 49/50 are off season. A great time to visit Cancun without kids.

See here for the points chart. Hosted courtesy of Kal's Hyatt site.

http://www.bywindkal.com/Files/HyattInterval.pdf

I think it's great that you had some leftover EEE points. Might as well use them.

-ryan

 

[suzannesimon]

Two years ago we traded our Hyatt points for a late-Sept week at Harborside at Atlantis (Starwood) 1 Bedroom Premium. The weather was beautiful.. November is low season so I'm pretty sure you could get in. With the same points I got an April huge studio at the Grande Luxxe in Puerto Vallarta and gave it to my son and his girlfriend. It was super posh. I still had enough left for a studio which I never used. I started out with 1880 points. I love exchanging it in Interval but I usually occupy my week or rent it.

 

[optimist]

We are in the process of selling our Hyatt but we pretty much exclusively traded it. We have traded into
Westin Kierland Villas in February
Newport Coast Villas in October
Marriott Cypress Harbour week between xmas and new year
Maui Ocean Club in January
Ko Olina in January
Four Seasons Carlsbad in December
Westin Kaanapali in January
Westin Princeville in January
The Royal Caribbean Memorial day week

I think Hyatt has excellent trading power. I can see everything with my Hyatt that I see with my SDO except for other Hyatts.

 

[tschwa2]

I think Hyatt has excellent trading power. I can see everything with my Hyatt that I see with my SDO except for other Hyatts.

Yes, but wouldn't the MF's you paid on the Hyatt points to make the exchanges be much higher when trading into anything other than a studio, then if you had used the small 1 br side of SDO? If you are using it for exchanging it is much less expensive to by an annual or EOY 2 br SDO unless you almost exclusively travel in studios in lower season.

 

[sjsharkie]

Yes, but wouldn't the MF's you paid on the Hyatt points to make the exchanges be much higher when trading into anything other than a studio, then if you had used the small 1 br side of SDO? If you are using it for exchanging it is much less expensive to by an annual or EOY 2 br SDO unless you almost exclusively travel in studios in lower season.

Depends where they own and what season. It will cost much more up front to purchase, but with Pinon Pointe mfs of about $1000, you can squeeze 3 or 4 1-BR trades out of it owning Diamond season.

Again, not what I would use my Hyatt property for, but it is possible.

-ryan

 

[suzannesimon]

I never try to get prime weeks in Interval, but my 2 bedroom Hyatt fee was $1400 and I was able to book 1 one-bedroom and 2 studios in late-April and September. I prefer those times anyway if the grandkids aren't going.

 

[sjsharkie]

I never try to get prime weeks in Interval, but my 2 bedroom Hyatt fee was $1400 and I was able to book 1 one-bedroom and 2 studios in late-April and September. I prefer those times anyway if the grandkids aren't going.

Yeah, I can see this being a pretty good strategy if you can travel off season in Interval. Because of the lower point fees for lower TDI weeks, you can get away with 3 trips -- something you won't get with a normal 2BR lockoff. This seems to be an advantage for Hyatt.

-ryan

 

[optimist]

I also have a diamond week (2200 points) so for about $1200 in maintenance fees, I can get multiple weeks of vacation, depending on the size of the unit (up to five weeks)
But what I like about trading my Hyatt is that in II, a week requires 1300 points for a two bedroom whether that week is xmas week, president's week or just a summer week. Whereas the point requirements go up a lot if you trade for a holiday week within the Hyatt system. So I can blow my entire 2200 points and stay in Key west for President's week, or I can get a trade for that same week in Westin Kierland for 1300 points and have 900 left over for two studios.

 

[SunandFun83]

Now I am Optimistic

We are in the process of selling our Hyatt but we pretty much exclusively traded it. We have traded into
Westin Kierland Villas in February
Newport Coast Villas in October
Marriott Cypress Harbour week between xmas and new year
Maui Ocean Club in January
Ko Olina in January
Four Seasons Carlsbad in December
Westin Kaanapali in January
Westin Princeville in January
The Royal Caribbean Memorial day week

I think Hyatt has excellent trading power. I can see everything with my Hyatt that I see with my SDO except for other Hyatts.

Those are some great trades, often at peak season. I have put in the following requests:
I have a wedding on Cape Cod Memorial Day Weekend, look to exchange for the week after into Trapp Family Lodge , VT or Harbour Ridge, ME
My business partner still needs New Years, request , Kierland, Canyon Villas, Oceana Palms, Ocean Pointe, Lakeshore Reserve ( Marriott preference, but, never know).

I rented out my Ocean Pointe March 6-18 so now I can request any week Mar 1 - 24 at Ocean Pointe or Oceana Palms to use myself. I guess I could analyze a trade to South America for March (Costa Rica anyone?)

Hyatt only allows request one year ahead, I think we will go back to Cancun Dec 2016, But the Grand Luxxe SuzanneSimon mentioned is supposed to be crazy upscale. Add Grand Luxxe Riviera Maya and Puerta Vallarta to the request list.

The 4,000 Hyatt points are enough for 5 exchanges into 1 BR Platinum. Still more work to do. I might learn to be good at this exchange thing like Optimist.

Thanks for sharing your ideas and your successes.

 

[optimist]

I am not an optimist about all things, only timesharing!

The other advantage of trading Hyatt in II versus SDO is that if I split my SDO lockoff and trade the smaller half, but all I need is a studio, I am still giving up half my week. Whereas with Hyatt points, I can give up only the number of points required for what I need...

 

[SunandFun83]

Making some progress - The EPlus Helps

I just matched for an exchange into Harbor Ridge on the coast of Maine in June. I requested a one bedroom and II gave me a two bedroom and the option to decline. The one bedroom is 880 points and the two bedroom is 1,300 points. My problem has been that I have 4,000 points and too little time to use them; so, here is what I did.

I took the two bedroom unit (higher cost) and purchased EPlus with up to 3 re-trades for $49. Then, I put in a new exchange request for the week I want in a one bedroom. If I get the one bedroom I will re-trade into Cancun for December 2016. I know that I get the reservation that I want in Maine and still have a chance that it will come through as an exchange into a one bedroom at a lower price.

We decided to enter an exchange request for Portugal in September, 2016. I still need to make 2 or 3 more exchanges to use up my Hyatt points with Interval.

 

[suzannesimon]

I love Hyatt's points. They stretch so well in Interval. If I had the time, I could get 4 studios for my 1880 points. The problem is I never can use up all the points once I deposit them. Ahh, next year when I retire ....

 

[peas]

I just matched for an exchange into Harbor Ridge on the coast of Maine in June. I requested a one bedroom and II gave me a two bedroom and the option to decline. The one bedroom is 880 points and the two bedroom is 1,300 points. My problem has been that I have 4,000 points and too little time to use them; so, here is what I did.

I took the two bedroom unit (higher cost) and purchased EPlus with up to 3 re-trades for $49. Then, I put in a new exchange request for the week I want in a one bedroom. If I get the one bedroom I will re-trade into Cancun for December 2016. I know that I get the reservation that I want in Maine and still have a chance that it will come through as an exchange into a one bedroom at a lower price.

We decided to enter an exchange request for Portugal in September, 2016. I still need to make 2 or 3 more exchanges to use up my Hyatt points with Interval.

When they gave you the 2 bedroom, were you charged 1300 or 880? I went through etrade once, and what I didn't like was that if you go from 1300 to a 880 reservation, you lose the difference (420). If you go from that 880 to retrade back into a 1300 point reservation, you have to pony up an additional 420 points.
I would have preferred if they just credit those points back to your interval account. I lost points this way because I unfortunately picked the wrong week to park for all of 5 minutes while I jumped to the next reservation.

 

[SunandFun83]

Hyatt pay full price - but a discount to start

When they gave you the 2 bedroom, were you charged 1300 or 880? I went through etrade once, and what I didn't like was that if you go from 1300 to a 880 reservation, you lose the difference (420). If you go from that 880 to retrade back into a 1300 point reservation, you have to pony up an additional 420 points.
I would have preferred if they just credit those points back to your interval account. I lost points this way because I unfortunately picked the wrong week to park for all of 5 minutes while I jumped to the next reservation.

I was charged the 1,300 for the 2 br. You are right, the system will not give you any breaks on upgrading size. I wanted to increase a 1br to a 2br with etrade and the cost was 420 more points. The plus side is that a Hyatt week is 2,000 points and a 2br only costs 1,300. You do save that way.

Marriott is a better system for upgrading size. You can trade a studio into a resort that is 100% 2br villas and if you match you get a 2br.

No more action yet. I put in an exchange request for Portugal or Spain for September, 2016.

 

[heathpack]

Hyatt is great in interval for non-preference studio or 1BR units.

One particularly good use is studios with full kitchens. For example, we loved Welk Sirena del Mar in Cabo. A studio there has a full kitchen, so it's only 430 points. Ditto for Sedona Summit in Sedona Az. Read up on various units to see what works out to be a good value.

We also look for nice properties without a preference. The Royals in Mexico have been great and we're going to Grand Lodge on Peak 7 over the Hyatt in Breckenridge because we had some interval points to use up. And we've done multiple Grand Mayan and Grand Luxxe stays.

We have booked preferenced resorts too using our Hyatt- Marriott Desert Springs Villas in Dec (studio), Marriotts KoOlina in Sept (Studio), Marriott Aruba Surf Club in July (studio ), Westin Kierland (small 1BR, Labor Day), Westin Lagunamar (Dec, 2BR).

 

[SunandFun83]

Hyatt Exchange Update

I got the one bedroom I wanted at Harbor Ridge for the Coast of Maine in June. Now I have a two bedroom with ETrade.

We exchanged into the Royal Islander for week 50, 2016. Might run into Suzannesimon at the Royal Caribbean pool bar.

I have a request pending for Westin Lagunamar weeks 49 or 50 (Saturday only) If I get week 50 then I re-trade the Royal Islander. I might add the Grande Luxxe to this request.

We cancelled the request for Spain and Portugal after the shootings in Paris. DW is just not comfortable right now in Europe with 3 million Syrian refugees. I know that people who have never been to Cancun will laugh at me. Many are uncomfortable going to Mexico ( until they visit) and think I am silly for bailing on a trip to Portugal.

 

[suzannesimon]

I'm waiting on a closing for Lagunamar. It's a fixed Week 51. Christmas week really falls on Week 52 next year. I'm going to use the Lagunamar Week 51 next year and then we'll move into Royal Caribbean units on December 24. I love Mexico. We're doing Cabo for New Year's this year. We don't venture out away from the tourist areas, but I don't do that normally anyway. I hope our paths cross somewhere next year!

 

[peas]

Glad the trades all worked out. I'm still not crazy about the eplus, but glad it worked for you.

Enjoy your trips, and glad you're making good use of all those EE points.