Using the Hyatt Point System

[GoodWitch]

In searching for a good resale property at Pinion Pointe I noticed a couple of inexpensive, but interesting options. I would appreciate if other HVC owners would comment...

1) Biennial 2 bedroom lock-off in Bronze season - Very limited in when and where I could stay for a full week, but I could move to Silver season and stay for 6 nights. Moreover, if locked off to 1 bedroom, I could deposit the other half in II and vacation every year, paying only half the MF. Please let me know if I'm overlooking something.

2) Biennial 1 bedroom in Platinum season - Platinum season should trade very well on II. Moreover, if I bump down to Silver season within Hyatt, I could bump up to 2 bedrooms and still get 6 nights. Again, please let me know if my logic is flawed. Thank you.

 

[Kal]

I don't think you understand the Hyatt system. You might want to look very carefully at how the points work.

Six-day stay? Where did you get that? You cannot add a 4-night stay with a 2-night say and get 6 nights because those two stays are not sequential.

Stay in 1 BR unit and vacation every year? In the year you receive the 1300 points, if you only use the 1 BR portion, that will leave you with 430 points. As an option you could then use those 430 points in Interval; however, the points won't stretch out into the second year if you plan to stay at a Hyatt resort.

Pay half the MF? You pay the full MF every other year but pay the HVC fees every year. Under the scenario where you use Interval exchanges in the alternate year, you'll still have to pay the Interval exchange fee.

Trade Value of Platinum unit/week? The unit does not trade in Interval. You just get the point value and use the points as necessary to obtain an exchange. If you choose not to stay in your owned unit, the unit becomes available to other Club members. It doesn't go to Interval.

 

[Carmel85]

I urge every Hyatt owner or prospective Hyatt owner PLEASE take the time and go to KAL's website.

Kal has done a excellent job in helping so many people understand the Hyatt system.

Kal has the best news on Hyatt.

 

[dvc_john]

Six-day stay? Where did you get that? You cannot add a 4-night stay with a 2-night say and get 6 nights because those two stays are not sequential.

Actually, you can do this, and I have done it!
If a resort has both Saturday and Sunday check-in's, you can combine a 4-day Sunday-Wednesday stay (from a week with a Sunday check-in date) and a 2-day Thursday-Friday (from a week with a Saturday check-in date) to get a 6-day stay.

Of course, you have to pay 2 reservation fees, and 2 split week cleaning fees. And it's possible that you may have to move on Thursday (although the 1 time I did this, I did not have to move even though I thought I would have to). But you do get 6 days all at the mid-week point per night rate.

 

[GoodWitch]

IPay half the MF? You pay the full MF every other year but pay the HVC fees every year. Under the scenario where you use Interval exchanges in the alternate year, you'll still have to pay the Interval exchange fee.

I didn't know that, on the average how much do HVC fees run?

Trade Value of Platinum unit/week? The unit does not trade in Interval. You just get the point value and use the points as necessary to obtain an exchange. If you choose not to stay in your owned unit, the unit becomes available to other Club members. It doesn't go to Interval.

I'm confused. If I choose not to stay in my unit and it becomes available to other club members, how do I get a "trade" on Interval International?

Thanks for your comments Kal. I've visited your web site and appreciate the wealth of information I have already recieved.

 

[GoodWitch]

Actually, you can do this, and I have done it!
If a resort has both Saturday and Sunday check-in's, you can combine a 4-day Sunday-Wednesday stay (from a week with a Sunday check-in date) and a 2-day Thursday-Friday (from a week with a Saturday check-in date) to get a 6-day stay.

Of course, you have to pay 2 reservation fees, and 2 split week cleaning fees. And it's possible that you may have to move on Thursday (although the 1 time I did this, I did not have to move even though I thought I would have to). But you do get 6 days all at the mid-week point per night rate.

Thanks for the info. I thought it would be more straightforward than this, but as you describe it, it's not too difficult. The key is finding a resort that has both Saturday and Sunday check-ins.

 

[Kal]

I'm confused. If I choose not to stay in my unit and it becomes available to other club members, how do I get a "trade" on Interval International?

Every time you want to stay anywhere you spend your points. The only special consideration is you have exclusive right to spend your points to stay in all or a portion of the unit/week you own. If you stay in the unit you own during a different week, there is no exclusivity, but it still takes points. If you obtain an Interval unit, it takes points. If you stay at a different HVC resort, it takes points.

With Interval there is no "trading" but rather just expenditure of your points. Hyatt has a contract with Interval which specifies what they give to Interval in exchange for HVC members obtaining Interval units. It's definitely not an item by item basis. If your ownership is at Hyatt Resort "A", Hyatt might very likely provide Hyatt Resort "B" as the trade basis with Interval. It's all spelled out in their contract.

With regard to the "6-day stay", that is not something you should plan on. Although not all resorts have multiple check-in days, there still has to be availability of both a "4-day" unit and a "2-day" unit. It's definitely NOT automatic and in most cases very unlikely.

 

[GoodWitch]

I understand much better now. Thank you.

 

[GoodWitch]

Two more questions come to mind...

1) If I were to buy a 1880 point contract, but prefer to stay in a unit/week that only requires 1400 points, can I bank the leftover points for use in the following year? If so, could I combine the leftover 480 points with a new set of 1880 points and get a 2200 point week (with 80 pts leftover). Is that how it works?

2) Is Hyatt committed to maintaining the rules that you agree to when you become a member? For example If I buy a 1880 point, gold season week, how likely are they to reclassify that week as only worth 1400 points and downgrade it to silver? That would be a direct devaluation of my investment. Have they done that? Can they do that?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Every time you want to stay anywhere you spend your points. The only special consideration is you have exclusive right to spend your points to stay in all or a portion of the unit/week you own. If you stay in the unit you own during a different week, there is no exclusivity, but it still takes points. If you obtain an Interval unit, it takes points. If you stay at a different HVC resort, it takes points.

With Interval there is no "trading" but rather just expenditure of your points. Hyatt has a contract with Interval which specifies what they give to Interval in exchange for HVC members obtaining Interval units. It's definitely not an item by item basis. If your ownership is at Hyatt Resort "A", Hyatt might very likely provide Hyatt Resort "B" as the trade basis with Interval. It's all spelled out in their contract.

With regard to the "6-day stay", that is not something you should plan on. Although not all resorts have multiple check-in days, there still has to be availability of both a "4-day" unit and a "2-day" unit. It's definitely NOT automatic and in most cases very unlikely.

 

[Beaglemom3]

As a Hyatt owner, I can say that Kal has explained the Hyatt pts. system thoroughly and with ease of understanding.

 

[dvc_john]

1) If I were to buy a 1880 point contract, but prefer to stay in a unit/week that only requires 1400 points, can I bank the leftover points for use in the following year? If so, could I combine the leftover 480 points with a new set of 1880 points and get a 2200 point week (with 80 pts leftover). Is that how it works?

2) Is Hyatt committed to maintaining the rules that you agree to when you become a member? For example If I buy a 1880 point, gold season week, how likely are they to reclassify that week as only worth 1400 points and downgrade it to silver? That would be a direct devaluation of my investment. Have they done that? Can they do that?

1) Yes and No. By the time your new set of points is available to use, your previous years points will be in LCUP. (Limited Club Use Period). They can be combined with the new set of points for a larger point stay, but you can only make a reservation 60 days out when using LCUP points, which is a pretty big limitation. You can also borrow from the next year, but it too has the 60 day reservation limitation, and also, you must pre-pay estimated maintenance fees.

2) I don't think they could lower the point value of a given week for existing resorts. They do, however, tend to have higher point value requirements (or more limited low-point time periods) for newly built resorts. Or, for newer resorts, they might have multiple classifications of rooms, ie a regular 2-br, and a deluxe 2-br at a higher point value.

 

[GoodWitch]

Thanks, that information is very helpful.

1) Yes and No. By the time your new set of points is available to use, your previous years points will be in LCUP. (Limited Club Use Period). They can be combined with the new set of points for a larger point stay, but you can only make a reservation 60 days out when using LCUP points, which is a pretty big limitation. You can also borrow from the next year, but it too has the 60 day reservation limitation, and also, you must pre-pay estimated maintenance fees.

2) I don't think they could lower the point value of a given week for existing resorts. They do, however, tend to have higher point value requirements (or more limited low-point time periods) for newly built resorts. Or, for newer resorts, they might have multiple classifications of rooms, ie a regular 2-br, and a deluxe 2-br at a higher point value.

 

[Kal]

...
2) Is Hyatt committed to maintaining the rules that you agree to when you become a member? For example If I buy a 1880 point, gold season week, how likely are they to reclassify that week as only worth 1400 points and downgrade it to silver? That would be a direct devaluation of my investment. Have they done that? Can they do that?

Thanks for your thoughts.

There have been a few instances where Hyatt has changed the points schedule.

Back in about 1996 or so Hyatt added on a new "Diamond Season" valued at 2200 points. Prior to that the highest points were the "Platinum Season" at 2000 points. This made many owners furious as they purchased their units under the impression they could stay at any resort at any time of the year. So this was a devaluation of their ownership interest. Many owners believe Hyatt will not do this again because of the firestorm that errupted.

In about 2003-2004 Hyatt deleted the "Copper Season" for Key West properties. The reasons involved Interval exchanges into Key West and relative valuation of the units. The former Copper units (at 1100 points) where changed to "Bronze Season" units (at 1300 points). This was a big gift to those owners as they received 200 points FREE so the action was an increase in valuation.

In response to your question, I wouldn't worry about downgrading at all. The real issue is that new properties coming on line will require about 2000 points for a very marginal week. The only way to get quality unit/weeks at new properties is to own lots of points. Owning just 1400 points will be a real disadvantage to enjoy all the values of the HVC system.

 

[GoodWitch]

Interesting. Thanks for the info.

There have been a few instances where Hyatt has changed the points schedule.

Back in about 1996 or so Hyatt added on a new "Diamond Season" valued at 2200 points. Prior to that the highest points were the "Platinum Season" at 2000 points. This made many owners furious as they purchased their units under the impression they could stay at any resort at any time of the year. So this was a devaluation of their ownership interest. Many owners believe Hyatt will not do this again because of the firestorm that errupted.

In about 2003-2004 Hyatt deleted the "Copper Season" for Key West properties. The reasons involved Interval exchanges into Key West and relative valuation of the units. The former Copper units (at 1100 points) where changed to "Bronze Season" units (at 1300 points). This was a big gift to those owners as they received 200 points FREE so the action was an increase in valuation.

In response to your question, I wouldn't worry about downgrading at all. The real issue is that new properties coming on line will require about 2000 points for a very marginal week. The only way to get quality unit/weeks at new properties is to own lots of points. Owning just 1400 points will be a real disadvantage to enjoy all the values of the HVC system.