NEW: Get a 20% discount when you buy World of Hyatt hotel points – and limit DOUBLED

World of Hyatt has launched a new ‘buy points’ bonus.

You will get a 20% discount when you buy points via this link.

To save you doing the maths, a 20% discount is equivalent to a 25% bonus!

What is especially interesting is that the purchase limit is doubled, at least for me. This is targetted. The small print implies that the doubling is a temporary offer which will be pulled before the main offer ends on 6th October.

Note that the doubling of the limit is not mentioned on the ‘buy points’ page but, when you click the dropdown box, it should offer you up to 110,000 points if you are targetted. It is also mentioned in the small print.

What does it cost?

We value Hyatt points at 1.2p. At the top end you are paying $2,288 (£1,701) for 110,000 points, which is 1.55p each.

This means that it isn’t a no-brainer but you should still come out on top at a good hotel on an expensive night. It’s also fair to say that, given current hotel prices, our 1.2p valuation is very conservative.

Let’s look at some examples

Here are some sample stays using World of Hyatt points for a two night weekend break from Friday 19th to Sunday 21st September. I have compared it with the Member Flexible Rate and assumed you are paying 1.55p per point.

• Park Hyatt New York – 160,000 points (£2,480) or $4,962 (£4,693) for cash (yes, New York hotel prices have gone crazy!)

• Park Hyatt London River Thames – 60,000 points (£930) or £956 for cash – so not much of a deal

• Park Hyatt Marrakech – 50,000 points (£775) or MAD 11,800 (£970) for cash

• Park Hyatt Paris Vendome – 90,000 points (£1,395) or €3,001 (£2,600) for cash (I used 17th to 19th October in this example)

Obviously these are luxury options but the same, if not better, value can be found further down the scale. Booking a cheaper hotel would also mean, in many cases, that your 110,000 points would cover a long stay.

This page of the Hyatt website shows Category 4 hotels, for example. These cost either 12,000 or 15,000 or 18,000 points per night so you’d get at least six nights and potentially nine from 110,000 points.

Before you buy, don’t forget ….

I normally don’t recommend buying with a 20% discount (equivalent to a 25% bonus) because it is not the best offer that Hyatt runs. You would expect to see a 25% discount, equivalent to a 33% bonus, at some point during the year.

However, the ability to buy 110,000 points instead of the usual 55,000 points trumps that concern for anyone looking to buy as many points as they can.

There is, of course, a risk that Hyatt massively devalues its programme before you can spend your points. It’s a risk you need to be happy with, but as long as Hyatt remains (by far) the smallest of the major hotel groups it will depend on World of Hyatt to bring in business. It understands that you’ll have to drive past multiple IHG, Hilton and Marriott properties to get to a Hyatt!

If you buy and redeem immediately, of course, you have zero risk from a devaluation.

Availability is usually great with Hyatt points

Remember that Hyatt GUARANTEES that reward rooms will be available as long as the lowest category of cash room remains available. I should caveat that by saying that some hotels can play games with this by creating an entry level category that is very restricted.

It’s also worth remembering that Hyatt lets you book suites for points at surprisingly good rates, either directly or via a points upgrade. 9,000 points per night would get you an upgrade to a top suite at a participating hotel, whilst 6,000 points per night would get you an entry level suite. The cash rate you pay is the Best Flexible Rate for a standard room.

Last year, for example, I booked Grand Hyatt Berlin for cash and upgraded at booking to a top suite (96 sq m!) for just 9,000 points per night. Even better, the suite came with club access.

Note that new members of World of Hyatt need to wait 60 days before they can buy points or receive gifted points. If you’re not a member, consider signing up now so you can be ready for next time.

The Hyatt ‘buy points’ site is here.

The offer runs until 6th October, although the wording implies that the ‘limit doubled’ element will be pulled earlier.