It’s that time of year – when hotel programs announce their upcoming category changes. Now, it’s World of Hyatt’s turn, announcing a set of changes taking place on March 18.
While the recent Marriott announcement was heavily skewed towards category increases, World of Hyatt is more balanced. Of the 259 properties changing categories—130 properties are moving up, while 129 properties are moving down.
No changes have been made to the categories themselves. There have not been any new categories created, nor have the points required for a given category changed. The only changes are hotels moving up or down a category.
In addition, there are no hotels moving into the newish Category 8. The only hotels in Category 8 are from the SLH portfolio.
The Changes
Australia
Australia sees three hotels changing categories, and in all cases they are moving down a category. The following tables shows the changed categories that will come into effect on March 18, 2019.
| Hotel | CURRENT Category | NEW Category | CURRENT Standard Room Points Per Night | NEW Standard Room Points Per Night |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | ||||
| Hyatt Hotel Canberra – A Park Hyatt Hotel | 4 | 3 | 15,000 | 12,000 |
| Hyatt Place Melbourne, Essendon Fields | 3 | 2 | 12,000 | 8,000 |
| Hyatt Regency Perth | 3 | 2 | 12,000 | 8,000 |
Rest of the World
Outside the 3 in Australia, there are a number of changes around the world. There are a large number of movements in the US and China.
One of the reductions that caught my eye was the Grand Hyatt Bali, which is dropping from Level 3 to Level 2. This is balanced by the Park Hyatt Bali going from Level 1 to Level 2.
These changes are going into effect on March 18. As a result, if you are looking at a hotel that is going up a level, then you may need to book before then.
If you are looking at a hotel that is going down a level, there is less to worry about. Hyatt have said that if you book at any hotels going down a category, they will proactively refund the difference.