Also see:
I’ve written about the incredible value you can get with the annual free night from the Chase Hyatt card at Hyatt Category 4 hotels.
A hotel I listed as an “honorable mention” is the Hyatt at The Bellevue in Philadelphia.
For my last weekend as a New Yorker, I’ll actually be in Philly, at this Hyatt. Jay and I both recently got our free night certs and I’ve been itching to burn them.
We got a super deal on a weekend getaway.
This is an awesome example of how easy it is to get value from the Chase Hyatt card. The annual free night makes it well worth keeping!
By the numbers
I was torn between this property or the Park Hyatt Toronto (which is also a Category 4 hotel).
The X factor was the dog. Luckily, Hyatt at The Bellevue is dog-friendly. Plus, it’s only 90 minutes away, so I can easily drive there for the weekend.
The rooms were selling for $409 a night, plus taxes and fees.
All told, it would’ve been ~$472 per night.
But, rooms were available with points. This would’ve been an ideal points redemption, too, btw (over 3 cents per point in value). But it’s even better with the free night certificate. I love how easy it is to book the award online.
I clicked through and booked the free night within minutes. Then, Jay booked his.
Afterward, we called and merged our reservations and gave a heads up about bringing Fenwick because they have a limited number of pet-friendly rooms available.
We each paid $75 each for the annual fee on the Chase Hyatt card. And both redeemed the annual free night certificate for a room worth ~$472.
All told, a total of $150 for a 2-night stay worth ~$944.
Even if we don’t use our Chase Hyatt cards for a dime of spend this year, paying the $75 annual fee gave us a fun last hurrah weekend trip in Philly at a super nice hotel. It also goes to show why it’s doubly better (literally) to force travel credit cards on your partner lol.
I’m really looking forward to it! Review will come soon. 🙂
Bottom line
For all the theory about how you could use your points and miles, I love hearing how peeps actually redeem them.
Mostly, it’s not for super-aspirational awards. It’s to visit relatives, take weekend trips, or give someone a nice surprise.
Last year we sent Jay’s grandparents on an anniversary weekend at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch. Was it the best redemption possible? Maybe not, but the certificates were going to expire before we could use them.
And they had a fantastic time there! The staff brought them anniversary gifts of flowers and wine, and upgraded their room. And gave them free dessert at the hotel restaurant.
The Chase IHG card also comes with a free night you can use at any IHG hotel – and that card’s annual fee is only $49, which also makes it a keeper.
Looking forward to staying at the Hyatt at The Bellevue in Philadelphia in a few weeks. It really is the little things.
While we’re on the subject, feel free to share your favorite Hyatt Category 4 hotel!
* If you liked this post, consider signing up to receive free blog posts in an RSS reader and you’ll never miss an update!Announcing Points Hub—points, miles, and travel rewards community. Join for just $9/month or $99/year.
BEST Current Credit Card Deals
The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
[…] never had trouble with the car since I bought it in February. I even drove it to Philadelphia and back the weekend before with no problems whatsoever. And had it looked at ~2 weeks before setting out […]