I’ve had some pretty good experiences with Hyatt points, even though the way they handled their recent Hyatt Diamond promo was a disaster. #jaded

Anyway, one can have a finite number of Chase cards, but I choose to renew the Chase World of Hyatt card year after year.

That’s because you get a free night certificate when you renew the card each year, and it’s good at Category 1 through 4 hotels. So obviously, I try to use them at Category 4 properties to get outsized value.

Last year, I gave my free night away to Jay’s grandparents for a night at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch (which is a Category 2), because the certificate was about to expire and it was their anniversary. Jay and I both have the Chase Hyatt card, so we gave them 2 nights at the hotel. They loved it!

I just renewed the card again and paid the $75 annual fee, so I thought I’d take a spin through the Category 4 hotel list to see where I might use the annual free night in 2016.

I found at least 6 hotels where you’ll recoup the annual fee 4x over… or more. It got me thinking.

Oh, and because these are all Category 4 hotels, you can also redeem 15,000 Hyatt points for a free night. In many cases, you’ll get over 4 cents per point in value!

5 Hyatt hotels worth 4x or more than the annual fee on the Chase Hyatt card

• Link: Hyatt Category 4 hotels

Chase World of Hyatt	60,000 Hyatt points
• $95 annual fee	• Earn 40,000 Hyatt points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening • Plus an additional 20,000 Hyatt points after you spend a total of $6,000 on purchases within the first 6 months of account opening
• 5 Hyatt hotels where the annual free night rocks	• Compare it here

The annual fee on the Chase World of Hyatt card is $95. So I aimed to get triple the value on that. All these hotels are $300+, with a couple being much more.

This card is worth keeping if only for the annual free night. Use it judiciously – it’s a great way to enhance a trip. Here are a few ideas on how to use it.

1. Grand Hyatt Washington

Maybe it’s time I transfer some Chase Ultimate Rewards points over to Amtrak (tomorrow’s the last day – December 7th!) and hop on a day train down to DC.

Nights at the Grand Hyatt Washington are ~$491 after taxes. It would be fun to go down in April to see the cherry blossoms and visit some of the incredible museums there.

If you paid in points, you’d get over 3 cents per point in value. Or, over 6x the cost of the Chase Hyatt card’s annual fee.

2.   Hyatt Centric French Quarter New Orleans

The Hyatt Centric French Quarter New Orleans is seasonal. Really seasonal. Rates here can be either next to nothing, or through the roof.

You’ll obviously want to pull the trigger on the free night during the expensive periods, like when events are in town (Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, Southern Decadence).

I randomly pulled out a date in April 2016, and saw rates for ~$379 a night. Considering the Chase Hyatt card is $75 a year, that’s a great trade-off.

Plus, there are often fare deals to NOLA. If you want to go, it might be worth keeping your free night in case of a deal.

Here’s my review from when I stayed there last year.

FWIW, the Hyatt Regency New Orleans is also a Category 4, but it’s a little further from the Bourbon Street action. The Hyatt French Quarter New Orleans is a block and a half from Bourbon Street, and close to Magazine Street shopping, and the cute trolleys.

Depending on why you’re visiting, either are great option. Oh, here’s my review of the Hyatt Regency New Orleans, too. I loved the in-house bar there – great local craft beers!

3. Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa

I’m not a fan of Florida, really, but holy crap. Nights at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa are ~$604 after taxes!

That’s crazy.

The hotel is spread over 26 acres, and the grounds look gorgeous.

You’ll have a nice strip of beach and a few pools to choose from. Even I like a good pool.

It’s near Naples, so you can fly into Fort Myers and drive down.

Could be fun if you want to stop over on a road trip to see the Everglades, Fort Lauderdale/Miami, and the Keys. In any case, points, Points + cash, or the annual free night, you stand to have an excellent deal on your hands.

Hmmm… I’m kinda talkin’ myself into it!

4.   Hyatt Regency Chicago

My heart is in Chicago. Man, I love that freaking city. I actually looked into buying a house there, but with all the taxes (income, property, and sales), I simply couldn’t justify it (I chose Dallas instead). But I am way overdue for a visit to the Windy City.

Rates at the Hyatt Regency Chicago are about $350 a night, and you’ll be walking distance to the Mag Mile, Red Line trains, buses, “The Bean,” and The Loop.

Writing about Chicago makes me superbly sentimental. But suffice it to say I won’t be there for the next few months. They can have the winter!

The dates I pulled are in May 2016. Chicago summers are resplendent. Go go go if you’ve never been.

5. Andaz Savannah

Ah, Savannah. You bewitching and mystical little city nestled on the Georgia coast. I’ve never know really what to think of Savannah, other than something great is definitely going on there.

Nights at the Andaz Savannah are almost $500. Because it’s an Andaz, and because it’s Savannah, I’d expect this property to be dripping with Southern hospitality with a funky twist.

I sometimes see cheap flights to Savannah on jetBlue on The Flight Deal (worth following them!), and one of these days I swear I’ll bit the bullet and visit again.

When I was there last, I loved the shops, food, and the layout of the city. It definitely has a certain feeling to it.

Combine this with a trip to Charleston further up the coast for a gastronomic tour of the “New South.”

Don’t expect beaches on the Georgia coast though – it’s surprisingly swampy. You’ll find more snakes and alligators than beaches, although you can find them if you look hard enough.

The willow trees are a testament to the moist climate. Try to visit in Spring or Fall if you can – summers there are hot hot hot.

Honorable mentions

• Park Hyatt Toronto
• Hyatt Regency Boston
• Grand Hyatt Melbourne (Here’s my review.)
• Grand Hyatt Berlin
• Hyatt at The Bellevue in Philadelphia

Can be good values, depending on time of year and your travel plans.

Bottom line

• Link: Chase Hyatt card

Wow, all of these hotels are in the US – didn’t plan on that!

I wasn’t sure where to add this in, but you still get 2 free nights at ANY Hyatt hotel when you open the Chase Hyatt card.

Other bloggers just love to dote on the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome, but I had a less-than-stellar experience there and wish I’d saved my 2 nights for somewhere else!

My favorite perk of the Chase Hyatt card is definitely the annual free night cert you can use at a Category 1 through Category 4 property.

I just renewed the card and am excited about the possibilities. Each hotel on this list is worth quadruple the card’s annual fee, or more.

Now I’m thinking about a day trip to DC in April…

Do you have a favorite Hyatt hotel to redeem your annual free night? Or does a hotel on the list stand out as being the #1 pick? 

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