What is the best hotel credit card, and why?
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With so many choices in hotels these days, how does one choose the best hotel credit card?
For my family of six, this was an easy decision. First, once you have a destination in mind (ours was Hawaii), then you research, starting with the top chains (InterContinental, Marriott, Hyatt, Wyndham, and Hilton, to name a few). After finding a few locations that would work for your family, then you need to see what kind of credit card offers are out there. And keep in mind, not all credit card offers are the same. For example, you could find an offer for 150,000 points for one brand and 45,000 points for another. Depending on the brand, the lower point offering might just be the best (and most valuable) card. That’s where I come in.
For us, there was a clear winner. The World of Hyatt Visa Signature card!
The value of Hyatt points are a strong 1.7 cents each. Compare that to other hotel chains, when our measurement is value per point, the next on the list, Marriott, comes in at .8 cents each.
Not only are the value of Hyatt points so strong, but Hyatt requires fewer points per room, per night. And we LOVE the Hyatt brand. The rooms and hotels are clean, well maintained, and the staff goes above and beyond…EVERY SINGLE TIME! In my line of work, I’m not supposed to have favorites, but right now, Hyatt is my FAVORITE!! On our 4th Hyatt stay this year, in Hawaii mind you, we were upgraded to the Palace Suite, which was one of the most incredible experiences EVER. We will be forever grateful for this likely once in a lifetime opportunity. If you’d like to see a few pictures, you can do so here.
Does this mean that I don’t ever stay in any other brand? NOT AT ALL. As I write this, I am sitting on a balcony in the Delta Atrium, at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel, in Nashville, TN, which is… you guessed it – a Marriott property!
I think I went down a rabbit trail there….
Here is a list of some of the major hotel brands:
- Hyatt Gold Passport(Hyatt Regency, Grand Hyatt, Park Hyatt, Andaz, Hyatt House, Hyatt Place)
- Hilton HHonors (Hilton, Conrad Hotels, Waldorf Astoria, Embassy Suites, Doubletree, Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, Homewood Suites, Home2 Suites)
- Marriott Rewards (Marriott Hotels, JW Marriott, Renaissance Hotels, The Edition) and Starwood Preferred Guest (Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton, Westin, W Hotel, St. Regis, Le Meridien, Aloft, The Luxury Collection), which was purchased by Marriott.
- IHG Rewards Club (Intercontinental, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn, Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites)
- Club Carlson (Radisson, Country Inn & Suites)
For us, however, we have chosen to work on earning Hyatt points, Marriott points, and IHG points. That means that at least one person in my household has at least one of these credit cards. Diversifying your options with a few co-branded credit cards will allow you to receive optimum value for the long term.
If you are interested in pursuing the World of Hyatt Credit Card, click on this link. The current offer, which is REALLY good is:
50,000 Bonus Points
- 25,000 when you spend $3,000 in the first three months, and another
- 25,000 when you spend $6,000 in the first six months (of account opening).
This has the potential to be worth 10 FREE nights at a Category 1 hotel.
For spending, you’ll receive:
9 points total for Hyatt stays
4 Bonus Points per $1 spent with Hyatt, including participating restaurants and Exhale locations.
PLUS, 5 Base Points per eligible $1 spent you can earn as a World of Hyatt member
2 points for getting around, dining out and taking off
2 Bonus Points per $1 spent on local transit and commuting, including taxis, mass transit, tolls and ride-share services.
2 Bonus Points per $1 spent at restaurants, cafes and coffee shops.
2 Bonus Points per $1 spent on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline.
2 points for staying healthy
2 Bonus Points per $1 spent on fitness club and gym memberships.
1 point for wherever else life takes you
1 Bonus Point per $1 spent on all other card purchases.
There is a $95 annual fee for this card, but you also receive a free night every year on your account anniversary (up to a category 4), which makes this card a no brainer!
Where are some of the Category 4 Hyatt’s, you ask? Here are just a few locations:
So let’s get to the point . . . if you are ready for some luxury travel on points, follow this link to apply for your own World of Hyatt Visa Signature Card . . . I may get a few points for the referral.
- New York, NY
- Las Vegas, NV
- Orlando, FL
- Park City, UT
- San Antonio, TX
- Nashville, TN
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Sao Paulo, Costa Rica
- Shanghai, China
- Melbourne, Australia
So let’s get to the point . . . if you are ready for some luxury travel on points, follow this link to apply for your own World of Hyatt Visa SignatureCard . . . I may get a few points for the referral.