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Hyatt Place Brand to Undergo Refresh, Removing Free Breakfast for Some Customers

June 04, 2018
3 min read
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Editor's Note

The original version of this story incorrectly referred to the changes to the Hyatt Place breakfast policy as a positive. In fact, breakfast is being removed as a benefit for general Hyatt Place customers and will only be available to World of Hyatt members who book direct, which is a significant devaluation for travelers who prefer to book hotel rooms through online travel agencies and other third party booking options. We've updated the story with the correct information and apologize for the error.

Hyatt has a different vision for the future of its Hyatt Place brand. On Monday, Hyatt announced that going forward, the Hyatt Place brand will shift to offer a more modern set of amenities and design, but will only offer free breakfast for World of Hyatt members and not customers who book Hyatt Place rooms through other means such as online travel agencies like Orbitz or Expedia.

According to a press release, the new Hyatt Place brand will "focus on three key areas: thoughtful design, driving value for World of Hyatt members and enhanced well-being experiences." You can see each of the three new focus areas detailed below:

Design

With the reimagined Hyatt Place brand, travelers can expect to find new furniture in rooms, as well as new features like a premium mattress, blackout shades and warm-colored lighting. In addition, travelers can expect to find redesigned bathrooms in guest rooms, featuring a larger vanity for storage, better lighting to reduce shadows, a walk-in shower with footrest and more.

Much like business traveler brands with other hotel programs, Hyatt is attempting to promote a more communal feel for guests, beginning in the lobby. The company says the lobby experience will "become an energizing intersection for guests looking to get out of their rooms."

World of Hyatt

As of Monday, the refreshed Hyatt Place brand will offer World of Hyatt members some additional perks. Specifically, Explorist and Globalist members will be able to take advantage of early check-in — beginning in early 2019. In addition, beginning in early 2019, World of Hyatt members will also be able to take advantage of mobile entry.

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On the flip side, the Hyatt Place brand is removing free breakfast for customers who are not World of Hyatt members or who don't book directly with Hyatt. Non-World of Hyatt members can either pay for breakfast or sign up for the program at check-in to get the complimentary meal. In addition, guests staying with the World of Hyatt member can also take advantage of the free breakfast benefit.

The change to the complimentary breakfast offering begins on November 1, 2018. Hyatt says that it will honor the free breakfast for eligible members even for reservations made before Monday's announcement. Currently, breakfast is complimentary for all guests.

Well-Being Experiences

Finally, Hyatt is expanding its well-being options for guests with its relationship with Exhale, the spa and fitness brand. At Hyatt Place hotels, guests can expect to find built-in programming on in-room TVs for video content with Exhale's fitness and mindfulness programs. The videos will also be integrated into the Hyatt mobile app, coming no later than 2019.

In addition, Hyatt announced that it's enhancing the fitness facilities in its Hyatt Place properties, including offering more space for yoga and stretching within its gyms. Guests can also expect to take advantage of app-based well-being partnerships, such as a bike-sharing platform.

The Hyatt Place brand was originally launched 12 years ago, and has since been one of Hyatt's mainstays for business travelers. Hyatt says that in the past five years, the Hyatt Place brand has grown by 75%, with a portfolio now totaling more than 305 hotels in 200 cities around the world.

This story has been updated to reflect that all World of Hyatt members will have access to mobile entry as well as to clarify that breakfast is currently free for all guests.

Featured image by Hyatt Place

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Rewards Rate

4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.
  • Annual Fee

    $325
  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.