Nicest Hyatt Place Suite I've Seen - Just 8,000 Points?!
I get emails from unexpected people and companies with some regularity - it's all part of the 'fun' of making a living in this kind of crazy way. One email that caught my eye recently was from someone that worked at the Hyatt Place Houston, The Woodlands, which is very near my hometown. She was a meeting coordinator and was giving me a tip about earning Hyatt points via meetings, receptions etc. It was a points earning method I'm not sure I have overtly written about, so I will soon, but especially since I live so close to that Hyatt Place I wrote back and said it was good to hear from someone "local". Most communications I get from companies like Hyatt are from the corporate level or a PR company so it was fun to get something from an individual property. She was surprised I lived in the area and we set up a time to meet and tour the new Hyatt Place in The Woodlands.
While I was happy to meet her, touring a Hyatt Place is kind of like touring a McDonalds in that my impression is that they are pretty much all the same. Well, color me wrong. I had heard that the new build Hyatt Places they were putting up now were nicer than lots of the converted Hyatt Places I had stayed in before, but hadn't yet stayed in a one yet.
This particular Hyatt Place was not just an okay place to lay your head at night, but it was actually nice. Like really nice. Don't believe me, that's okay, keep reading.
First, the lobby was bright and airy and staffed by very professional employees.
Of course it had the standard area for the included Hyatt Place breakfast, though no breakfast was out on my visit since we were well past breakfast time. While we are on that topic, if you aren't familiar with Hyatt Place, everyone gets free breakfast and free WiFi. At this particular location the parking is also free - no elite status required!
Next, we checked out the pool and gym. You would expect a Hyatt Place to have a pool, but I did not expect it to be a saltwater heated pool, especially in Texas. It wasn't huge, but it looked like somewhere I would actually get in if traveling with my kid rather than an amenity I would try and hide from her so she didn't ask me to get in because it looked over-chlorinated or otherwise sketchy.
Their outdoor areas in general looked inviting (well other than the 100 degree Texas heat), and apparently an outdoor fire pit is on the way this fall.
Next we checked out both a standard room and then a suite. The standard room was very nice for what it was, and was certainly clean and modern (with the sink actually in the bathroom!), but let's skip that and jump right to the suite.
All Hyatt Place rooms are pretty much perfect for families since they all have the large couch areas. Many are rated for 5, and some for 6 persons in one room, which is a big deal for traveling families, but this particular room was even better.
The Hyatt Place suite took it to a whole other level with a separate room for the bed, a large bathroom, plus a dining table and kitchen?! The hotel only has a couple of these suites, so they are certainly not the new norm, but it was very nice. If I have some friends or family visit that we don't have room for at our house for some reason, you can bet this will be my first spot to consider for them. Heck, I may give them our house and come here myself for a couple days.
It is certainly the nicest Hyatt Place suite I have ever seen, and it follows the trend that I have written about before that sometimes hotels have deluxe "non standard" rooms available for the same points price as regular rooms...
The Woodlands isn't exactly a big tourist stop, but there is a local shuttle service from the Hyatt Place to the Pavilion for concerts, the hotel is right next to one of my favorite local restaurants in the area, Fieldings, and the area is continuing to grow at lightening speed thanks to copious amounts of oil money - specifically from Exxon building a ginormous complex.
If you have a chance to stay at this specific Hyatt Place I doubt you will be disappointed, but more than just that the visit made me open my eyes again to the idea of a Hyatt Place being more than a way to rack up a cheap Hyatt stay and/or just have a bed to sleep in at night. This one was much more like a "mini full service Hyatt", as the staff described it, than any other Hyatt Place I had seen before thanks to the updated rooms and furnishings, the bright and airy design, the pool I would actually use, lots of meeting space, and employees that really seem to understand the travel experience and their role in it. Of course I didn't actually stay there so I can't speak to how an actual stay would go, but the reviews I have read online seem to back up my impressions.
This post probably reads like a Hyatt Place commercial (I assure you it is not, unless you count the bottle of water I was given at the visit as payment), but it was just that much better than every other Hyatt Place I have seen and I really hope this approach continues. For those curious, the Hyatt Place in downtown Austin is reportedly a similar new-build like this one, so I would expect it to be quite nice as well. I certainly love luxury trips from time to time, but I would not hesitate to spend 8,000 Hyatt points to stay somewhere like this if my travel plans allowed. If you want a more upscale Hyatt in The Woodlands, here is my review on the Hyatt Market Street which is about 5 minutes from this property.
Sure, the Park Hyatt New York City looks really, really great, but 30,000 points per night for the Park Hyatt compared to 8,000 points per night for this hotel. There is a clear winner for families who need to stretch their points while they explore the country. A Hyatt Place will never compete with the Park Hyatt in terms of luxury, but apparently they can still be pretty nice in their own right.
Have you stayed in a new build Hyatt Place or other hotel that ended up exceeding your expectations?
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Rewards
| 4X | 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. |
| 4X | 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
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.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | 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. |
| 4X | 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.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.