Thompson Playa del Carmen, Joie de Vivre Hotels Join World of Hyatt
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Hyatt added eight Thompson Hotels to its World of Hyatt loyalty program back in March, but two properties were notably absent: Thompson Playa del Carmen and the oceanfront Thompson Beach House just around the corner. As of Wednesday, May 15, both hotels will be part of the program as well, available for points accrual, redemption, elite benefits and more.
Tuesday, Hyatt also detailed the addition of Joie de Vivre Hotels, another Two Roads Hospitality brand with properties throughout the US. 14 of the brand's 18 hotels will be joining Hyatt, including the properties below, with the exception of the faded locations in San Francisco.
These hotels are now bookable on Hyatt's website, and many fall into the lower or mid-tier categories of the Hyatt award chart. Here's a table that summarizes these 14 properties:
| Property | City | Award Category (Rate) |
|---|---|---|
Carmel Valley Ranch | Carmel, CA | Category 6 (25,000 points) |
El Capitan Hotel | Merced, CA | TBA |
Hotel Avante | Mountain View, CA | Category 4 (15,000 points) |
Waterfront Hotel | Oakland, CA | Category 4 (15,000 points) |
Hotel del Sol | San Francisco, CA | Category 4 (15,000 points) |
Hotel Kabuki | San Francisco, CA | Category 5 (20,000 points) |
The Laurel Inn | San Francisco, CA | Category 5 (20,000 points) |
Avatar Hotel | Santa Clara, CA | Category 3 (12,000 points) |
Wild Palms Hotel | Sunnyvale, CA | Category 3 (12,000 points) |
Hotel Lincoln | Chicago, IL | Category 3 (12,000 points) |
The Talbott Hotel | Chicago, IL | Category 3 (12,000 points) |
Hotel Revival | Baltimore, MD | Category 2 (8,000 points) |
Hotel 50 Bowery | New York, NY | Category 5 (20,000 points) |
Park South Hotel | New York, NY | Category 5 (20,000 points) |
What's most notable about this list is the fact that 8 of the 14 new additions fall into Category 4 or lower, making them eligible for the free night certificates that you can earn on the World of Hyatt Credit Card. This includes two properties just north of downtown Chicago as well the Hotel del Sol in San Francisco.
However, even the higher properties have some solid value. Take the Carmel Valley Ranch over Labor Day Weekend. You can book a 650-square-foot studio room for 25,000 points, which would otherwise set you back over $650 per night, giving you a redemption value of 2.6 cents per point.
In addition, as part of Joie de Vivre's partnership, Hyatt is integrating the brand's Joy of Life Club with World of Hyatt. As a result, elite members will be offered a status match, and any outstanding points will be converted at a 1:4 ratio. Members do need to migrate their accounts manually, however, with a deadline of September 27, 2019 to retain points and status.
As for Playa, I actually had a chance to stay at the Thompson Beach House a few weeks ago, in anticipation of the hotel joining World of Hyatt. I ended up being a bit underwhelmed — especially considering that the rate was so much higher than at the far superior Grand Hyatt up the road. With Hyatt now onboard, I imagine the chain will work quickly to improve customer service, though.
The Playa Thompsons couldn't be more different, too. There's the oceanfront Thompson Beach House — now a Hyatt Category 5 — with just 27 rooms and suites located right on a popular (though apparently seaweed-filled) stretch of coastline just off the town's main drag.
And then there's the Thompson Playa del Carmen — a Category 3 hotel — which unfortunately is set back a few blocks from the beach and is far larger, with a total of 92 rooms and suites. The "Main House," as it's called, is where you'll find most of the amenities, including a gym and a huge rooftop pool, but the hotel is positioned just above a shopping mall in the most crowded, touristy section of town.
Cash rates are fairly reasonable, though they're consistently higher at the Beach House than at the Grand Hyatt, which I actually preferred.
During off-peak periods, you won't be getting a great value from redemptions, considering we value Hyatt points at 1.7 cents apiece — the value proposition increases tremendously during holidays, however, when cash rates climb significantly.
Finally, remember that existing World of Hyatt members are being incentivized to try out the new brands, too. Hyatt is offering 2,000 bonus points (worth $34 based on our valuations) after your first qualifying stay at Joie de Vivre Hotels and Thompson Hotels, along with Alila hotels and Destination Hotels once those brands are added in the future. You'll be eligible for a total of 8,000 bonus points — 2,000 for each of the four new brands. Finally, you'll earn 4x bonus points with the World of Hyatt Credit Card, just as you do with other Hyatt hotels.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees