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Hotels have long encouraged travelers to book directly rather than through a third party, such as Hotels.com, HotelTonight and more. As an incentive, many offer “best rate guarantees,” promising to match the best rate that a traveler finds elsewhere in addition to another perk. Now, Hyatt is changing its offer on its Best Rate Guarantee policy.
Effective July 31, Hyatt will offer travelers both a best rate guarantee as well as a $50 credit. The $50 single-use credit will be valid for use on a future stay that also must be booked on Hyatt.com. If you take advantage, you’ll get the $50 credit within four days of checkout on the initial stay, and it must be used within one year of being issued.
Currently, Hyatt offers guests a 20% discount on valid lower rates. So, in addition to matching the rate that you found elsewhere, the company also gives you an additional 20% off the room rate for the duration of the stay.
Whether this is an upgrade or a downgrade depends on your specific stay. For example, if you have a one-night stay that costs $150 and is eligible for Hyatt’s Best Rate Guarantee, the $50 future credit is a better offer than the $30 discount you’d be getting with the current offer. However, if you have a seven-night stay that costs $900 (after matching the price from a third party booking site), the $180 credit you’d currently get is more than you’ll get with the $50 future credit. Plus, there’s also the idea that you’re now getting a credit for a future stay rather than a discount on the planned stay, so you’ll be required to stay at a Hyatt property again in order to use that $50.
As a reminder, Hyatt has a member rate, which can save you up to 10% if you book as a World of Hyatt member. However, if you’re finding a better rate elsewhere, it could be worth it to try and take advantage of the chain’s Best Rate Guarantee offer. Note though that actually finding an eligible rate can be a bit tricky — the guidelines can sometimes be vague and hotels often find a way to not honor the best rate guarantee.
Source: thepointsguy.com