How I saved $26,000 on a Luxury Winter Stay – You Can Too!

In 2018, I saved a whopping $26,000 on a luxury winter trip to the St. Regis Aspen Resort by booking two rooms for six nights using SPG points (now part of Marriott Bonvoy). Here’s how I did it:

The 2018 Strategy: Saving $26,000 at the St. Regis Aspen

I wanted to take my family on a luxury ski vacation over Winter Break at the St. Regis Aspen Resort in Colorado. The cost of booking two rooms for six nights would have been over $26,000 (around $13,350 per room). But through a strategic use of SPG points, I managed to book two rooms for 6 nights for just 300,000 SPG points.

Here’s how I was able to accumulate enough points:

• SPG’s Award Chart: At the time, SPG had a fixed award chart, meaning I could book rooms at set rates per night.
• 5th Night Free: I took advantage of SPG’s 5th-night-free benefit, which meant I only needed to book for 5 nights to get the 6th night free.
• Point Pooling: I used a combination of points from my Chase Ultimate Rewards, Marriott Rewards, SPG timeshare, and American Express Membership Rewards accounts to reach 300,000 points.

In total, I saved $26,000 by booking the stay with points instead of cash. I actually wrote about it at the time in case you want more details. This was an incredible value back then, but it wouldn’t be possible today due to the changes in Marriott Bonvoy’s system.

How I Could Do It Today with Hyatt

Fast forward to today, and things are a little different. Since SPG became Bonvoy in 2019, Marriott replaced its award chart with dynamic pricing, meaning the number of points required for a stay now fluctuates based on the cash price and demand, making it far harder to get the same value I achieved in 2018. In fact, this same stay at the St. Regis Aspen over February break would be close to 700,000 Bonvoy Points.

Fortunately, Hyatt still uses a fixed award chart, which makes their properties much more predictable and attainable for saving on high-end destinations like ski resorts or luxury retreats. The highest category Hyatt properties on the chart are a mere 45,000 points per night during peak season. 

Here’s how I could save a similar (or even greater) amount today by booking with Hyatt points:

Park Hyatt Beaver Creek: During peak season, I could book the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek for 45,000 points per night. While I wouldn’t save $26,000 booking two rooms for six nights in Beaver Creek, I could still achieve great value. For example, two rooms for six nights would cost 540,000 Hyatt points (instead of over $18,000 in cash).

Andaz Maui: Similarly, I could book two rooms for six nights at the Andaz Maui during Christmas week. The cash price for two rooms would be over $23,000, but using Hyatt points, I could book these rooms for just 540,000 points (45,000 points per night per room).

Alila Ventana Big Sur: Another great example of where Hyatt points can provide incredible value is the Alila Ventana Big Sur. Upon searching, the cash price for two rooms for six nights this September would be over $46,000 ($23,127 per room). However, using Hyatt’s award chart, this stay would only cost me 540,000 points (45,000 points per room, per night). This would give me nearly $46,000 worth of value for just 540,000 Hyatt points. For a booking like this, you’d need to act fast when the property opens for reservations, as availability during the high season can be competitive.

How to Earn Hyatt Points for These Incredible Redemptions

While staying at Hyatt properties and using the World of Hyatt Credit Card are the most direct ways to earn Hyatt points, the best strategy for accumulating Hyatt points quickly is by applying for and using credit cards that transfer points to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio. Below are some of the easiest ways to build up those buckets of Hyatt points!

Chase Ultimate Rewards Cards-These cards earn points that can easily be transferred to Hyatt. The best cards for earning Ultimate Rewards points include the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.

Chase Cashback Cards-Another useful line of cards that can help you accumulate Hyatt points are the Chase Cashback Cards. While these cards are marketed as cashback cards, you can pool the points earned with these cards into your Chase Sapphire or Ink Business Preferred accounts, which will allow you to transfer the points to Hyatt. These cards include the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, Chase Freedom Flex®, Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card and the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card.

Signup Bonuses-One of the fastest ways to earn a significant number of Chase Ultimate Rewards points is by taking advantage of credit card signup bonuses. For example, the above cards often offer introductory bonuses of 60,000 to 100,000 points when you meet the minimum spend requirement within the first few months of card membership. These points alone could cover one to two nights at a high-end Hyatt property, making signup bonuses a crucial strategy for quickly building your points balance.

Bilt Mastercard: Another option to earn Hyatt points is through the Bilt Mastercard, which allows you to earn Bilt points from rent payments. These points can be transferred to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio.

Transferring Points Between Members: One unique feature of the World of Hyatt program is that you can transfer points to other Hyatt members. To do this, you’ll need to complete a transfer form and email it back to Hyatt. This is a great way to pool points with family or friends for a large redemption. Keep in mind that points can only be transferred once every 30 days.

Pros and Cons of Using Rewards for Luxury Hotels

• Pros:
  • Significant cost savings: Using points instead of cash can save you thousands of dollars on luxury stays.
  • Luxury experience for a low cash outlay: You can enjoy top-tier properties like the Alila Ventana Big Sur or Park Hyatt Beaver Creek at a fraction of the cash price.
• Cons:
  • Depleted points balances: Using a large number of points for a high-end stay may leave your account balance low, requiring time to replenish.
  • High in-hotel costs: Even when booking with points, some luxury hotels have high resort fees, dining costs, and other charges that may not be covered by points.

Final Thoughts

While earning Hyatt points through their credit card and staying at Hyatt properties is an obvious choice, using Chase Ultimate Rewards points—through personal, business, or cashback cards—is the best strategy for supercharging your earnings and saving big on luxury travel.

Whether you’re booking a winter ski trip at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek or a dream stay at the Alila Ventana Big Sur, having the right credit cards and strategies in place can help you save thousands of dollars on luxury stays, just like I did back in 2018—and even more so with Hyatt points today.

If you’re flexible with your destinations and start accumulating points today, you could find yourself enjoying a luxury vacation for a fraction of the cost, using points you’ve earned strategically through credit cards and point transfers.

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