Hyatt Grand Reserve Puerto Rico: A Globalist in Name Only

Hyatt Grand Reserve Puerto Rico Hotel Review is part of the Despacito! TPOL Moves to Puerto Rico Trip Report.


I moved to Puerto Rico more than four years ago (see Despacito! TPOL Is Moving to Puerto Rico! Effective Inmediatamente). Upon arriving, I toured the island looking for the best place to live: I chose Rio Mar (see House Hunters Puerto Rico: TPOL Finds His Home). One place I did not visit was Coco Beach which, like Rio Mar, is located in the municipality of Rio Grande. Coco Beach hosts the Puerto Rican Open and is also home to the Hyatt Grand Reserve.
Getting There: Coco Beach is a ten-minute drive from my house. Assuming you’re not coming from my house, the best way to get there is via Uber. TPOL’s TIP: Uber shouldn’t be more than $30. If it is surging, wait 30 minutes after landing and you’ll see the fare crash down like BitCoin.
Hotel Itself Like Bahia, Coco Beach is isolated. Some people might find it relaxing, but I didn’t like the seclusion. I also found it to be dated. a building with a sign in front of it a row of bushes and palm trees a walkway between two white buildings with palm trees a white wall with a lion head on it The Room Since the room was booked using Ms. TPOL’s Chase cert (Don’t Let Your Chase Hyatt Cert Expire) and since she does not have status, we were not upgraded (see I Should Receive Globalist Perks with Ms. TPOL’s Booking). I was fine with a garden view. I see the Puerto Rico ocean every day from my house.
a white wall with a round stool and a white railing with trees in the background
Looking at life through the eyes of a Discoverist
a room with a bed and a television a bedroom with a bed and a couch a bed in a room a room with a bed and a couch TPOL’s Tip: It was only after staying here that I learned that e-certs can be gifted to a Globalist and the benefits honored (see Confirmed: E-Certs Can Be Gifted with Globalist Perks). Bathroom I did not take a shower but did take a photo of the tub. a bathroom with a mirror and sink a group of bottles on a counter a bathroom with a bathtub and shower Espresso While there was a Nespresso machine, the hotel only provided two bottles of water, hardly sufficient especially post drinking and post Domino’s (see below). a coffee maker and coffee pot on a table The Pool The pool is the main draw of the hotel. a pool with palm trees and buildings a pool with palm trees and gazebos a pool with a pool and palm trees a pool with chairs and umbrellas Alcohol As a resident of Puerto Rico, I have grown accustomed to bringing my own alcohol everywhere I go. a man sitting on a chair by a table with a fish Shark Attack There was an incident with a shark in the pool. I tried to handle it but failed. a man on a inflatable dolphin in a pool a inflatable dolphin in a pool a inflatable shark in a pool The Food For lunch, I had a $20 burger which was prepared in a food truck. It was good and the price was inline with resort prices. For second lunch, I had $20 nachos which was also prepared in a food truck. They were great and the price was inline with resort prices. Fortunately, I used my World of Hyatt Business card and will receive a $50 statement credit (see World of Hyatt Business: Almost Missed $100 Statement Credits Per Year). a food truck parked outside with tables and chairs a bowl of nachos with meat and cheese
a pool with umbrellas and chairs in the middle
A second pool next to the taco truck.
The Beach Coco Beach is a nice beach. It is nicer than the beach directly in front of the Wyndham Rio Mar and similar to Las Picaus, a beach accessible to me by foot. a table and chairs on a beach
a group of rocks on a beach
Our iguanas are bigger.
Dinner After a long day of drinking, I made the right choice to skip the upscale dining and order in. The wrong choice was not bringing enough water to satisfy my thirst. a pizza boxes on a table Overall Category 4 Hyatts are good enough. Calling this one Grand is a stretch.

TPOL’s Out of the Office

I’ll be back soon. In the meantime, check out my IG reel promoting the Urban Turban. And buy one here: IQKhameleon.com  https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChQUekXl8yd/

Did TPOL Buy a 1 Euro Italian Villa?

1 Euro Italian Villa is part of the Punxsutawney TPOL Trip Report.


Once upon a time, TPOL was stuck in his basement thanks to a mysterious virus (see The Lost & Found Year(s): COVID Trip Report). Believing the lockdown would never end, I began inventing ways to occupy my time (see COVID 2020: TPOL’s Most Productive Year). Frustrated with the idiocy of Puerto Rico’s Covid response (see No Alcohol Sales on the Weekend, No Golf on Sunday: Another Stupid Lockdown Measure), but unwilling to go on vacation (see 11 Reasons Why I Still Don’t Want to Travel), I decided that buying a second home in a different country was a prudent way to plan for the next pandemic. For months, I had been reading about Italy’s 1 Euro houses and found villas for sale in Castiglione, a town in an area that I had visited and thoroughly enjoyed (see Mount Etna, Sicily Wine Tour: Fun & Games Until Police Stop). What’s more, the town had the second-best golf course in Sicily. Imagine living on a golf course in Puerto Rico and having another property near a golf course in the heart of Europe. I tried reaching out through the website and never received a response (see Nothing to Rent in Tuscany, But Maybe I’ll Buy a House in Italy). Fed up with the basement, I decided if I wanted to make this happen, I would have to go there in person. Accordingly, I booked a one-way ticket to Madrid with the expectation that when I returned to Puerto Rico, it would be as a dual property owner. When I landed in Madrid, I had difficulty finding a flight to Sicily. As a descendant of the ‘Frugal Travel Guy,’ I refused to overpay for a flight and thought it best that the next decision should be made under the influence (see Guns & Butter: Ribera Del Duero, Madrid Travel Guide (Vino Edition)). Three days into my wine exploration, I checked for flights to Italy. Once again, there was nothing cheap. However, I did find a nice Avios redemption to Copenhagen and decided to go there instead. That ended up being a smart choice (see Guns & Butter: Copenhagen Travel Guide). The ‘frugal’ road to Italy continued from Copenhagen onto Belfast, onto Edinburgh, and concluding in Manchester. Reminded of how much fun travel is and reminded of how much I like big cities, the idea of moving to another remote island for more of the same did not sound appealing. Exhausted from Covid tests, (Scam Covid Test #1: Entering the UK & Scam Covid Test #2: Leaving the UK), I almost decided to go home. While in Conwy (see Guns & Butter: Conwy, Wales Travel Guide), I finally found a cheap flight to Sicily. I figured since I had come this far, I should, a la Forrest Gump, see it through until the end versus giving up on the idea entirely (see Canceled! TPOL’s Move to Albania). The next stop was Milan to see my Italian lawyer and friend (see 1 Euro Italian Villa: Would She Be Mine?). From the beginning of the process, he was an indispensable part of the purchase process. He too called the town to see if he could find out more information about what properties were available. He too was told all the information was on the website. When I unearthed the contact information for the mayor of Castiglione, he called on my behalf and set up a meeting for when I arrived. While he was of great assistance, he was also blunt in his assessment of this idea. Simply put, he found it stupid. He and my other Italian friend found the entire 1 Euro housing concept amusing. They asked, “Have you thought if the prices are so cheap, why aren’t all Italians flocking to buy them?” Since everyone thought I was crazy when I moved to Puerto Rico (see Despacito! TPOL Is Moving to Puerto Rico! Effective Inmediatamente), I chose not to dignify their question with a response.
two men standing in front of a building
TPOL & His Attorney
I arrived in Catania late in the night, pretending that this would be the same process I would undertake when Castiglione became my home. The first bad omen was when I went to the rental counter to discover that I had made my reservation for the following day. After canceling that one, I was forced to book one on the spot and pay a premium for doing so. The cold indifference of the rental agent was similar to the Park & Go in Puerto Rico. Appropriately, that experience did not tilt the scales into whether moving here was a good fit. a white car parked in a parking lot On the other hand, the drive from Catania did factor into the equation. The airport is one hour from Castiglione, and there is no convenient transportation. The allure of moving to Sicily included the ability to pop in and pop out at a moment’s notice. How could I do so without a ride to and from the airport? Putting aside that inconvenience, I can say that the drive itself was not difficult. Unlike Puerto Rico, there were lights on the freeway and no man-eating potholes. At 12:30AM, I arrived at Il Picciolo Etna Golf Resort & Spa, located minutes away from my prospective new home. a sign on a wall Unlike Milan, no late-night restaurants were open (see Late Night Bite in Milan). Fortunately, Ms. TPOL had lifted a few goodies from the Priority Pass Lounge MXP (see In Search of the Priority Pass Milan Malpensa Airport).
a plastic container with food in it
I captured the photo with the thought that it would be our first meal in our new hometown.
The next morning, we made the drive from the hotel up the mountain, back down the mountain, and then back up the winding road for one, Castiglione.
a building with flags in front of it
Leaving the hotel in the morning. Will this be my future practice green?
a city on a hill
Wally World dad?
a hill with buildings and a city in the background
No, it’s Castiglione.
a group of buildings with a hill in the background
For Sale signs everywhere
a street with cars parked on it
The only wide road is the one coming in.
a building with balconies and a stone wall
I could see myself having espresso on the balcony.
a building with a balcony Of course, the first test to see if I could live here was sampling an espresso. Next to alcohol, nothing leads to more impulsive decisions than caffeine.
a cup of coffee on a table in a street
Starbucks is heresy.
Meeting the Mayor My Italian lawyer arranged a meeting with the mayor at his office.
a building with cars parked in front of it
The town square and mayor’s office.
a staircase leading to a stained glass window
Stairway to the mayor
The mayor was a young, friendly guy. After exchanging pleasantries in Italian and after exhausting my well-rehearsed Italian phrases (see TPOL The Polyglot: A Better Way to Learn Multiple Languages), we went for a tour of Castiglione.
a car parked outside a building
It was literally something out of a movie.
a stone building with a door and a sign a stone building with stone pillars and a stone staircase a building with a stone wall and stairs a group of buildings with cars parked in a courtyard a group of cars parked in a courtyard of a building Meeting Other Buyers Unfortunately, the mayor could not reach any of the sellers by phone. I was disappointed that I had come all this way and would not see the inside of any units. As luck would have it, we came across a realtor who was giving a tour to other prospective American buyers. They uneasily welcomed us into their group. I suspect that they were concerned that we would poach their dream 1 Euro villa. Here’s What $40,000 Gets You I had read online that 1 Euro gets you a pile of rubble. I read that $5,000 gets you something decent and $20,000 gets you something move-in ready. Imagine my horror when the realtor said $40,000 gets you this: an old stone building with a door open Instantly, our American competitors were no longer apprehensive of our presence. The realtor tried to justify the price saying that it included both the top floor and the bottom. I could not help but laugh. Even if the unit were 1 Euro, how could anyone renovate such a place? Where would they buy the supplies? Where would they find the labor? It was hard enough in Puerto Rico to upgrade my villa, and we have ten Home Depots! The realtor continued to show us around, but at this point everyone had tuned him out. We returned to the city center traumatized as to what we had seen. Collectively, we, the prospective buyers, uttered ‘goodbye’ to one another but our eyes screamed ‘get out!’
a plant with a city in the background
On our return to the hotel, we stopped to memorialize the moment.
a man and woman taking a selfie
What were we doing here?
Requisite Castle Stop Castiglione means castle of the lions. We couldn’t come this far and not visit the castle. a sign on a pole a stone street with buildings on the side Doesn’t Mean We Can’t Drink And Be Merry Barring some unseen circumstance, we began to accept the reality that Castiglione would not be our second home. The most commonly used phrase was, “It’s good for the blog.” Who else would have the determination to send in the application, meet with an Italian lawyer, and arrange a meeting with the mayor of a Sicilian town? That resilience was worth celebrating over wine and pasta followed by more espresso and gelato. a table and chairs outside a building with a wall of bottles a group of wine bottles on a shelf a glass of wine next to a bottle a plate of pasta with sauce and parsley
a display case of food in a store
Seemed unlikely that Damico would be my barista as I once romantically envisioned.
a trays of ice cream in a display case a cup of ice cream and a cup of coffee The wine was just as I had remembered (see Mount Etna, Sicily Wine Tour: Fun & Games Until Police Stop ). The food was simple but spectacular making me question the hundreds I spent in Milan going out to eat (see Food in Milan: Tourist Places But Great Nonetheless). The gelato was scrumptious and cheap, reigniting my anger over the scam gelato I had in the Amalfi Coast, the tourist Mecca of the world (see A Beautiful Tourist Trap). For The Blog The only thing left to do was get drunk. Of course, one does not say such things aloud. That’s why we continued with the go-to phrase, “It’s for the blog,” as our excuse to go from vineyard to vineyard. The first vineyard was Etna Nocciole. Because this was during Covid, the wine tasting was less formal.
a bunch of grapes on a rock
Not that informal.
a man standing next to a large silver tank
Right from the teat.
a man standing next to a large barrel
a man holding a glass in a room with barrels
With wine like this, maybe I do want to live here.
a vineyard with trees and a mountain in the background
Maybe I’ll buy a vineyard.
Last Call for a 1 Euro Villa With the sun going down, we went to the Tornatore vineyard. Here’s where the plot thickened. a bottle of wine next to a glass of wine We struck up a conversation with a German couple who had recently purchased a villa in Castiglione. They told us that the Jesus’s manger we were shown for 40k was outrageous and not representative of what was for sale. I asked how much move-in ready villas cost. They confirmed that they were not 5k or 20k, as I had read online, but ranged from 40k-100k. They offered to show us these villas the next day. Heartened, I wondered if my Italian villa dreams might be a reality.
a group of people sitting at a long table
The German ambassador to Castiglione.
After more wine, we were invited to join them for more drinks and experience the nightlife of Castiglione. Naturally, that meant going back to the town square where the handful of yutes met in a liquor store to have too much sambuca.
a man holding a cup
Would the owner be my drinking buddy?
a group of women posing for a photo
Potato chips available for purchase.
After dancing in a mini-mart with music blasting and bright lights glaring, it was time to head home. Il Picciolo Golf Club With the possibility of purchasing a villa slightly higher than it was half a day before, I needed to see what Italian country club life was like. a building with flags on the side of it a room with red couches and a fireplace a pool table in a room Before playing, I had lunch at the clubhouse. Sorry, Puerto Rico, but fresh pasta is better than fried pork. a plate of food on a table a plate of spaghetti with sauce Golf While I was golfing, Ms. TPOL was out with the Germans house hunting. Now, I could focus on what was important- golf. But first, I needed to scope out my competition.
a sign with numbers and a logo on it
Hmm who is this Leonardi?
The club had a TrackMan, an indispensable tool to beat Leonardi.
a screen with a golf ball in the middle of a room
We also have one in my club in PR.
Before teeing off, I inquired about membership. It’s $2,000 a year with a 10% discount on alcohol. Cart is not included.
a glass of beer on a table
10% off this quality beer is not as good as 40% in Puerto Rico.
a close up of a car
a golf bag on a path
I have a much nicer push cart at home.
The Course  TPOL has a rule. If I drink the night before, I do not golf the next day because I will lack the mental capacity to focus. It pains me to think about how I am supposed to hit a tiny ball hundreds of yards and then have the finesse to finish off the job with smooth putting. But for the fact that I needed to verify if I was a right fit at this club, I would’ve taken the day off. #sambuca
a person swinging a golf club
Now teeing off, a future member?
A Hole in One? The 10th hole, a par 3, is the most magnificent hole on the course because it stares directly at Mt. Etna, an active volcano. I fired off a beauty with my hybrid and watched it sail right at the mountain. a grassy area with trees and a blue sky a golf ball on a golf course a golf ball on a green field Had it went in, I would’ve taken it as a sign. My ability to birdie not bogey, a rarity in Puerto Rico, gave me the will to keep playing, but it fell short of the divine intervention I was seeking to signify that this was the place for me. My drive to continue playing did not last long. As I came down to earth and as my hangover started settling in, I reverted to my old habit of losing balls every which way.
a grassy area with trees and a cloudy sky
Treasure trove of golf balls in there.
With no cart, I had plenty of time to walk and think about if I really wanted to move here. As I started skipping one hole after another, it became apparent that yesterday’s excitement to buy was due to the sambuca. I arrived at the 18th, parred the hole, then retired.
a golf course with a flag on the green
18th
Should I Buy? While waiting for Ms. TPOL to return, I thought about how far I had come in my quest to buy a 1 Euro Italian villa. Despite commending myself on getting this far, I had the following questions:
  • Do you want to live on another island?
  • Do you want to live in another community with no young people and no nightlife?
  • Do you want to renovate another place?
  • Do you want to live in another place where English is not the first language?
  • Do you want to pay for two golf memberships?
  • Is 40k for a villa a good deal?
  • Do you like Italy?
  • Do you like Europe?
Ms. TPOL Returns Ms. TPOL returned with news I did not want to hear. She informed me that there were move-in-ready villas available from 40k-100k. She tried to show me the videos. Before she was able to hit play, I took her by the hand and led her to the Fiat. Did TPOL buy a 1 euro villa in Italy? This photo at the airport says it all: a tray of fast food and drinks If you are still unclear, let me say it in Italian: No!

55K Alaskan to Fiji And My New Melbourne Residence

The title of this Trip Report is appropriately called Over/Under because I am planning on living in Melbourne for six weeks next spring but am unsure about the odds of that actually happening. My travel goal is to take up residency in two first-tier cities twice a year, while, as I have always done, taking multiple helter-skelter trips throughout the year (see Vote for Where TPOL Will Move Next And…). This new lifestyle is my attempt to make up time (see Lost & Found Year(s)). I am hopeful that it will work.


My anticipated first residency, Dubai, was easy to select on account of the World Cup in Qatar (see Is TPOL Going to The World Cup?). The second was dumb luck. I read a blog post from View From The Wing. He detailed great availability to Australia and New Zealand with a stopover in Fiji. Since I have not visited Fiji and since Melbourne was on the aforementioned list of “Where TPOL Will Move Next,” I decided to press my luck and search for availability. As Gary wrote, it was wide open. Within a few minutes, I made my booking and am [tentatively] on my way to a new life down under. It only cost 55k Alaska points and $43.40 per passenger.
a screenshot of a plane
Over/Under this is more than just a vacation?
And I thought my 100k flight on SQ to Hanoi was a great deal (see Booked! World’s Longest Flight).

Vote for Where TPOL Will Move Next And…

I won’t listen. I once thought it would be a good idea to leave it to my readers to pick where I lived. I chronicled that journey:

I once thought of buying a 1 Euro Italian Villa as well: After Covid (see The Lost & Found Year(s)), I decided that I have zero interest in listening to other people and no desire to live in second-tier cities. That is why I have decided, economics permitting, that I will try a new style of travel. Twice a year, I will stay true to TPOL’s Travel Philosophy, bouncing from one new country in an effort to run up the Country Count List which currently stands at 126, despite the grumblings from antagonists who argue that Puerto Rico shouldn’t be included on that list (see Is Hawaii a Country?). Twice a year I will, like Celine Deion or Elton John, take up residence somewhere. The requirements are as follows: I must rotate between my favorite cities, Shanghai and Cape Town each year. For the other residency stay, I must exhaust The Best Big Cities in the World. The list starts in Dubai in the fall of 2022, though technically not a big city, the World Cup in neighboring Qatar made it the appropriate choice (see Is TPOL Going to The World Cup?). The next stop is #19, Melbourne in the spring of 2023. That choice was made for me (see 55K Alaskan to Fiji And My New Melbourne Residence). The following is the list of eligible cities. Though they are ranked, it does not mean I will visit them in this order. I must, under penalty of flogging, go to all of them before moving on to another. I excluded #18 Tel Aviv, Israel because despite having a great time (Radio Nightclub Tel Aviv: Worth Getting Detained), I also had a bad experience there (see “You Leave Only with Passport!” Detained in Tel Aviv Again). I excluded #17 Rio de Janeiro, because out of the six languages I speak, Portuguese is not one of them (see TPOL The Polyglot: A Better Way to Learn Multiple Languages). I am better off going to places where English is prevalent or I can practice my language skills. I knocked out the Pho Mecca, #16 Ho Chi Minh, because I don’t speak Vietnamese and because I prefer to live in modern, upscale cities. It may seem hypocritical to knock off Saigon but keep Bangkok, but I wrote the list and make no apologies for that inclusion. It may not make sense to include Tokyo and Osaka because I don’t speak Japanese, but in terms of culture, not many places are better. To the novice, it may make no sense to remove #5 Hong Kong, but I’ll always be 上海人。Curiously, my third favorite city at the time I wrote the post in 2020, Buenos Aires, is the least desirable place for me to live. However, I do speak Spanish and did enjoy the steak and wine. I kept it because everyone should learn to Tango at one point in his or her life. If I stick to this schedule, I will complete the list by 2038. Maybe then I will have learned Portuguese and head to Rio. Deciding for myself where I want to spend my life is better than my gimmick ploy to attract blog readership. Disclaimer: I make no apologies for the post title. You read it. It’s over. File a claim with the authorities if you feel that you were baited. Disclaimer: Who knows what will happen come tomorrow? All of this is subject to change. That is why my Melbourne Residency is appropriately called, Over/Under. Question: Who’s got it better than us!? Answer: #notelias
a man and woman taking a selfie in front of a flag
Baghdad is not included in the list unless I receive my Hunter Biden oil consulting position.
 

Booked! World’s Longest Flight

The title of this Trip Report is Reunion Tour. I’ve forgotten more than I care to remember of the COVID Trip Report and am ready to reunite with myself, my friends, and with places I have not seen in many years. My first stop was the Hyatt Grand Reserve in Puerto Rico (see A Globalist in Name Only). Next up was Scottsdale, Arizona on Frontier (see Back to Phoenix on Frontier) to see the usual degenerates. Next week is the Dominican Republic for the first time to meet one my friends I haven’t seen since 2019 (see TPOL in Shanghai). Following that is a world of uncertainty. One thing I do know is that I am flying to SE Asia on Singapore Airlines. The 18 hour and 50 minute flight aboard an a350 from JFK to SIN is the longest in the world. It may also be the cheapest in the world. Using 100k Alaska Miles, I only had to pay $18. That makes the flight less than $1/hour. For $6 more, I am flying to Hanoi to see my friend whom I have not seen since 2021 (see Bogota, a Party City? Who Knew?). From there, I will meet up with my friend from India whom I haven’t seen since 2012 (see Losing My Points Virginity: Trip Report Overview) in Bangkok, where yet another friend lives whom I haven’t seen since 2016 (see My Last Binge in Bangkok). After that, I am not sure where I will go or whom I will meet. What I do know is the following:

  1. Despite Covid, I still have a lot of friends across the globe.
  2. I will never finish my Iraqi Homecoming Trip Report.
  3. TPOL is as excited as ever about traveling.
Remember when you thought I was done? (see We’re All In This Together, So Long As You’re Miserable). Bon voyage, TPOL
a glass with a pink and white dessert in it
Can SQ business compete with my 16.5 hrs from Abu Dhabi to LAX in Etihad First?

Confirmed: E-Certs Can Be Gifted with Globalist Perks

I booked the Hyatt Grand Reserve Puerto Rico and was told at the hotel that I would receive the Globalist perks. I did not. Many had written in the comments that the solution for this is to gift the cert to me (see I Should Receive Globalist Perks with Ms. TPOL’s Booking). Today, Hyatt confirmed this. I show that you did book your reservation at Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico on that same day and then called in on the following day to apply the award.  The Grand Reserve would not be able to apply your husbands Globalist benefits to your reservation since it was under your name.  Yes, you are correct in that if you had gifted the free night award to your husband, and put the reservation under his name, you would have received the globalist benefits. Unfortunately, I am unable to make any changes now that you have completed your stay. While that is great for future reference, I am still upset that I received a second-class stay. I am seeking millions in restitution! Stay tuned.

a pool with umbrellas and chairs in the middle
Gloomy Discoverist Stay

World Cup Urban Turbans Available for Pre-Order!

I have my tickets to the World Cup (see Is TPOL Going to The World Cup?). And now, I have the Urban Turban available for all 32 countries participating in this great event. Pre-order today for delivery worldwide before the World Cup!

a mannequin with a head covering
How far will Qatar go?
 

I Should Receive Globalist Perks with Ms. TPOL’s Booking

Ms. TPOL’s Chase stay certificate was expiring this week (see Don’t Let Your Chase Hyatt Cert Expire). With nowhere to go, I booked a stay at the Hyatt Grand Reserve Puerto Rico, a resort located down the street from my home (see Hyatt Grand Reserve Puerto Rico: Good But Grand?). The reason her certificate almost lapsed is that I want to make the most of my Globalist status while I have it (see Becoming Hyatt Globalist Again: TPOL’s Masterpiece Strategy). When I checked into the hotel, I gave them my Globalist number in the hopes that they might extend some of the perks. They did not. While I didn’t care if I received a room upgrade, I thought that asking for free breakfast wouldn’t be a big deal. The next day when they said no, I decided to take my ball and go home, mooting the point as to whether I would have been granted late check-out. I’m not mad at the hotel. They are following Hyatt’s rules. I am annoyed with Hyatt for having this bad policy. It makes no sense that I can transfer points from Ms. TPOL’s account and book a room in my name and receive Globalist perks, but I can’t transfer the cert to my name and receive the same. I had two options: 1) See the world from a peasant Discoverist point of view for one night. 2) Let the e-cert expire. Who is going to do the second? What’s also vexing is that I won’t receive a credit for the stay. Next year I won’t have this problem as neither of us will have status. I’m sure there is some annoying person out there that will agree with Hyatt. So have at it in the comments section if you do.

a white wall with a round stool and a white railing with trees in the background
Looking at life through the eyes of a Discoverist
 

Don’t Let Your Chase Hyatt Cert Expire

I just wrote about how I try to track everything regarding credit card benefits (see World of Hyatt Business: $100 Statement Credits Per Year). What I do not have on my check-in list, I leave to AwardWallet to track. A few months ago, I received a notification that Ms. TPOL’s Chase Hyatt Cert was expiring. Trying to make use of my Globalist status, I put off using her cert in favor of making bookings under my name. Interestingly, I have only stayed at two Hyatts this year: the Grand Hyatt Istanbul and the Park Hyatt: St. Kitts, leaving me to wonder what good is status if I don’t use it. Last week, I received another notification that the cert was set to expire on August 8th. As a great lawyer (visit BachuwaLaw.com) who does not read the fine print, I thought that the cert was good so long as the booking was made before the 8th. That is not the case. The first sentence of the terms and conditions reads, “Free Night Award must be redeemed in connection with a reservation with a checkout date before the award expiration date.” My attempts to extend it proved futile. Fortunately, there’s a Grand Hyatt Reserve down the street from my house (see House Hunters Puerto Rico: TPOL Finds His Home). I will golf, swim, and bask in the Puerto Rican sunshine knowing that I went from losing a cert to having more content for this fabulous blog (see Hotel Reviews & Golf Course Reviews). TPOL’s Tip: Read the fine print. Don’t let your Chase Hyatt Cert Expire.

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Trading one ocean view for another.