Last month, I wrote about the cheapest Category 7 from Hyatt in the world. While costing 30,000 points per night for an award, it was actually bookable for much less than $200 per night!
From Hyatt Category 7 to Category 3
Link: Hotel Levent
Since it was in Turkey and events in Turkey in the last year have affected pricing in some travel markets, that was likely why it was at that price. Since it is a Hyatt affiliate property, I am not sure how they negotiate the inclusion into the Gold Passport program and how far in advance they calculate things like categories. But, I am guessing all of that was done prior to last summer and that is why it started at a Category 7.
It didn’t take long, though, for that property to drop in the category rankings! The Hotel Levent has gone from a Category 7 (requiring 30,000 points per night) to a Category 3 (requiring 12,000 points per night). Even that is still a high award price since the hotel can be booked for just over $100 per night. In fact, even the Park Hyatt in Istanbul can be booked for less than $150 per night! By the way, the Points+Cash rate for this hotel is completely nuts – 6,000 points and €269 per night! Normally, a Points+Cash for a Category 3 is 6,000 points and $75 per night. Not sure why this is $200 more…
I am not sure but I think the Hotel Levent’s category drop from a Category 7 to a Category 3 may just be the steepest and drastic category drop from Hyatt. It has literally dropped 18,000 points per night!
Have you ever stayed at the Hotel Levent? Would you consider it a Category 3?
Sounds like the points + cash rate is still at the Cat. 7 level.
I would not go to turkey these days as life is to nice–Hilton also dropped many hotel catg ,some to catg 1
people are not so stupid to be be enticed by a cheap price or less points if country is not safe
Just avoid the non-safe areas and you’ll be fine. Just like in most countries.
unfortunately crowded areas of tourists and hotels have become targets in Turkey and other places recently. That’s not to say it can’t happen anywhere, but in Istanbul it’s more likely than not.
[…] The crazy category 7 pricing for Hyatt’s Hotel Levent Istanbul — creating the odd situation where the hotel would be 3 times as much money on a cash and points booking as on a paid rate — has been corrected. It’s now category 3. […]