How to Use Hyatt Guest of Honor Benefit: A Taste Of Globalist Perks

Hyatt Globalist elite status is one of the most luxurious versions of elite status that one can have. Though it’s also incredibly tough to earn, that exclusivity pays off. NerdWallet considers Hyatt Globalist elite status as the best high-level hotel elite status tier in NerdWallet's 2024 ranking of hotel loyalty programs.

And there’s a way to share your Globalist benefits with friends or family who don’t have any sort of Hyatt elite status through their Hyatt Guest of Honor benefit.

How to earn Hyatt Guest of Honor Awards

The Hyatt Guest of Honor benefit is awarded to existing World of Hyatt members through the company’s Milestone Rewards program, which doles out goodies like bonus points and free night certificates to loyal Hyatt customers when they hit milestones like staying a certain amount of nights, or earning enough points.

World of Hyatt members who stay either 40 qualifying nights or earn 65,000 base points in a year receive their first Guest of Honor Award, which they can apply to their own stays or gift to someone else. With this award applied to a reservation, hotel guests are treated as if they have Globalist elite status, even if they’ve never stayed in a Hyatt ever before.

After the initial Guest of Honor night (which can be redeemed for a stay of up to seven nights) is earned, subsequent awards are received upon hitting certain milestones. Here’s the full breakdown:

• Stay 40 nights or earn 65,000 base points in a year: first award granted.

• Stay 60 nights or earn 100,000 base points in a year: two more awards granted.

• Stay 70 nights: another award granted.

• Stay 80 nights: another award granted.

• Stay 90 nights: another award granted.

• Stay 110 nights: another award granted.

• Stay 120 nights: another award granted.

• Stay 130 nights: another award granted.

• Stay 140 nights: another award granted.

There’s no opportunity to earn any more awards after staying 140 nights. You’re only able to earn up to 10 Guest of Honor Awards per year through the Milestone Rewards program.

Base points are different from bonus points, which are the most common currency earned when paying with a World of Hyatt Credit Card. That card earns 2 bonus points per $1 spent on dining, airline tickets purchased directly from the airline, gym memberships, and local transit and commuting. For Hyatt-specific spending, cardholders earn 4 bonus points and up to 5 base points per $1 spent on qualifying purchases at Hyatt hotels and resorts. Cardholders earn one bonus point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

» Learn more: The best hotel credit cards right now

In short, base points are largely only acquired through actual spending with Hyatt and its related brands, like Homes & Hideaways (which is Hyatt’s vacation rental platform). That means the only way to earn one of these Guest of Honor certificates is by spending either a lot of money or time (and presumably both) with Hyatt.

» Learn more: The complete guide to earning Hyatt points

How to redeem Hyatt Guest of Honor Awards

Since the first Guest of Honor Award is doled out at the 40 night milestone, but you need 60 nights to actually earn Globalist elite status, it can often make sense to use your first Milestone Rewards on yourself for a personal stay. After all, at that point you would only be an Explorist — and you’d likely want a taste of the Globalist life for yourself.

Once you’ve earned Globalist elite status outright, you’ll presumably start gifting your Guest of Honor benefit to someone else. You can do this through your online Hyatt account or by contacting a Hyatt Global Care Center. Alternatively, you might book an award stay for someone else, and apply your Hyatt Guest of Honor Award to their reservation.

Redeeming it online is generally the easiest route. From a logged in account, navigate to the Awards tab. Then, click the three dots, which offers options such as “Gift Your Award.”

The Guest of Honor benefit has a few limitations, including that it cannot be redeemed at Hyatt Vacation Club properties, and it expires 14 months from the end of year it was earned (check your award for the specific date).

The award applies to stays booked on either cash or points for up to seven nights.

Guest of Honor benefits

Exact Globalist benefits can vary by property, but always include guaranteed late checkout and waived resort fees. That alone can be a huge money-saver if you’re staying at a hotel that charges them. And in fact, Hyatt charges among the highest resort fees of the major hotel brands.

Other benefits are property-specific. Take the Hyatt Regency San Francisco. There, the Guest of Honor benefit unlocks access to the rotating Regency Club Lounge, located at the hotel’s top floor. Besides complimentary eats (which are delicious, and mostly from local merchants like Acme Bread and Cowgirl Creamery), the lounge stands out for its impressive 360-degree panoramic views of the city skyline and the San Francisco Bay.

At Hyatt hotels and resorts without a Club lounge, guests get free breakfast instead. That’s not super exciting if you’re staying at a Hyatt House or Hyatt Place where all guests get free breakfast, regardless of status. But, it can be a huge money-saver if your Hyatt doesn’t otherwise include breakfast.

Then, there are the unexpected touches. These are things like gifts offered at check-in, often specific to the hotel’s region. For example, one contributing NerdWallet writer with Globalist status received a complimentary red bean pastry with the Andaz logo imprinted on it upon checking into the Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills.