Weekend Blitz

Both Starwood and Hyatt promise “guaranteed room availability” for their top tier elites. I was forced to put this to the test on a recent business trip to Charlotte where I already had a few nights booked but needed to add an extra night on the front end of the stay. As a result of the conference and a Monday Night Football game downtown (thanks for nothing, Carolina Panthers), ALL Starwood and Hyatt properties in ALL of the Charlotte area (yes, including those 20+ miles from Downtown) were sold out.

The official policy at Starwood is “guaranteed room availability when your room is booked by 3 p.m., 72+ hours prior to arrival” with the [...]

Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead – Hyatt Category 5 3300 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30305 Award Redemption: 12,000 pts Normal rate: Varies b/t $206-$329, average around $296 Hyatt Gold Passport points return: 1.72 – 2.67 cents/points = average return

The hotel has a rather grand entrance (quite fitting, no?), with a pull-through valet area situated pretty far back on the lot, getting you away from busy Peachtree Road. The valet will charge $32/night to park it for you; alternatively, you can leave the car with them for 15-30 mins and then park it yourself in Hyatt garage for $20/night. To access the garage, you’ll have to cross the [...]