Ultimate Rewards' Exceptional Hotel Points Transfer Values

Chase's Ultimate Rewards program is their in house rewards program that lets you redeem points for gift cards, merchandise, travel, cash back, and transfer into Chase partner points programs.  Point transfers are 1:1 to most programs.  Since points can also be cash back at 1 to $0.01, points transfers are like buying points at a penny each.  This is cheaper than airlines sell them and a great value when needing to top off an account for an award, except for Priority Club.  On the flip side of that coin, Hyatt is an outstanding value.

Unrelated United Airlines Picture

Exceptionally Good Value:  Hyatt
Top level hotels, like the Park Hyatt Tokyo, are only 22,000 Hyatt Gold Passport points.  That's $220 of Ultimate Rewards points (tax is included in points reservations) for rooms that are normally over $600.  This is one of the best deals available today.

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Exceptionally Bad Value:  Priority Club
A mid-range Holiday Inn is 25,000 priority club points. That's $250 of Ultimate Rewards points for a room that is less than $200.  

Better Off Just Spending Cash

Park Hyatt Tokyo Review and Tourist Views on Tokyo

As part of my new ‘travel without doing any actual research’ initiative, I’ve been basing my plans on tourist cards, with good success, and movies, with limited success.  I decided to base my trip to Tokyo on Lost In Translation, it’s a good movie (on Netflix) and a much better depiction of modern Tokyo than Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo or MacArthur.  I had done a little research in 2011 when I booked a $700 round trip on United.  The earthquake struck the morning I was scheduled to depart, so my plans were put on hold while my Yen appreciated. 

Room With A View, Room 4303

Many scenes in Lost In Translation are set at the Park Hyatt Tokyo so, with some help from my dad’s Hyatt points, I booked a room.  This turned out to be an excellent idea.  The Park Hyatt is one of the best hotels, if not the best, I’ve ever visited.  The rooms are large (huge by Japanese standards) and the service is impeccable.  There is standard twice daily housekeeping and they even fill up the ice bucket (with Scotch bar quality ice cubes too).  The staff was very courteous and the facilities top notch.  I asked for a room with a view facing the city and got a room on the 43^rd floor so I could do my Lost In Translation picture.

Park Hyatt Tokyo Two Queen Bed Room

Park Hyatt Tokyo Bathroom Tub

My Toilet's Control Panel

Tokyo is like New York, just without a grid system.  It’s big, expensive, most people don’t speak English well, and disgustingly hot in the summer.  It has a great skyline, a few parks and temples, and the gardens at the Imperial Palace.   The gardens are my favorite place in Tokyo.  They are large, immaculately maintained, and free.  They are beautiful and relaxing.  I just sat on a bench for 20 minutes at one point and just watched the world go by.  I loved it.

Tsukiji Fish Market - Long Lines and High Prices

Imperial Palace Gardens Tokyo

Imperial Palace Gardens and Tokyo Skyline

Tokyo Skyline

It's best not to play 'guess what sound this made?' or 'what sea creature was this?' while eating in Japan.  I was a little adventurous on my flight to Tokyo and enjoyed the eel and other odd things served.  Once on the ground, I was much less daring.  I went to McDonald’s twice.  I did try some street food and it was good and looked like chicken.  I also went to the New York Bar at the Park Hyatt Tokyo.  I had one of my top three burgers (and by far most expensive) ever.  I got there before the band started and enjoyed the sun set.  

New York Bar Cheese Burger  ~$60

New York Bar - Park Hyatt Tokyo

Mega McMuffin - It's Amazing

I'm Not Sure What It Is, But It's Only Y500

I really liked the new buildings and unique modern architecture of Tokyo, so enjoy a few more pictures.

Park Hyatt Tokyo - Floors 39 to 52

Sun Rise in the Land of the Rising Sun

Doing the Lost in Translation Thing

Full review of the Park Hyatt Tokyo to follow.

My Lost in Translation Moment