Hyatt Releases its 2025 Property Category Reshuffling: Nothing Too Drastic

Each year, usually sometime in mid-Q1, Hyatt will release an updated property category chart where travelers can see which properties have changed categories for the new year. As award redemption values map to the category of a property, an increase in a property's category will mean award nights (and sometimes cash rates) are more expensive. Conversely, properties moving from higher categories to lower ones will require fewer points. I tend not to get too hung up on these changes as Hyatt has over 1,300 properties worldwide, so there's bound to be value somewhere. You can check out all the hotel changing categories here, and I've shortlisted a few changes to popular properties that caught my eye. 

Notable Properties Changing Categories

First, let's talk about Japan. Several popular Japanese properties are bumping up a category. That has as much to do with demand as anything else, as the well-documented over-tourism has really affected the country. Last year, I stayed at the Andaz Tokyo Toranamon Hills, and while the hotel was great, the service was a bit hit or miss.

Nonetheless, booking this property will cost you more (40,000) points in the future. The Park Hyatt Tokyo closed for remodeling last year, and its points rates upon reopening will also be higher.

Elsewhere in Asia, we see one of the more notable categories decrease, with the Park Hyatt Busan dropping from category 6 to 5, which means the property now costs as little as 20,000 points - not bad value.

In Costa Rica, another Andaz is moving up a category - the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort. The Andaz is another property I enjoyed checking out last year, although different parts of the resort have been under construction since mid-2024. Demand for this property is always high, and while it's a solid property, it was slightly more attractive at the 25,000/night cost versus the 30,000. With a new Ritz Carlton Reserve, Waldorf Astoria, and the existing Four Seasons all nearby, it might be much easier to stay elsewhere now, particularly if you plan to pay cash rates. On the Costa Rican all-inclusive front, the Dreams Las Mareas is also moving up a notch. I'm not too big into all-inclusive resorts, but many folks are big fans of this property. Getting there from the nearest airport (1.5 hrs from Liberia (LIR)) is a bit of a hike, but those intent on staying at the family-friendly all-you-can will now need 30,000 points for a free night.

Sticking with all-inclusiveness, Hyatt also bumped up its Dreams and Secrets properties in the buzzy Cap Cana area of the Dominican Republic. I've recently written a few pieces detailing the upcoming 2025 openings in the Dominican Republic market and how Hyatt's been on an absolute tear in the all-inclusive acquisition realm. Between the competitiveness of the Dominican Republic market and Hyatt's continued investment in the all-inclusive space, it fits that these properties will move up.

By the way, since Hyatt has so many all-inclusive brands, I'll throw in a few pro-tips: in many locations, wherever you see a Secrets, you are likely to find a Dreams property, as they are sister brands—one (Secrets) offering upscale adult all-inclusive experiences, and the other (Dreams) promising a family-friendly version of the same quality. 

In the future, I'll write a piece detailing all of Hyatt's many all-inclusive brands, but waiting until the dust settles following the Playa Hotels and Bahia Principe deals makes sense. I'm sure these rankings will change once Hyatt welcomes 30+ additional all-inclusive hotels this year, but as it stands now, here's how the all-inclusive brands rank by quality: 

• Impressions (by Secrets) is Hyatt's premier all-inclusive brand, followed by either
• Zilara (Ziva for families) or Secrets (Dreams for families), depending on who you ask.
• From there, it's a dice roll as brands like Breathless, Zoëtry, and others jockey for position. 

Speaking of Zoëtry…the Zoëtry Marigot Bay St. Lucia will drop from category F to E, meaning standard rates will fall from 50,000 points per night to 40,000. Zoëtry all-inclusive properties are distinguished in that they are boutique, with no more than 100 rooms at any Zoëtry property. As St. Lucia will welcome a Secrets hotel later this year, I wonder if this re-categorization will help to better position both properties for success in the same market. 

In Europe, Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile's move from category 4 to 5 is a bit of a bummer as it will mean the property is no longer bookable with 1-4 Free Night Awards. I stayed there in 2023, and the club lounge punches about its weight. Both the rooms and clubs offer great views, too!

Lastly, several Lindler hotels Hyatt acquired last year are moving up a notch. I imagine this has more to do with the properties settling into the Hyatt ecosystem and the teams having access to a few months of data to forecast profitability. 

Conclusion 

Hyatt's annual category changes are often a mixed bag - some popular properties become more expensive, others may become more affordable - and it's the same story with the 2025 updates that were released today. If there's a Hyatt hotel you're excited about staying at post-change, let us know about it in the comments.