What it’s really like using Hyatt perks at Standard hotels

It’s big news at The Points Guy when World of Hyatt does anything to grow its reach across the globe — and it’s been happening a lot lately. World of Hyatt is one of our favorite hotel loyalty programs, and an expansion can sometimes create exciting new opportunities to earn and redeem points.

At the same time, some of these changes can leave you disappointed when families of hotels aren’t fully integrated with Hyatt’s typically fantastic award chart and list of elite benefits, instead taking more of an affiliation rather than full integration approach when compared to the rest of the brands.

So when the hip, fun Standard brand of hotels recently began to join the World of Hyatt family, I was cautiously optimistic. If you aren’t familiar with Standard hotels, know that they are really anything but standard. They are typically located in fun spots such as New York City’s High Line and East Village, the Maldives, London, Bangkok, and Singapore, to name a few.

I’m mostly a points and miles girl, so I hadn’t actually stayed at a Standard hotel before this most recent trip, since the brand previously wasn’t part of a major loyalty program.

After a couple of nights, I can vouch that Standard lived up to the reputation of being stylish, a little edgy and not afraid to party … until literally 4 a.m. in the case of the Le Bain on the top floor of the High Line location. (Pssst: Get a floor far away from the club on the 18th floor if you can.)

But that wasn’t exactly what I went there to find out. I went to see how things played out as a World of Hyatt member looking to use my points and perks at The Standard, High Line in New York City’s Meatpacking District.

Many, though not all, Standard hotels are now truly a part of the World of Hyatt program, which means they are on the award chart with a fixed range of points prices. In my experience and research, availability for standard rooms is generally on par with that of most other Hyatt properties.

To put some numbers to it, here are example award prices at a few Standard hotels now bookable with Hyatt points:

• The Standard, Bangkok Mahanakhon: Awards starting at 12,000 Hyatt points per night
• The Standard, Singapore: Awards starting at 17,000 Hyatt points per night
• The Standard, Maldives: Awards starting at 21,000 Hyatt points per night

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I was able to book a room with two double beds at The Standard, High Line for 25,000 points per night during a busy weekend in June when cash rates were over $600 per night, making this a good redemption by TPG point valuations. (Note that I’m now seeing one queen bed as the room type commonly available using World of Hyatt points at this property instead of the more varied room types that were available when it first joined the Hyatt program.)

This adherence to the Hyatt award chart is great news, and not something to take for granted, especially given that the Mr & Mrs Smith hotels and the Under Canvas glamping properties do not follow the award chart. Those properties use dynamic award pricing, even though they are also in the World of Hyatt family.

However, while it is great that most Standard hotels are on the regular award chart, note that some, including the one I was at in New York City, are excluded from Hyatt’s typical suite upgrade rules. That means that you won’t be able to use Globalist suite upgrades or a fixed number of points to secure suites when available.

When we arrived, it was after check-in time, so it wasn’t too big of a surprise that our room was ready. However, it was a pleasant surprise when we were proactively offered a 4 p.m. late checkout at check-in thanks to our Hyatt Globalist status.

Since we were staying on Hyatt points, we also avoided the $35 daily destination fee (true for all Hyatt members staying on points) and enjoyed earning not only 5 Hyatt points per dollar spent on eligible charges, but a 30% bonus on top of that for having Globalist status, plus another 4 points per dollar for putting the incidental charges on my World of Hyatt Credit Card (see rates and fees).

I also got to check off another brand for the Hyatt Brand Explorer promo, which awards one free Category 1-4 award night for every five brands you try in Hyatt’s ecosystem. Luckily, Standard, StandardX and Bunkhouse will count as three separate brands to give you even more options to earn more Brand Explorer awards.

I’m a sucker for a free breakfast thanks to my Hyatt Globalist status, and The Standard, High Line surpassed the standard morning lineup at its Standard Grill, with options such as green and yellow juice, eggs Norweigan, and a Gruyere-and-bacon quiche.

We ate outside overlooking the lively sidewalk one day and inside the other. On both days, we had approximately $120 of daily breakfast wiped off our bill, since Hyatt Globalist status covers free breakfast for up to two adults and two children in the room (and New York City dining prices aren’t cheap).

We were told at checkout that we were charged for the tip we added both days, which was fine with us, but it is something that varies a bit within the Hyatt system.