After our first stay ever at the Grand Hyatt Vail in 2021, we made a return ski trip this year to see how things have changed.  

Also this year I used a globalist confirmed suite upgrade award – check out photos of the sweet suite below.  There were quite a few changes from last year’s trip – some good and some bad.

Points Required

In October 2020, Hyatt decreased the hotel from a category 7 (30,000 points) to a category 6 (25,000 points).

But as of March 1, 2022, peak and off peak award pricing is starting as sure enough when checking a few days in early March 2022, there was award availabilty but at the higher peak pricing of 29,000 points.

During our stay in 2021, standard rooms were running only about $600/night.

But have increased substantially and are currently going for over $1400/night!  So even paying 29,000 points per night would be an outstanding redemption of 4.9¢/point.

Parking / Shuttle

We again rented a car and drove the two hours from Denver (on nonstop Southwest flight from BWI).

The Grand Hyatt Vail is valet only parking and is a whopping $50/night (in 2021 it was $45/night) with in and out privileges.  Parking (including valet) is free for Hyatt Globalist members – YAY!

When we arrived bell services assisted with our luggage including taking out skis and boots from our travel bags directly down to the ski valet which was really nice.

I must comment the valet crew was on top of it, we would call down for the car a few minutes before leaving our room and our car was always ready and waiting.

If you don’t bring a car, don’t worry Hyatt also runs a free shuttle every 15 minutes which will take you into the main village area which is about 1.5 miles down the road.  Hop on right outside the front door.

If you bring a car, there is free parking (after 3pm) at Vail transportation hub garage (where the Hyatt shuttle drops you off).

Checkin / Room Upgrade

On our 2021 trip I didn’t use one of my four confirmed suite upgrades on this trip since it was a short trip (only 3 nights) and just the three of us.  I was still hoping for a suite upgrade since the hotel was not full (most likely due to COVID).

Our 2021 room was ready when we arrived and the agent explained free parking and breakfast for Globalist members.  He also said we were upgraded from a standard room to a deluxe mountain view room which was 30% larger.

I used a soon to be expired confirmed suite upgrade for our 2022 trip.   Our room was ready when we arrived just a little after 4:00pm.  This year’s agent didn’t recognize my globalist status nor explain the free parking or complimentary breakfast for globalist members – maybe they knew I had stayed last year? 

Deluxe Mountain View Room

Our 2021 room had a really great location – it was on the main floor down at the end of the hallway across from conference rooms and right around the corner from the ski valet.

The room was really nice – the bathroom was huge and amazing.  I’m not sure when they last remodeled but it must have been not too long ago.

If this was truly a 30% larger deluxe room over the standard, the standard rooms must really be cramped.  Some of the suites look really nice.

The room did have an amazing view!

Grand Suite | Two Queen Beds

I was happy there was a standard suite option which included two beds (my daughters hate some all of the pull out sofas at Hyatt resorts).

The suite I initially thought we got was the two queen beds grand suite since it’s the only standard suite listed with two queen beds but after looking at description on the website, our suite did not have a balcony and an extra half bath.

None-the-less we had a separate living room which a bunch of extra space which was nice.  Here are picture from suite 443.

Globalist Breakfast

There was no club lounge at this property so breakfast was served in the Gessner restaurant.  There was both an a la carte menu and a buffet like last year.

Our first morning we opted for the a la carte breakfast.  Menus were pulled up from scanning a QR code on your phone (COVID times). As of 2022, menus are back if you preferred to have one.  There were also many more tables than last year physically in the restaurant.

The a la carte breakfast had more options than last year’s COVID limited menu.  The avacodo toast was my favorite.

The buffet ($35/person) is quick and easy with all the staples available.

Ski Lift Access

The reason you book the Grand Hyatt Vail is for the skiing and location.  The Grand Hyatt Vail is located at the far end of the Vail resort in Cascade village.

It has it’s own lift up the mountain literally just steps away from the hotel ski valet.  I can’t think of a resort that has a closer lift.

Please note there are beginner green trails when you get off the lift but when returning to the hotel by trail (or lift since you can take the lift back down the hill) you will need to go on a blue intermediate trail for at least a very short time (but it’s not very difficult).

Ski Valet

The ski valet was the best I’ve experienced.  After arriving our first morning, you simply give your room #/name to the attendant – he assigns you a bench area in the large ski valet area.

Within seconds someone is bringing out your boots for you to change into – the boots are toasty warm inside :-). There are baskets under and around the bench for you to store your shoes in.

After putting your boots on, it’s literally a few steps to the ski racks where your skis are ready and waiting.  Then just a few more steps to get on the lift.  It couldn’t have been easier.

Hot Tub / Pool

The Grand Hyatt Vail has a heated pool and two separate hot tubs.  The hot tub felt amazing after a long day of skiing.

Our room included white robes that we used (but no slippers unless we missed them) to get to the hot tub.  Towels were available at the hot tub and it was BYOB 🙂

Activities

The Grand Hyatt Vail had additional activities (that we didn’t partake in) including:  a spa, a small ice rink, fire pits that could be reserved, an onsite taco truck, and a mobile ax throwing activity that could also be reserved.

New for 2022 was an outdoor ice bar which was tended for Apres.  I also noticed a lounge area with TVs and a video game area that I didn’t notice last year.

Vail Mountain

I really enjoyed Vail Mountain – there was a good mix of beginner, intermediate, expert, and bowl skiing.   This year we skied on a Saturday (restricted MLK holiday) and Sunday this year.  

I was fearing it would be crowded for MLK holiday but it wasn’t – I’m guessing most locals don’t purchase the pass which allows you to ski on ‘restricted days’.

While you no longer have to make a reservation to ski Vail like last year, they still require you to make a reservation (from the Epic app) for their onsite lunch dining if you wanted to sit at a table indoors.  New this year you also had to show proof of vaccination (photo of card was fine) to dine indoors on the mountain.

Otherwise you could purchase food and eat at tables outdoors.  Temperatures this year weren’t bad at all during our trip (high 30s – even low 40s.

Wrap Up

Overall I really enjoyed Vail and it quickly moved up to the top of my list of favorite ski resorts.  

The Grand Hyatt Vail was AWESOME – so much better than Park Hyatt Beaver Creek when we stayed there a few years ago.  I will definitely be back.

Where should our next ski trip be to?  So far we’ve been to:

• Park City, UT
• Deer Valley, UT
• Keystone, CO
• Beaver Creek, CO
• Whistler, BC
• Snowmass/Aspen, CO
• Vail, CO 

Tahoe?  Big Sky?  Breckenridge?

Chase World of Hyatt

Definitely my favorite of the Chase hotel cards.  The Chase World of Hyatt card currently there is a 60,000 point bonus (30,000 points after spending $3000 in the first 3 months of account opening  plus earn 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent on purchases that earn 1 Bonus Point, up to $15,000 spent in the first 6 months of account opening).

Hyatt has one the best award charts of all the hotel chains with free night awards starting at just 5,000 points.   

This card also gives you a free night certificate (good at any category 1-4) each year when you renew.

The card's annual fee is only $95.  Learn more and apply here.