We recently learned that The Venetian Las Vegas would be ending its relationship with Intercontinental Hotel Group, and would be teaming up with Hyatt. However, we didn’t know when that would happen. But it seems they got things done QUICK, as the Venetian is now live with World of Hyatt!
It’s been interesting seeing how Hyatt would rebuild its presence in Las Vegas after losing MGM Resorts International to Marriott. Moreover, if any of you are like me, you’re probably pining for more points and miles options, as the Marriott Bonvoy-MGM Rewards partnership has been and endless source of disappointment. So, when news broke that Hyatt and the Venetian would be teaming up, that piqued my interest.
The Venetian is Now Live with World of Hyatt
The two big questions when we found out that The Venetian Las Vegas would be ditching IHG for Hyatt were what benefits would we see and when would we see them. Well, we have answers to both of these questions now, as The Venetian is now live with World of Hyatt. Unfortunately, World of Hyatt benefits at The Venetian are a bit disappointing. For now.
The benefits we are seeing now that The Venetian is now live with World of Hyatt are what we would’ve expected:
- 5 points per dollar spent on rooms, participating restaurants and bars, select retail and resort fees at The Venetian and The Palazzo when charged to your room
- 4 points per dollar spent using your World of Hyatt Visa on the above eligible spend when you charge your on-resort purchases to your room
- Standard tier Bonus Points on eligible room rates, participating restaurants and bars, select retail and resort fees for elite tier members at The Venetian and The Palazzo when charged to your room
- Credit toward earning tier status and Milestone Rewards
- Use your earned points for free nights at Hyatt hotels and The Venetian and The Palazzo
- On-property benefits for elite members from The Venetian Resort, like expedited check-in; late checkout and early check-in (pending availability); suite upgrades (pending availability); and discounts on gondola rides and select retail
Now that we have the basics covered, let’s delve a little deeper into some of these topics.
Elite Member Benefits
As is the case with Marriott Bonvoy and MGM Resorts International, The Venetian and World of Hyatt elite member benefits are fairly disappointing.
- Invited guest check-in for elite members
- Complimentary late check-out (until 2 p.m., subject to availability)
- Complimentary early check-in (subject to availability)
- Complimentary suite upgrades (subject to availability)
- 15% discount at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas participating retail outlets
- 15% discount at Canyon Ranch Spa
- 15% discount on Gondola Ride
The above benefits apply across the board, regardless of your status. So, yes, you’ll receive the above just for being a World of Hyatt Visa cardholder.
For what it’s worth, Gary Leff learned from Hyatt officials that these benefits are temporary, as their focus was getting the relationship setup as quickly as possible, and they’ll be improving things post-launch.
Redemptions
Aside from elite benefits, the thing that most probably care about now that The Venetian is now live with World of Hyatt, is how award redemptions work. Unfortunately, The Venetian Las Vegas isn’t part of Hyatt’s standard award charts. This means that award stays are revenue based and will vary based on the cash rate. That’s extremely disappointing, but isn’t all that surprising.
However, the disappointment only continues to compound as you look at ancillary redemptions, as suite upgrade redemptions aren’t allowed, while Suite Upgrade Award certificates aren’t valid at The Venetian, either. You also may not redeem points for incidentals, such as dining and spa expenses charged to your room. But, it’s worth noting that the suite upgrade redemptions and incidental expenses redemptions are listed as “not available at this time,” meaning that it may become a benefit in the future. However, the SUA certificate language is flat out “no.”
The Venetian is Now Live with World of Hyatt, Final Thoughts
I think it’s fantastic that The Venetian is now live with World of Hyatt, and sincerely hope that they’ll enhance the relationship in the future as they said they will. Until then, there’s little incentive to choose The Venetian over an MGM property, especially since I usually like to visit restaurants and other attractions within MGM properties in and around CityCenter. However, the additional option is very much appreciated, and I do prefer World of Hyatt over Marriott Bonvoy.
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