IHG's loss is World of Hyatt's gain – and even better news for points aficionados looking for a stay on the Vegas Strip.
After recently ending its long-time partnership with IHG, Hyatt on Wednesday announced that it had signed a deal with The Venetian Resort Las Vegas. That paves the way for travelers with Hyatt points – or Chase Ultimate Rewards, which transfer to Hyatt – to book both the Venetian and Palazzo using points … or earn those valuable points on paid stays and even enjoy elite benefits.
That's a big and much-needed win for Hyatt, which lost the entire MGM Vegas portfolio last year: Great properties like Aria, Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, and others are no longer bookable through Hyatt. And while we don't yet know how many points Hyatt will charge for a free night at either The Venetian or Palazzo, you can safely assume it'll be far more reasonable than the 80,000 to 100,000 points or more a night that IHG previously charged.
Hyatt didn't spell out a timeline for when this new partnership would officially go live.
If you're unfamiliar, The Venetian Resort takes its design inspiration from Venice, Italy, and even features canals throughout the property … complete with gondola rides.
The hotels' suites are spacious, ornately furnished rooms that include a separate lounge area and massive bathrooms, equipped with a walk-in shower and whirlpool soaking tub.
This is just the latest big change on the Las Vegas Strip as top-notch properties play musical chairs with the big hotel chains.
Hyatt ended its partnership with MGM last year, allowing Marriott to swoop in and leaving the hotel chain without a single hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. Earlier this year, Hyatt added the Rio Hotel & Casino to its ranks … but that property is a ways from the Strip and isn't up to par with other top Vegas casinos.
More recently, The Delano – the no-gambling property attached to the Mandalay Bay campus – was also gobbled up by Marriott and rebranded as “W Las Vegas.”
In the future, World of Hyatt also plans to offer elite Venetian Rewards members benefits within the World of Hyatt program. It remains to be seen what benefits Venetian Rewards members will receive.
Bottom Line
Hyatt and The Venetian Resort Las Vegas just announced The Venetian and Palazzo hotels will join the World of Hyatt program, opening the door for redeeming Hyatt points at top-rated Vegas properties once more.
What's more, Hyatt elites will receive additional on-property benefits and if it works like Hyatt's past Las Vegas partnerships, that could include breakfast, room upgrades, and more. There's no clear timeline just yet on when this will take place, but it's an exciting development for Las Vegas visitors.
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