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As a seasoned explorer, I’ve stayed in many hotel chains over the years, including both Hyatt and Marriott. I have some strong opinions on what makes a hotel good or bad! When it comes to Hyatt vs Marriott, however, there are some questions to ask. Which one has the better, more luxurious hotels? Is it possible to get a good deal on either Hyatt or Marriott hotels? And which has the better hotel reward scheme to save money in the long run?
We’ll look at all of those questions in this Hyatt vs Marriot compared guide, and I’ll give you my thoughts on both chains in detail. You can read the next section for the TL;DR on which one I think is best; if not, keep reading to find out more.
The Bottom Line Up Front
The Marriott has a slight edge over Hyatt in terms of rewards on higher tiers and a wider selection of overseas hotels.
Having said that, Hyatt is excellent in terms of quality, the reward scheme is still great, and they have some beautiful hotels!
Hyatt vs Marriott – Snapshot Comparison
| Feature | Hyatt | Marriott |
| User-Friendliness | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Package Deals | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Rewards/Loyalty Points | 9/10 | 9/10 |
| Costs/Pricing | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Refund Policy | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Mobile App | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Overall | 7.5/10 | 8/10 |
Main Differences Between Hyatt vs Marriott
The main differences between Hyatt vs Marriott are:
- Hyatt has more hotels in the US, whereas Marriott has a wider selection overseas
- Hyatt has fewer brands, whereas Marriott has many different brands
- Hyatt has fewer affordable options, whereas Marriott has a few cheaper brands
- Hyatt’s reward scheme has slightly fewer bonuses, whereas Marriott has slightly more on higher tiers
The Main Features of Hyatt
I’ve stayed in a few Hyatt hotels over the years! The first hotel was opened in 1954, starting out as a humble motel near Los Angeles International Airport.
Since then, the brand has blossomed, with over 1350 luxury hotels across the globe. Far from their motel days, I’ve always had an excellent stay at a Hyatt hotel.
Ease of Use
Let’s talk about the website and booking process first. It’s super easy to find hotels on their website, working in the same way as other vacation booking websites. You can narrow your search by inputting your chosen dates and destination, or you can browse through their guides to find something that interests you.
All the information you need is clearly displayed:
The process of booking is very straightforward, too, and you can stand to save some money by signing up (more on that a little later).
I think that Hyatt’s website is more text-based than Marriott’s. They both feel fun and exciting to browse through, however, which is the main point when you’re booking a luxury stay!
Hotel Quality
There are multiple brands under the Hyatt umbrella, and knowing the difference can help you pick the best one for your price range.
The brands include the following:
- Park Hyatt – these are the most luxurious hotels in the brand, with the best amenities and a very modern feel.
- Hyatt Place – these are more affordable hotels, still with luxurious touches but with a more relaxed feel.
- Hyatt – these are designed for meetings and business trips and include both relaxing rooms and well-equipped meeting rooms.
- The Unbound Collection – these are high-end, luxurious hotels with some historic properties to stay in.
- Hyatt Centric – these are city-based Hyatt hotels, with a slightly lower price point, designed to attract a younger clientele.
The hotels vary depending on the brand you go for. For example, the Unbound Collection is still very luxurious but may feel a little cluttered compared to the smooth, modern look of Park Hyatt hotels. Generally, though, the quality is very good.
The reviews on their website are pretty good. Of course, they tend to display their best reviews first. It’s worth looking at 3-4 star reviews, too, to get a clear picture.
Overall though, Hyatt has a good reputation in terms of quality, and I’ve always enjoyed my extended stays Hyatt House and Hyatt resorts.
It’s also worth noting that their hotels include a range of experiences, from whisky tasting to spa days to guitar lessons. You should be able to find something that suits the kind of vibe you want!
The downside is that there are not as many Hyatt hotels located globally. You’ll find many hotels based in the US, but elsewhere, you might struggle to find the exact location you want.
Deals/Pricing
Hyatt has hotels across the globe, and pricing can vary.
Signing up for an account with Hyatt will unlock cheaper pricing. You can get up to 10% off at participating hotels and start collecting points towards experiences (more on that in a moment).
There are, of course, cheaper hotels out there than Hyatt. Still, you can get good offers from Hyatt, particularly on their all-inclusive packages. You can save up to 20% on selected hotels, so that’s worth a look.
I would say that the Hyatt Hotels Corporation has fewer mid-range hotels than Marriott. This means you’re less likely to get a lower-priced trip, so it may automatically lock you out in terms of budget. This is something to keep in mind if you like last-minute bargain hunting.
Loyalty Program
Hyatt’s loyalty program, World of Hyatt, is great. It has four tiers:
Hyatt Member:
- Save up to 10% with Member Rate at participating hotels
- Exclusive member-only stays
- Earn points on stays and experiences
- Use points for free nights, starting from 5,000 points
- Enjoy one free night after staying at 5 different Hyatt brands
Hyatt Discoverist:
- Earn free nights faster with Bonus Points
- Free bottle of water every day
- Late (2 pm) checkout, depending on availability
- Complimentary premium internet, where available
Hyatt Explorist:
- Earn free nights faster with Bonus Points
- Upgraded rooms on qualifying nights, depending on availability
- Late (2 pm) checkout, depending on availability
Hyatt Globalist:
- Earn free nights faster with 30% Bonus Points
- Enjoy room upgrades up to standard suites
- Club lounge access or complimentary breakfast
- Enjoy late (4 pm) checkout, depending on availability
They also have Milestone Rewards. Once you reach a certain number of Hyatt points, you’ll get a one-off reward, which you can use with your Hyatt card, like a free night, free lounge access, bonus points, and gift cards.
This is a fun extra and gives you even more incentive to keep collecting more and more points. You can also achieve these membership rewards quicker by booking with an American Express card or Hyatt credit card.
You can also sign up for the Hyatt credit card. The World of Hyatt Credit Cards earns you up to 60,000 bonus points, enough for 12 free nights at Category 1 hotels, and the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card gives you double bonus points, too.
Overall, I think that Hyatt’s loyalty program is incredibly generous. Used in conjunction with your credit card rewards or airline points, you could save a decent chunk of money. This is great, given that some of Hyatt’s hotels are pretty luxurious!
Refunds
If you need to cancel or change your stay, what happens next depends on your chosen hotel. Each hotel has its own policy, which will be provided to you before you book.
You may also be hit with charges if you don’t show up, which is something to keep in mind. The customer support team are friendly, professional, and helpful, so they’re keen to help where they can.
Mobile App
The Hyatt app is super easy to use. You can’t browse without signing up for an account, but this takes just moments.
Once you’re in, you’ll be able to browse through hotels, book stays, look at upcoming stays, and check your points. I like that you can see the points at the top of the screen and the fact that you can contact their customer support team right in the app, which is useful!
The app is fun to browse through and definitely feels exciting, which is part of the fun when you’re planning a holiday.
The Main Features of Marriott
Marriott interestingly has its roots way back in 1927. It has 8,000 properties worldwide. I’ve had a couple of stays in a Marriott property, and I think it’s an interesting competitor to Hyatt Hotels.
Ease of Use
It’s super easy to book a hotel with Marriott. You can browse by destination and date or look at their special offers for some last-minute escape inspiration.
Everything is easy to find, and each hotel has detailed information, including clear photographs of the rooms.
Overall, I think that Marriott is very simple to use. The booking process is straightforward, and the website is clear, uncluttered, and easy to navigate.
I think the Marriott website is a little more design-focused than Hyatt, with large photographs dominating the individual hotel pages. One isn’t necessarily better than the other, it’s just a slight difference in the browsing experience.
Hotel Quality
Marriott Hotels are great. There are several brands under the Marriott umbrella, including:
- Autograph Collection – these are carefully selected boutique properties that are very design-focused.
- Design Hotels – This is similar to the Autograph Collection and includes a lot of immersive experiences.
- Luxury Collection – as the name suggests, this is a luxurious, exclusive collection of hotels.
- Tribute Portfolio – these have strong design elements and are fun to stay in.
Then there’s the ‘luxury tier’ of Marriott properties, including Bulgari hotels, JW Marriott, and the renowned Ritz-Carlton: these are truly special hotels with some incredibly luxurious touches.
Plus, there are the Upscale Brands, which are still fancy, but are catered to a slightly younger crowd.
The most affordable hotels come under their upper-midscale brands, which include Fairfield, which are much cheaper but still comfortable hotels, and their midscale brands, like Residence Inn.
There’s actually a pretty decent scale of properties to choose from. I’d always recommend looking at individual hotel reviews to get a real picture of what each property is like; however, with Marriott, especially the higher-end brands, you can enjoy comfort and luxury depending on how much of a budget you have to work with.
Deals/Pricing
Of course, a stay at the Ritz-Carlton is going to be way more expensive than a stay in the Fairfield-branded hotels, but you can still take advantage of some deals and offers on most properties.
For example, they have seasonal offers, like Summer Savings, which allow you to save money on selected hotels. This is pretty good, and you can find a decently priced stay in their mid-range hotels using these seasonal deals.
You can also save a little cash by signing up for an account, but more on that a little later!
Overall, the pricing is actually pretty varied, and you can get some good discounts if you’re willing to be flexible.
Loyalty Program
Marriott’s loyalty program is pretty good. It has several tiers of Elite status:
Silver Elite:
- 10% more Marriott points on eligible hotel purchases
- Priority late checkout
- Member rates
- Complimentary wifi
Gold Elite:
- 25% more Marriott Bonvoy points on eligible hotel purchases
- Priority late checkout
- In-hotel welcome bonus points
- Enhanced room upgrade based on availability
Platinum Elite:
- 50% more points on eligible hotel purchases
- Priority late checkout
- Welcome gift of points, breakfast, or amenities
- Enhanced room upgrade, including suites based on availability
- Dedicated elite support
- Lounge access
- Annual benefit if staying for 50 qualifying nights
Titanium Elite:
- 75% more points on eligible hotel purchases
- Priority late checkout
- Welcome gift of points, breakfast, or amenities
- Enhanced room upgrade, including suites based on availability
- Dedicated elite support
- Lounge access
- Annual benefit if staying for 75 qualifying nights
- 48-hour booking guarantee
Ambassador Elite:
- 75% more points on eligible hotel purchases
- Priority late checkout
- Welcome gift of points, breakfast, or amenities
- Enhanced room upgrade, including suites based on availability
- Dedicated elite support
- Lounge access
- 48-hour booking guarantee
- 24-hour check-in flexibility
- Ambassador service
I think there are some excellent rewards to be gained with the Marriott program. The higher the tiers you move, the more points you will collect every time you stay. It’s definitely a great way of tempting customers to return again and again.
I’d say the reward programs are almost even, really: they both offer tangible rewards and ways to collect points faster. However, I think Marriott has a few more benefits on the higher tiers than Hyatt’s, but Hyatt’s reward program is a little easier to understand.
Refunds
Like Hyatt, the refund policy depends on the individual hotel you have booked. So it’s worth checking to see the policy before you book.
Marriott’s customer service team are great and easy to contact, however, which is a nice bonus.
Mobile App
The Marriott mobile app is pretty straightforward.
You can book stays, browse their hotels and destinations, add trips to your wishlist, and view your account, including your point status.
I actually find the Marriott app slightly easier to use than the desktop version, particularly when it comes to browsing through hotels.
Hyatt vs Marriott: Alternatives to Try
If you want to keep looking, there are other hotel brands I’d recommend:
- Hilton – Hilton Hotels are similar in quality to Hyatt and offer some luxurious experiences. You can read more about it in our Hilton vs. Marriott comparison.
- IHG Hotels – IHG hotels include some more bargain-friendly resorts but also have some incredible stays in some gorgeous locations. You can read more in our best IHG hotels guide.
- One and Only Resorts– if you want a truly special tropical vacation, you can’t go wrong with One and Only Resorts. They have some amazing resorts in some of the most sought-after locations across the globe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few frequently asked questions you may be interested in:
Question: Are Hyatt and Marriott considered high-end?
Answer: It depends on the brands you’re looking at. Hyatt’s high-end brand, like the Grand Hyatt, is very luxurious, while Marriott’s Ritz Carlton is famously special.
Having said that, Marriott International Inc has some mid-range brands, too. So it kind of depends on the individual hotel you’re looking at and which brand it falls under.
Question: Can you get adult-only Hyatt or Marriott resorts?
Answer: Yes, both offer adult-only resorts in various locations if you need a break away from little ones! They have some great honeymoon resorts, for example, or some resorts aimed at retirees, which are perfect for getting some much-needed peace and quiet.
Question: Does Marriott and Hyatt’s all-inclusive hotels include alcohol?
Answer: Yes, both include alcoholic and soft drinks in their all-inclusive hotels. The drink selections that are included depend on the individual location, however.
Question: Which is the bigger hotel chain, Marriott or Hyatt?
Answer: Marriott is the largest hotel chain in the world – it’s a seriously big chain with many hotels and brands. This is great if you like to stay in a recognizable chain no matter where you are in the world.
Hyatt vs Marriot Compared: My Final Thoughts
I’ve enjoyed stays at both Marriott and Hyatt, so picking one has been difficult.
However, I think that Marriott pips it ever so slightly. I like the rewards available on higher tiers (although this is a close call, as both reward programs are excellent). It does have a much wider range of hotels, however, including some lower-priced hotels for those on cheaper budgets.
I think that the flexibility this provides is great. I know what to expect from a Marriott hotel, but I’m more likely to find one of their hotels overseas.
However, in terms of quality, Hyatt is great. Their reward scheme is brilliant, and they have some gorgeous locations, particularly across the US. If you want a special vacation, you can definitely find one using Hyatt too!