World of Hyatt Globalist status is known for offering its members one of the best suite upgrade policies among hotel loyalty programs. This benefit includes both complimentary suite upgrades based on availability and confirmable suite upgrades.

In this article, I’m exploring Hyatt’s “best room available” policy for Globalists at check-in. This benefit is distinct from Hyatt’s confirmable suite upgrade awards which can be confirmed at the time of booking.

The upgrade benefit is a key point of differentiation for World of Hyatt for top-tier elites compared to competitor programs so it’s worth knowing all the details…

Complimentary Suite Upgrades at Check-In for Globalists (Up to Standard Suites)

World of Hyatt arguably offers the best upgrade benefit in the industry for top-tier Globalists guaranteeing the “best room available” at check-in.

What is the “Best Room Available” Benefit for Globalists?

Hyatt Globalist members receive unlimited space-available upgrades to the “best available room” at check-in, subject to availability. For globalists, this goes for any available room up to standard suites.

This means that if a standard suite is available, World of Hyatt Globalists should receive an upgrade to it. The benefit is subject to availability but it’s not subject to the hotel’s discretion.

The fact that it’s not subject to the hotel’s discretion at Hyatt is a key distinction between World of Hyatt and other programs.

How Does Hyatt’s Benefit Compare to Other Programs?

Other programs like Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy also offer the possibility of suite upgrades at check-in in theory. However, the benefit is subject both to availability and the local property’s discretion. That means the application of the benefit is quite inconsistent: Hilton, IHG, and Marriott properties often will not upgrade to suites even when one is available.

Meanwhile, at Hyatt, if there’s a standard suite available, a Globalist member is entitled to it. Hotels are not supposed to deny a Globalist a suite even if they think they’ll be able to sell it.

That’s one of the factors that make Hyatt Globalist incredibly valuable for frequent travelers along with the breakfast benefit that’s arguably the best offered by any major program.

Complimentary Room Upgrades at Check-In for Explorists

Benefits for lower tiers in World of Hyatt are not nearly as generous as the perks Globalists get. While Globalists get access to upgrades all the way up to suites, the benefit for mid-tier World of Hyatt Explorist members is a lot more limited.

“Best Room Available” for Explorists

Explorists are guaranteed the “best room available” at the time of check-in excluding rooms with club lounge access or standard suites. That means an Explorist elite is likely to find themselves in a premium room but probably not in a suite or find themselves with club access.

In reality, that’s quite similar to what top-tier elites in other programs experience. For example, as an IHG Rewards Diamond elite, I recently stayed at an Intercontinental property where plenty of suites were available but I was only upgraded to a premium room.

What Does The Benefit Mean In Practice?

As mentioned above, this benefit is distinct from World of Hyatt’s confirmable suite upgrade award which allows Globalists to confirm a suite at the time of booking for stays of up to 7 nights.

Confirmable suite upgrade awards are earned as part of World of Hyatt’s “Milestone Rewards” program.

A Globalist who stays at Hyatt exactly 60 nights (to qualify for Globalist) would get 4 confirmable suite upgrade awards while a Globalist with 100 elite qualifying nights in a year would have the option of earning 8. Lifetime Globalists also get 4 confirmable awards annually automatically.

In practice, this means many Globalists rarely stay at Hyatt without getting an upgrade to a standard suite. If a suite is important to you, you can check the number of standard suites available ahead of your stay to predict availability and decide whether to use a confirmable suite award.

Of course, it’s important to be realistic when it comes to the complimentary suite upgrades. Some hotels (like the Story Hotel Signalfabriken in Stockholm) have a limited number of suites, others might be experiencing high demand (like the Park Hyatt Saigon was during my stay) or be popular with Globalists.

Therefore, not all properties will consistently offer suite upgrades to Globalist members. There are also brands that are part of World of Hyatt but specifically exempt from the benefit which is covered below.

Official Terms for “Best Room Available” Complimentary Upgrades Benefit

The official terms of the “Best Room Available” policy is laid out in the World of Hyatt terms. In short, Globalist members will receive the best room available at the time of check-in at participating Hyatt hotels and resorts, which includes standard suites and rooms with Club lounge access (Globalists automatically receive club access so this is not significant).

Certain brands are exempt from the benefit. These include Caption by Hyatt, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Destination by Hyatt Residences, or Vacation Ownership Property hotels and resorts.

In practice, many properties in the brands listed may still upgrade a Globalist but this is at the hotel’s discretion and an example of them going above and beyond, so it’s important to go in with measured expectations.

Official “Best Room Available” Terms for Globalists

(c) Best Room Available: Globalists will receive the best room available at the time of check-in at Hyatt hotels and resorts, including Standard Suites and rooms with Club lounge-access. The best room available will be determined by the applicable hotel or resort in its sole discretion and may vary from stay-to-stay. The “best room” may, but will not necessarily be, of a room type/category higher than that booked by the Member. Best-room-available benefit includes only Standard Suites (where available), which are defined as rooms within each participating hotel’s or resort’s introductory suite category. Premium, Specialty, Premier, Presidential, Diplomatic, and other suites other than Standard Suites are not included in this benefit. Not valid at Caption by Hyatt, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Destination by Hyatt Residences, or Vacation Ownership Property hotels and resorts.

World of Hyatt Terms & Conditions

Official “Best Room Available” Terms for Explorists

(c) Best Room Available: Explorists will be offered the best room available at the time of check-in at Hyatt hotels and resorts, excluding suites and Club lounge-access rooms. The best room available will be determined by the applicable hotel or resort in its sole discretion and may vary from stay-to-stay. The “best room” may, but will not necessarily be, of a room type/category higher than that booked by the Member. Not valid at Caption by Hyatt, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Destination by Hyatt Residences, or Vacation Ownership Property hotels and resorts.

World of Hyatt Terms & Conditions

The Upshot

World of Hyatt’s complimentary “best room available” upgrades for Globalists offer exceptional value, especially when combined with confirmable suite upgrade awards. It’s a key point of differentiation against competing hotel loyalty programs such as Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy. By understanding how the complimentary upgrade policy works and managing expectations, Globalists can make the most of their elite benefits and enjoy a truly enhanced hotel experience.