I went to Japan in May and stayed at the Andaz Tokyo for almost “free.” Nope they didn’t invite me, I paid with points. This is how I did it:

I previously signed up for a free World of Hyatt membership and used my account to book Hyatt hotel stays via that account. I accumulated about 13,000 points from my past stays, but that wasn’t enough for a free night (25,000 points) at the Andaz Tokyo. But thanks to my Chase Reserve card, I was able to transfer the remaining points I needed to my Hyatt account.

Another way to get a couple free nights at a Hyatt brand hotel is to open a Hyatt card and earn 60,000 points when you meet the requirements. I did not open a Hyatt card because I’ve become a last minute planner (I used to be on top of my game when I was younger!) and I reserved the hotel only a few weeks before the trip. That wasn’t enough time to earn the 60,000 bonus points from the card, so instantly transferring points from my Chase Reserve was the way to go.

Hyatt points give you the most bang for your buck, so I’d recommend either opening a card or transferring points from your credit card to your Hyatt account in return for a “free” room. An equivalent room to the one I had at the Andaz Tokyo was only 25,000 points a night versus 60,000 points a night for a similar room at the Hilton Tokyo. A total steal!

We arrived at the hotel a few hours earlier than normal check in time, so our room was not ready. They did however have a Tokyo Tower facing room available. This room came at a higher price than what room the points would have gotten us. For the early check in  + the Tower view, they offered the upgrade for an extra ¥5000‎ (about $45) a night, which I was slightly disappointed about since it’s usually comped with elite status. However, I didn’t want to wait another 5 hours until actual check in time, and I definitely wanted the Tower view so I paid up and in the end I think it was worth it. FYI: of all the nice hotels we stayed at, the Andaz was the only one that wanted to charge us anytime we asked for something throughout our stay (whereas at other Tokyo hotels I stayed at with points offered many extra amenities without us asking).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall the stay at the Andaz Tokyo was really great and very memorable. However, I’m not sure I’d stay here again because of the location. It’s in the business district which means it’s pretty much dead after working hours. It’s also a hell of a walk from the closest subway. But if you’re all about Uber (which is super expensive in Tokyo) or cabs, this is a great place to stay. And it’s definitely worth staying if you pay with points! Our 25,000 points + $45 a night in exchange for a $600 a night room was not a bad deal!