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What a free hotel night actually costs
A comparable hotel night — similar quality, similar cash price — can cost about 12,000–25,000 points at Hyatt, 30,000–60,000 at Marriott, and 60,000–100,000 at Hilton. So a balance only means something once you know how many points a night costs where you are booking. This guide is to just give you an idea on how the value of points can range between hotel chains.
- Programs compared
- 5
- Comparable night, points needed
- 12k–100k
- Last checked
- September 2026
A comparable night in each program's points
One comparable family-friendly night, similar in quality and around $250–$350 in cash, priced in each program's own points.
World of Hyatt
12,000–25,000
points
Wyndham Rewards
15,000–30,000
points
Marriott Bonvoy
30,000–60,000
points
IHG One Rewards
30,000–60,000
points
Hilton Honors
60,000–100,000
points
The five programs, side by side
Start with the "Typical night" column. That is the band most family-friendly properties fall into. Scroll sideways on a phone to see every column.
| Program | Typical night | Full range | Cash rate | Resort fees on awards | Rough point worth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World of Hyatt | 12,000–25,000 | 3,000–75,000 | $250–$400 | Waived on award nights | ~1.8¢ |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 30,000–60,000 | 5,000–150,000+ | $250–$450 | Often still charged — property's choice | ~0.8¢ |
| Hilton Honors | 60,000–100,000 | 5,000–150,000+ | $200–$400 | Waived on award nights | ~0.4¢ |
| IHG One Rewards | 30,000–60,000 | 10,000–120,000+ | $150–$300 | Often still charged | ~0.5¢ |
| Wyndham Rewards | 15,000–30,000 | 5,000–45,000 | $120–$250 | Usually charged at resorts and vacation clubs | ~0.9¢ |
A comparable night runs about twice the points at Marriott or IHG as it does at Hyatt, and three to five times the points at Hilton. The last column is only a rough check for deciding between points and cash.
World of Hyatt
Cheapest point counts of the five, and the only published chart, so you can plan before you have the points.
Marriott Bonvoy
The most hotels, so often where the family-sized room is. Book five nights on points and the fifth is free. Keep in mind you do not get a fifth night free if you are using the free night certificates which often have a limit on how many points per night they can go for.
Hilton Honors
Takes the most points of the five, but if you have AMEX points, you can transfer at a 1:2 ratio. The fifth night is free on a standard-room award.
IHG One Rewards
Good for family stays. Holiday Inn Express usually includes breakfast and a pull-out couch.
Wyndham Rewards
Simple pricing and cheap overseas nights. Moved to four tiers (5,000 / 15,000 / 30,000 / 45,000) in September 2026.
Hyatt's chart, category by category
Hyatt is the only one of these five with categories to show. It still publishes its prices up front, so you can see what a night costs before you transfer. Marriott, Hilton, IHG, and Wyndham price by date instead, so there is no chart to list. In May 2026 Hyatt moved from three price levels to five, so each category below spans its cheapest nights to its priciest ones.
| Category | Cheapest night | Priciest night | What's usually here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category 1 | 3,000 | 9,000 | Small-market Hyatt Place and Hyatt House |
| Category 2 | 6,000 | 15,000 | Suburban Hyatt House, budget-market Regency |
| Category 3 | 8,000 | 20,000 | Mid-size city Hyatt Place, Caption |
| Category 4 | 12,000 | 25,000 | Many Orlando and beach-town resorts |
| Category 5 | 15,000 | 35,000 | Big-city Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Centric |
| Category 6 | 20,000 | 40,000 | Grand Hyatt, better resort properties |
| Category 7 | 25,000 | 55,000 | Andaz, top Grand Hyatt properties |
| Category 8 | 35,000 | 75,000 | Park Hyatt, Grand Hyatt Kauai, the top resorts |
A Category 1–4 free night certificate works at any property in those categories, no matter which price level the date falls into that.
Resort fees on award nights
Fees change the real cost of the stay, so check them before you book.
Waived on award nights
Hyatt and Hilton do not add resort or destination fees when you pay with points.
Left up to the hotel
Marriott lets each property charge a resort fee on award stays. Check the booking page: $50 a night across five nights is $250.
Charged either way
IHG properties with resort fees, and Wyndham resorts and vacation clubs, usually still bill them on award nights. Parking and extra-person charges are never covered.
Free night certificates from cards
An annual free night certificate often covers most or all of the card's annual fee.
World of Hyatt Credit Card ($95)
One Category 1–4 night every year, plus a second after $15,000 of spend
$150–$400 a night, so one night covers the fee
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless ($95)
One night up to 35,000 points each year
$180–$350, depending on where you use it
Hilton Honors Surpass ($150)
One weekend night after $15,000 of spend
$200–$500 at a resort, less at an airport hotel
IHG One Rewards Premier ($99)
One night up to 40,000 points each year, plus fourth night free on award stays
$150–$300, and the fourth-night perk is often worth more
Before you redeem
01
Compare the night, not the balance
100,000 points buys a very different trip at Hyatt than at Hilton. Look at how many points the night you want costs in each program.
02
Use the cash price as a check
Divide the cash price by the points it costs. A $300 night for 20,000 Hyatt points is a good trade. A similar night for 90,000 is not, and I pay cash instead.
03
Check the fees first
Hyatt and Hilton waive resort fees on award nights. Marriott lets each hotel decide, and a $50 nightly fee on five nights is $250.
04
Points are not the only way to pay
If a night prices badly, pay cash and save the points for a stay where they cover a lot more.
Get an email when award pricing changes.
I'll email you when a program changes its pricing, plus the redemptions I think are worth booking.