Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Points Review

The Hyatt Regency Waikiki offers a great many luxuries, the greatest of which is proximity. It’s right in the heart of Waikiki. It’s directly across the street from a prime stretch of iconic beach (so it’s almost beachfront). It’s a staple of Honolulu’s famous skyline. There’s a spa. It has fancy restaurants. Every room is newly-renovated and well appointed. 

The destination is very much the destination here. The destination can also be a bit busy, for the aforementioned reasons.

Booking the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach with Points

The Hyatt Regency Oahu prices a typical night in a standard room at 20,000 points, or $388 USD. If this base cost is paid entirely in cash, another $188.70 in taxes & fees is added, bringing your hypothetical total to an inflated $576.70 per night.

It’s important to remember, however, that only the dollar amount paid to Hyatt is subject to taxes and fees, regardless of the total value of your stay. If your stay is booked entirely with points, you’ll avoid that hefty $188.70 surcharge altogether!

If you haven’t accrued the necessary points balance just yet, you can still choose to pay with cash and points. A flat $49 Resort Fee (and its $8.81 tax) will be added to each night of your stay, but all other taxes will be calculated solely from dollars paid to Hyatt (i.e. the more you pay in points, the less you pay in taxes). 

While financially a no-brainer, booking with points at this resort does come with its caveats. All standard rooms have a ‘Waikiki City’ view. Technically (for a points premium) you can upgrade to an ‘Oceanfront’ or ‘Diamondhead’ suite, however, there is currently no availability to do so within Hyatt’s 13-month booking window (as of 10/10/2023). Ultimately, if you’re looking for an experience beyond the resort’s standard offerings, you probably want to save your points for a Hyatt stay elsewhere.

The Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort is a category 5 hotel in the Hyatt awards system with a base range of 20,000 to 25,000 points. You can use the Hyatt award chart to determine the exact points needed for your preferred room and to check availability during your intended stay.

Earning Points for the Hyatt Regency Oahu

There are a number of ways you can earn enough points for a free stay at the Hyatt Regency Oahu, but our favorite way to do that is with a credit card that offers transferrable points. Find the card that works for you with the best current offers.

Why We Love the Hyatt Regency Oahu

By booking with points, you can avoid the steeper price tags of neighboring hotels like the Royal Hawaiian or the Moana Surfrider. The standard room is not spacious, but it is luxurious, as are all the other amenities at this resort.

Things to Know Before Booking the Hyatt Regency Oahu

You’re in the heart of Waikiki, and it feels like it. There will be noise, there will be crowds. Expect a fair share of bustle.

The standard rooms are small but newly renovated. Some of the communal spaces, not so much (primarily the hallways).

The resort’s restaurants are great, but expensive. When in search of more budget-friendly options, you’ll need to venture off-site.

The rooftop pool is spectacular but not spacious, and can get quite busy.

Take note of a reservation’s promised view. If you’re booking with points it’s probably ‘Waikiki City.’ If not, be warned that ‘Ocean View’ does not mean ‘Oceanfront,’ and the amount of visible ocean varies greatly by floor and/or orientation within the hotel’s two octagonal towers.

It is $50 to self-park and $60 to valet. Both are charged per night and include in-and-out privileges, but not tax and tip. Alternatively, at only a 10-mile distance from the airport, transport by ride-share app or third-party shuttle is an excellent option for the less car inclined.