Hyatt’s Category 1–4 Free Night Certificates are among the most valuable hotel awards available — especially for families and travelers who want predictable value.

Why? Unlike dynamic pricing programs (where award rates change by date or demand), Hyatt uses a fixed award chart. Category 4 hotels are especially compelling because they cost:

• 12,000 points (Off-Peak)
• 15,000 points (Standard)
• 18,000 points (Peak)

That makes them a sweet spot where your certificates — or points — consistently stretch far, often delivering hotel nights that would otherwise cost far more in cash.

Read on to learn:

• How these certificates work.
• How to search for Category 4 hotels.
• Best family-friendly Category 1–4 Hyatt properties (U.S. + abroad).
• Tips for maximizing value with multiple certificates.

How Hyatt Category 1–4 Free Night Certificates Work

A Category 1–4 Free Night Certificate can be redeemed for any Hyatt property in Categories 1 through 4, as long as there’s standard award availability.

What You Can Do:

• Redeem 1 certificate for 1 night at Cat 1–4 properties.
• Use certificates individually — one per night.
• Combine with points if you want to pay for additional nights.

What You Can’t Do:

• Use multiple certificates for a single night at a higher category.
• Convert the certificate into cash value.
• Extend the certificate beyond its expiration date.

How to Find Category 4 Hotels on Hyatt’s Site

Hyatt provides a live map interface to explore Category 4 hotels worldwide. Find it here.

Step-by-Step Search:

• Open the Hyatt hotel map link above.
• Click Explore and zoom into your desired region or country.
• Click Filters and sort by Category 4 hotels.
• Click “View Hotel” to check standard award availability.

This makes finding award-eligible properties much easier — especially when trying to maximize multiple certificates.

Family-Friendly Category 1–4 Hyatt Properties (U.S.)

Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress (Orlando, FL)

• Near Disney World.
• Multiple pools, lazy river, and activities for kids.
• Often a great value redemption using a Cat 4 cert.

Hyatt Place Waikiki (Waikiki Beach, HI)

• Free breakfast and rooms that sleep six to accommodate large families.
• Centrally located in Waikiki beach.
• Beach chairs, towels and sand toys available for use.

Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina (San Diego, CA)

• Multiple pools and slide for kids.
• Centrally located with direct access to marina for activities.
• Close to SeaWorld and San Diego Zoo.

Hyatt House at Anaheim Resort (Anaheim, CA)

• Disneyland Good Neighbor Resort.
• Complimentary breakfast and family suites available for larger families.
• Pool and fitness center on site.

Honorable Mentions (Category 3 & 4 Properties)

• Hyatt Centric Center City Philadelphia
• Hyatt Regency Seattle
• Hyatt House Anchorage
• Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead
• Dream, South Beach, Miami
• Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay
• Hyatt Vacation Club Sedona, Pinon Pointe
• Hyatt Centric San Francisco Fisherman’s Warf
• The Welk (San Diego Area)
• Hyatt House Lewes (Delaware)
• Hyatt Regency Guam
• Ambassador Chicago
• Hyatt Centric French Quarter New Orleans
• Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor
• Hyatt Vacation Club at The Lodges at Timber Ridge (Missouri)
• Hyatt House Jersey City
• Hyatt Regency Austin
• Hyatt Place Park City
• Hyatt Vacation Club San Antonio, Wild Oak Ranch
• Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk
• Thompson Washington D.C.

Note: There are many more options not on this list! These are just some suggestions.

A Few Great International Category 4 Hyatt Properties

Hyatt Regency Lisbon (Portugal)

• Riverfront hotel in the heart of Lisbon.
• State of the art fitness center and spa.
• Variety of rooms and suites to accommodate families.

Hyatt Regency Cologne (Germany)

• Great location for Christmas markets of the region.
• Suites offer Regency Club access.
• Great breakfast and dining options per traveler reviews.

Hyatt Regency Mexico City (Mexico)

• Located in Polanco, the “Beverly Hills” of Mexico City across from Chapultepec Park.
• Spacious Regency Club.
• Heated indoor pool and sundeck.

Honorable Mentions (Category 3 & 4 Hotels)

• Park Hyatt Mendoza
• Grand Hyatt Istanbul
• Andaz Mexico City Condesa
• Park Hyatt Siem Reap
• Hyatt Centric Murano Venice
• Grand Hyatt Melbourne
• Hotel Reisen, Stockholm, Sweden
• Park Hyatt Jakarta
• Grand Hyatt Fukuoa Japan
• Grand Hyatt Macau
• Grand Hyatt Melbourne
• Hyatt Regency Sydney
• Andaz Vienna Am Belvedere, Austria
• Hyatt Regency Hesperia Madrid, Spain
• Lidner Hotel Mallorca Portals Nous, Mallorca, Spain

Note: There are many more options not on this list! These are just some suggestions.

How to Earn Hyatt Category 1–4 Free Night Certificates

One of the reasons Hyatt Category 1–4 Free Night Certificates are so powerful is that there are multiple ways to earn them, even if you don’t stay at Hyatt properties constantly.

Here are the most common (and realistic) ways travelers earn Category 1–4 certificates:

Holding the The World of Hyatt Credit Card

If you hold The World of Hyatt Credit Card, you’ll receive:

• One Category 1–4 Free Night Certificate every cardmember year, simply for keeping the card open.

This alone can justify holding the card long-term, especially if you consistently redeem the certificate at a Category 4 property.

Spending $15,000 on the Hyatt Credit Card

In addition to the annual certificate, you can earn:

• A second Category 1–4 Free Night Certificate after spending $15,000 in a calendar year on the World of Hyatt credit card.

For families or travelers who put regular expenses on cards, this can be an easy way to earn an extra free night without additional hotel stays.

As a bonus, you’ll also earn 2 Elite Qualifying Nights for each $5,000 spent in a calendar year on the World Of Hyatt Card – meaning that spending toward this second Free Night Certificate will also yield you 6 additional Elite Qualifying Nights….which helps you with the next option!

Staying 30 Nights with Hyatt in a Calendar Year

Hyatt loyalists can also earn a certificate through elite night milestones:

• One Category 1–4 Free Night Certificate after 30 qualifying nights.

These nights can come from:

• Paid stays
• Award stays
• Credit card elite night credits earned from spend

This makes the certificate attainable even for travelers who mix paid and points stays.

Brand Explorer Awards (Staying at 5 Different Hyatt Brands)

Hyatt’s Brand Explorer program rewards trying out different brand under the Hyatt umbrella.

• Stay at 5 different Hyatt brands, and you’ll earn one Category 1–4 Free Night Certificate

There are over 30 Hyatt brands worldwide, including:

• Hyatt Place
• Hyatt House
• Hyatt Regency
• Andaz
• Grand Hyatt
• Hyatt Ziva (all inclusive)
• Dreams (all inclusive)
• And many more!

This is a fun and passive way to earn certificates over time — especially if you already enjoy mixing city hotels, resorts, and family-friendly properties.

Promotions & Targeted Offers

Occasionally, Hyatt runs promotions that include:

• Bonus free night certificates
• Accelerated elite night earnings that lead to certificates faster

These offers vary year to year, but they’re another way certificates can appear without direct card spend.

👉Pro tip: enroll in every Hyatt promotion when notified. You never know when you’ll end up staying with the brand and earn some promotional perks for doing so!

Limited-Time Credit Card Welcome Offers

While not always available, some Hyatt credit card welcome offers have included:

• Category 1–4 Free Night Certificates as part of the sign-up bonus
• Multiple certificates earned after meeting spending requirements

These offers are not permanent, but when they appear, they can be an excellent opportunity to build a stash of free nights quickly.

Keep in mind, if you have a credit card offer for free night certificates – its worth it to have multiple options to use them at. These certificates are only valid for one year and you don’t want them going to waste!

Conclusion

Hyatt Category 1–4 Free Night Certificates are one of the most predictable, family-friendly, and valuable hotel awards you can earn — especially when you target Category 4 properties. My favorite use is at Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress!

Whether you’re headed to the beach, the mountains, an adventure destination, or a European city, these certificates can stretch far beyond their numerical value.

Reach out to me and share some of your favorite uses of Hyatt Category 1-4 Free Night Certificates!