As a teenager with a passion for baseball, I set an ambitious objective of attending a match at each of the 30 Major League Baseball stadiums. Not a simple goal, considering the financial and time commitment, as well as the unique locations of the ballparks, some of which are not located in mainstream cities or typical tourist destinations. Yet, this distinctive factor often contributes to unexpectedly elevated hotel rates in medium-sized cities where redemptions offer the best value.
In a recent journey to fulfill this dream, I aimed to check off two stadiums from my list, both situated in Ohio – home to the Cleveland Guardians and the Cincinnati Reds. Coordinating a travel schedule when both teams had home games was the initial task. Once the dates were fixed, the next challenge was finding appropriate accommodation.
My preference is for a hotel located no more than a 10-15-minute walk from the stadium. This requirement eliminates any concerns about transportation, especially helpful if I opt to use a rental car. In such a scenario, the convenience factor takes precedence over cost.
In Cleveland, the Hyatt Regency Cleveland at the Arcade fulfilled my accommodation criteria. Its prime location, within close proximity to Progressive Field, made it an ideal option. Although the hotel’s rewards program quoted 12,000 Hyatt points per night, when contrasted with its cash price, it transformed my three-night stay from $930.36 to 36,000 Hyatt points.
The following step was securing a place to stay in Cincinnati. The Hyatt Regency Cincinnati, suitably located and fulfilling my distance criterion from the Great American Ball Park, was the choice. Given that my booking fell on ‘peak’ nights, the rates were slightly inflated at 15,000 Hyatt points per night. Despite this, the opportunity seemed perfect.
Up till now, I’ve experienced the thrill of games at 20 out of the total 30 MLB stadiums. My technique of transferring Chase points to Hyatt has been significantly beneficial, especially in cities where hotel prices tend to be on the higher end.
Beyond Hyatt, numerous upscale and boutique hotels (or even different brands) offer redemption programs, where points can be exchanged for a fixed value of 1.25 cents each. For instance, using 100,000 Chase points, one could cover up to 10 nights at various Hyatt establishments throughout the U.S.
While most people might opt to use their points for truly life-altering travel experiences, I have found great satisfaction in steadily deducting points to achieve my unique ‘bucket list’ goal. Mostly, I’ve chosen to stay at Hyatt properties, yet the flexibility to transfer points to other hotels (or airlines) or redeem through the Chase portal at a fixed value, provides a plethora of options in various travel destinations.