Friends,

Over the past few weeks, my family has returned to the same Hyatt north of Houston twice. Given we live in Dallas and there are many other destinations I would consider more “choice” in Texas, this feels a little funny to write.

But so it is.

Our first stay was a few weeks ago — my wife flew to Denver to visit dear friends of ours so I had the (real) delight of a weekend just me and the girls. We could’ve stayed home, but where’s the fun in that?

So instead, we packed a few small bags, redeemed a soon-to-expire World of Hyatt free night award, and checked into the Hyatt Regency Conroe—a newer Category 4 property just north of the Woodlands.

We booked totally on points (a free night cert), and thanks to my Hyatt Globalist status received a bit more than just a standard room. I called ahead of our arrival—and sure enough, the front desk (shout out to Kaiden) said they’d take care of us.

They really did. We were welcomed with a suite, candy for the girls, and hospitality that just went above and beyond.

The hotel itself isn’t massive—it’s not a resort—but it has a sense of place and is well-designed with nice finishes, a family-friendly pool, and a solid on-site restaurant. Breakfast is complimentary for Globalists, and unlike Marriott or Hilton (where “free” often means a F&B credit), Hyatt fully covers it.

My daughters and I ordered individual entrees and also enjoyed a few items from the (surprisingly fresh) buffet—by all measures a very solid hotel breakfast offering.

The girls talked about the stay and our “hotel night” that whole next week. And personally, it felt like a win of an activity while flying as solo-Dad.

Fast-forward to this past weekend: my Air France flight back to the USA got me as far as Houston (there was no FlyingBlue business class availability to DFW). After considering a few options, Hannah and the girls agreed to drive down and pick me up so we could make another fun-hotel-night of it at the same Hyatt.

No request needed—they’d remembered us and pre-upgraded our standard room to the same suite as last time. We swam, ate (again, an excellent breakfast), had a blast all around, and then drove home.

It was wonderful.

What I love about Hyatt is that the value isn’t just theoretical. It shows up in real, tangible ways: free nights that actually book nice hotels, upgrades that feel generous, and memorable breakfasts (among other things). Their properties and the value paradigm also has range — I have seen great values at small town Hyatt Places as well as big city Park Hyatts and everything in between.

For better or for worse, it keeps me loyal. That’s why I keep chasing Globalist, why I hold the World of Hyatt Chase card, and why I’ll go a little out of my way to stay with them.

If you’re ever near Conroe—family in tow or not—I’d recommend it. And wherever your next trip takes you, I hope it is wonderful.

Fly well.

Links

A new and compelling Companion Pass promo on Southwest went live today. This offer is actually pretty great; I may go for it.

Spirit (fairly sensibly) renamed and simplified their fare products today. This is not likely to change my perception of nor desire to fly with them.