Hyatt Offers New Wellness Benefits at Exhale Spa

Hyatt purchased the spa and fitness provider Exhale Spa last year (and a related resort spa operator, Miraval Group, before that). You can check out Omar’s description of the Miraval benefits at Hyatt if you’re still unfamiliar. Both acquisitions show Hyatt attempting to differentiate itself from more traditional hotel chains by taking a stronger position on general well-being.

Today Hyatt is announcing more extensive perks for all its members when they visit Exhale Spa locations. That includes the ability to earn and redeem World of Hyatt points for fitness classes and spa treatments. In addition, Explorist and Globalist members will enjoy complimentary perks. You must link your Hyatt and Exhale accounts on the aforementioned microsite to enjoy these perks.

Earning Hyatt Points at Exhale

World of Hyatt members can earn 10 base points per dollar spent at participating Exhale locations. This is double the 5 base points per dollar you would earn for staying at a Hyatt hotel.

However, bonus points for using a Hyatt credit card or having World of Hyatt status are similar. That means 10% bonus for Discoverist, 20% bonus for Explorist, and 30% bonus for Globalist members. If you pay with the new World of Hyatt credit card, you’ll get 4 bonus points per dollar. (Using the original Hyatt credit card–no longer available for new cardmembers–will earn just 3 bonus points per dollar.)

Consider a hypothetical scenario where you spend $200 including tax and tip on an hour-long spa massage. That would earn a Globalist member 17 points per dollar when paying with a World of Hyatt credit card–a total of 3,400 World of Hyatt points toward a future Exhale treatment or a Hyatt hotel stay.

Redeeming Hyatt Points at Exhale

You can also redeem the World of Hyatt points you already have at Exhale, including points transferred from a partner like Ultimate Rewards.

• 2,000 points for a free fitness class
• 12,000 points for an hour-long massage or facial

It seems to me that 2,000 points is a fair price to pay for a class. Many one-off yoga or barre classes cost about $25-35, which is consistent with my valuation of 1.5 cents per Hyatt point. Obviously you can pay less at some facilities if you have a monthly membership.

The redemption price of a spa treatment may be a little high. Many of the treatments listed on Exhale’s website are around $150, which implies you’re getting a redemption value of just 1.25 cents per point. That will change after you include tax or if you pick one of the more expensive treatments. Facials may be the better deal.

Complimentary Services for Explorist and Globalist Members

Explorists are mid-tier members in the World of Hyatt program and will receive one free Week of Wellbeing each year at a participating Exhale location. This includes unlimited fitness classes as well as discounts on retail purchases and spa treatments during that week. You do not need to be staying at a Hyatt hotel to enjoy the Week of Wellbeing, but you could certainly arrange it to coincide with your trip if you don’t live near an Exhale location already.

Globalists are Hyatt’s top-tier members. In addition to the Week of Wellbeing, they will also receive complimentary access to Exhale classes when they are staying at a nearby Hyatt hotel. That includes regular rates, free night awards, and Points + Cash awards.

These two benefits reflect Hyatt’s commitment to its customers’ wellbeing, understanding that regular travel takes a toll on their health and sanity. The Week of Wellbeing provides an opportunity to rest and recharge. Complimentary classes for Globalist members help these individuals stay fit on the road. Maintaining a routine is particularly difficult when your work involves traveling 50+ days of the year.

Sharing Benefits

I specifically asked Hyatt for more information about sharing benefits with another individual. Between my wife and me, I am typically the one who earns status. I also have zero interest in visiting a spa. Every time we get a free spa credit at a hotel, it goes to my wife. She even uses my employee wellness benefit at work to pay for her yoga classes.

Globalist members cannot share their complimentary Exhale classes when staying at Hyatt hotels. This benefit is specific to the member. I received a less clear answer in regards to the free Week of Wellbeing or the ability to earn and redeem points for another person’s treatment. All of that is handled after you link your Exhale and World of Hyatt accounts. It sounded like it depends: if the computer allows you to use your Exhale account to book treatments for another person, then maybe they can enjoy your Hyatt benefits.

Participating Properties

My biggest complaint about the Exhale partnership is the limited number of locations. They are heavily concentrated on the East Coast with only three west of the Mississippi River. One of those, ironically, is inside a Hilton hotel. Another is located inside the American Express Centurion Lounge at DFW. I can’t provide you my opinion of the quality of Exhale’s treatments because the Exhale Spa at DFW has always been too busy to secure a treatment.

In any case, the DFW location is not participating in the Hyatt relationship. Most other locations are participating, but if it’s a private location then you’ll need to be eligible to visit before you can utilize your Hyatt benefits.