I spent $0 out of pocket for 10 hotel nights in Germany

I took my first solo trip to Europe last year. After some debate, I chose Germany as my destination, as I speak some German and have always been intrigued by the country’s history and culture.

After getting my first long-haul business class lie-flat seat on United Polaris for 60,000 Air Canada airplane points plus $58.95 in taxes and fees, I started planning my hotel strategy.

like a big Hyatt fan who had tons of Pursue ultimate rewards points at the time of booking, I knew that the brand’s portfolio would be my choice for each of my stays. I knew I wanted to cover several cities during my 10-day trip, so I focused on locations with at least one Hyatt property.

Thanks to my points reserve, I was able to book stays for my entire stay in Germany without having to pay a cent out of pocket. In fact, with 87,500 points, I covered 10 nights at some nice and convenient Hyatt properties. This is how I did it.

Frankfurt — Hyatt House Frankfurt Eschborn

Points cost: 12,000 points for a three-night stay

My first stop was Frankfurt. Frankfurt has two Hyatt properties, and although the Hyatt House Frankfurt Eschborn is not very conveniently located relative to the city center, Frankfurt’s fantastic public transportation system makes it fairly easy to get around.

I was able to walk from the transit station to the hotel, but it took about fifteen minutes. If you have the budget, I highly recommend using a shared transportation serviceespecially if you have to take a train or plane after your hotel stay.

The hotel itself was nice, but for a brand with “home” in the name, my room felt a little cold and dark. It was something of a jarring transition moving from the bright, comfortable lobby to my accommodation.

However, the hotel was very clean and spacious, so I can overlook the bland design choices.

Breakfast was offered in buffet style. I have no dietary restrictions, so I easily found many options. However, vegans and people with gluten allergies may have difficulties.

Given the total cost of a three-night stay, I recommend this property as long as you agree with its location.

Cologne — Lindner Hotel Colonia City Plaza

Points cost: 16,000 points for a two-night stay

Location-wise, the Lindner Hotel Cologne City Plaza was the complete opposite of the Hyatt House Frankfurt Eschborn; It was very well located, just a few steps from public transport.

The highlight for me in this hotel, which I enjoyed overall, was the shower. While it had the typical weird half-door configuration that European hotels seem obsessed with, I loved the shower itself. It was very spacious with an excellent and tuned temperature.

Breakfast on site was very good; I especially appreciated the smoothies they had to offer.

Since I had a late train to my next city after this hotel stay, I was grateful for the spacious lobby, where I spent some time relaxing while waiting for check-out time.

The points cost for this hotel can definitely get a little steep if you’re staying for several days, but I felt like two nights were enough for Cologne. That’s enough time to see Cologne Cathedral (which, by the way, looks like walking into the throne room of a fantasy book) and take a tour of the brewery. I only recommend staying longer if you want to dive deep into Cologne’s beer scene.

Related: How I booked a Hyatt hotel for just 2,000 points per night this summer

Ulm — Me and everyone Hotel Ulm

Points cost: 19,500 points for a three-night stay

Of all the cities I visited in Germany, Ulm surprised me the most. I didn’t expect to have much to do, but the city is very walkable and charming. If you are interested in architecture, there is much to see in Ulm.

The biggest attraction here is Ulm Cathedral, the second tallest church in the world. I visited Germany at the time of Christmas marketsso the Ulm Christmas market was in full swing right in front of the church.

Me and All Hotel Ulm is the only Hyatt hotel in Ulm and is located directly opposite the train station. This made it incredibly convenient for me, as I traveled between each city on the Deutsche Bahn. My room was very comfortable and I appreciated the amount of equipment available in the gym.

There is also a great view of Ulm Cathedral from the rooftop lounge where breakfast is served. Breakfast options were similar to those at the Hyatt House Frankfurt Eschborn. The food was great, especially the little donuts.

Related: I Didn’t Expect to Love World of Hyatt, But Here’s Why I Do

Munich — Andaz Munich Schwabinger Tor

Points cost: 40,000 points for a two-night stay

This was my splurge hotel to conclude my trip. This is not only my favorite hotel I stayed in during my trip, but also my Favorite Hyatt property in general so far. The corner room I received definitely helped.

The bed was the most comfortable of all the properties I stayed in, the breakfast was plentiful and delicious, the bathroom was huge and the location was great. Public transport was a stone’s throw from the hotel.

If I went back to just one city in Germany, it would be Munich. I didn’t get to explore as much as I wanted to, as most of my time there consisted of day trips to the surrounding area. You could easily do a day trip from Ulm if you prefer stay in munich.

The downside is that this is an expensive points hotel, but welcome bonuses on Chase cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) can easily cover the cost of a three- or four-night stay.

How I earned my points

As I mentioned before, all of the points I used for these bookings came from my Chase Ultimate Rewards account. I earned those points through a combination of spending and welcome offers on these cards:

For more information, check out our reviews of the Flexible Freedom Pursuit, Pursue unlimited freedom and Favorite Sapphire Chase.

A reminder before booking

Remember that Hyatt is reviewing your prize table this month. While it maintains its award chart, award nights at many properties could become much more expensive. That may include the properties I’ve mentioned here.

If you are planning a trip to Germany, I recommend booking now. This is especially true for a property like the Andaz Munich Schwabinger Torwhich was already quite expensive before these changes.

In a nutshell

Without points and miles I would not have been able to dream of spending 10 days in Germany. I even won a free night thanks to Hyatt Brand Explorer Benefitwhich grants one free night for every five brands you stay at. I had previously stayed at a Hyatt Regency, so the four different brands I covered in Germany brought me to that five-brand mark.

The money I saved from my hotel stays went towards food, transportation, and activities, which I personally would rather spend my money on. (Traveling around the world only to end up stuck in a hotel because I wasted my budget on accommodation is not my idea of ​​fun.)

You don’t need to have hundreds of thousands of points to make significant redemptions: With just 87,500 points, I was able to book 10 nights at Hyatt properties.

Related: World of Hyatt Wish List: 2 TPG Globalists on Changes to Their Dream Program