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Numu — the newest Hyatt Unbound Collection hotel — is set to finally open its doors to guests on February 1, 2023. I was in San Miguel de Allende in mid-January and was lucky enough to get a tour of the property before it officially opens.
Here's a look inside this highly anticipated hotel — which finally offers World of Hyatt members an option to book a hotel using points in popular San Miguel de Allende.
Apologies for the vertical photos below. I was primarily taking photos for my Instagram and Twitter pages @travelsergeant.
What is Numu?
Numu is part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, a collection of independent and unique luxury hotels and resorts. Properties are typically located in destinations rich in history and culture and often have a local, authentic feel.
Unbound Collection hotels offer luxury accommodations, dining and spa experiences, and personalized service. Each property in the Unbound Collection has its own unique character and style, reflecting the local culture and history of the destination.
Numu is in the heart of San Miguel de Allende, making it an ideal place for travelers looking to explore the city.
Why Visit San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende has become a popular travel destination, and interest in the city only keeps growing.
The city's well-preserved Spanish colonial-era buildings, cobblestone streets, and lively plazas made it a UNESCO World Heritage site. San Miguel de Allende offers a variety of outdoor activities, such as hiking, horseback riding, all-terrain vehicle tours, hot air balloon rides, and a vibrant food scene featuring traditional Mexican cuisine.
The closest airports to San Miguel de Allende are Leon (BJX) and Queretaro (QRO). Both are serviced by American Airlines from Dallas and United Airlines from Houston. Leon (BJX) has more international options but is a bit farther at about 1 hour 40 minutes away by car than Queretaro (QRO), which is only about 1 hour 20 minutes away by car. Another option is to connect via Mexico City on Aeroméxico.
Rooms and Suites
Numu offers 44 rooms — 23 of which are suites. Guests can choose from standard rooms, standard suites, and the presidential suite. All rooms feature a balcony or terrace, a 50” TV, individually controlled heating and air conditioning, a Nespresso coffee maker, a minifridge, and a laptop-sized safe. Most of the rooms have a view of the interior courtyard, except a few that have a street view.
Numu has the following types of rooms:
- 1 King Bed (409 sq ft)
- 2 Queen Beds (409 sq ft)
- 2 Queen Beds – Accessible (516 sq ft)
- 1 King Bed Deluxe (441 square-foot)
- 1 King Bed Premium (558 sq ft & street view)
- Master Suite (656 sq ft)
- Presidential Suite (1,464 sq ft)
Numu Amenities
Numu will offer a wide range of on-site amenities — including a spa, a small gym, a lobby bar, a rooftop pool, and a sun deck. Here are photos of the gym:
The snazzy lobby bar:
And the rooftop pool:
The hotel will also ultimately feature two restaurants:
- El Huerto de Don Enrique will offer Mexican farm-to-table dishes that will be ready for the opening.
- Maura Mesa de Sal is the rooftop restaurant that will serve Mediterranean food. But it won’t be ready until about March 2023, along with the rooftop pool and bar.
Their rooftop bar will be a nice addition to the already extensive rooftop bar options in San Miguel, where guests can enjoy a meal or drinks with a view of the city.
Booking Numu
Numu's website confirms that it plans to open on February 1, 2023 — as I was told by hotel employees when I visited.
As a category 6 property, you’ll be able to redeem anywhere from 21,000 points per night for off-peak to 29,000 points per night for peak dates for standard rooms. Standard suites will be as low as 26,000 points per night for off-peak dates and up to 44,000 points per night for peak dates.
As a new hotel, I’m not sure they’ve defined their peak and off-peak dates. We are finding almost all days pricing at 25,000 points per night for standard rooms and the standard pricing of 40,000 points per night for standard suites.
With nightly rates in the $400-$500 range, you’ll get anywhere from 1.6 – 2.0 cents per point for your Hyatt points. If you don’t have Hyatt points, you could transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
One of our favorite cards, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, is currently offering 60,000 points as a signup bonus. That's enough points for a nice weekend at this new hotel!
If you’re eligible for business cards, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card and Ink Business Cash® Credit Card can earn a $900 bonus after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, enough for three nights at Numu.
Note that if you have either a Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, the cashback you earn on the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card and Ink Business Cash® Credit Card can be combined as Ultimate Rewards points.
How I Booked Numu for 5,000 Points
There were a few lucky people who were able to book Numu at category 1 rates. It was initially assigned as a category 1 property which means some people booked this hotel at 5,000 points per night. I was one of the lucky few who successfully booked it at a category 1. Here’s the timeline of events in my booking success story:
March 22, 2022:
I found this property while searching for Hyatt hotels in Mexico. It was listed as a category 1 hotel bookable with only 5,000 points per night, and they accepted reservations after October 31, 2022.
With night rates at about $500 per night, booking for 5,000 points gave me a 10-cent per point redemption – I immediately booked a few rooms for November 11 – 13, 2022.
May 26, 2022:
I noticed the opening date was pushed back a couple of weeks. Fearing missing the grand opening, I booked three rooms for January 13 – 16, 2023 using Hyatt’s “points advance” feature available for eligible elite members since I didn’t have enough points in my World of Hyatt account.
June 28, 2022:
I canceled the reservations I had for November 11 – 13, 2022, since the hotel was now only allowing bookings after November 15, 2022, and I needed the points used for another booking.
September 14, 2022:
Numu was now a category 6 property. I called Hyatt to apply the points to my reservation at the 5,000 per night rate. I booked two rooms at 5,000 points per night for three nights, so my total cost in points was 30,000 points (2 rooms x 5,000 rate x 3 nights). After looking at my reservation, the agent explains that the property is now a category 6, pricing at 25,000 points per night. I would now need a total of 150,000 points for my reservation (2 rooms x 25,000 rate x 3 nights).
I spent about 50 minutes on the call as the agent and a supervisor tried to figure out how to address the situation. In the end, they decided to gift me 120,000 points in order for me to “apply” points to my reservation which I had made with advanced points. My mind is blown as I received the equivalent of two The World of Hyatt Credit Card signup bonuses for less than an hour of my time on the phone.
September 22, 2022:
I received an email from Hyatt Consumer Affairs to discuss my reservation at Numu.
September 24, 2022:
I called Hyatt Consumer affairs, and they told me that, unfortunately, Numu would not be able to open before my January reservation due to construction delays. They offered to relocate my reservation to a comparable hotel, the Live Aqua Urban Resort San Miguel de Allende. The new accommodation was for a comparable room at no cost to me, and my points would be returned – including the 120,000 received just two weeks prior to this call.
September 28, 2022:
I replied to Hyatt and agreed to stay at the Live Aqua and have my points returned.
October 3, 2022:
My Numu reservations for January were officially canceled, and I had an additional 150,000 points in my account – 30,000 from my original reservation and the 120,000 Hyatt gifted me.
December 3, 2022:
I received an email confirmation for my reservation at Live Aqua. They told me I was responsible for a service fee of $122.50 per room for three nights. Since the retail cost of the room was about $2,000 for the three nights, I was thrilled and happily confirmed my stay.
Unlike Marriott’s Ultimate Reservation Guarantee, Hyatt doesn’t have a similar policy. They didn’t have to honor my reservation and could’ve told me to go kick rocks since the hotel wasn’t ready, but they didn’t. I was already a Hyatt fan, but this was undoubtedly one of the best experiences I’ve had with Hyatt.
I initially thought Hyatt Consumer Affairs had reached out to me because of my elite status (Globalist), but the third room I had reserved for January 2023 was under my wife’s name. Though she has no status, she was offered a similar deal. We opted to change her Numu reservation dates to April instead of getting a room at Live Aqua, and for her reservation change, she was gifted 40,000 points. I love Hyatt.
January 15, 2023:
As I enjoyed my almost free stay at Live Aqua and explored San Miguel, I walked by Numu and asked one of the employees if we could check it out. And they agreed.
Our Take
Numu is an exciting new addition to the hotel scene in San Miguel de Allende. With its luxurious accommodations, points redemption opportunities, and prime location, the hotel will surely become a favorite among travelers. I recommend checking it out when it opens; I know I will.
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