I grew up in a family of five, and on road trips (which were most of the kinds of trips we took), we all just stayed in one hotel or motel room. Three kids = two kids in a bed and one on a rollaway, most times.

If your experience is similar, you might be surprised when you’re booking your first trip to a country that’s not the US or Canada and find out that hotels in other countries often have occupancy limits of two or three people per room. And that they’re serious about them. You have to show your passports at most hotels when you check in, and if there’s a discrepancy between the number of people in your traveling group and the room-occupancy limit, you won’t be allowed to check in. Sneaking in extra kids is not an option like it is in the US, and it’s actually a good way to get kicked out of the hotel.

So that means you probably need to book two rooms (or stay in a VRBO instead). And that’s a hard pill to swallow because it means double the hotel costs you might be used to, either requiring twice as many points or twice as much cash. But Hyatt offers a discount for families that might make your next overseas stay less painful.

If you’re staying in certain properties in the Hyatt program, you may be able to take advantage of the Hyatt Family Plan rate and split the difference between the choice of using double the points or double the cash: use up some points and some cash, but not totally deplete either stockpile. In the right situation, this option can make a lot of sense.

Here’s how it works:

Hyatt keeps a list of properties that participate in the Hyatt Family Plan. If you’re looking at a stay where you’ll need to book two rooms, these properties will allow you to book the first room on points or cash and then book the second room for 50% of the cash price.

From personal experience, I’ve also figured out two additional important points:

1. Ask other hotels about it! This is the official Hyatt list of properties that will give a 50% discount on a second room, but other Hyatt properties might also give a discount if you contact them before you book and just ask. I’ve tried this with hotels that aren’t included on the list and more than one has offered the family plan rate. So it never hurts to ask. The worst they can say is that they don’t offer a discounted rate for a second room, but what if they say they do? You’ll be glad you asked!
2. May be limited at some properties to families with kids under 12. Some hotels might only offer the 50% discounted rate for a second room if the children you’re traveling with are young. For example, the Hyatt Regency Kyoto told me this rate is only available for families traveling with children under 12 when I inquired via email—not helpful for me because we have teenagers, but potentially a great deal if your kids are little.

The Hyatt Family Plan rate allows the first room to be booked with either points or money, but the second room has to be paid with money; you can’t book the second room with points and get the 50% discount.

To book the Hyatt Family Plan rate, you should either email the hotel you want to stay at before booking anything and ask them the best way to book it (this is what I’ve done in the past), chat with a Hyatt representative in the Hyatt app (or your Hyatt concierge, if you have Globalist status), or call the hotel itself to ask to book at the Family Plan rate. You’ll want to ask about it before booking anything so you don’t have to go back and change your reservation to reflect the discount on the second room.

I’ve always found the hotel representatives to be friendly and helpful when I’ve talked to them about the Family Plan rate, and a quick phone call or email can save you a lot of money or points on your next family stay abroad!