robertw477

I am back with Hyatt since getting the Chase credit cards earlier this year. Most of my stays and spend have been with Starwood for the past number of years. I was recently seeking a points stay in Paris at the Vendome. Online the rooms (several types) are available for cash but not for points. I guess they black out dates. I am going in Sept typically not the busiest time of year. I was somewhat unhappy about this. When I called I had to answer to one of those voice recognition things. I am only Gold status so maybe the experience is different for Diamond members. I never knew Hyatt restricted the points useage. Is this common? If so that is why Starwood is #1 with me. Even though some hotels might raise the points fee. When I finally got a rep he said a standard room was not available therefore point stay is not possible. Online it looked to me that King room more than likely only goes for a few more dollars (if that) over a standard room at that hotel. Looks like it is about 30 Euros more. So that is a way they can avoid the redemption. In fact I checked every single Paris hotel and now they show no standard rooms available. What a scam

nhwiki

Well, this could get intersting. On this board, a lot of folks have been complaining about the credit card free nights, not in terms of not being able to use them but instead about how all those "free nights" diluted the pool of available rooms for those who had actually been staying in Hyatts for years and years.

For kicks, I checked a bunch of random two night dates for Hyatts in Paris in September using points I earned and didn't have a problem on any of the dates I checked, weekend or weekday. I for one am kind of glad to see that the credit card nights appear to be somewhat more restricted, as I am one of those people who pays and stays in Hyatts quite frequently, and has for years.

While I don't revel in your inability to find a night in Paris, I don't think that expecting two free nights on a relatively short notice for Paris is a scam. In fact, I have a sneaking suspicion that perhaps a bunch of other credit card one timers got to those rooms ahead of you, which is certainly a shame for you but hardly is it a scam.

MSPeconomist

SPG has similar rules: you can always get a room on points when a standard room is available. Otherwise, it's up to the discretion of the hotel whether they want to make higher category rooms available for points and what blackout dates they want to impose for these types of redemptions. Similarly, Starwood hotels are not required to offer cash and points redemptions.

FD1971

A standard room at the Park Vendome: 800 Euro

A premium room at the Park Vendome: 900 Euro

A base member complaining about the lack of credit card free nights at the Park Vendome: Priceless

TerryK

30 Euros is a few dollars? What kind of dollar? Even Cayman Dollar, which has higher value than US Dollar, has lower value than Euro.

Park Rooms (standard) are 26-30 SQM while Park Deluxe Rooms are 30-40 SQM. Not insignificant difference. Depending on which room you are assigned, Park Deluxe can be 50% larger. Vendome is several townhouses connected together. Each room is different.

Gold Passport Concierge

Hi!

You are more than welcome you PM us here, on FlyerTalk. I will be happy to see if I can assist you with making a reservation.

Have a good day!

Nick B.

Gold Passport Concierge

Hi robertw477! I was able to obtain your dates of stay, and it is during the start of Paris Fashion Week. During that time, the hotel is very busy, and I show in the hotel inventory, standard rooms are sold out until early October. If you would like me to look at other hotels in the area, or alternate dates, I would still be happy to assist you with this. Thank you for your cooperation and making us aware of this.

Safe travels,

Nick B.

robertw477

I found the difference for a Queen room about 30 Euros more than a base room. Since you are a Hyatt expert tell me how many standard rooms this hotel actually has. I can tell as somebody who has booked a ton with SPG while it is true SPG has some rooms called non standard, those are available for points and not a huge different either for the most part. Now I have caught some SPG properties when various events in town, you might have to get one of those "upgraded rooms" My experience was every single hotel had zero standard rooms. That has never happened with my with SPG throughout all the cities I visited.

robertw477

I show plenty of rooms available in paris for the dates I am there. I am basically there for 1 night of the start of Paris fashion week. I would not call that the busiest week in Paris as every single Hyatt had plenty of available rooms

robertw477

Lets just say it is unusual. Generally 8 weeks out is not short notice IMHO.
The real story is that there are probably very few rooms called standard. Very few.

Rob

robertw477

In all of my SPG stays no blackout dates. No problem With Westin Paris or W, or Prince de Galles, Paris. All on "short notice" As a plat I am probably better off there. Maybe I should try now for Part Hyatt Sydney for next yr before all the credit card people try to use their free night :-)

robertw477

I saw rates previously vs what they show as the lowest cost "upgraded room" 30 euros $40.00 per night. So big deal charge me an extra 3K a night on points and call it a day. Some other guy called me a base member. I am a gold Hyatt member for what that is worth and stated that I was trying the program out. I have always found SPG to be great with nights and flight points/flights, 5th night free and you can earn status even with free nights. Those things to me and a wide variety of properties make it very superior.

nhwiki

So you're saying that you used FREE CREDIT CARD nights from a credit card offer to book rooms at all of those places? Or are you using SPG points that you earned somehow (there is a difference)? As I said earlier, I can get rooms at the Vendome using points I earned pretty much all the time in September. While I have my issues with Hyatt these days in terms of promotions, I have to say that I've never had issues booking rooms at most of their properties, including the Vendome, PH Tokyo, PH DC, and Kauai using points.

And yes, for the top tier aspirational properties, with all the credit card nights floating around, you should probably book quite early, since nearly everyone who is looking to burn their Chase offer nights begins the discussion with the Vendome, Sydney, or Kauai (see the related threads). If anything, you should be upset with the other bottom feeders who booked those rooms before you, rather than with the hotel, or, with Chase. For what it's worth, I managed to use my nights just fine at another "tough to get property," combined with paid nights, but I booked nine months in advance.

Oh, and before things get ugly, Gold is a base member. You might want to duck before some really long-term Hyatt Diamonds start commenting on that. You seem to have been on Flyertalk for a while, so you probably know what that kind of claim might invite from some on here.

TerryK

How many stays/nights per year are required to maintain Gold membership at Hyatt?

ahcjar103

the vendome is only 158 rooms total so it's not a big hotel. and when you look at how many rooms types there are, no, there aren't a lot of standard rooms available in general, so your redemption ability is going to be limited.

you could've applied for the card earlier and been in a better position to book. but of course, it's just easier to call it a scam.