Andaz Maui REVIEW - MASTER THREAD
Aug 28, 2014, 4:54 pm
#1247
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: LAX
Programs: SPG Gold, HH Gold
Posts: 280
So here's the thing. As nice as Maui is, there isn't much there that I can't see or do in a similar fashion here on Oahu....year round.....
So my concern is that we decided to go to the Andaz because of how new it is, and because all the little things that make you/your trip feel special. If all we wanted to do was eat a big breakfast buffet we could save our $2k we're spending at the Andaz for the weekend, save our rental car $$ and plane ticket $$ and just go into town and eat at a nice place there. It may seem silly, but we dont have the time to go international or back to the mainland, so a quick interisland pampering is what we are expecting. We're not expecting to be nickel and dimed last minute.
It's kinda like if you order a hamburger and they bring you a chicken sandwich. Some people will just say whatever and eat the chicken sandwich, while others will be disappointed that it's not a hamburger.
While my situation is most likely exceptional, my point does not seem to be lost given the outcry.
You're right, it's just breakfast, and it's just an extra $50, but when you go into something with an expectation (one that was set by hundreds of previous visitors) you get excited. You hope you will receive that same treatment and if not, you get the feeling of disappointment.
I understand you can then say "stop comparing other vacations to yours," but those other vacations and experiences helped us choose to stay at the Andaz. Why then, would it not be ok to want to change to somewhere else when you are told you will not be getting that same treatment?
Again, it can be silly, I know, but everyone goes into their vacations with their own views on what they want....and honestly, Wailea is nice...Awesome might be a stretch
So my concern is that we decided to go to the Andaz because of how new it is, and because all the little things that make you/your trip feel special. If all we wanted to do was eat a big breakfast buffet we could save our $2k we're spending at the Andaz for the weekend, save our rental car $$ and plane ticket $$ and just go into town and eat at a nice place there. It may seem silly, but we dont have the time to go international or back to the mainland, so a quick interisland pampering is what we are expecting. We're not expecting to be nickel and dimed last minute.
It's kinda like if you order a hamburger and they bring you a chicken sandwich. Some people will just say whatever and eat the chicken sandwich, while others will be disappointed that it's not a hamburger.
While my situation is most likely exceptional, my point does not seem to be lost given the outcry.
You're right, it's just breakfast, and it's just an extra $50, but when you go into something with an expectation (one that was set by hundreds of previous visitors) you get excited. You hope you will receive that same treatment and if not, you get the feeling of disappointment.
I understand you can then say "stop comparing other vacations to yours," but those other vacations and experiences helped us choose to stay at the Andaz. Why then, would it not be ok to want to change to somewhere else when you are told you will not be getting that same treatment?
Again, it can be silly, I know, but everyone goes into their vacations with their own views on what they want....and honestly, Wailea is nice...Awesome might be a stretch
My main beef here is that no notice was given, and this is the most disappointing for those of us with reservations already booked before the policy was changed. Sure, tell us that effective XXX date, this is the new policy, or for reservations booked after XXX date this is the new policy. But when you already have a reservation booked for $XXX your expectations are already built in, and changing the terms of that reservation is not right.
Aug 28, 2014, 5:03 pm
#1248
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Westchester Cty, NY
Programs: AA Plat 2MM, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 125
The psychology is fascinating
I have been following this thread closely for months. We go to Hawaii every February and I get to decide which islands we visit and where we stay. There was so much buzz about this property I changed our reservation from Hyatt Regency to the Andaz Maui. Travel is about aspirational experiences and while we liked the hotel, it was not as exceptional visually as the Grand Hyatt Kauai. The breakfast experience was exceptional and months later my husband is still talking about it. Even without the extras the buffet was outstanding. A special person just cutting up local fruit so you could try. The mixologist making up fresh dragon fruit smoothies. I had a fresh crab salad at the buffet that was memorable. I think the general manager, or at least the food and beverage manager should explain their thinking about limiting the buffet and therefore the aspirational quality of the resort for Hyatt Diamond members. We will be going back to the GHK in February 2015, not because of the change in breakfast benefit, but we prefer having the Grand Club and the overall quality of the resort.
Aug 28, 2014, 6:45 pm
#1249
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Texas
Programs: Hyatt Glob (Barely); Marriott Plat Life; AA Up and Down Now Plat; Hilton, UA, BA, HA Peasant
Posts: 2,667
I know that Hyatt is free to interpret the phrase "full breakfast inclusive of one entree( or standard breakfast buffet)". I would interpret the full buffet to be the standard buffet. Anything else limiting this would seem to me less than a full breakfast.
We will be going back to the GHK in February 2015, not because of the change in breakfast benefit, but we prefer having the Grand Club and the overall quality of the resort.
Aug 28, 2014, 6:48 pm
#1250
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Germany
Programs: GP Dia, HH Dia, Marriott Gold, Club Carlson Gold
Posts: 139
Hard to argue with this logic or the quote. Would one of you who has an upcoming res and is disappointed consider taking it up with Gold Passport and getting back to us? I'm remembering continental was the benchmark some years ago, only to be replaced by the hot-food language.
We'll see how everything works out!
Aug 28, 2014, 6:57 pm
#1251
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Laguna Niguel
Posts: 162
Killing Diamond-Delight could cost
We loved the food at the Andaz Maui.
Our dinner salad with Maui local "Surfing Goat Dairy" cheese: "yum-o!"
But, breakfast is my favorite meal, and the Andaz buffet is one of the best.
Our first morning at breakfast we were escorted around the buffet and informed that the bacon was smoked on-site and that the famous chef Emeril had praised the bacon. I like a strip of bacon so I had one each day with my omelet.
The snappy young blond guy hosting the juice bar had blended up various special request drinks and I asked each day for the remainder in the blender, not wanting a lot of juice but a bit of variety.
Jenny at the fruit station introduced us to 'Soursop' which she credited for her grandmothers good health. She was wonderful and so was the table server Girlie. What a couple sweethearts and credits to the Andaz Maui.
Breakfast was a highlight of our stay and, for me, so was signing the $110 check each morning, knowing it would not be added to our bill.
I wonder if this change, occurring just after our recent stay, was prompted by food costs. I doubt we consumed enough to skew the bottom line for the accounting group but during our wonderful stay we witnessed one particular family who may have.
A group of two men, two women and a young girl helped themselves one morning to the ENTIRE BOWL of raspberries, taking it back to their table. I asked Jenny if there were more and she sadly informed me, no, there were no more.
The next morning I told my wife I wanted to get down earlier to get a few raspberries. We saw the same group, I kid not, walking about ten pounds of bacon back to their table.
If the Andaz accounting group has reported that food costs are too high maybe the fix could be pre-portioning the more expensive breakfast elements?
Killing Diamond-Delight could cost more in the long run.
Our dinner salad with Maui local "Surfing Goat Dairy" cheese: "yum-o!"
But, breakfast is my favorite meal, and the Andaz buffet is one of the best.
Our first morning at breakfast we were escorted around the buffet and informed that the bacon was smoked on-site and that the famous chef Emeril had praised the bacon. I like a strip of bacon so I had one each day with my omelet.
The snappy young blond guy hosting the juice bar had blended up various special request drinks and I asked each day for the remainder in the blender, not wanting a lot of juice but a bit of variety.
Jenny at the fruit station introduced us to 'Soursop' which she credited for her grandmothers good health. She was wonderful and so was the table server Girlie. What a couple sweethearts and credits to the Andaz Maui.
Breakfast was a highlight of our stay and, for me, so was signing the $110 check each morning, knowing it would not be added to our bill.
I wonder if this change, occurring just after our recent stay, was prompted by food costs. I doubt we consumed enough to skew the bottom line for the accounting group but during our wonderful stay we witnessed one particular family who may have.
A group of two men, two women and a young girl helped themselves one morning to the ENTIRE BOWL of raspberries, taking it back to their table. I asked Jenny if there were more and she sadly informed me, no, there were no more.
The next morning I told my wife I wanted to get down earlier to get a few raspberries. We saw the same group, I kid not, walking about ten pounds of bacon back to their table.
If the Andaz accounting group has reported that food costs are too high maybe the fix could be pre-portioning the more expensive breakfast elements?
Killing Diamond-Delight could cost more in the long run.
Aug 28, 2014, 9:05 pm
#1252
Moderator: GLBT Travelers & Hyatt Gold Passport
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: CVG
Posts: 15,300
I tried to book a room in January and use the point upgrade.
I was told, confirmed by the hotel that I had to pay for a partial ocean view suite to be upgraded to an Andaz suite ( oceanfront).
I've never experienced this at a resort before. It was always the most expensive regular room. I find this policy outrageous.
I was told, confirmed by the hotel that I had to pay for a partial ocean view suite to be upgraded to an Andaz suite ( oceanfront).
I've never experienced this at a resort before. It was always the most expensive regular room. I find this policy outrageous.
FWIW, GHK confirms upgrades (DSUs, points, or outright suite award bookings) to Garden Suite only. Last year we were really fortunate to get bumped up 2 categories to Deluxe Ocean Suite - this year (here now) not so fortunate since I couldn't apply a DSU since March.
Aug 29, 2014, 7:49 am
#1253
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: los angeles
Programs: Hyatt Courtesy card. Delta 2MM Diamond. AA platinum pro
Posts: 1,898
I apologize for not making clear what happened. I wanted to pay for the deluxe room to upgrade to the base suite using GP points. They wouldn't allow that. They insisted I pay $100 + more to pay for the base suite to use the suite upgrade for the higher suite. That is not what I have seen before.
Aug 29, 2014, 8:10 am
#1254
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: NJ
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, UA Silver, dirt elsewhere
Posts: 46,919
That is the rule at resorts. You must reserve a certain type of room, usually ocean view or front, and then you can upgrade using points. If you use a DSU you can book the least expensive room and upgrade to a suite.
This has been in the T&C for as long as I've been a member, which is over 10 years.
This has been in the T&C for as long as I've been a member, which is over 10 years.
Aug 29, 2014, 9:26 am
#1255
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: los angeles
Programs: Hyatt Courtesy card. Delta 2MM Diamond. AA platinum pro
Posts: 1,898
I still don't understand the confusion. I expected to pAy the deluxe room rate and be upgraded to the basic suite . Instead the rate they required was $250 above the lowest rate but also $100+'above the highest regular room rate. Instead they were requiring me to pay the basic suite rate in order to use the upgrade. I am unaware of any other resort that requires one to pay for a suite in order to use the upgrade.
I wanted to pay the deluxe rate to upgrade to the basic suite which is the policy.
I wanted to pay the deluxe rate to upgrade to the basic suite which is the policy.
Last edited by mmgm; Aug 29, 2014 at 9:27 am Reason: Word repeated in error.
Aug 29, 2014, 9:30 am
#1256
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: NJ
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, UA Silver, dirt elsewhere
Posts: 46,919
I missed that. I would call customer service and ask for an explanation. I wonder if the deluxe rooms are sold out and this is the next "deluxe" rate that's available.
If that doesn't work, contact the GP concierge here via PM.
You are correct that it does not make any sense.
If that doesn't work, contact the GP concierge here via PM.
You are correct that it does not make any sense.
Aug 29, 2014, 9:34 am
#1257
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: los angeles
Programs: Hyatt Courtesy card. Delta 2MM Diamond. AA platinum pro
Posts: 1,898
Actually between this policy and the Diamond breakfast change, I am convinced they are so popular that they don't care about GP members. I have seen this at other hotels. I have decided to go elsewhere. I just wanted others to be aware of this policy.
Aug 29, 2014, 10:59 am
#1259
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: LAX
Programs: SPG Gold, HH Gold
Posts: 280
Aug 29, 2014, 11:05 am
#1260
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: HH Gold-IHG Plat
Posts: 390
"To help make your 1st anniversary visit a special one, we are able to upgrade you and your wife from a Garden King to a Full Ocean King room. We hope you will have a great visit to Maui and a memorable stay at our resort."