777 global mile hound

That's what we are expected to think
Looking back just 3 years ago and over a decade
Hyatt didn't run the redemption end of program tied to inflation
They ran a very fair balanced system when it came down to redemption as a way to thank members for their loyalty.

Today its going the way of Marriott and Hilton and others more closely
What they are doing today is a totally different system of revenue enhancement/reduced liability/risk management

777 global mile hound

These are exactly the select properties that I refer too that are going to go on the do not stay list especially in markets where
Radisson Blu, Conrad and others can be for example 40 % less or better on average and sometimes have considerably
better newer or better renovated properties for the money spent. I used the Park Hyatt Chicago previously as one such example.

Carlson Club members that have their co branded Visa credit card every two redeemed nights gets the 3rd night free burying
these new premium GP redemption rates.
There aren't many solid options in the US but there are plenty of options overseas
In Europe and elsewhere globally the Club Carlson savings on redemptions can be significant.
And they guarantee 100% guest satisfaction/experience at each and every stay.

IHG InterContinental Hotels/Priority Club luxury properties are currently on par with redemption rates @ pre Hyatt devaluation rates
If one has the Priority Club Visa one gets a return back of a 10% rebate on any redemption in any property^
The annual fee more than pays off with a free night at any category which may be redeemed at any property in the world even for a non elite member!!

At Hyatt not even a customer who does 100 nights a year can go over a category 4 property on the annual free Hyatt Visa night which I find unacceptable
but especially now with these changes.
I'm holding hope there is a here's the bad news (devaluation) and now for the good news scenario coming
Also going to check out Fairmont hotels for my luxury hotel choices in the US
I miss the one in Los Angeles that once was a Sheraton the old Miramar in Santa Monica

Keeping the options more open now and of course have to see if IHG and Club Carlson play the look me to devaluation card
I hate to think that's where this is going but wouldn't be surprised based on the devaluation trend this year.
Devaluations show me that diversifying is the best way to stay protected than to put all your eggs in one basket
Especially as I don't believe in the earn and burn idea all the time being a hoarder to some degree of miles and points

capitolm94

Devaluation here is always crappy, but stepping back 30k for top tier properties is still competitive with other programs (e.g. SPG at 30-35k for top places). 22k was absolutely awesome - no doubt sad to see it go- but could be worse.

canyonleo

Well, as much as I'm hating HGP today...

I only redeem points for aspirational stays. I've collected nearly a million points before I did a major redemption, then used half of them for Maldives and Andaz Maui (here on property now) trips. That said (that aspirational redeemers are the types being hit hardest) -

If the hotels removed their programs completely, so there was no free nights to be had, Hyatt would be my choice for the Diamond treatment (I have been and will be Diamond for many years it seems) - lounge access, breakfast, internet, late check out, rare upgrades (I seem to never be able to use the four/year ones), private line/agent, etc.

So, when HGP devalues and it's not as bad as the HORRIFIC HH one this year, or Marriott's recent ones, I guess I'm not changing (yet).

GUWonder

Award stays at all but Category 1 properties have been hit by this devaluation. [Category 2-4 hotel devaluation hit is via the club/suite pricing changes.]

All Category 5-6 award stays are increasing in cost in points (even for standard rooms).

In other words, most full-service Hyatt properties are going to have higher prices in points for standard rooms and/or clubs/suites.

GUWonder

When it comes to those Hyatt properties never made available for booking via Priceline/Hotwire "opaque"-bookings over the past ten years, the price in Hyatt points has risen far more than published rates in USD terms for the same.

gengar

Why do you want them to make up some reason for the devaluation? We all know the reason for the devaluation, which is that they want to reduce current liabilities on the books and to limit future liabilities. The only reasons that FFPs give for devaluations are false excuses.

jpdx

The question is, with the tremendous devaluation we've seen in most programs (and again, Hyatt is probably the least bad), what will they do when that next economic downturn comes? IMO, the severe devaluations at HH and Marriott have completely robbed these programs of the ability to fine-tune promos. Who in their right mind would direct extra stays to HH if they offer a 2500 point per-stay bonus? You'd have to stay 40 nights for a free night at Conrad Tokyo, and 20 nights for a HGI near Reno International Airport. Nothing but a full-fledged FFN-type promo will attract people to these gutted programs.

speedytimmy

Everyone knew changes were coming (and you still have ample time to make new reservations and hopefully burn some UA miles while doing so for flights).

If you find the revisions so unreasonable, please move on to another hotel program and leave the prime redemptions available for those that remain loyal to Hyatt.

Yes, a three night stay in a suite at the Park Hyatt Tokyo is going up by a whopping 45,000 points but the prior level was an absolute bargain. There are still many wonderful category six properties that "only" went up by 3,000 points.

hawkswin

I appreciate the timing because it guarantees that I, along with many others, won't make a push to top off status with end of year stays. I'm pretty close to 50 nights but this devaluation indicates that it's not worth trying to be exclusive with Hyatt going forward. Having been a Diamond for a couple years it's nice but never a big difference maker worth chasing anymore.

RS250Racer

Glad I just burned a bunch of points at PHT last month.

After not being Diamond for some time was going to come back to Hyatt but moving on to other places now.

Yul_voyager

Crazy how people are accepting the changes. "reasonable, not too bad, better than HH..." are the dominant comment here. For a 36% increase on top tier hotels, far more than the price inflation of last years.
Marketing did a excellent job !

Vinodavid

The very top properties were undervalued in my opinion. 22k points for the Vendome is a steal considering at SPG the Prince de Galles is 30k - 35k.

Also considering you get 6.5 points per $ at Hyatt vs. 3 points at SPG per $ as top tier members I knew this would have to happen sooner or later.

Certainly not a happy announcement but not unexpected.

skywalkerLAX

Comparing apples with oranges.

Every program has different ways to collect points, some are easier/harder, some are just way overpriced.

It is no secret that is makes no sense anymore to use SPG Points for Hotel stays. The only reasonable thing is to convert them to airline miles.

beachfan

Well, that isn't what we many of us think over at the Starwood forum.

Spg has:

5th night free on award
Suite upgrades on award stays (not guaranteed, but I get them 80% of the time;I know others don't however)
Award nights count towards status

I'm going to Paris in June and will stay at the Westin Vendome, not the PH Vendome as I am treated well there and get great suites. My experience at the PH Vendome was not as good even though I was Diamond at the time.

Now if I could get a real suite at the PH Vendome for 33k points, that would be different, but I don't like attic rooms no matter how nice the furnishings.