Hamurabi2008

Thanks for the summary - I find it hugely helpful.

Re Diamond Benefits:
you won't receive Platinum Certificates as Diamond

Also it might be helpful for readers outside North America to point out that there is no welcome amenity outside North America. However, I had success to request the same for stays in Asia via the US-based Diamond Hotline

Ham

uiucsb

What do I look for on hyatt.com to determine if a "base" room is available? Am I correct in my thinking that I search for the hotel/nights I want for a free night(s), and if there is a "Hyatt Daily Rate" listed, then I can use points for a room?

Also, what does it mean, "72/48 hr advance guarantee"? Thanks.

m0hamed

There is a welcome amenity outside North America, however there is no choice of amenity or points. Generally you receive food and beverage item/s.

peteropny

Look at the property's website (linked to in the Property Index sticky at the top of the forum) - go to Rooms - then there's a list of room types - the "base" room is usually at the top of the list (name could vary from property to property) - but would not contain the words "deluxe" "view" "club" "suite" etc.

If there are a variety of rates that come up for that "base" room type, then points redemption should be available. Searching redemption directly should tell you the cost in points for the room not the cash cost.

The advance guarantee is when the property is sold out but you can "force" a booking as a Platinum / Diamond at a full "rack" (high) rate for a base room - point redemptions are not available in those instances.

jumpdogjump

Probably obvious to most, but a stay at the same property with a night in between is counted as a separate stay, i.e check in Friday/out Saturday; Check in Sunday out Monday (helpful for those doing matress runs with 2 chains - you know who you are!) Peter, I'm assuming day-only rates don't count as eligible stays?

Re: platinum certificate - Gold Passport bonus can be earned by eating at a hotel restaurant (non-3rd party operated) and does not require being a registered guest - wife just got one of these, or I'd have never known.

quarryking

Sorry for this elementary question, but am a newbie to the Hyatt program; but if a stay at a Hyatt for some reason has been booked thru another site and not the Hyatt site directly, would that stay still be credited to my Gold Passport program..??

Have faced this situation in the past with another hotel chain, where a stay was booked not directly with this hotel chain and hence they did not credit that stay to the program.

peteropny

If payment was pre-paid to the other site - you won't get stay credit / points unless there is a mistake.

If payment is directly to the property at the time of your stay - then YMMV - seems like reservations made by corporate travel departments / agents usually get stay credit / points.

flyinghome

Just joined Hyatt after years as Marriott Platinum. So far I am very impressed. I have one question. I was matched to Diamond. As a matched Diamond do I get the 4 suite upgrades? If I do how do I track or see this. I can not find anything on the website tracking them.

SanDiego1K

Others report receiving them in like circumstance. Go to www.goldpassport and log on. Then, click on Awards -> My Promotional Awards. You can then see your suite upgrades and any BWB nights that you earn.

HoustonConsultant

I searched for the answer and apologize if others have asked and I did not see it.

I have booked two revenue rooms in my name, can I upgrade both rooms to suites if I have the upgrade certificates?

m0hamed

yes. Though I would recommend using points, unless the stay exceeds 4 nights in which case you will need to use the e-cert.

peteropny

I don't think you can use the certs for both rooms - but I believe you can use the certs for one room & points for the other (although this probably requires a higher rate).

m0hamed

I've used certificates concurrently at the GH Cairo.

gregorygrady

In fact like I mentioned earlier, I'm almost positive that Passport Plus awards DO NOT exist. I too have been able to see the "Passport Plus" option pop up when trying to book an award a couple times, but I believe this is just an IT glitch (what, hyatt.com has an IT glitch, there's a shocker, huh )

If you actually click on "Book Passport Plus" when the box pops up, it won't actually let you book anything at all, rather it just repops up the exact same screen again. From what I have seen this screen ONLY pops up when there is a minimum length of stay requirement in force at that time. So technically there are award rooms available, however they require a minimum lenght of stay. For example, if you look at HR Montreal on 7/4, the Passport Plus box will popup. Click it and nothing happens. Now if you try to book 5 nights, 7/4-7/9, then it will allow you to book that with points. FWIW, this is the exact same as with paid rooms. If you try to book 7/4 paid, it will not let you but if you try to book 7/4-7/9 paid it will let you.

Since there are no longer any capacity controls on awards, it certainly makes sense that Passport Plus awards are gone. I'm not sure what the use of them would be otherwise, 60% more points for a base award room that you should be able to get if it's available? It just doesn't make sense.

BTW, even though this is an IT glitch, it is actually useful IMHO as when that Passport Plus screen pops it tells me that there IS a base room available, I just need to dig around to figure out the minimum length of stay requirement in order to be able to book the award room. ^ I just wish this IT glitch occured all the time. Unfortunately it seems like it only occurs at certain hotels, not sure why. Possibly something to do with the reservations systems changing over to Opera software or something similar?

NJUPINTHEAIR

Thanks.