It is precisely because there are advantages to booking online with a third party that I sometimes do that even if the rate is the same on the hotel's own website. I weigh up the advantages against the disadvantages - including as regards the hotel's loyalty scheme if I am enrolled in it - and take a view.

And this is precisely why I am so angry with the current situation (made worse and "bit between my teeth like" because we are talking a significant loss of points and a status upgrade, without which I cannot even get a taster of how good Hyatt's program might be since at the introductory level, I've yet to see a benefit...I've only recently joined this particular program). I weighed up the advantages and disadvantages and took a view, only what I couldn't know when I did that was that Hyatt "makes errors" that - at least in my case - they wish to take the benefit of rather than give it to me, meaning that one part of my equation was wrongly stacked...to my disadvantage.

If the Hyatt T&C were as clear as those of, for example, Hilton (which very clearly say that any third party booking is ineligible with no mention of rates), then I would have obviously chosen to book direct with Hyatt if the third party site was offering me nothing more. I am clear as to what is and is not an eligible stay with Hilton and so have never had cause to stumble. There is no need for the T&C to be so unclear either. They can be drafted to leave no doubt. Hilton's T&C show this. A crack team of lawyers is not needed to achieve this...

In addition, if Hyatt had not consistently made "errors" on my account - bearing in mind that a previous stay less than 12 months earlier at the same hotel booked in the same way was fully and automatically credited as was a later and the only other 3rd party booked Hyatt stay I've made - I would have at least known their stance early on in my membership. Then whether or not I agree Hyatt's interpretation of their own T&C, I could at least have made an informed decision; that is, if I had chosen to go with a 3rd party booking, I would have known that Hyatt might refuse to see it as eligible for points.

Ultimately, I did nothing different to what I'd done before based on my interpretation of the T&C that do not say what Hyatt want them to say. At the very least Hyatt should in my view, acknowledge what has led to this unfortunate situation and accept responsibility "as a gesture of goodwill". I'll even accept them doing it on a "no admissions" basis so as not to create a precedent. That would be the right and moral thing to do in my view. The fact that they will not do that but would rather simply and dismissively "fob me off" does not reflect well on Hyatt on any view and leaves me finding it difficult to "keep the faith".

It is also difficult to do so when what Hyatt is refusing to budge on is significant; that is, as a result of this issue that I have raised, they're making "allowances" for the two previous much shorter stays - allowing them to remain fully credited - where there is no bonus point/status upgrade issue, but not on the longer stay where there is.

I believe in admitting my errors and rectifying them (which is not always easy but is the right thing to do) and gravitate to those who are able to do likewise. I am just not impressed.

Thanks for the offer to help on your return 777 global mile hound. Have a great time at the Olympics...