Originally Posted by
SquareDanceGuy
Still, the main point is that the NOR1 upgrade is usually a "better" room, if "available", for a nominal "fee". Let's take suites out of the equation and/let's discuss suites separately. The point of this discussion is whether a Diamond should pay a nominal "fee" for a "better" room if "available".
I still believe that a Diamond is supposed to receive -exactly- that benefit. It's a privilege of earning Diamond and it's not just a vague promise: it's in writing (as part of the terms and conditions of the program).
Whether or not Diamonds actually get this benefit they have earned is an entirely different matter. The point is, Diamonds should not have to pay for a better room "if available". Instead, it's one of the benefits a Diamond is supposed to get anyway.
First of all, if a Diamond really wants a room, they should reserve it, either regularly on the website or by contacting the hotel to confirm the NOR1 ahead of check in or by negotiating something on the phone outside of the NOR1 offer.
Aside from that, it is still common what prevailed for most of the time.
A Diamond member gets an upgrade to the club floor or a one category upgrade at some hotels, predominantly at PH.
Everthing else is promotion blabla.
In addition to the blabla, one should also not underestimate that there are tons of Diamonds staying every night, so it is absolutely normal that a Diamond + gets the best available room and that the Diamond ranked No.8 in Hyatt's loyalty book for that given night receives the 8th best room (which turns out to be a standard room on the club floor)
When we turn the focus to suites, I have seen lots of nice suites being offered for very little $$$ via NOR1 that were way above the standard suite, one can expect with a Diamond voucher.
Do not get me wrong here, I am not saying that Diamond is not worth it anymore, (it is still a TOP 3 scheme in most books) but without any doubt, one should calculate whether it is worth it to spend $$$ to reach Diamond via some matress runs, when the perks are available anyhow, maybe against a lower amount of $$$ and time...