Originally Posted by divaof travel
Look into this board a little bit for your answers. Gold Passport is not neck and neck with SPG. It is far, far ahead.
Anybody who can operate a calculator can figure out the main difference. You spend much less money to earn a free night at a Hyatt than with SPG. The misleading "no blackout" policy of SGP is usually not a benefit in practice. On the rare occasions when I have trouble booking a free night with HGP, they have "Passport Plus" awards.
It really confounds me that people just don’t "get" this. If you had a major airline that gave you a free North American ticket for 25,000 miles, and another one required 70,000 miles, which one would you select? This is a fair analogy.
As for low-carb chocolates, is this an “innovation” that inspires your loyalty? The hotel that gets my loyalty is the one that gives me more free nights at great properties, not the one that subscribes to the latest fad diet.
A more apt analogy might then be expanded to say that the 25,000 miles airline flies to 50 places, while the higher mileage program airline flies to 500. You might have a lower threshold to redeem, but a much greater opportunity to earn, to places that you have to, or like to, go.
As stated previously, I have yet to see any "Freddie" awards for Hyatt.
As to Low Carb, calling it a fad diet is a bit of a stretch, based on the number of people participating. I do applaud Sheraton for jumping on this. Low calorie diets have been around since the 80's, so Hyatt's menu program isn't exactly keeping up with the times.
BTW, I see that Club lounges are a requirement in Sheraton "core" hotels, Suite properties are not included in that grouping. So, Club lounges are required in every single "core" Sheraton.....still a huge improvement over the disappearing Regency Clubs.
Back to the topic. Innovations, that relate to the ability to attract and retain current customers. As far as I can tell, Hyatt has had the following:
Atrium lobbies (big energy wasters, kind of a fad), Chocolate and Duck themed restaurants and menus (Verrrrryyyyyy far out of fashion now)....what else?
Marriott has been rated as one of the "best places to work", and that consistently shows in the quality of their people. Starwood gets huge kudos for the Heavenly Bed (and now the Sheraton Sweet Sleeper), & SPG. Might I add they created (CREATED) a whole new entity unto itself...."W".
So can anyone give me some real reasons that I should start using Hyatt?