Originally Posted by
bsdstone
While that may be true in some of the newer brands, it's nice to have the options. As long as you go in knowing your benefits may be watered down (which shouldn't happen but we all know it does). I'd still rather stay at a place where I have some status and possible better customer service with issues than dealing with apple vacations or some of these other outfits that book All Inclusives.
Honestly I strongly disagree with newer properties being stingy with benefits - I've stayed at the Andaz Prague, Alila Napa, Andaz CDMX, Hyatt Regency JFK, Hyatt Regency Lisbon, etc. - all properties that have joined with Hyatt in the last 3 years and didn't have an issue w/ benefits at a single one - got automatic suite upgrades (w/o a TSU) at half w/ strong breakfast benefits.
There are some bad apples, but they are not the norm (and I don't see a link between it being a new or old property). While I'd love for unlimited breakfast some properties offer, even more frequent suite upgrades (to premium suites), and fewer blackout dates (which is becoming more annoying), the writing is clearly on the wall. Loyalty in travel is a vestige of the past and is getting cut across every program whether hotels or airlines so expecting the Hyatt of 2025 to be on par w/ the Hyatt of 2018 is going to leave you disappointed. They just need to be better than the other hotel programs which the majority find them to be. As long as the majority of my Hyatt stays are good and I receive benefits, that's all I need.
All to say I look forward to the much needed additions in Miami, Andaz Lisbon, Thompsons in Seville and Rome, PHs in Kuala Lumpur, CDMX, Cabo, Cancun, and Phu Quoc, Grand Hyatt in Grand Cayman, Andaz in Turks & Caicos, etc. - I don't plan on staying at an all-inclusive anytime soon, but there's enough to look forward to for full-service in the pipeline IMO as well.