Hyatt: 10,000 Honors points per stay
Jun 3, 2010, 10:01 am
#46
Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: San Diego,CA
Posts: 10,081
If bar service is the most important criteria for you, then I understand your choice.
While I have stayed at quite a few HP's simply because they are affiliated with Hyatt Gold Passport, I really dislike them for many reasons:
1) Terrible breakfast (even if you buy the stuff they sell);
2) Bad bathrooms (even in new build properties);
3) Inability to watch tv from desk in most HP rooms (Some new build properties have a handful of rooms you can turn and see the TV from the desk. The HP concept photos I saw when they were first announced showed a small (13" or so) LCD tv on the desk to address this, so they obviously recognized it was an issue, but this part of the concept did not become reality in any of the HP's I've ever been in.);
4) General incompetence of HP staff in crediting miles and/or Diamond amenities to Gold Passport account properly;
5) Crappy HVAC systems in many of the properties I've stayed at (HGI's have wall mounted thermostats, HP's have them on the unit and they don't seem to work worth a crap in many of the HP's I've been in);
6) Nice 42" HD TV that more often than not has a terrible picture;
7) Lotion is not provided as a bathroom amenity (even Hampton Inn provides this on the Hilton side); and
8) To get down to brass tacks, the small closet door most properties have is inconvenient.
Added to( 8) poor quality cheap doors
HP is a good concept but poorly implemented in my opinion. While HP is aimed at the same market as HGI, they are miles apart in my opinion.
While I have stayed at quite a few HP's simply because they are affiliated with Hyatt Gold Passport, I really dislike them for many reasons:
1) Terrible breakfast (even if you buy the stuff they sell);
2) Bad bathrooms (even in new build properties);
3) Inability to watch tv from desk in most HP rooms (Some new build properties have a handful of rooms you can turn and see the TV from the desk. The HP concept photos I saw when they were first announced showed a small (13" or so) LCD tv on the desk to address this, so they obviously recognized it was an issue, but this part of the concept did not become reality in any of the HP's I've ever been in.);
4) General incompetence of HP staff in crediting miles and/or Diamond amenities to Gold Passport account properly;
5) Crappy HVAC systems in many of the properties I've stayed at (HGI's have wall mounted thermostats, HP's have them on the unit and they don't seem to work worth a crap in many of the HP's I've been in);
6) Nice 42" HD TV that more often than not has a terrible picture;
7) Lotion is not provided as a bathroom amenity (even Hampton Inn provides this on the Hilton side); and
8) To get down to brass tacks, the small closet door most properties have is inconvenient.
Added to( 8) poor quality cheap doors
HP is a good concept but poorly implemented in my opinion. While HP is aimed at the same market as HGI, they are miles apart in my opinion.
It should be in the Hyatt forum as it is crucial that Hyatt and more folks see it
In fact to insure that Hyatt is aware I built a case and received a file number for the folks at Hyatt to review these comments
The only thing I added to your comments was select properties that have sound proofing issues with some of the older Amerisuites properties that were converted
The Hyatt place concept with some more improvements is a great replacement to Hampton Inn and Hilton Garden Inn especially since the devaluation of the HH program.Hyatt Place is now in almost every market I travel too
I prefer Hyatt Place to any limited service Hilton property with the exception of their breakfast.They look better have better beds and TVs (reception aside)
and I am in a program that rewards me vastly better than Hilton
As said earlier I can stay at Hyatt earn in Gold Passport and still earn more than I can staying at Hilton and being in their program
It could be comical if it wasn't so sad about Hiltons program and what they did to it
Jun 3, 2010, 8:42 pm
#47
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Ashburn, VA (IAD/DCA/BWI)
Posts: 2,748
When you figure in the cheap HP nights with Costco certs, AA miles, and free nights, it's a home run.
$276 spent, 6 Hyatt Place stays. 3 free Hyatt nights, 28k AA miles. 3000 Hyatt Points. At least a $1000 in total benefits. (You could pump it up to $1500 if you use the free stay at really expensive Hyatts). And this doesn't even factor in what requalifying for Hyatt Diamond does. (4 Suite upgrades, etc)
$276 spent, 6 Hyatt Place stays. 3 free Hyatt nights, 28k AA miles. 3000 Hyatt Points. At least a $1000 in total benefits. (You could pump it up to $1500 if you use the free stay at really expensive Hyatts). And this doesn't even factor in what requalifying for Hyatt Diamond does. (4 Suite upgrades, etc)
HH has been my program of choice until last year but with the devaluation I'm not looking back. (Yes, Hyatt has devaluation but it's minor compare to HH's). For non-Hyatt areas, Marriott and HI replaced HH stays this year.
Jun 3, 2010, 10:01 pm
#48
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: HH Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Gold, Hyatt something
Posts: 33,539
Hyatt Places aren't anything special. Nice TV, and mini-living room, but their breakfast option isn't much to write home about.
However, easily getting $400 nights for pocket change, and a nice chunk of AA miles is quite nice. Certainly much easier to earn than I ever did when I was a Hilton Diamond.
If Hilton had good promos I would have never ventured out into Hyatt and IHG, so I think I'm better for it.
However, easily getting $400 nights for pocket change, and a nice chunk of AA miles is quite nice. Certainly much easier to earn than I ever did when I was a Hilton Diamond.
If Hilton had good promos I would have never ventured out into Hyatt and IHG, so I think I'm better for it.
Jun 4, 2010, 7:45 am
#49
Moderator: CommunityBuzz!, OMNI, OMNI/PR, and OMNI/Games & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: ORD (MDW stinks)
Programs: UAMM, AAMM & ExPlat, Marriott lifetime Plat, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 23,506
Jun 4, 2010, 7:14 pm
#50
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 56
I recently completed the AA 25k/Hyatt promo and was looking to see what Hilton may be offering. I haven't seen anything yet that really jumps out at me. I will admit that I am a Hyatt loyal and the perks/benefits of their program are hard to beat. With that said, I do agree that there are places in the world that no Hyatts can be found. I was recently in Alaska and Puerto Rico and there are no Hyatts to be found (Spain either, but I haven't been there yet).
With respect to earning the AA promo miles at Hyatt, there are nicer properties than HP's to stay at for low prices. For those in and around the tri-state area (DC/Maryland/VA) the Hyatt Dulles is a full service Hyatt with rates running right around $59 at the AAA rate on weekends. Dulles is an all-suite hotel with close to 400 sq. ft. (size of a jr suite at other properties). Full breakfast buffet and menu items are included in this rate(one being crabs benedict). There are 5 other full service Hyatts within a 20-mile radius for slightly higher rates. An added benefit is that you can use web checkin and checkout from your mobile device or one can use the self-service kiosks.
There are also Hyatts in San Diego, Irvine and other areas on the west coast that can be had for less than $100 before the costco certs. There are also HSS (Summerfield Suites) that are much like Homewood and Embassy suites with full kitchens, often less than $90. Don't settle for the HPs if you don't have to, there are much better properties out there for the same or similar price.
With respect to earning the AA promo miles at Hyatt, there are nicer properties than HP's to stay at for low prices. For those in and around the tri-state area (DC/Maryland/VA) the Hyatt Dulles is a full service Hyatt with rates running right around $59 at the AAA rate on weekends. Dulles is an all-suite hotel with close to 400 sq. ft. (size of a jr suite at other properties). Full breakfast buffet and menu items are included in this rate(one being crabs benedict). There are 5 other full service Hyatts within a 20-mile radius for slightly higher rates. An added benefit is that you can use web checkin and checkout from your mobile device or one can use the self-service kiosks.
There are also Hyatts in San Diego, Irvine and other areas on the west coast that can be had for less than $100 before the costco certs. There are also HSS (Summerfield Suites) that are much like Homewood and Embassy suites with full kitchens, often less than $90. Don't settle for the HPs if you don't have to, there are much better properties out there for the same or similar price.
Last edited by Travel_Queen; Jun 4, 2010 at 7:39 pm Reason: Hyatt locations....