The Hyatt program is fantastic, especially if you are Diamond status. I had Diamond at Hyatt a few years ago and one of the things I especially liked was the 1-800-Check-in feature. Your call gets answered by a specialist who places you in the best upgraded room, etc.

The downside is that there are far fewer Hyatt properties than Hilton properties and affiliate properties (i.e. summerfield suites, etc.) don't count as night / stay credit. Things may have changed, and I haven't been part of that program in a few years, but that is the way I remembered it.

On a side note I have only two trips booked this month, but both of them are going to SPG. I'll still give HH some stays this year and will make Diamond again, though via the AMEX spend.

It has changed, as Summerfield Suites and Hyatt Place stays now count for stay/night credit just like a Grand, Park or Hyatt Regency stay.

Howdy,

Well the devaluation has given me the shove I needed to move off Hilton.

When I look at maximizing my own value.

I want: Great rooms, wonderful hotels for award stays.

I have: booking top rooms/nice suites - 200+ a year.

I was amazed to discover Holiday Inn/IC works great for me. IC London vs Hilton (1/2 a block up the street). Oh my - what a difference. Here's the best part - I can spend 50% less dollars to achive a free night at the IC vs the Hilton.

My 200 nights are I - are outta here.

Keep the faith,

Pakse

[QUOTE=Athena53;12951183] I'm Silver and they gave me Gold through year-end, with Gold through 2010 if I stayed 10 more nights. Nine down as of last week and will complete it later this month.

Athena53, did you do anything to get the Gold with Marriott? What did you say to them if you called because when I called in, they reluctantly gave me a better chance to earn more points but said nothing about moving me from Silver to Gold.

You need to ask for a status challenge from Marriott Rewards. In the past, they were reluctant to offer it, but I think it is easier to get it now with the reduced business travel.

For Marriott status matches are offered where you must stay a certain amount of nights in a 90 day period:

Gold: 12-13 nights (I am not sure of the exact number)
Platinum: 18 nights

They will give you the status you are seeking to match during the 90 day period. You keep the status for the remainder of the year (it counts as if you met the current year's requirements) if you meet the requirements for the challenge.

See this thread for a successful platinum status challenge.

Also got matched to Hyatt Diamond from Hilton Diamond, made my first booking on the phone just to get a feel of the service.. and WOW!! Such a more helpful person, they asked would you like to use one of your Suite upgrades? I said sure.. but I need two beds... Let me call the hotel.. 10 min on hold, about 5 min into my hold a second person picked up the line, told me that they were on the phone with the hotel in Belgrade Serbia, and started some small talk.. Then I was told they did not have any Jr. Suites with 2 beds, so I was upgraded to a Full Suite with a connecting room. Shocked how easy it was.


So as a Diamond I get the following
-A Suite with an extra room
- Lounge access
- Free Internet
- Discounted airport pick up at this hotel
- and was emailed by the GM's office asking if I would need anything..

Would love to switch back to Hyatt--loved the program in 1999-2000 when I virtually lived in the Grand Hyatt NYC.

However, I am bumping up into the challenge of high Hyatt rates.

For San Diego where I spend four hotel nights each week, there are only three full service Hyatts.

The lowest rates I am seeing for the next month are in the $140-$150 range (usually at Islandia).

All the other major chains have multiple properties in both full service and liited service sectors, and I can always get around $110 or less.

I am not trying to turn this into a Hyatt thread as the main topic here is
the concern about top tier members leaving the program due to devaluation
Hilton could have done things a lot better but they have been dysfunctional ever since relocating to the East Coast

The Hyatt Islandia is now the best Hyatt in San Diego and called Hyatt Mission Bay Spa and Marina
The breakfast fantastic in the Red Marlin or highly satisfactory in the club lounge not as good less choices.They are generous with suites and the staff go out of their way for you typically.I eat at the red Marlin frequently for dinner and I never eat in hotels unless typically staying at the property.
Don't forget if you book on stay certificates you can stay for about 120-125 per night regardless of rates.Do one stay on regular revenue so you get stay credit though if u seek it
Any questions I can assist just PM me See Hyatt forum for more info
Cheers

Left with 10K HH points (and likely Silver status for 2010 dropping from Gold) after making a booking for the Conrad Tokyo at the 40K rate before it goes up by 10K a night. Focusing on PC & Hyatt (where possible, not so easy as HP is not available outside the US).

I'm another person that's jumping ship.

As of now, I'm undecided between SPG and Hyatt. Will need to closely assess the travel schedule to figure out which would make better sense.

Leaning towards SPG since my understanding is that they've a superior credit card program and higher-quality in-room toiletries. :)

good call....go with spg....

I don't think the SPG AMEX is at all superior to the HHonors Surpass card. The Surpass card offers superior earning ability (HHonors Surpass has double every day spending bonus and triple points on HHonors Family stays, SPG AMEX offers only double points on SPG stays), an online booking bonus for every stay booked with the card (500 points/stay), a useful status level for just having the card (HHonors Gold), and the ability to earn top tier status through spend.

Isn't the Gold status for the first year only?

I was thinking it wasn't, but you are correct. Regardless, even if you take that away I don't see how the SPG is "superior" given the higher earning rate of the Surpass alone, the online booking bonus is gravy, then the ability to earn Diamond may not matter to many because of the high spend required.

As blasphemous as this is here on FT, I think the SPG AMEX is over-rated (though I do myself have one, I'm not saying it's bad, it's just over-rated). The greatest benefit often mentioned is the 5,000 point bonus on transfers to airlines ... personally I have no interest in transferring hotel points to an airline, I have many more airline miles than I do hotel points, that's why I have hotel credit cards!

Unfortunately, due to changes at work, the best I could hope for in 2010 would be Gold with some expensive leisure stays (I'll be Silver after March 2010 due to travel being interrupted by family emergencies this year). I'd already decided that it was not worth it.

I have about 600,000 points to cash in, which I will do - probably slightly quicker than I would have done.

I'll still use some Hiltons I like (Berlin, Cologne, Munich City, Vienna) but I'll be looking for alternative accomodations on other places. Sadly, with my travel patterns, no other scheme would suit as well unless Accor actually came up with something decent.