Base Points Calculation
 

I just had a whole month of stays post, which I had to call in about because of the glitch the Hyatt OC had with their $69 rates. I'm just noticing that the base points calculation is all over the place. Disregarding the Diamond 30% bonus, the base points should be identical as all the stays were for one night at the same rate (and the folios also were nearly identical with no extra charges).

Of the base points posted, however, almost no two were alike! I had amounts of 403, 333, 427, 451, 345, 449, 591, 501 and 900 (for two nights). How are these supposedly calculated? I know it's supposed to be 5 pts/$1, but is it on the folio total or just on the base rate? As noted I didn't add charges or anything else to the room on any of the stays.

:confused:

I often have problems reconciling the base points precisely also - but if they're in the "neighborhood" (and they usually are) I don't bother making a fuss. It's calculated off the "eligible" items - base room rate, and eligible charges on the folio - not including taxes, normally parking, and other items marked with an * on the folio.

I wouldn't bother calling in on yours since it looks like overall the "mistake" was in your favor - being "shorted" by a few points on 2 of the stays but you got quite a bit "extra" on the rest.

Yeah, I wasn't planning on a dispute... just wondering. :)

GP is such an excellent program that I'm reluctant to highlight this issue. But I have resolved to start tracking base points more closely. On 2 or 3 January stays the base and bonus points were up to 8% lower (each) than they should have been. So I requested and was granted an adjustment by the Diamond Desk.

I also resolve to request a copy of the bill at Hyatt F&B outlets, so I can track those points more closely. Sometimes there is no customer copy, and there should be. So I'm going to ask for one.

How does Hyatt calculate points?
 

Yes, I read the FAQ and the T&C of the GP program. Point-eligible charges should include

- room rate
- food/drinks

but not taxes.

Last weekend I stayed at a Hyatt and earned 478 "base" points. At 5 pts per $ that's $96.50.

The only way I can get to that amount is if they gave me points for room rate + state + local taxes, but they excluded dinner/beverage, gratuity and tax for dinner. Dinner + Beverage (itemized on folio) > state/local taxes.

Second case: another Hyatt stay a week earlier at a different property. Two nights at $140 each, i.e., $280 for room + tax. Should give me 1400 points, but only 1370 points posted. And what about the $16 for food/bev?

So my point is: how does Hyatt (or the individual properties) actually calculate the points? I'd expect this to be fully automated based on some sort of "code" on each line item type. Does that mean this particular property is miscalculating points each and every time? And is this common among Hyatts, i.e., do I now need to go back through my last 10 or so stays and do all the math myself? (I generally look only for ballpark correctness and the bonuses that I expect).

My best answer is "randomly!" They make mistakes both ways. Most people only call when they don't get enough!

I LOVE Hyatt altho I'm relatively new to them - only about two years. I do find I often have to call to fix things in the points department but it is more than worth it to me. That said, I understand everyone's frustration - it's really not rocket science and is something that should be relatively easy to get right the first time. But again, I'm more than willing to put up with it.

That would have been my guess as well. A few weeks ago, a FFN award stay "earned" me a random number of base points and a stay/night credit. I didn't spend a dime at the hotel. Maybe I'll consider that "compensation" for the missing base points in my two most recent stays.

My answer too - as long as its in the "neighborhood" even if I'm shorted a few points, I don't bother.

Very timely thread. I'm in the process of building a spreadsheet to figure out how the he11 Hyatt calculates points!

It's really frustrating. Of my past 10 stays, NONE have come out in my favor, and I think I'm owed about 1000 extra points.

Look at your folio. If there's a star (*) next to the charge, it is not eligible for points. Some starred items are for the taxes and concessions that are not owned/operated by the hotel.

None of my line items have a "*" next to them. The food charges at two different places that I happened to have the folio sitting on my desk at the moment had a "-" in front of the description. But even if I were to interpret the "-" as "not eligible", things still don't add up.

I can't figure it out either. I've only received points for my base rate including taxes. I thought for sure a movie would count, but it didn't. I also think I've read on here that food & beverage only counts if the hotel manages the restaraunt but not if they don't.

When someone figures it out, please let us all know.

You have figured it out. Each hotel has different products/services for which you will get points. Some hotels give you points for movies and some don't. Some give you points for the spa and some don't. There's no set pattern and the best you can do is ask when you check in.

The only thing that is reasonably sure is that you will get them for your room rate - unless you're on a non-eligible rate, such as tvl agent discount, priceline, etc.

so each hotel operates autonomously? interesting. that explains a lot about my points. thanks.

I had a similar experience about six months ago. I stayed on a free night (Big Welcome), had zero charges for an obvious folio total of zero. Yet somehow at checkout I was handed a folio with two random charges followed by two credits in the same amount - zero balance - and got some points.