Andrea Waters

I think you're expecting far too much. Sure, a suite grade would be nice but that's *exactly* why you have diamond suite upgrades. If you were so intent on having a suite you should have a. booked one and paid for it or b. used a DSU for it.

Montacute

If I e-mail the hotel and they say ok to a suite if it is available at check-in, all I ask is that they live up to that. If I was told no by e-mail, then I agree it is too much to expect. If they were sold out of suites, then ok sure, they can't upgrade me. It is the lie of "if it is available at check in" that annoyed me. It is available.

Zhaunk

Spent 4 nights last week using cc free nights and points. Had a very good time... Booked xl view double, got xl view double on the 5th floor. Nice sized room, exceptional bathroom. Both The Shop and The Bar Downstairs were nice. I'd avoid the $8 OJ, but that's just me... Lemon ricotta pancakes... Ummmm... The location is fantastic. We used buses for the first time in NYC, as the M1-4 stop either in front of the hotel (in a southerly direction) or a block behind on Madison (going north). Great subway links as well at Bryant Park, TSq, and GCT. All right there. Casey's Irish bar a Roos the street had good pub food and was a great spot for some World Cup Action. There is an Asian Deli across the street as well that opens early, and had very reasonable prices.

IncyWincy

"Available" has different meanings, and this you can see from the Gold Passport Concierge's post recently in a different thread concerning whether you can upgrade USING a Diamond Suite Upgrade on Points plus Cash vs Cash.

I can certainly see why you feel it was unfair - but their meaning of available is not "so long as one exists for sale". Not satisfactory, I agree, as it leads to high expectations. The management should not have replied leading you to imagine that you will have a suite but I suppose they were being nice, which didn't work. They should have replied along the lines of what the Manager said ... we have a lot of Diamonds and if you wish to have a suite, do either book one using money, points or Diamond Suite Upgrade if that is possible.

Diamonds are already treated very well ... amenities, breakfast, free wifi etc and as someone said upthread, they have confirmed upgrades which are precisely for use in situations when suites are desired. Without using a confirmed upgrade, Diamonds usually get an upgrade by at least a category, which the OP in fact had, from loft to Large Bedroom. This is a very generous program by any standard.


As a guest, if you hope for a suite, book one. This is what I always do. I never expect anything better than what I have booked. Sure, if I book a room as opposed to a suite which is not a lot of the time, but if something better (not even a suite) is provided, I am very happy and thankful, eg, given a Large Bedroom when I booked a Loft. If nothing better is given, I am satisfied because I get what I chose and paid for. It is silly (and unfair to the hotel) to demand or expect more than what one pays. If one expects an upgrade because one is Diamond, then logically, when one books a suite (by paying or using Upgrade Cert or whatever), he should expect a higher suite. Can one feel short-changed if not given a higher suite or even a few notches higher (note, a suite is a few notches higher than a simple room)? Can one complain when the Presidential Suite is not given but just empty and unused? In the best or even better hotels, suites are kept empty and not given out just so that they are not empty.

I can see why better tables at a restaurant should not be wasted and unused and that guests have the "right" to ask for a better table if available. This is because usually tables at hotels are not sold at premiums. However, rooms in hotels, like seats in concerts, differ vastly in price. I cannot go to a concert on a cheap ticket and say I should be upgraded to a much better enclosure as it is wrong to let the better seats go empty without upgrading me.

I say the above as a traveller who enjoys suites and finds it so much more enjoyable to be in suites. We all want more, better, and best of all, not having to pay (as much). But having high expectations ruin the stay.

JIMCHI

Totally agree with you. On the other hand, the hotel should have just advised him that upgrades to suites are not a normal practice and that he ought to consider using a DSU or a 6,000 point upgrade award. Their response led him to disappointment.

Montacute

Precisely.

Andaz5

Oh please not this again.... I CAN SEE IT ONLINE...WHY WON"T YOU UPGRADE ME!!!

It's situations like this that give "DIAMONDS" a bad name with staff at hotels. They told you when you called it was not policy... end of story. Just because you are a diamond and it's available online the hotel is not obligated to upgrade you.

There is something call revenue... hotels may set aside suites if they see there is a chance to sell the room. This has been discussed many times on the Flyertalk board.

If you are not impressed with the Andaz 5th Avenue... chances are will not be impressed with the majority of the hotels in NYC, this is a great hotel, standard rooms are spacious compared to other NYC Hyatt's.

IncyWincy

Agree.
It is situations like this that gives/gave a bad name to Diamonds.

It was situations like this that Hyatt tried to appease and bent over backwards to avoid by giving out 4 confirmed suite upgrades per year.

It is situations like this, notwithstanding the confirmed suite upgrades, that give Diamonds a worse name than bad.

Agree with your "revenue" point. It is the staff's job to sell the rooms and suites, all the way until the last minute. Check in is usually from 3 pm and the window is not too many hours, usually until late at night (for latist bookings or walk-ins). We diamonds should hope that the hotels manage to sell the rooms and suites and sell them at good prices, well until the last minute. Otherwise, there is no amenity, no points, no breakfasts, no free wifi, no suite upgrades and not even upgrades from loft to Large King.

IncyWincy

Yes. We are agreed.

What I was/am saying is that "available" means differently in this context whether we as guests like it, or agree with it.

More importantly, whatever said to me I will not allow expectations to go up ... the greater the expectation the greater the disappointment .... ultimately, the disappointment ruins the stay, outstrips whatever benefit one hopes for. If one wants a suite, confirm one, cash or otherwise. Otherwise, it is unfair to expect it, even if the hotel says it will try. If it happens, treat it as a nice surprise.

Andaz5

He said in the post the hotel told him it was not hotel policy, they would do so if available when he checked in... When he checked in, a suite was available for sale... not for upgrade. Anyone who travels often know this policy. Also, what you see online is not the same inventory the hotel see online. Central Reservations still list rooms/suites for sale even if a hotel is sold out. They do so because they are counting on a percentage of the guest to no show, it's common practice at all hotels, and at airlines. Industry average is 7% no show rate. It's really is bad practice, but it is what it is until someone gets them to stop.

In the end if he wanted that suite so badly, use the DSU, points, or $$$.

ma91pmh

I mean seriously, Don't They Know Who You Are???

Miesque

^ My sentiments exactly. I find it kind of hard to believe that this is the first time they have had a suite not be available for a complimentary upgrade such that they are making it an almost capital offense if they are actually staying in hotels the requisite number of nights to be a Diamond. I realize I am new to Hyatt Diamond status but so far my stays have confirmed what I have founds from being a multiyear Hilton HHonors Diamond. Suite upgrades are certainly the exception, not the rule, regardless of what is "available" on the website.

jayer

My friend the Hyatt manager has repeated her brief insight. She is required to maintain a minimum level of walk-in inventory of suites and preferred rooms until well into the evening, lest the proverbial Courtesy Card holder or Hyatt Super VIP walk in unannounced and get stuck with a bad double next to the road. The one acceptable excuse when Hyatt calls to verbally throttle her is "we sold them all earlier".

If she has unbooked suites to spare they will first go to a frequent guest of her hotel, especially if on a one or two night stay. Late night random walk-in Diamond might hit the jackpot, especially if there is little else left.

Petrus

Well, your experience differs massively from ours. The key is to manage expectations. And to be frank, it seems as if you more or less demanded to be upgraded to a suite even though Diamond benefits state highest room standard available except suites. @:-)

Shanye2233

Well that's great new arriving here on the 2nd July and hoping for a upgrade as well as a platinum guest none the least.

I might use a DSU to be safe