hotelfanatic

Is that 20K for leisure or business? I am sure the topic of who pays their own way and who is on an expense account is complex issue.

Back on topic, how is that Hyatt promo looking now?

ElmhurstNick

You've pretty much articulated my situation. Hyatt is still my first choice over Hilton and PC all things being equal. (I've never been a Marriott fan for some reason, and the fact that they explicitly prohibit government rate to cost-recoverable government contractors is a big negative for a chunk of my work travel.) But I just don't know if I can find 25 stays a year where I can give Hyatt my business when you factor in price. Hilton still gets a bunch of my stays because of it's reach and the fact that Hamptons are not as erratic as HIX. But they've annoyed me worse than Hyatt, and I was an 8-time Hilton Diamond.

What appears to have happened is that the loyalty programs are not generating enough loyalty for those who pay to stay vs. the credit cards, the same trend that many discuss with the airlines. Except in the hotel space, Priceline is a much more usable option. Book a Hyatt with a 6pm day before cancellation, run Priceline (via Fatwallet) bids 24 hours before leaving, cancel the Hyatt, get 3% cashback from Fatwallet. And sometimes as a bonus, Priceline yields the same Hyatt Regency!

I'd really like to get back to Diamond, because the few full-service Hyatts where I have revenue stays treat me VERY well. If I had 100 stays or 150 nights a year, I could do so easily, but I only have about 40 stays and 65 nights. I might be better off biting the bullet and forget Diamond, and when Priceline doesn't come through go the NOR1 route (shudder) and also spring for the buffet breakfast.

luxury

IIRC, virtually all Hyatt properties participate in Hyatt promotions (perhaps a handful of non-participating) but with SPG the non-participating properties seem to increase each time a promo is run.

As much as this Hyatt promo is disappointing to me, the new SPG promo is useless as the properties I would be staying at are not participating.

I still find Hyatt to consistently treat me better as a Diamond than SPG hotels do as a Platinum.

hotelfanatic

+1

The ratio of plat vs non-plats is probably higher than Diamonds vs non-Diamonds. That may explain why Diamonds are treated better. Folks that expressed dropping off the Diamond list will only help those who are committed to staying as Diamonds

sophiegirl

Hmm...
Do not love this, especially the 3 stay multiple part. I always end up a stay short, and due to limited locations, have difficulty finding a reasonably priced mattress run. (not that this promo is even worth a mattress run, but would consider it if I needed the night to requalify. I don't)

And I have said it repeatedly - promo's aren't worth anything if you don't actually like the properties! I like Hyatt, and I like being Diamond at Hyatt. (As it doesn't matter if you are uber Diamond when staying at HP or SS, they don't factor into my decision) I would like to keep Diamond for one reason....resorts on vacation, and breakfast included at those resorts.

But with their limited locations, and higher priced ( than Marriott or Hilton) full service properties, I don't know if I can make the Diamond hurdle in 2012.

I DO have the credit card, but am seeing little encouragement to keep it.

ma91pmh

about 60-70% biz and 30-40% leisure

seychellesbound

I used to think Hyatt had higher rates than Hilton and Marriott, until I found the IBM code!^

price123

Pay 99% from own pocket for leisure and 1% work pays for a conference, although I usually top that up so can stay 5*. So far this year, have spent $11000 (according to gold passport base points) with a further definite spend of $4000 qualifying by December and a probable further $1000 plus some non qualifying spend. all figures are the qualifying amount minus tax. But I can't maintain diamond on that as it will be 15-17 stays plus 2 non qualifying.

A good promo might have had me hotel hopping in London, but can't justify extra spend for 10000 points extra.

Hikki1224

There is no wonder significant profit generators at Hyatt properties, specifically at high ends are those belonging to 20 percentile of top spending. Even within the category of GP-diamond membership, this theory should principally be applied to or not all diamond members are “good” customers for Hyatt. Almost all companies wish to capture those 20% customers and/or try to attract those belonging to slightly below 20% to reach at the 20% line. There might have recently been Hyatt internal decision to focus on the quality of service (presumed to be the fundamental element of the selection criteria for high spenders) rather than price-sensitive customers. Although my experience with Hyatt is less than three years and with at around 10 different Hyatts, I have a feeling that those staying regularly at Category 5 or 6 do not select Category 1 or 2 for any purpose. Vice versa, those staying at Category 1 or 2 are unlikely to pay for Category 5 or 6. Even when they stay at those properties, their spending will be limited or not lucrative for the hotels. FFN may become an incentive for all but not at the same degree for high spenders. Those people prefer better room upgrades such as upgrading to signature suites or even presidential. In order to manage diverse interests, Hyatt needs to implement different incentive programs. For me, the objective of a planned 5,000 points/3 nights is not clear enough.

BAGoldBoy

I have maintained Diamond status for the last 10 years pretty much out of my own wallet. Some years I have had the opportunity to get a few expenseable stays but it's pretty rare.

One of my problems is the scarcity of Hyatts in Europe and the price. The number of Hyatts in Europe outside Germany has shrunk considerably over the past 10 years so if I want a Hyatt stay in the UK it will have to be in London. I would have to spend a minimumm of $8K to maintain Diamond. What I have done for the past few years is combine a US based Mileage Run with a Hyatt Mattress Run but SWMBO is getting pretty tired of holidays where we have to move hotel every night.

Hilton is much easier for me as there are lots of UK and European hotels and the prices are much lower - my local Hilton is 1/3 the rate of my nearest Hyatt for a weekend stay. Also in Europe we don't get the option of 1,000 bonus points per stay with Hyatt.

Hyatt has done nothing to make me want to stay loyal and this latest promotion is a joke. I won't spend a ton of my own money to get a few points. I am planning to be in the US for vacation later this year but after the promotion finishes so no bonus points for me from this promotion.

Think it's time to say bye bye Hyatt after using their properties for 25 years! Our honeymoon was even spent in Hyatts in Asia

peteropny

I'm basically the same - Diamond self paid on leisure stays (and some mattress runs) - maybe one conference a year that is subsidized.

Don't forget the Hyatt in Birmingham if you are anywhere close to the property.

BAGoldBoy

I have been staying there since the early 90's when I can. My issue is that it's either a 250 mile return drive or £100 train journey so either way it makes the stay very expensive. The other issue I have is that my employer is based in Boston next to a Marriott so that is the company default hotel chain

TrojanHorse

Wow did I pick a great year to make Hyatt my 3rd choice in my requalification process. Marriott and SPG were 1 & 2 respectively. Hyatt was #1 thru 2010. When I made the choice it was strictly based on the removal of the Gx bonus. I have a plan on getting those last 21 nights I need this year but I am pretty much going to just move those to another chain now and reconsider in the january/february timeframe before my diamond status expires whether to make my first 20 stays or so or just abandon Hyatt completely until they make it worth my while to come back.

I was just lucky in my timing I guess

SportsTech

22 down, 3 to go. IMO Diamond "perks" are worth the effort to requal, with or without a good promo. But I'll give the rest of my business travel to the best value chain after that. Still have my Hyatt card and SPG free nights to burn for personal travel between now and year end.

Still, as unexciting as this promo is, it's better value than Starwood double/triple points, isn't it? "3x" SPG points on a $200 stay only generates 400 incremental points!

chitownflyer

The sentiment on this thread really points out how many unsatisfied Hyatt GP elites there currently are due to reductions in benefits to the program( elimination of Gx bonuses) and lack of good promos like FFN.