My first experience getting "walked" as a diamond.
Apr 23, 2012, 7:53 am
#16
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: MCO
Programs: DL-DM/1MM, HILTON-DIA, .HYATT-DIA/GLOB , IHG-PLT,HERTZ 5*, NATIONAL ES
Posts: 8,691
Apr 23, 2012, 3:59 pm
#17
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: AA & DL / SPG & HGP
Posts: 1,723
At some point in the night, they got down to a handful of rooms (let's say two or three) and one or two more than that number of reservations - at that point they should have walked the non-Diamond.
Unless the last 3-8 check ins were all Diamonds, the front desk staff blew it when they checked in that last non-Diamond.
Still, I agree, 15k and stay credit and no charge was not bad compensation - if you had somewhere to shower.
Apr 23, 2012, 5:18 pm
#18
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SAN
Programs: Lots of faux metal
Posts: 6,426
In regards to the stay credit, I had something happen this year at the HR San Antonio. I arrive at the hotel and the power is out for the whole block. I eventually get walked (well, free taxi ride) to the Grand Hyatt for the night, and the night is comped. I did not receive stay credit as I did not pay for a room. I even asked my Private Line rep and she said no: didn't stay at the HR so no stay there and didn't pay at the Grand so no stay there.
Apr 23, 2012, 5:35 pm
#21
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP Gold
Posts: 2,732
^
At some point in the night, they got down to a handful of rooms (let's say two or three) and one or two more than that number of reservations - at that point they should have walked the non-Diamond.
Unless the last 3-8 check ins were all Diamonds, the front desk staff blew it when they checked in that last non-Diamond.
Still, I agree, 15k and stay credit and no charge was not bad compensation - if you had somewhere to shower.
At some point in the night, they got down to a handful of rooms (let's say two or three) and one or two more than that number of reservations - at that point they should have walked the non-Diamond.
Unless the last 3-8 check ins were all Diamonds, the front desk staff blew it when they checked in that last non-Diamond.
Still, I agree, 15k and stay credit and no charge was not bad compensation - if you had somewhere to shower.
Both posters above advocate holding the room for the diamond member.
What if, by your virtue of running the back office, you know that of those reservations that do not check by 1AM, 90% of them end up as complete no-shows? Do you still incur an actual hard cost (paying money to another property) to walk a guest at 1AM, for the 10% chance that your diamond member will still show up?
My bet is that properties with actual knowledge of the above numbers are simply making the proper business decision to avoid sending someone to a competing property after 1AM when there are still available rooms in their own property.
The cost of one occurrence 15K GP points/free night/whatever else is almost surely less than sending someone to a competing property 9 other times.
Apr 23, 2012, 6:56 pm
#22
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: IND
Programs: HH Diamond, Hyatt Diamond, SGC Gold, IHG Plat, Delta Diamond, Cont Gold, US Air Chairmans
Posts: 206
OP arrived at 2 AM. Let's say by 1 AM there is 1 room left, and 2 outstanding reservations. What do you do when 1 person shows up at 1 AM? Walk them or give them the room?
Both posters above advocate holding the room for the diamond member.
What if, by your virtue of running the back office, you know that of those reservations that do not check by 1AM, 90% of them end up as complete no-shows? Do you still incur an actual hard cost (paying money to another property) to walk a guest at 1AM, for the 10% chance that your diamond member will still show up?
My bet is that properties with actual knowledge of the above numbers are simply making the proper business decision to avoid sending someone to a competing property after 1AM when there are still available rooms in their own property.
The cost of one occurrence 15K GP points/free night/whatever else is almost surely less than sending someone to a competing property 9 other times.
Both posters above advocate holding the room for the diamond member.
What if, by your virtue of running the back office, you know that of those reservations that do not check by 1AM, 90% of them end up as complete no-shows? Do you still incur an actual hard cost (paying money to another property) to walk a guest at 1AM, for the 10% chance that your diamond member will still show up?
My bet is that properties with actual knowledge of the above numbers are simply making the proper business decision to avoid sending someone to a competing property after 1AM when there are still available rooms in their own property.
The cost of one occurrence 15K GP points/free night/whatever else is almost surely less than sending someone to a competing property 9 other times.
Apr 23, 2012, 7:11 pm
#23
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: Marriott LT Tit; Hyatt Explorist; Hilton CC Gold; IHG CC Plt; Hertz (MR) 5 star
Posts: 5,536
OP arrived at 2 AM. Let's say by 1 AM there is 1 room left, and 2 outstanding reservations. What do you do when 1 person shows up at 1 AM? Walk them or give them the room?
Both posters above advocate holding the room for the diamond member.
What if, by your virtue of running the back office, you know that of those reservations that do not check by 1AM, 90% of them end up as complete no-shows? Do you still incur an actual hard cost (paying money to another property) to walk a guest at 1AM, for the 10% chance that your diamond member will still show up?
My bet is that properties with actual knowledge of the above numbers are simply making the proper business decision to avoid sending someone to a competing property after 1AM when there are still available rooms in their own property.
The cost of one occurrence 15K GP points/free night/whatever else is almost surely less than sending someone to a competing property 9 other times.
Both posters above advocate holding the room for the diamond member.
What if, by your virtue of running the back office, you know that of those reservations that do not check by 1AM, 90% of them end up as complete no-shows? Do you still incur an actual hard cost (paying money to another property) to walk a guest at 1AM, for the 10% chance that your diamond member will still show up?
My bet is that properties with actual knowledge of the above numbers are simply making the proper business decision to avoid sending someone to a competing property after 1AM when there are still available rooms in their own property.
The cost of one occurrence 15K GP points/free night/whatever else is almost surely less than sending someone to a competing property 9 other times.
Yes. But you already knew that.
Apr 23, 2012, 7:20 pm
#24
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: IND
Programs: HH Diamond, Hyatt Diamond, SGC Gold, IHG Plat, Delta Diamond, Cont Gold, US Air Chairmans
Posts: 206
- I usually click the late check in option when I make my reservations to be safe.
Apr 23, 2012, 11:28 pm
#25
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP Gold
Posts: 2,732
- assign the customer who is present the room that is vacant (cost: effectively $0)
- walk the customer who is present to a nearby property (cost: prevailing or negotiated rate, example $100)
If nine times out of ten, the oversold second person does not arrive, that is 9 x $100 = $900 lost that could have been saved simply by assigning the early customer the room that was available. There are very few managers in their right minds that would allow that kind of behavior. It's not good business to lose money just to avoid a rare inconveniencing of a guest, Diamond or otherwise.
Apr 23, 2012, 11:46 pm
#26
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,869
Which is why a hotel should pay a significant penalty for walking a diamond, and 15,000 points just isn't enough. When I get to a hotel dead tired at 2am, I am not one of those people who would view it as a victory if they threw 15,000 points at me. If I am sufficiently loyal to a hotel chain to give them 1/7th of my nights each year, I would expect to have a room waiting -- and not just any room, the quality of room I was entitled to.
As has been pointed out in other threads, that is what Marriott has accomplished by increasing the penalty imposed on a hotel significantly if they walk a highest tier elite. Hyatt needs to have a similar policy.
As has been pointed out in other threads, that is what Marriott has accomplished by increasing the penalty imposed on a hotel significantly if they walk a highest tier elite. Hyatt needs to have a similar policy.
Apr 24, 2012, 10:26 am
#28
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NAPA
Programs: MARRIOTT LIFETIME TITANIUM ELITE, HYATT LIFETIME GLOBALIST, UAL SILVER, AA EXECUTIVE PLATINUM
Posts: 476
Some additional information
I realized the next day that I booked the IBM rate of $88.
If I am the front desk agent and I have to comp a night I would look to comp the cheaper of the two travelers.
I had another stay there two nights later and they put me in their Presidential Suite and comped my parking.
I am satisfied with the outcome, I was leaving early the next morning and was travelling alone so just needed a place to crash and clean up.
Had I been with my family or entertaining it would have been an entirely different story.
If I am the front desk agent and I have to comp a night I would look to comp the cheaper of the two travelers.
I had another stay there two nights later and they put me in their Presidential Suite and comped my parking.
I am satisfied with the outcome, I was leaving early the next morning and was travelling alone so just needed a place to crash and clean up.
Had I been with my family or entertaining it would have been an entirely different story.
Apr 24, 2012, 12:04 pm
#29
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,869
More generally, Hyatt Place has no customer service policy. HP was added to the chain to make them large enough to go public so they could resolve the Pritzker family lawsuits. It's the child locked in the basement that they don't want to admit to.
Apr 25, 2012, 5:47 am
#30
Join Date: May 2007
Location: NC
Programs: Marriott LT Plat, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 2,881
Kudos to the OP for his follow up with 2nd post. Taking all into account, I think compensation was fair...but more importantly, OP thought it was fair.
And although I agree that this hotel is not spectacular, I think it far above most airport hotels.
And although I agree that this hotel is not spectacular, I think it far above most airport hotels.