azepine00

I disagree. Unlike the airline where people pay different price for the same products hotels are different but the loyalty program is the same.
If you want to target and reward your ph customers then run a separate program for that.
Its not customer's fault that the only available property in the area is Hyatt house. After all it's cheaper because it doesn't provide the services of ph so people spend less to get less. They still remain loyal to the chain and that's the idea behind running a loyalty program.

kenbo

^

RTW1

I don't think people here are implying that you shouldn't be able to make Diamond status with a lot of stays at Hyatt Houses/Places (although an additional tier between 15 and 50 nights could be good). But that the benefits you receive would be a little different depending on the amount you have spent.

For instance someone that normally stays at PH's should get an even better room upgrade than those HP Diamonds . But it wouldn't surprise me that there is some differentiation already happening, especially at the non-US locations.

austin_modern

I didn't say you did 25 mattress runs or even allude to it. My question still stands, if Hyatt sucks so bad - why do mattress runs to get to diamond last year?

I guess its a shorter version of the: if you really dislike hyatt to complain about the program not rolling out the red carpet, why not just vote with your dollars and go to SPG, Marriott, or another? You've clearly been pleased enough with the program throughout the years to be diamond for quite some time... which would make one assume its not as bad as you might be trying to articulate. As you stated, you seem to be consolidating most of your travel to Hyatts which makes me question even more: whats better?

And - no, Im not hiding behind internet anonymity. I think a frank discussion is interesting on forums.

austin_modern

Somewhat true - somewhat not.

Unlike Airlines, negotiated rates at hotels can mean that people pay vastly different prices for their hotel rooms at the same hotel for the same product. There are also Tiers at hotels as well - wether its room type or hotel selection (many cities have different offerings.) I really don't see airlines and hotels as that different in their pricings.

AZ Travels the World

Exactly.

If I were running it, the fundamental benefits for earning the status would be consistent.

AND, I would want to know my high dollar guests -- by definition, those who frequent the more expensive luxury properties and/or spend the most across the chain.

Naturally, there would need to be some way to flag or rank guests so that hotel management recognizes those the company regards as most valuable -- and they would receive special treatment, discretionary upgrades, etc.

I have to believe it is happening today.

nhwiki

Cool - as long as we're going to be frank, then I guess it's about reading comprehension for you. I'm simply asking about the value of being a diamond, as opposed to being a platinum. Looking over the forum over the last couple of years, it seems more and more that a fair number of diamonds out there are getting less, much less, than is promised as "the diamond experience" by Hyatt. I specifically stated that I WASN"T looking for the red carpet (reading comprehension, again?), but something more than being a platinum, regardless of my spend, which, again, is not fantastically high but not insignificant either by any stretch.

As a diamond, I should get a decent room, especially when a hotel is not close to sold out. If it is filled with non-status conventioneers who are paying much less than I am, I would like something a little better than a handi-room.

And if a hotel is not sold out, I shouldn't get the worst room on the lowest floor. I'm actually quite fond of Hyatt, but if being a diamond who isn't going to spend 100K/year isn't really much different than being a platinum, then I'm happy to pay for the occasional breakfast and drastically reduce my Hyatt stays (maybe 10 -12 stays/year) to something either better (Maldives) or less expensive.

I'm at the point now where I'm thinking about lifetime diamond - it's on the horizon for me if I extend myself a bit for the next five or six years, but, if being a lifetime diamond means little to nothing except the breakfast and club access, why bother? I learned my lesson with Delta and my million-miler status, actually mostly earned with Northwest commuting to Asia. I just burned my last sky pesos to "pay with miles" three first class tickets to Kauai in December. Again, if status in a program means very little, why bother?

What's interesting is that folks here keep on calling it a "loyalty program," which has some interesting connotations, when if fact it is a revenue enhancement tool for the corporation. I get the fact that I'm not the most diamond of the diamonds, but most of my stays have been at a decent price at full service properties. If that means I'm no longer in their books as a valued "diamond" customer (again, I'm not looking for the red carpet but I'd like something better than a handi-room, especially if I'm booking six to nine months out), then let me know up front - I'll still stay at a Hyatt when it makes sense to, but I certainly am not going to go out of my way for some kind of promise/status when in fact, those are not going to be there?

So, again, all of you "lower-tier" diamonds, (25-35 stays), maybe 15K spend/year - when you show up at one of their top-tier properties, do you feel like a diamond or a platinum plus?

BlissWorld

It's interesting to read some of the comments in this thread. I guess SPG is not the only one who longer cares about their elites.

I have to say, my SPG Platinum membership in the early 2000's truly opened the door to some spectacular properties and extraordinary service/treatment. Of course, the Flyertalk community was much smaller then and you didn't have a gazillion bloggers advertising mattress runs

Now, everyone is a Platinum/Diamond.

nhwiki

Yes, that's the thing - I can't afford two weeks in a suite in Kauai, but if I stay at enough of their properties for a couple of years, I can, and that's playing by their rules. (And in this no-decent promotion world, 440K points is something). And except for the most extreme mattress runners, that's out of their reach unless they are single or quite wealthy, which in that case, the points don't matter. So. For those of us who slog to the Hyatt at the edge of town instead of a better in-town location, or drive through LA traffic as opposed to staying at the airport to spend money at the Hyatt, why demote us to basically what is non-diamond status when we want to use some of the ever dwindelling benefits at one of the properties they promote oh-so heavily on every card on the nightstand and mailer and website?

I don't expect to stay in the owner's suite in Kauai on a two-week stay, I really don't expect that, (Although it's happened to me before - pre 9/11 days), but if I'm a diamond, does it mean anything more than breakfast? (Now that we're paying for alcohol at the club?)

Radiant Flyer

Well I would not lump all Hyatt's into the Zirconia level. I do feel there are many Hyatt's out there that go above and beyond for their guest who happen to be Diamond Level no matter how much revenue they bring in. So far in 2012 I've been very happy with my upgrades and service. I'll list a few properties where I've had constantly outstanding stays and fantastic upgrades. 9 out of 10 times I've been in a suite or large unique rooms not using the upgrade certificate!!!

R.F. 2012 Diamond Service Awards

Grand Hyatt DFW
Hyatt Regency Chicago
Park Hyatt Chicago
Park Hyatt DC
SF Grand Hyatt
Andaz 5th Avenue
Andaz San Diego
Jersey City Hyatt Regency
Santa Clara Hyatt Regency

R.F. 2012 poor diamond service award goes to:

Andaz Wall Street.

I know there are levels at hotels based on how much revenue you bring in, but over all I have been very happy with my upgrades and service... there is just one property I feel has fallen from grace. In the past couple of years the Gold Passport program has been downgraded and I associate that more with them going public than with the credit card. Now what is more important to me than promos in the service and elite recognition. If all the hotels start to go the direction Andaz Wall Street has I will move on to another program.

mel14

When I was at the Huntington Beach Hyatt for the fourth of July I saw a guest list with the codes attached. The girl putting wrist bands on us at the pool set down her clipboard. I saw our name and literally at least 20 others with the same code. I can't remember if it was V2 or V3, but they were all the same. I laughed and said sorry I guess I wasn't supposed to see that. We started talking about the code. She remarked, and this was only her experience, that she had never in the 3 years she had worked there seen another higher level for a diamond, that we were all the same. I'm sure Tom Cruise or the like would have a higher level. I know that when you check in they can access your points, but besides that I am not sure they rank us. Lifetime and courtesy card holders withstanding.

skunker

The times I have seen the magical clipboard (back when I was a Diamond) it always said VIP2. There used to be a list with the meanings.
Found it: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/13760693-post4.html
Which makes we wonder how I got the V2. Hmmmm....

nhwiki

Thanks - that's interesting, but some recent posts seem to suggest that there is actually also a diamond hierarchy - D1 to D7, which wouldn't surprise me at all. Otherwise, it's hard to explain some pretty stark differences in people's diamond experiences. I'll leave aside what seems to be a growing consensus that the NYC Andazes seem to be alienating quite a few long time Hyatt loyalists. If the V1 - V8 deal were true, then the diamond experience would be pretty standardized for all, with at times something really good happening, but that hasn't been reflected consistently for me in the past year.

Most recent decent stays -

Boston Airport Hyatt - (3 stays) always good, sometimes stellar, but I've stayed there enough that they know my son's name and toy preferences.

Park Hyatt DC - used a suite upgrade and actually got a real suite on a low AAA rate. Service decent and reminded me a bit of the good old days.

Hyatt Regency Philadelphia - nice handwritten note and a good room - certainly not an upgrade, but no complaints either, as advertised. (Leaving aside paying for parking now.)

Grand in SF. Good. Decent room, decent service.

Hyatt Greenwich. I guess it was good, since I don't think there is actually a great room there, but it's a good place to stop at before heading into the city if you've been driving for a while. At least we didn't have to ask two or three times to get the breakfast charges taken care of.


The not-so-good.

Hyatt House Summerfield whatever, Windsor CT. Ummmmm. Okay, I get that they just became a Hyatt, but telling me that a small room on the first floor nearest the entrance is a great room is a joke. A bad joke. No points for trying, and it was late enough that I just let it go until the St. Patrick's day partying began in their lounge . . . Not good.

Hyatt Regency Dallas Convention Center. Lost my suite upgrade, tried to tell me that a room on the 11th floor was "just as nice." Then said that all the suites were booked, even though some were still showing available online. Yet somehow, when I checked my account, my last 2011 suite upgrade somehow disappeared after the stay. I get it was busy, but making me wait in line (it was a convention) three times to get a standard room and . . .

Wall Street Andaz - I got upgraded from the fifth floor to the seventh. And it took two conversations with the "hosts" to get something more than a basic room. The hotel was not full.

Hyatt Kauai - we hadn't been back in nearly three years, but have stayed there for about ninety days in the last eleven years (I just checked.) A handi-room? Come on.

Andaz Fifth Avenue. . . . You call that a suite? Not to mention the chairs - not only can you not sit in them, but the nails/tacks are coming out and tore my wife's dress. But my son loved the little zen garden park thingy off the second floor, so it wasn't all bad. Until they charged us for breakfast, and then again, and then again. It took two phone calls (after discussing it during check out) a couple of days later, and they made it seem like I was imposing on them.

Hyatt Buffalo. Okay, so maybe it's just Buffalo (A little Tom Brady humor there), but again, I got the distinct impression that my pretty dated smallish room didn't exactly scream "you've been upgraded to the best non-suite in the house."

Not exactly batting even .500 there, and it didn't use to be this way. Not to mention that I'm a little older and better dressed now, and not pulling up in a 98 Subaru Legacy (which was a great car.)

Mary2e

Last year, and for most of this year, my travels have not taken me to a Hyatt for leisure purposes, which is why I maintain diamond, so I have not had any lesser experience.

I normally travel to Waikiki and Kauai, and last June, was treated extremely well at both. I won't be back to either until this November, so I will be able to judge at that time.

However, I am getting disappointed at what I've been reading here. Hyatt used to treat Diamonds very well - at least at most properties. Then came the numerous FFN to attract new business, which worked, and now the credit card, which, IMHO, is diluting the excellent treatment we used to get at those properties because everyone want to use their free nights in a premium property.

So, I'm still on the fence, and I hope once the free nights are all used up, things go back to the way they used to be.

IncyWincy

We all have our little peeves. I am disappointed that there are not good promotions like in the past. Obviously Diamonds are not as rare these days (though it was possible, in the past, to do 4 stays to Diamond or stays count twice).

Perhaps Hyatt did plan/expect that with more Diamonds, they cannot all be looked after as well as they were in the past, hence, the breakfasts, free internet plus 4 suite upgrades were introduced? So that if one were to weigh Diamond today and in the past "in the round", one cannot really say that treatment has gone down?