nhwiki

Quick question about other folks' diamond experience.

I've been a diamond (more on than off) for the last 12 years or so, usually making it on stays rather than nights. I'll be the first to admit that my spend isn't all that much compared to some others I'm sure, and last year I did two matress runs to squeak into diamond status. But I've been reading here occasionally about Hyatt actually rating or ranking Diamonds (D1 to D7) and treating them accordingly, and it has me concerned about how much I really want to shoot for diamond again this year.

A couple of recent stays come to mind:

Two weeks in Kauai this January to February (a hotel we stayed at at least twice a year until three years ago - our first time back) and I have to say that our initial room offering on the Poipu wing was, ummmm, not so good, and then for the last ten nights our suite (using diamond suite upgrades was also, ummm, okay but that's about it, wev'e had a lot better on a pretty regular basis.)

A three day stay at the Wall Street Andaz where I was initially offered a regular room on the lowest floor (not even close to my profile), and it seemed like I was asking for the best suite in the house when I asked for something, anything a little better than that. (They had plenty of availabilty of other rooms online for the duration of my stay).

Anyone get the sense that in general, Hyatt is getting a little stingier with some of us "lower level" diamonds; are they paying closer attention?

I still get treated quite well at some of the properties we frequent, but those stays and a few others have me wondering . . .

I can remember getting the Corn Maiden Suite at the Tamaya a few years back on a cheap AAA rate, and it wasn't the low season, and great service in Palm Springs.

I'm not expecting they roll out the red carpet and DYKWIA, but this Zirconia is starting to get the sense that I'm no more than a Platinum plus these days. Anyone else get the same feeling these days?

RichardInSF

It's an interesting question. I'd say the biggest difference between the present and the "good old days" is that now, the chain has so many inexpensive Hyatt-branded options (Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, etc). It probably means that it is possible for the average person -- not the clever mattress runner -- to get to diamond with a lot less total spend.

If I were in charge, I would want to differentiate between diamonds who made that level through Park Hyatt stays from those who did the same through Hyatt House stays. So maybe it's not surprising that could be happening.

Now whether that sort of differentiation is something that I would admit to in public were I in charge, well, that's a horse of a different color!

msblueyz

We sometimes get the same feeling, although our past couple of stays we have been treated quite exquisitely, including the Grand Hyatt Kauai, and we are definitely at the bottom of the Diamond rung. I have expressed my feeling to GP's VP that there should be different recognition of status for business vs. loyal leisure travelers. For example, people who travel for work usually don't pay out of their own pockets for their stays and ride the Diamond waves by virtue of their employer or the like paying for their accommodations. Some people, like us, did reap the benefit long ago, but have been challenged to continue obtaining Diamond status now that my husband no longer travels for work. We have still maintained our loyalty to Hyatt in every destination there is a Hyatt available, often staying at a less convenient location. I totally get it, but often wonder if it would at this point be more advantageous for us to pick grander properties that cost more but offer a better level of service vs. playing the game and spending extra money just for the Diamond recognition that seems to be so inconsistent.

ldsant

I've given up. Honestly, no real recognition, points that haven't posted, nothing special at all, etc. I have yet to ever use one of the Suite upgrades they provide so no benefit there either. I just figure it is what it is. None of the other chains are that great either.

VA1379

I haven't noticed the deterioration that some have seen on this thread. I travel for leisure so my room rates are not exactly breaking the bank. Nevertheless, I am probably ranked a bit higher due to being a repeat traveler to several properties and doing more two night stays at certain properties versus having only one night stays in prior years. All hotel properties have lists of guests sorted by spending and stay frequency.

Radiant Flyer

FYI: The Andaz Wall Street has downgraded all Diamonds, the property is on a downgrade all together. in 2011 I spent a total of 30 nights at this hotel 10 of those in the Buttonwood Suite. I've stayed at this hotel since it open and there are downgrades all over the place, from the complimentary snacks and beverages to no more Diamond Breakfast VIA room service and service such as housekeeping and food and beverage has fallen to disappointing levels. This used to be my to go to Hyatt hotel in NYC but it has tumbled to the NOT TO GO TO HYATT. I've been working on a review of my last 3 stays here since April, I want to do a fair review which I will post soon. I hand several friends who work in the area and all of them says the Andaz Wall Street is not so Andazie!

azepine00

Occupancy rates are much higher than in 2008-2009 plus you have plenty of folks on free credit card nights - this is probably the main reason. If Hyatt does rank diamonds it would only come into play if they have to choose which one to upgrade when they have to pick one - i have no reason whatsoever to believe that diamond "grade" would be considered to treat you differently.

A lot of people feel that the benefits are not what they were a few years back on UA, SPG, Hyatt etc but the market is different now and expecting the same freebies is unrealistic ($100 resort stays with $100 meal voucher - good days). On the other hand the rates are much higher so i get a much better value out of awards now vs back then.

AZ Travels the World

If I were in charge I'd be doing it too. If they're not doing it, they certainly should be -- or they are almost surely letting down their very best customers. It's hard to imagine they are that asleep at the wheel.

m0hamed

I'm sure there are matrixs in place to account for your spend, in which case, those of us who stay predominantly at Park Hyatts would get better treatment, as well as get to Lifetime Diamond quicker.

As for Andaz, none of their properties appreciate or respect status. Partly due to differen systems, and partly because the brand just doesn't get it. I actually like the Andaz brand, however lower my expectations whenever I stay there.

NDDomer86

I stayed here last month, had a terrible experience, but asked at check-in if the Diamond breakfast still covered room service. The "host" told me it was only in the restaurant, but the letter in the room said that I could order from Room Service, which I did, and the charges never showed up on my bill.

austin_modern

OP: If it sucks so bad, why do you keep doing mattress runs to retain Diamond? Perhaps your business (and complaints) would be better off at another hotel chain?


On the subject of revenue status - I wish they would do that. I don't think a diamond who spend 89 bucks a night hopping 25 times to el-cheapo hyatt houses isn't the same as someone who did 50 days a year++ at 400-500/night properties.

JetAway

I've been doing the airline and hotel loyalty game for quite awhile now and I've reached the point for hotels, at least, to simply find the hotel that best meets my needs for a particular trip, select the particular options I want (club, suite, included breakfast, etc.) and pay the price to stay there. More choices, less anxiety and, in the long run, probably more cost-effective (no temptation for mattress runs, unneeded or extra stays, etc.).

mnmag

Wow, you expressed exactly what my experience was @ the Andaz WS on Sun. nt.! My room was not ready @ 4:30p, but the host was able to find another rm (was using a free suite nt), that had just become 'available' & was told that only the mini-bar needed to be replenished. When I got to the room (after having some refreshments in the lobby), the bath area definitely did not seem like it had been truly cleaned (black ceramic floor was not mopped well). Also, the service @ Wall & Water for breakfast the following morning was terrible. I was really disappointed, esp. since I had never experienced such poor service here on past visits!

I reported all of this upon check-out (& was told that my comments would be passed on to mgmt), & had requested that my receipt be sent to my e-mail (which didn't happen). Really sad!

nhwiki

[QUOTE=austin_modern;18700347]OP: If it sucks so bad, why do you keep doing mattress runs to retain Diamond? Perhaps your business (and complaints) would be better off at another hotel chain?

So pleasantly put by you - hope you are a little more courteous and thoughtful in person than you are hiding behind your online anonymity; I can’t imagine getting up in the morning and instantly wanting to type something like “if it sucks so bad . . .” – not my kind of existence but to each his own I guess.

Lest you think I’m doing 25 mattress runs, and I don’t think I indicated that I am, I’m not – I simply topped off the year with two discretionary stays to ensure I made diamond. As to my spend, I’m burning through 440K points at the end of December and January for a suite in Kauai, (perhaps that will give you a better idea of my level of commitment to Hyatt) but after that I’m uncertain of my loyalty since my balance for the first time will dip below 100K points. I’ve been a dedicated Hyatt traveler since the mid-90’s, and had my wedding at the PH Tokyo (and my wife and I are both Americans, to be clear), and I remember fondly both the Stanhope and Hyatt Carlton (especially the cool steel pool).

To be fair, I’ve had great treatment at middling properties – the Boston Airport Hyatt is very good to us, as was the Regency in Philadelphia and the Grand in SF, but the properties that want to make me stay loyal to the program (The Andaz’ s in NY and the Grand in Kauai, for example) are making me rethink the extra mile (literally) I go out of my way to stay with Hyatt. I’m not a meeting planner and I don’t stay 100 + nights a year on the road, but I travel enough that it makes sense to concentrate my stays with one chain if I can. As I tried to make clear in my first post, I’m not asking for special treatment, but I am looking for service that reflects my (discretionary) commitment to Hyatt, so when I find a decent rate to go to a high tier property, it would be nice if I weren’t sloughed off like a credit card platinum newbie (which it felt like over the last year at about six properties).
I understand that perhaps the “travelling” economy is a bit better, and I also remember my very soft non-landing a few years back when I remained a diamond (with way fewer stays than the 25, by the way), but I simply get the sense that at the properties we stay at to remain with Hyatt, the ground rules have changed, for instance, leaving better rooms empty simply because they can, rather than recognizing who is at the hotel and that’s that. Right now, they Gold, Platinum, and Diamond (leaving aside CC of course) and I get it that someone who drops a 100K a year is going to get a better room selection than myself, but that’s not what my question is about – it’s about properties seemingly going out of their way not to be special when they can and it doesn’t hurt them to do so. I wasn’t looking for the Buttonwood suite at Wall Street, but I wasn’t looking for a fifth floor regular kind either, and there were plenty of rooms available for my stay. And in Kauai, (and the staff and service there remain fantastic and special) can I get something a little better than a handi room above the restaurant for a couple of nights when they don’t have a suite?

My guess is that I’m like many, many diamonds, folks who travel a lot (compared to most price-line bottom feeders) and we’ve decided to go out of our way to stay committed to one program in return for something a little better, and it just seems like that “something a little better” is now missing. To be clear, this is not a rant about the lack of decent promotions, a situation that is what it is with the credit card points and the whole “going public” new world; rather, I’m trying to figure out if it’s worth my time and money to stick with Hyatt and get something really decent in return or to keep the credit card and pay for the occasional trip to Kauai and then explore other options in most other cities where there are plenty of very nice choices out there. For instance, the PH Maldives is nice, but is it really worth all those Hyatt points and stays when there are much better choices (I’ve been at them too), and frankly, in NYC, one can do much better than the basic room, never mind the attitude and lack of check-in counters at the Andazes.

skunker

I think they should institute a 4-Cs rating system and put it on your status card.
Count (stays or nights)
Country
Cost
Courtesy (how nice you are when you call to get your points corrected)

Since I have dropped to platinum I only need to worry about worth on the commodity market.