Hyatt Gold Passport Update
Dec 11, 2014, 11:24 am
#46
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SAN
Programs: Lots of faux metal
Posts: 6,425
Or, they say sorry and give you nothing. There is no stick, so why give a carrot?
Dec 11, 2014, 3:07 pm
#48
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: HH Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Gold, Hyatt something
Posts: 33,544
AARP membership
You can get an AARP membership pretty cheaply, and I don't believe there is any type of age verification. A lot cheaper than AAA, certainly.
Dec 11, 2014, 3:29 pm
#49
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Taking away the mandatory minimum penalty is not going to encourage hotels to pay the same or more for any given failure incident of this nature.
When is the closed Regency Club bonus going to be eliminated?
Dec 11, 2014, 6:08 pm
#50
Join Date: Dec 2010
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Globalist, M life Gold, IHG Spire
Posts: 918
Yeah, I'll agree with all the above complaints: My Elite Rate swung a lot of nights to Hyatt. It had 2 great features.
1 - Having a rate cheaper than the AAA rate was the primary weapon against the Hilton MVP rate. W/o it, a lot of my stays are going to switch back to Hilton MVP.
2 - It added a really powerful carrot to make road warriors stay enough nights to get elite status. I guess this is another effect of the Hyatt credit card. Nowadays they are minting so many new elites that Hyatt doesn't really care about those of us who earn status the old fashioned way.
Gee, no more Diamond challenge, no MER, apparently no new promotion until the first of the year. What's next? No free breakfast at Hyatt House?
Oh, and there have been some IT improvements this year, but they were minor, and not all positive. It's time for the IT dept. to get points + cash online.
1 - Having a rate cheaper than the AAA rate was the primary weapon against the Hilton MVP rate. W/o it, a lot of my stays are going to switch back to Hilton MVP.
2 - It added a really powerful carrot to make road warriors stay enough nights to get elite status. I guess this is another effect of the Hyatt credit card. Nowadays they are minting so many new elites that Hyatt doesn't really care about those of us who earn status the old fashioned way.
Gee, no more Diamond challenge, no MER, apparently no new promotion until the first of the year. What's next? No free breakfast at Hyatt House?
Oh, and there have been some IT improvements this year, but they were minor, and not all positive. It's time for the IT dept. to get points + cash online.
Last edited by jn in ca; Dec 11, 2014 at 6:14 pm
Dec 11, 2014, 6:18 pm
#51
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 743
Yes, but then they (AARP) claim to speak for you on political issues. Since I don't agree with many of their positions, I refuse to join.
Dec 11, 2014, 8:20 pm
#52
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: body: A stone's throw from SFO, mind: SE Asia
Programs: Some of this 'n some of that
Posts: 17,263
I've actually seen rates increase with the use of AAA when perusing international properties. It can be beneficial in N. America but otherwise it's nigh useless in Asia.
Dec 11, 2014, 9:55 pm
#53
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DTW
Programs: DL Diamond/AA Platinum, Hyatt/Hilton Diamond
Posts: 245
Yeah, I'll agree with all the above complaints: My Elite Rate swung a lot of nights to Hyatt. It had 2 great features.
1 - Having a rate cheaper than the AAA rate was the primary weapon against the Hilton MVP rate. W/o it, a lot of my stays are going to switch back to Hilton MVP.
2 - It added a really powerful carrot to make road warriors stay enough nights to get elite status. I guess this is another effect of the Hyatt credit card. Nowadays they are minting so many new elites that Hyatt doesn't really care about those of us who earn status the old fashioned way.
Gee, no more Diamond challenge, no MER, apparently no new promotion until the first of the year. What's next? No free breakfast at Hyatt House?
Oh, and there have been some IT improvements this year, but they were minor, and not all positive. It's time for the IT dept. to get points + cash online.
1 - Having a rate cheaper than the AAA rate was the primary weapon against the Hilton MVP rate. W/o it, a lot of my stays are going to switch back to Hilton MVP.
2 - It added a really powerful carrot to make road warriors stay enough nights to get elite status. I guess this is another effect of the Hyatt credit card. Nowadays they are minting so many new elites that Hyatt doesn't really care about those of us who earn status the old fashioned way.
Gee, no more Diamond challenge, no MER, apparently no new promotion until the first of the year. What's next? No free breakfast at Hyatt House?
Oh, and there have been some IT improvements this year, but they were minor, and not all positive. It's time for the IT dept. to get points + cash online.
The comparison with MVP is dead on. On average Hyatt already has higher room rates. Next year with only 10% off? I guess it's time to switch back to Hilton with MVP.
Dec 12, 2014, 11:37 am
#55
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
If there is no compensation for guests who do not recieve their requested bed type, how does Hyatt's promise to do its best to give everyone their requested bed type - which should be the assumption anyway - constitute a guarantee?
Dec 12, 2014, 11:59 am
#56
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SAN
Programs: Lots of faux metal
Posts: 6,425
This whole "guarantee" discussion reminds me of this classic.
http://youtu.be/a5dpBpaFiMo
http://youtu.be/a5dpBpaFiMo
Last edited by skunker; Dec 12, 2014 at 12:11 pm
Dec 12, 2014, 12:32 pm
#57
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
This whole "guarantee" discussion reminds me of this classic.
http://youtu.be/a5dpBpaFiMo
http://youtu.be/a5dpBpaFiMo
^ Chris Farley was priceless. RIP.
Dec 12, 2014, 3:29 pm
#58
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, SEIBU PRINCE CLUB Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 20,439
A sneak peak at next years letter (this is a parody):
" One thing that will be changing effective January 1, 2016 is the existing best rate guarantee policy. Today, this is applicable to those that fill out the form only, and members are awarded a matching rate plus 15% discount if a lower price is verified. Less than 0.1% of members used this form – so in the future we’re guaranteeing the lowest rate for all guests, and there will no longer be any discount associated with non-compliance. Rest assured, the hotels are committed to getting this right!"
" One thing that will be changing effective January 1, 2016 is the existing best rate guarantee policy. Today, this is applicable to those that fill out the form only, and members are awarded a matching rate plus 15% discount if a lower price is verified. Less than 0.1% of members used this form – so in the future we’re guaranteeing the lowest rate for all guests, and there will no longer be any discount associated with non-compliance. Rest assured, the hotels are committed to getting this right!"
Dec 12, 2014, 6:04 pm
#59
FlyerTalk Evangelist & Ambassador: China
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: DL DM/MM, UA 1K, AA Exp, HH Dia, WOH Glob, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold, NA EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 17,423
Dec 12, 2014, 6:56 pm
#60
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: MCO
Programs: DL-DM/1MM, HILTON-DIA, .HYATT-DIA/GLOB , IHG-PLT,HERTZ 5*, NATIONAL ES
Posts: 8,691
I agree with others. Hilton MVP will now have much more impact on my stays with the death of MER.
M&P is great, but should reflect standard award availability and be bookable online...
The lack of bed guarantee scares me,. if it was so slim a chance, why not keep the perk as a marketing fluff tool?
M&P is great, but should reflect standard award availability and be bookable online...
The lack of bed guarantee scares me,. if it was so slim a chance, why not keep the perk as a marketing fluff tool?