ruby55

We are relatively new to the Hyatt programme but had enough points to book a 5 night points upgrade to a suite at the Hyatt on the Bund, Shanghai. It's a special trip to celebrate my husband's birthday and we are already in China. The booking is a few days away and I have just had an email telling us that due to overbooking, there are no suites available. The booking was made and confirmed back in October.

The hotel is offering to give us 2 adjoining standard rooms and return our points - this doesn't seem any sort of compensation as an extra room with a bed will not give a sitting area - if I want to sit on the bed, I only need one room to do that! I also chose the Hyatt on the Bund due to its fantastic views from the suites. I haven't stayed there before, but from what I read, it's pretty average without the views.

Apparently the Shanghai motor show is about to start so other hotels will likely be full and I don't feel we have much option, but having spent so long planning this trip, I am very upset that one major element has been spoiled. Any thoughts on how I should proceed?

stargold

I would simply reply and state that their suggestion is not acceptable, and that you will be expecting to occupy the suite which you have had reserved for the last 5 months.

It will be up to the hotel to find someone else to downgrade, or give you a better offer. I would be far from resigning myself to accepting the hotel's downgrade without a fight.

Mickidon

Agree. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, etc. Posting this on FT is a good first step, as it is an unseemly event that they probably don't want exposed to such
frequent travelers. I'd escalate it within Hyatt and also consider twitter or other social media.

Aventine

Up and more up. You should never feel that there's no other option. You booked this well in advance and it's up to the hotel to give something of equal or greater value. It's a very special occasion and you should mention that constantly to the powers that be at Hyatt on the Bund. Stand your ground.

MSPeconomist

Are there any deluxe large rooms or junior suites with the views you desire? Would something like this be acceptable with compensation? Are there any higher level suites that the hotel could give to you (for the rate you already have in money and points)?

ruby55

Thanks for the input. The hotel doesn't have any suites above the grade we had booked. The offer is now improved to 2 adjoining rooms on high floor with good views and they will remove the bed from one room and put in a sofa. Club privileges and choice of club or main restaurant breakfast, both rooms to be given PURE treatment, all points refunded. I have accepted this for now as it seems ok, not great but in the right direction. We are travelling and don't want to waste too much of the trip dealing with this or to risk ending up with nothing, but said we are still disappointed. We will see what we think when we arrive and take it from there. We had planned another Hyatt vacation later this year, so if nothing else we may be able to negotiate an improved deal on that.

nachosdelux

This sounds like a fair resolution to me. Hope you enjoy your trip regardless, Shanghai is a great city.

bmrisko

Although this shouldn't have even happened since you booked so far in advance, this seems like a fair resolution and I would accept their offer as well.

IncyWincy

I think this is a very nice offer.
It is less likely to get as nice a result if hotel were not in Asia. Expectations are often higher with Asian hotels.

FD1971

Way and above what they could have offered, so Kudos to the Hyatt on the Bund for coming up with such a brilliant solution. ^^^

Mickidon

I agree it has a happy-ish ending, but I wouldn't pat them on the back TOO much,
as the hotel created the problem in the first place. I'm sure the OP would have preferred to skip this back and forth phase of trip planning and simply gotten the suite they booked five months ago.

silver-tls

Fair deal - what rate did you pay (upgrading on points usually requires a minimum rate)? However, this shouldn't have happened to begin with as you were confirmed. My coworker had a horrible experience last year where they screwed up the diamond upgrade and instead booked 2 rooms (regular room and suite) with the suite at their CNY5000 rack rate! They were very firm and unaccommadating. A quick call to the US Hyatt desk and they were out the door towards the Park Hyatt with the front desk manager wondering what happened when both reservations got cancelled and refunded.

Aventine

Better than nothing but keep on them for the original booking and all of those other throw ins. You booked your desired room in advance and they should honor or exceed that booking in my opinion.

TennisNoob

They did go above and beyond by removing a bed and putting that sofa in.

I would have even accepted it without the sofa exchange.

ruby55

This is indeed exactly how I feel. The offer may be reasonable in financial terms but I wasn't looking for a good deal, I was looking for a wow factor suite for my husband's 60th birthday trip and having to deal with the problem mid trip was also less than ideal.

We have just arrived today, so here is how the deal looks in reality. The suites are circular rooms with floor to ceiling windows for about 270 degrees. The adjoining rooms we have got are standard rooms with perhaps one fifth of that view. We have the same amount of floor space as the suite, but it still looks like an ordinary hotel room. Most would think it nice but unremarkable. Not what I was going for at all. We are paying the full rack rate as per our suite upgrade.

However, the hotel are making an effort. We arrived very early, off a night train, but our room was already made up and a senior manager came out to apologise again and told us to bring any problems we had during our stay to her personally. The bed being removed from the second room and replaced with a sofa definitely improves the space. A bottle of wine had been put in the room and when we came back from lunch they had been in and added a second one, two fruit bowls and bowls of snacks and sweets. They also gave us drink vouchers for the bar. I think they have done all they can, and so we are taking it with good grace so as not to spoil our trip, but the spectacular suite was my reason for booking and in my heart I'm disappointed.