PortlySpartacus

Oh the pining for days gone by......if you read enough of these FT threads across different loyalty programs there is always this type of comparison to the past program. Nothing stays the same and I fully expect these programs to change over time. To compare a program today to what existed yesterday and then claim the company is going downhill is just absurd.

Change is constant, set your expectations that the program today will change again in the future and you can't do anything about it other than gripe or vote with your wallet.

RTWSTARALLIANCE

And how about Ritz-Carlton especially in Asia? Ritz-Carlton, Marriott and SPG lifetime status. That's my concentration for 2017. Hyatt was my primary program but it is now two with Hilton remaining in third place in the new order of things.

PortlySpartacus

I think you need to read the article again.....this point in particular is important. This is not a 'fail' as you so quickly dismissed it. All you folks are so quick to say that WoH is bad just because the changes are different than what you are used to. Read thru the details of the program changes again, at each level, and then do it again. Most of the banter on this and other threads is due to emotional first reactions based on how what I have now will be different in the future. There is value in the new program, but it will just be different than what you have today. Go read the book "Who moved my Cheese".

At this point no other hotel chain allows people to qualify for top-tier status based on only 25 stays per year

Duke787

Another interesting wrinkle by way of OMAAT via TokyoHyattFan.

Seems like Hyatt is violating HGP Terms and Conditions

6 months is April 27 not February 28. Rather shocking oversight though given this rollout and the horrible name / marketing assets, it's perhaps not surprising.

Not a lawyer so can't comment on the validity of a claim here but seems like this new program is a violation of T&Cs

Link: http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.c...454.1474859151

dsquared37

It is not an emotional response; it is purely analytic. The two aspects I including were abjectly false, therefor the premise underlying his argument ceased to be valid.

I dare say it is you who appears emotional and not fact based.

/shrug

PortlySpartacus

Um, you can't get top-tier status with Marriott with only 25 stays. The article pointed out that getting Hyatt Diamond status for only 25 stays does not exist anywhere else from competing chains.

Are you now saying this is inaccurate? You would only be Marriott Silver with 25 stays. Marriott Silver is not their top-tier, Platinum is. Why are we having this conversation? And again, it helps in making my point above, you and others are so misinformed and your emotions are leading to inaccurate conclusions. Read thru the WoH changes again, and then do it again. Then lets have an informed discussion based on the facts please

schriste

Godwin's law Can't be far off.

dsquared37

Dude, 25 SPG stays gives you top tier, stop being so obtuse.

sfozrhfco

Everybody here is using common sense. A smaller footprint with a higher price point and less benefits means choosing another hotel chain makes much more sense.

There is nothing stopping Hyatt from
following through on your "threat" to devalue the program further next year by simply raising the categories of many hotels. Just increase each by 1 category and keep a few level 1 properties. All based upon the feedback of Hyatt corporate executives' children who are hoping their parents get a nice windfall by the cut in benefits.

Hyatt should immediately contact Disney to see if they can use "It's a small world after all" as the new WOH theme song to highlight how few hotels they have in most of the world.

Hot Pocket

This. And SPG is certainly where my first 25 stays in 2017 will be, whereas in the past these 25 would have gone to Hyatt.

I suspect I am not alone.

If a critical mass of former Diamonds adopt a similar strategy, Hyatt franchisees are going to stage a revolt.

edgewood49

not for that long when the systems are merged then the Marriott tiers will take hold

sfozrhfco

Except that by then Marriott/Starwood will have nearly 10 times as many rooms as Hyatt plus award nights count for status. With Starwood you also get credit for up to three rooms booked per night.

edcho

We have no idea what the new program will look like. Although it would be logical to think the Marriott qualifications will stick, they are merging all 3 programs so (Ritz too) so it might look drastically different.

PortlySpartacus

OMG, this can't be true. You know what this means? The merger of Marriott & SPG will result in rewards program changes that create a backlash from loyal SPG members that will no longer be able to achieve status based solely on 25 stays.

Imagine the outrage from these changes across their loyals, they will seek out new programs and start to consider WoH, and other companies. I'm sure the mass exodus will drive down their RevPAR and their customers will flee to the completion. This will signal the downhill slide that Marriott-SPG is doomed. All their loyal members will post to the boards how things used to be and how great they used to be treated. Perhaps the loyal SPG members will start to praise the benefits of the WoH program and brazenly announce to the world that they are taking their business to Hyatt.

Maybe the new Marriott-SPG tier levels will even be renamed from Silver-Gold-Platinum to something that appeals more to the Millennials. Oh my, how things will change....

dsquared37

Possibly correct, but in the mean time it is reality. And if SPG/Marriott change then Hilton is still 30 stays.... and those chains have way more of a footprint than Hyatt.