Cygnet

Agree. Taken to the extreme, Jeff's answers imply that any current Diamond who is made Globalist for 2017, can be assured of being granted Explorist for 2018 (and by extension, Discoverist for 2019?) even if they make 0 stays and $0 Hyatt spend from this point onward. Somehow, don't think that's gonna happen...

JIMCHI

Thank you Markie for doing this. I guess I don't understand his response to my question #5. He says no difference between pre-March 1 and post March 1 Lifetime "other than tier benefits". What difference will there be in the benefits if one is Lifetime before March 1st or after March 1st ?

Kacee

Answered. Lifetime tier benefits switch from Diamond to Globalist on March 1, 2017. There's no difference in benefits based on when you qualify for lifetime Diamond/Globalist, but the benefits themselves will change.

OsakaWino

I suspect that whoever responded (can't imagine Jeff doing so himself) did not understand the softlanding questions. Maybe they don't understand the meaning of "softlanding"

If it simply means that a Globalist with 30-59 nights in 2017 will be downgraded to Explorist from March 2018 and an Explorist with 10-29 nights in 2017 will be downgraded to Discoverist from March 2018, then that is as obvious as saying that Tuesday is the day after Monday.

banzani

Thanks for the Q&A.

As a European-based member for more than 10 years, fighting hard to make 25 stays (usually 40-45 nights plus 1-3 mid-sized events), I think I've read enough to decide that this is it for me and Hyatt. The arrogance and denial is even more off-putting than the program changes themselves.

There would have needed to be some form of acknowledgement ('ok we have heard you and will look at some improvements'), and some easy fixes are available (nights credit on multiple rooms and award stays, base points for meeting revenue), but it's getting too late and risky to gamble for Q1/2 2017 travel plans. So 2017 will be a massive points burning year and a once-in-a-lifetime Globalist experience.

I am LT Plat with SPG, happy to give Marriott a chance, and also HH Diamond through BA GGL. Plenty of options out there.

Cygnet

Apologies in advance if I missed it, but did this question ever get answered by an authoritative source (i.e. Jeff, or T&C)?

AFAIK, the T&Cs imply, but don't specifically call out, that 4 DSU/GSUs will be awarded when someone re-qualifies for Globalist tier at a 55 night minimum stay. However, the Tiers and Benefits page has a table ("More Rewards Await") that specifically says 60 nights, as do the FAQs. On the same page, the tier comparison does not list 4 GSUs as a tier benefit, thus further implying they are granted only upon reaching the 60 night milestone.

The More Rewards Await table makes more sense if everything listed, including 4 suite upgrades, are decoupled from tiers and require specific night/spend/other qualifications. This appears to be where Hyatt is going; fewer guaranteed benefits tied to a tier designation, but instead moving benefits so as to be tied to qualification milestones.

Thus, 55 nights for Globalist may not be enough if 4 GSUs are what you're counting on.

TheTourVan

They are going with the assumption that because most qualified will enjoy the Globablist enough to use the program and stay with in the brand at least for another year.

As someone that has been a Diamond for a few years now, and did it on stays, it was never an issue for me to have more Diamonders out there. Just more people supporting a brand I enjoyed. My issue is that I cant requalify and while I have no issue with a program making changes to better serve their needs, there are programs I can still actually qualify for and will do so.

It was a fun run while I had it, but with all of the changes as of late, the writing was on the wall. One thing I still struggle with however is a simple one. They are asking for more stays/nights than many other properties for top tier status without nearly the footprint of those other chains.

thegrailer

Wow -- just wow! I understand real answers are more difficult than corporate speak but really? (and I don't live in Europe)

As others have mentioned, it was an enjoyable run being a Hyatt Diamond over the years. Time to move on aka burn those points in '17.

Cheers

MSPeconomist

Even with a 60% increase in the number of European properties, 60% of 25 stays is 15, so by this "logic" the new requirement should be 40 stays or 80 nights. If evenly distributed within Europe this would be more than one stay or two nights in every Hyatt in Europe, including some locations like Moscow where many people don't go but excluding many other places like Barcelona and Munich with no Hyatts nearby.

banzani

Keeping in mind 8 more until end of 2018. Curious how this is helpful in 2017. And we all know how reliable planned opening dates are.

josephstern

Gotta say, I'm liking the soft landing situation. First positive news I've seen in this thread.

I'll be Large in 2017, then Medium in 2018, and hopefully still Small in 2019.

MSPeconomist

Strange. HGP sent me an email congratulating me on requalifying for Diamond Through February 28, 2018. It doesn't mention Globalist at all, but there's a box on the bottom saying that World of Hyatt starts on March 1. There's no reassurance at all except that one should check the new T&C.

If someone hasn't been following the transition to World of Hyatt, this could cause extreme panic as it seems to congratulate one on reachieving HGP Diamond but then the stuff at the end says the program will end in three months.

GoodbyeHyatt

Been a loyal Hyatt member, been diamond for the past 10 years, have not taken up aggressive status matching from all the competition.....until the changes to the HGP program. I stay between 25-35 nights a year, usually just the one night, generally in good quality hyatts/andaz etc. I've put up with the limited choice of hotels to use my points for vacations and I've put up with staying a bit out of the way because I like Hyatt and the way I am treated. Hyatt must be completely unaware that the opposition is rubbing their hands with glee over this disasterous change at Hyatt. I've so far had matches for Marriott gold elite, SPG platinum and Hilton gold. Adios Hyatt, it's been fun but you just lost a loyal customer.

JackE

Did you mean 2017, or maybe 2018?

gates_2

We'll be taking our business elsewhere with these silly changes. I'm only a 20 nt-yr platinum mainly for leisure travel but the gall of Jeff to state on the reddit AMA that this was "not a cost cutting measure" is really offensive We booked RC Kyoto instead of HR Kyoto for a 4 night stay given this. SPG+Marriott/RC seems to be the better ticket especially in terms of availability. Especially with SPG Gold through Citi prestigue matched to Marriott/RC gold. Just burned 180K points for 6 nights at the PH Milan!