antonius66

I wonder what the metrics are that they are using to determine who they contact to discuss the program? I voiced my negative thoughts about WoH in a survey and never heard anything. I swear as a Diamond, I never got any of the unique or limited stuff...no secret sauce promos, no free bonus points to UA, no contact about my thoughts for WoH or any focus groups etc etc. I guess I am worthless .

Mary2e

The GM of the hotel I was in contacted me and thanked me for filling out the survey and indicated he forwarded the WoH comments directly to the team looking in to it. He said they were very interested in the responses.

It sounds to me like it's up to the hotel to forward on those surveys with WoH comments.

austin_modern

I'm mostly curious if that's just the company line to make you feel like your opinions are being heard (and discarded) or if they really are truly interested in the responses. IE: just the manager being "nice."

stargold

The WoH program has put me off in such a holistic way that it is no longer possible for me to really pinpoint what was the straw that broke the camel's back. I think it's really a little bit of everything, and (almost) the sense of betrayal that they took a perfectly good program and ruined it in such a variety of ways.

So I don't really know what I would tell them (if they got round to asking me), other than an awful lot of Ctrl-Z back to Gold Passport!

Kacee

It felt to me like mostly the former. Discarded.

cmglobal

I suspect you're on to something here.

MikeFromTokyo

That makes sense actually re airline status, and could work with hotel status too. Comping status costs them nothing if it is not used anyway, and it's a win for them if it entices someone to come back and stay more. They would just have to figure out how to target the right guests for this.

cmglobal

This works until the property or airline begins to expect only upgraders in suites or first class and then degrades the experience to accommodate that. This is why first class (at least internationally) on US carriers is garbage compared to many top foreign airlines.

MikeFromTokyo

That's why the comped status needs to be very carefully targeted.

Re US Airlines, another reason F is that way is that it is often full of nonrev employees, in addition to award pax.

People who pay for J and upgrade to F are at least paying a J fare.

martinplas

I was called after posting criticism of WOH on one of Hyatts FB posts.

boogen

Since the main benefit of my being a Globalist is now a sad little bottle of water, I am boycotting Hyatt after this year by using Expedia or another OTA to book any Hyatt I may stay at. I read a WSJ article today and didn't realize that OTA's get up to 30% of the room rate as a booking fee. I was under the mistaken impression it was like a flat $5 or something. Loyalty goes both ways. If enough people drop WOH for Expedia, I suspect some rapid changes will occur, either to the program or management changes.

notquiteaff

If you are a Glob and book on Expedia, you won't get any of your benefits (or points/night credits). Obviously, at a HH or HP that may literally just be the water bottle. I am just pointing that out so you don't cut off your nose to spite the face.

(writing this from a Doubletree where I got free restaurant breakfast for two plus water bottles as a Honors Gold. Nearest Hyatt is a HP 50 miles away)

joakgarp

That won't hurt Hyatt. They will still get your money via Expedia apart from that % fee for Expedia. What will hurt if you make the switch to Marriott, Hilton or any other program.

boogen

My point is that Hyatt has turned what was arguably the top hotel loyalty program and turned it into a program that has no use for me. I don't eat breakfast. Why not book through one of the Airline Vacation sites and get more airline miles than Hyatt points? Regardless, it's a way to fight back against these programs like WOH and Advantage that take the top programs and race to the bottom. Since many of the HH and HP properties compete with IHG properties, I can book a IHG with bonus pts for one night at less $ than a HP or HH property and get enough pts for a free night; so a buy one get one for free deal. As a LT Platinum at Starwood, I'll start learning about Marriott properties. Hyatt has simply dropped off my radar.

Visconti

I would only have two complaints.

1. Honor the spirit of the T&C. If the new terms are upgrades to the best available room including suites, then ensure your members abide by it. Don't force me to check, prod, and negotiate for a promised benefit. It's unsavory, boorish and completely unbefitting of any hotel that prides itself on being respectable.

2. Rebrand WOH. The branding is so stupid, it's hard to fathom a group of people dumb enough to (1) come up with this lame drivel, and (2) find someone obtuse enough to approve it.

I wince every time upon hearing "Globalist" when checking in and having to inquire if a "suite" upgrade "may be" available.