mcgahat

Based on my experience, this is not normal. I do not remember exactly but pretty sure that 48-72 hours was pretty standard on my bookings in the past.

Kacee

Even that would be uncompetitive. It's always been day before arrival for my Bangkok stays at various properties (including upcoming stay at SGS).

ElevatorEnthusiast

Yeah, I was considering booking this for one night to use an upcoming 2K Next Stay award as I don't have any other planned stays at those brands. But, with those bizarre cancellation policies in April, my nights will go elsewhere.

ElevatorEnthusiast

Looks like the 14-day cancellation policy is only certain days and not all in April.

Kacee

Songkran is in April and that's probably the reason for the stricter cancel policy.

But I see plenty of Marriotts available with their usual generous cancel policy.

ElevatorEnthusiast

Ah, that makes sense - I was looking around April 13! Well, I’m booked elsewhere, and rates didn’t seem exorbitant or anything. I’ll start preparing myself now for airport crowds.

Kacee

Suggest you also prepare yourself for April heat and water fights

ElevatorEnthusiast

So, I did stay here - for 6000 bonus points (2K Next Stay + the final set of 4000 from one more night on Bonus Journeys), it was worth it. This isn’t a bad hotel, but I don’t see myself ever returning unless I have some sort of promotion based impetus. Sure, it’s cheaper, but it’s not “cheaper enough” for me to pick this over other properties. Here was my experience:

• ”Upgraded” from Standard King with No Sofa Bed to Standard King with Sofa Bed - there were plenty of other room types available - they wouldn’t budge at check-in
• Room had bizarre half-height windows and a bad view looking directly into apartments
• Bed was fine - medium-plush mattress, covers were thin (whatever), pillows were a bit soft but not lumpy or anything
• Shower pressure was fantastic - very strong
• Towels were old, ratty, and low-quality
• No washcloths
• No streaming options on TV besides old Miracast, which I think only applies to Windows and Android
• Offered 4 PM late checkout
• Hallway noise apparent as door is next to bed - had to sleep with white noise
• Room was clean
• Elevator system is aggravating as there are 2 banks of 2 on separate controllers - only 2 go to the ground floor, if your room is above 19, you have to transfer to the other bank that goes from L to 33 - separate controllers means longer waits
• Breakfast isn’t exciting - nothing on the buffet looked very good - croissant tasted too much like fake butter - omelet was fine - no pancakes, waffles, etc - just very wet looking bread pudding
• They did give two drink vouchers for beer, wine, or house spirit - didn’t partake

Photos:

escape4

You are Globalist, the "specialty" room type was available, and they refused to upgrade?

ElevatorEnthusiast

“Are there any upgrades?” “We moved you to a bigger room with sofa” - per the terms, I think Hyatt Place is exempt from upgrades anyway. This matches reports upthread that the property doesn’t seem to provide real upgrades anymore.

lsquare

That's what HP Aruba told me when I was a Globalist.

escape4

The reason I asked, is because I was there recently and I was not upgraded to a specialty room - that room type was fully booked. Based on the conversation I had at reception at check-in I was led to believe that if specialty had been available, then I would have gotten it. It seems that is not the case. If they BS'd me then I view the hotel even more negatively than I did.

The reasons I recently stayed at HP was to earn the 2k milestone, I wanted to end the current Hyatt promo period with a multiple of 3 to maximize the bonus, and last but not least there are only 2 days out of 365 that this hotel is "off peak" for 3500 pts and it was the night I needed. But unless stars align such as they recently did for me, I don't want to stay at HP because in my opinion the value for the money is exceedingly poor. The upgrade situation being even worse than I thought is icing on the cake.

HP does not have glaring weaknesses but they price themselves in a market segment clearly a notch above where they are, so consequently that's the group of hotels I use to compare with HP when making my assessment.

ElevatorEnthusiast

Now, I didn’t push further besides just asking and didn’t pull out my phone or anything to show availability - because it’s Thailand, and I shouldn’t have to.

SHLTP

HP and Urcove - where most of Hyatts growth is - don't have to offer globalists upgrades. It's one of the problem I see with the system.

Hyatt isn't watering down the program benefits per se but essentially are by building out limited service properties and brands that are exempt from benefits. I really don't see the point at staying at them unless one has to to qualify.

Now, I did book 10 nights at this HP in 2019 from Dec 21 to Dec 31 to retain globalist. I did t stay. I checked in in person, told them I was going to pay for 10 nights but wouldn't stay. They kindly let me do that and I've been globalist since as I was going to lose it that year

escape4

That's problematic indeed but personally I was viewing it from a different angle. For me it's a commercial and competitive issue. It's Bangkok - tons of hotels across many chains give suite upgrades regardless if they have to or not, even from chains who do not have a loyalty program as generous as Hyatt. Why? Because they think they should, in order to be competitive. And among the hotels who don't give suite upgrades, many of them at least give upgrades to non-suites of which cost materially more $$$; in HP's case it would be the specialty room. But if this HP does not even upgrade to specialty rooms when they are available, then that's taking it one step even further, putting them in the bottom 10% regarding the value of upgrades provided, right down there with the handful of Holiday Inn Express or other hotels who only have one room type so there is nothing to upgrade to. It reinforces my previous stance that I will only stay at this Hyatt Place when stars align including promos. Otherwise, no thanks.

I am not criticizing them or saying they should not do that - I don't have their financials so who am I to judge. It's their call, but as a customer it's clear to me I am better off somewhere else. In a similar price range I can find other hotels with high likelihood of suite upgrade more the double the size of the rooms at HP, have lounge access, and a better breakfast.