cfabar1

I have to say HP positions itself slightly above its competition (4 Points, Hampton Inn, Fairfield, etc.) and in my experience there is a remarkable amount of consistency of experience at HP properties, more so than any other mid-tiered chain with the possible exception of Hampton Inn.

I am surprised Amy Weinberg has not made some reconciliatory gestures in terms of the program over the past year, but I maintain with what Marriott has done, and how Hilton treats its elites that Hyatt probably has the most compelling program on offer at the moment.

iwascool

I wouldn't disagree with the consistency remark and if there were no loyalty/reward programs, a HP would be a frequent choice for me. However, I can't use my points in the Bahamas, Maui, can't book a room with an ocean view in Waikiki and there is nothing in Ireland which is my next big trip. The only desirable property that doesn't offer an equal or better opportunity with Hilton (want a view, need a view and willing to pay a large number of points to get one) is in Carmel/Big Sur (and it is a great property).

One of my normal locations is ending a lucrative 'local bonus' and after the 1000 AA miles offer ends, I am planning on all my nights to go to Hilton for the rest of the year. The points may not be worth as much, but at least I can use them. Dropping from 217 paid nights in 2016 to 100 paid nights in 2017 to a projection of 38 paid nights this year.

Certificates that expire quickly and points you can't use are not worth anything. Time for me to move on with the others that left.

joe_miami

I don't understand. You had 217 paid nights in 2016 but you're telling us you have trouble using the 6-month certificates and your points?

CloudCoder

I recently wrote a letter, for no reason at all, to Hyatt corporate, thanking them for having a great program (especially in light of the recent Sparriott devaluation). Hey, I holler at them when things go wrong, so it makes sense to offer them kudos when things go right.

MarkOK

, I am drawing a distinction -- school sports teams aren't the same problem as the type of lower-end clientale I am referring to. I'll take a sports team that is lights out at midnight over adults smoking right below my air handling unit and talking all night.

As for booking channel - not my point. My point is when you stay at the cheapest property, you get the cheapest experience.

rfrost

I had a horrible experience at the GH in DC—guests having a loud curse-and-profanity strewn argument in the hall outside my room at about 2 am that woke me up. I also had a bunch of loud drunks hanging out in the hallway one Halloween in one of the Southern Hyatts.
i don’t think staying at a Hyatt insulates you from gross behavior or gross guests. Indeed, I don’t think even staying at a really top-rate hotel does, either.

joe_miami

It's not a matter of being "insulated"; it's a matter of frequency.

iwascool

Having to using a 6-month certificate for a business trip so it doesn't expire isn't what I would consider an enticement or of any value to me. I've been most of the places I want to go and my remaining list is not viable largely because of deceptive practices that Hyatt allows to go unchallenged. Even with earning at HP and burning at high end properties, I'm approaching 600,000 points with an inability to use them where Hyatt has properties, hence the switch to Hilton/Embassy/Doubletree/HGI and leaving HP behind.

azepine00

Ymmv of course but i dont know what to do with hilton points unless i offload them on tbe cheap (and they keep devaluing) so i dont see much appeal in accumulating more...

imho you have much higher chance to get a decent room on points on maui or oahu (destination you mentioned in previous post) with hyatt points rather than hilton unless you pay the overpriced anytime award rates..

MarkOK

Meanwhile, I am planning on using 2 cat1-4 certificates for a work stay in Boston in June because:
A. The nights at the HR Boston are relatively expensive those two days and I would prefer to be there (the HR Cambridge is cheaper and is booked as a backup and will work if award availability dries up, but I would rather stay more downtown).
B. Getting 1 of those nights reimbursed may be a headache and I feel like will result in only a partial reimbursement anyways (it's a grey zone in the policies)
C. The research accounts I have to draw on for work travel are getting rather tight and there are a couple conferences next year I want to make sure I can get to.
D. As a professor at a barely state supported institution, I am technically a state employee, and according to State of Oklahoma rules , "any benefits gained from work travel with travel awards program must be used for work-related travel". It is on all our documentation and referred to many times in our policies and procedures. Now, that is a difficult operation to do in practice, but if my travel does get audited (which is a real thing that happens all the time), I do want to be prepared to show them my spreadsheet showing both 'earned' awards based on work travel and 'redeemed' awards for work travel to show at least a modicum of effort to comply with the policy. In that case, they'd be less in tune to the grey zone issue anyways. Fun times. So glad I went into academia.

CloudCoder

I recently wrote yet another letter to Hyatt corporate, thanking them for the recent nods in our direction (TSUs expire when status expires, award nights expire after one year). The letter mentions that the extended benefits are nice, but the nicest part is that they actually listen to their guests.

I figure that by rewarding them for appropriate behavior, we might see appropriate behavior more often, LOL

beachfan

CloudCoder

How do you want Hyatt to fix this issue?

Some Hyatt Places give out a welcome amenity package to elites, even though the Home Office discourages this practice.

One of the best things about WoH compared to HGP is that WoH is based almost entirely on "nights". This is far more preferable than a program based on "stays". Alas, all welcome amenities I've ever seen are one per stay.

MarkOK

What does the competition offer in their award programs at limited service properties other than a 'wecome amenity' at check in? The way WoH is set up, there aren't welcome amenity points, but there are free nights after 30 and 55/60 nights. So sure, there isn't a welcome amenity of a few points, but you do get credit towards your free night certificate and you get the bonus points with status. At the 60-100 night levels, with 10,000 points every 10 nights (as an option) you basically are getting 1,000 points per night (if you end on an even 70.80,90, and 100).

The thing is, If suites aren't available at (most) of these properties, and breakfast is already free to all guests, there really isn't much runway to offer anything great. I think the only thing they really could do that would make my rare stays at HP/HH better is a ~ $15 per night credit towards food/bar stuff. Wouldn't cost them much to offer (if anything, could help with turnover of product) and, at least in my opinion, would be graciously accepted.

59Impala

Well, HP is changing the policy to include free breakfast for WOH members only. that's a way of "increasing perks for elites"
just published a thread on this here:
Hyatt Place Brand to Undergo Refresh