jameswes

I concur. And I feel like Hyatt's benefits are "Proven" - whereas Marriott's are still TBD about what exactly they provide.
For example, Hyatt gives 2 adults + 2 kids in a restaurant at full service properties. That feels like it will probably be much better than what Marriott will offer.
I also completely agree that the free parking and waived resort fees can be really valuable as well.

All that being said - I see almost zero reason for a loyal Marriott/SPG member to switch away from the new program. Certainly some pros and cons here and there, but overall their transition was handled extremely well.

I also feel like Hyatt really is moving in the right direction. The globalist transition was a little rough-around-the-edges with regard to communication, but they have enhanced the program at the cost of needing 60/55 nights.

jacobguo

Hyatt has a more limited footprint. It is harder to stay at Hyatt for, say, 50 nights than Hilton or Marriott.

jameswes

I strongly disagree there. I would be MUCH happier as a Marriott Platinum 50 than a Hyatt Explorist.

Platinum 50:
- Lounge access every time. Not just 4 stays per year.
- Points, Breakfast or Amenity. Explorist gets nothing.
- 4PM "priority" checkout. Explorist gets 2PM.
- Free upgrade on availability including standard suites. Explorist only gets standard room upgrades.
- 5 Suite Nights. Explorist gets nothing.

Let's be real. Platinum is most similar to Globalist. It's so close in benefits that they almost certainly looked at what Hyatt Globalists liked and included most of those benefits.

MarkOK

Right. And when you include CC nights to Marriott, Hyatt Explorists and Marriott Platt is targeting customer with similar stay-rates (30-50 nights).

Hyatt Globalists is competing with Plat Premier with regards to travel rates (50+ nights a year)

I think Hyatt Glob >> Marriott Plat Premier. (club/breakfasts benefits at resorts, concierge, 4 TSUs plus a choice of bonus TSUs at 70/80/90/100 vs a choice of 10 'nights' in a suite, free parking on award stays, waived resort fees on all stays, cat 1-4 and Cat1-7 awards)
Hyatt Glob >>> Marriott Plat (same as Plat premier minus 5 more suite night awards.)

However, I think
Hyatt Explo < Marriott Plat . But not by much. (Explo has free cat1-4. Marriott has a 'choice' of breakfast which may be worth something - Question: Is that for the entire stay or a one time gift per stay?? And is that breakfast worth anything or it is a choice of muffin or a bagel at most places? I am not sure. Marriott allows for club access at that level, but when you discount the exclusion of resorts and the few lounges in the portfolio (especially on the SPG side), I can see easily see that 4 club lounge awards with Hyatt can be worth more if they are used on longer stays at hotels with lounges with family members. My most value for club access is by far at hotels labelled as resorts. Marriott allows for 'select suite upgrades' at checkin, but is this going to translate into a real benefit or will the relatively large number of Plats, plus the fact that you got plat premier and ambassadors above you mean that this benefit is nothing but smoke and mirrors?. The 5 suite night awards with Plat seems like the only hard benefit that I think one could count on that is above Explorists level).

MarkOK

There is on important correction:
Plat 50
-- Club access at NON-RESORTs when a club exists.
Exp
-- Club awards (for up to 28 days) that CAN be redeemed at resorts.

I really think of these as more or less equivalent. It really matters if there are lounges where you stay (both Marriott and Hyatt have pretty big holes in their network where lounges don't exist), but the lounge at resort properties is quite important i.m.o. as those are the trips I have my family with me.

However, I think Marriott Plat does have some advantages over Explorists otherwise (5 free night awards, some sort of breakfast offering, and 4PM checkout - which often for me doesn't matter but occasionally it is very nice). I don't think Marriotts suite upgrades at check in will mean anything though. (and explorists have certainly been upgraded to suites before. This is a case where the ToC means near nothing compared to how it gets practiced).

But Marriott Plat doesn't really compare to glob to me. Again, the clubs at resorts situation (and others like I just post). But most importantly the 5 Suite night awards are <<<<<< than 4 TSUs with Hyatt (worth up to 28 nights). For me, that is a difference between one short vacation in a suite for free, versus having my 2 week trip in the summer in a suite for free, plus the week long family trip during Winter Break in a suite, plus a week long family trip over spring break in a suite. !!

(oh, and a second correction. Eplorists get a free cat1-4 award. This can be rather equivalent to the value of collecting welcome amenity points (and then you don't get breakfast, which again, I wonder the details of).

MSPeconomist

These are Marriott's *current* *published* levels. There's currently also Marriott PP plus Ambassador, both invitation only and based on unpublished requirements.

MSPeconomist

If we're comparing suite upgrades, one should note that at many properties, Hyatt TSUs are only good for junior suites, really one slightly larger room that has a sitting area of some sort. IME this is true to a lesser extent with Starwood SNAs. YMMV.

JetAway

Hyatt could close the gap with a premium ($350-$450) credit card that gives a significant boost toward Globalist in some form or fashion.

antonius66

I don't want more credit card incentives, I don't want to compete with loyalty benefits against people who stay 10 or 15 nights less but have a credit card. Create proper loyalty tiers, enforce the benefits and reward staying in a hotel. Stop giving away top status with promos and reward people doing 55 60 nights at your hotels.

josephstern

Unfortunately, Starriott is taking Marriott's one room per night credit policy instead of SPG's three. So that's probably the final nail in coffin on hopes that Hyatt would increase their number.

I've already had several of these this year that would have helped me make significant progress on re-qual (although, to be fair, some were all points, which would not really have helped last year, at the time).

josephstern

I'd take a better credit card deal in a heartbeat.

JetAway

I certainly do. Either Hyatt provides an upgraded credit card or I'm switching to one of the new Marriott cards.

59Impala

Thanks for this. I must admit, my research was not good - apologies.

Kacee

Hyatt can't be happy about what Marriott's done. Hyatt's already feeling pressure from loss of elites, witness the surprise move this year to grant stay credit for award nights. The new Marriott program, with only 50 nights for Plat and enhanced earn, will undoubtedly ratchet up the pressure.

Also, note that Marriott's odious "no breakfast at resorts" rule will be jettisoned August 1.

itsallgood

That would capture some of Hilton's CC Diamonds.