embarcadero1

craigthemif

I'd rather sleep (and wake up) at any number of Park Hyatts, Andaz, GH, etc.

CloudCoder

I almost always email the hotel, about a week prior to a stay. The subject of the email is "(my last name) arriving (date) for (x) nights".

The email tells them what time I'll arrive, what time I'll depart, and room preferences.

"Last year you put me in a room overlooking the city, which was fantastic. A similar view would be appreciated this year."
or
"Concerning the specific room assignment, a good night's sleep is very important on this trip, so please find me a quite room. Thanks."
or
"Although I choose NOT to use one of my Suite Upgrades on this trip, I would welcome a comp upgrade based on Hyatt's policy of upgrading Globalists to the best available room including suites."
or
"I'm writing because Globalists get upgraded to the best available room at checkin. However, I will check in VERY late (past midnight). Therefore, please assign me to the best possible room BEFORE I check in. Thanks".

Like so many others, I resent having to cajole the front desk into providing my earned benefits. I much prefer to cajole them by email, well in advance of the trip. In an ideal world, the Globalist upgrades to "best available room" would be automatic and assured. In the real world, you kinda hafta ask.

Specific to the Original Poster, you get 4 suite upgrades for making Globalist. Then you can get 1 more at 70, then 80, then 90, then 100 nights. So you can end up with 8 per year.

escape4

I don't have one

777 global mile hound

Hi All,
Appreciate the thread it’s an interesting conversation
A fellow Globalist and a lifetime Globalist here.
Moving towards double lifetime Globalist which doesn't exist as a tier
I've been staying with Hyatt when Gold Passport didn't exist and the trendy Globalist name hadn't seen the light of day. That’s a few years now here looking back on memory lane

To answer the posters questions somewhat
There really is 0 benefit at 60 nights vs 100 nights a year other than what the program offers over 60 nights a year at each 10 nights threshold by being Globalist
Globalist remains a highly respected solid top tier status for those capable of meeting the requirement
Its sadly only undermined by the select hotels who wish to damage much of what Hyatt has triumphed by writing and implementing a world class program
I can easily say I am a very happy Hyatt customer overall and proud I chose them as a travel partner long before they had a program.
Hyatt long ago differentiated themselves in many ways and today that has become harder as the industry on the whole has matured and expectations have soared
as so many brands and programs to a fair degree have caught up with each other or bought each other out

The secret and well known to others as a repeat guest is returning to these hotels for many decades and treating the team very well
That puts any well-traveled guest in a private league as an insider
Tipping and expressing gratitude as/where appropriate even when it’s part of your earned benefits can also go a long way if you are happy with your stay experience.
I've had long time bellman get me the best/or better room or suite at arrival in the right hotels after them seeing me not fully pleased with a given accommodation.One call up to the right individual

Getting VIP treatment should be about just earning the status and showing up but I can say that while some hotels automatically upgrade Globalists above and beyond
even breaking the written rules some others don't make the committed effort at all
I've noticed more Hyatt hotels know my preferred brand of water and stock my fridge before arrival ^They sort of know what makes me happy
Building relationships out of respect kindness and taking interest in team members if one has the time or interest is what really makes the difference in my experience.
Being patient at check in when another elite has a late check out in your pre blocked room
Taking the pressure off the hotel by being a cooperative friendly guest .

Realistically we are all heads in beds on a given day.Get em in get em out
Some of the most popular Hyatt hotels (not limited to Hyatt Hotels) unfortunately value revenue over loyalty and it shows pretty quickly in the beginning & to the end experience.
It’s the quickest way to lose my business and put a clamp on my wallet spend in house
Having said that thankfully this is limited to a small group but unfortunately some of the more important properties that should know better (not naming names here but many of us know who they are

As we approach 2019 I am sitting on the fence if I should go more with Marriott where after 1000 nights
I will be awarded Lifetime Platinum Premier status this New Year with upgrades to suites even in Ritz Carlton's
Its hard to say no to a 75% bonus on all stays worldwide before promotions and credit card earnings vs Hyatt's 30% and no welcome amenity though typically a solid breakfast if not undermined by a breakfast coupon with a limit
My expectations will be on Hyatt to deliver on their written promises even more consistently where reasonably possible
Not let select hotels reinvent micro-manage the terms and conditions into something more self pleasing to ownership frugality.
It would go a long way if select hotels hotels don't continue to give the least desirable suites in house on the ground floor with limited or no views banning all upper floors or worse making no or extremely limited inventory unavailable

Giving elite guests a coupon at Breakfast is unacceptable that covers juice & toast with a dollar amount in 5 star properties especially after the breakfast benefit got slashed to just 2 guests in recent years
Its not written in the program as such when the expectation is a reasonable full or Continental breakfast
At that point I might as well give up on the property and stay where I want with the best hard product & service.
I can certainly afford my breakfast anywhere if two eggs and fruit plate are going to break the bank in a hotel charging 500 to 1000 dollars per night
Right now I can stay at a Ritz Carlton on points for what a Category 7 Park Hyatt would be redeemed for Though they may be tighter with elite perks the experience can be better
Hyatt really needs to deliver on its promise consistently with published benefits abolishing dollar amount coupons in 5 star hotels. Its tacky & erodes the premium brand experience to pettiness
Just some burning thoughts and I apologize for veering a bit off topic

A Hyatt overall Long time Evangelist

escape4

Great post, thank you. The key is to remain flexible to be ready to move to and from Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton, and others as necessary depending on how you get treated either by the hotel chain as a whole or by individual properties. You mention 75% bonus at Marriott for PP vs 30% bonus for Globalist at Hyatt... quarterly promotions play a role in this equation as well. Sometimes Hilton is crushing it while others fall flat on their face like Marriott this quarter, not to say that you should shut down an entire program just for a promo but it can affect decisions at the margin.

In my experience Starwood was the best program for those who stay well in excess of 100 nights, but time will tell if that will remain the case going forward with Marriott. Hyatt and Hilton are not particularly beneficial beyond 60 nights other than reaping the benefits of what you have already acquired.

uppereastsider

Use your Hyatt concierge to get you suite upgrades with your TSUs (with a much simpler process of just emailing them) and having them advocate for upgrades ahead of a stay if you know it'll be preferred on that trip (IE when I had a longish stay during far from home for work, my agent called the hotel ahead of time and pre-arranged upgrades to make it an easier trip)

My agent recently got a wait listed TSU at a notoriously suite stingy property to clear, as well as got a suite on a free night coupon when king rooms weren't available (and TSUs cant be used on free night coupons).

But as discussed in the other thread, Hyatt Concierges are very YMMV. I'm one of the fortunate ones who has one who has been with Hyatt for 15+ years and seems to know everything.

As for your other question, I'm about to cross 80 nights and the only additional item I'm expecting is another 10k points or TSU upgrade, which I will happily take.

777 global mile hound

Appreciate the kind words thank you.
I'm looking forward to hopefully getting more active in the forum again.
Work and life's pleasures have kept me a bit more under the radar somewhat these past few years
I miss reading the pulse of our Hyatt community on a more regular basis and learning from others who have helped me over the years find the best out there in the Hyatt Universe based on their own experiences

To share my thoughts and expand a bit on your well stated comments I agree with your thought process to a large degree.We do have to see how Marriott handles everything going forward
Would also add
I find the WOH currency valuable on average having access to some premium world class hotels many that deliver superb elite recognition and value
However as a 100 night a year customer when I can't get into a popular property due to standard room gaming of the system and they limit or make no available confirmable upgrades or the downgrade of those accommodations generally
I do and will put more value on other hotel currencies where they are making the rooms more available and the upgrades may or may not be any better but the experience & quality better

Example Hyatt Regency Honolulu 25,000 points/ Ritz Carlton Residences Honolulu 60,000 points
That means in reality there is only 5000 points difference technically a night because.Hyatt earns 5 points per dollar Marriott 10 points per dollar
The Hyatt is widely overvalued as a dated 4 star and should be between 15 and 20k in points a night max IMHO based on the difference in properties and the Hyatt getting 235 average daily rate per night vs 500 to 600 dollars a night at the Ritz as a 2 year old 5 star
This is where a 75% bonus is a no brainer and for that matter even a Platinum members 50% bonus

So where I want to stay location wise the quality of the experience,amenities and the very recognition play significantly in how I value that program currency in any given market
In some cases I may ignore promotions potentially and book elsewhere if important properties are in anyway gaming the system.
Hyatt has had some issues there through the years that have been well reported and documented publicly
After the World of Hyatt was introduced and even prior once the suite confirmed upgrades were introduced select hotels went out of their way to undermine a variety of elite benefits primarily to increase profits over brand/customer experience in some cases
Here is to hoping that my favorite hospitality company Hyatt rises to the occasion.

Mark Vondrasek previously of Starwood SPG fame is now onboard with Hyatt.I'm hoping Hyatt lets him lead the way with his team. He proved himself in the SPG program as a hands on detail oriented guy and I enjoyed some nice conversations with him in years past
There have been some improvements since his arrival and I'm optimistic for an even better 2019.Hopefully that isn't wishful thinking

embarcadero1

VegasGambler

I have never had a problem getting the upgrades I'm supposed to get.

Before I arrive, I usually do a quick search to see if any non-premium suites are available. In the times that they have been, they always upgrade me without asking. If the room is not available for sale, obviously I don't expect to be upgraded to it.

They have always moved me to a different room type when I've asked, sometimes after I've already gone to the room (the most expensive room type is not necessarily the room that I want -- many places sell high floor with a view as an "upgrade" over a larger room with a crappy view on a lower floor, but I prefer the larger room every time.

When they have had a better room or suite available for part, but not all, of my stay, they have offered to move me to it for that part of my stay. Sometimes I accept, and sometimes not (depending on how much I like the original room)

Most hotels (except the ones I've been to in NY) have a welcome amenity waiting for me in the room, which is really nice and no longer a requirement. Sometimes it's something relatively small (though still appreciated) but at the Andaz in San Diego, for example, there were 3 different jars of fancy snacks and a reasonable (retail around $20) bottle of wine.

I'm not sure what kind of treatment people expect, but I've been very happy.