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European Hyatts - why so family unfriendly?

European Hyatts - why so family unfriendly?

Old Oct 24, 2018, 8:24 am
  #16  
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Originally Posted by blitzen
Due to fire codes, or min square meter per occupant or ..... rules that change by country/ city that would have been very hard. Especially given that in Europe the building are not newly build on a wide open lot but years old (sometimes 100+ years) when rooms were smaller. And I don't think any hotel would combine 2 rooms just to have the ability to accomodate 4 (that is what connecting rooms are for). If Hyatt would have insisted the hotel owner would be with Hilton, Marriott, .....
The fire codes as an explanation for the occupancy standards being so low in Europe and for hotel enforcement of max occupancy as set by the hotels is mostly just an excuse not rooted in how regulations work here and fire code is mainly not the reason things are as they are here with occupancy limits. Things are like this here in Europe and various other parts of the world as part of hotel owners revenue maximization schemes. And Hyatt indeed is first and foremost in the market of attracting and retaining hotel owners.

A couple of DINKs are generally more lucrative customers for higher priced hotels and their desire for ancillary revenue than one with multiple kids eating into a unified family budget spread across two rooms. Its a factor that hotel developers and owners do consider.
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Old Oct 24, 2018, 8:52 am
  #17  
 
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As I was typing my post, GUWonder's post showed up and answered most of my questions about the commercial motivation here.

It does seem obvious that fire codes are not the issue here -- something like min. sq. m per occupant.

Some of the Hyatt suites that are limited to 2-3 occupants are in fact 70+ sq m, which is larger than some family apartments and presumably does not represent a dangerous level of overcrowding.

There is also a lot of inconsistency -- the Hyatt Paris Madeleine explicitly allows 4 people in a room that is only 28-36 sq m, whereas its friend across town, the PH Vendome, does not allow 4 people in a deluxe suite that is significantly larger (50-55 sq m).

Last edited by cantabdad; Oct 24, 2018 at 8:56 am Reason: new info!
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Old Oct 24, 2018, 10:10 am
  #18  
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Originally Posted by sch_flyer
I don't believe this information is accurate. I emailed the Vienna Park Hyatt directly, and received the following response:



?
very strange - perhaps they decided recently that making money off families is more important or that kids cause more trouble than the revenue they stand to lose by excluding families...

it definitely had kids free in existing beds language before when we planned the trip
expedia still lists it as well - so if you book it via expedia and print out t&c they will absolutely accommodate you...

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.
  • Kids stay free! Up to 2 children 12 years old and younger stay free when using existing bedding.
  • Rollaway/extra beds are available for EUR 60.0 per night.
  • Free cribs (infant beds)!
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Old Oct 24, 2018, 6:43 pm
  #19  
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Originally Posted by azepine00
very strange - perhaps they decided recently that making money off families is more important or that kids cause more trouble than the revenue they stand to lose by excluding families...

it definitely had kids free in existing beds language before when we planned the trip
expedia still lists it as well - so if you book it via expedia and print out t&c they will absolutely accommodate you...

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.
  • Kids stay free! Up to 2 children 12 years old and younger stay free when using existing bedding.
  • Rollaway/extra beds are available for EUR 60.0 per night.
  • Free cribs (infant beds)!
Very interesting... doesn't really help with a direct P+C booking, and 60 Euro for an inflatable mattress is just tacky, but the fact that an OTA is openly booking over the published capacity while booking direct has to be done under the table... Oh well - I think we're beating a dead horse at this point. I really do appreciate everyone's point of view on this!
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Old Oct 26, 2018, 5:45 am
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Originally Posted by sch_flyer
...and 60 Euro for an inflatable mattress is just tacky
I dont know where you are getting inflatable mattress from. The rollaway beds at the Park Hyatt Vienna are actually very comfortable. The 60 Euro figure you are referencing for an extra bed is for an additional adult. There is no fee for an extra bed for a child.
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Old Oct 26, 2018, 6:23 am
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Originally Posted by speedytimmy


I dont know where you are getting inflatable mattress from. The rollaway beds at the Park Hyatt Vienna are actually very comfortable. The 60 Euro figure you are referencing for an extra bed is for an additional adult. There is no fee for an extra bed for a child.
There is a listed fee in the post that applies to an extra bed for children at a cost of 60 (plus taxes?). Whether or not the charge is applied or waived on the folio, the way Expedia showed this hotel, the charge seems to apply if ordering in an easily moveable, temporary bed for a child.
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Old Oct 26, 2018, 6:32 am
  #22  
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Originally Posted by speedytimmy


I dont know where you are getting inflatable mattress from. The rollaway beds at the Park Hyatt Vienna are actually very comfortable. The 60 Euro figure you are referencing for an extra bed is for an additional adult. There is no fee for an extra bed for a child.
I was being facetious. Many rollaways nowadays are basically inflatable mattresses with a base, as seen for example at Andaz Papagayo (which does not in fact charge 60 for them). Just another cash grab by these hotels and a part that makes it so frustrating. We decided to scrap the European vacation and are going to Western Canada (BC and Alberta) instead, where despite a tiny footprint, all Hyatts have rooms that sleep 4 easily and comfortably. Maybe with the new acquisitions and partnerships Hyatt is making, there will be better properties in Europe in the future, but for now, it's not really an option.
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