Marriott status match/challenge -- Platinum treatment better than Globalist Hyatt
Mar 18, 2019, 1:01 am
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
My last stay at HK Hyatt Regency I was upgraded to a Suite which I preferred over the Sheraton I normally take - however the Sheraton gave full buffet breakfast vs Hyatt's CL breakfast and had a much bigger and well-stocked gym. I am guessing full buffet breakfasts in Asia for Marriott will be better than Hyatt CLs, but will have to compare in the US over the summer where Marriott's breakfasts (and SPG's to be fair) have always been subpar.
- At any Hyatt without a lounge you will get restaurant breakfast
- Some Hyatts offer the choice of restaurant or lounge breakfast to Globalists (my only experience with this was at GH BKK, but others have reported it elsewhere)
- For a hotel that participates in Privé, you can book a Privé rate through a TA and that comes with restaurant breakfast, as well as an amenity (usally a bottle of wine) and a $50 or $100 food/bev/spa credit. The Privé rate generally matches the standard rate, so you are giving up the ability to book the member rate -- this can be a tiny difference or it can be substantial. On a short stay, the credit might more than offset the rate difference.
So, if a restaurant breakfast is important to you, there are ways to get it. Personally I find that the lounge food in Asian Hyatts to be quite good. In the US, not so much. If it's not good I'll just go pay for breakfast outside the hotel; $25 or whatever is not going to break me. There have only been a few places where I've felt the need to do this (HR Waikiki, GH NY, Andaz Wall St) and, perhaps not coincidentally, I haven't returned to those properties.
Mar 18, 2019, 2:08 am
#17
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
As a former-SPG, now-Marriott elite—with Hyatt as a backup—I am seriously considering switching to Hyatt as my main program, especially given the partnership with SLH. In my opinion, grass is definitely not greener on the Marriott side.
Mar 18, 2019, 6:05 am
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,166
I get not offering straight matches after the debacle a few years ago, but to not even offer a challenge...?
Mar 18, 2019, 9:25 am
#19
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Platinum, AA Plat Pro, Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum, JetBlue Mosaic 3, Amtrak Select
Posts: 965
So someone had what 4-5 good Marriott stays, and now we've made a sweeping generalization that the program must be better?
I'll be curious to hear OP's thoughts in 3 months:
- After paying 10+ dollar buy ups each day for a better breakfast or buffet with hot food (something that doesn't happen at Hyatt)
-OP fights for an upgrade and finds out that being Plat is third tier and that Titaniums and Ambassadors have higher priority (at least with Globalist you'd have a legit gripe if a suite is available)
- OP realizes they do not have a globalist concierge to speak to for complex reservations
- OP is disappointed when planning a vacation with a SO and finds out their SNAs didn't clear right before vacation. That will be my primary reason to stick with Hyatt. When traveling 120+ nights/year, I want to ensure I can use my points for an aspirational property and confirm a suite. My TSUs have gotten me massive suites at GH Tokyo, Andaz Singapore, Andaz Amsterdam, PH Zurich, GH Tampa, etc that I've been able to share. I've never had an SNA clear on vacation with a SO, except one time for one night in Cancun, where I got a junior suite and my buddy who was a platinum but didn't apply a SNA got the presidential suite.
This year I've had 6 MR stays and didn't receive even a room upgrade, let alone a suite upgrade. Two stays I had to ask and fight for late check ("but we're sold out, can you do like 2pm?"). But YMMV, others report high comp suite upgrade rates (while I report high suite upgrade rates on Hyatt and others don't)...
But YMMV. If your travel patterns have it where you are staying at full service MR hotels, while being compared to HH/HPs in the same location or a really crappy HR, then yeah, the program will definitely be a better choice.
I'll be curious to hear OP's thoughts in 3 months:
- After paying 10+ dollar buy ups each day for a better breakfast or buffet with hot food (something that doesn't happen at Hyatt)
-OP fights for an upgrade and finds out that being Plat is third tier and that Titaniums and Ambassadors have higher priority (at least with Globalist you'd have a legit gripe if a suite is available)
- OP realizes they do not have a globalist concierge to speak to for complex reservations
- OP is disappointed when planning a vacation with a SO and finds out their SNAs didn't clear right before vacation. That will be my primary reason to stick with Hyatt. When traveling 120+ nights/year, I want to ensure I can use my points for an aspirational property and confirm a suite. My TSUs have gotten me massive suites at GH Tokyo, Andaz Singapore, Andaz Amsterdam, PH Zurich, GH Tampa, etc that I've been able to share. I've never had an SNA clear on vacation with a SO, except one time for one night in Cancun, where I got a junior suite and my buddy who was a platinum but didn't apply a SNA got the presidential suite.
This year I've had 6 MR stays and didn't receive even a room upgrade, let alone a suite upgrade. Two stays I had to ask and fight for late check ("but we're sold out, can you do like 2pm?"). But YMMV, others report high comp suite upgrade rates (while I report high suite upgrade rates on Hyatt and others don't)...
But YMMV. If your travel patterns have it where you are staying at full service MR hotels, while being compared to HH/HPs in the same location or a really crappy HR, then yeah, the program will definitely be a better choice.
Mar 18, 2019, 9:28 am
#20
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Platinum, AA Plat Pro, Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum, JetBlue Mosaic 3, Amtrak Select
Posts: 965
I'll always consider that one of my best "frequent travel scores". I was able to barely get 25 stays and keep diamond the first year of the promotion, and after SPG/MR continued to go downhill, I was able to switch to Hyatt and never drop down from the top tier.
Mar 18, 2019, 9:42 am
#21
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
Marriott is offering a status challenge right now for those with top competitor status. You can call Marriott Rewards customer service at 801-468-4000 and tell them you want Platinum. You then have 90 days to complete some stays. Probably won't last for long.
I'm trying Marriott Platinum and am pleasantly surprised. Suites have been offered without a battle and the breakfast is on par with Hyatt. 4 pm late check out offered proactively. Welcome amenity. Way more hotels. Strangely, I felt valued.
Even better, Marriott only requires 50 nights for Platinum (compared to 60 Hyatt), and Marriott's credit card gives you 15 night automatic credit, which means you only really have to stay 35 nights for status equivalent of 60 at Hyatt (or 55 if you have the World of Hyatt credit card).
I think Hyatt has gone downhill lately. I'm disappointed by Hyatt gifting Globalist status to probably around 10,000+ people on American Airlines and want all of us to go out of our way to do 60 nights with them.
I think what really made me reconsider Hyatt is a recent trip to the Andaz New York. They recently reclassified all of their standard suites in a very phony way to show how little they care about Globalists. Before, Andaz Suites used to be standard suites for upgrades. Now, they have recategorized all Andaz Suites and claim the ones on the higher floors, above floor 4 I think, are Premium Suites (these were priced around $10 more than the standard suite), even though they are the EXACT same suite and used to be a standard suite before all of these World of Hyatt changes. What a joke! So now only the first few floors are standard suites to limit the number of Globalist upgrades. These kind of games are dishonest and driving me away from Hyatt. Literally same view, same room (not any bigger) just on a slightly higher floor. Mind boggling that they would go to these lengths (reclassifying) to try to avoid giving Globalists upgrades.
Has anyone else tried Marriott recently? Maybe the grass is greener...
.
I'm trying Marriott Platinum and am pleasantly surprised. Suites have been offered without a battle and the breakfast is on par with Hyatt. 4 pm late check out offered proactively. Welcome amenity. Way more hotels. Strangely, I felt valued.
Even better, Marriott only requires 50 nights for Platinum (compared to 60 Hyatt), and Marriott's credit card gives you 15 night automatic credit, which means you only really have to stay 35 nights for status equivalent of 60 at Hyatt (or 55 if you have the World of Hyatt credit card).
I think Hyatt has gone downhill lately. I'm disappointed by Hyatt gifting Globalist status to probably around 10,000+ people on American Airlines and want all of us to go out of our way to do 60 nights with them.
I think what really made me reconsider Hyatt is a recent trip to the Andaz New York. They recently reclassified all of their standard suites in a very phony way to show how little they care about Globalists. Before, Andaz Suites used to be standard suites for upgrades. Now, they have recategorized all Andaz Suites and claim the ones on the higher floors, above floor 4 I think, are Premium Suites (these were priced around $10 more than the standard suite), even though they are the EXACT same suite and used to be a standard suite before all of these World of Hyatt changes. What a joke! So now only the first few floors are standard suites to limit the number of Globalist upgrades. These kind of games are dishonest and driving me away from Hyatt. Literally same view, same room (not any bigger) just on a slightly higher floor. Mind boggling that they would go to these lengths (reclassifying) to try to avoid giving Globalists upgrades.
Has anyone else tried Marriott recently? Maybe the grass is greener...
.
Platinum is the third-highest elite status in Marriott Bonvoy. It was legacy gold in legacy Marriott Rewards.
Mar 18, 2019, 10:05 am
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
If the stories about Marriott elites jumping ship en masse are true, they don't need to offer a match -- they will get the business anyway.
Maybe if they feel that they are not getting enough they will offer something
Maybe if they feel that they are not getting enough they will offer something
Mar 18, 2019, 1:05 pm
#23
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SFO/YYZ
Programs: AC 25K, AS MVP Gold, BA Bronze, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,456
As someone who will qualify for Marriott 75 night titanium this year, they really should have offered something. I’m not going to stay 60 nights for globalist with zero status benefits when I have status with Marriott; Hyatt’s footprint already makes staying with them a challenge. But if they’d given me a status match to globalist I would have done so.
Mar 18, 2019, 5:06 pm
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,166
A lot seem to be going...to Hilton. Matches, free top status (in US) with a CC, big stay profile. They are definitely making it a lot easier. Hyatt...not so much.
Mar 18, 2019, 5:26 pm
#25
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,161
Is the only measure breakfast? Bonvoy Platinum is NOT “legacy gold.” Neither SPG Gold NOR Marriott Gold included suite upgrades. Marriott Platinum is essentially the same as SPG platinum and includes virtually all “legacy” top tier perks.
Mar 18, 2019, 8:22 pm
#27
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,416
It is a dilemma. Booking FHR/Amex Hotel Collection/Prive/Virtuous rates can make the transition easier. It doesn't help with the footprint issue though.
Mar 18, 2019, 8:27 pm
#28
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SFO/YYZ
Programs: AC 25K, AS MVP Gold, BA Bronze, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,456
I've decided to spend my spare time building a portal to the alternate universe where Hyatt bought SPG.
Mar 18, 2019, 9:13 pm
#29
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 152
As someone who will qualify for Marriott 75 night titanium this year, they really should have offered something. I’m not going to stay 60 nights for globalist with zero status benefits when I have status with Marriott; Hyatt’s footprint already makes staying with them a challenge. But if they’d given me a status match to globalist I would have done so.
In addition, I can't get Hyatt's credit card because of Chase's 5/24 rule. As someone relatively new to the US for work and having to move my credit products from Canada, it is not unreasonable that I've gotten 5 products in 2 years. Allowing Chase to impose that restriction is just another barrier to someone like me moving over from Marriott.
I've decided to spend my spare time building a portal to the alternate universe where Hyatt bought SPG.
I've decided to spend my spare time building a portal to the alternate universe where Hyatt bought SPG.
Have you considered reaching out to them in order to do a status challenge? They can be stingy with matches/challenges, but it never hurts to ask.
Mar 18, 2019, 9:19 pm
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
To be fair, you wouldn't have zero status the entire 60 night march to Globalist - you'd achieve Discoverist as early as 10 nights in (same benefit offered by Hyatt's credit card).
Have you considered reaching out to them in order to do a status challenge? They can be stingy with matches/challenges, but it never hurts to ask.
Have you considered reaching out to them in order to do a status challenge? They can be stingy with matches/challenges, but it never hurts to ask.
