nexusCFX

Even Hyatt knows everything below Globalist is pointless, which is why they don't bother to shut down the infinite M-Life matching loop for Explorist. Also yes, I asked. No match or challenge. Unless I have something comparable to my current status why should I give Hyatt 10K of hotel spend, especially with reduced earnings because I can't get their credit card. I already have 60 nights booked for this year and no plans to change any of them. I'm begging Hyatt to take my money but being told no. I just got back from ten paid nights in Japan which all provided amazing upgrades, lounge, breakfast, etc. I would have happily stayed at the Andaz Tokyo instead if I had similar benefits.

This. The lost earnings in points is substantial, and I'm visiting some places that have no Hyatt hotels or non-competitive ones (Osaka) so the EQN from the CC would be huge for me.

swag

I'll say this. The Marriott forum is littered with complaints about elite benefits failures. Upgrades denied, late checkout denied. The Marriott breakfast benefit is highly complex (check that thread out!) with the ~30 brands landing into 6 categories of benefits, except some brands split across 2 categories, and even at the lowest category, a $10 credit that can be used by buy packaged goods, some hotels are failing to meet even those terms.

It's terrific if your experience has been consistently positive, but I'll disagree with an earlier poster that it's just luck. I think there's a wide variance across geographic regions, and also still variance between legacy Starwood brands and legacy Marriott brands. So if your stays to date are typical of your stays going forward, sticking with Marriott may work well for you. Just don't be surprised if the domestic Marriott doesn't treat you as well as the Asian Starwoods have.

iflyjetz

Seriously? You haven't read the threads here where posters go berserk any time Hyatt comps or shortcuts some group to Glob? Every. Single. Time. See this American/Hyatt thread for the latest rants: Hyatt and American Airlines announce enhanced loyalty benefits
They seem to think that new blood into the program will deprive them of suites and even food/drink in the lounges. Meanwhile, they ignore the fact that in order for Hyatt to grow its footprint, it requires additional members. I find it very humorous to watch.

spgplat21

Hyatt is still a great program, but as more and more properties shift their standard suites to junior suites (or larger rooms) its starting to become a real issue for me. TSUs have always been the largest benefit to me, along with the typical no haggle breakfast benefit, but the last 4 or 5 times I've had the need to use them for a trip, it would have been a complete waste. The Andaz Wall Street, Andaz Scottsdale, Eliza Jane, Royal Palms, PH NYC and Driskill upgrade options were either complete jokes or non-existent. I know there are still a lot of great TSU options, but it seems like the options overall get slightly worse each year.

UA-NYC

Total non-sequitur - big difference between a challenge (where you have to put sweat equity & dollars into it) vs. a giveaway for a population that doesn't have any reciprocity

NJNY

I re-read the OP and s/he lists the Bonvoy customer service phone number at the start of the post. I don't think that would be the first thing I would think of, were I to share thoughts like this. Definitely seems like it was written by a Marriott employee!

UA-NYC

Marriott needs any and all positive publicity they can get at this point...so wouldn't be surprised if they have sleeper agents and/or basically paid advertisers (TPG) for the program now

hockeyinsider

This ↑↑↑↑↑

100%.

The person who started this thread has only posted 5 times on FlyerTalk in 10 years. Until her or his 4 posts bashing Hyatt, the last post was 10 years ago in 2009. And back then, it was linking to a promotion for Virgin America.

This is very, very suspect.

I wonder if moderators can do an IP address search to see if it the IP address traces back to Omaha, Austin or Bethesda.

jn in ca

In what probably qualifies as the trollingest thread of trolls I have ever seen on FT, that comment may qualify as the trollingest.

I get it, you want to sling some mud with the rest of the mudslingers, but I take it you have never had anything to do with pitching and/or constructing brands. Adding some airline frequent flyers will not convince one single potential developer to build another Hyatt. Not one.

If there is anything that I am convinced the AA deal is not about, it is not about Hyatt being unable to find developers.

SHLTP

I can't even find a marriott CS phone # on my app aside from a US number (and I spend less than 30 days a year there). Suspect indeed

VegasGambler

Having an good customer base of high-spending customers might convince some more hotels to join the Hyatt brand. It's not all about building new hotels. Eg, the Parker NY. It's not a new hotel, but it's new to Hyatt.

The only new thing about this Hyatt / CK thing is that they publicized it. They should have just sent emails to CKs ("click here for instant globalist status") like they have done for M-life Noirs in the past and there would not be all this uproar.

Every loyalty program partnership is about expanding customer base, particularly to high-level spenders. WoH is not there to cater to the people who mattress run at HP for $69/night.

Personally, I think that Hyatt should add a base pt minimum for globalist, because the status is too valuable to give away for credit card activity and low-priced stays. All this tweaking of 55 vs 60 nights/year is a waste of time. Just add a 40k base pt minimum (in addition to the other requirements) and be done with it. Everyone else should be happy with some non-suite upgrades and 4 club certs/year, because it's still more than any other program will give them for that amount of spend. The airlines have already figured this out... eventually the hotel chains will, as well.