toomanybooks

Couldn’t find this by searching. Could not figure out the right keywords.

Does anyone have a sense as to whether you are more likely to get special treatment at checkin, including upgrade to a suite or a better suite, depending on whether you are paying cash vs. using points or a free night?

Does it seem to vary by property or category or anything similar? Or is it just up to the whims of the front desk clerk? Thanks.

jameswes

Personal experience is that it doesn't really matter how you paid. Booking via Prive/Globalist/Guest of Honor matters more than whether you paid with CC/points.

My recommendation is that if a suite/better room/ is important or desirable for you on a specific stay, reach out to the hotel in advance (email to the GM or call the front desk at the beginning of the day before check-in) to say what it is you would like. Be gracious and willing to accept "no", but saying things like "I'm traveling with family and it looks like suite ABC is available for my stay and I would really appreciate the extra space as we stay at your hotel to vacation. If you could provide an upgrade to that room that would be fantastic. Thanks!". If you don't get it in advance, just mention the same thing at check-in. Between the two as a globalist I've been able to get a suite (or nicer room/suite) when it was important to me most of the time. Obviously, I apply a TSU when available as well, but that's not always an option.

If you don't have globalist status, I would highly recommend booking with points through a friend with globalist or booking with Prive using $$ using a travel agent.

MSPeconomist

Do you currently have Hyatt status? There's nothing indicated under your username, but IIRC you were a Glob about a year or two ago.

Officially it shouldn't matter, but unofficially paying a high rate with money should give some priority, as would Prive/Virtuoso/FHR bookings for certain benefits (check their T&Cs) and special treatment. Another idea would be to reserve a room slightly above base level, at a slightly higher rate of course, or perhaps some sort of a package with luxury goodies included if that would make sense otherwise for you.

IME being a repeat guest can matter more.

lsquare

I think that’s the keyword. I’m currently just an Explorist, but despite repeat stays with Hyatt Regency Vancouver, I’ve been denied an upgrade to a suite every single time so far.

MSPeconomist

Have you had Glob status during those stays? Your signature at the bottom of your post says that you're an Explorist with WOH and the information to the left of your post below your username suggests that you have no Hyatt status. If this is true, you wouldn't be entitled to an upgrade.

lsquare

Nope.

toomanybooks

I am Globalist.

writerguyfl

Okay, this is really getting into the minutiae of how hotel operate. And while I haven't worked at a Hyatt, the following is how other chains operate. It's possible that Hyatt does things differently (although I kind of doubt it because it's mostly based on common sense).

There are two reasons why hotels always want their premium rooms to have a higher Average Daily Rate (ADR) when compared to standard rooms. The first reason is that hotel owners like seeing that those rooms are earning X dollars more than standard rooms on the daily reports. The higher the rate, the easier it is for owners to justify the cost to keep those rooms as well as the services (aka labor) necessary to provide an upgraded experience.

The second reason why it's desirable to have a higher rate in premium rooms is that any corporate-issued upgrade instruments (like chain-wide free-night certificates for a particularly dismal stay at another property) get reimbursed at the ADR of the upgraded room type.

As such, if there's a choice between a cash booking and a points one, the cash reservation is going to get a slight advantage. And I want to emphasize the "slight" part. Neither of a reasons listed above are consequential. Regardless of who gets upgraded, the total revenue for the night isn't going to change (nor are the labor costs, for that matter). And those corporate-issued upgrades are rare enough that they aren't much of a factor, to be honest.

Here's the huge caveat: A normal Front Desk representative doesn't know any of the above. They are only trained to follow the rules set in the Terms and Conditions of the chain's frequent guest program as well as any upgrade procedures at their hotel. That's why I described all of this as minutiae.

To me, this is the most important factor at play here:

Pretty much every decently-run hotel on the planet will prioritize repeat guests of their hotel over anyone else in terms of a tie-breaker for an upgrade.

It's probably worth noting that Front Desk staff does have a good deal of authority when it comes to room assignments and upgrades at most hotels. And even if an upgrade isn't available, all rooms within a certain category might not be equal. As long as they aren't new, the Front Desk clerk will probably know room X is near the kitchen exhaust unit, room Y overlooks the loading dock, but room Z has a 60% ocean-view even though it's categorized as a standard room.

So, treating the Front Desk with respect (as you should any service worker) is likely to be beneficial.

Hint for Frequent Guests of a Specific Hotel: If you get upgraded (or the Front Desk representative places you in a "nicer" room within the category booked), taking the time to return to the Front Desk to say a simple "Thank you, the room you gave me is great" can be beneficial. Front Desk representatives will remember you the next time you return. And an above-average representative will make a positive note in your account.

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TL;DR: Cash booking get the slight edge over points reservations. Being a repeat guest at the hotel is probably far more important.

zhaofa90

Then I don't think it should be that surprising to be denied suite upgrades. Otherwise that would seriously dilute the value of Globalist status.

Colin

why should a manager give away for free a product he’s selling? that’s some real chutzpah to request and i’d be tempted to assign the parking lot view room with a DNM too.

a sane upgrade request has a basis for doing so - Prive rate plan, service recovery related to a past stay.

lsquare

That guy was saying repeat visits should help and I was just telling him my experience so far.

zhaofa90

We may be interpreting it differently. I read it as if a hotel has 10 suite upgrades available and 15 globalists, repeat guests can have priority over non-repeat guests.

I doubt that it would be enough to supersede WoH program rules, but then again there are some big spenders out there without status.

lsquare

At the time I was there and even on my last visit, occupancy was like less than 20%. I'm currently 26 nights away from Globalist status. We'll see what happens in the future.

Matt4200

I agree, I was an Explorist and have stayed for Birthday and Anniversary the best upgrade received was to a “Deluxe” Room, never received a Suite Upgrade as less than a Globalist. Those were the only two times I’ve asked at the Front Desk. Didn’t specifically ask for a Suite though, just mentioned we were staying for my Birthday or our Anniversary and if they happened to have any upgrades available. I do know Suites were available on both stays, but not going to directly ask for it if I’m a non-Globalist as I think that’s going too far. But it did motivate me to make it to Globalist for future special occasions so there’s that

I have noticed in the WOH T&C thats they mention “Suite Free Night Awards”. I’m assuming this is the service recovery stay you’re referring to that has an automatic Suite Upgrade? This term seems to differ from the General Free Night Awards and Suite Upgrade Awards, though I’ve never actually heard of anyone receiving one. If someone has a very poor experience at a property all of heard of is points as compensation, and even that is hard to come by. Is there really such a thing with Hyatt as a Free Night with auto-Suite Upgrade as service recovery?

sensei

A “suite free night award” is simply a point redemption for a standard or premium suite at the published point rates. Anyone can book one.