Compensation for lounge closure?
 

I'm new to being a Globalist. Due to COVID, the Hyatt that I'm currently staying at have closed their lounge. They are providing me with a breakfast through Starbucks. With Marriott, I get a welcome gift at check-in. Does Hyatt offer a welcome gift at check-in and compensation for the lounge closure?

Welcome gifts should only be expected when booking through Prive’. Other than that they are pretty rare. You do get 2 Bottle Waters though.

With Hyatt Globalist you are entitled to Lounge Access OR Breakfast, but not both. Lounges usually provide some form of breakfast, but when one is closed you get breakfast at the restaurant or in your case Starbucks.

You may or may not receive 500 points per night in compensation for breakfast. I say may or may not because they are providing a Starbucks Breakfast rather than nothing at all. You’d see it on your stays when it posts.

Good morning! You’re up very early Matt!

I guess I’m still thinking with a Marriott mindset. Pre-COVID, I got welcome gift, breakfast, and lounge access. I thought I would get something similar.

The front desk rep assured me she was confident that all I would get is breakfast at Starbucks. Given what you’ve said, maybe I won’t escalate things further.

Yeah, just a bit.

As far as compensation it’s just a tough issue since many areas have forced restaurants to close. Just finished a weeklong stay at a JDV property no breakfast, no takeout, no Starbucks even just 500 points per night which definitely doesn’t cover Breakfast for 3 every day.

Assuming the usual cost of a hotel restaurant breakfast is about $30? If that's the case, could be quite the feast! Coffee, each kind of their sandwiches and a cookie?

lol that's pretty funny considering all Marriott benefit guarantees are suspended.

I would be grateful the property is providing a substitute breakfast benefit, not complaining about it. Marriotts are certainly not doing that.

Just based on my experience, 70 nights in 2020, most during COVID, spread across ten U.S. Hyatt hotels, most offered nothing; a coffee and breakfast sandwich at Starbucks would have been well above-average for the year. That said, offerings have improved to the point that a $15 credit is close to average my most recent experiences. Best I've seen is $30 at the gift shop take out or pre-order grab 'n go from a restaurant (GH D.C.)..

Ex-U.S. is an entirely different matter, both better and worse.

Haha, no. I wished! A menu is provided at check-in. There is a list of eligible items. Then pick 1 sandwich, hot drink, and a banana.

LOL...at least, there's a fruit.

I clarified that in the third post. It was pre-COVID.

You can't pick the fruit. Going by the menu prices, I'm getting roughly $10 in breakfast.

At the HR ORD, I got a welcome note from someone at the hotel a few days in advance, talking about their cleaning/safety procedures. I thanked him and asked if there was a substitute for the breakfast benefit due to the lounge closure - he had no problem offering up a daily credit at the coffee shop in the lobby. Very satisfied.

I might reach out to a hotel rep in advance and see what happens.

Ask front desk for alternative to Lounge closure. They can always say no. At the HRs that had Club Lounges, during COVID I would ask front desk if they offered something in lieu of evening appetizers at the Lounge. HR SFO offered 1 menu item plus drink at the Marketplace for evening which my wife and I used for salad and burger. HR Indianapolis offered a beverage per person at the bar which we used for wine. HR Jacksonville offered $30 voucher for the Marketplace to use for anything anytime. All were in addition to breakfast at the Starbucks/Marketplace. HR Monterey allowed me to have extra coffee whenever I wanted at the Marketplace in lieu of their previous coffee card after Lounge permanent closure a few years ago, so we would have coffee first thing in the morning, go walk on the beach and then have breakfast.

That's at least something lol

My experience in 2020 was different. In 50plus nights I had breakfast in the restaurant comp'd or a $20 voucher in the coffee shop in 100% of my stays as a Titanium.