Walked as a Globalist
 

Let me start out by saying that Hyatt Corporate handled the following situation quite well and I am broadly pleased with what ultimately shook out...but the underlying situation is still a mess.

This evening (around 8:30 PM), I booked a stay at the Hyatt Place Florence/Downtown. I'd hoped to do this one on points (it's a Category 1 hotel), but no points space was available (which I found odd and called in to do the reservation as a result) so I settled on a Cash+Points reservation. As a note, the "member rate" was $117 (not absurd) and the Cash+Points rate was about $64+2500 points...so there was no clear price signal of a hotel that was about to sell out. [Edit for clarification: Yes, this was booked via an official Hyatt channel (their call center), not through a third party.]

Upon arrival (just before 11:30 PM), I arrived at the hotel, only to be told that the hotel was sold out and that I would have to go to the Hotel Florence (on the neighboring block...a Hilton property) which would observe the rate. As it turns out, the two properties share ownership.

Suffice it to say, I was...less than pleased at this development and promptly called the Globalist number (yes, I'm a Globalist) rather than try to deal with things at the front desk. The initial CSR was quite surprised and escalated me to a supervisor, who was utterly flabbergasted. I noted to her that the website was still offering rooms for sale even though I had just been walked (she confirmed this). She took down some case information and promised to call me back (I gave her the go-ahead to do so despite the hour).

I got a call back; while they couldn't guarantee me having my status benefits honored (e.g. late checkout, which is a significant draw for me with a late-night arrival like this), they gave me 25,000 points as an apology gesture and did promise me that the night would credit as if I'd stayed at the main property (this is primarily relevant for me as far as the current Hyatt promo is concerned). I did make a note that the clerk at the Hilton had noted that both hotels were under shared ownership. Fortunately, I at least have a Hilton account, so the wifi is free, and the parking is free here as well (it was also free at the HP, but I was going to be a bit steamed if I had to shell out for parking as a result of the walk).

As I was walking to my room at the other property, I got a call from the Hyatt Place advising me that "due to a system glitch" they had no more rooms available (I confess that, given the circumstances, I found this to be hilarious). I rather suspect that the night auditor at the Hyatt Place had not had a fun previous half-hour.

I've taken this all in stride, but...boy was that "interesting".

Not to sounds snarky, but the summary is that a budget hotel you booked at last minute turned out to be sold out and you were given an equivalent room at a hotel around the corner. Ok, these things happen all the time.

Honestly, I wasn't in utter shock by the walk (I was surprised [there being no clear indication of a walk being probable, such as a stratospheric price...the award space bit seemed to be an odd artifact of a hotel getting cheeky with award space, but both King and Double Queen rooms were available] and annoyed, of course, but I think annoyance is a reasonable reaction given the net loss of elite benefits). I was shocked by the hotel still having space live on the website following the walk (since that removed the possibility of an inventory hiccup from my mind).

Well, Hotel IT leaves much to be desired!

I don't think the Globalist number can do much in these cases. They usually tend to act sympathetic and understanding, but if the property won't accommodate you, there's not much they can do.

It seems like the property handled the situation well. As for not seeing high prices, perhaps that is due to COVID-related price-gouging regulations? Or maybe it's just bad programming.

To me, it seems like the property may have tried to handle the situation poorly/cheaply/greedily.

Did the owner/management of the nearby HP and Hilton hotels find out that their HP hotel rooms were booking up more than their Hilton property rooms but that was fine with them because they can keep the money “all in the family” by taking as much Hyatt business as possible but at check-in shifting spillover demand to their other property with maybe different costs or a different business profile in terms of post-tax-adjusted outcome?

Is it typically possible to book a Points & Cash award if regular points availability doesn't exist (per the OP's experience)? That part also seems unusual to me.

-FlyerBeek

25000 points for a 5000 joint place. Sign me up.

That is exactly how it reads for me - they don't mark either property sold out until the other property is also sold out. Does Hilton have a guarantee like Marriott?

Exceptional compensation either way, nice job by corporate in my book. I'd book these on purpose if I could find them =p

No, this was NOT handled appropriately, at least by the hotel.

When you're walked, you're supposed to get that night free at the other hotel. The original property pays. This hotel turned a confirmed guest away, AND expected him to pay at the other hotel. The corporate compensation of 25K points is just a goodwill gesture.

I'm very glad you "named and shamed" this hotel.

To me, the elephant in the room was the fact that a Globalist got walked. At 11:30 PM. That is what would frost my fanny. Just my two cents.

I would not fault the hotel much, unlike most of the responses here.

Clearly this is a Hyatt glitch. Hotel knows its inventory. But it is not reflected in Hyatt system. OP booked the room through Hyatt call center, not directly through the hotel, at later than 8:PM the same night of stay. Hotel would not have known the new booking. Hotel controls the room inventory, not Hyatt.

I have had instances where hotels called or contacted me to inform that they could not accommodate my bookings because of various reasons:
1. Age of minor of the property, like caldera cliff
2. Government restriction and closure

Not very common, but not huge deal. I worked with Hyatt to resolve the issues and most often Hyatt will give something like 10,000 points. One time I received the cash reimbursement booking at another substitute property.

So I would not make this a huge deal of "the hotel walked a Hyatt Globalist". The hotel would have walked anyone, regardless Hyatt status. This was never on purpose and intentional. It was Hyatt's fault, not hotel's.

Hyatt knew it is its own system glitch. This is the reason they offered the compensation. 20,000 points for a 5,000 point room, at 11:30PM? I think Hyatt handled it well.

Glitch like this happens. Mistake happens too. I guess as Hyatt Globalist, we all expect much more. ;) There will be more Globalists next year.

I respectively beg to differ. If this were Elon Musk or whoever the "big shot" he is, who checked into a Hyatt cat-1 hotel at 11:30PM, If the hotel has no room at all, then they have to "walk" Elon. The hotel can't yank Jane and Joe from their bed and kick them out to the street....

The hotel did send the guest to another sister hotel one block away, probably with its free shuttle service. Then let Hyatt sort it out the mistake.

I think it was OP who talked the Hyatt call center into the cash+point booking. He received like 2.12 cpps redemption rate.

So...
(1) I only got the "we're out of space" call after I'd called Corporate. They weren't proactive on that.
(2) They apparently knew they were sold out circa 8pm but never cut off sales. Corporate had to intervene on that one and force them to cut off sales.
(3) Per the front desk at this hotel, there were multiple walks as a result. Not surprising, really, given all else...
(4) I didn't "talk the call center into" the redemption. The space was visible on the website for either cash or C&P. I just opted for a phone call.

What would you propose to do if all rooms are occupied?