jarodmc

Recently completed a one week stay at PH St Kitts on points and wondering if anyone else has run into this issue. We used a suite upgrade award to an ocean view suite and the hotel offered an upgrade to the bilevel penthouse suite for a total of ~$3300 for the length of the stay. Substantial upgrade so we paid the difference prior to arrival, and then on arrival had them refund the charge from the first card I used and put it on our world of Hyatt card instead. The hotel is saying this is not points earning eligible spend, initially saying that paid upgrades aren’t eligible, and then when I forcefully pushed back they sent the following, suggesting that it’s because of the suite upgrade award and that this is a central Hyatt policy:

”We do want to thank you for your continued loyalty with world of Hyatt and as a Globalist. Unfortunately, the money spent for any room upgrade are recorded as eligible spent or for base points because you are already received qualifying night for the stay. This is not the policy of Park Hyatt St. Kitts but a global rule of world of Hyatt for anyone using suite upgrade award on their reservation.”

This makes no sense to me, and I can’t see anything to this effect in the program terms and conditions. I have an email out to my concierge, but I’m getting a little irritated at having to dig to get credit for $3k I paid directly to the hotel for actual lodging costs, upgrade or not…

platbrownguy

Hopefully you get the points but in the future I would never recommend asking the property first. My personal take is that properties that undercredit points may do so pursuant to unsavory policies -- and my concierge has always done great about getting me missing points (including in situations like yours where I paid an upcharge and didn't initially get credit). So I would recommend just reaching out to your concierge first instead of the hotel, if you find you were shorted points.

josephstern

This has happened to me a few times - and I always get it fixed.

But I’m starting to think we should start a name-and-shame list. The whole idea of trying to screw us out of our points is seriously obnoxious.

DealDetective

I just encountered a similar situation for the first time on an award stay. I booked on points and at check-in was offered a very nice upgrade that cost $2,400 for my stay. Before agreeing to pay it, I specifically asked whether the upgrade fee would earn WOH points and was assured it would. At check-out, the eligible spend didn't match anything on my folio, and was far short of the upgrade fees. Nobody at the front desk could figure it out, but I was assured it would post correctly after I checked out. Of course it didn't, and after 3 weeks of ignored emails, I finally got the attention of someone who determined that they had misinformed me because award stays can only earn stay credit, but not points, regardless of the cash amounts paid. As a courtesy, they agreed to give me the points. I think this is short-sighted on Hyatt's part because I won't pay cash for an upgrade ever again!

josephstern

And those points they "gave" you probably don't count as base points for your annual qualification or your lifetime qualification. If that's the case and it's recent, you might want to push back some more.

jarodmc

I would push to make sure you get base points until you are blue in the face. I will be doing the same. It’s money paid directly to the hotel. Denying points for such expenditures is cheapskate behavior and they can’t point to a written policy justifying it, because it doesn’t exist. Annoying, to say the least.

jarodmc

As an update, while awaiting email reply from my globalist concierge, I tweeted the Hyatt Concierge twitter handle and got this nonsense reply:

”Hi I'd be happy to assist you, thank you for your loyalty as a Globalist! 🌐 Per your reservations, you would have only received tier credit. For the dollar amount you paid for your room upgrade, you will receive your bonus points earned via the credit card spend after the end of your billing cycle! 🙂 Please reach out to us if you need anything else. Thank you for being a loyal Globalist!”

Obviously I’ll receive credit card bonus, that’s such a deflection and not the issue. I would receive credit card bonus for any folio spend even if not points earning eligible, such as alcohol, taxes etc. They are trying to avoid giving any tier or base points. Already emailing consumer affairs. Total slap in the face with the amount we spend on Hyatt each year.

Tonyr4

I've paid to upgrade to better suites a number of times, at heavily discounted rates during check in, and I don't ever remember getting points for the paid upgrade portion of the bill. Getting the big discount was the benefit.

I just did it this weekend at the Hyatt Regency Boston which moved us to the presidential suite. I'll double check when the bill is finalized but have zero expectations of getting the points on the large discounted upgrade rate. Being thrilled with a great room was enough for me as I would have paid triple the rate for the room we stayed in under normal circumstances.

59Impala

According to my understanding, OP has purchased a "package" on site, which includes a cash upgrade to a better room.
Such packages can be excluded from earning points as per the T&C

those who received points after complaining were lucky and such posting of the points was based on goodwill.
That is my understanding. (i am not a lawyer : )

stvr

So it seems like best practice is to go

paid rate —> suite upgrade award —> cash co-pay

noted.

jarodmc

I guess I’m not sure how Hyatt chooses to define “package”, but this was purchased before our stay. After booking I inquired about the cost to upgrade to a premium suite, and they provided me with a list of room types and cash rates to upgrade to said rooms. We purchased that prior to arrival, then on arrival I had them transfer the charge over to the card we’d be using for the stay. Based on a broad interpretation of the wording in the T&C quote, Hyatt simply could be making the decision to never provide points for paid cash upgrades. If that’s the case I don’t know why anyone with loyalty would ever pay for an upgrade (unless one makes the personal decision that the deal is just too good to pass up). Either way, still feels devious to deny points for such an expenditure when the policy itself is highly vague. Just my two cents.

Tonyr4

Listen, I don't like the fact that alcohol purchases don't count as qualifying spend but it is what it is.

jarodmc

Agree, but at least that policy is pretty clearly stated.

59Impala

I agree with you, very vague and I would not go for paid upgrades either.
Best would be to have in writing prior to booking the upgrade, that the cash portion would earn points.
I do not understand either, why such an upgrade should not be an eligible incidential spend.
This also means, that actually you never know what incidential really is eligible (i.e. cabana rental --"ah no, operated by a third party", etc).

beachfan

I’ve find this more than a few times. Almost never posts correctly, my concierge ALWAYS fixes it. As I am close to lifetime glob, having the dollars count is as important as the points.

very disappointed to hear twitter response. Do you have a personal concierge?

A review of the t&cs (updated March 1) is not comforting. It takes about eligible rates ( need to be published) and eligible incidental charges (resort fee), but not upgrade fees.

https://help.hyatt.com/en/hyatt-term...rms_tberfooter