Free Suites upgrade certificate or using GP points?
 

:) I will be stying in Taipei Grand Hyatt (book through hyatt.com with full prepayment) in May.

I have also got a free suites upgrade coupon (received as a welcome gift for joining the GP), but noted that they can only confirm at check in for the upgrade availability.

As I am a Diamond GP memebr, will it be better to try my luck at check in or is it better to spent 6000 GP points to guarantee a 4 days' suite upgrade and book in advance?

Any other way to confirm the free upgrade with the hotel directly BEFORE check in?

Thanks

The 6000 GP upgrade is a certif. is just like the one you have, which only works with avalibility. You can try calling the front desk manager.

With the GP-points suite upgrade you will get a CONFIRMED suite. (the above post is not correct).
However the Suite upgrade using GP-points cannot be used in combination with hyatt.com rates (most of the cases), but you have to book a high corp. or rack rate.

That is correct. Hyatt suite upgrades requires paying at least a "deluxe" rack to upgrade with points. However, individual properties may vary. I stayed at the Grand SF last week and I called the hotel directly to ask for a suite upgrade, I then asked GP to call the person at the hotel to "release" a suite for me, and then points were immediately pulled from my account. I was paying a Hyatt.com rate. :)

I suggest you e-mail the hotel directly, asking availability to use your suite upgrade certificate. If the hotel is customer friendly, it should respond promptly and confirm the suite if it has availability.

I used my suite upgrade certificate at Hyatt Regency Osaka by e-mailing the hotel asking for availability. Hotel replied in 2 days time and confirmed the suite upgrade. My reservation on hyatt.com also show the change of room description also. (from a regular room to an executive suite).

We checked in very late, like 9pm. Handed the certificate over to the check-in clerk. The suite was ready for us with welcoming amenity. (3 kinds of fresh fruits, banana, strawberry and grape, very nice).

hey, i'm also thinking about using my suite upgrade cert at the grand hyatt taipei. i called the hotel on monday and asked them to clarify a few things -

1) you'll be upgraded to a "grand" suite. i think they have about 35 of those rooms and was told that there's plenty of availability on the day of my reservation (may 5). the "grand" suite used to be called a "junior" suite. you can see a picture of it on the website.

2) they would not confirm it over the phone and told me that the upgrade is based on availability upon check-in.

3) eligible rate must be paid, as stated on the back of the cert

Is this the 6,000 GP or complimentary suite upgrade? Reason I'm asking is that I called the Diamond Desk, made a reservation for the Grand Hyatt Seoul and requested to use 6K points. They confirmed the upgrade to a Junior Suite (I though upgrades were to 1-bdrm suites?) and deducted the points from my account within 24 hours. Do I still need a certificate?

I also requested to use the 8,000 GP per-night for a free suite at the Hyatt Regency Osaka (24K total) and it was confirmed. Points were also deducted. Still need a cert?

BTW, how are the executive suites at the Hyatt Osaka - 2 twins or 1 king? Is it as spacious as they claim? Thanks

No, it is not the 6000 GP nor complimentary suite upgrade. It is obtained by an actual suite upgrade certificate with expiry date (mine was 5/31/04). Our initial booking is just a regular room.

They only need 8000 GP for a suite at Hyatt Regency Osaka ?! Hard to believe. If the Executive suite only costs 8000 GP, then it is a steal.

You need to make sure which kind of suite the 8000 GP is getting though - as they have some called Junior Suite which is not a true suite but a big corner room with living area. even that i think it is still a good deal.

What we got though was Executive Suite which there are only 4 of them according to their website. They have 2 more kinds of suites that are bigger, better than Executive suites - Presidential and Japanese - those I am sure would not be obtained via Certificate.

The Executive suite at Hyatt Regency Osaka is a REAL suite, about 900 sqft. We asked for 2 twins but I am sure if you prefer a king, they would accommodate. I believe they are all on 27th floor. We did not realize, but if you really want to have some nice night view (day view are universally bad - harbor and cargo dock) - that is, you can see the lighted up Fairy Wheel across the harbor, you need to ask at the desk to make sure. Our room faces some residential buildings and loading docks.

Regency club is on 26th floor. you can walk a flight of stairs down to the club.

The suite has a nice entrance hall, step into a living /dining combo room. It has a love seat (though the furniture in our room has stain on it, imho they should replace the cover), 2 padded chairs (not sofa chair) and a coffee table in between, makes up the living area.

The dining area has a round, marble top dining table for 4, with leather dining chairs. A buffet type thing is against the wall, in it you will find the refrigerator and plenty of drawers.

There is a sound system and a TV (not a flat panel one like in Park Hyatt Tokyo, just a regular flat screen TV) with lots of English channel. In fact only there we can watch CNBC which is not available in Park Hyatt Tokyo nor Century Hyatt Tokyo.

Separate bedroom, very spacious for two twin beds. another TV and credenza, desk and chair.

off the side is a small dressing area with a make-up table and chair, next to a walk-in closet.

bathroom can be entered from either the bedroom or the entrance hall. the shower, bathtub and one vanity is on the side of the bedroom. then the toilet, and another vanity area. you can close off the sliding door so you would have a 1/2 bathroom for your visitors, like at a home setting.

Oh, there is another small TV mounted INSIDE the wall just above the bathtub.

overall it is very spacious, comfortable, functional but not luxurious. the tone is in beige, black and dark green. you dont get a feeling of opulence at all, but you feel very comfortable.

Thanks, Happy! The hotel's PDF fact sheet shows 8 executive suites. The 8,000K GP points per night is confirmed for an Executive Suite. When I initially called, I asked to upgrade for 6,000 GP per night for three nights at a rate of 17,000 yen pn. The CSA told me that for 8,000 GP per night I could get the free suite for the three nights - no brainer, so I took the free suite.

Been to Osaka several times on business and stayed at the Hilton and New Otani. First time at the Hyatt. Taking the family, so the distance from central Osaka is no big deal. Wife is saving her shopping dollars for Korea - Tongademun and Namdaemun.