thesilb

tfung, are you willing to share what kind of activity led to this level? I have spent from $15,000 to $60,000 a year at Hyatt for many years, with an average of probably $35,000 a year. I am wondering how much one has to spend to get to Courtesy Card level?

peteropny

I don't think its a spend level. I think the Courtesy Card is given out to individuals who own Hyatt flagged properties and certain super-VIPs who have the ability to direct other people (employees mostly) to stay at Hyatts (either property specific or chain-wide).

thesilb

OH, okay, got it. So I guess I need to fork out cash to open a Hyatt Place to get one

dcwies

The courtesy card doesn't look like much - its plain and green....but when you place that baby on the front desk and they bring up the reservation you would think Elvis just showed up. ITS AWESOME - my dad got the card back in the 70's as a divison sales manager he booked several large sales meetings at Hyatt's and they gave him and several other guys with the company the card as a thank you. They fella's didn't really know what they had at the time and no one kept up the travel to renew the card execept my dad. As my father was promoted (eventually to president of a division) he traveled a lot. To retain the card you have to stay a least eight nights a year at any Hyatt property. He's had the card for 35+ years, he's 73 and still travels. He's been around the world and I've been with him or stayed with him at many Hyatts. The suites can be incredible $1000 a night, $2000 a night from Hong Kong, Paris, New York, San Fran, Hawaii, and all points in between.

Your treated like a rock star by Hyatt...Lost of snacks, Food, Wine, Liquor, and other nice stuff when you check-in, all brought to the room. Usually the manager will come out and say hi, converse and may or may not walk you to the room - its crazy. All this for the lowest rate the hotel has going - might be $99 might be $150 but you darn near get your money back in comps and your in the NICEST suites in the hotel....not always but 80% of the time. He delt with the same dedicated special reservation person for 25 years and she made sure the hotels knew a VIP was coming. My dad is a regular guy who worked hard and acheived a lot of success but he is not a snob or elitest in any way so it never went to his head but he's had so much fun with it - what a way to travel your whole carreer.

Good story - He was with the same company for over 30 years - one time he was with the the chairman / and the son of the company founder (this is a large public company and these guys are ery vWEALTHY and used to being sucked up to) they all went to check in after flying into ???city by private company jet - the Hyatt manager comes out, the asst manager etc, and they fuss all over my dad like he was royalty - these guys egos were crushed and they couldn't understand why the hotel management was all over my dad when they were the big shots - my dad was embarresed and a little nervous so he never did it again when with higher level execs...love that story. Looking back he knows how lucky he was - right place right time right job.... He has a lot of great stories and experiances due to that little green card. From what Dad's been told they stoped giving them out a while back and its ultra select to get one now. As the one's that have them fall off the list that's it. The list of the courtesy card holders is like top secret too - only the highest Hyatt execs know who's on it or have access to it. Anyway, hope this was informative.

best

Great first post. Anyone else about how to get one of this cards?

SanDiego1K

dcwies, welcome! What a fascinating post - and from an adult who obviously thinks his dad is terrific. Nice.

GUWonder

Take private a publicly-traded REIT with several Hyatt properties in it, then make sure to try to be the controlling shareholder, and then claim losses incurred in more recent years operations to get back tax payments made on gains from years ago? Why can't ordinary people like myself ever get in on such action.

m0hamed

As someone who worked at the PH Sydney in a previous life, I was trained that courtesy cards are distributed by the family own Hyatt, and individual property owners.

CDG 1K

Just received a courtesy card today in a Fedex package along with a bathrobe. I was very surprised since I read on FT that these cards were only given to hotel owners or friends of the Pritzkers.
I'm not sure how I've qualified for it but I have been a diamond member for 5 years with about anywhere between 90 and 110 nights a year at hyatts primarily in Park Hyatt or Grand Hyatt in Asia. The welcome letter said that it was by invitation only and renewal was subject to an annual review.
The card is good until 2/12 so I'll have plenty occasions to try it out!

mileageking

Wow, congrats CDG 1K! ^

peteropny

+1 - I'm being nosy but was wondering if perhaps you are responsible for directing stays from your company to Hyatt? It sounds like they've expanded the program though - either to those who are responsible for directing "lots" of stays to Hyatt or a spend level.

WAAAAH - I want one

zacktravel

I want one, too! Is it a nice robe? Maybe I need to befriend a Pritzker or something

FD1971

90-110 nights/year at international Park&Grand Hyatt properties is serious business... ^

JonathanIT

I've been a Hyatt Diamond for a couple years, and My Dad has been a Hyatt Diamond for a lot longer (I'm not sure how many years). He just doesn't pay attention to details about his loyalty programs and FF (UA) accounts, so I have taken over managing most of them for him...

Well, I just signed into his HGP account and he made Courtesy Card status!! I was thrown at first because the top of his account page is now green (where Diamonds are black).

He does NOT own any Hyatt hotels, nor does he pal around with anyone named Pritzker. lol

He travels for work, about 10-12 weeks a year is spent in Hyatt hotels, usually in SF. Maybe his job title had to do with it... he is a Federal Government employee, but has a fairly prestigious position in his branch, (by Presidential appointment; confirmed by the Senate). But then again, he has had the same position for over 10 years. Why now?

And his influence over other government travel is negligible (his staff occasionally travels with him, but that's it).

It's exciting news for him, although I don't think he's going to care much quite frankly. lol

tfung

2 people on FT getting courtesy card within the same week.. Perhaps they are starting to give them out more generously now?