Rumeli

I hope that my request is not misunderstood and it does not sound like begging.

I will be using my free night at HP/SS Diamond award in Florida and wonder whether anybody who does not intend to use the free night would agree to gift their unused free night . This way I can stay two nights back to back in the same place.
I believe this can be done by adding me as "additional guest" to the second night.
If nothing else, the gift-giver may earn 500 GP Points as Diamond Amenity (YMMV based on the previous comments) and of course my family's blessings.
I am hopeful that GP members in Australia, Asia and some parts of Europe may agree to do this since there is no HP/SS hotels in those areas and the free night will go unused.
I read some post that checking in as an additional guest is doable but if it is going to cause some concerns than it is not worth it to force the issue.

My wife's aunt had a stroke recently and she is facing some other family issues overseas. I am desperately trying to add some Holiday cheer to our life.

Please PM me if you can help. Thank you in advance and Happy Holidays!

R

shbl

The HP/SS awards may be transferable. Read the T&C below, it does NOT specify it is NOT Transferable as other T&C (like NBT/FFN):

Terms of Award

Member will receive one free night award at Hyatt Place or Hyatt Summerfield Suites valid 5/1/2009 to 12/31/2009. Free night award will be posted to your My Promotional Awards and can be redeemed by signing in to your Hyatt Gold Passport account via goldpassport.com or by calling 800 228 3360 or your nearest Worldwide Reservation Center. All hotel reservations are subject to availability and must be made in advance. Offer is not valid with groups/conventions and may not be combined with other promotional offers. Free night award is valid for standard guest room accommodations. Free night does not include service or incidental charges. Additional guests may be subject to additional hotel charges. Promotional blackout periods may apply due to seasonal periods or special events, and normal arrival/departure restrictions apply. Hyatt reserves the right to alter or withdraw this program at any time without notice. Hyatt Hotels & Resorts™ encompasses hotels
managed, franchised or leased by subsidiaries and affiliates of Hyatt Hotels Corporation. The trademarks Hyatt™, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts™, Hyatt Place™, Hyatt Summerfield Suites™, Hyatt Gold Passport™, and related marks are trademarks of Hyatt Corporation. © 2009 Hyatt Corporation. All rights reserved.

BAGoldBoy

So we booked a number of stays in the US to secure Diamond membership for another year. I recieved the HP free stay so cancelled an existing stay to use the free night.

During the stay we didn't buy any incidentals as to be honest there isn't much worth buying at HP. The stay didn't post so phoned GP and was told that an award stay doesn't count as a stay unless there are incidental charges. Can't find anything in the GP T&C's so now sitting at 24 stays

Does anyone know if this is true? The alternative is to spend over $300 on a stay in London tomorrow Should never have cancelled my $80 HP stay

thc

Award stays usually don't count for any stay credit whether you charge incidentals or not. I'm surprised that GP told you that the award stay would count as a credit even with incidentals. But perhaps this award was different than a regular award with points. Anyhow, usually award stays don't count for any stay credit.

crystak

Unfortunately I don't think you will get stay credit for that. Maybe if you call GP they would be willing to extend you the diamond membership with 24 stays?

Alternatively, the Hyatt in Birmingham has rooms at 109 GBP (at 0% tax) for tomorrow if you can take the time to drive/ take the train .

BAGoldBoy

I know but it's a 4-5 hour round trip even without snow! I can't believe I was so stupid not to realise that an award stay wouldn't count if we didn't spend anything

And of course I didn't get the extra 3,500 points either so I lost every way

Mary2e

Whomever told you this was incredibly wrong. Award stays of any kind do not earn stay credit - even if you have incidentals.

There have been reports of it happening, but it is rare - and a mistake.

Firewind

The way things have been going this year, if they're 24 actual stays, not the result of a "lite" promotion, I think the odds are very good that you'd get it. Now would be the best time to call. And this would be a good one for multiple calls, seems to me. I'll bet there are a lot of "Lites" who have a lot fewer actual stays. If you explain your plight as you have here, it's too late to give you a challenge, and I don't think a CSR is likely to make you do that last expensive stay. Hope I'm not giving you false hope.

As to award stays counting, this is one area in which Hyatt is at a competitive disadvantage. Time was when GP did count them. (I was actually astonished to learn that.) Then they weren't supposed to, but some snuck through. That was years ago. Haven't heard of any mistakes at all for years.

BAGoldBoy

Thanks Firewind - phoned GP and they told me they are doing manual upgrades for 24 stays in February. He couldn't promise me that I would get a Diamond renewal but as I have been a member for 18 years he wouldn't hesitate to do so. I will have to phone again and beg in February.

As for award stays I have only previously used them at the PH Sydney and they have always posted as a stay

holtju2

You have been member for 18 years and only redeemed for PH Sydney? Award stays very rarely post as a qualifying stays. My several stays at that property has never posted as one (I have received points for the incidentals).

BAGoldBoy

Yep, the rates at PH Sydney make it a good use of points. Am saving my other Hyatt and Hilton points for a planned RTW vacation in a few years