Kimpton silently changes free night expiration from 2 years to 1
Aug 4, 2013, 10:39 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: JFK > LGA >> EWR
Programs: AA EXP 1.2mm, Kimpton IC, Starwood Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,180
Kimpton silently changes free night expiration from 2 years to 1
Lame: Newly earned free night coupons expire after 1 year, rather than the previous 2 years. No notification of this change was provided, other than this buried within the terms and conditions:
Complimentary Night Rewards have a one-year expiration date (For all Complimentary Room Night Rewards posted before July 1, 2013, the previous two-year expiration date will be honored).
Aug 4, 2013, 6:24 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: AA Platinum Pro, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Exploralist, Marriot Silver
Posts: 2,065
Lame: Newly earned free night coupons expire after 1 year, rather than the previous 2 years. No notification of this change was provided, other than this buried within the terms and conditions:
Complimentary Night Rewards have a one-year expiration date (For all Complimentary Room Night Rewards posted before July 1, 2013, the previous two-year expiration date will be honored).
You know, the policy change itself doesn't bother me as much as the lack of advanced notice. Come on Kimpton, you're far better at customer relations than this move suggests!
Aug 4, 2013, 10:44 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: world
Programs: all
Posts: 1,422
I'm surprised Kimpton would do this without notice. they are generally the most customer friendly program
Aug 5, 2013, 5:51 am
#4
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Either at the shooting range or anywhere good beer can be found...
Posts: 51,047
The change doesn't bother me all that much, in part because the free nights earned prior to July 1 will still have the 2 year expiration date. It's not as if they said, "Effective July 1, all free nights expire within 1 year, so if you earned any over a year ago, they're wiped out now."
Aug 5, 2013, 2:55 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: JFK > LGA >> EWR
Programs: AA EXP 1.2mm, Kimpton IC, Starwood Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,180
Yeah, but it's still the sort of change that would be nice to notify people about. It's pretty random when you earn your rewards and whether you happen to earn them before or after the policy change.
Aug 5, 2013, 9:00 pm
#6
In memoriam
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Seattle WA
Programs: Kimpton IC, Hyatt Diamond, Gold Marriott, Lifetime Platinum Starwood
Posts: 8,665
Wow. Can't believe anybody would complain about Kimpton's generosity. I think that if you compare them against the other chains e.g., Starwood, Marriott, Hyatt, etc. you wouldn't say anything except "thank you!"
Aug 6, 2013, 12:48 am
#7
Join Date: Aug 2007
Programs: SPG, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG, Hilton, AS, AA, JL, HA
Posts: 232
Well, believe it. That is exactly the kind of surreptitious behavior that has driven many of us from some of those programs and into Kimpton's more welcoming arms. I agree that it's exceptionally lame, and quite a bit beneath Kimpton's usual standard of customer service. I think the one-year expiration is still quite reasonable, but I truly hope this isn't indicative of how Kimpton will be doing things going forward.
Aug 6, 2013, 5:52 am
#8
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Either at the shooting range or anywhere good beer can be found...
Posts: 51,047
It would have been nice for them to send an email, but who knows, maybe they had an email glitch.
Aug 8, 2013, 9:32 am
#9
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: world
Programs: all
Posts: 1,422
Its not about complaining. It actually the fact that such an amazing company like kimpton would make a change like this without notice. It is just not like them. Hope this is a one time event and not the start of a trend.....for Kimpton
Aug 8, 2013, 11:29 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2008
Location: WAS
Programs: AA Ex Plt
Posts: 1,630
Where did you see this? Is it on the Kimpton website? In an email?
Cheers -
Cheers -
Lame: Newly earned free night coupons expire after 1 year, rather than the previous 2 years. No notification of this change was provided, other than this buried within the terms and conditions:
Complimentary Night Rewards have a one-year expiration date (For all Complimentary Room Night Rewards posted before July 1, 2013, the previous two-year expiration date will be honored).
Aug 9, 2013, 12:41 am
#11
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: AA Platinum Pro, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Exploralist, Marriot Silver
Posts: 2,065
Aug 9, 2013, 6:27 am
#12
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 390
Interesting. I was on the phone with a Kimpton Customer Service Rep yesterday, and she informed me that free nights are good for 2 years. so I guess they haven't updated their employees yet...
Aug 9, 2013, 2:02 pm
#13
Join Date: May 2008
Location: WAS
Programs: AA Ex Plt
Posts: 1,630
Is there a Kimpton rep on FT that can explain this? (and the stealthiness of the change)
Aug 9, 2013, 6:47 pm
#14
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: world
Programs: all
Posts: 1,422
Kimpton silently changes free night expiration from 2 years to 1
There was a kimpton rep by the name of Maggie I think on the board
Dec 3, 2013, 5:01 pm
#15
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: 2011 Air: AA (Plat) UA (Prem); Hotel: HGP (Dia), HH (Dia), KIT (IC); Car: HZ (PC) AF
Posts: 688
Well, believe it. That is exactly the kind of surreptitious behavior that has driven many of us from some of those programs and into Kimpton's more welcoming arms. I agree that it's exceptionally lame, and quite a bit beneath Kimpton's usual standard of customer service. I think the one-year expiration is still quite reasonable, but I truly hope this isn't indicative of how Kimpton will be doing things going forward.
This would obviously seem to be their way of reigning in their generosity and limiting their liability.