I’m in Melbourne right now, and yesterday I stayed at the Park Hyatt, which was pretty stunning and a very decent Park Hyatt. Today, I’m at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne and when I checked in the Club Lounge, the “upgraded” room I received seemed very standard, both to me and a friend who was staying with me. Perhaps it was the higher expectation that was set coming from the Park Hyatt. Obviously, I know that the Park Hyatt a “step” higher than the Grand Hyatt, but the room I received seemed quite small, and not the upgrade that Hyatt Diamonds are supposed to receive, which is the best room category, not including suites (although suite upgrades sometimes do happen).
I don’t want to seem entitled (perhaps I seem like it) but I have no problem with requesting the rooms that the explicit terms & conditions of the loyalty program permit as a top-tier elite member.
So I tweeted Hyatt, with no expectation of anything except to clarify the issue. The resulting chain of events was very impressive. Hyatt on Twitter contacted the hotel for me, and then the assistant front office manager, Mahak, personally stopped by in the club lounge and resolved any questions I had. She in detail explained the different hotel categories and the upgrade process for Diamond guests while actually listening to my thoughts and being polite, genuine, and understanding. The chat we had was VERY impressive and much better than any standard form apology email/tweet/DM/letter that I’d think other hotel chains or properties *hem SPG hem* would give. Even though I do use points to maximize my travel dollar, I didn’t feel like a second-class guest and I was just extremely impressed by the way Hyatt addressed the issue.
I think at the end of the day while hotel properties can be stunning, it’s really the people that make your experience (very much similar to flights). The way Hyatt delivered in addressing the service matter was extremely impressive. They have one of the best elite programs, valuable points, a good selection of properties, which I’m just totally in love with.
Have you had similar experiences?
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Hi
You didnt mention the explaination they gave. What did they say?
Thanks
Robert
They said that because it was a business and slightly older hotel (although recently refurbished), the room categories available were fairly standard, and the deluxe rooms really pretty much similar layout to the standard ones, but just higher up and with better views.
So did they change your room?
No, since she explained how the non-suite categories were really similar.
So let me get this straight: you were dissatisfied with your room, but because as a blogger, you tweeted Hyatt and received attention almost immediately that addressed your concerns, even though you were not moved into a better room, that left you satisfied?
and for us who don’t have a blogger’s social media cache, what are we supposed to do? And is merely hearing your concerns but doing nothing about them realy satisfactory? To me, it just wastes my time when the situation stays the same.
If I want my concerns understood, I’ll visit my clergy.
First of all, let me be very clear that I didn’t feel in any way I received preferential treatment as a blogger. I mean Hyatt twitter might know I’m a blogger, but I think it’d be very weird and highly unlikely that when contacting the hotel, they’d say that Jeff’s a blogger and please treat him better…
Certainly, I think you’d get the same treatment from this property if you were a Diamond guest, which I was. The reason why I was so satisfied was exactly what you seem to not be okay with. While the FOM didn’t move us to the rooms, I felt very valued as a Diamond guest, and I think at the end of it her explanation made much more sense about why it didn’t feel like an upgrade (due to the room categories they had and the nature of the hotel).
Anyone can get twitter and Hyatt Diamond status, so I felt that it was very good service from the property and the chain, and that’s why I felt obliged to write about it.
So, the Park Hyatt Melbourne is where it’s at . . .?
Definitely, unless you use a DSU at the GH and secure a suite in advance. I believe the DSU suites at the PH aren’t that much better than the deluxe rooms, so it’s not worth using a DSU at the PH, imo.
Can you share the routing you used to get down under (airline, method of booking, etc)? I am always interested to see the different ways people get down there. Apologies if you shared this in a previous post and I missed it. Thanks!
See this post: http://canadiankilometers.boardingarea.com/2014/08/24/singapore-first-trifecta-booking/
Hi Jeff
I tend to agree somewhat with the other comments – if an upgrade is to be an upgrade is has to be an upgrade – not just a higher floor. Under the circumstances since the “upgrade” wasn’t anything special then the real upgrade would have been a suite.
Just finished a Hilton “mattress run” from Kelowna to St. John’s NFLD and stayed about 20 nights in various Hilton and IHG properties. The “upgrade” that I received as a Diamond varied from nothing to spectacular. One Hampton upgrade suite reminded me of a Conrad while other hotels stated they were full so gave the upgrade to someone else. The level or respect or loyalty appreciation seems to vary with the property. I would definitely avoid the Melbourne Grand Hyatt if I was a Hyatt loyalty member. Loyalty is reciprocal.
Thanks again for the Marriott Rewards Visa app info as I just received the 50K.
cheers
alan
The time I was Hyatt Diamond, didn’t think much of their upgrades. Hilton Diamond has meant suites most of the time. And Hilton Diamond is far easier to obtain if you do some CC spend.
That said, I am going to stay at the Park Hyatt Melbourne and Sydney next year as a Diamond, so will hopefully get some decent rooms.
Ummm, as travel blogger shouldn’t you have researched the room types and have known that a Club Room is indeed the same as a standard room, however is higher and has club access?
You also fail to extrapolate that the PH goes above and beyond providing Club Deluxe Rooms, essentially Junior Suites, to Diamond guests.
BTW, you come across as greedy,
Actually the Park Hyatt (Melbourne) gave me a Park Spa Deluxe, which was really an upgrade in addition to the club lounge access. Whereas, the GH upgraded rooms were pretty much exactly the same as the standard room, except on a higher floor with a better view.