So last year I tested out Hyatt a few times when I got in on the free Diamond Match when they decided to go after SPG elites and convince them to change their loyalty to the much much much smaller footprint of hotels worldwide. I had a number of stays and everything was either fine or even a bit better than fine. Then things got nasty.
As everyone knows (or should know) Hyatt decided to decimate the program. I mean, gut it to the point of worthlessness EVEN for those who are top elites. They are trying to sell you on the fact that it has become something wiz-bang-special and much more than “just” an elite program. For most, the high point of the program is this:
Yep! As anyone but a top tier elite stupidly called Globalist you can basically look forward to a bottle of high quality H20 as your perk. That is why in a rather blistering talk at the recent FTU my friend, @laptoptravel coined the term #WorldOfH20 or even the much harsher #WaterBoardist level to mean anyone under what was once simply called Diamond.
Basically all the things you cherished before as a Diamond will cost you a HUGE fortune to get as a Globalist. Even then, forget about being able to pick points as your reward for your stay. And breakfast is reduced even for top elites and club access for me as a WaterBoardist, sorry, Explorist is limited per year. Thanks, Hyatt. You are soooooo driving me to want to live my life at your hotels.
The really funny part, after all these horrid changes and devaluations, they have the nerve to send out the above to me asking me to vote for Hyatt for the Freddie Awards. Here is a hint Hyatt, those awards go to those who reward loyalty not those who crush it!
It was a harsh day to see my cherished #SPGlife status drop from Platinum to Gold this week, then again it will soon be absorbed into Marriott that I care not about so I am really fine with it. My IHG Platinum is now short of another equally stupid name of “Spire” elite that I need to get into clubs at most hotels even though the CHASE mailer promised it to me (ruh roh, legal department).
Ya know hotels are chasing airlines down the destroy loyalty toilet more and more and free agency is what has resulted for me for my hotel stays. If Delta is not careful soon that will also be my plan for flying and my latest AA 1st class flight was really not half bad. More about that in a post later this week! – René
Enjoy a free anniversary night each year (upon card renewal) and an automatic upgrade to World of Hyatt Discoverist status with the World of Hyatt credit card!
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Couldn’t agree more. I completed a Diamond challenge 3 months ago and Hyatt emailed me two weeks prior to migration to Globalist that the status challenge was being rescinded as they claim I never should’ve been offered it in the first place by one of their representatives. Essentially they take my money and then say too bad. I escalated it as far as I could and got a measly 15,000 points and the all-exciting Explorist status. It’s a shame because I enjoyed all my Hyatt stays but the way I was treated by management is unacceptable. Good riddance Hyatt.
“Basically all the things you cherished before as a Diamond will cost you a HUGE fortune to get as a Globalist”
Not really, the suite upgrades are still present and actually expanded now which is where I derived the vast majority of value. Club lounge access remains as well. The program is still far superior to IHG, Hilton, or Marriott
LOL!!!! Loved the name “Hyatt WhoCares-ist”. That is exactly how I feel about Hyatt after they decided to gamble with their loyalty program. 60 nights needed to get the top elite status? Really??? Unless you are a consultant that has a project based on a city that has a Hyatt property that is basically insane of any person with a real life. And what I mean by real life is not that 60 nights is impossible (well, that is a lot of nights to spend outside your house if you have a family) but Hyatt’s very poor footprint of properties does not allow someone that is “GLOBAL” like their elite status name says to only stay at Hyatt properties since they are mostly non existent. Anyway, Hyatt won’t see my face in any of their properties on a paid rate. I can use points to stay at their properties but they won’t see a penny from me. I am focusing all my hotel stays at SPG properties where a 25 stays is attainable for someone that works but has a normal life.
There are many many long time Hyatt FT look myself that prefer Hyatt these days especially internationally.
What you failed to mention that Marriott is 75 nights, and SPG as it is merged in will follow, Hilton is how many ? IGH is how many?
So I am trying out the new Globalist level and I’ve got to say that I’ve noticed a positive difference so far (compared to the old Diamond status).
The difference is mainly in attitude/treatment from staff at check-in, and more importantly suite upgrades. I’m writing this from a property where i used to never get suite upgrades unless I used one of my four Diamond suite upgrade certificates. This time I’m in a suite (without using a certificate).
I’ll also be using my 4 pm checkout today which is very helpful.
The real question is whether or not I can make the 60 nights this year to requalify (i thought it would be 55 but it will be 60). I admit that will take some effort!
IHG excel at promising what they do not deliver! In November last year on a message personal to me after I had logged in to my Spire account they told me that if I got 10,000 Elite Qualifying Points by the end of the year my status would continue thru 2017. I quite reasonably thought that was a good deal, on my password protected own home IHG Priority Club page, and made sure I got another 10,000 points. Guess what – at the end of January I was demoted to Platinum. No amount of trying can persuade them to stand by their word.
It’s not a deval at all, it’s a huge huge upgrade for only 5-10 nights more. I’m not sure if you actually read it. No resort fees, unlimited space avail upgrades to very expensive suites, positive upgrades on booking to suites 4+ times a year up to suites. Free parking (can be $50 per night in some cities) and a lot more.
There’s a reason for top tier programs we EARN it by volume and loyalty, not a freebie match or credit card spend. And for those that ran to SPG later this year you will be waking up and smelling the coffee on your 25 stays as Marriott fully takes over which is also fine with me as I am a LFT PLT with Marriott and yes I paid for those rooms as I do now with Hyatt. Might sound old fashion to many
And by the by I agree with Phil I have noticed an improvement and 14 for 14 on suites since 1/1/17
@Ghostider5408: For now, 25 STAYS at a SPG property gives you their top elite status. You can get really decent elite status from Hilton and IHG by just having a credit card. Hyatt? You need to spend 60 nights in their hotels of $50,000 on their credit card.
@Brian Paull –
I beg to differ. You state “Club lounge access remains as well.” To René’s point he is referring to the point that these benefits “will cost you a HUGE fortune to get as a Globalist” Going forward what costs (at a minimum in 2016 qualification year) 25 stays, now in the 2017 qualification year cost a minimum of 60 nights. Factor that into real dollars.
For everyone consider the loss of welcome amenity points (500 at Hyatt Place or Hyatt House, 1,000 points at other properties), the loss of breakfast benefits for up to four adults (now only two adults), plus loss of lounge access (save four ‘passes’) for Explorists.
Another stinging point is current ‘Diamond’ elites will be dropped TWO elite levels; from Top Tier (would be Globalist) to Discoverist because 25 stays (for previous Diamond) equates to Discoverist status.
Stay 59 nights and every day your only amenity (other than Wi-Fi) is a bottle of water; hence the #WorldofH2O”
Chase Hyatt credit cardholders get no stay/night credit for holding the card.
Are the costs of increases nights from 25 (stays) to 60 worth the benefits? Not by a long shot.
Are the Hyatts showing improved guest service right now with the roll-out of ‘World of Hyatt’ ? Absolutely! They are in the fight of their life!
As a point of comparison, many savvy travelers seeking a chain with a larger footprint at affordable costs should look to Hilton Honors.
Hilton’s top-tier status is earned after 30 stays, 60 nights, or 120,000 base points ($12,000 in spending). You can also earn Diamond status by spending $40,000 in a calendar year on either the Citi Hilton Reserve or Hilton HHonors Surpass Amex.
i think those Havard MBAs who worked as consultants at one time came up with the brilliant idea of WOH20. It’s ideology at work, especially with that “community value” video.
@ktc: 100% agree. BTW, it shocks me that hotels either charge a fortune or give a bottle of water as a “perk” for your elite status. You can buy a box with 45 bottles of mineral water at Costco for less than $4. 🙂 Last night at a Westin hotel I was charged $6.50 for ONE single bottle.
I paid Hyatt quite a bit to get Diamond and we thoroughly enjoyed our year of status — some remarkable hotel stays, some big bills paid, nice synergy overall. After a slim travel year, that party is over. My micro-small-business would vanish if we spent 60 nights on the road. I’m not crying for lack of opportunity. I like @laptoptravel’s suggestion of Hilton; I’ve always been treated really well at IHG properties, and the SPG-Marriott mash-up has opened my eyes to the opportunity at that chain. Testing all three this month in Europe. Sorry, Hyatt, really enjoyed stays in Paris at the Place Vendome, but not this trip.
PS, Rene — what’s the latest from the legal department about that Chase IHG mailer? I read it and wondered why my new perk had been announced without much fanfare.
I *hate* Hyatt’s footprint. I love their properties, but they are few and far between. Even though my current project is taking me to California (the land of Hyatt), there’s a very good chance that I will be jumping ship to Hilton, simply because they have the footprint.
Took one last Hyatt trip (to purge all points) in January, had a nice stay in Key West, but as of March 1 I have cancelled my Hyatt Chase Visa, and will not be chasing Hyatt status any more.
World of Hyatt = World of Hurt.
I’m a (choke) Globalist thanks to a status match of Lifetime SPG Platinum in 2015 and 25 stays and 38 nights in 2016. I had intended to keep a minimum of 25 stays and X nights at Hyatt for the next few years to maintain top status. That is until WOH came along.
WOH just made my life a lot easier. Even though I’m SPG Lifetime Platinum, I’ve been hitting 75 nights plus with SPG the last few years. SPG75 benefits are very valuable to me even more than the concierge at 100 nights that I had last year.
With the move to World of Hurt, I no longer need to worry about racking up any stays/nights at Hyatt. In the two years I frequented those properties, I generally found Hyatt to be more expensive than SPG, offered inferior breakfast and lounge benefits (abroad), and of course few if any properties in many locations. For me, the final nail in the coffin for World of Hurt is the value and versatility of an SPG point compared to a Hyatt point.
So I’ll subtract my 35 to 40 nights per year from Hyatt and give most of them to SPG for now.
lots of interesting comments…. too many changes in all of our prior benefits!!!!