Hotels

Category Archives for Hotels.

Hyatt Place To Guests: We RENOUNCE Daily Housekeeping

by Gary Leff

Nov 17 2022

Chains have housekeeping standards for their properties, which include offering more service than they did at the depths of the pandemic, but that also offer a lot more leeway in not providing it. And some hotels take them up on these opportunities, though I’m not sure I’ve seen quite an aggressive stance, though, as the one taken by the Hyatt Place Frankfurt Airport.

If you don’t care about the environment, and are happy with Greta Thunberg scolding you for the rest of your days, then you can have your room serviced.

Continue Reading »

Hotel Chains And Online Travel Agencies Rethink How They Work Together

by Gary Leff

Nov 17 2022

Expedia spends a lot to acquire one-off customers. They’re realizing it can be cheaper to sell subsequent trips to people that have already purchased from them (loyalty matters) and they’ve gutted their loyalty program throughout the years.

Meanwhile if Accor is ‘early in’ with this partnership they may gain higher purchase likelihood from Expedia’s eyeballs than other chains.

Continue Reading »

Marriott Raises Spend Requirement For Ambassador Status, Will Bring Back Personal Ambassadors

by Gary Leff

Nov 16 2022

Marriott has the most exclusive top elite tier with published earning criteria. The Ambassador level requires not just 100 nights in hotels but also a minimum of $20,000 in spend, nearly impossible to achieve in many parts of the world with low hotel rates. Marriott is keeping the 100-night level, but increasing the spend requirement to $23,000 for 2023.

With that they are bringing back dedicated Ambassadors.

Continue Reading »

Hyatt Starts Cancelling Mistake Rate – After Waiting 3 Weeks

by Gary Leff

Nov 09 2022

I’d have been fine with the reservations being cancelled within a few days of bookings, and not several weeks after those reservations have been made. Simply cancelling reservations after this much time without further accommodation is unacceptable. At a minimum offer a discount rate at the hotel for a standard room or suite, or some points by way of apology – and find a way to address costs that customers are actually incurring as a result of the property’s long wait to decide to cancel the bookings.

Continue Reading »

Finally! The World’s Most Honest Resort Fee, Hotel Says It Includes ‘Nothing’

by Gary Leff

Nov 08 2022

Hotels really stretch to list amenities of value that are included in their resort fee, like the Hyatt which claimed it gave you access to the bathroom mirror or the Hilton which included use of the in-room TV.

These backflips are disingenuous at best. So it’s refreshing when a hotel is honest that the resort fee is nothing but an add-on, and provides literally no value to the guest.

Continue Reading »

Two Marriotts Introduce New Employee Protection Surcharge

by Gary Leff

Nov 07 2022

Surcharges have exploded at Marriott hotels, as well as other chains. Whether it’s fees to cover the light bulbs in your room, extra charges to cover a hotel’s property tax or gotcha charges for paying a bill by credit card (even Marriott’s own credit card).

Still a fee per night that guests now have to pay to protect housekeepers at the Marriott LAX still surprised me.

Continue Reading »

Airbnb Trashes Hosts Who Make You Do The Laundry In Announcing Major Changes

by Gary Leff

Nov 07 2022

Airbnb makes sense in towns where there aren’t suitable hotels. It makes sense to rent a full house for a large family or when traveling with a group of friend. But the current homesharing model is very broken, and as a result choosing Airbnb makes no sense for most stays.

The company understands that and wants to change that. It’s updating how prices are shown, and shaming hosts that impose bizarre conditions on guests. In fact, the co-founder and CEO of Airbnb is shaming owners who make guests do laundry before they leave.

Continue Reading »