Hotels

Category Archives for Hotels.

Westin Drops Its Workout Partnership With New Balance, No More Workout Clothes For Guests

by Gary Leff on December 18, 2020

Dec 18 2020

Starwood was a pioneer 17 years ago when it introduced “Westin Workout Powered By Reebok.” They’d make workout clothes available to guests, so you wouldn’t have to pack them but could still get exercise in. And they put exercise equipment in some rooms, too.

The idea was that a hotel doesn’t just give you a place to sleep, and maybe stay nourished, but helps you live your active lifestyle and be ready for the day with peak performance. The trend towards hotels offering a ‘wellness’ or lifestyle experience has only grown since then.

A-Rod Is Going To Buy 20 Hotels And Turn Them Into Hiltons

by Gary Leff on December 15, 2020

Dec 15 2020

Former Yankees star Alex Rodriguez, who recently failed in his bid with fiance’ J. Lo to buy the New York Mets, will invest in and front a $650 million hospitality fund which plans to acquire 20 hotels – largely in New York, Miami and Seattle but potentially also the Caribbean – and turn them into Hiltons. He’s already acquired the Curio Collection hotel in Miami.

500 Free Hyatt Points For Meditating Are Now Posting

by Gary Leff on December 15, 2020

Dec 15 2020

Hyatt points for opening up their app on December 9th and playing a brief Headspace recording are posting. I’m surprised by the IT that made this work as there was no registration or indication on the app that they’d be bonusing this, just separate communication from Hyatt.

Man Fined $3550 For Spending 8 Seconds In A Hotel Hallway During Quarantine

by Gary Leff on December 13, 2020

Dec 13 2020

In countries where Covid-19 has been contained, quarantines are taken seriously. Taiwan was one of the earliest successes in keeping the virus at bay. Surveillance video is used to catch those who break quarantine. And there are consequences.

Marriott Devalues Points For Home & Villa Stays, Reflecting Broader Bonvoy Points Value Reductions

by Gary Leff on December 12, 2020

Dec 12 2020

Marriott has devalued Bonvoy points for booking Homes and Villas redemptions. Marriott has a curated competitor to Airbnb, Bonvoy is one of the key selling points against this behemoth competitor with a huge head start in the space. But Marriott has chosen to erode its advantage.

Put another way, given broader devaluations in the program over the past couple of years, Marriott is just playing catchup adjusting down the value of points for homesharing stays.

Andaz Singapore Testing New Basic Economy Room Rate

by Gary Leff on December 12, 2020

Dec 12 2020

The Andaz Singapore is taking a page from airline Basic Economy fares, offering a new ‘room only’ rate. When you think of room only, you may assume that it simply excludes breakfast or other inclusions. In this case they mean it literally: you can stay in the room, but have no access to the hotel’s gym or pool.

This also lets them sell rooms for less on third party websites without running afoul of best rate guarantees, since the restriction doesn’t apply to Hyatt direct booking rates.

Hilton Allowing All Diamond Members To Gift Elite Status

by Gary Leff on December 10, 2020

Dec 10 2020

One feature of the Hilton Honors Diamond program is that members can gift someone Gold status when they reach 60 qualifying nights in a year. If they stay 100 nights, the gift becomes Diamond status.

In addition to this standard offer, Hilton will allow all Diamonds to gift someone elite status this year. Diamond members can gift Gold status, lifetime Diamonds can gift Diamond status.

Singer Records “Pretty Psycho,” Shoots A Man At The Intercontinental Atlanta Hotel

by Gary Leff on December 9, 2020

Dec 09 2020

Officers found shell casings and a bullet hole in the door. The man was in critical condition. 25 year old Chicagoan Ann Marie was charged with possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Her 2019 album was “Pretty Psycho.”

Earn Top Hyatt Elite Status On Award Nights For Net Cost Of -16,250 Points (Yes, Negative)

by Gary Leff on December 8, 2020

Dec 08 2020

Hyatt has reduced the qualification requirement for top tier Globalist status from 60 nights to 30 nights for 2021.

You can get double the annual elite nights from a new Hyatt card, stays in January and February count double, and award nights – which start at just 5000 points – count too. Plus Hyatt is rebating points spent on redemptions. You can earn top tier elite status and come out ahead on points.

Has Hyatt Effectively Restored The Old ‘Gold Passport’ Program For 2021?

by Gary Leff on December 4, 2020

Dec 04 2020

In March 2017 World of Hyatt replaced Hyatt Gold Passport. Nothing changed about earning or redeeming points, this was entirely a change to Hyatt’s elite program.

Hyatt’s cutting elite qualification requirements in half for 2021 seems surprisingly like rolling back the clock to Hyatt Gold Passport.