Chase’s travel portal is charging Hyatt’s most loyal guests resort fees they aren’t supposed to pay—but there’s an easy way to get your money back. Here’s exactly what you need to do.
An interesting quirk about Chase’s The Edit hotels is that they’ll generally add a resort fee or destination fee into the prepaid price of the room, so that you’re “all paid.” (Not always.)
Hyatt, as a Chase partner, is very much a part of The Edit and that’s being expanded as part of their renewed cobrand credit card agreement.
Top status Globalist members of Hyatt’s program do not have to pay resort fees. And this creates a problem.
- Globalists pay resort fees when booking properties through the Edit
- These are loyalty-eligible rates – they are supposed to earn points, status credit, and receive full elite benefits (in addition to The Edit benefits)
In other words, Chase is collecting funds from Globalist members that those members shouldn’t have to pay. And quite a few members have banged their head against the wall a bit trying to get their money back.
A reader shared his written experience getting his money back for the destination fee.
- He’d booked the Standard High Line in New York through Chase’s The Edit and was charged a resort fee.
- While still at the hotel, he asked the front desk to refund the resort fee but “they couldn’t do anything given it was prepaid by Chase.”
- He called Chase Travel Customer service after the stay. The agent transferred him to customer service for The Edit.
- The agent put him on hold, called the hotel to confirm, and processed the refund.
Standard High Line, Credit: Hyatt
He concludes,
Not ideal, wish they would not collect resort fee as part of prepayment, but was fairly straight forward and painless to get back.
American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts doesn’t collect the resort fee as part of the prepaid cost, which works out better for Hyatt Globalists at participating hotels. Other reports I’ve seen of Chase Edit stays were of guests not getting refunded, but they’re asking the hotel. This data point suggests working with Chase may be more successful.
What are the incentives for a globalist to book a Hyatt hotel through Chase’s The Edit as opposed to directly through Hyatt?
Sheesh, separate but related, when redeeming free nights, we’re not supposed to pay fees, either, but, you try telling that to these properties that really just don’t care and will try to fleece us anyway. Please, Gary, keep naming and shaming bad operators!
I stayed at The Standard East Village, booked through The Edit two weeks ago. I spent four hours on the phone trying to get my Globalist benefits honored, as The Edit checkout flow promises they would be. Hyatt, Hyatt Concierge, and Chase’s The Edit team were all unable to get them to honor Globalist breakfast, late checkout, or suite upgrade. The desk and various managers all reiterated that when a Globalist books through The Edit, Chase benefits replace Globalist and no Globalist benefits are honored. When they wanted to charge me a full day rate for 4p checkout, Chase stepped in and paid for the extra night. Both Chase and Hyatt opened a case and I haven’t heard from either of them.
Amex FHR sure does collect the resort fee for some hotels.
Turnberry Isle in Aventura is one example.