The Park Hyatt New York is a sublime property, and one of the most redeemed-for hotels in the Hyatt program. I’ve had some excellent stays there, including upgrades to suites, and I love that they allow Globalist members to take their elite breakfast as room service or in the restaurant.
Recently, however, they’ve told top tier elites that their benefits are far less than what the program promises.
- Upgrade is to King City View Room only, and not to best available room up to standard suite
- Breakfast includes one hot beverage only (not juice, let alone coffee and juice as is standard in program terms)
Hyatt’s program terms require upgrades to “the best room available at the time of check-in…including Standard Suites” and should not be limited to merely view rooms.
Breakfast is clearly defined in Hyatt’s benefit terms. There’s no wiggle room. Both juice and coffee are required to be honored.
Globalists will receive daily complimentary full breakfast (which includes one entrée or standard breakfast buffet, juice, and coffee, as well as tax, gratuity and service charges) for each registered guest in the room, up to a maximum of two (2) adults and two (2) children.
I reached out to Hyatt which promised to “be following up with the Park Hyatt New York to ensure they are following Globalist program benefits.”
As of the last Hyatt Hotels 10-K filing Park Hyatt New York remained a corporate-owned hotel. It’s usually franchised properties that are least compliant with the program (Andaz Maui was an historical exception). However the hotel did appoint a new General Manager in the fall, though someone with 20 years of Hyatt experience so they should be well-versed in the program’s requirements. It’s sad to see them all of a sudden backtracking on elite benefits compliance.
However the process of delivering program benefits amounts to a game of whack-a-mole, with hotels given requirements and training and then the program having either to monitor or respond to complaints when properties go out of compliance. Actual benefits delivery relies on each individual property doing what they’re supposed to do, down to the actions of both policy-setting managers and individual employees at the front desk during check-in.
@ Gary — The Park Hyatt is generally not worth the price, not matter how you pay (points or $$). We’l stay at the IC Barclay lamost every time. Yes, the rooms are a bit small, but RAs get access to the very nice Club Intercontinental. You can also purchase Club access.
I think we would only stay at the PH NY again only if using points and taking adavnatge of the free Globalist parking. Even better if you can get the secret room. And, I GUARANTEE you that we would be receiving the proper breakfast under the corporate T&C, or generous compensation to make up for it. People have to learn to stand up to this thievery.
It’s a glass of OJ…..that’s what this post is about. If you get bent out of shape about not getting comped your OJ you will almost certainly hate most NYC experiences. If you’re looking for value on throw away experiences like hotel breakfast, you’ve landed in the wrong town. Pay up and don’t look back or go back to wherever you came from.
Well, no, Miamiorbust, it’s not. The bigger issue is limiting the room upgrade, another issue is not meeting the free breakfast requirements, including the glass of OJ. Ultimately, I tend not to care much so long as my room clean, but just completing a mattress run to maintain Globalist ‘cause I didn’t travel as much for work this year, I’m going to start caring more about these things.
miamiburst,
Yes, its a glass of orange juice.
PHNY is in the hospitality industry. The guests are not. PHNY is held to a higher standard.
miamiorbust, I get exactly what you’re saying. But, consider two of your friends. One you see every day and one your see every 10 years. With the friend you see every day, you don’t notice any changes in the person. With the friend you see once every 10 years, the changes are evident. (One friend actually said to me that she remembered me as being thinner. Thanks a bunch.)
Now, consider Marriott’s erosion of benefits. Over the past few years, it was this little thing then that little thing then some other little thing then yet another little thing. For the person with consistent stays over those years, the person lets them go. For the person who returns to the program after a few years, the person asks what the (heck) happened to the benefits. The same is happening with Hilton. The word is that the devaluation of Hilton’s breakfast benefit is going global. And, what ever happened to Hilton’s still-stated benefit of the best room in the house?
So, on the surface, Gary’s complaint might seem petty. But, in perspective, Gary’s actually saying “here’s yet another chipping away at benefits.”
For me, I’ve given up. Free Wi-Fi and late check-out are the only tier benefits anyone might reasonably expect.
This is somewhat surprising to read about Hyatt, honestly. As a Concierge Key which allows a status match to Globalist (which is a smart move by Hyatt since even though I am Ambassador and top-level at IHG, I prefer Hyatt where there is a property – not a given) I have always found the properties I go to step up to the promised Globalist perks.
I’m not stepping into line to beat @Gary up about kibbitzing on this one. Hyatt should not nickle and dime those whom it designates its best customers — although they are not alone in the travel industry in doing this.
Personally I’ve found all the chains lackluster since the pandemic.
The St Regis and Park Hyatt both used to my preference and now I don’t bother.
It’s like pulling teeth at both of them.
Lots of nice boutique hotel options these days.
I think Hyatt could avoid a lot of these compliance problems if they had a set of sufficiently harsh penalties for repeated noncompliance. If a hotel has a history of hosing guests and corporate gets a complaint, offer the guest something of value like 100,000 points or a $1,000 gift card and charge the hotel for it. That will fix things in a hurry.
@ Lee — It’s not a chipping away at benefits, because the benefits have not changed. It is attempted theft. I will have my OJ (and leave the full glass on the table, since I don’t drink OJ) and then have the charge removed. The hotel is not entitled to payment for said OJ. The hotel manager must be an idiot if s/he is willing to lose customers over 25 cents of OJ.
Proof that Hyatt isn’t always better than Marriott. Also, Marriott has a compensation benefit for noncompliance whereas Hyatt doesn’t.
Like others I’ve moved on from Hyatt and find better benefits in other programs and brands where I build my relationship one stay at a time
Hyatt is Now crap in NYC with sub par properties that penny pinch
Granted The Park is a fairly nice exception hotel but they have abused elites from the start and absurdly overpriced on points or revenue
I’m a Globalist. I stayed there in Sept on points. I had to wait 25 minutes for a room and was never greeted as a globalist. They put me on the 6th floor facing the air conditioner and heating units with zero view other that that. The breakfast had to be the worst ever. I wouldn’t pay 200 to stay there.
If that was the upgraded room the only worse room would of been in the basement. Stayed 3 nights 40k a night…never again
All of this angst in here simply validates my view that hotel loyalty programs are not worth the time, trouble and money. When I travel outside the USA I almost always find a boutique hotel or a local chain, with a few exceptions depending on place and situation.
Stayed there in May this year, globalist. No upgrade. Room service had a 2.5 hour wait so we took breakfast in the ‘restaurant’. Different menu from room service, very limited. Service was fine but slow. Our room was a very low level and the windows had some sort of moisture leakiness, the view of the Russian Tea Room was very distorted. The room was comfortable but other nights spent at the Andaz 5th Ave were much better (even with the weird bathroom door situation there). Luckily we booked at the old award pricing, it’s definitely not worth the new prices.
Hyatts in NY all stink. I stayed at the Thompson and I thought it was pretty bad for what they ask for $$. Hilton and IHG win in NYC
It’s a great smoothie not oj.
Gary – when you reach out to Hyatt corporate what do they say about the benefits promised by the program vs the benefits delivered by this specific property?
This property has been problematic for a very long time and maybe someone with your weight or influence could seek some clarification and resolution.
@DFWSteve
+1
I agree on hotel loyalty programs, but I would add the same sentiment toward airline loyalty programs. I have been a loyal member of Marriott Bonvoy and Delta Airlines and my rewards have been denigrated to the point that they are almost worthless. Maybe a Class B RV would be the better option.
Sorry to read this. Also sorry to see a few “partisans” wanting to pick on hyatts in general and New York properties.
I’ve had some pretty darn nice stays there and usually and have been treated magnificently as a globalist, although it’s been about a year since my last stay there. Hopefully it hasn’t changed as much as some would seem to claim.
I will also say the upgrade issue and the OJ are certainly not “petty”. One of the things I’ve always liked is the room service breakfasts I’ve had as a globalist- have never been charged a thing no matter what I’ve ordered.
We are talking about published benefits that the program guarantees if you stay X number of nights. In my mind, there’s no wiggle room here
I bailed on Marriott bonvoy lifetime titanium status (from years of loyalty to Starwood) because of an intentional effort to dilute loyalty benefits by Marriott leadership. If hyatt is now going the same route, this will be my last year hustling to make globalist..
And I couldn’t agree more on Hyatt properties in NYC being s disappointing. The Thompson is a blatant rip-off. Terrible lighting in the room and a hotel chair g 700-1300 a night thinks it’s ok to have no mini bar or even a working fridge?!
Have.never stayed at the park hyatt in Manhattan but was looking forward ti doing so sometime in 2023. But if this is how. Top tier brand and corporate hyatt property thinks about loyalty benefits (could they be any more petty over a glass of OJ? ). Then I think it’s time to save premium spend on four seasons and forget about loyalty
NYC Lowered expectations I guess, pre AND post Covid stays we had a very decent time, no charge parking ($100’ish) my 22’ truck, no fees/taxes, professional staff yet warmish, killer pool with sauna/steam and massive view, comfortable/stylish rooms, TV and heated floors in the wash room made my kids spoiled, expected in every hotel now… SR feels stuffy, a little to titanic for our liking, feels weird to have a butler unpack your bags as you watch.
We are not breakfast people but really enjoy the French press coffee sent up @ 7am sharp, we save the calories for all the delicious food around, fill up on hotel free breakfast or indulge @ Katz?!?
PH vendome we eat like wild animals, breakfast there has drugs in it I’m convinced, butter salt and sugar galore with beautiful presentation downstairs or in room.
PHNY Teen twin approved fit/finish with plenty of photo deserving spots (mirror hall to the back) views of decent skyline and just across the street Russian tea room (great) for mother/daughter tea time! Over the years my kids met BTS singing group at the pool, they rent a whole floor but chill at the pool often, maybe that’s why my twin girls like this place so much?!?
As a builder I have a loads of chase points (thanks ink cards) 30, 40 or 45k points is fine for this hotel tier imo, spending 60k+ for a business seat is a no brainer but 45k for 24 hours isn’t?!?