Not Even the Hotel Workers Fully Understand the New World of Hyatt
To begin 2017, I completed 25 stays at Hyatt properties in order to enjoy the new World of Hyatt program by earning top-tier Globalist status through February 2019. The published benefits should yield a high return on my investment, especially for my traveling family of four. For my first stay as a "Globalist" at the Hyatt Regency Austin — I was speaking at South By Southwest — I booked a room at a cost of 15,000 points per night. But after a few minutes at the check-in desk, it was apparent Hyatt was still facing some challenges in rolling out the World of Hyatt program.
Upgrade Issues
The first snag became apparent when I tried to take advantage of one of the best new benefits of Globalist status: complimentary room upgrades, now including standard suites, for Globalists. The Hyatt Regency Austin has three suite types: River View, Deluxe and Presidential. I assumed River View was the standard suite but called the Globalist line to confirm.
The Globalist line told me an executive suite is used at the Hyatt Regency Austin, which is not a room category the property lists. The representative was insistent it was correct and, not surprisingly, told me no executive suites were available for the dates of my stay. I called the Austin property to confirm and was told they don't have executive suites and do not set aside a specific suite for confirmed upgrades. The rooms manager for the property later clarified that a River View Suite is the designated suite for confirmed upgrades — the confusion was a result of recent property renovations.
I understood all of this to mean if a River View Suite was available when I checked in, I should be upgraded to that room from my standard two-queen room. Upon my arrival at the hotel, a River View Suite was still for sale on the Hyatt app for all four nights of my stay. Fast forward a few minutes to check-in...
I arrived just before midnight after a late flight into Austin, and only one person was ahead of me in the check-in line. I got a bit nervous when I heard the hotel agent take the "Hyatt Gold Passport" number of the guest in front of me, but I shrugged it off. It was quickly my turn to check in and the agent thanked me for my "Global" number being on file.
After she checked me in and before she started to make the keys, I asked if there were any Globalist suite upgrades available. Her reaction indicated she had no idea what a Globalist was. After a few clicks she responded "those rooms have been blocked." I said a River View Suite was still available for the duration of my stay, but if I needed to switch rooms the following day (because I know how busy it is during SXSW), I'd be happy to enjoy a suite for one night then move. She said she couldn't help. I decided not to push things any further, as I was tired and would send the usually helpful Hyatt Twitter team a message in the morning.
Breakfast and Free Parking Benefits
My sister lives in Houston and was driving over to Austin the following day to visit, so I asked the check-in agent if she would have in and out privileges and how we could make sure the parking was complimentary — a new Globalist benefit when staying on award stays. She again glanced at her computer and said she didn't see parking as part of any package I had booked. I told her it was a new benefit of being a Globalist member, but she clearly didn't understand. I told her I'd take care of it at checkout.
Finally, I asked how breakfast worked at the property for Globalist. I asked if there was a certain dollar amount for ordering a la carte or if it just included the buffet. The agent again said she didn't see breakfast as a part of any package I had booked. Frustrated at this point, I said Globalist members receive breakfast as a benefit. She responded "no, Diamond members receive free breakfast." I politely told her Diamonds no longer exist, and that Globalist is the top-tier status in the new World of Hyatt program. Her final response before I departed for my room was "Oh really? Have a great stay." I decided I'd ask the breakfast staff in the morning how the benefit worked and headed to my room, a bit defeated.
At breakfast (which was delicious with very friendly staff) the next morning, I asked my waiter how the Globalist breakfast benefit worked. He came back with my check for two breakfast buffets, which looked like this:
The waiter explained, "I just wrote Diamond. This new Globalist, Environmentalist thing is too confusing." He said the charges wouldn't be on my room. Upon checkout on Monday morning, both breakfast and parking were on my bill, which I asked to be removed and they were. I also have not received 5 base points per dollar for lunch and dinner at the property.
Bottom Line
I expected my first Globalist stay to have a few hiccups. It'd be fine if a staff member didn't realize the small nuances, like the fact that free parking is only on award stays, and only for Globalists. However the lack of knowledge by the check-in agent set a bad tone for the stay, mainly because of the effort — both in time and expenses — I had exerted in January and February in order to secure this top-tier status. My room was perfectly fine and the property offered a good (free!) stay, but that's not why I pursued Globalist. Any Hyatt customer, regardless of status level, would have received that same experience.
I filled out a customer survey through email after my stay and received a follow-up call from the rooms manager at the property. She apologized for the experience and said she was surprised at my ordeal. She stated the property had spent over a month preparing for World of Hyatt and even had pop quizzes among staff to ensure everyone knew things such as Diamond no longer existing and to make sure staff understood the new benefits benefits.
Additionally, I reached out to a contact at Hyatt, who had this to say: "This is certainly not the experience we hoped for, and we greatly appreciate the feedback so we can continue to improve the World of Hyatt experience. As you heard from the hotel leadership, we have completed extensive global training leading up to the World of Hyatt launch."
The Austin property has done superbly in previous customer rankings, so it sounds like maybe I just got unlucky. Even if that's the case, based on my experience at check-in and breakfast, Hyatt is facing at least some minor hiccups in rolling out the new program.
What has your experience been so far with the World of Hyatt?
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.