When I have the opportunity, I start my calendar year bouncing between cheap Hyatt properties to secure Hyatt Diamond status quickly on stays. I consider Hyatt Diamond the most lucrative status one can earn with only 25 check-ins. I was fortunate this year to complete my 25th stay this week earning me Hyatt status valid through February 2015.
Hyatt is tied for my favorite loyalty hotel program along with SPG. However, it is now February and I have no further incentive to stay with Hyatt. The program effectively runs out of gas after you hit the 25 stay mark and achieve Diamond. There are no further incentives to earn. This is where the Hyatt lags behind other programs specifically SPG. Beyond earning top tier Platinum status, SPG has incentives to reach 50 nights awarding 10 Suite Night Awards, 75 nights awarding 4th point bonus and even up to 100 nights awarding guests with a personal ambassador. I have had the Ambassador for a couple year now and have found it to be of little to no value but from a simple pleasures perspectives, I enjoy working towards the goal because it is there.
Extreme loyalty
Before SPG launched Suite Night Awards, the program from my perspective was even more lucrative to those that were EXTREMELY LOYAL to the brand. I would focus my entire loyalty to SPG to run up my nights total and my complimentary suite upgrade percentage on award stays neared 100% for several years. From what I can tell, they were looking at who was checking in each night and awarding the best suites to those who had the highest nights total. This was never a formal program but it worked like clockwork when a few of my Platinum friends would all check into the same hotel.
Now that SPG has launched the Suite Night Awards program, I feel that has taken precedence. I believe the informal “The best suite goes to the member with the most nights this year” mentality still exists though it is a bit scaled back.
While Hyatt offers more options to confirm into a suite, they lack complimentary suite upgrades which compose the majority of the stays I want upgraded. The only confirmable points-only option requires three consecutive nights at the same hotel which is limiting.
The bottom line
I think it would greatly benefit the Hyatt Gold Passport program to add targets above Hyatt Diamond status to stay competitive with the SPG program targeting the extreme business travelers. Like I mentioned before, I don’t even care about having an SPG Ambassador, I just like having something to work towards. C’mon Hyatt! Give us something to work towards!
About alex
Alex loves to travel and does so a lot. Logging 100,000 flight miles each year over the past 4 years, Alex uses points and miles to power his passion. Alex is continuously striving to experience the far reaches of the globe. In his day job, Alex is a Management Consultant frequently on the road advising Technology organizations. I love thinking about, reading about, and talking about all things travel. Feel free to reach me at pmmalex@gmail.com
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There are no further incentives to earn, but the benefits are still there. Hyatt is much more consistent than Starwood, IMO, in providing the elite benefits I’m entitled to with every stay. Another couple upgrade certificates would be nice, but then again they also make it extremely affordable to upgrade using points. Earning status in a program just to have that status is pointless if you wouldn’t continue staying at the property to enjoy what you’ve earned.
Also, there’s no language on the Gold Passport page about requiring a minimum three-night stay to use points to upgrade. Where did you get that?
http://goldpassport.hyatt.com/gp/en/awards/hyatt_upgrade.jsp
@Scottrick – I am referencing using points to book a suite which requires a three night stay minimum.
As a business traveler, I really don’t care whether my business nights go to Hyatt or SPG (get home late, leave early), I only care about how my business stays can improve my award stays with the significant other or family. If I can improve my award stays somehow by putting my additional nights to Hyatt I would but unfortunately there is no incentive.
Congrats!! You beat me – I only have 6 more stays to go to requalify for Diamond.
I don’t know where you live or where you travel regularly for business, but have you considered chasing status at Omni, Kimpton, or Fairmont? These are all pretty solid brands with what I assume to be decent rewards programs – – – except that most travel bloggers either never stay there much or if they do, they don’t provide much of a review the properties and the programs of these 3 chains. Frankly, it gets a bit tiresome reading essentially the same take on the same programs over and over again.
I live in Austin, there seems to be plenty of Omni hotels in the territories I cover. Kimptons are here and there. Like you, I will have gained top status in SPG, Hyatt, and Marriott before June or sooner – it would nice to try something different this year for a change . . .
@Erndog – I agree with you. I really enjoy Omni, Kimpton and Fairmont properties but unfortunately they are generally priced a bit higher than the usual suspects and don’t have a discount brand for cheap stays like Hyatt Place or Four Points. I can’t justify the additional cost on business stays when I am just using the room to rest my eyes.
Fairmont is my favorite ‘chain’ at this point…
Not enough hotels (USA), and their cost, make it hard to stay in them as often as I’d like.
I have made the 10 stays required for Platinum the past couple of years, and have the Fairmont card as well which has some nice benefits.
A recent stay at the Fairmont San Francisco in the Oxford suite was excellent – I love the location, the lobby, the food, the Tonga room… And the stay was free with a complimentary night certificate along with a complimentary suite upgrade.