Hyatt Globalist Suite Upgrade…And Suite Downgrade

What happens when a hotel says you are upgraded during online check-in but then downgrades you by the time you arrive at the property? One Hyatt Globalist found out the hard way.

Hyatt Regency DFW Downgrade: Suite Upgrade Taken Away Before Arrival

A Live And Let’s Fly reader sent me the following report:

So, I stayed at the Hyatt Regency at the DFW airport. Upgraded before arrival to an executive suite. I checked in using the Hyatt app. At arrival when I went to get the keys, I was downgraded to a standard room. They offered 4,000 points as compensation for the downgrade. The room they gave me was dirty and the only other room they had was a double. They increased the compensation to 8,000. But that’s a lousy way to treat a globalist.

The compensation is reasonable considering this is a category two property (with free nights starting at 6,500 points per night in low-peak season) but it still strikes me as a totally unnecessary way to treat a Globalist…or any guest. Why present an upgrade only to take it away? The hotel eventually explained:

I complained to my Hyatt Globalist concierge agent (totally useless person). The property emailed me: Regarding your room, I understand your frustration with the room downgrades, and I want to clarify that standard suite upgrades are based on availability and are not confirmed until the time of arrival. On this particular stay, we unfortunately did not have any standard suites available due to high occupancy.

Again, the answer is reasonable but it did not occur that way. When you online cheeck-in, it is to “confirm” your room. If the “secret” policy is that you are not assigned a room until arrival, it seems to me it would be a race among Globalists to show up.

I’m not sure much was missed – take a look at the deplorable state of the room:

But that’s teriary to an upgrade given then taken away: apparently a suite upgrade is contingent on your quick arrival…