🚀 go-pugleaf

Aahz Maruch wrote:
> 
> Hyatt is populated by mental defectives for whom "moron" would be a
> compliment.  Here's a list of issues that have annoyed me in roughly
> chronological order, ranging from tantrum-inducing to mildly irritating
> (expletives deleted for later forwarding):
> 
> * Rooms in Hyatt Santa Clara (California) have an annoying layout that
> includes a bathroom with a non-locking glass door (this is the hotel
> attached to the Santa Clara Convention Center, so presumably there will
> be lots of room sharing), a difficult-to-reach toilet paper dispenser
> (almost behind the toilet), and awkward sink layout (imagine a normal
> sink rotated ninety degrees in the horizontal plane) -- and this is just
> a partial list
> 
> * Failing to provide free Internet at Hyatt Santa Clara despite group
> contract specifying it (5/2008)

I wouldn't expect any hotel in the Hyatt class to offer free internet. I 
always found it odd that the more upscale hotels charge higher room prices 
(which is to be expected) but offer fewer free services (often no free 
parking, no free internet, no free breakfast, and sometimes even no free 
access to their exercise room).

> * Refusing to refund a damage deposit until I dispute the charge with my
> credit card company (Hyatt Santa Clara, 5/2009 - 7/2009)
> 
> * Proffering only a perfunctory apology for the damage deposit problem

Did they ever mentioned when you were checking out and settling the bill why 
they weren't going to refund the damage deposit?

> The next series of incidents started when the Hyatt Summerfield Suites in
> Belmont, California was unable to give us a room because some other
> guests trashed their rooms; the Summerfield sent us to the Hyatt SFO.
> 
> * Informing me only by telephone about the new arrangement despite
> making the reservation on-line (although this is par for the course for
> pretty much all idiot companies)

I think most people, myself included, would prefer a phone call from Hyatt 
versus just an e-mail, informing them of the problem with the room 
availability.  An e-mail is usually considered more impersonal.  But for a 
written record, they should follow up the phone call -- if requested by you 
-- with a written e-mail stating the change in the arrangements.

> * Hyatt SFO can't give us a king non-smoking, so we have to take two
> double beds -- and the room is located a full minute fast walking away
> from  the elevator (good thing I'm with my able-bodied partner), shouldn't
> they have made a special effort for a Hyatt guest already being
> inconvenienced?
> 
> * The room has zero toilet paper (yes, zero, what *is* with Hyatt and
> toilet paper?)
> 
> * The room has an awkward layout that requires making four turns to get
> to the bathroom, enough to make my partner dizzy (zie has allergies that
> affect zir balance)
> 
> * There really isn't enough table space, certainly not enough table space
> for two people to eat breakfast (two beds, remember?), and they deliver
> breakfast on a tray instead of a cart.

Generally speaking, I've always tried to avoid staying at Hyatts not because 
of poor service (I've found their service to be fine in most part) but 
because their rooms tend *always* to be rather small compared to their 
competition (like Hilton or Marriott) and rather awkwardly designed, as you 
have describe.

> * Despite this supposed to be a free room with breakfast, they charge my
> credit card for parking, Internet, and room service ($60!)

Didn't this show up on the final bill when you checked out?  And did you 
dispute the charge then?  If so, why didn't they reverse the charges then?

> * They later reverse the charge without informing me; I only notice this
> on my credit card bill
> 
> * Changing the name on my Hyatt account without asking me
> 
> * When I complain about the name change, they claim that they have no
> record of a name-change on my account (they are obviously either lying
> or incompetent because they sent me an automated e-mail when my name was
> changed)
> 
> In addition, the Hyatt web site uses HTTP for account login instead of
> HTTPS/SSL, so they clearly don't care about security.

I would think maybe one of your partners had the password for your Hyatt 
account and made the name change themselves without informing you.  Have you 
asked any of them about it?


- Peter

In article <hec3pp$qvo$1@news.eternal-september.org>,
Peter Lawrence  <hummbaby@aol.com> wrote:
>Aahz Maruch wrote:
>> 
>> * Failing to provide free Internet at Hyatt Santa Clara despite group
>> contract specifying it (5/2008)
>
>I wouldn't expect any hotel in the Hyatt class to offer free internet. I 
>always found it odd that the more upscale hotels charge higher room prices 
>(which is to be expected) but offer fewer free services (often no free 
>parking, no free internet, no free breakfast, and sometimes even no free 
>access to their exercise room).

Sure, but the group contract specified free Internet.  This is not
unusual, and the hotel billing system should be set up to handle it.

>> * Refusing to refund a damage deposit until I dispute the charge with my
>> credit card company (Hyatt Santa Clara, 5/2009 - 7/2009)
>> 
>> * Proffering only a perfunctory apology for the damage deposit problem
>
>Did they ever mentioned when you were checking out and settling the bill why 
>they weren't going to refund the damage deposit?

No, my previous experience is that they refund the damage deposit
automatically after inspecting the room.

>> The next series of incidents started when the Hyatt Summerfield Suites in
>> Belmont, California was unable to give us a room because some other
>> guests trashed their rooms; the Summerfield sent us to the Hyatt SFO.
>> 
>> * Informing me only by telephone about the new arrangement despite
>> making the reservation on-line (although this is par for the course for
>> pretty much all idiot companies)
>
>I think most people, myself included, would prefer a phone call from Hyatt 
>versus just an e-mail, informing them of the problem with the room 
>availability.  An e-mail is usually considered more impersonal.  But for a 
>written record, they should follow up the phone call -- if requested by you 
>-- with a written e-mail stating the change in the arrangements.

Exactly.  I didn't mind that they phoned; I minded that they didn't also
use e-mail.

>> * Despite this supposed to be a free room with breakfast, they charge my
>> credit card for parking, Internet, and room service ($60!)
>
>Didn't this show up on the final bill when you checked out?  And did you 
>dispute the charge then?  If so, why didn't they reverse the charges then?

I was in a hurry and I was confident that the charges would get reversed
later after talking with the Summerfield people; my confidence was not
misplaced, but I still think it exhibits customer service problems that
I was charged in the first place.

>> * Changing the name on my Hyatt account without asking me
>> 
>> * When I complain about the name change, they claim that they have no
>> record of a name-change on my account (they are obviously either lying
>> or incompetent because they sent me an automated e-mail when my name was
>> changed)
>> 
>> In addition, the Hyatt web site uses HTTP for account login instead of
>> HTTPS/SSL, so they clearly don't care about security.
>
>I would think maybe one of your partners had the password for your Hyatt 
>account and made the name change themselves without informing you.  Have you 
>asked any of them about it?

The reason I'm certain that it wasn't my partners was that it was changed
from "NO FIRST NAME Aahz" to "Aahz Murach" (notice the misspelling).  But
regardless of who changed it, Hyatt was lying or incompetent when they
said they had no record of the name change.
-- 
Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6                        http://rule6.info/
                      <*>           <*>           <*>
'I never say anything is "completely full" until I've stood on top of it.'
--SJM discussing garbage cans