One of the new benefits Globalists receive is access to their own “My Concierge” formerly Hyatt Private Line. After a rocky start, my personal experience has improved greatly.
If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card please click here. Both support LiveAndLetsFly.com.
If you haven’t followed us on Facebook or Instagram, add us today.
Initial Impressions
My first couple of times working with my concierge were just ok. I don’t think she knew yet what I wanted from her and I didn’t know myself what she was capable of doing. In the future, I hope Hyatt gives more details to new Globalists with ways they can utilize the service.
Initially, I focused on checking prospective availability for large areas when I was otherwise occupied. For example, a request might have been: I need a hotel in New York City close to the Javits Center, under $200/nt and if possible, full-service so I can enjoy breakfast in the morning (it’s not quite a unicorn but close). Results varied.
Setting Preferences, Utilizing Her Skills
The key to growing our relationship was starting to ask for things that would make my journey easier. I had a Category 1-7 free night certificate accidentally used on a Category 4 (instead of the Cat. 1-4 certificate) because an agent pulled the first expiring certificate instead of the maximum value. She apologized and could not return the certificate but offered me a one-time courtesy of 30,000 points, the maximum value of the certificate.
On another trip, I arrived into Guam at 2 AM. She was able to arrange a hotel car for me (lucky because cabs were scant and there is no Uber nor Lyft in Guam). She has also requested suite upgrades for me in advance of my arrival with nearly 100% success.
Better Value
Those things make my journey easier and add a lot of value to my experience with Hyatt. I have long argued that when brands make their guests argue for their benefits or fight at the check-in desk, they lose their value.
No one wants to be a DYKWIA (Do You Know Who I Am?) guest. Well, for some it’s just natural. I don’t want to be that guest. However, I didn’t stay at the Sofitel down the street specifically because I get these benefits when staying with Hyatt. It often costs me more to stay with the brand, but I do so because the perks outweigh those dollars on balance.
My concierge adds a tremendous amount of value to me because my concierge, in particular, has been able to handle requests and yield results with minimum intervention. If I ever had a point or cost dispute with a hotel, I wouldn’t argue with the front desk, I would let my concierge know and she will handle it. Those requests are likely to have a better result coming from another Hyatt employee than from me directly, anyway.
Hilton Should Follow Suit
Marriott and SPG have a similar program in Ambassador, in fact, a large contingent of SPG managers left the brand once Marriott acquired SPG and the current iteration of the service is likely a result. IHG doesn’t offer this because they hate their elites.
Hilton, therefore, remains a program of significant size and presence that does not offer this benefit to their elites. I love the Hilton Honors program, my experience with them has been pretty solid but for the program’s two major deficiencies are lack of confirmed suite upgrades in advance and a My Concierge-type service for Diamond elites.
Do you have a My Concierge with Hyatt? How has your experience been? What about Marriott/SPG loyalists and their ambassadors? How has that experience been following the merger?
If you haven’t followed us on Facebook or Instagram, add us today.
How do you ask for a suite in advance? Is this at time of booking or a couple days before you arrive? I have yet to ask my concierge for anything.
Just email them and ask. If you’re a globalist, they should do this on the day anyway, but if they plenty a couple of days in advance, they will usually assign one. You should have received an email introduction from your concierge and can just reply to that.
How do I contact my ambassador?
Apologies, how do I initiate contact with my concierge. Looks like I picked a bad week to quit drinking coffee.
Funny