# A little bit peeved that I cannot search in Hyatt



## MaryH (Nov 7, 2013)

Once Hyatt bills you for MF, you can no longer search.  

I think it is strategically a bad decision.  There is a 2 months period to pay and what would make someone pay earlier is the fact they found something they liked and want to book.  

They should block you from booking then block you from searching.


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## ivywag (Nov 11, 2013)

*I agree*

This has bugged me for years!  I, too, don't understand why they stop us from searching.  They bill the dues earlier and earlier every year.  This year and last, High Sierra billed in October.  The rules say that the dues must be paid by Jan. 1. That's more than 2 months of no reservations even though nothing is delinquent.  Last year we were locked out before we even received a bill.

Two weeks ago I traded a Highlands week on the II website for a unit with usage next August (2014).  The next day I received a call that I would need to prepay the Highlands Inn dues in order to book for Aug 2014 even though the dues would normally be paid long before the scheduled usage.  Note that I had paid my High Sierra dues referenced above so the we would not be locked out. Our Highlands Inn units haven't been billed yet and we are not blocked from searching.  The dues are not yet payable.  I've always understood that if you wanted to use next year's points (2014)  for a unit in the remainder of the current year, then you must pre-pay the dues, but in my case, I was trying to book a 2014 week with 2014 points for which I have not been billed and they want to be pre-paid. 

On another topic, but interesting.  I searched on II using a High Sierra week and the inventory was different than when I searched using Highlands Inn.  Highlands Inn seemed to bring more choices.  I'm not sure that I understand why since Hyatt is points based with Interval.  Has anyone else had this experience or know why it would be?


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## heathpack (Nov 11, 2013)

Last year, I had a wait list reservation fail to go through b/c MF bill had gone out.  It was not yet due and I actually hadn't even received the bill yet!  On top of that, I had prepaid my MF but Hyatts estimated amt was too low so the billed amount was something trivial like thirty bucks.

This year my work-around was to pre-pay my MF and intentionally overpay (so my wait lists would not fail again if estimate was too low).  Now that my wait lists have gone through, I'll call Hyatt and they can cut me a check for my overage. 

Wonderfully efficient system, isn't it?  Seriously, is it really legal for them to force you to prepay like that?!

H

PS BTW, I could for sure search- that's how I knew my wait list didn't go thru.  Maybe the inability to even search is new this year?!


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## NKN (Nov 11, 2013)

Annoying but normal.  Those of us who have been with RCI for decades have always had to prepay the MF in order to do an exchange.  It wasn't until we bought our first Marriott week in 2009 that we were not required to pre-pay.  But that was a Marriott rule and not RCI.

NKN


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## optimist (Nov 11, 2013)

I did not know about this until very recently.  I was very surprised when I was trying to show a friend with HGVC  the Hyatt system and it wouldn't let me search. I agree with MaryH, it's a terrible policy.


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## dvc_john (Nov 11, 2013)

Not only all of above, but.....

I have a December week. A few years ago in October I tried to book a reservation using the previous years points that were still in CUP for another 2 months. The mf's on those points were paid nearly a year earlier. But it wouldn't let me book because the next year's mf's had been posted.


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## ivywag (Nov 11, 2013)

It's like being evicted before your property taxes are due!  I don't see why they can't just let you book the units and then cancel all of your reservations on Jan 1st if the dues haven't been paid.  I'm not sure if all of the resorts have the same Jan 1 delinquency date or not, but there must be a better way.  Anyway, the current system only annoys members and I, too, wonder if it's legal since the rules specify a particular due date.


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## heathpack (Nov 11, 2013)

NKN said:


> Annoying but normal.  Those of us who have been with RCI for decades have always had to prepay the MF in order to do an exchange.  It wasn't until we bought our first Marriott week in 2009 that we were not required to pre-pay.  But that was a Marriott rule and not RCI.
> 
> NKN



We are not referring to any kind of search, wait list or exchange with an exchange company.  This is an internal Hyatt booking glitch.

The true RCI analogy would be sometime in late Sept/early Oct, you can no longer see any RCI inventory because your MF (which are not due until Jan) have been billed but not yet paid.  Additionally, if you pre-paid your MF and set up a search, but the prepaid amt (which you paid based on _their_ estimate) was insufficient, your on-going search fails without your ever being notified or being given the opportunity to pay the outstanding balance.

It's truly insane.

H


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## optimist (Nov 11, 2013)

I am very anti Hyatt right now. We just arrived at the Sunset Harbor last night after a very long drive. The whole place has the feel of a Motel Six, not a high end resort. We were given a very dingy and dark room. I never called to request a specific building because naively I thought Hyatt owners get preference. Not so, it's first come first served they said. 
We have owned Hyatt for four years and this is my second stay at a Hyatt resort. Both times the rooms are outdated and dark. Last time, at the piñon resort our room was actually below ground! 
I will go back to trading...


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## IslandTime (Nov 12, 2013)

That's a shame because we love Sunset Harbor.  I'm assuming you're in a studio because you described it as dark and dingy and I know they don't have a balcony like the one and two bedrooms units have.  We'll be staying in a studio there next summer because the kids won't be joining us for that visit.  I'm on the waitlist for a couple other weeks there next year as well and we can't wait to get back.  I'd gladly trade you our house in Orlando for the HSH if we could only be there this week.


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## DAman (Nov 12, 2013)

Has anyone written Hyatt about this.  I will. This is silly on their part and poor customer service.

The II thing happened to me last year.  I had to prepay even though I only needed to use 150 points(out of 1880) to make a two bedroom exchange.

I used my *2014 Marriott* exchanges this year and only paid my MF's a couple of weeks ago.


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## bdh (Nov 12, 2013)

optimist said:


> I am very anti Hyatt right now. We just arrived at the Sunset Harbor last night after a very long drive. The whole place has the feel of a Motel Six, not a high end resort. We were given a very dingy and dark room. I never called to request a specific building because naively I thought Hyatt owners get preference. Not so, it's first come first served they said.
> We have owned Hyatt for four years and this is my second stay at a Hyatt resort. Both times the rooms are outdated and dark. Last time, at the piñon resort our room was actually below ground!
> I will go back to trading...



Not trying to highjack the OP's thread - or argue with your opinion.  But HSH is the oldest property in the system and being 1st has its side affects.  

The unit floor plans vary from  bldg to bldg and some layouts are better than others - but if you're in a studio, it wont matter that much as no studio there is nice (doesn't matter which bldg you're in).  No doubt they are the worst studios in the system and Hyatt learned from the HSH experiment as the studios in the newer properties are greatly improved.  Coming up on being 20 years old is why the MF reserves were recently increased to cover the planned refurbishment.  That said, even with the planned upgrades, HSH will never be at the high end level that the newer Siesta Key, Grand Aspen or Residences at Park Hyatt properties are (also not sure that it really needs to be - each property in the system has its pros and cons when their respective attributes are compared with others).  

While Beach House and Windward Pointe have newer and sexier KW units, if occupancy rate is used as the basis, Sunset Harbor is the preferred property in KW and maybe the entire system (even though Highlands Inn is an older converted hotel property that some say is in need of a refurb, it may have a tick higher occupancy rate - go figure??)  No doubt an owner coming from a newer HRC property will feel like HSH is a step down - note that standards in general are pretty wide spread in KW (as an example: Marquesa Cafe and Schooner Wharf Bar are vastly different, but both get rave reviews - another go figure??)


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## optimist (Nov 13, 2013)

What I was upset about was not so much that we got a bad room but that Hyatt's policy is to give out the best rooms to those that call first as opposed to owners.
At Starwood properties, we were always told the best rooms are for owners. So we bought there...


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## Kal (Nov 14, 2013)

optimist said:


> What I was upset about was not so much that we got a bad room but that Hyatt's policy is to give out the best rooms to those that call first as opposed to owners...


 
 I assume this was your first visit to Sunset Harbor.  After one visit, the guest will quickly appreciate the shortcomings of staying in a studio.

 During most of the year, the vast majority of units are occupied by Hyatt Residence Club members (i.e. Hyatt owners).  So basically, HRC owners are provided "first choice".  But remember, if you do not stay in the Sunset Harbor unit/week you own, the reservation is confirmed with HRC points.  In that case, all HRC "owners" are treated equally.

 The resort assigns units based upon when a HRC member first makes the request.  The best units will generally be assigned according to the request priority.  If you are further down on the reservation list, you may be assigned a lesser quality unit.  However, the studios are almost always fairly dark and are situated close to walkways.  Those units are "lock-outs" and do not in any way compare to the one bedroom side of the two-bedroom layout of the full unit.

 Next time, get on the request list very early, look at the resort layout arrangement and request the unit you prefer.   And, try the one-bedroom configuration rather than a studio.


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## ivywag (Nov 18, 2013)

*Regarding reservations*

I called 1800-GoHyatt to talk to them on Saturday when we were not confirmed from a wait list request made 18 months ago.  My concern was that since one week of our Highlands Inn dues had not yet been paid (or billed), that they were not confirming.  Our High Sierra dues were paid and one week of HI (estimated) was paid in advance before we could make the II trade referenced above. The rep told me that there is a tax issue that they need to resolve before billing the HI dues, but that reservations for Club Use are not being withheld in the meantime. Since we had not specified a Sat or Sun check in, we were confirmed on Sunday which was great.  When I called Saturday, I spoke to the rep and described the problem about cutting off reservations before the bills even arrive.  I asked her to pass the info along to her supervisor, but a letter from someone to Ed Crovo would probably get more attention and consideration.  The rep was very nice, but they don't really have any authority on policy. DAMAN, if you want to write the letter and bring this to management's attention, we would all be grateful.


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## ivywag (Nov 18, 2013)

*Sunset Harbor*

We love Sunset Harbor, too, but each time we've been there, we've felt that the owners are not investing enough to maintain it to the standards of the Club. The units are small, but could be updated and maintained to a higher quality consistent with the average of the other resorts. A good example is the Mountain Lodge--small units, but impeccably maintained and updated.


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## DAman (Nov 18, 2013)

ivywag said:


> I called 1800-GoHyatt to talk to them on Saturday when we were not confirmed from a wait list request made 18 months ago.  My concern was that since one week of our Highlands Inn dues had not yet been paid (or billed), that they were not confirming.  Our High Sierra dues were paid and one week of HI (estimated) was paid in advance before we could make the II trade referenced above. The rep told me that there is a tax issue that they need to resolve before billing the HI dues, but that reservations for Club Use are not being withheld in the meantime. Since we had not specified a Sat or Sun check in, we were confirmed on Sunday which was great.  When I called Saturday, I spoke to the rep and described the problem about cutting off reservations before the bills even arrive.  I asked her to pass the info along to her supervisor, but a letter from someone to Ed Crovo would probably get more attention and consideration.  The rep was very nice, but they don't really have any authority on policy. DAMAN, if you want to write the letter and bring this to management's attention, we would all be grateful.



I'll try to do it this week.  This is the type of problem that a company like Hyatt should fix for consumer relations purposes.


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## ivywag (Nov 18, 2013)

Thanks. They may not even realize that there is a problem.


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## heathpack (Nov 19, 2013)

ivywag said:


> Thanks. They may not even realize that there is a problem.



They know about the problem.  I had an exchange with a "concierge" from Hyatt Residence Club about it last year, which is how I found out about it (Hyatt phone rep had given me incorrect info as to why my match did not go through).

I'll try to dig up the text of that email & post it.

_Edited to add:_

Here's the email.  Note this email exchange was taking place in early Nov 2012.  2013 estimated MF had been paid in June 2012; they were not due until Jan 2013.  The "outstanding amount" referred to in the email was a total of $39, the amt they had underestimated my dues to be.  I received my MF bill the day I sent this email on a Monday, but my wait lists had failed to go through on Sat and Sun, the day prior to my receiving the bill.  My take: Hyatt knows and they don't particularly care about this problem.

"Good Afternoon Ms. Heathpack

Thank you for taking the time to write to us about your concerns. We appreciate your feedback about the website and experience with our Reservation Department.

In regards to your request list for weeks 18 through 20 at the Hyatt XXX, you were not confirmed automatically due to your 2013 Maintenance fee amount owed after your prepayment back from June 2012.

The website does instantly confirm members off the Request List first when units become available but the only factors that they do not confirm is a. the member doesn't have enough points to confirm, b. the credit card provided declines the reservation fee or c. the member has an outstanding balance owed for the Maintenance fee.  These are the sole reason that a member does not confirm which in your case it is the remaining difference still owed for your 2013 Maintenance fee which was just invoiced this month.

We apologize for the misinformation by our Reservation agent. We have forwarded her supervisor this e-mail and correction to coach her on the Request list process so she does not provide the same misinformation to another member.

Ms. Heathpack, you may have not received your invoice just yet in the mail but please look forward to do so. We apologize for the frustration and any inconvenience due to the Request.

We will research with our IT department if there is any better ways to enhance the site in the upcoming year so it will be easier for all members. Take care and hope you have a wonderful day.

Thank you,
Hyatt Residence Club Concierge
140 Fountain N. Parkway Ste. 570 St. Petersburg, FL 33760
T: (727) 803-9400 F727) 803-9402
E-mail: concierge@hyattvacationclub.com"


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## MaryH (Dec 9, 2013)

I was locked out either end of October or beginning of November and only received my MF statement with the budget end of November in Canada.  

This is ridiculous...  I don't think HGVC cares much about these type of owner feedback since my conversation with a HGVC reservation was basically "this is the way it is".


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## MaryH (Dec 9, 2013)

Optimist,

I was in a 1bdrm for 4 days last year and estimated the studio space and I would not want to be there for a week by myself let along with 2 people.


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## suzannesimon (Dec 9, 2013)

It would help if they removed the 2 chairs they put at the foot of the bed to make a "sitting room".  You can barely walk in there with all the furniture.  It's really a small motel room, not a studio.  Too bad they can't get rid of the large tub in the bath and capture the square footage for the room, or move the chairs to the bathroom and make that the sitting area 

I don't think I'd ever use just the studio except to extend my stay to 2 weeks.  I'm totally happy with the full 2 bedroom, and I love the  fixed unit, fixed Hyatt week, and, of course, the location is prime.


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