This is entirely insignificant in the grand scheme of things, though I do feel the need to mention it. Hyatt offers their Diamond members a “food and beverage welcome amenity.” At North America properties, you can choose between 1,000 Gold Passport points and a food and beverage amenity, though everywhere else you’re at the mercy of the amenity they give you. On their website, they describe it like this:
Welcome amenity consists of the following: at Hyatt properties in the U.S., Canada and Caribbean; a choice of 1,000 bonus points or Food and Beverage option; at Hyatt properties outside of North America and Andaz® hotels a Food and Beverage amenity will be provided; at Hyatt Place and Hyatt Summerfield Suites a choice of 500 bonus points or Food and Beverage amenity; at Hyatt Vacation Club Resorts 500 bonus points will automatically be awarded.
In my experience at non-North America properties, it usually consists of some small food item (cookies, fruit, or something), some beverage (usually water or wine), and a welcome card.
Well, I’m staying at the Hyatt Regency Mainz at the moment (which is a fantastic hotel, by the way), and since it’s the second day of my stay, just called down to the front desk to let them know that the welcome amenity hasn’t been delivered yet. The front desk agent asked “isn’t there a plate of apples in your room?”
Well, I guess these four (not-so-appetizing) apples, which have been in the room since before I arrived, are the welcome amenity:
I would have believed it if there were at least a card with it, but this is really embarrassing, in my opinion. Again, it’s not that the welcome amenity is in any way significant, but some consistency would be nice. Perhaps they should change the wording to “food OR beverage OR room decoration amenity.”
Those are the same four apples I received in 2006!
@ Phil -- That option is only available at North America properties. At overseas properties, you can't choose the points; you automatically get the amenity.
Always take the points, not the amenity, particularly if there's a Regency Club.
@ Oliver -- Did you steal one of the two suites that I was eyeing? Guess I booked too late! Shoot, wish I could have at least said hi. Was happy the club was closed, the breakfast buffet was phenomenal (though service not-so-much). Quite enjoyed watching the crews from a major Asian airline at breakfast every morning too. :D
Okay, I'll play the spoiler.
I think it all depends on point of view. My mom grew up during the depression, in Maine, and once said that to get an orange in your Xmas stocking was an amazing gift. I know that due to air shipping we're used to tropical fruit all year round, but someone from Scandinavia or Russia might think apples are totally decadent.
I hope they at least gave you a knife if the apples were so hard.....
@lucky -- wow, so we were in the HR Mainz at the same time. Same apples for me. Even commented about it on FT earlier this weeks.
@UA_Flyer -- how did you choose points? AFAIK, those are offered at US properties only. Since I didn't even touch the apples, i wouldn't mind trading them in for points.
@Justin - the comment about domestic properties is not accurate at all.
-David
I, too, like that property. Apples? Yes, underwhelming, but if you're jet-lagged and hungry at 3am, at least you've got options
I stayed at Hyatt Regency - Mainz in June for a week. It is a great property. The lounge face the Rhine River, and the first floor restaurant serves some fantastic entrees. Yes, the welcome amenity is not great. I chose the points instead.
Ha ha, you are so spoiled. =)
I agree. That is so wrong. Being a Diamond member, you deserve more than those 4 apples.
Agreed; I always take the points. The Andaz West Hollywood's welcome amenity was a tiny Chinese takeout-style box of candied walnuts. Between that and 1/5th of a night at the Bali Hyatt, I know which I'd prefer.
Nit picking a little bit, but it is common practice for hotels that assign rooms in advance of guest checkin to place amenities in the room ahead of time. No more than a few hours by design.
Do those without status get five apples?
Hyatt's welcome amenities are pretty horrid in the state-side regencys. The grand and andaz property amenities are a little better, but when staying at a hyatt regency in the US, i always take the points
I stayed there for one night recently. I don't have any status with them and I had exact same four apples in my room. Those are not part of any amenity, - just regular room 'things'. You need a jaw of a bulldog to actually bite those extra hard granny smith apples.
Park Hyatt DC = Apple Pie. Win.
Those apples are sad. FWIW, it is one of my pet peeves at Marriott properties, too. Forgoing the weak 500 point Plat amenity for a beer and either the pretzels and fruit or the nuts. I don't know why, but it bugs me when they send up the same fruit that you can pull out of the fruit bowl in the lobby; send up packaged Rold Gold pretzels...
Park Hyatt DC = Apple Pie. Win.
Those apples are sad. FWIW, it is one of my pet peeves at Marriott properties, too. Forgoing the weak 500 point Plat amenity for a beer and either the pretzels and fruit or the nuts. I don't know why, but it bugs me when they send up the same fruit that you can pull out of the fruit bowl in the lobby; send up packaged Rold Gold pretzels (take them out of the package and put them in a bowl - you aren't showing me that they're fresh, you're showing me that your food service is lazy); or a nut mixture that is almost entirely peanuts.
Anyway, I understand your point - the plat/diamond amenity isn't going to ruin your stay, but it is one of those things that makes you wonder who thought that was a good idea?
Ooh, at a Hyatt Regency that's what you get? The Hyatt Fair Lakes (fairfax, va) and Hyatt Dulles I always get two mini bottles of Kettle one and an orange juice as my welcome amenity. I got the food amenity once and they provided us with a menu of tasty hot dishes to choose from.
I hope you said something to the front desk or sent a letter to management? If it was worth commenting on publicly, it's certainly worth commenting to them privately.