Hyatt Manager To Guest: “Tarnishing Our Property Is Unacceptable”

Yesterday, I wrote about some shady behavior by the Hyatt Centric South Beach. An OMAAT reader made three bookings for next year on dates coinciding with World Cup games in Miami, as the rates weren’t inflated compared to what they’d usually be. Days later, the hotel emailed him to cancel his reservations, presumably wanting to charge more (since rates had quadrupled since).

The justification for canceling was that the hotel’s front office manager claimed that a one-night deposit was required at the time of booking (not true, based on the terms), and also claimed that the guest’s credit card was declined (he has no record of that). Conveniently, she invited him to rebook on the website “at the current available rate,” now that rates were four times as high. Anyway, there’s an interesting update now…

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Hyatt Centric front office manager gets defensive

For context, be sure you check out the previous post first. Long story short, Christophe sent the front office manager a link to the story I published, and she responded to him as follows:

I am writing to directly address the concerns raised regarding your recent reservation and to provide clear clarification following a full internal review and consultation with Hyatt Global Support.

First and foremost, I want to make it unequivocally clear that at no point was there any attempt to overcharge you. The cancellation of your reservation occurred due to an internal rate code error, which has since been identified and corrected.

After a detailed review, it was confirmed that the deposit policy tied to your reservation required payment to be collected three (3) days prior to arrival. This policy is consistent with Hyatt’s standards and was appropriately applied in this instance. Once this was clarified, your reservation was reinstated without issue or delay.

It is also important to note that all reservations at our property are subject to the terms, policies, and discretion of the hotel, in accordance with Hyatt guidelines.

While we are always committed to providing excellent service and addressing guest concerns professionally, we must also set a clear expectation: we will not tolerate disrespectful behavior or unfounded accusations toward our team. We hold ourselves to high standards of integrity, and we expect the same level of respect in return.

We appreciate your understanding of our position and look forward to ensuring the rest of your experience is in line with the standards you expect from Hyatt.

Christophe responded to this message, as follows:

Can we be realistic though?

You have a guest that 3 confirmed booking. If there is any issue with those bookings you reach out. Particularly a year in advance. 

It is just very convenient that you cancel whilst the price has been multiplied by 4.

Even with the code error had it been at any other period you would have reached out. Hotels reach out all the time they never proactively cancel 3.

I would add that these 3 reservations are at different dates. So its not like there was an attempt x days in advance to get payment. There is someone at revenue management who just didn’t like that rate. 

The front office manger responded to that, as follows:

Once again that is not true at all.

No one looked at your rate nor made any changes based on your rate price. I didn’t even know the time frame you were coming was a special occasion I was whole heartedly under the impression one night deposit was required at the time of booking and I was only doing my job and collecting deposits for not only you but numerous people under the same rate code. Since bringing this to my attention I had to go back and fix other reservations as well we do have other rates that if not able to collect we are instructed to cancel and notify the guest of the cancellation in my primary email I informed you I would be happy to assist you in rebooking. Tarnishing our property is unacceptable and you are accusing me and others of things that are not true.

Does this explanation make sense to anyone?

I’m impressed that a full internal review was conducted on the afternoon of July 4… talk about efficiency! The only issue is that… nothing that’s written actually makes sense? Let’s unpack this “clear clarification,” as she calls it:

• The reservation was canceled due to “an internal rate code error,” whatever that means; that’s a convenient thing to blame something on, since it’s not like there’s anything there we can question (it’s very “there’s been a disturbance in the kitchen” vibes, from Curb Your Enthusiasm)
• The “detailed review” determined that the “deposit policy” for his reservations was a deposit being collected three days before arrival; not only is that not stated in the rate terms of the reservation he booked, but his stay is for roughly a year from now, so it’s not three days from arrival
• Okay, if all reservations are at the “discretion of the hotel,” then just say that; “hey, we published too low of a rate, and we don’t want to honor it,” rather than making up a fake deposit policy and claiming a credit card declined
• The front office manager then pivots on her position; suddenly she’s “whole heartedly under the impression one night deposit was required” (based on what?!)

I can’t say with 100% certainty that the hotel representatives are lying. I believe with 99%+ certainty that they’re not being entirely truthful here, but if I were to give the hotel the benefit of the doubt, this explanation makes no sense whatsoever. Let’s assume for a moment that the front office manager is telling the truth. What does that say about the level of customer service and integrity with which the hotel does business?

• The hotel falsely believed that a one-night deposit was required at booking, even though that wasn’t the case
• If the hotel wasn’t able to collect that one-night deposit, and this stay is a year out, wouldn’t any hotel consider it to be decent customer service to reach out to the guest and ask for their updated details?
• Then the hotel claims that a deposit is required three days before arrival, when that’s still not reflected in the terms

I love how defensive the manager gets, saying “we will not tolerate disrespectful behavior or unfounded accusations toward our team,” and “we hold ourselves to high standards of integrity, and we expect the same level of respect in return.”

Thou doth protest too much, no? It’s funny to accuse other parties of disrespect and a lack of integrity, when that’s exactly that’s on full display here.

Keep in mind that when the guest called the Globalist line to have the reservation reinstated, the supervisor reportedly spoke to the same front office manager, who claimed that she was just following instructions from revenue management.

I’ll open this up to OMAAT readers. Does anyone believe the hotel’s explanation? Or at a minimum, could anyone actually help me understand the hotel’s explanation, because it makes no sense to me?

Bottom line

The Hyatt Centric South Beach decided to cancel some bookings for next year, with questionable justification (to put it politely). Now the hotel is defending itself, but the explanation makes zero sense to me. If this is the best job the hotel can do with providing a “clear clarification” of what happened, then I think the hotel might need to hire a new comms person.

What do you make of this Hyatt Centric South Beach saga?