The Park Hyatt Bangkok has opened a club lounge of sorts, though it follows a trend that some loyalty program members certainly won’t like.
Executive Retreat at Park Hyatt Bangkok
Generally speaking, Park Hyatt properties don’t have club lounges. Back in the day, there were a few properties that did (including in Canberra and Melbourne), but that’s no longer the case. Well, one Park Hyatt is countering this trend, but in an unusual way.
The Park Hyatt Bangkok recently opened what it calls the Executive Retreat at the Park, which is a club lounge, just with a different name. It’s open daily from 12PM until 7PM, and offers a “refined culinary experience designed for guests seeking an elevated stay,” and a “seamless journey of signature flavors across different times of the day.” As you can tell, breakfast isn’t served here, as that continues to be available in the main restaurant.
The lounge offers three different food and drink presentations. As it’s described, the lounge first offers a “midday indulgence” between 12PM and 3PM, including:
- Thoughtfully crafted live-station lunch featuring freshly prepared dishes
- Seasonal and locally inspired creations designed for a refined palate
- A tranquil setting ideal for a leisurely afternoon escape
Then the lounge features “afternoon delights” between 3PM and 5PM, including:
- A variety of signature afternoon teas, blending premium loose-leaf selections and artisanal infusions
- A display of delicate pastries and finely made desserts
- An elevated encounter that reimagines the traditional tea ritual
Lastly, the lounge features “evening elegancy” between 5PM and 7PM, including:
- A curation of savory bites, artfully presented to complement the transition into the evening
- A handpicked assortment of cocktails, boutique wines and crafted spirits
- A stylish atmosphere for relaxing and savoring the art of mixology
So, who gets access to this facility? It’s complimentary for those booked in premium and specialty suites. On top of that, it can be purchased as a package option for other room types. So, how much is the premium for other room types? Pulling up random dates, I see a member rate of 13,250 THB, while the rate that offers access to the Executive Retreat is 16,220 THB. So you’re paying around $90 extra for access to this, and that assumes you wouldn’t book an advance purchase rate.
Notably, World of Hyatt Globalist members don’t get access to this facility on a complimentary basis.
For those curious, below is the full, current menu for the Executive Retreat.
Cool new feature, or annoying trend?
I imagine people will have conflicting takes on this new facility.
On the one hand, it’s a valuable new feature for those booking premium suites, and some people might find it worth the premium to splurge on this when booking another room type. Nothing is being taken away from any guests who aren’t interested in it.
On the other hand, it’s sort of a slap in the face to Globalist members. While Park Hyatts don’t have club lounges as a brand standard, Globalist members do receive lounge access when it’s available. Interestingly, back in the day, the Park Hyatt Bangkok offered a special happy hour for Globalist members, but that hasn’t been offered in years.
The thing is, the hotel is essentially playing a game here. The hotel is claiming that this isn’t a club lounge, but instead, it’s an “Executive Retreat,” and that’s why Globalist members don’t get access. The Park Hyatt is hardly the first property to do this, as we’ve seen similar situations at a variety of Hilton and Marriott properties. However, up until now, it has been quite rare with Hyatt.
With hotel loyalty programs, we’re increasingly seeing hotels playing games and finding loopholes to avoid offering benefits, rather than trying to honor them to the best of their ability. In fairness to hotel owners, the hotel groups are increasingly trying to monetize their loyalty programs, and that largely comes at the expense of individual hotel owners, as they have to dish out the benefits for an ever-increasing number of elites.
Bottom line
The Park Hyatt Bangkok has opened an Executive Retreat, as it’s called, which is basically a club lounge. It’s available on a complimentary basis to premium suite guests, and on top of that, those booking other room types can pay to access this facility.
Park Hyatt properties don’t ordinarily have club lounges, so nothing is being taken away from other guests. At the same time, I imagine that many Globalist members that are usually entitled to lounge access won’t be too happy about this.
What do you make of the Park Hyatt Bangkok’s Executive Retreat concept?
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