My Experience with Hyatt’s Best Rate Guarantee

Recently, there’s been a lot of buzz about the change in Hyatt’s Best Rate Guarantee policy.

Rather than reporting on the change itself, I’d like to report on my experience with the service, when I had to call the Best Rate Guarantee phone line in November for my stay at the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht.

Rates on Hyatt’s websites were showing in the mid $300s, to low $400s, which, of course, I was unwilling to pay. Having scoured the web for better deals, I actually ended up on hotels.com, where I was able to find the same room for less than $200 a night, including breakfast. Seriously?! I immediately called the Hyatt guarantee line and the agent I spoke to verified the website I was looking at. Shocked, she actually advised she needed to speak to her supervisor and would call me back in an hour because she did not believe there would be that much discrepancy in the rate. An hour later, she called back advising they were able to honor the rate, and also apply the 20% additional discount they promise for these types of fares found on other sites. Had the new policy of reporting the issue via the online form been in place, I’m not sure I would have gotten the same results, and actually probably would have expected an automated reply back advising they could not honor the rate, or risk someone checking the website and finding a rate change within 24 hours. Either way, I’m disappointed Hyatt has moved to an online only system as I think chatting with a live representative was helpful in getting the matter resolved quickly and efficiently.

Have you every had any experience with the Hyatt Best Rate Guarantee policy?