Hyatt Manager Confronts Guest Over Property Damage
Yesterday, I wrote about the antics over at the Hyatt Centric South Beach. A savvy reader snagged three bookings for next year’s World Cup events in Miami—those rare occasions when rates weren’t outrageously inflated. Then, out of the blue, the hotel sends him an email canceling his reservations. Coincidence? The rates had since skyrocketed. Suspicious timing, don’t you think?
The rationale? The hotel’s front office manager claimed a one-night deposit at booking was needed (spoiler: it wasn’t), and also tossed in that the guest’s credit card faced rejection (gotta love that excuse without evidence). But hey, they kindly suggested rebooking at the now quadrupled price. How thoughtful! But wait, the plot thickens…
Hyatt Centric Manager: Defensive Much?
Let’s rewind. After my initial exposé, Christophe, the affected guest, shot back with a link to the story. The manager’s rebuttal was something to behold:
I’ve dived deep into this matter and gotta make one thing clear: overcharging you was never part of the plan. A little hiccup caused by an “internal rate code error” is to blame here, and we’ve taken care of it.
Turns out, our deposit policy mandates payment three days before you waltz in—right in line with Hyatt’s playbook. Once we squared that away, we popped your reservation back on track.
Heads up: reservations come with hotel terms, policies, and guidelines. Play nice, and so will we. Unfounded accusations will not fly here.
Thanks for getting it, and we’re eager to show you the hospitality you deserve.
Christophe wasn’t convinced, responding with sharp wit:
Let’s be real for a second.
If a guest has three confirmed bookings and there’s a hiccup, you’re supposed to reach out—especially a year in advance. Peculiar how you cancel right when prices soared.
Even with a code snafu, you’d reach out. Hotels don’t just cancel three bookings without a peep.
The bookings are on different dates. Someone in revenue thought, “Nope, that rate’s too low.”
The front office manager wasn’t having it:
Hold on, that’s not what happened.
Your rate wasn’t even on our radar, and, honestly, I didn’t realize the games were afoot. I thought I was just collecting deposits to do my job. After looking into it, we adjusted other reservations, too. Tarnishing our name under false pretenses? Not cool.
Does This Explanation Hold Any Water?
I’m astounded at how swiftly this “full review” occurred—over July 4th, no less! Alas, the explanation? Still riddled with head-scratch-inducing logic:
- Blaming a cancellation on a mysterious “internal rate code error.” It’s conveniently ambiguous.
- The “detailed review” insisted a deposit three days before arrival was standard. Yet, his booking terms said nothing of the sort, and it’s for next year!
- If the hotel ran on discretion, then call it what it is—admit to a mistake instead of crafting false policies and blaming a rejected card.
- The front office manager inevitably swerves, insisting on a night deposit based on… where?
Can’t confirm fibs, but there’s a glaring breech of truth. Assuming noble intentions from the manager isn’t generous if this tale is accurate; it raises questions about Hyatt’s guest relations and integrity.
- Believing in a no-show requirement for deposits was a myth, it seems.
- If collecting deposits is so crucial, why not contact the guest? A year should offer plenty of time to update payment info.
- Switching gears to claim a deposit is due three days prior, despite no term, doesn’t exactly inform confidence.
I find the manager’s outburst amusing: “We won’t abide disrespect or false claims,” and “We uphold integrity and expect the same.”
A tad defensive, eh? Calling others disrespectful while under the lamp for shady dealings—oh, the irony!
Importantly, when Globalist was dialed up to fix it, guess who? The front office manager—claiming to follow orders from above.
What’s your take? Can anyone actually untangle this managerial mess of a defense, or is it as baffling to you as it beats my logic?
Bottom Line
The Hyatt Centric South Beach is in some hot water over canceled bookings. Their explanations seem shakier than a snowflake at the Val Seny ski resort in March. If this fiasco is the pinnacle of “clear communication,” they might want to requisition a new PR team stat.
How’s this saga rubbing you? Inconceivable, or are we missing some deep hotel management logic here?