Hyatt’s Screwed-Up Bounceback Promotion

I do not think there is much value in the Hyatt Bounceback promotion.

The basic offer is a stay at a Hyatt Regency, Grand Hyatt or Andaz Hotel in the U.S., Canada, or Caribbean by September 8 will earn a hotel services credit certificate valued at $75 to $150 valid on a return stay of two nights or more with check-in Thursday through Sunday night at any participating Hyatt between September 13 and December 30.

Got that? I doubt it.

The qualifying stay to earn the BBCK10 certificate can be any normally eligible rate like AAA, senior, etc. The BBCK10 code is only needed for the return stay reservation.

There are 95 participating hotels.

Hyatt does not provide a link to the list of hotels actually participating in this Bounceback promotion.

After 20 minutes testing rates and 20 minutes wasted on the Gold Passport Diamond line trying to get more details on this promotion, I learned that the Hyatt San Francisco Airport is not a participating hotel.

How would I have known that from the promotion press release? Fortunately I did not already book a stay at the Hyatt SFO anticipating a future stay BBCK10 credit certificate.

You should call Hyatt customer service or better yet, the hotel you are staying in by September 8 to verify the hotel is participating in this promotion and actually has BBCK10 certificates in stock to award you with your qualifying stay. The certificate is necessary for the BBCK10 future stay credit.

The other interesting aspect of this promotion is the offer was announced by a FlyerTalk member el-hefe on July 19, yet the official Hyatt Hotels Press Release was only issued last Thursday, August 12. This offer supposedly launched July 1 according to the booking dates for the return stay certificate to be used with this promotion.

Hyatt seems to have dropped the ball on the roll-out of this campaign.

Hyatt Bounceback return stay credit promotion press release link.

 

Details for using the Hyatt return stay certificate credit:  

Travelers must book the return stay at any participating Hyatt (no need to return to the hotel where the certificate was earned) using the special offer code BBCK10. The original stay certificate must be presented on the return stay.

Guests will receive a stay credit based on the number of nights booked, which can be applied to charges posted to the room on the return stay, including hotel dining, spa offerings or other hotel services.

• $75 credit with two-night return stay
• $125 credit with three-night return stay
• $150 credit with four-night or longer return stay

Check-in must be on a Thursday through Sunday. The credit is not applicable to room rate or resort fees.

Park Hyatt, Hyatt Resorts, Hyatt Place and Hyatt Summerfield Suites are not participating properties for this offer.

 

The problem I see with this offer

The return stay credit requires booking a multi-night stay at a higher rate than otherwise available in most cases.

There is really no downside to the offer since you can earn the certificate on the lowest rates like AAA or senior rates. The problem comes when using the certificate on a future stay. Compare rates carefully before booking the BBCK10 return stay to avoid paying more than your credit is worth.

Higher rates than otherwise available are required to use the certificate credit on your future stay. The higher rates will often diminish the value of your future stay credit by more than 50%. Depending on the differential between the lowest rate available for the future stay compared to the BBCK10 rate, you may lose most or even all of the voucher credit when paying a higher hotel room rate on your future stay.

Here are sample rate analyses for San Francisco area Hyatt hotels:

Return Stay: Fri Sep 24 thru Sun Sep 26, 2010 (two night stay)

Hyatt Regency Santa Clara

• Prepaid rate = $79.20 (no refund)
• AAA rate = $84.15 (cancel 24 hours before arrival) Breakfast for two included in rate
• BBCK10 rate = $99.00 (cancel 24 hours before arrival) 

Santa Clara Hyatt Regency had one of the lowest rate differences between AAA and the BBK10 rate in searches I conducted. Still the $75 return stay certificate actually has a far lower value at this hotel. 

The BBCK10 rate is $15 more per night + 9.5% tax. Assume you pay $16 per night extra or $32 for a two night stay.

The $75 credit has just been reduced by $32. Now you only have a $43 net credit on the future stay.

The $75 credit can be used for breakfast, but the AAA rate has a free breakfast included for two. The breakfast buffet at the Hyatt Regency Santa Clara will cost about $43 or even slightly more after tax. As a Diamond member I would receive complimentary breakfast on the BBCK10 rate and I could use the BBCK10 rate and the $75 credit for dinner. My net gain is about $43 in total value from the $75 certificate.

The $75 credit saves no money in this stay example compared to just booking the AAA breakfast rate for your hotel stay if you would use the credit for breakfast. And you would need to spend more at the hotel since breakfast would not use up the $75 value.

San Francisco Grand Hyatt and San Francisco Hyatt Regency

Thanksgiving vacation seems like a good opportunity to redeem the certificate for leisure travelers.

Several dates I tried for the Hyatt Regency San Francisco in November returned with the message the BBCK10 rate was not available for the dates.

Return Stay: Friday Nov 19 thru Sunday Nov 21, 2010

Grand Hyatt San Francisco

• BBCK10 rate = $214 = $494.60 after tax (two night stay receives a $75 hotel services credit)

• AAA rate = $176.20 (Breakfast rate) = $407.28 after tax

The qualifying rate to use the $75 stay certificate will cost an extra $87.32 for this stay at the Grand Hyatt San Francisco.

This is a one-key promotion in this rate example. The promotion costs more to earn than the value given.

Bottom Line: Hyatt’s Bounceback promotion for a hotel credit on a future stay costs nothing extra to earn, however, you may find the BBCK10 certificate has limited or no value due to higher rates required to use the future stay certificate. 

Loyalty traveler Promotion Rating: Two-Keys if you can find a decent rate for your return stay.