Grand Hyatt Santiago

thepaul500

Level 2 Member
Anyone else get in on the Amex FHR deal for the GH Santiago?

I might have made a few...small...bookings (okay, I admit, I was greedy). Really hoping they honor this, will be fun to spend a few weekends down there and use them as MR's as well.
 

sriki

Level 2 Member
I don't have a amex plat card. So, I could not take advantage of it. Combine that with the high likelihood of this not being honored, I could not do much.

Does bookings made with Amex FHR qualify for stay requirements of Hyatt status?
 

thepaul500

Level 2 Member
Yes, when they are actual FHR bookings.

I'd put it within the realm of possibility of them honoring it. These bookings were made by Plat/Cent holders, their supposed high value customers. Also, how many could seriously have been booked?
 

sriki

Level 2 Member
damn...I really wished I had a plat card. Hope they honor it. I wonder how many rooms/nights were booked this way. That might affect the decision to honor them or not.
 

thepaul500

Level 2 Member
Yeah, I read through all that. Considering they pulled the rate, I have to assume they are deciding how to handle it. My first booking starts aug 8th, so I might call tonight and try and find out my hyatt confirmation numbers and see if they say anything.

My dream: We pay the $5/night. Hyatt charges Amex full rate. Amex writes off cost. ***points shower***
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
Anyone else get in on the Amex FHR deal for the GH Santiago?

I might have made a few...small...bookings (okay, I admit, I was greedy). Really hoping they honor this, will be fun to spend a few weekends down there and use them as MR's as well.
Yep, made two bookings for a week each. Not sure which I will do (or both). Got a regular room for one and a Diplomat Suite for the second. Wonder how we will know whether they will honor it or not? I have flights on hold as well.
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
Yeah, I'm holding off on calling in, I figure we'll hear something in the next few days, if not I'll call. From the FT thread it sounded like the hotel was seeing it booked as a full rate and that it's Amex who was showing us a lesser rate. So yeah it'll be Amex who would have to eat the money. Fingers crossed for Amex honoring it...
Next time I was in Santiago, I was intending to stay at this property anyway. Have stayed at The Aubrey several times, and the Ritz as well. Hoping to find out soon, but wonder what will happen.
 

thepaul500

Level 2 Member
For my diplo suite: 146,000CLP/night.
For stay #1 in king: 46,000/night.
For stay #2 in king: 13,000/night.

Huh? These are the rates on hyatt.com after I got my numbers from Amex. I'm not okay with the first two, but might actually use the last one if that is what they charged me, $20/night would make requal super easy.

Part of the problem is I wouldn't even know who to contact, we are relying on Amex contacting us.
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
For my diplo suite: 146,000CLP/night.
For stay #1 in king: 46,000/night.
For stay #2 in king: 13,000/night.

Huh? These are the rates on hyatt.com after I got my numbers from Amex. I'm not okay with the first two, but might actually use the last one if that is what they charged me, $20/night would make requal super easy.

Part of the problem is I wouldn't even know who to contact, we are relying on Amex contacting us.
So, my reservations have populated to my Award Wallet and nowhere is there a rate, not on the confirmation I printed out and not on AW. So, I understand you have to call Hyatt to get the your GP number added to it and to get the Hyatt reservation, but not sure how to play this. Probably will drop one of the bookings, but would like to book the fight tonight as it is on hold on AA. Not sure what to do. Need the Hyatt nights for Diamond, have a suite upgrade available but understand I cannot use it for this. Wish I could confirm and not sure how best to gamble on this one. Have family in Santiago and would be going there anyway but might have waited until 2016 were it not for this deal...
 

thepaul500

Level 2 Member
So, my reservations have populated to my Award Wallet and nowhere is there a rate, not on the confirmation I printed out and not on AW. So, I understand you have to call Hyatt to get the your GP number added to it and to get the Hyatt reservation, but not sure how to play this. Probably will drop one of the bookings, but would like to book the fight tonight as it is on hold on AA. Not sure what to do. Need the Hyatt nights for Diamond, have a suite upgrade available but understand I cannot use it for this. Wish I could confirm and not sure how best to gamble on this one. Have family in Santiago and would be going there anyway but might have waited until 2016 were it not for this deal...
Well, you can DM @hyattconcierge on twitter and they can add the GP#, which is what I did. They show up just fine then. Try to open your reservation on the mobile website (NOT APP) by typing in name/confirmation (last 5 from amex). That's how I saw the rate. Heck, you probably could ask the twitter guys the rate too.

Look, I mean Amex obviously knows about it at this point, and while I wont be the one to call amex and specifically ask yet (I'll wait a few more days), someone has to be first...
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
For anyone who is going to Santiago before the end of October, you may not be aware that Mendoza, Argentina is a quick flight over the Andes from Santiago. Or you can take a fairly grueling bus ride. At any rate, the Intercontinental Mendoza is one of the point breaks hotels that just went up today for IHG. Often Avios are a great value for quick hops like this in South America. Mendoza is a lovely city with lots of outdoor cafes and a great wine region with terrific vineyards very close.
 

thepaul500

Level 2 Member
For anyone who is going to Santiago before the end of October, you may not be aware that Mendoza, Argentina is a quick flight over the Andes from Santiago. Or you can take a fairly grueling bus ride. At any rate, the Intercontinental Mendoza is one of the point breaks hotels that just went up today for IHG. Often Avios are a great value for quick hops like this in South America. Mendoza is a lovely city with lots of outdoor cafes and a great wine region with terrific vineyards very close.
Just make sure you pay the $160 reciprocity fee for US citizens.... :(
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
Just make sure you pay the $160 reciprocity fee for US citizens.... :(
Paid it years ago so it is in my passport, but as far as I know, it no longer exists.

Code:
http://www.aeropuertosantiago.cl/noticias-y-novedades/chile-elimina-cobro-de-impuesto-de-reciprocidad-para-los-pasajeros-procedentes-de-estados-unidos-2.html
EDIT: Oh, you mean Argentina. Yeah, paid that this year already too. It used to be so easy to go in and out of Argentina. You could take the ferry to Uruguay or fly over from Chile. Chile dropped theirs and Argentina added theirs. The website to pay it is hard to use even if you speak Spanish It's a pain.
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
So, thanks @thepaul500 for the tip on hyattconcierge on twitter. My rooms show up on my Hyatt profile now. Decided not to ask about rate in my chat. Put flights on hold for another 24. Not sure how to best move forward at all. The strangest thing is that once I was able to check the rate rules on my phone app, the reservation with the Grand King has a Valued Added Tax of 0 CLP. However the suite has a Value Added Tax of 159,600 CLP (approx $240). So, was leaning toward going when I have the suite, but may shift gears on this. Hard to know what will happen.
 
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smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
The VAT should be 0 if you show a US passport and pay in dollars, per everything I have read.
Yes, I hate paying in dollars because the rate is at the discretion of the hotel then. I have asked to pay in pesos and compared the difference even with the VAT and sometimes it is lower. But what I wondered is why for one reservation it is zero and the other not.
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
Recent FT post made me want to hedge my bets. Booked a second reservation on the date I am most likely to go through Hyatt on cash + points and used a Diamond suite upgrade. I was also told that the Amex FH rate would NOT count for Hyatt status, so since I am trying to requalify for Diamond, I need those 7 nights to count! Got a rate of approx. $50 per night with that method and of course have access to club lounge anyway as a Diamond. Will hold onto the other reservations just to see what happens, but wanted to lock in at least one flight ASAP.
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
Yeah...they're not honoring this. Amex travel said the rate they're showing from the hotel is over a million pesos. They said I could keep the reservation (showing 9000 pesos on amex's side, but know that when I check-in the price will be 1M pesos) or cancel the reservation. I imagine you could complain and get it escalated and try to get a compromise, but they're not honoring these rates. They said it was an error with the decimals, should have been 900k pesos + tax makes it over a million, although my hyatt confirmation is showing 360k + vat.
I am going to go with the points + cash rate with the suite upgrade and most likely cancel my other reservations, but holding on to them for now. Where and how did you see your 360k rate from Hyatt? Was it via computer or phone app? Mine not showing except for VAT.
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
Their mobile website. It doesn't show up on the app or online for me. I'm still holding my reservations too, but will probably end up doing the same.
Yeah, not sure how much I would like to pay the higher rate and have to deal with it later. No way to handle it in Chile (nor would you want to) if the rates are not the same.
 

thepaul500

Level 2 Member
They are honoring the rate (at least for my stay starting saturday)

Pay the full rate at checkout, Amex to reimburse. I have it in writing, though am still worried. An 11k bill would not be easy to cover...
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
They are honoring the rate (at least for my stay starting saturday)

Pay the full rate at checkout, Amex to reimburse. I have it in writing, though am still worried. An 11k bill would not be easy to cover...
Please keep us informed on how it works out. I also would like to know if it counts as stays and nights for Hyatt as I would hate to have a week stay and have it not count for Diamond status.
 

thepaul500

Level 2 Member
I did call and speak with them to clarify if my two bookings for the fall will be honored the same way. They are going to get back to me.

If they do, I am canceling my booking for this weekend to not be the guinea pig on this, as well as cancel my hold on an AA award. I'd much rather make this a DL mileage run which I can for both my fall bookings.
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
I did call and speak with them to clarify if my two bookings for the fall will be honored the same way. They are going to get back to me.

If they do, I am canceling my booking for this weekend to not be the guinea pig on this, as well as cancel my hold on an AA award. I'd much rather make this a DL mileage run which I can for both my fall bookings.
I have two fall bookings, one with a flight booked, and one without. Not excited about paying up front and collecting later, although I am not surprised that is the case.
 

thepaul500

Level 2 Member
Been open for the past week, never bothered checking earlier since there was no way in hell I expected this to work out like this.

I think were going to explore Santiago saturday, then go wine touring sunday, though it might be a bit chilly....going from 90+ here to 40's there, woof!

For anyone else planning on going, make sure you use your Platinum card to pay, I have it in writing form them that I have to use that card or else I will not get reimbursement. (Also, get all your stuff in writing...)
 

thepaul500

Level 2 Member
Just got back, the suite is incredible. Amazing views of the Andes, top floor of hotel, etc. We booked the whole month, and did not check out when we left. Hoping to go back over labor day and check out :)

On a side note, I posted this on FT as well, but we got scammed for about $50 at the airport changing money at the AFEX outside departures. Fakes are everywhere...
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
I wish we were staying the whole month, we only stayed the weekend, but hopefully I earn points for the whole month!
I got an email on Sept. 11 that they are honoring the mistake rate. Did you by chance get Hyatt nights for this stay? I am trying to requalify for Diamond and was curious. Amex told me yes and Hyatt told me no. Have a stay coming up.
 

Chris H

Level 2 Member
I got an email on Sept. 11 that they are honoring the mistake rate. Did you by chance get Hyatt nights for this stay? I am trying to requalify for Diamond and was curious. Amex told me yes and Hyatt told me no. Have a stay coming up.
I had a friend there a couple weeks ago and he got credit automatically - no need to call. They had his name on a list of mistake fare bookers at checkin, so they even had the rate adjusted properly.
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
I had a friend there a couple weeks ago and he got credit automatically - no need to call. They had his name on a list of mistake fare bookers at checkin, so they even had the rate adjusted properly.
Oh good to know! So your friend got credit for nights at Hyatt too! I was waiting to be sure as I have a back up booking as well. I have family in Santiago and will be staying there again in the future and so didn't want it to be a hassle. Great news!
 

Chris H

Level 2 Member
Oh good to know! So your friend got credit for nights at Hyatt too! I was waiting to be sure as I have a back up booking as well. I have family in Santiago and will be staying there again in the future and so didn't want it to be a hassle. Great news!
Absolutely - should be no problem at all.
 

thepaul500

Level 2 Member
Got all credit for nights, plus it was enough to get me the fall promo. Also, I requested missing points afterwards (I only got points on the part I paid) and hyatt credited me with about 50% of the points for the part amex paid. Even sweeter!
 
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