Has Hyatt Lost It? A Shocking "Five-Star" Stay (Plus Big American & Alaska Changes)

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American Airlines is quietly blocking last-minute partner award space, Alaska is raising its partner and phone booking fees on July 1, and Shawn just had a really bad "five-star" stay at the Grand Hyatt Athens. On this episode of MTM Travel, Shawn and Mark break down the AA award change and who it actually hurts, the Alaska fee increases and how the Summit card can offset them, and a brutal play-by-play of a Hyatt stay gone wrong — slow undersized elevators, road-noise "motel" rooms, burned eggs, no elite recognition, and a manager who hid in the back — all against a flawless stay at the Hyatt Regency Barcelona. Plus why lounges are cracking down on taking food and drinks, the role of private-equity cost-cutting, and how Hyatt only displays its good TripAdvisor reviews. Let us know your own Hyatt experiences down below, and we'll be back Thursday with more travel news.

Episode Guide:

• 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel
• 0:19 – Welcome back: Barcelona vs. Colombia (and the "Barthelona" debate)
• 1:33 – American Airlines blocks last-minute partner award space
• 5:30 – Alaska raises partner & phone booking fees (July 1)
• 8:40 – The decline of Hyatt
• 9:17 – Grand Hyatt Athens: a "five-star" disaster
• 15:21 – Hyatt Regency Barcelona done right
• 18:46 – Hyatt's rapid expansion & all-inclusive slide
• 21:00 – Every problem is a chance to win (or lose) a customer
• 25:35 – Why can't you take food and drinks from the lounge anymore?
• 28:18 – Hyatt only shows its good TripAdvisor reviews
• 30:09 – Final thoughts & what's coming Thursday

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