Tag: hotel review | Page 13

Park Hyatt Beijing Review

July 23, 2022May 25, 2015

I stayed at the beautiful Park Hyatt Beijing for two nights on my quick mileage run to China. I debated between the Park and Grand Hyatt. The Grand Hyatt is located near Wangfujing; the pedestrian street with shopping and food stalls and not far from the Forbidden City. The Park … Read more

Hyatt Regency Crystal City DCA Review

July 23, 2022May 24, 2015

After spending only 7 hours at the hotel, it seems a bit presumptuous to write a review about the Hyatt Regency Crystal City at Reagan International (technically in Virginia). However I think I slept a total of 2 hours, giving me 5 hours to experience the hotel. I think that qualifies me as an expert.

I booked the spectacular mistake fare to Beijing but needed to position myself at DCA to begin the run. As my flight out of DCA was at 7:15am, and I was coming from Seattle, I knew I would need to spend the night in DC. My flight arrived at 10:00pm and they Hyatt Regency Crystal City was a good option as it had a free shuttle every 20 minutes to/from the airport. Apart from the driver leaving the airport with the shuttle door still open, it was a painless experience to get to the hotel.

Hyatt Regency Vancouver Review

July 23, 2022May 16, 2015

I purchased tickets to U2’s tour opener in Vancouver late last year and knew I would want to spend a couple days in Canada. There is only one Hyatt option in Vancouver; the Hyatt Regency Vancouver, so I booked it. I am a Hyatt loyalist after all. This would be my first stay at a Hyatt property as a Diamond member after completing my Elite Tier Offer.

Location: Hyatt Regency Vancouver is located in the heart of downtown next to the Burrard SkyTrain station that you can access via the Expo or Millennium lines. It is no more than a 15 minute walk to anywhere in downtown. The hotel lobby is connected to a small mall that has a drug store and fast food restaurants. A few blocks away is the shopping area of downtown in one direction and the waterfront in other. Vancouver is a very cosmopolitan city and you can easily find anything you are looking for.

Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego Review

July 23, 2022April 28, 2015

The Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego was one of the “official” hotels of the conference I was attending and is only a few blocks from the Convention Center. I booked a Double Bed at Costco rates as it was the best I could find; each night just under $300. There were two large conferences in town (one at the hotel), so I am guessing you could find some better rates if you go when there isn’t a conference in town. It is the largest hotel in San Diego (with 1,625 rooms).

The Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego is located on the waterfront just south west of the downtown core. It is about 10 minutes from the airport and you can walk to Petco Park, the Convention Center, Gaslamp, and downtown. There are a bunch of restaurants just across the street. Across the street there is also a light rail stop.

Hyatt House Seattle Downtown

September 6, 2019April 24, 2015

The Hyatt House Seattle Downtown is set to open in the next few weeks. I stopped by today to check out the progress of the construction and to scope out the property. I was not able to go in, but here are a few observations.

Location: This is the closest hotel to the Space Needle hands down. While the Hyatt Place Seattle is a short walk from the Space Needle, the Hyatt House Seattle Downtown is perhaps 500 feet from the Space Needle. You will walk out the door, cross the street, and you are at the gift shop and elevator to the top. This is great for tourists, however it is a bit of a distance to the downtown core. Lucky for you, the Monorail stop is also just across the street, very convenient for tourists to access shopping and Pike Place Market.

Hyatt The Pike Long Beach Review

July 23, 2022April 15, 2015

After spending three nights at the Disneyland Hotel with my family, I rented a car and drove north. I spent a night at the Hyatt The Pike Long Beach by myself for some non-Disney relaxation. I love Disney and I love my family, but it was great to have some solo time before heading back home and to work.

Hyatt The Pike Long Beach is one of the non-conformist properties; it is simply a “Hyatt”, and not a member of any of the Hyatt sub-brands (although many compare it to an Andaz). In this light it is similar to Hyatt Olive 8. This is expected to change soon as Hyatt The Pike Long Beach gets rebranded as a Hyatt Centric when the new sub-brand launches this summer.

Wynn Las Vegas Review

July 23, 2022March 31, 2015

While I had visited the casino and buffet at Wynn Las Vegas, my first stay wasn’t until I received an offer for $219/night on the weekend with a free night if I came back in 3 months. I liked the casino and buffet at Wynn Las Vegas, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to try out the hotel. My previous stays in Vegas were usually at Mlife properties so I was excited to try a new location.

Check In: Everything from booking the rooms to check in went smooth; I checked in on a Friday night and only waited perhaps 5 minutes. My room was on the 34th floor in a Panorama room. There was a bit of a walk from check in to the elevators; having to walk through most of the casino. A security guard was stationed at the elevators to check to make sure guests had a room card.

Grand Hyatt Seattle Review

July 23, 2022March 30, 2015

Last week I reviewed the Hyatt Olive 8, this week I review the other downtown Hyatt option in Seattle, the Grand Hyatt Seattle.

These two main Hyatt properties are half a block away from each other and both centrally located near the Washington State Convention Center. The Grand Hyatt Seattle may have a slightly better location as there are multiple restaurants and a Starbucks that you can access without leaving the hotel.

Check In: I was checking in to the Grand Hyatt Seattle on a Sunday evening just after a large convention was wrapping up from the weekend. I was impressed that the wait was less than a minute. The front desk clerk that helped me was very professional; the usual acknowledgement of my Platinum status, notifying me of the amenities, and offering me a choice of newspapers.

Hyatt Olive 8 Seattle Review

September 6, 2019March 22, 2015

Hyatt Olive 8 Seattle Review Loyal Hyatt visitors to Seattle are faced with a tough decision: Grand Hyatt or Hyatt Olive 8. There is also a Hyatt Place and a Hyatt House (opening May 2015); however those properties are outside the downtown core. If you are in town for a conference … Read more

Hyatt Regency Santa Clara Review

July 23, 2022March 7, 2015

I stayed at the Hyatt Regency Santa Clara for a weekend in October, 2014. The hotel is older, my guess it was built in the mid 1980’s, and has a large footprint of 501 rooms. The closest airport is San Jose (6 miles), a small airport that makes getting in and out easy.

I assumed it would be quiet on a weekend when business travelers were at home, but was I wrong! This is definitely a conference hotel (it is attached to the Santa Clara Convention Center in the heart of Silicon Valley). There were two conferences at the hotel (ironically neither were tech conventions); one was quilters the other was high schoolers. As you can imagine, I was disheartened to say the least. Luckily, the check in agent could tell I was not looking forward to a weekend with youngins, so he put me on the 13th floor away from the students. I thought he said he “upgraded” me as I am a Platinum HGP member, but it turned out that the only upgrade was that it was on a higher floor.

Aria Las Vegas Review

July 25, 2022March 4, 2015

This past weekend I spent three nights at Aria Las Vegas, one of the Vegas mega properties located in MGM’s CityCenter. Other hotels that share the CityCenter location are Vdara and Mandarin Oriental… as well as what is left of the Harmon (it is getting smaller each day as they demolish it). Aria, with 4,004 rooms, opened in December 2009 and is considered MGM’s top property alongside Bellagio.

I have stayed at the Aria five or six times, it is my go-to hotel in Vegas. Good location, luxury, and a great spa. I received a deal through Mlife that got me a rate of ~$200* for Saturday night and ~$130* for Sunday and Monday nights (*I include the mandatory $32 resort fee in this price). The deal also came with an included $200 resort credit that I could use at onsite restaurants, spa, or show.

Hyatt Regency Washington DC Review

July 23, 2022March 1, 2015

A friend of mine won a raffle put on by the Washington State Lottery that included airfare, tickets to an NFL Playoff Game, and two nights at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill.

We stayed at the hotel Saturday-Monday in January. The hotel overall was fairly quiet. Great location near the Capitol; but otherwise you will need to plan on a bit of a walk to anything.

On the weekend, prepare to travel a good distance for meals as there are no restaurants besides in the hotel and the hotel across the street. The food in the Hyatt is decent and moderate price, so not a big deal to eat there; but just realize you are eating in the hotel lobby. They have a nice shop that sells all sorts of snacks, water, drinks and even has a small cafe for coffee and pastries. The staff was great, always helpful and cheerful. We enjoyed talking with the doorman especially.

Radisson Fisherman’s Wharf San Francisco Review

July 23, 2022February 26, 2015

View from our room, over looking the courtyard and parking garage to the Bay. — View from the room, over looking the courtyard and parking garage to the Bay.

Today I read that the Radisson Hotel at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco is being transitioned into Hotel Zephyr. I decided to share here a review I wrote a year ago about my experience at the Radisson. I was actually very happy with the hotel, mainly because it felt safe and was in a great location on the Wharf. It also felt modern, so I am not sure how much work they will need to do for the transition.

I stayed for a weekend in November, got in late Friday and left Sunday evening. I booked directly through the Radisson website to get 10% off, however it was still expensive for what you get. But, this is the Wharf, and you are paying for the tourist location.

Royal Kona Resort Hawaii Review

July 23, 2022February 20, 2015

I recently was in Kauai and stayed at the Waimea Plantation; a rustic resort that I said you must know what you are getting into. The Royal Kona, in the town of Kona on the Big Island, is another place that you will enjoy if you have realistic expectations. It is not fancy, it is not over the top, it is not modern. If you want somewhere that is uber deluxe, there are probably better options north of Kona. However, the Royal Kona Resort, and Kona in general, is a great casual place to relax and have fun.

I have stayed at the Royal Kona Resort three different times. The price cannot be beat. The first time I stayed was for my sister’s wedding and they treated everyone right. Now it feels like a second home.

Mirage Las Vegas Review

July 23, 2022February 12, 2015

The Mirage Las Vegas is the quintessential Vegas resort. It is the original mega-resort that started it all. National Lampoons Vegas Vacation. Siegfried and Roy. Steven Wynn. The Volcano. Lots of reasons to stay here.

The property is amazing and you can tell that Steve Wynn really left his finger prints all over this property. Beautiful grounds. Recognizable architecture. Sprawling pool. Over the top volcano in the front. Indoor jungle with huge glass dome. However, I do feel that some of the original magic created by Wynn is gone now to be replaced by the safe corporate decisions of MGM.

What I imagine was once a standout property has become a bit bland. Nothing stands out about the casino, restaurants, clubs or rooms. They are all fine, but thats about all you can say.