Tag: hyatt | Page 11 | SingleFlyer

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 Flash Sale – SE Asia Summer 2015

May 19, 2015May 18, 2015

For two days, you can book a room at Hyatt South East Asia properties during the Hyatt Flash Sale at up to 40% off. Full payment is due at booking and reservations are non-refundable per the Terms and Conditions. Deal ends May 21 at 11:00pm Singapore Time (11:00am EST/8:00am PST). Good for travel through August 31, 2015. Use offer code SEAF when booking.

It seems that most (all?) of the prices for the Hyatt Flash Sale include breakfast. Although I haven’t stayed at the Hyatt, Siem Reap is a great city to visit if you want to see the temples of Angkor Watt. For $174 a night (with availability for most of the summer) this is a good deal for this high end property, however you can find rooms for much cheaper if you avoid chains in Cambodia.

Make sure you compare it to other offers when booking: you may be able to find a cheaper rate (although it may not include breakfast, but if you are a Diamond member you already get free breakfast). For example, at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok I found a night in July that was cheaper with the “Special Escape” rate than the “Sea Flash Sale”. This is definitely a case of “Your Mileage May Vary”.

More info at hyatt.com

Properties included in the sale:

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.

$900 Fee for Hyatt Diamond Suite Upgrade

May 12, 2015May 6, 2015

UPDATE: Both charges were refunded to my credit card. The reservation is still showing up in my online Hyatt GP account; hopefully it will work to just pay at check in.

I have recently written about how I achieved Hyatt Passport Gold Diamond status through the Elite Trial Offer. My first order of business as a Diamond member was to use one of my Diamond Suite Upgrades (DSU) for a trip I have reserved (and pre-paid) at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Orlando in June. Little did I know I would be charged a large fee for Hyatt Diamond Suite Upgrade.

I initially made the reservation through a Best Rate Guarantee claim that was approved.

And from the Department of Bad Timing…

April 30, 2015April 30, 2015

I received this mailing from Hyatt (or maybe Chase Bank since it is connected to my Visa card) today:

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.

Benefits of Hyatt Diamond Status

October 9, 2018April 24, 2015

I have posted various posts about my process getting the Hyatt Diamond Challenge and what it cost me. But why would I invest my time and money to get Diamond status? This post will focus on the benefits of Hyatt Diamond status.

Earning Diamond Status: If you are not participating in a Diamond Challenge (or Elite Tier offer), or you are trying to keep your status beyond the first year, you must have either:

25 separate stays at Hyatt properties or
50 total nights within one calendar year

So technically you could just stay 25 nights and get Diamond (assuming none of those nights were consecutive), or you could just have one stay and get Diamond (assuming your one stay was for nearly 2 months…).

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.

Think twice before swimming with dolphins

July 23, 2022April 20, 2015

Swimming with dolphins is portrayed as a family friendly activity. Dolphins are social and smart animals. Hell, they are the only animals besides humans that have sex for fun! What’s not to like?

While observing dolphins in their natural habitat at sea from the beach or even a boat is a non-invasive way to learn about these creatures, swimming with them is not. Particularly problematic are resorts or amusement parks that keep dolphins in captivity and allow guests to pay to swim with them.

If you have seen Blackfish, you probably already know where this is going.

Best Credit Cards for Single Travelers

August 2, 2015April 18, 2015

I should put a couple of big asterisks after the title: Best Credit Cards for Single Travelers***** These are actually just the credit cards that are currently in my wallet. And they work for me, some better than others. Please take these with a grain of salt, I am not a financial expert. I do not get paid if you get one of these — no referral links here. You’ll have to just google them if you want to sign up. And of course, if you don’t have good financial history or you don’t trust yourself with a credit card, then don’t get these.

With that said, here is what is currently in my wallet and why I find them useful.

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.

Cost of the Hyatt Diamond Challenge

October 9, 2018April 7, 2015

Last month I was enrolled in the Hyatt Diamond Challenge, also known as the Elite Tier Offer 2015. I was able to do this by first emailing a property for an upcoming and then contacting Gold Passport directly. The cost of the Hyatt Diamond Challenge will depend on many factors. Here is my experience:

Grand Hyatt or Olive 8 – Battle in Seattle

September 25, 2020April 2, 2015

Grand Hyatt or Olive 8 – Battle in Seattle In Seattle, like any large city, you can find a hotel by just about every chain as well as some great independent hotels. Hyatt offers one of the best loyalty programs and many frequent travelers book a room at Hyatt when they … Read more

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 Stay More Play More + Quick Qualifying Elite Trial + 20% Points Back: 3 Promotions

October 9, 2018March 26, 2015

I enrolled in the Hyatt Stay More Play More (link) promotion back in January. The Hyatt Stay More Play more is a promo that gives you a targeted offer based on your Hyatt Gold Passport account. I don’t know how they decide who gets which offer, but according to FlyerTalk people are able to get offers from 2,000 points after the next stay to 65,000 points after 25 nights. I received the highest end offer: