Stay Report: Hyatt Regency Bishkek (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan - September 2024)

   Stay Report: Hyatt Regency Bishkek
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When traveling to Bishkek, there were a couple of options for hotels in the city.  I was looking for a hotel that was centrally located and had access to transportation services since part of my flight left early in the morning.  While doing to research, I noticed Hyatt was having a deal on their properties within Central Asia and so I was getting a good deal on the room and it included Club Access, so I decided to book the Hyatt Regency Bishkek.  It was very easy to book the room via the Hyatt app and very easy to communicate with the hotel regarding airport transportation (airport transportation is not included but can be arranged from the hotel).  The hotel is located near the city center and thus is a 45-minute drive from the airport.  From the hotel, it is a 10-15 minute walk to many of the city's attractions and main restaurants and you can also easily access transportation from the hotel.  One of the key perks of the hotel is that the staff generally have a good command of English so it is easy to connect and communicate requests.  

From the outside the hotel does not look like much but it is grand, but dated, on the inside.  You enterinto a wide lobby that had the check-in desks towards the back, a sitting area in the front, as well as access to the restaurant and the elevators.  There was also a money changer and ATM located next to the check-in desks.  The lobby looked nice, had plenty of seating space, and look decently refurbished but you could tell it was an older property.  I quickly checked-in and received the key to my club room floor room. 

The hallway was laid out in a T with the elevators on the long side and rooms jutting out from either side.  The club room was in the middle across from the elevators.  The room itself was nice and spacious, a bit outdated, but comfortable and had all the amenities.  As you entered, there was a sitting area to the left and a desk right in front.  Next to the desk was a chest with drawers on the bottom and a TV on top.   Next to the TV were windows that covered the entire length of the wall and it led to the bed which was across from the TV on the other side of the room.  It was a double size bed, big enough and comfortable enough but definitely not a newer bed.  There were bedside tables on either side.  The bathroom was located behind the bedroom and you could access it through a hallway which also contained the big closets.  The bathroom itself was a good size and contained a sink, a toilet, and a walk-in shower; very nice amenities and very comfortable but again not the newest appliances or furnishings.  The bathroom also came with complimentary soap, lotion, body wash, and many other toiletries, and the room came with a complimentary fruit basket and complimentary water.  Overall, the room was spacious and comfortable just not the newest furnishings.

My room came with Club Access and I was on the Club Floor which made access very convenient.  As you entered the Club Room, there was the dining area in front which offered complimentary hors d'oeuvres and a cocktail reception in the evening.  All the time they offered complimentary tea, coffee, water, and soft drinks.  There was a small seating area and a computer and printer so you can get some work done.  The cocktail reception food was decent and filing enough and the complimentary drinks were very good.  The hotel is a full service hotel so other amenities included a restaurant, a fitness center, a pool, complimentary wifi, as well as concierge services.  The service was very good and really attentive to the guests.

Overall it was a comfortable stay at the Hyatt Regency Bishkek.  The staff was outstanding and the location was central to many of the cities attractions.  The room was comfortable if a bit older but was comfortable and offered a spacious and good nights sleep.  Complimentary wifi was strong enough to stream videos as well as do work; so overall a pleasant stay in Bishkek with Hyatt Regency.

Stay Report: Grand Hyatt Atlanta In Buckhead (Atlanta, Ga - January 2024)

  Stay Report: Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead
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I was going to be in Atlanta for one day and I have a free night at a Hyatt property so decided to try out the Grant Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead.  My only experience with a Grand Hyatt before was with the Grand Hyatt in Bogota (review here) so this was my first experience with the hotel in the U.S.  It was easy to book the room through the app and the day before check-in we received a welcome note from the Manager.  

We arrived at the hotel late at night and the first thing you notice is the size, the hotel is very big in terms of height and size.  The hotel is made up of two towers with the first couple of floors being the base and then the two towers rising above.  There is a lower level entrance which is mainly the entrance for the meeting rooms.  At the main entrance is the valet stand and as you enter the hotel, you climb up some stairs and immediately enter the bar/lounge area in front of you.  The check-in desk and elevators to one tower are to the right, while the restaurant and elevators to the other tower are to the left.  It is a very grand hotel and it is very easy to get lost as there is minimal signage to direct.  As we arrived late at night, check-in was easy and we quickly received our key.  We then had to go back downstairs as the incorrect room was given; when given the correct room I believe we may have been upgraded as the room was very spacious.

The room was on the 22nd floor and had lots of space.  As you entered into the room, there was a long hallway on the right which contained the closet as well as a space to put your luggage/makeup/storage on the other side.  The closet was huge and contained lots of space to store things as well as the safe, iron, ironing board, as well as slippers and a robe (the slippers were of low quality though).  This hallway was on the right side, on the left side of the room was the entrance to the bathroom.  The bathroom was also massive and contained a long countertop with a sink, a jacuzzi tub as well as a stand shower.  There was a separate entrance to the toilet and overall there was lots of space and lots of amenities next to each item including bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash and little bars of soap.

Separating this part from the room was a little nook that contained a bar top with the coffee maker on top and a decent size fridge underneath.  The spaciousness continued in the main room which contained the two beds along the right side of the wall.  These were two spacious queen-size beds which were very comfortable and provided a greats night sleep.  There was a nightstand in between the two beds which contained an alarm clock with USB port and plugs on top of it.  There was lots of space between the two beds as well as between the bed and the nightstand.   Along the left side of the wall was the TV mounted on the wall and underneath was a chest with drawers for additional storage.  There was a chair and extender next to that, and alongside the other wall was a standard-size desk with a chair as well as plugs and USB ports on the desk.  In between the chair and the desk was the entrance to the balcony, which was nice and a good size and had two lounge chairs on it, but the only negative is that there waw a window in the bathroom which shown onto the balcony and that limited privacy somewhat.  Also, the furnishings and the building looked like an older building which meant there was a lack of plugs and USB ports around room; however, the comfortability and spaciousness of the room made up for any shortcomings.

They are a full-service hotel so amenities at the hotel include a restaurant, bar, valet, fitness center, pool (currently closed), self parking, wifi, business center as well as a hotel lounge.  I was only there for one night so was not able to but I did try the wifi, the hotel lounge, and the self-parking.  The self-parking is located in a garage down and across the street from the hotel; it looks like a regular garage that the hotel partnered with and while there are signs that this is for the hotel, the signs are minimal as are the lights at night.  The wifi was strong and we were able to connect multiple devices with no issues and were able to stream videos and social media with no interruptions.  We also had access to the hotel lounge so we took advantage of that for breakfast.  

The lounge is located on the 24th floor and is open from 6:30am-10pm serving breakfast, snacks, and hors d'oeuvres.  As you enter into the lounge, there is a couch and sitting area in front with tables towards the back next to the window.   To the left, in a little nook, is the business center with two computers and a printer.  There is a huge TV mounted on the wall, and towards the right is the coffee maker and food items.  We went during breakfast time so they had oatmeal, cereal, light snacks, some fruit and salmon as well as bread and bagels available; coffee and tea were also available with a variety of milk in the fridge along with juice and water.  While a decent selection, it was more of a medium-size snack versus breakfast; my previous experience at hotel lounges have all been outside of the U.S. where generally the selection is more so I am not sure if this is standard for U.S. hotel lounges.

Overall, it was a great stay at the Grand Hyatt.  The room was spacious and there were lots of amenities for the guest to enjoy.  The beds were really comfortable and provided a great nights sleep; and even though our interaction with staff was minimal, what interaction we did have was good and they provided good customer service.     

Stay Report: Hyatt House Atlanta / Perimeter Center (Atlanta, Ga - April 2022)

  Stay Report: Hyatt House Atlanta / Perimeter Center
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I travel to Atlanta a lot and have stayed in many areas but I prefer the Perimeter area due to access of services as well as strategic location.  There a couple of hotels in this area and generally I used to stay at the Hyatt Place Perimeter Center which was a nice location as it was right on the Perimeter Mall parking lot and it was close to many restaurants and other services; however, the service at the hotel as well as other factors made us look for other hotels in the area.  Down the street from the Hyatt Place is the Hyatt House and I had never stayed at this brand from Hyatt so was eager to check it out.

Hyatt describes Hyatt House as "a residentially inspired hotel experience offering spacious, apartment-style rooms and suites with full kitchens" and is Hyatt's response to the extended-stay format.  It was easy to book and modify the reservation either through the Hyatt app or website.  The entrance to the hotel is odd in that its right off of the main road but also next to a interstate onramp - good thing is that you do not hear the noise from the cars in the hotel.  The main entrance to the hotel is on the upper level but the vehicle entrance is on the main level and so you park in the temporary spots and then walk up to the upper level to access the check-in desks and main level of the hotel.  There are parking spots on the main level as well as the lower level of the hotel as well as entrances and elevators which can take you directly to your room.

As you enter the lobby, you notice how large the lobby is and how vast the space is.  The lobby containsa large seating area, the check-in desks, the hotel restaurant and bar, the business center, and meeting rooms.  It is a huge space and even though it can get crowded, it does not feel cramped as there is a lot of space for people to sit and mingle.  Check-in was good, we received our key and proceeded to the room.  There are a variety of room types available - there is the standard hotel room, an expanded hotel room that resembles the Hyatt Place with a kitchenette, and more extended stay-type rooms with full kitchens.  As we generally are staying there for a couple of days, we book the expanded hotel room that includes a kitchenette and a seating area.  

When you open the door, you enter into the kitchenette area.  On the left side is a ledge with a mirror and coat hooks on top.  On the right side is a small kitchen with a sink, a small stovetop, a microwave, as well as shelves with plates and glasses.  In the middle of the kitchenette is an island with a huge counter space.  On one side of the island, across from the stovetop, is a dorm-size fridge which is bigger than a mini-fridge but not much larger.  On the other side of the island are two seating areas and this can be for both dining as well as working as there are plugs and outlets right next the seating areas in the island.  

The room section is divided into the seating area and the bed section.  The seating area contains a sectional sofa that turns into a sofabed as well as a small table.  There is a small table next to the couch and the other sectional part of the sofa is against the wall and has a small window behind it.  The seating area is small and once the sofabed pulls out, there is no room for the seating area or to access any other section/part of this area.  In front of the sectional is a stand with a TV on top and shelves on the bottom.  The TV can either face the sectional/seating area or the bedroom area as right behind the TV stand is the bedroom area - there is no separation between the bedroom and the seating area besides the TV stand.  This room comes with on king-size bed so in the bedroom section there is one king-size bed with nightstands on either side.  The bed is large and somewhat comfortable and provides a decent nights sleep.  When facing the bed, to the left is the closet and bathroom area.  From the bedroom, you pass a vanity area which has a luggage storage/ledge on one side and the closet on the other.  The closet contains a mirror on the outside and inside a place to hang your clothes, an iron, ironing board, and a safe.  Further along is the actual bathroom which contains a sink, a toilet and a long shower.  The shower is decent and provides nice water pressure and there are standard Hyatt toiletries included soap, body wash and shampoo; this hotel does not provide lotion though.

As a full-service hotel there are a lot of amenities offered including wifi, complimentary breakfast,

fitness center, meeting rooms, business center, onsite restaurant/bar, attached parking, and a pool.  We have experienced the wifi which was strong and able to check email, stream videos, and handle multiple people working at the same time; the business center which was just two computers and a printer next to the meeting rooms in the lobby; the parking which is an extra charge and there are limited spaces connected to the hotel but there is also spaces in the parking garage across the street; and the complimentary breakfast which was a standard hotel complimentary breakfast with cereal, fruit, bagels and french toast.  The hotel is located next to the MARTA station stop and is a 30-60 second walk from the station to the hotel entrance - that can be good during the day but caution does need to be adhered to at night.

Overall, its a decent hotel near the Perimeter Mall.  The hotel lobby is spacious and while the hotel may be full it does not seem full in the hotel; the hotel does not seem rushed nor packed.  The room type that we choose is decent especially the island which provides a nice working and counter space; the only wish is that the fridge would be a little bit bigger especially if you are staying at the hotel for an extended period.  Other than that, nice hotel with decent service and good size room.

Stay Report: Ca' di Dio (Venice, Italy - December 2023)

   Stay Report: Ca' di Dio Hotel
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We were travelling through Europe and our first stop was in Italy, specifically in Venice.  When in Venice, some of the hotels are located on the mainland, near the airport, while others are located on the island.  We were only going to be in Venice for a couple of days so wanted to stay on the island to be within walking distance of many sights and sounds.  When looking around the various sites and hotels, I came across Ca' di Dio which was a hotel in Venice and was part of the 'Small Luxury Hotels'.  That group is now a Hyatt partner so we were able to book the hotel through the Hyatt site.  It was easy to navigate and book the room, and a couple of days prior to arrival the hotel reached out regarding any arrival or stay requests. 

The hotel is located on the island of Venice right in front of the Arsenale stop.  While the hotel is a little further away from the main part of the city, it is only a 10 minute walk to Piazza San Marco, and the water taxi stop is literally in front of the hotel.  From the airport, it takes about 45mins on the water taxi and its one line and 7 stops from the airport.  We also took the water taxi to the train station and that took about 20mins, and again it was one line and 6 stops.  The location of the hotel was very convenient with both walking distance to many shops and sights as well as access to public transportation.  On the outside, there is no sign that the hotel exists so when we first went we almost passed by the hotel.  There are three doors to the hotel that take you to different areas of the hotel.  The middle door is the 'main door' as it leads into the lobby area and the front desk; the door to the right leads to the restaurant while the door on the left leads to the conference rooms as well as the elevator to the rooms; the are all interconnected so you can access every part of the hotel from each door.

The lobby is very nice and has a small desk at the back for check-in and some seating around.  In the afternoon, they also provide water and some juices in the lobby.  Near the front of the lobby, on the right side, is entryway that leads to a small sitting area/library with some couches and small tables and then that leads into the hallway which has the restaurant and other facilities.  On the other side of the lobby, on the left side, is the entryway to the hallway which will lead to the breakfast area, conference rooms, spa, as well as elevator to the rooms.  Check-in was relatively quick, and due to status we were 'upgraded' to a junior room.  We proceeded to the tiny elevator and went to our room.

The room itself was a standard American size hotel but for European standards it was a larger room, hence the upgrade notion.  As you entered the room, to the left was a TV mounted on the wall as well as a lounge chaise underneath it.  Along one wall were big windows which showcased the courtyard and the windows were covered by great blackout curtains which covered all sound and light (the curtains did a fantastic job!).  There was a couch and lamps next to the window as well.  Along the other wall were the two junior beds which were right next to each other.  In the European places I have stayed, either they have one bed frame and two mattresses or they have two bed frames and one giant mattress.  The beds were generally comfortable, a decent size, and provided a good nights sleep.  Next to each bed were a table and mounted on the wall above the table were switches, plugs, USB ports, as well as bedside lights.  

On the right side of the room was a hallway in which the closet was on one side and the entrance to the bathroom was on the other.  The closet contained a place to hang your clothes, shelves, a safe, coffee maker, as well as plenty of storage; it was a good size closet.  The bathroom was also a good size and contained a large sink with counter space, a toilet, a bidet, and a walk-in shower.  There were refillable toiletries next to the sink as well as in the shower.  The bathroom style looked very Moroccan-esque and the space and size was very generous (I was expecting and used to very small and narrow Eupean-style bathrooms).

The hotel came with many amenities, some of which we availed of and some of which we did not. There was a restaurant, a bar, a spa, wifi, concierge, luggage hold, as well as other amenities.  Our room came with complimentary breakfast so we did avail ourselves of that.  The breakfast took place in the smaller restaurant behind the lobby and next to the courtyard.  It was a buffet style with a selection of breakfast items as well as some cheeses, fruits, cereals, and other hot and cold dishes.  It was not a huge spread but decent enough to start the day with.  The wifi was decent and provided good coverage; the luggage hold was great as you could check-out and hold your luggage so not to drag it all around town; and the concierge was great as some restaurants needed reservation and only took them via phone call and only when they opened!

Overall, it was a great stay at the Ca' di Dio hotel.  The location was great as it was easy access to sights (walking distance) as well as directly in front of public transportation.  The rooms were spacious and comfortable, the noise level was minimal, and the service was good.  Overall, a great place to stay in Venice/Venezia!

Stay Report: Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa And Casino (Noord, Aruba - September 2023)

  Stay Report: Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa & Casino
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We had a planned a trip to Aruba and were looking at a variety of hotels to stay at.  We were originally looking at all-inclusive but Aruba does not have many of those so then looked at what the reviews said.  There were many different opinions but we decided on the Hyatt Regency for a couple of reasons: 1) they had a club access rate which was the second-best option to all inclusive; 2) one of my family had high status with Hyatt so more likely to get better service; and 3) it seemed to be the newer of the all the properties that I looked into.  We booked the property through Hyatt.com, and even though we booked in advance we continued to look as the rate for the property did go down.  It was easy to manage the reservation through the website as well as the app, and through the app you could add additional services and requests.

We booked a car and picked that up at the airport and drove to the hotel - the hotel offers valet parking as well as complimentary self-parking located at a lot across the street.  There was plenty of parking the entire time we were there and it was an easy walk across the street to access the hotel.  We walked into the open-air lobby which had lots of seating in the front; the check-in desk to the left as well as the room and the club; to the right was the restaurant and additional rooms, and in front was the main pool and access to the beach.  Check-in was quick and we received a wrist band which provided access to the room, as well as access to the club room.  This band also showed that you were part of the Hyatt hotel so when you were on the beach you could access Hyatt beach chairs.  The wrist band was very comfortable, could get wet, dirty, or sandy and would still work!

The hotel was laid out like a U with rooms on each side and the main pool in the middle.  On the other side of the U was the adults-only pool as well as meeting rooms.  Our room was on the 8th floor and faced the adult-only pool section as well as looking out onto the beach.  For the room, when you open the door you enter into a hallway that leads into the bedroom.  In the hallway, on the left side was the closet as well as the entrance to the bathroom.  The closet contained a place to hang your clothes, some racks, a safe deposit box, an iron and ironing board, as well as luggage rack.  Next to the closet was the entrance to the bathroom which was very large.  The bathroom had a large counter space with a sink and refillable toiletries from Pharmacopia; a toilet, and a tub again with refillable toiletries from Pharmacopia.

In the main room, we had a room with 2 double beds and those were against the wall with a nightstand in the middle.  There were lamps on either side but no plugs next to the bed unless near the nightstand.  The beds were comfortable and provided a good nights sleep.  Next to the bed, against the wall, was a stand which had the fridge on the bottom, coffee on top, as well as shelves above.  This is also where there were additional plugs as well as complimentary bottles of water.  Across from the bed, against the other wall was a bench to either sit or place your luggage and next to that was a chest with a flat surface on top and drawers underneath.  Above the chest, mounted on the wall was the TV.  The chest provided another area of storage and the drawers provided more storage.  The flat surface on top continued when the chest ended as that is where the desk started - the desk chair was a little uncomfortable to do work but it did its job.  Between the desk and the balcony was a small table with 2 chairs that you could sit on and look out onto the view.   There was a sliding door and a mini-balcony and by mini I mean there was only enough room to stand on the balcony and see the view.  Overall it was a nice and spacious room with lots of amenities - we were 3 people total and never did it feel cramped or tight in terms of personal space nor storage space.  

The hotel had lots of amenities for guests to enjoy including two family pools, an adults-only pool, access to the beach, many restaurants and bars, a casino attached to the hotel, a fitness center, lots of seating around the hotel, as well as daily exercises and other activities.  We really enjoyed the adults-only pool as it allowed adults to relax and families to relax separately without having to worry about bothering anyone else.  You did have to reserve chairs next to the pool and your reservation was held all-day; which was both a good and bad thing.  There was plenty of beach access and plenty of chairs and access to the beach to enjoy and not have to worry about that.  

We also enjoyed the Hyatt Club which provided snacks and light meals throughout the day including a light breakfast, light lunch, light hors d'ouver in the evening and snacks, water, tea/coffee, and soft drinks throughout the day.  As I mentioned before, there is complimentary parking in a parking lot across the street with plenty of parking and easy access to the hotel.  The hotel does provide complimentary wifi as well as business center and meeting rooms.  The wifi reception was spotty throughout the hotel; it barely worked in our room and only seemed to work either near the club or near the meeting rooms.  The hotel is also located within walking distance to many shops and restaurants making it a convenient place to stay.

Overall, it was a nice stay at the Hyatt Regency Aruba.  The staff was nice, the location was beautiful, there were plenty of amenities and space for the guests to enjoy without toppling over each other (which happens at other resorts/hotels).  If you do, I would recommend getting the Club Access as then its somewhat akin to an all inclusive 

Stay Report: Hyatt Centric Old Town Alexandria (Alexandria, Virginia - April 2022)

 Stay Report: Hyatt Centric Old Town Alexandria, Virginia
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I was travelling to Alexandria, Virginia and needed to stay near Old Town and during the search for a hotel found the Hyatt Centric.  I have heard about Hyatt's Centric brand which builds itself as local, boutique hotels but had never experienced the brand so decided to check it out.  It was easy to book and modify the hotel either through the Hyatt website or the Hyatt app.  The hotel is located on King Street which is the main street in Old Town but in an area where there are not many services around.  The metro is a couple of minutes walk away as well as restaurants, bars, and convenience stores which are all within walking distance but not next to the hotel.                                                                                                                          You enter the hotel lobby and in front are the check-in desks and to the right is a seating area and bar a couple of steps down below and the elevator on the same level.  Check-in was alright but it could have been better service; I am a Hyatt member but did not get a welcome as a member and there was no one in the hotel but the check-in attendant acted like they were very busy and the entire process was rushed.  We checked-in and proceeded to the room.

When we entered the room, there was nothing outstanding or anything that stood out and made this aunique or a special hotel room; it was an average hotel room.  You enter the room in a little hallway with a bathroom on one side and a closet and coat hooks on the other side.  The closet contained a mirror on the outside and inside was a place to hang your clothes as well as an iron and ironing board.  The bathroom was a decent size and had DryBar toiletry products - the bathroom had a shower along the entire backwall and in the foreground was the sink on one side and the toilet on the other side.  There was enough storage in the bathroom as next to the sink there were also shelves in the wall that provided additional storage spaces.  

Back in the room, on the left was a stand with the coffee maker and complimentary water on top and below was the fridge and additional storage.  It was a nice area that provided more space to put things and it was a nice touch.  Further into the room, along the right side were the two double beds with a desk in the middle.  The beds were comfortable, big enough and provided a good nights sleep.  Across from the bed, along the left-side of the wall, was a TV mounted on the wall and then a desk with a chair - the desk was a decent size but I have seen bigger in regular Hyatt's.  There was a window along the back wall which faced out onto King Street and there was a couch and lamp next to the window to provide extra seating.  Overall, it was a nice size room with good amenities but there was nothing distinctive about this room or nothing that made this room stand out against a regular Hyatt or other-brand hotel room.

The hotel is a full-service hotel so there are a lot of amenities including wifi, a restaurant and bar on-site, a fitness center, and a concierge.   We were there for work so did not have time to try all the amenities but did try the wifi which was decent and fast enough for basic email and streaming videos but did encounter some issues when using the wifi for work.                                                                                                                                                      Overall, it was a nice decent size room with good amenities.  The location was decent as it was within walking distance of many items.  Hyatt's Centric brand builds itself as a local, boutique hotel and I did not find anything local nor boutique about the hotel.  It was nice but it was a standard if not modern Hyatt hotel.  

Stay Report: Hyatt Place Atlanta / Perimeter Center (Dunwoody, GA - January 2021)

 Stay Report: Hyatt Place Atlanta/ Perimeter Center
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I have stayed at many Hyatt Place's and I generally have a good experience and they provide a good service for the price point.  Generally at a Hyatt Place you will get a junior-suite type room with beds + couch, complimentary parking, wifi, and breakfast, and a decent stay.  Some hotels are newer than others, and the decor and layout indicate so, and some hotels have better service than others.  Hyatt is building a lot of new Hyatt Place so when I was looking for a place to stay in Atlanta, I noticed that the Hyatt Place near Perimeter Mall was now open and accepting reservations so decided to book and experience this hotel.  This was not my first experience at a newly built Hyatt Place as I previously stayed at Hyatt Place Arlington, VA (review here) which was somewhat new at the time.  

The hotel is located on the malls general area and right next to the mall parking lot, but on the train station entrance so its less crowded to enter but you can still easily access the mall.  The entrance to the hotel is very small and there is a small driveway in which you can stop to go inside and checkin - this driveway can only fit 2-3 cars and it fills up very quickly; the entrance was not designed well and was very inconvenient.  

As you walked into the lobby, it smelled really nice and overall looked modern and fresh, but overall it was very narrow.  As you entered, the two check-in desks were in front and there was a small seating area to the right.  Right behind the check-in desks was the small pantry (to purchase items you forgot or snacks) while along the right side was more seating, the business center, and the dining area where the breakfast was served and the hotel restaurant.  The elevators were located on the left-hand side opposite the business center and behind the pantry area.  Overall, it looked nice and well decorated but it was very narrow and tight space to navigate (especially now with social distancing).

The customer service here was not great - there was nothing bad but there was nothing good noroutstanding neither; they did the basics of their job with the minimal interaction, barely any smile, and that was about it.  That was the service received when we checked in as we got our key, got information about the parking and that was it - no other details about any other amenity of the hotel (also, we were not welcomed as loyalty members).  We took our key and proceeded to the room.  Once I received my key, I had to use to access the elevators to the room.  I was on the 2nd floor, and the hotel overall has 9 floors.  The hallways to the room were a bit narrow so they could fit the luggage cart but could not fit the luggage cart plus guest side by side; luckily the narrowness did not extend to the rooms as they were spacious and very comfortable.  

As you enter the room, on the right was the bathroom which was more spacious than I had expected.  The bathroom contained a sink, a toilet, a shower, bathroom toiletries of shampoo, conditioner, and soap, as well as a sliding door between the bathroom and the main room.  As you enter into the room, on the right side are couches - one of which can turn into a sofa bed – as well as a table in front of the couches.  There is a ‘partition’ between the 'living room' and the bedroom, and I put it in quotes because it only extends a quarter-way while the remaining section is open so it does not provide a lot of privacy.  Across from the couches and bed, along the wall, was a luggage holder with drawers on the bottom and this was connected to a full-size desk with a chair and a TV on the wall, and this was connected to a mini-closet with a small place to hang clothes (there was a safe as well as an iron in the closet and the ironing board was in the bathroom; there was also a fridge within one of the cabinets of the console).  On the other side of the 'partition' is the bedroom. I had booked a room with two beds and so there were 2 double beds with a nightstand in the middle.  The nightstand had two small reading lights, an alarm clock, as well as plenty of USB ports and outlets.  The bed itself was comfortable and provided a decent sleep.  Many of the newer constructed hotels are coming up with more narrow and space-restricted rooms so with all the furniture, the room felt a little cramped and confined.  Because of the newer construction though, there were plenty of USB ports and outlets throughout the room to charge electronics.   

The Hyatt Place does offer free facilities for its guests to enjoy such as complimentary parking (there was also valet parking but I never saw a valet attendant), complimentary wifi (for members - some hotels enforce and check while this hotel did not), and complimentary breakfast.  The hotel also provides a fitness center and a business center.  The complimentary breakfast was still offered, which was nice given the pandemic and other cuts, but it was very basic as there was prepackage bagels, cream cheese, yogurt and cereal.  Other hotels are continuing to offer complimentary breakfast during the pandemic - and I appreciate the consistency to do so - but this was really basic (even more so compared to others).  The wifi was complimentary, needed to login or code, and was decent strength but not secure at all but you could connect as many devices as you wanted to.  There was a business center downstairs which was basically two computers and a printer in the lobby; the fitness center was open and there was enough equipment to provide a good workout. 

Safety protocols - given the pandemic, what safety protocols did the hotel implement?  There weresocial distancing stickers on the floor but these were not really enforced by the staff; there were signs that masks were mandatory but again these were not really enforced by staff; there were 3 elevators and they came pretty quickly so you could wait and social distance in the elevator; the hotels were not cleaning your room in between nights so if you needed something you had to call down and request it.  As with the service, the safety protocols were the basic ones that were implemented - no more, no less.

    

Overall, it was a typical stay at the Hyatt Place.  The hotel provided complimentary parking, wifi, breakfast along with comfortable beds.  The location was convenient as it was next to the mall so you could walk there, you could walk to the train station, and walk to other restaurants and stores.  The negatives were the driveway and entrance to the hotel, the lack of enforcing safety protocols, and the average service.  I have had some great stays at Hyatt Place and some awful stays and this was in the middle - so while I wouldn't rush to book the hotel again, I also would not avoid it either. 

Stay Report: Grand Hyatt Bogota (Bogota, Colombia - August 2019)

Stay Report: Grand Hyatt Bogota

comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

A friend of mine was traveling to Colombia for work so I decided to join them.  Their work had put them up at the Grand Hyatt Bogota so that is also where I stayed.  Even though the hotel was booked through work, it was very easy to manage the reservation through the Hyatt app and website.  My friend also received a welcome email from the Manager prior to arrival and we could also contact the hotel regarding any preferences, and they were quick to respond.  That was a good sign to start the trip with.

The hotel is newly built, less than 1 year old, and is very tall so stands out amongst the skyline in the suburbs of Bogota.  The hotel is within walking distance of La Gran Estacion Mall, in walking distance of restaurants near Tryp hotel, and is about a 15 minute drive to the airport (without traffic).  As you enter into the hotel, the check-in desks are to the left against one wall with the concierge stand across from them.  In the middle are couches and a nice sitting area as well as a table/library nook in which you can have a small meeting.  To the right are the elevators and beyond that is the restaurant and some stores.  Overall, the lobby is grand but feels comfortable.  My friend had already checked in so I just picked up the key and went directly to the room (hint: English was not as widely spoken and understood by the concierge desk; it was easier and quicker to communicate in Spanish).

The room was located on the 6th floor and the hotel is layed out like an 8, with two round sides on either side and the elevator in the middle.  The rooms are located on the edge of the rounds with a large open atrium in the middle - while it looks aesthetically pleasing, it seems like a lot of wasted space (in my opinion).  You entered the room into a hallway that leads to the main part of the room.  As soon as you enter the hallway, on the left is a small ledge to put your key card.  Next, still on the left side, is a little nook that leads into the bathroom.  In the nook is the closet on the right - with an iron and ironing board - and on the left are drawers on the bottom and a space to put your luggage on top.  This is also where the complimentary slippers were provided as well as the safe.  The nook leads you to the bathroom, which was quite large.  In the bathroom, there is a jacuzzi tub on the right and individual stalls for the toilet and stand shower.  There was a double sink in the middle with lots of bathroom toiletries such as soap, lotion, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and complimentary bottles of water.  The bathroom was large and spacious and the toiletries smelled nice, the only issue was the water temperature which varied throughout the day.

The room itself was also large and spacious.  Against the left wall were the two double beds with a night stand on either side of the bed as well as a night stand in the middle of the beds.  There were plugs and outlets on either side of the bed as well.  The beds were comfortable, spacious, and provided a good nights sleep.  In front of each bed was a little ottaman on which you could either sit or lay your suitcase on.  On the right side of the wall was the TV, mounted on the wall, and further down was the desk.  The desk was large and it faced the room with the large window looking out at the city behind you.  The window was large and let in lots of natural light, but these could be closed for privacy.  The bedroom was spacious and the beds were comfortable, but when the window was closed there wasn't much lighting so the room was a little dark.

There were tons of amenities at the hotel for the guests to enjoy including a restaurant, a spa, a fitness center, pool, sauna, wifi, amongst others.  As I spent most of my day outside, I only got to experience the complimentary breakfast and the complimentary wifi.  The wifi was complimentary and it was fast and stable enough to stream videos, check email, and do basically whatever you needed to do.  The complimentary breakfast was an expansive breakfast buffet with lots of options for fruit, hot dishes, cold dishes, bread, cheese, etc.  Water, juices, tea, and/or coffee were also provided complimentary and there were plenty of wait staff to assist you.  I did not get to experience the sauna/spa/fitness center but I was told it was very large with lots of machines and areas for guests to enjoy.  


Overall, it was a nice and relaxing stay at the Grand Hyatt Bogota.  It is a full-service hotel and you get to feel the entirety of the full-service aspect with your stay.  The largeness of the hotel allows for the spacious bathroom and bedroom, both of which are appreciated.  Also appreciated is the hard separation between these two areas, as with some Hyatts they seem to like the 'open concept' where the bathroom and bedroom are all one room.  A nice stay in spacious rooms with lots of amenities for the guests to enjoy.

Stay Report: Hyatt Place Arlington/Courthouse Plaza (Arlington, VA - July 2019)

Stay Report: Hyatt Place Arlington/Courthouse Plaza
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I have stayed at many Hyatt Place's, and while my last experience with the brand wasn't great (see review here) the Hyatt Place was the closest hotel to where I needed to go so I went ahead and booked the hotel.  Hyatt Place is Hyatt’s low to mid-budget option for travelers and the rooms are mini-suites – with a bedroom, bathroom, a sitting area and a mini kitchen as well.  Usually, complimentary wifi, breakfast and parking are provided, and the brand competes with Hampton Inn and Courtyard. 

The hotel in D.C. has only been open for a little over one year, and it is located on Wilson Boulevard within walking distance to many shops, restaurants, and to the two or three metro stations.  There are two entrances to the hotel, one from the street one from a faux side street for cars to pull into for the valet.  As you walked into the lobby, it smelled really nice and overall looked modern and fresh, but overall it was small.  You entered into a small seating area and then proceeded to the check-in counters which were right in front of you.  To the right of the check-in counters was the elevator, and connected to the check-in desk on the left was the bar/restaurant.  There were seating areas all around and behind the elevators was a small space for the breakfast area.  As I said, it was a compact seating area and felt even more compact when the breakfast rush was in full swing. 

Hyatt had emailed the possibility to do online check-in so that is what I did and I received an email when my room was ready so all I had to do was collect the key.  Unlike other hotels, such as Hilton, I was not able to preselect my room at check-in but I could change my room when I went to collect my key; the process to collect my key was very quick and efficient.  Once I received my key, I had to use to access the elevators to the room.  I was on the 6th floor, and the hotel overall has 8 floors.  The hallways to the room were a bit narrow so they could fit the luggage cart but could not fit the luggage cart plus guest side by side; luckily the narrowness did not extend to the rooms as they were spacious and very comfortable.  


As you enter the room, on the right was the bathroom which was more spacious than I had expected.  The bathroom contained a sink, a toilet, a shower with a sliding door, bathroom toiletries of shampoo, conditioner, and soap, as well as a sliding door between the bathroom and the main room.  As you enter into the room, on the right side are couches - one of which can turn into a sofa bed – as well as a table in front of the couches.  There is a ‘partition’ between the 'living room' and the bedroom, and I put it in quotes because it only extends a quarter-way while the remaining section is open so it does not provide a lot of privacy.  Across from the couches, along the wall, is a full size desk as well as a console which contains a TV on top and drawers on the bottom.  There is a also a fridge within one of the cabinets of the console.  

On the other side of the 'partition' is the bedroom.  I had booked a room with one large bed and the bed was in the middle with a nightstand on either side.  Each side also had a reading lamp as well as plugs next to each bed.  The bed itself was comfortable and provided a decent sleep (much better than the sofa bed).  Across from the bed was a the standing wardrobe which contained a hanging shelf to hang your clothes, a shelf on top, a safe on the bottom, the luggage stand, as well as the iron and ironing board (there was a lot in the wardrobe).  Because the room was so spacious, there was still plenty of room to move around and the room did not feel cramped nor compact.    

The Hyatt Place does offer free facilities for its guests to enjoy such as complimentary parking, complimentary wifi (for members - some hotels enforce and check while this hotel did not), and complimentary breakfast.  The hotel also provides a fitness center, a business center, and valet parking.  The complimentary breakfast was standard which cereal, eggs, fruits, and coffee but the place where the breakfast was staged was way too small given the amount of guests and the seating area definitely could not handle the capacity of the hotel.  The wifi was also not strong and could not handle the large number of guests in the hotel - if you had two devices you had to choose which one you wanted to connect to wifi.  

Overall, it was an interesting stay at the Hyatt Place.  The rooms were spacious, the beds were comfortable, and the location was great as it was within walking distance to many items.  The negatives were that the wifi was bad, the hotel could not handle the capacity for breakfast, the elevator broke down on the second night, and the housekeeping was understaffed so did not service the rooms on the last night (and the hotel is only one year old).  I have had some great stays at Hyatt Place and some awful stays and this was in the middle - so while I wouldn't rush to book the hotel again, I also would not avoid it either.