Grand Hyatt Macau REVIEW - MASTER THREAD
Nov 18, 2009, 11:40 pm
#16
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Saigon/Hanoi/San Francisco
Posts: 1,779
Thanks for the nice report kuponuts
I'm thinking about going to Macau for a night. Is it convenience to use Cotaijet from the Hyatt TST?
BTW, if you don't mind sharing, what's registering through NBT means?
I'm thinking about going to Macau for a night. Is it convenience to use Cotaijet from the Hyatt TST?
BTW, if you don't mind sharing, what's registering through NBT means?
Nov 19, 2009, 12:32 am
#17
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 26
Another review
Have recently stayed the the newly opened GH Macau and thought will post another review here with another opinion - at least in parts.
Arrival: Transfer by the City of Dreams Shuttle bus was swift and effortless. Bus was empty, except me and my partner. At the GH we were greeted by staff and escorted to the reception.
Check-in: Took less than 5mins. No other people there, so no need to make use of Diamond status. Luckily.
We were escorted to our Suite in the Grand Tower. Had a Grand Deluxe Suite King. Size was about 69sqm and was a corner suite. Panoramic views to three sides: the Cotai Strip(Venetian/Four Seasons)/City of Dreams on one side, the mountains on the other and finally towards the sea and airport. At night the view was nice since you could see the light show they have the City of Dreams.
1 separate bed room (with views onto the Cotai Strip), one good sized bathroom and a huge living room. 2 TVs etc. Well designed and laid out. Just what I would expect when going to a Hyatt. Room was of comfortable size for 2 people. Had a fruit basket, chocolates and wine in the room. No complaints.
Staff: Ok, here comes the downside imho. The staff was well below par from what I am used to at a GH property and from what I would expect. Maybe I am too spoiled or too picky, but they just didn't live up to the standard. At the reception and at the concierge desk, they just didn't know the answers to our questions - they were simple ones, i.e. where to take the shuttle bus back to Taipa Ferry terminal etc. Language is another thing. English was average to be below average if at all spoken. A few times staff were not able to speak it all and had to rush off to find an English speaking colleague. That goes for the general staff and also for the service staff at Beijing Kitchen.
Dining: My wife and I tried both dining outlets: Beijing Kitchen (for afternoon snack & breakfast) and the Lobby Lounge. Sadly mezza9 is not open yet, but we did know that in advance.
Being a big fan of Straits Kitchen at the GH Singapore, I was curious about Beijing Kitchen, but also had no expectations. I was pleasantly surpised - in the good way. The design is quite nice, modern, dark colour tones, lots of wood and bricks. They do have 'show kitchens', but slightly different from SG. Anyway, the food - and here I am only talking about the Chinese dishes, were stunningly good. I would go as far as saying it tasted very much authentical 'Mainland'. For a GH food outlet, the price was very reasonable and below of what I would expect.
Also had room service in the late afternoon and it was swift, and food tasted equally good.
Breakfast at Beijing Kitchen is nice. It is semi-buffet, meaning that you can go to get your bread, cereals, juice etc. from a small buffet area and the rest is by menue. Haven't tried the usual western fare, but instead opted for Chinese dishes after the previous good experience. And, yes, it was equally good.
Later on the last day before returning to HK, we had a snack at the Lobby Lounge. There we encountered the first genuine friendly and extremely efficient staff. Food was good, too.
Overall, I would say the food is very good. Would definitely recommend Beijing Kitchen to anyone. And am looking forward to the opening of mezza9. See if that lives up to the original at the GH SG.
Overall: The GH is the only well designed hotel in Macau to stay. Well, at least that is for me. Having seen some other rooms, I have to say you can't go really wrong with any. They are all well designed. When it comes to Grand Tower vs. Grand Club Tower, and having had a 'tour' of their other rooms and the Grand Club Tower, I have to say for this property I would chose not to stay at the Grand Club Tower and ask for a room in the Grand Tower. The view is much more better and more exciting. Once the Grand Club is open, being Diamond you would have access there anyway. No matter where your room is. Be sure to ask for rooms with view of the Cotai Strip/City of Dreams.
In terms of service this hotel still has to come a long way. Maybe we were just unlucky to run into the wrong people, but this view was echoed from associates. But, as a previous poster said regarding it might well beat the GH HK, I strongly doubt that for various reasons and the strongest being: the staff doesn't have the right service mindset at the GH Macau. They do not understand what it means to provide service to guest, genuine service!
The GH Macau is definitely a welcome addition the otherwise very 'cheesy' Macau hotels. It is simplistic understatement - as you find in many other Hyatt hotels. Will be back some day.
Arrival: Transfer by the City of Dreams Shuttle bus was swift and effortless. Bus was empty, except me and my partner. At the GH we were greeted by staff and escorted to the reception.
Check-in: Took less than 5mins. No other people there, so no need to make use of Diamond status. Luckily.
We were escorted to our Suite in the Grand Tower. Had a Grand Deluxe Suite King. Size was about 69sqm and was a corner suite. Panoramic views to three sides: the Cotai Strip(Venetian/Four Seasons)/City of Dreams on one side, the mountains on the other and finally towards the sea and airport. At night the view was nice since you could see the light show they have the City of Dreams.
1 separate bed room (with views onto the Cotai Strip), one good sized bathroom and a huge living room. 2 TVs etc. Well designed and laid out. Just what I would expect when going to a Hyatt. Room was of comfortable size for 2 people. Had a fruit basket, chocolates and wine in the room. No complaints.
Staff: Ok, here comes the downside imho. The staff was well below par from what I am used to at a GH property and from what I would expect. Maybe I am too spoiled or too picky, but they just didn't live up to the standard. At the reception and at the concierge desk, they just didn't know the answers to our questions - they were simple ones, i.e. where to take the shuttle bus back to Taipa Ferry terminal etc. Language is another thing. English was average to be below average if at all spoken. A few times staff were not able to speak it all and had to rush off to find an English speaking colleague. That goes for the general staff and also for the service staff at Beijing Kitchen.
Dining: My wife and I tried both dining outlets: Beijing Kitchen (for afternoon snack & breakfast) and the Lobby Lounge. Sadly mezza9 is not open yet, but we did know that in advance.
Being a big fan of Straits Kitchen at the GH Singapore, I was curious about Beijing Kitchen, but also had no expectations. I was pleasantly surpised - in the good way. The design is quite nice, modern, dark colour tones, lots of wood and bricks. They do have 'show kitchens', but slightly different from SG. Anyway, the food - and here I am only talking about the Chinese dishes, were stunningly good. I would go as far as saying it tasted very much authentical 'Mainland'. For a GH food outlet, the price was very reasonable and below of what I would expect.
Also had room service in the late afternoon and it was swift, and food tasted equally good.
Breakfast at Beijing Kitchen is nice. It is semi-buffet, meaning that you can go to get your bread, cereals, juice etc. from a small buffet area and the rest is by menue. Haven't tried the usual western fare, but instead opted for Chinese dishes after the previous good experience. And, yes, it was equally good.
Later on the last day before returning to HK, we had a snack at the Lobby Lounge. There we encountered the first genuine friendly and extremely efficient staff. Food was good, too.
Overall, I would say the food is very good. Would definitely recommend Beijing Kitchen to anyone. And am looking forward to the opening of mezza9. See if that lives up to the original at the GH SG.
Overall: The GH is the only well designed hotel in Macau to stay. Well, at least that is for me. Having seen some other rooms, I have to say you can't go really wrong with any. They are all well designed. When it comes to Grand Tower vs. Grand Club Tower, and having had a 'tour' of their other rooms and the Grand Club Tower, I have to say for this property I would chose not to stay at the Grand Club Tower and ask for a room in the Grand Tower. The view is much more better and more exciting. Once the Grand Club is open, being Diamond you would have access there anyway. No matter where your room is. Be sure to ask for rooms with view of the Cotai Strip/City of Dreams.
In terms of service this hotel still has to come a long way. Maybe we were just unlucky to run into the wrong people, but this view was echoed from associates. But, as a previous poster said regarding it might well beat the GH HK, I strongly doubt that for various reasons and the strongest being: the staff doesn't have the right service mindset at the GH Macau. They do not understand what it means to provide service to guest, genuine service!
The GH Macau is definitely a welcome addition the otherwise very 'cheesy' Macau hotels. It is simplistic understatement - as you find in many other Hyatt hotels. Will be back some day.
Nov 19, 2009, 2:01 am
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Programs: Hyatt Gold Passport, Shangri-la Golden Circle
Posts: 302
Hi mmhk,
I couldn't agree more with what you wrote. So it seems like I am not the only one who thought the service was poor (and I thought maybe I was being picky too)!!
And I am so happy to hear that you thought the food was "stunningly good". I was so surprised with Beijing Kitchen's food quality. If I ever return to GH Macau, I think 60% of the reason is for eating Har Gau and Siu Mai at Beijing Kitchen.
And on the point of whether GH Macau can surpass GH Hong Kong -- I think GH Macau has the hardware; it just lacks the software. So I think even though GH Macau has a long, long way to go, there is a chance that it will become one of top GHs in Asia.
I couldn't agree more with what you wrote. So it seems like I am not the only one who thought the service was poor (and I thought maybe I was being picky too)!!
And I am so happy to hear that you thought the food was "stunningly good". I was so surprised with Beijing Kitchen's food quality. If I ever return to GH Macau, I think 60% of the reason is for eating Har Gau and Siu Mai at Beijing Kitchen.
And on the point of whether GH Macau can surpass GH Hong Kong -- I think GH Macau has the hardware; it just lacks the software. So I think even though GH Macau has a long, long way to go, there is a chance that it will become one of top GHs in Asia.
Nov 19, 2009, 2:02 am
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Programs: Hyatt Gold Passport, Shangri-la Golden Circle
Posts: 302
Nov 24, 2009, 8:11 pm
#20
Join Date: May 2006
Location: BKK.DPS
Programs: P THAI,Diamond HYATT
Posts: 3,290
Hi, can't wait now, I will spend all my time trawling the eateries, the room reads superb, I'll use a FFN over the Christmas break, taking one away from the GH HKG.
What I would like to try is the cat from HKIA, has anyone done it. If I read it correctly, prior to immigration, and whilst still in transit, I can access the Macau ferry directly.
The suites at the GH: What is a good floor to aim for, the corner suite mmhk had sounds ideal, anyone experienced anything better? Has anyone any knowledge on the opening of the club floor.
Looking foward to this, so far spending a couple nights in SIN, one in MFM and 3 in HKG. I was going to do PVG, but the early cold snap changed our plans. Then it's back home to await the next FFN promotion
, being Diamond, having FFNs, using suite upgrades, does it get any better than this? regards bkkrop
What I would like to try is the cat from HKIA, has anyone done it. If I read it correctly, prior to immigration, and whilst still in transit, I can access the Macau ferry directly.
The suites at the GH: What is a good floor to aim for, the corner suite mmhk had sounds ideal, anyone experienced anything better? Has anyone any knowledge on the opening of the club floor.
Looking foward to this, so far spending a couple nights in SIN, one in MFM and 3 in HKG. I was going to do PVG, but the early cold snap changed our plans. Then it's back home to await the next FFN promotion
, being Diamond, having FFNs, using suite upgrades, does it get any better than this? regards bkkrop
Nov 25, 2009, 8:29 am
#21
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Boston
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, United Global Services/1MM
Posts: 630
Here is the HKIA sailing schedule - http://www.turbojet.com.hk/eng/schedule/airport.html
Dec 19, 2009, 5:13 am
#24
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Boston
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, United Global Services/1MM
Posts: 630
Yes, it is, and I thought the food offerings were outstanding. Both the evening and breakfast had a wide variety of made to order food, and the bar tender was generous in his pour. Enjoy!
Dec 21, 2009, 9:22 pm
#25
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Perth, Australia
Programs: Hilton Diamond, QFF WP, Velocity Gold
Posts: 647
Hey guys!
Great reviews -> But I'm still lost as to whether to get a Club room or a normal room. From the reviews it seems like the normal tower has better views; from what the people have experienced at the club is it worth it?
Thanks!
Great reviews -> But I'm still lost as to whether to get a Club room or a normal room. From the reviews it seems like the normal tower has better views; from what the people have experienced at the club is it worth it?
Thanks!
Dec 22, 2009, 8:44 pm
#26
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 26
Dec 24, 2009, 11:54 am
#28
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Boston
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, United Global Services/1MM
Posts: 630
It was a very nice suite looking out towards the Hard Rock and Venetian, and then obviously club access as a diamond as well.
BTW - if you can get a hold of Terry, the asst. front desk manager, his service was stellar. He was the guy who checked me in and made sure I had a comp upgrade as a diamond. He's been working for Hyatt for a number of years, most recently for ~5 yrs at the GH HK. We had a nice conversation comparing various properties around Asia and he did a great job of looking after me during my stay.
Dec 25, 2009, 3:04 pm
#29
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,743
Glad to hear the generally positive reports. I was there at the end of October and they were unable to show me any rooms.
BTW, have I missed something? Several posts have referred to GC access as guaranteed to Diamonds. As of several years ago, that guaranteed Diamond privilege was limited to US non-resort properties. I understand that many international hotels will upgrade a Diamond to a club room with GC access, but am I correct in that this is not guaranteed. (I understand that it may be a local custom at certain properties.)
BTW, have I missed something? Several posts have referred to GC access as guaranteed to Diamonds. As of several years ago, that guaranteed Diamond privilege was limited to US non-resort properties. I understand that many international hotels will upgrade a Diamond to a club room with GC access, but am I correct in that this is not guaranteed. (I understand that it may be a local custom at certain properties.)
Dec 25, 2009, 3:11 pm
#30
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,747
BTW, have I missed something? Several posts have referred to GC access as guaranteed to Diamonds. As of several years ago, that guaranteed Diamond privilege was limited to US non-resort properties. I understand that many international hotels will upgrade a Diamond to a club room with GC access, but am I correct in that this is not guaranteed. (I understand that it may be a local custom at certain properties.)
Enjoy the best room available including Regency Club™ or Grand Club™ rooms1(new)
http://goldpassport.hyatt.com/gp/en/...ip_diamond.jsp