Hyatt Oubaai George (South Africa) REVIEW - MASTER THREAD - LEAVES HYATT 30NOV14
Jan 1, 2010, 5:06 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 1,812
Hyatt Oubaai George (South Africa) REVIEW - MASTER THREAD - LEAVES HYATT 30NOV14
A few of us stayed here on an FFN stay over the holiday. In short, don't stay here in the next few months, as teething problems and union issues means that this hotel shouldn't be open right now (but it is). Diamond line will be getting a complaint letter soon.
(1) Fitness center and pool are not ready yet. Inexcusable for a RESORT hotel.
(2) Diamond upgrade didn't happen.
(3) In-room facility failures. The lock for the room failed, and the ceiling started leaking. In another room, a guest complained that the shower head shot off the connection and nearly hurt another guest. Hot water was apparently unavailable in another section of the hotel.
(4) Most things on the bar and restaurant menus are still unavailable, but the staff doesn't seem to know what is and isn't available until several minutes after ordering.
(5) Staff attempts to charge for their mistakes, requiring managers to rectify.
The grounds of this hotel are beautiful, as are the rooms. This will be a great hotel once everything gets worked out, but for now, stay FAR FAR AWAY.
(1) Fitness center and pool are not ready yet. Inexcusable for a RESORT hotel.
(2) Diamond upgrade didn't happen.
(3) In-room facility failures. The lock for the room failed, and the ceiling started leaking. In another room, a guest complained that the shower head shot off the connection and nearly hurt another guest. Hot water was apparently unavailable in another section of the hotel.
(4) Most things on the bar and restaurant menus are still unavailable, but the staff doesn't seem to know what is and isn't available until several minutes after ordering.
(5) Staff attempts to charge for their mistakes, requiring managers to rectify.
The grounds of this hotel are beautiful, as are the rooms. This will be a great hotel once everything gets worked out, but for now, stay FAR FAR AWAY.
Jan 1, 2010, 6:37 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Depends on the day!
Programs: Marriott/Lifetime Titanium Hyatt/Explorist, Hilton/Silver, IHG Spire,UA Gold
Posts: 17,832
A few of us stayed here on an FFN stay over the holiday. In short, don't stay here in the next few months, as teething problems and union issues means that this hotel shouldn't be open right now (but it is). Diamond line will be getting a complaint letter soon.
(1) Fitness center and pool are not ready yet. Inexcusable for a RESORT hotel.
(2) Diamond upgrade didn't happen.
(3) In-room facility failures. The lock for the room failed, and the ceiling started leaking. In another room, a guest complained that the shower head shot off the connection and nearly hurt another guest. Hot water was apparently unavailable in another section of the hotel.
(4) Most things on the bar and restaurant menus are still unavailable, but the staff doesn't seem to know what is and isn't available until several minutes after ordering.
(5) Staff attempts to charge for their mistakes, requiring managers to rectify.
The grounds of this hotel are beautiful, as are the rooms. This will be a great hotel once everything gets worked out, but for now, stay FAR FAR AWAY.
(1) Fitness center and pool are not ready yet. Inexcusable for a RESORT hotel.
(2) Diamond upgrade didn't happen.
(3) In-room facility failures. The lock for the room failed, and the ceiling started leaking. In another room, a guest complained that the shower head shot off the connection and nearly hurt another guest. Hot water was apparently unavailable in another section of the hotel.
(4) Most things on the bar and restaurant menus are still unavailable, but the staff doesn't seem to know what is and isn't available until several minutes after ordering.
(5) Staff attempts to charge for their mistakes, requiring managers to rectify.
The grounds of this hotel are beautiful, as are the rooms. This will be a great hotel once everything gets worked out, but for now, stay FAR FAR AWAY.
Sorry you had such a poor experience.
Dec 10, 2010, 8:18 am
#7
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: MUC based
Programs: *A
Posts: 536
was there end of November. Resort is part of a Golf Course mixed with residential areas about 10 minutes from George Airport.
As previously reported, the hotel grounds and rooms are very nice. Now the facilities were also all fully operational as far as I could tell. (I have no status with Hyatt GP, so I can't comment on that or the Club facilities).
Here are my observations in brief...If you want some specifics...please let me know...
As previously reported, the hotel grounds and rooms are very nice. Now the facilities were also all fully operational as far as I could tell. (I have no status with Hyatt GP, so I can't comment on that or the Club facilities).
Here are my observations in brief...If you want some specifics...please let me know...
- The staff seem to be more or less up to speed now
- F&B was generally pretty good
- Pool, gym, Spa fully operational, had a very good massage
- The Golf Club house can be used as well, there is a lap pool, tennis and basket ball court.
- great hiking trial around the property and gorgeous spots by the ocean.
Apr 11, 2012, 5:21 pm
#10
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: WA
Programs: AS , AA, Hilton, Hyatt, Kimpton, Hertz
Posts: 310
Stayed last year. Nice property with a nice club lounge. Lounge not quite up to the better Asian property standards, but beats most US clubs by a fair bit. Also had a nice selection of South African wines.
Room was a nice suite that was modern with a good bathroom/shower area.
To really enjoy the experience I think it helps if you are a golfer (I am not) as the resort is pretty isolated.
Had a fantastic curry in the restuarant in the main building and good (pricey) seafood in the one by the small canal.
Overall very nice stay.
Room was a nice suite that was modern with a good bathroom/shower area.
To really enjoy the experience I think it helps if you are a golfer (I am not) as the resort is pretty isolated.
Had a fantastic curry in the restuarant in the main building and good (pricey) seafood in the one by the small canal.
Overall very nice stay.
Sep 11, 2012, 8:04 am
#11
Join Date: Apr 2007
Programs: A3 *G
Posts: 171
Just back from 5 nights in the Oubaai ( spelt incorrectly in thread title ). Around 4 hours drive from Cape Town on fairly decent roads, 10 mins outside of George; we found it ideal as a touring base with a alot of the garden route within one hour of the hotel.
On arrival was upgraded to a executive suite overlooking the golf course, ocean and mountains views - prehaps incorrectly but I got the sense that not alot of Diamonds stay. The rooms were fantastic, easily comparable to some of the better suites in Asian properties I've stayed. The hotel was quiet with the exception of a BMW convention over the weekend - since it's only the start of spring in SA. The club lounge had tea/coffee but wasn't operational in the true sense ( a disappointment as we've enjoyed some great Hyatt lounges over the years ) - but canapes were delivered to the room each evening and drinks were offered; we asked for some more one evening and subsequently a larger quantity was delivered for the remaining evenings. I assume this arrangement will change once they get into the summer season.
Breakfast was served in the main restaurant and was extensive to a US level.
We didn't dine any evening in the hotel, there were too many great restaurants in the surrounding towns that we wanted to visit.
Staff were friendly but unobtrusive which added to the relaxing atmosphere. Given the golf course, the grounds are massive and include a number of nice walks and a whale watching deck at the very end of the grounds - nearly 10 mins in a golf cart to get there ( we did walk back ! )
Overall, we'd a supremely relaxing stay - it's detached from the hustle and bustle of the cities in SA so many be too quiet for some but was ideal for us for a 'get away from it all' holiday.
On arrival was upgraded to a executive suite overlooking the golf course, ocean and mountains views - prehaps incorrectly but I got the sense that not alot of Diamonds stay. The rooms were fantastic, easily comparable to some of the better suites in Asian properties I've stayed. The hotel was quiet with the exception of a BMW convention over the weekend - since it's only the start of spring in SA. The club lounge had tea/coffee but wasn't operational in the true sense ( a disappointment as we've enjoyed some great Hyatt lounges over the years ) - but canapes were delivered to the room each evening and drinks were offered; we asked for some more one evening and subsequently a larger quantity was delivered for the remaining evenings. I assume this arrangement will change once they get into the summer season.
Breakfast was served in the main restaurant and was extensive to a US level.
We didn't dine any evening in the hotel, there were too many great restaurants in the surrounding towns that we wanted to visit.
Staff were friendly but unobtrusive which added to the relaxing atmosphere. Given the golf course, the grounds are massive and include a number of nice walks and a whale watching deck at the very end of the grounds - nearly 10 mins in a golf cart to get there ( we did walk back ! )
Overall, we'd a supremely relaxing stay - it's detached from the hustle and bustle of the cities in SA so many be too quiet for some but was ideal for us for a 'get away from it all' holiday.
Oct 15, 2012, 11:35 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: A festering pit; a pustule of a fistula set athwart the miasmic swamps of the armpit of the Gulf of Mexico - a Godforsaken wart upon a dark crevasse of the World. (IAH)
Programs: UA Lifetime Gold, BA Silver, Marriott Lifetime Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Gold
Posts: 31,403
Had a 2-night stay in September. Easily one of the best uses of a Diamond Suite Upgrade that I've tried:
Living Room
Bedroom
Balcony View
Awesome bathroom
Got free breakfast each morning as a Diamond, which was really good. Service at the hotel was so exemplary that I wrote an email to Hyatt after the stay, praising the above-and-beyond service we received from the check in agent who checked us in/out and gave us great advice concerning things to see and do in and around George.
Unless you just plan on staying at the hotel, I strongly recommend renting a car (about the only way you would see the Garden Route, which is the main attraction of the area, IMHO). It would be criminal to travel all that way without visiting the beach at Wilderness and the mouth of the estuary at Knysna.
Living Room
Bedroom
Balcony View
Awesome bathroom
Got free breakfast each morning as a Diamond, which was really good. Service at the hotel was so exemplary that I wrote an email to Hyatt after the stay, praising the above-and-beyond service we received from the check in agent who checked us in/out and gave us great advice concerning things to see and do in and around George.
Unless you just plan on staying at the hotel, I strongly recommend renting a car (about the only way you would see the Garden Route, which is the main attraction of the area, IMHO). It would be criminal to travel all that way without visiting the beach at Wilderness and the mouth of the estuary at Knysna.
Nov 18, 2012, 9:34 am
#13
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: AS MVPG, Hyatt Discoverist, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,399
Thanks for the recent stay reports. My son and I will be spending 3 nights there in December. I decided to use points (15,000 vs. $235 per night). Looks like a great property.
Nov 25, 2013, 12:35 pm
#15
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,396