wackydream

We stayed Friday through Monday over Memorial Day weekend. The hotel is clean but as other posts mentioned, very dated, and would benefit from a thorough renovation. My husband is a Diamond, and we were given a corner room on 20-something floor. The room was pretty dreary, with a weirdly shaped bathroom with a small shower next to the toilet. It was the second room they moved us to - the first room was worse, though my husband handled that move before I arrived. The front desk staff is very helpful, and the complimentary breakfast is good. We used the rooftop pool a few times, which was okay, nothing terribly memorable. We did not use the valet, as parking downtown on the weekend was free.

nineworldseries

Stayed here in 2012 and would agree with much of the above commentary. It's a very standard, 1970s style Atrium Hyatt (quite similar to HR San Francisco or Hyatt at Capitol Hill in DC).

The best thing about the HR Houston is its location, IMO. It's close to the light rail line and a walkable distance from Minute Maid Park. It's also directly on top of the downtown tunnels, so there's a tunnel entrance right in the hotel lobby.

kmcbrid2

anyone have e-mail address for the reservation department here?

Single_Flyer

Has anyone stayed here recently? I am looking at booking a night in August and it looks like it is the cheapest Hyatt property in Houston (I found a BRG for $118). I am just in Houston for 24 hours on a layover, I could stay closer to the airport but thought it would be fun to stay downtown and check out the city.

Thoughts?

Nehawk

I'm also considering a stay here for the upcoming NCAA Sweet 16 match-ups at NRG stadium. Can anyone recommend this property for attending events at NRG? There appeared to be good public transport options out to the stadium but perhaps there are better areas in Houston to stay than downtown.

MDWCommuter

I stay here 9-12 nights a year. There really is no there there in downtown Houston aside from the sports venues. The property is a block or two from light rail and a short cab ride from restaurants and bars in the Montrose district.

It's a middling Hyatt, but staff is great and if you're a Diamond the breakfast is nice. One tip: if you get placed into a connecting room, pivot and go back to the front desk and ask to be moved. You'll thank me later.

nineworldseries

Just returned from a two-night stay here over the weekend. My first time here in over three years, and the first stay, I had no status and was just there for a convention. Unlike my other reviews, this property had kind of a split personality, so therefore:

The Good: Location is good (although it is in Houston, possibly the most boring major city in America). It is a long walk to Minute Maid Park and a short (3 block) walk to the Metro light rail. Since there's absolutely nothing else downtown to speak of, this location suited me fine. It's also on top of the tunnels with its own entrance to them, although they close on the weekends.

Breakfast in Shula's was pretty solid. The service there was phenomenal; Felix and Joe were my servers on both days, and they were both very attentive and friendly. Breakfast is buffet style (many hot and cold options as well as custom-made eggs and omelets, which I appreciated as I don't care for the yellow egg blobs on most buffets).

The Bad: As others have noted, this place is loud. Noise from the giant atrium just filters up all night long. Apparently, this is a place for partying on the weekends, which is beyond me, and it was very loud all night long until the early morning. There were big groups staying here, and (I know this is going to sound elitist and like a DYKWIA) but many guests there were just loud and low class. In the lobby bar, several people thought it would be a good idea to set up their personal portable speakers, blast Michael Jackson music, and have a kind of dance party right in the middle of the bar. I mean, I'm glad you're having fun (and consuming superhuman amounts of Bud Light), but seriously, who does this in a nice hotel?

Edit: To be fair, this happened only on Saturday night. On Sunday night, the crowd downstairs was much smaller and more sedate. I would just avoid Friday and Saturday nights here if possible.

Check-in and Check-out were easily the worst parts of my stay. When I arrived, there was nobody working the HGP check-in line, which is on the side of the check-in desk for some reason. I just stood there for several minutes like a fool while the associates kept helping people in the regular line. I mean, how hard is it to turn your head to the right once in like 5 minutes?

Check-out was simply a disaster. The associate there had an incredibly bad attitude, and forcefully argued with me about whether tips are included on the Diamond breakfast. Only mentioning that I was about to call the Diamond HGP line made her take off the charges, but not before muttering comments under her breath. Then she tried to charge me two separate times for my P+C reservation, both a $75 (correct) and a $50 (...?) charge. When I mentioned this, she got even more snotty and just said "Yeah, I messed that up." Then she just glared at me until I left. Probably worst check-out experience ever at a Hyatt.

If you want to stay in a loud, very average, very standard HR with no lounge in Houston, this place is right up your alley.

CloudCoder

Thanks for the helpful review. I have a comment on just one segment:
The P&C reservation prints out two bills: one for the customer and one for Hyatt HQ to reimburse the hotel. Obviously the FD gave you both bills. It's a common mistake yet still uncalled for.

skj

I'm not trying to excuse the attitude or the arguing, which is absolutely inappropriate, but ...

I stay at the Hyatt Houston several times a year, and in my experience, they do Diamond breakfasts correctly. The servers ask if breakfast is included in my room rate before presenting the bill. After I tell them my I'm a Diamond member and my room number, the bill shows a 15%, IIRC, gratuity included in the total. If I added any additional amount, I would expect that to appear on my room bill and expect to pay it at checkout.

Single_Flyer

Just to confirm; the hotel still does not have a Regency Club?

And breakfast (for Diamonds) is either room service or at the on site restaurant? Guest gets to choose?

Thanks!

ronbo83

No Regency Club. Unless something has changed, Diamonds get choice of Breakfast at Shula's or at Einstein Bagels, both in the lobby. There is a pretty generous dollar amount provided for breakfast and you could feed an army with it at Einstein. I have not heard of room service as an option. Will be there in 2 weeks and can confirm.

Boraxo

Just completed my second stay this month. On the plus side, I am still recognized as a Diamond complete with amenity ^ On the minus side, I received a really awful room that smelled like somebody had peed on the carpet and with a broken desk chair. When asked about my stay, I shared this info with the checkout clerk, who insisted on sending me some bonus points to compensate and took the room out of service. Now that is the way to keep your regular guests happy when you have a service issue

On my prior visit I was upgraded to a "suite" which basically consists of a slightly larger room with an anteroom outside the bathroom that has another sink and a large closet.

Practice tip: Stick to the buffet and do not ask for cooked-to-order eggs at Shula's- took 1/2 hour to get some poached eggs

Also be forewarned that room service shuts down at 11pm - not good for those arriving on late flights. They will deliver from Einsteins but the choices beyond bagels and junk food are pretty mediocre.

Boraxo

More observations from this week's stay:

Good:

Despite a sell-out, front desk blocked a nice quiet room (xx13 are just off the atrium area) on a high floor. In room wifi seems to work very well though was a bit slow streaming movies.

Bad

• No more toothpaste or q-tips (To be fair I see this is the subject of another thread and not the only location).
• Smaller soap bars (went from square to rectangle) - I guess every penny counts.
• Diamond amenity choices are weaker - used to receive 2 free beers, now only 1 (to be fair I lost DIA status >1 year ago so I really can't complain )

Everything else is the same, including the breakfast at Shula's...

silver springer

I read the reviews here and had low expectations for our 3 night stay this weekend as a gkobalist. I used a DSU and on checkin was told We had a regency suite on 2nd floor near the elevator. Having read reviews on hotel noise due to open lobby I asked if there was something quieter. Shaw checked with her boss and gave us an imperial suite on the 30th (top) floor in a corner. Jackpot- only 29th and 30th floors have been renovated and they are mostly imperial suites: two full sized rooms with two full baths with one side turned into a living room with dining table. There is a refigerator with 6 sodas, 4 waters and two Perriers for your free consumption (refilled each day), a Keurig machine with 27 pods to choose from and upscale amenities including lip balm, pulse point fragrance for relaxing and toothpaste.
Breakfast at Shulas for us was a nice buffet, omelets and toast to order and cappucinos at no extra charge. Lead concierge Vincent was very helpful with recommendations for restaurants and places to see. There is an arrangement with a van driver to take guests to Johnson Space Center for $55-60including admission ticket for a 4 1/2 hr visit -vvery convenient. This was one of the best stays we have had at a US Hyatt.

CHOPCHOP767

Any recent experiences here? I've got four weeks of scheduled travel to Houston (Sunday to Friday nights) and was debating between this property and the HR Galleria. Both are about equidistant from the office I'll be working out of. I gather this property doesn't have a Regency Club, but as long as the rooms are quiet/clean, there's a decent bar, and good gym, those are my priorities hotel-wise. Thanks in advance.