TANBOY90274

My up coming trip to New York, flying into newark. need some direction from the airport to the hotel/and from hyatt to the new york city. First time at this Hyatt any suggestion and comment? I heard it's a nice hotel. Thankyou in advance

FFLASV

I've stayed at this property a few times, but not in the past year. It is about a two minute walk from the hotel to the ferry that takes you to the World Financial Center. I found this to be a big plus as I was having meetings in the WFC. I have normally taken a limo service from the airport to the hotel. I don't recall the time or cost; but it was reasonable. I have driven to the hotel and I did have problems locating the property.

Threy

Posting from my room at the Jersey City Hyatt, it is actually my second worst Hyatt stay this year, runner up to the Orange County Hyatt at Disney.....

As a Diamond they gave me room on the second floor , lobby is located on the third floor, no suites available on Thanksgiving, believe it or not.Did not demand a suite, but asked for a room with a nice view.View is solid, parts of uptown with the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings

Ceiling in the room is about 8 ft high with a storage area one floor up over, that is the reason why I am up at 5 a.m
At least partly, cause my room neighbor is sick and I can also hear that.

Diamond Amenity never showed up, should have been delivered at 5, was not in the room when I returned from Manhattan at around 8.

Parking is $ 30.Path Metro station and ferry station are right next to the property, so your cheapest option would be to take the shuttle to the Path station Newark and buy a ride for $ 1.50 on the WTC line.Exit at Exchange Place station, Hyatt is right next to the entrance on the right side.Did not arrive at EWR, so cannot help you out with directions to the Path station from the airport.

Threy

Breakfast was also below Hyatt standards, strawberries were gone, when I reached the buffet afer 20 minutes waiting time, cause a huge group was ready to go to the parade, but decided to get their breakfast on the go.
You can imagine that after 20 minutes the hot dishes were cold, cream cheese was also gone, but they were able to bring some more cheese after another 20 minutes, Unfortunately at that time the bagels were gone and after another 10 minutes I decided to give it up....

If you operate 200 hotels, you will always have some bad apples like the one in Orange County or the Regency HKG, was really looking forward to this stay, but the property is really nothing special, although it is ( and that is the big plus ) much cheaper than the Grand or Park across the Hudson !!

[This message has been edited by Threy (edited Nov 27, 2003).]

trd

I have stayed there 4 times (including the first night they were open!) I have been very pleased . . . and now that the PATH station is open this is a great alternative to the, generally, awful Grand. I have never used the buffet, but the eggs Benedict were great.

shinbal

I would strongly suggest that any customer, Diamond or otherwise, that has a reasonable problem at this hotel, contact the manager's office. I am well-acquainted with the management here and it is nothing short of first-rate. I can assure you, the GM of this hotel is interested in 100% guest satisfaction. I have stayed here often, and know the GM well from his previous Hyatt properties.

By "reasonable problem", I mean anything EXCEPT: "the front desk didn't bring out the marching band to acknowledge my status/I wasn't put in the presidential suite". If a room was truly dissatisfactory, or if any part of the Gold Passport program, including the amenity, was not handled properly or on time, the hotel management would want to know. I have reported things like a long-delayed amenity and it was made good, with a big thank you from management for "helping them work on problem areas".

I cannot say enough nice things about this hotel and the way it is run.

And by the way...if you stay here, definitely have dinner in "Vue" - it's one of the most incredible views of the Manhattan skyline, especially at night.

royster747

Stayed here almost a year ago for a weekend for my 20th anniversary...it was all wonderful! The meal at Vue was great, not to mention the view...the staff, the room, everything I expect from the Hyatt touch...

NJUPINTHEAIR

I have stayed there twice as it is literally around the corner from me and it is excellent.

With all due respect Threy, your complaints are intriguing. You admit they gave you a solid view -- and I can tell you all that it does have spectacular views -- and that the hotel has a great location concerning public transport. Yes, they do charge $30 for parking, but many on this board have noted that if you advise that you are staying at the hotel, then they will only charge you $15. Even so, try to park in NYC for $30 at the other Hyatts.

You complain about the noise thru your room -- well I have not heard any when I have stayed there -- perhaps you were really unfortunate with the next door neighbor -- but after all, it is November, and people in this are do develop colds and coughs this time of year.

You then complain about no suite upgrade. Well, no Hyatt is obligated to give you one -- Period. Second, this hotel does not have many suites, in any event, so expecting a suite upgrade is unrealistic, especially if you were staying on a Priceline rate.

You then complain about there being no strawberries left on the buffet!

But then you disclose that is because of the large group who were there who were going to the Thanksgiving Day Parade! Given your complaint about being awoken at 5 AM and your being seated at around the time that that group was planning to go into NYC, methinks you protest too much, inasmuch as it appears that you had planned to be up early in any event -- perhaps you also went to see the parade that starts at 9 AM, but which everyone knows that you must be there at least 2 hours earlier to get a prime viewing spot.

Finally, as every other post about this property has been positive, I suggest that future readers ought to take your criticism in stride.

Diamond amenity should have been delivered in a timely manner -- and, mine always has --complaining about a suite upgrade but not uttering a peep about the non-fulfillment about the amenity strikes me as a tad strange, as well.

For those who wish to know, this is at the least, a solid 3 star property, and although the breakfast buffet is not spectacular -- and there is no fresh squeezed OJ -- the price charged for the room dictates the quality of the buffet. After all, we are talking about NYC prices, not Wichita prices!

Moreover, although the breakfast buffet is nothing to jump for joy over, it costs a Diamond nothing -- and, I can say that based upon Shinbal's earlier posts, I did dine at the restaurant in the evening, and the food is very good, if expensive, indeed!

What Threy also failed to mention is that the dining area for dinner and breakfast sports absolutely fantastic views of Manhattan.

So, consider the source of the statements above and the fact that not one other poster has found the hotel to be the way he has described.

NJUPINTHEAIR

TANBOY90274:

Cheapest way -- Pick up the # 62 bus at the airport to NJ(Newark) Penn station. The # 62 bus will cost you $1.10.

At NJ (Newark)Penn station, transfer to the PATH rail line -- 1 way trip is $1.50 -- and take the Path Line from Newark to Jersey City. Get off at Exchange Place station stop and take the escalators to ground level, and turn right directly into the Hyatt property!

Hope this has been of help to you!

Otherwise, a cab from EWR will cost you about $35 plus tip.

[This message has been edited by NJUPINTHEAIR (edited Nov 30, 2003).]

RichardInSF

I find Newark, Newark Penn station, and the bus waiting area rather scary, but I admit that I am not from the 'hood so maybe as a wimpy Californian I just get jumpy in Jersey. I'd suggest (at least) a taxi to/from Penn station so as to minimize the duration of that part of your trip.

NJUPINTHEAIR

RichardInSF:


It is fine during the day, however, I never have used the bus in the evening/dusk, so I would not know.

On the other hand, if you are coming from EWR, I do not see what the problem is, as you just get off the bus and walk a few steps into the station and then go up the stairs/escalator that is demarcated PATH trains.

I can understand if you were waiting around a long time in the evening to take a bus to the airport and you feel skittish, however, but this was not the question.

[This message has been edited by NJUPINTHEAIR (edited Dec 01, 2003).]

Threy

First of all let m add that it took me 20 minutes to get my car frm valet parking, cause nobody answered the phone.

Second, NJUPINTHEAIR, I was not expecting a suite upgrade at all and mentiond that in my first post, I was expecting an upgrade based on the GPP rules, so at least some kind of preferred view.My room was solid, but all views are solid , because as you have mentioned, the hotel is right across from Manhattan....Anyway you feel like a sardine, cause the ceiling is way too low.

In addition to that I stayed on a regular hyatt.com rate and they were aware that I have a car and charged me $ 30, have no idea where your $ 15 parking rate is based on.

Beside that , I could not care less about the THG parade, was up cause the noise from the floor above ( some kind of storage area ) was way too loud, especially at 5 a.m. ...

Buffet was a desaster, especially cause the staff could not care less replenishing items and the warm dishes were cold, simply ice cold...

Agree with you, however, that the property is a solid three star Hyatt, was actually looking forward to my stay, but expected way too much.Anyway based on hyatt.com rates around $ 129 and the proximity to the PATH station, I would not hesitate to recommend the property...

[This message has been edited by Threy (edited Dec 01, 2003).]

NJUPINTHEAIR

Threy:


I would do as Shinbal suggests and contact the management and advise them of the problems that you had, as it appears to have been quite atypical from what the rest of us had experienced.

I quite enjoyed the rooms that I was given --although they did not have a low cieling and were not on the 2nd floor? In fact, I really liked the furniture -- it was like what you find on the Regency Club Floors of the newly renovated Hyatt Regency Chicago -- very modern.

Breakfast is not great -- I will grant you that -- but their price point is quite good, and their dinners at VUE are spectacular.

If you do a search on this board, I think that you will find some mention of the $15 overnight parking rate for guests, or perhaps it is on one of the threads in FatWallet.com?

In any event, I would give them a second chance, but specifically noting upon your check-in the number of probelms that you had encountered -- and what they were -- to the Manager on Duty, so that he/she can troubleshoot for you.

I hope your next stay is much more pleasant!

kv99

I actually thought the breakfast was great for a freebie. I didn't even bother to look at what it cost, but the staff ENCOURAGED me to eat whatever I wanted of the hot buffet with my free Continental breakfast coupon.

And as many have said, the view is just wonderful.

I had an oversized room with a sitting area and a telescope(!) with access to a terrace area right on the Hudson. There was no closet in my room but I think that's because it was part of a suite.

Now if they could just fix the roads getting to the hotel. The low-profile tires on my car just don't do well driving down Christopher Columbus Blvd. FWIW, I parked on the street just in front of the hotel for free (just have to get it out by 8 am on weekdays which works fine for me!)

Threy

I will definitely give them another try, was actually testing the waters for an upcoming leisure trip to NYC early next year and this is the only Hyatt property which is affordable in the area on miweek stays, not really sure if it is worth it to spend FFN's based on th average rates...


Will contact the GM when I am back in Germany, maybe I caught them on a bad day, however the rooms on the second floor are really nothing to write home about