Threy

Hi Muerz,

first of all enjoy your stay in Scottsdale.

1.

The pool area was probably awesome a decade or so ago, nowadays it is more or less what you expect from an upscale resort, they even have a small sand beach and certainly many more small to very small pools, somehow connected.It is okay , but not really really outstanding.The open lobby and the steps down into the garden and pool area is beautiful though

2.

Rooms are really small and hardly worth the 4 Diamond rating, we forced a junior suite upgrade.
If the prop. is deserted you may ask about RC access or a suite against a voucher or $$$.I would recommend to do so, if they do want way too much $$$ !

3/4

RC is outstanding, but they also have a full buffet ( IIRC I should add quickly ) in the main restaurant...

5/6

Have to pass on these questions...

7/8

There is a lot of shopping and restaurants along Scottsdale road, from normal to really upscale, the Scottsdale library area is also home to some malls and probably 6 or 7 minutes away by cab.
You can use the Internet for free at the outstanding library, very friendly folks there.

9.

There is a nice driving range right next to the pool area and the gym is also okay.The RC is really good and offers probably the most upscale products of any US RC, we are talking about quality salmon, italian salami, serrano bacon , San Pellegrino etc.

Ask for an upgrade, even if it costs you some bucks, it is open ( key access ) for snacks and ( more importantly ) drinks during the lunch hours as well and they had really nice chilled lemonade and cold drinks ( a must facing 110 ° temperatures ) there the last time I was there two years ago in summer.

Wilbur

1) The pool is area is very nice. Off to the far left (looking from the main courtyard) is even a place where you can feed these monster carp with little fish pellets for 25 cents - kids love it.
2) See above post from Threy on room size and upgrades
3) I don't know
4) I don't know
5) See the Hyatt.com site.
6) Yes
7) See above post from Threy. Also you can drive North on Scottsdale Road to Frank Lloyd Wrightfor even more spending.
8) Too many to mention
9) There is a nice park just down the road (turn left out of the hotel) if you want to exercise your self, kids, dogs, etc. Gondola ride coupons are given out at Sandolo's Restaurant - a romantic way to be serenaded by the singing gondolier in the moonlight.

Mad4Miles

Please be advised the Regency Club is closed for the summer. Diamonds will receive breakfast coupons for Squash Blossoms. Additionally the beautiful open lobby is boarded up for renovation. Due to these facts I have avoided this property this summer. I recommend that you contact the property and get an update on these items.

BoulderHyattHopper

This is a property that has always given RC access to Diamond. Especially because it is a room, not a wing or a elevator floor. Most RC rooms are near the RC, but not necessarily.

smcdonald

I called in advanced and spoke to Chandra, a front desk supervisor who apparently only works in the evening. She upgraded me to the Presidential suite (room 4059) and was extremely cool during the stay. I asked for casita and, although it appeared may were empty, was told they were booked on those. Presidential suite was great....new manager is working on everything, which included fully stocked bar with 5 different liquor choices in decanters, all of the candy bars and soft drinks, etc. we could eat or drink, and snack nuts. Room was a bit outdated, but clean, and they are remodeling, which is obvious.

Overall, a great experience........

Threy

Some Resorts do make sure that even, if all RC rooms are booked, Diamond members do get excess, for example the nice folks at Grand Cypress and Coconut Point

Grand Cypress do extend the RC during high demand periods, Coconut already has a big one.

Lake Las Vegas, IIRC, wrote a letter to another FT member that he might not get access, cause everything is booked.Okay, cause their club is really really small, IMHO !

Always worth it to go the extra mile for your most loyal guests ^

divaof travel

I have had difficulty the past three years at numerous resorts on summer holiday weekends. And if the rooms are full, you are not likely to get access either (and of course the resorts are not obliged to do that anyway.) I'm surprised Scottsdale has availabilty on summer weekends, but I guess it's not the highest season there.

So my point is that this letter is "preparing" some demanding Diamonds in advance, so they won't throw hissy fits at check-in. I received similar letters from Las Vegas and Chesapeake Bay over the last couple of years telling me that although the RC was open, it would be full and I would receive breakfast coupons. This is, of course, the written policy anyway.

Muerz

I just returned from my vacation at the Hyatt in Scottsdale and I have to say that it is a great hotel with minor flaws. We were given room 3021 and I don't understand those who always say that the rooms at this hotel are tiny. While they certainly aren't suite-like, they are above average of what I'm used to in Europe. The room was only steps away from the RC Lounge which was of course closed. No problem for us, since we got continental breakfast coupons from our tour operator (yeah I know, no points nor stay credit, but a price difference of 1000+$ in my favor ). Construction noise from the lobby really is not a problem, in fact we did not see a single worker nor were we disrupted a single time during our stay. The public spaces are really very nice although I must say that I prefer a river pool area with grottoes and so on (if you like these too, check out the Westin in Scottsdale or the new JW Marriott Great Lakes in Orlando!!!). The main pool is noisy with many children fooling around but well, that is no problem to me. For those who don't like children, there is an adult-only pool. Vu Restaurant is also very nice, we didn't eat at the other restaurants.

But what made this stay at an otherwise good hotel bittersweet is the breakfast which is just ridiculous. The coupons I got are worth a continental breakfast which costs 13$. Do you know what you will get for 13$? A muffin, a pastry and a croissant as well as a glass of OJ and coffee. 13 bucks! Are they crazy??? And it wasn't even possible to use the coupons to order pancakes or eggs, which by the way are less expensive. Also, one morning there were 45-60 minutes waiting time to get a table for breakfast. Impossible for an hotel like this! What I do not understand is that if such things happen at a Hampton Inn, guests are angry, at the Hyatt they even didn't say a word. Also what I didn't like was the very limited menu of the pool bar, they didn't even have burgers or pizza. What a shame!

Last but not least, a few restaurant tips from me:
Mortons at the Kierland Commons,
The Roaring Fork at 4800 N Scottsdale Road,
Zinc Bistrot at the Kierland Commons,
Breakfast Buffet at JW Marriott Camelback Inn,

Worth mentioning: Rawhide Western Town Steakhouse - not that the food is particulary good, but the ambience is really nice

BoulderHyattHopper

I know we have complained and complained and complained.

But can I just say...Hyatt Gainey is BACK!!!

After all this time, can you believe they have an amenity card??? Wine, Beer, Water, Juice. We were always told they could not give out wine, because it was against the Indian Reservations laws.

I will be interested to hear the report about the RC. It reopens tomorrow!

We stayed there Thursday, September 1st for one night. Not the BEST stay in the world, but definitely VERY nice.

The young girl who checked us in (Michelle?) was a little curt. I asked about a casita upgrade. Supposedly she "checked" but we got 2028, a V shaped Club Suite. Very nice. Right below the RC.

The RC is closed for the summer. Period. No other reason then it is summer.

They have changed it since I was there February, 2004.

The BIG TV is gone.

The couch on the opposite wall is now pulled out and turned 180 degrees to face the wall, where there is a plasma TV.

No other major change we could see in the dark room.

We had the nice breakfast. No charge for the three of us. Great deal. We ordered off the menu. Each coupon is for two people and is worth $27.50

We checked out with Grant. Grant is amazing. Go to Grant. I cannot speak highly enough for this guy. He has the Hyatt touch. It is back!!! He said that we were pre-blocked into the same type room on Sunday night, but he would try to upgrade us to a casita. He told us he started at 7AM on Sunday.

We stopped by at 8AM on our way to mass on Sunday morning. Grant laughed. He told us 280 people were checking out (very weird for the Sunday of Labor Day Weekend, but it looked like a big ladies convention). He asked for our cell numbers and called us to tell us our casita was ready. Amazing.

We have not gotten a casita since 1991. We were always in casitas East. This time, we were in 5104, casita west. It was a one bedroom casita. VERY nice!!!

Nick and I did the buffet on Monday morning. Good, but not great. $14, which wasn't bad. Kids under 6 are free, so Nick HAD to do that!!! I think I overheard kids under 12 were a special price as well.

Muerz

I have been there for a week in early August, but then there was no buffet - where did they have buffet now? We even went once to the JW Marriott Camelback in order to eat a wonderful buffet since it was unavailable at the Hyatt.

gregorygrady

No, actually it is NOT on Indian land. The "feel good" marketing material in the room might make it seem like it is on Indian land, possibly even saying that the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Reservation is in the area or "adjacent" or some such other word, but I can guarantee you that HR GR is not on an Indian Reservation. I am very familiar with the area. The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Reservation is actually about 2 miles to the East. The Indian Reservation is East of Pima Rd. Everything West of Pima Rd is Scottsdale. The Indians rarely let the White people build on their land. No residential houses (although there is a trailer park that might be non-Indian) as well as VERY limited commercial development by non-Indians. They let the 101 Highway be built on their land and then they took advantage and let a mall (the Pavilions) and a WalMart be built on their land as well. And of course 2 big giant Indian casinos right next to the highway to bring in income. In addition, there is one gas station as well as a school (Scottsdale Community College) that they somehow allowed to be built on their land. But HR Scottsdale is DEFINITELY not on their land.

rdg_dc

As a long-time Scottsdale resident, I can confirm that the Hyatt Gainey is absolutely *not* on a reservation, Indian land, a sacred burial ground, or whatever else their brochures may imply.

BoulderHyattHopper

There is enough to do, depending on how much you like Tennis, Golf, Swimming, and their brand new spa (we didn't look at it...)

There is a few nice strip malls across the street (quick walk), which we always walk to. The one heading toward Scottsdale Road has Village Tavern, Bloom, Thaifoon, Paradise Bakery, a mexican place and shops. The other direction has an Italian restaurant and other stuff which always turns over.

Wilbur

My family stayed at the Gainey Ranch this past weekend. It is our "home" Hyatt, where we use up our FFN's without the hassle of more airplanes.

The grounds are close to heaven, with fun pools for the kids, beautiful vistas in many directions, a fine golf course, and romantic canals you can take your spouse onto with the aid of a singing gondolier in the evening. Beware if your room or casita faces the canals and you don't care for large men singing in faux-Italian in the evenings.

The restaurants are nice, with Sandolo's our particular favorite, and the staff are friendly and knowledgeable. The Regency club is small and not fancy, but the staff there are happy to do the work of concierge and room service staff if asked.

The Indian cultural center is good if you are into that sort of thing, and the folks at the desk are patient with your questions.

The actual concierge office houses rental cars (Hertz) and they can scare up some hard-to-get items if you need them, as well as arrange all the many tours of the desert and mountains on anything from helicopter to jeep to horseback upon request.

The rooms in the hotel proper are not large, nor are the bathrooms fancy. Then again, you won't want to hang around inside anyway in Scottsdale.

The water slide inside the clock tower is open upon request. If you are growing in girth as well as years, beware of the speed you can build up if you fail to "loosen up" on the way down.

The fish-feeding area behind the sand pool costs a quarter for a handful of fish feed, and is a fascinating experience for those under five.

Free self-parking, preferred access to the golf course, and the spa is very New Age. For a laugh, call the spa number and listen to their way-too-intense voice message. The gym is small but brand-new, located in the lower level of the spa. The tennis courts are very decent.

The hotel is only two blocks east of Scottsdale Road, and about a mile west of Hayden Road. You can bike/run/rollerblade the length of Scottsdale from Shea Road south to Tempe on the Greenway, and you can get to the Greenway along Double Tree and Via de Ventura roads. The Hotel is about twenty-five blocks south of Shea, and the corner of Shea and Scottsdale contains numerous shops, a Harkins movie theater, bookshops, restaurants, and so on.

Scottie

I'm burning three FFNs here this weekend. Have a regular room, a stone's throw from the RC. The morning concierge are terrific. Rachel got some wheat bread for me from the kitchen, so that I could have toast for breakfast, rather than a bagel or glazed/frosted donut. The evening service is a shadow of its former self -- Cocktails are $9 (which I might have considered springing for if they stocked a broader range of spirits) as is a glass of wine. But what I miss most is the champagne and chocolate covered strawberries as part of the evening service. They offer no deserts at all -- Just cheese, chips, and a couple of hot hors d'oeurves. All in all, a nice place to relax for a few days (especially on FFNs) but I've stayed here so many times over so many years that it's hard not to compare the current state with the past.