Park Hyatt Dubai REVIEW - MASTER THREAD
Jan 9, 2017, 3:52 am
#391
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: BCT. Formerly known as attorney28
Programs: LH HON,BA GGL GfL,Hyatt LT Glob,Mrtt LT P,Hilt LT D,IC Amb,Acc P,GHA Tit,LHW Strlg,Sixt/Av/Hz D/Pres
Posts: 6,826
They are doing it again today. Same people, same loungers. They have been blocking since the morning, haven't been back in hours, and the sun will be gone in about an hour.
Looks like they flew BA Business here.
I'll talk to someone about it now.
It's not even that busy around the pool, plenty of free loungers, but not many in the sun.
Clearly, these people are selfish and rude. It's the behaviour the Brits always accuse us Germans of, by the way...photo proof that sometimes, it's the other way around
.
Looks like they flew BA Business here.
I'll talk to someone about it now.
It's not even that busy around the pool, plenty of free loungers, but not many in the sun.
Clearly, these people are selfish and rude. It's the behaviour the Brits always accuse us Germans of, by the way...photo proof that sometimes, it's the other way around
.
Jan 9, 2017, 4:03 am
#392
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SYD
Programs: QF WP (OWE), VA PLAT, EY GLD, SPG PLAT, Hyatt DIA, Hilton DIA, Hertz PC
Posts: 8,527
Jan 10, 2017, 11:38 am
#394
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold, Hyatt Globalist and others via Amex Plat
Posts: 39
Football Fan - agreed, not too many sunbeds in direct sun this time of year (was there on Jan 2, when fortunately sunbeds were probably only 50% full).
Interesting to note the point about the PH Abu Dhabi, which we were at over New Year. Property was full and while I thought they put out a large number of beds by the pools, garden and on the beach, there were examples of guests 'claiming' beds, then leaving them for an extended period.
We noticed some people returning from what they said was lunch to find the staff had removed their belongings and given the beds to some other guests. They went apoplectic. Struck me as the staff couldn't win if they cleared belongings off beds, or left alone beds that had been claimed, but not used for hours.
Back to the PH Dubai, it could be that some Germans had the good sense to fly BA?!
Interesting to note the point about the PH Abu Dhabi, which we were at over New Year. Property was full and while I thought they put out a large number of beds by the pools, garden and on the beach, there were examples of guests 'claiming' beds, then leaving them for an extended period.
We noticed some people returning from what they said was lunch to find the staff had removed their belongings and given the beds to some other guests. They went apoplectic. Struck me as the staff couldn't win if they cleared belongings off beds, or left alone beds that had been claimed, but not used for hours.
Back to the PH Dubai, it could be that some Germans had the good sense to fly BA?!
Jan 19, 2017, 7:44 am
#395
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: CHS
Programs: DL Diamond, WN A-List, Marriott Platinum Elite, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 685
My wife and I stayed at the property and wanted to share our experience. You can find the full review below. If you'd prefer to view it with proper formatting and a full image gallery, you may do so here: Weekend Blitz - Park Hyatt Dubai Review.
----------------
Park Hyatt Dubai Review
BOOKING
The Park Hyatt Dubai is a Hyatt Category 5 property, meaning award nights will cost you 20,000 points or 10,000 + $125. Booking with points didn’t make much sense, though, as we were able to book a special 3-night minimum Ramadan rate of about ~$150 US/night + tax. Best of all, when booking with cash or Points + Cash, you can apply a Diamond Suite Upgrade which will land you in a suite and get you access to the minibar for free. More on that later.
CHECK-IN
We arrived at the Park Hyatt Dubai around 9:30 pm on a Thursday night during Ramadan after a very long travel day from the US (see Etihad B787 “Business Studio” EY 130 Washington-IAD to Abu Dhabi-AUH). So, being a bit dazed, we were still very impressed with the hospitality and professionalism that we’ve come to expect at Park Hyatts around the world (it’s our favorite hotel chain!). The check-in process was quick and efficient and we were promptly escorted to our room
PARK SUITE ROOM
Having originally booked a Park King (52 m²/559 ft²), my Diamond Suite Upgrade landed us in a Park Suite (109 m²/1173 ft²) for our 3-night stay.
The Park Suite was enormous and featured a living room:
A half bath was right off of the living room:
A large desk and mini-bar area:
–> BEDROOM
The bedroom was also quite spacious and had a king bed and another TV:
–> BATHROOM
The bathroom was about as big as the bedroom and had a full shower, tub, giant luggage area/closet and a partition that opened into the bedroom:
–> MINIBAR
Possibly the best part of upgrading to a suite at the Park Hyatt Dubai is the free minibar access, especially if you’re traveling with a few people and plan to have a few drinks when on vacation.
The minibar was restocked 2x daily and included the following:
All of this basically ensures that you won’t have to buy a single drink here/in Dubai on your stay.
Did we mention there are chips, candy bars, cookies, and a few other snacks?!
The suite had 2 balconies that extended the length of the room and looked onto Dubai Creek:
ON-SITE DINING
The property essentially has 8 restaurants so you will not want for food while here (even during Ramadan!):
One of the many lounging areas
Sitting area of the coffee shop
CAFE ARABESQUE – BREAKFAST
As part of my Hyatt Diamond status, breakfast was included, so we certainly made sure to take advantage of it.
The main breakfast restaurant was Cafe Arabesque and they had service until 11 am daily, which allows for a lot of flexibility when relaxing on vacation.
The buffet spread was huge. There was a large pastry station with a cool oven warmer:
A fruit station, cold cuts with smoke salmon and trout:
Fresh self-serve juices:
There’s also a pretty extensive hot dish choice that is included with the buffet and seems to be unlimited. We tried the Turkish Menemen, Shakshuka with Feta Cheese, Idil & Sambar, Foul Medames, etc…
Shakshuka with Feta Cheese: baked eggs, peppers, onions, tomato, paprika and a baguette
Turkish Menemen: scrambled eggs, chili, peppers, onions
While we never actually saw a bill, it looks like the cost was around 150 AED/person, or $40 US.
THE THAI KITCHEN
We enjoyed dinner at The Thai Kitchen on our last night in town because it was close and convenient.
We found the restaurant to be well-decorated with a good ambiance, although it was rather empty at the time of our visit:
While we were waiting, the server brought us a complimentary order of Fried Taro with a tasty sauce:
We split the Green Papaya Salad and the Red Duck Curry and found both to be delicious:
The food was well priced at about 42 AED (~$11.43 USD) for the curry and 38 AED (~$10.35 USD) for the Papaya Salad, but the drinks were way overpriced. A bottle of Diet Coke cost 27 AED (~$7.35 USD).
PROPERTY
The property is really quite expansive and very private, secluded and safe feeling. While it’s not beachfront like many of its competitors, the Park Hyatt’s location on Dubai Creek and surrounded by green golf courses and a giant pool make it feel like quite the oasis.
A 3-D model of the property is on display in the lobby
POOL
No stay in the Middle East would be complete without a mention of the main method to cool off and keep your sanity in the blistering heat and the pool at the Park Hyatt is the perfect place to do just that:
GYM
The gym is well appointed and has everything you’d expect + a bit more like a TRX, foam roller, punching bag etc…
SERVICE
While we didn’t have extensive contact with the staff at the property, we certainly experienced excellent service at every step of our stay, from check-in to breakfast to poolside drinks.
BOTTOM LINE: The Park Hyatt Dubai lives up to our expectations from other Park Hyatts we’ve stayed at (Maldives, Sydney, Vienna, Washington D.C., New York etc…). The real trick here is booking with an inexpensive cash rate (around ~$150 USD) and upgrading to a Suite for free minibar access; it will save you a small fortune in drinks.
-----------------------------
Full photo gallery and review with proper formatting can be view here: Weekend Blitz - Park Hyatt Dubai Review
----------------
Park Hyatt Dubai Review
BOOKING
The Park Hyatt Dubai is a Hyatt Category 5 property, meaning award nights will cost you 20,000 points or 10,000 + $125. Booking with points didn’t make much sense, though, as we were able to book a special 3-night minimum Ramadan rate of about ~$150 US/night + tax. Best of all, when booking with cash or Points + Cash, you can apply a Diamond Suite Upgrade which will land you in a suite and get you access to the minibar for free. More on that later.
CHECK-IN
We arrived at the Park Hyatt Dubai around 9:30 pm on a Thursday night during Ramadan after a very long travel day from the US (see Etihad B787 “Business Studio” EY 130 Washington-IAD to Abu Dhabi-AUH). So, being a bit dazed, we were still very impressed with the hospitality and professionalism that we’ve come to expect at Park Hyatts around the world (it’s our favorite hotel chain!). The check-in process was quick and efficient and we were promptly escorted to our room
PARK SUITE ROOM
Having originally booked a Park King (52 m²/559 ft²), my Diamond Suite Upgrade landed us in a Park Suite (109 m²/1173 ft²) for our 3-night stay.
The Park Suite was enormous and featured a living room:
A half bath was right off of the living room:
A large desk and mini-bar area:
–> BEDROOM
The bedroom was also quite spacious and had a king bed and another TV:
–> BATHROOM
The bathroom was about as big as the bedroom and had a full shower, tub, giant luggage area/closet and a partition that opened into the bedroom:
–> MINIBAR
Possibly the best part of upgrading to a suite at the Park Hyatt Dubai is the free minibar access, especially if you’re traveling with a few people and plan to have a few drinks when on vacation.
The minibar was restocked 2x daily and included the following:
- 9- assorted mini bottles (Johnny Walker Black Label, Jack Daniels, Ciroc Vodka, Beefeater Gin, Bacardi Rum)
- 2- 375ml of wine (1 red, 1 white)
- 4- beers (Corona and Stella)
- Plenty of sodas, tonic and fruit juices
All of this basically ensures that you won’t have to buy a single drink here/in Dubai on your stay.
Did we mention there are chips, candy bars, cookies, and a few other snacks?!
The suite had 2 balconies that extended the length of the room and looked onto Dubai Creek:
ON-SITE DINING
The property essentially has 8 restaurants so you will not want for food while here (even during Ramadan!):
- Traiteur
- The Lounge
- The Terrace
- Cafe Arabesque (breakfast buffet)
- The Thai Kitchen
- Pistache
- Shisha Lounge
- Pool Bar
CAFE ARABESQUE – BREAKFAST
As part of my Hyatt Diamond status, breakfast was included, so we certainly made sure to take advantage of it.
The main breakfast restaurant was Cafe Arabesque and they had service until 11 am daily, which allows for a lot of flexibility when relaxing on vacation.
The buffet spread was huge. There was a large pastry station with a cool oven warmer:
A fruit station, cold cuts with smoke salmon and trout:
Fresh self-serve juices:
There’s also a pretty extensive hot dish choice that is included with the buffet and seems to be unlimited. We tried the Turkish Menemen, Shakshuka with Feta Cheese, Idil & Sambar, Foul Medames, etc…
While we never actually saw a bill, it looks like the cost was around 150 AED/person, or $40 US.
THE THAI KITCHEN
We enjoyed dinner at The Thai Kitchen on our last night in town because it was close and convenient.
We found the restaurant to be well-decorated with a good ambiance, although it was rather empty at the time of our visit:
While we were waiting, the server brought us a complimentary order of Fried Taro with a tasty sauce:
We split the Green Papaya Salad and the Red Duck Curry and found both to be delicious:
The food was well priced at about 42 AED (~$11.43 USD) for the curry and 38 AED (~$10.35 USD) for the Papaya Salad, but the drinks were way overpriced. A bottle of Diet Coke cost 27 AED (~$7.35 USD).
PROPERTY
The property is really quite expansive and very private, secluded and safe feeling. While it’s not beachfront like many of its competitors, the Park Hyatt’s location on Dubai Creek and surrounded by green golf courses and a giant pool make it feel like quite the oasis.
POOL
No stay in the Middle East would be complete without a mention of the main method to cool off and keep your sanity in the blistering heat and the pool at the Park Hyatt is the perfect place to do just that:
GYM
The gym is well appointed and has everything you’d expect + a bit more like a TRX, foam roller, punching bag etc…
SERVICE
While we didn’t have extensive contact with the staff at the property, we certainly experienced excellent service at every step of our stay, from check-in to breakfast to poolside drinks.
BOTTOM LINE: The Park Hyatt Dubai lives up to our expectations from other Park Hyatts we’ve stayed at (Maldives, Sydney, Vienna, Washington D.C., New York etc…). The real trick here is booking with an inexpensive cash rate (around ~$150 USD) and upgrading to a Suite for free minibar access; it will save you a small fortune in drinks.
-----------------------------
Full photo gallery and review with proper formatting can be view here: Weekend Blitz - Park Hyatt Dubai Review
Jan 19, 2017, 11:54 pm
#396
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: SEA
Posts: 2,021
My wife and I stayed at the property and wanted to share our experience. You can find the full review below. If you'd prefer to view it with proper formatting and a full image gallery, you may do so here: Weekend Blitz - Park Hyatt Dubai Review.
Jan 20, 2017, 6:18 am
#397
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: CHS
Programs: DL Diamond, WN A-List, Marriott Platinum Elite, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 685
I think I stayed in the exact same room last year. http://singleflyer.com/2016/02/07/park-hyatt-dubai/
Jan 21, 2017, 6:00 am
#399
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: New York, NY, USA
Programs: BAGold; AA3MMPlat; UA1MMGold; FBGold; MarriottAmb; AccorPlat; HHGold; ICPlatAmb; HyattDiscoverist
Posts: 4,378
I have a forthcoming stay to which I've applied a DSU. I asked the concierge about complimentary airport dropoff with the hotel car for suite guests on departure (I will not need arrival transport), and was told that complimentary dropoff is not offered. Has anyone had it recently? (In any case, the private hotel taxi they have quoted is quite inexpensive--any thoughts on using that versus a regular taxi?)
I had also asked the concierge to make a dinner reservation for my last evening at Traiteur. I received a confirmation from the restaurant and then shortly on its heels an email from the restaurant saying it will be closed that evening. That was the one evening I wanted to dine at the hotel (since I have a middle-of-the night departure), so I booked at the Terrace instead, but am hoping that my stay turns out to be smoother than it's seeming so far...
I had also asked the concierge to make a dinner reservation for my last evening at Traiteur. I received a confirmation from the restaurant and then shortly on its heels an email from the restaurant saying it will be closed that evening. That was the one evening I wanted to dine at the hotel (since I have a middle-of-the night departure), so I booked at the Terrace instead, but am hoping that my stay turns out to be smoother than it's seeming so far...
Jan 21, 2017, 9:39 am
#400
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,142
I have a forthcoming stay to which I've applied a DSU. I asked the concierge about complimentary airport dropoff with the hotel car for suite guests on departure (I will not need arrival transport), and was told that complimentary dropoff is not offered. Has anyone had it recently? (In any case, the private hotel taxi they have quoted is quite inexpensive--any thoughts on using that versus a regular taxi?)
I had also asked the concierge to make a dinner reservation for my last evening at Traiteur. I received a confirmation from the restaurant and then shortly on its heels an email from the restaurant saying it will be closed that evening. That was the one evening I wanted to dine at the hotel (since I have a middle-of-the night departure), so I booked at the Terrace instead, but am hoping that my stay turns out to be smoother than it's seeming so far...
I had also asked the concierge to make a dinner reservation for my last evening at Traiteur. I received a confirmation from the restaurant and then shortly on its heels an email from the restaurant saying it will be closed that evening. That was the one evening I wanted to dine at the hotel (since I have a middle-of-the night departure), so I booked at the Terrace instead, but am hoping that my stay turns out to be smoother than it's seeming so far...
Take the hotel taxi to the airport. Simple to arrange, clean, billed to room.
You'll love the property.
Jan 21, 2017, 11:28 pm
#402
Join Date: Apr 2007
Programs: QF, VA, AC, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 3,784
Jan 22, 2017, 2:16 am
#403
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SYD
Programs: QF WP (OWE), VA PLAT, EY GLD, SPG PLAT, Hyatt DIA, Hilton DIA, Hertz PC
Posts: 8,527
To be fair, it is an exceptional benefit and I understand it not being offered.
The free mini bar is already an outrageously generous benefit. If you were to eat and drink everything you would easily run up a bill of around $200 or so.
Jan 22, 2017, 1:49 pm
#404
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: LH SEN, SPG Gold(SCI Gold), Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Gold
Posts: 5,451
Football Fan - agreed, not too many sunbeds in direct sun this time of year (was there on Jan 2, when fortunately sunbeds were probably only 50% full).
Interesting to note the point about the PH Abu Dhabi, which we were at over New Year. Property was full and while I thought they put out a large number of beds by the pools, garden and on the beach, there were examples of guests 'claiming' beds, then leaving them for an extended period.
We noticed some people returning from what they said was lunch to find the staff had removed their belongings and given the beds to some other guests. They went apoplectic. Struck me as the staff couldn't win if they cleared belongings off beds, or left alone beds that had been claimed, but not used for hours.
Back to the PH Dubai, it could be that some Germans had the good sense to fly BA?!
Interesting to note the point about the PH Abu Dhabi, which we were at over New Year. Property was full and while I thought they put out a large number of beds by the pools, garden and on the beach, there were examples of guests 'claiming' beds, then leaving them for an extended period.
We noticed some people returning from what they said was lunch to find the staff had removed their belongings and given the beds to some other guests. They went apoplectic. Struck me as the staff couldn't win if they cleared belongings off beds, or left alone beds that had been claimed, but not used for hours.
Back to the PH Dubai, it could be that some Germans had the good sense to fly BA?!
Jan 23, 2017, 10:30 am
#405
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 226
A lot of folks seem to have utilize the house car/private taxi service. Had a few questions:
- on the website they mention an hourly rate of 100AED - is there a minimum booking of an hour, or were you charged just for time used (eg if the ride was 30 mins was it 50AED?)
- do you make payment to the taxi driver at time of drop-off, or can you bill to the room?
- if you pay the driver, cash only or do they take cards?
- has anyone requested a car seat with the house car/private taxi?
- on the website they mention an hourly rate of 100AED - is there a minimum booking of an hour, or were you charged just for time used (eg if the ride was 30 mins was it 50AED?)
- do you make payment to the taxi driver at time of drop-off, or can you bill to the room?
- if you pay the driver, cash only or do they take cards?
- has anyone requested a car seat with the house car/private taxi?