Park Hyatt Istanbul REVIEW - MASTER THREAD
Mar 15, 2014, 11:49 am
#211
Join Date: Sep 2010
Programs: Hyatt diamond
Posts: 645
Calm down.
1) No hotel has a rule that housekeeping is suspended when the safe is open. This was your fault. You also did not use the Do Not Disturb.
2) Park Hyatts will often service the room after you leave. They have systems to tell them when you have left. On our last stay our room was serviced within 5 mins of leaving for breakfast, and housekeeping were gone upon our return.
3) You startled housekeeping because you entreated the room, when the room is ajar. It doesn't appear you spoke to them at all. What they witnessed is a man walking in, resetting the safe and leave. They called security for your benefit.
4) You are accusing the hotel of a potential incident that was entirely your fault.
1) No hotel has a rule that housekeeping is suspended when the safe is open. This was your fault. You also did not use the Do Not Disturb.
2) Park Hyatts will often service the room after you leave. They have systems to tell them when you have left. On our last stay our room was serviced within 5 mins of leaving for breakfast, and housekeeping were gone upon our return.
3) You startled housekeeping because you entreated the room, when the room is ajar. It doesn't appear you spoke to them at all. What they witnessed is a man walking in, resetting the safe and leave. They called security for your benefit.
4) You are accusing the hotel of a potential incident that was entirely your fault.
A) You should never leave the safe open when you're not in the room, even with a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door.
B) Unless Housekeeping knows you are the occupant of the room, they have a duty to notify Security. This is for your protection and theirs.
C) You should always make contact with Housekeeping in a polite way and realize that if you enter the room while they are servicing it, they might be startled. That is a normal reaction.
Mar 15, 2014, 3:18 pm
#212
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Marina Del Rey, CA
Programs: AA EXPLAT, HYATT GLOBALIST, AS75K
Posts: 607
+1 .... makes sense to me.
A) You should never leave the safe open when you're not in the room, even with a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door.
B) Unless Housekeeping knows you are the occupant of the room, they have a duty to notify Security. This is for your protection and theirs.
C) You should always make contact with Housekeeping in a polite way and realize that if you enter the room while they are servicing it, they might be startled. That is a normal reaction.
A) You should never leave the safe open when you're not in the room, even with a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door.
B) Unless Housekeeping knows you are the occupant of the room, they have a duty to notify Security. This is for your protection and theirs.
C) You should always make contact with Housekeeping in a polite way and realize that if you enter the room while they are servicing it, they might be startled. That is a normal reaction.
Had a real nice stay -- I think my only valid point is I specifically requested NO TURNDOWN service yet they came anyway -- but having said that, it is a great hotel...
Mar 15, 2014, 6:19 pm
#213
Join Date: Sep 2010
Programs: Hyatt diamond
Posts: 645
A sure way not to get "turndown" would be to notify housekeeping and put the "do not sign" on the door.
Glad you enjoyed the hotel. I'll have to stay there next time.
Apr 21, 2014, 6:02 pm
#215
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Washington DC
Programs: BA GLD, AA GLD 1MM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 1,698
I completed a one-night stay here last week following three nights at the Conrad. Initially, I was going to spend all four nights at the Conrad but wanted to check another Park Hyatt off of my list. I booked a Park King on Cash & Points and was upgraded to a Spa King at arrival - which I was pretty happy about.
I was going to post pictures but the pictures on the One Mile at a Time blog are more comprehensive and better than mine so I will just link to that. The room that I was upgraded to appears to be identical to this room, except I was on the third floor.
Check-in was easy and the room was beautiful; it had two windows overlooking the street and I was happy that they both opened wide for fresh air. I thought that the noise insulation was very good; I'm picky about noise but I really didn't hear a thing. The bed was very comfortable as well. A bottle of red wine and a dish of (whole) fresh fruit were in the room waiting for us. There was no view from the room except for the building across the street.
The bathroom - it really is something else. The steam room takes around 15 minutes to get going and is very relaxing to sit in. The room with the tub is large, the tub has a desk sort of thing with a book holder so that you can read in the tub if you'd like, and there's also a small television. The mood lighting, as shown on the blog that I linked to, is pretty cool as well. I'm not sure if I will ever see a bathroom quite like that again but I found it to be very relaxing and a really unique feature.
After three days of scrambled eggs at the Conrad, I was craving some good poached eggs and the PH delivered. The breakfast buffet is on the smaller side, but the ingredients were of high quality and the food was all good. We were offered room service breakfast, however wanted to check out the restaurant and I'm glad that we did.
If you come out of the hotel and turn right, and then right, there is a string of restaurants on a small side street. The whole area seems to be pretty upscale although we didn't have time to check it out much. The hotel isn't especially convenient to the traditional tourist sights, but then again most of the big Western chain hotels weren't either, so..
Overall, I'm really glad that we changed from the Conrad to the PH -- the Conrad does have a great executive lounge and fantastic views, but the PH Spa King room was really special. The taxi ride from the PH back to IST was around 40 minutes; although on a side note, the taxi driver was an absolute lunatic and I will probably try to find a different way to get back to the airport in the future.
I was going to post pictures but the pictures on the One Mile at a Time blog are more comprehensive and better than mine so I will just link to that. The room that I was upgraded to appears to be identical to this room, except I was on the third floor.
Check-in was easy and the room was beautiful; it had two windows overlooking the street and I was happy that they both opened wide for fresh air. I thought that the noise insulation was very good; I'm picky about noise but I really didn't hear a thing. The bed was very comfortable as well. A bottle of red wine and a dish of (whole) fresh fruit were in the room waiting for us. There was no view from the room except for the building across the street.
The bathroom - it really is something else. The steam room takes around 15 minutes to get going and is very relaxing to sit in. The room with the tub is large, the tub has a desk sort of thing with a book holder so that you can read in the tub if you'd like, and there's also a small television. The mood lighting, as shown on the blog that I linked to, is pretty cool as well. I'm not sure if I will ever see a bathroom quite like that again but I found it to be very relaxing and a really unique feature.
After three days of scrambled eggs at the Conrad, I was craving some good poached eggs and the PH delivered. The breakfast buffet is on the smaller side, but the ingredients were of high quality and the food was all good. We were offered room service breakfast, however wanted to check out the restaurant and I'm glad that we did.
If you come out of the hotel and turn right, and then right, there is a string of restaurants on a small side street. The whole area seems to be pretty upscale although we didn't have time to check it out much. The hotel isn't especially convenient to the traditional tourist sights, but then again most of the big Western chain hotels weren't either, so..
Overall, I'm really glad that we changed from the Conrad to the PH -- the Conrad does have a great executive lounge and fantastic views, but the PH Spa King room was really special. The taxi ride from the PH back to IST was around 40 minutes; although on a side note, the taxi driver was an absolute lunatic and I will probably try to find a different way to get back to the airport in the future.
Last edited by River in Sight; Apr 21, 2014 at 6:07 pm
May 13, 2014, 9:32 am
#216
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: Hyatt: Diamond, HHonors: Diamond, SPG: Gold
Posts: 193
Review from 4 Night Stay in February
Stayed here with Mrs. Selfish back in February for 4 nights on cash & points using a diamond suite upgrade cert.
PROS
+ Spa room is great - can't overstate how awesome the Turkish spa is if you're into saunas.
+ Turkish breakfast - I still miss the sucuk and meatballs
+ Service - definitely what you'd expect from the PH brand
CONS
- Far away from everything (which is also kind of a plus for the noise factor)
- Restaurant choices in the area are a little meh
My main complaint would be the hotel's proximity to the main attractions. That being said, it IS about a 10-15 minute downhill walk to IST's tram system which is cheap and gets you to the old city parts very quickly.
Full review with pictures here for anyone who is interested:
http://theselfishyears.com/2014/05/1...yatt-istanbul/
PROS
+ Spa room is great - can't overstate how awesome the Turkish spa is if you're into saunas.
+ Turkish breakfast - I still miss the sucuk and meatballs
+ Service - definitely what you'd expect from the PH brand
CONS
- Far away from everything (which is also kind of a plus for the noise factor)
- Restaurant choices in the area are a little meh
My main complaint would be the hotel's proximity to the main attractions. That being said, it IS about a 10-15 minute downhill walk to IST's tram system which is cheap and gets you to the old city parts very quickly.
Full review with pictures here for anyone who is interested:
http://theselfishyears.com/2014/05/1...yatt-istanbul/
Jul 21, 2014, 7:56 pm
#217
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: CA
Programs: AA Plat Pro, FPC Premier, UA Silver, Hyatt Explorist, SPG Gold
Posts: 187
Quick update: Booked one night stay using points, Twin beds. Room had shower/steam combo and separate tub. Steam did not work but not a big issue. 2 "balconies" with partial Bosphorus views. Lovely staff. Fruit basket with hand written card from a manager delivered with turndown.
I am curious how the new St. Regis around the corner will affect PH's biz.
I am curious how the new St. Regis around the corner will affect PH's biz.
Aug 20, 2014, 2:49 pm
#218
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, DL Plat, SPG Plat, Hyatt DMD
Posts: 296
Underwhelmed by PH
Sorry but after staying in 18 Park Hyatts I would have to say I really found the PH istanbul wanting. Yes, the rooms were nice, no debate there. The location is so-so, far away from the mosques and minarets if you want to pretend you are not in an Islamic country. Service was decent, although for big parts of the day the bellman stood in as concierge, and was inept, and not quite proficient in English.
But my two main complaints were (1) the lack of any kind of bar. The hotel claims to have a wine bar, but this is complete bs. There is a an empty, bar-shaped area in the lobby that is unstaffed 24 hours a day. Not sure how you could get a glass of wine, much less a cocktail, even if you wanted to.
And (2) the restaurant. We had dinner there on a Saturday night and were the only table! And this during high season! I was hoping this was an anomaly, but when we received our food I understood why. Most everything we were served was tough, stale or overcooked. In particular, the sea bass, in a country known for great seafood, reminded me of shoe leather. Just plain dreadful.
I have LOVED my experiences in Park Hyatts elsewhere. But next time I am back in Istanbul it will be the Grand Hyatt, or soon enough the St Regis.
But my two main complaints were (1) the lack of any kind of bar. The hotel claims to have a wine bar, but this is complete bs. There is a an empty, bar-shaped area in the lobby that is unstaffed 24 hours a day. Not sure how you could get a glass of wine, much less a cocktail, even if you wanted to.
And (2) the restaurant. We had dinner there on a Saturday night and were the only table! And this during high season! I was hoping this was an anomaly, but when we received our food I understood why. Most everything we were served was tough, stale or overcooked. In particular, the sea bass, in a country known for great seafood, reminded me of shoe leather. Just plain dreadful.
I have LOVED my experiences in Park Hyatts elsewhere. But next time I am back in Istanbul it will be the Grand Hyatt, or soon enough the St Regis.
Aug 20, 2014, 7:49 pm
#219
Join Date: Sep 2010
Programs: Hyatt diamond
Posts: 645
What about the soon to be opened Hyatt Regency! Will you give it a try?
I don't know about location but it sure looks nice...
Aug 20, 2014, 10:00 pm
#220
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
Sorry but after staying in 18 Park Hyatts I would have to say I really found the PH istanbul wanting. Yes, the rooms were nice, no debate there. The location is so-so, far away from the mosques and minarets if you want to pretend you are not in an Islamic country. Service was decent, although for big parts of the day the bellman stood in as concierge, and was inept, and not quite proficient in English.
But my two main complaints were (1) the lack of any kind of bar. The hotel claims to have a wine bar, but this is complete bs. There is a an empty, bar-shaped area in the lobby that is unstaffed 24 hours a day. Not sure how you could get a glass of wine, much less a cocktail, even if you wanted to.
And (2) the restaurant. We had dinner there on a Saturday night and were the only table! And this during high season! I was hoping this was an anomaly, but when we received our food I understood why. Most everything we were served was tough, stale or overcooked. In particular, the sea bass, in a country known for great seafood, reminded me of shoe leather. Just plain dreadful.
I have LOVED my experiences in Park Hyatts elsewhere. But next time I am back in Istanbul it will be the Grand Hyatt, or soon enough the St Regis.
But my two main complaints were (1) the lack of any kind of bar. The hotel claims to have a wine bar, but this is complete bs. There is a an empty, bar-shaped area in the lobby that is unstaffed 24 hours a day. Not sure how you could get a glass of wine, much less a cocktail, even if you wanted to.
And (2) the restaurant. We had dinner there on a Saturday night and were the only table! And this during high season! I was hoping this was an anomaly, but when we received our food I understood why. Most everything we were served was tough, stale or overcooked. In particular, the sea bass, in a country known for great seafood, reminded me of shoe leather. Just plain dreadful.
I have LOVED my experiences in Park Hyatts elsewhere. But next time I am back in Istanbul it will be the Grand Hyatt, or soon enough the St Regis.
If you thought it was near Sultanahmet than your lack of research failed you.
Also, Turkey is not a Muslim country. Staunchly secular, there is no official state religion.
Perhaps you didn't research Turkey before your visit?
As for the dining, we too were the only diners in the restaurant, but we also appeared to be the only tourists on the property. All the other guests, which we rarely saw, were suits.
Aug 20, 2014, 11:04 pm
#221
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: MR-Amb, Hyatt-Globalist, AA-EXP
Posts: 1,744
What an odd review. The PH clearly indicates what part of town it is in?
If you thought it was near Sultanahmet than your lack of research failed you.
Also, Turkey is not a Muslim country. Staunchly secular, there is no official state religion.
Perhaps you didn't research Turkey before your visit?
As for the dining, we too were the only diners in the restaurant, but we also appeared to be the only tourists on the property. All the other guests, which we rarely saw, were suits.
If you thought it was near Sultanahmet than your lack of research failed you.
Also, Turkey is not a Muslim country. Staunchly secular, there is no official state religion.
Perhaps you didn't research Turkey before your visit?
As for the dining, we too were the only diners in the restaurant, but we also appeared to be the only tourists on the property. All the other guests, which we rarely saw, were suits.
Aug 21, 2014, 1:58 pm
#222
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: CA
Programs: AA Plat Pro, FPC Premier, UA Silver, Hyatt Explorist, SPG Gold
Posts: 187
The new Regency will be a little outside of the city, closer to the airport.
The Grand Hyatt's restaurant is well regarded and frequented by locals as well as tourists. I haven't heard anything about PH Ist's restaurant, good or bad, and i haven't tried it. The thing is, PH is near a ton of Istanbul's top dining anyways.
The Grand Hyatt's restaurant is well regarded and frequented by locals as well as tourists. I haven't heard anything about PH Ist's restaurant, good or bad, and i haven't tried it. The thing is, PH is near a ton of Istanbul's top dining anyways.
Sep 2, 2014, 10:29 am
#223
Join Date: Sep 2010
Programs: AZ FA+, A3 G, AB G | IHG RA, HGP D, FPC P, Accor P, BW D, HH D, Eleva, GHA P, 1862 Voyager
Posts: 1,852
Just stayed here and the location is much better than at the GH.
I'm glad I'm done with all the monuments on the old city side as the commute can be dreadful.
Pleasantly surprised by the shopping / boutiques around the hotel. The bars and restaurants are more upscale as well.
One thing I can't figure out - what is the orange / red door card (that is found in the wardrobe area) that says " ALL CLEAR " ?
I'm glad I'm done with all the monuments on the old city side as the commute can be dreadful.
Pleasantly surprised by the shopping / boutiques around the hotel. The bars and restaurants are more upscale as well.
One thing I can't figure out - what is the orange / red door card (that is found in the wardrobe area) that says " ALL CLEAR " ?
Sep 3, 2014, 10:38 am
#225
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: YYZ
Programs: TK *G, Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Diamond,UA Silver
Posts: 260
We just got back from fabulous vacation to Istanbul and Maldives. We stayed at the PH in both locations. PH Istanbul was just awesome!!! My wife and I had a super time - staff was excellent from start to finish. We were also upgraded to a Spa King, which was just beautiful.
Looking forward to our next visit to Istanbul!
ZH
Looking forward to our next visit to Istanbul!
ZH