BoSoxinBkk

Yes, I too got three green apples as the Diamond amenity this week!

What's more annoying though is that the hotel has posted an incorrect number of GP points for my stay. They've posted about 100 points per night instead of 1,000. This is the third time in a row that this has happened at this hotel, and now I am beginning to doubt that this is a coincidence.

Other than that, this a very good property. Convenient location, nice lounge, good service.

ordogg

Hi - just booked 4 nights @ GH IST in May - we arrive in IST around 1545 on a Friday from North America - any advice on getting to the hotel from the airport (IST)? I've heard the taxis are dodgy and not sure if we want to take the metro with all our bags etc.

Thanks!

mecabq

Taxis are not dodgy at all (or at least, no dodgier than in any other large city), especially from the airport. If you take a taxi from the airport, you will have, most likely, a friendly driver who will not speak English, but who will know the way fine and will offer you cigarettes. Cost should be around YTL 50.

Unfortunately the traffic at that time (rush hour on Friday) can be horrible. There is really no way around it. Turkish Airlines offers the Havas Bus, which departs from the curb right behind the taxi stand. Take the Taksim route for YTL 9 (I think). Of course you are still subject to traffic, but it takes a highway route which might be better. It drops you off a five-minute walk from the hotel.

There is no good Metro option. It would require multiple transfers. You can search the forums (especially Europe and Middle East) for a lot of discussion of public transport in Istanbul. For a really exotic ride, you could conceivably take a taxi to Eminonu, then a boat or the tram to Kabatas, then either the funicular (which lets out right below the Hyatt) or a taxi, but of course I wouldn't recommend this if you have any luggage or value your time.

travelkid

Use TK F free limo transfer

donb25

Don’t waste your money on alcohol in the hotel unless you can expense it through your company or are simply rich. The property is wonderful but as with all hotels in the area expect to pay a lot when it comes to booze. Less than a 5 minute stroll down the street one will find wine and other liquor at about 1/3 of the hotel prices. Also, food is cheap yet great in Taksim square!

donb25

Does anyone know if the pool has opened for this year?

ordogg

Just returned from a 4 night stay 13-17 May - used a Hyatt Visa suite night, one BWB night and 2 nights on points.

Pool open. Great Club lounge. We had a nice suite on the 6th floor on the SE corner. Not much of a view, but a nice room.

Treated very well as a Diamond. The lounge had a nice continental breakfast and great happy hour. Hotel is an easy walk to Taksim Square (easy to take funicular to light rail to go to Sultanhemet).

Only criticism is that it is a conference hotel and the rooms did not have balconies.

Stewie Mac

This is a fine hotel, but Istanbul has (to my mind) the biggest contrast between Hyatt hotels in Europe. The Park Hamburg and Grand Berlin are essentially within a whisker of each other (hard and soft product) and while it's been a while since I was in Dubai I recall that the Park and Grand there have very different hard product but not dissimilar soft. Actually I guess that Paris also has a big difference (PHV and CdG) but I was in the CdG two weeks ago and service/soft was actually pretty good.

The Park and Grand here in IST aren't a million miles apart in terms of hard product (and this not saying that the Park isn't nice, but it's not wow! and the Grand is pretty good) but the staff/service/soft product are immeasurably better at the Park than here at the Grand. For instance, I got an (unasked for) upgrade to a suite, but with twin beds rather than the king I booked. I went to the Club desk to ask for a king club room which was sorted, but no apology for giving me a twin in the first place. That key didn't work the lift, so back again to get it recoded and again no apology for the problem. To compare, the PH sent a member of staff out at 1am to look for me when I couldn't find them walking home a bit pissed.

There was a thread somewhere about PHs that 'get it' and I'd firmly say that on the basis of my recent visits IST is up there, while the GH is playing somewhere about the same level as Birmingham and CDG... fine, but nothing more.

[caveat - this is all from the perspective of someone who stays exclusively at European Hyatts, so clearly it's still a great hotel and miles better than most of the US Hyatts, but the bar here is veeeeerry high ]

thegrailer

Is the diamond amenity still 3 green apples? Your reviews on this hotel are greatly appreciated and while I am kicking myself for thinking this, I believe the GH will be a better option that the PH for my upcoming trip.

Cheers -

Stewie Mac

In a suite, the amenity is a fruit plate plus a little packet of local sweets, like a cross between nougat and lukum; in a regular club room, just the fruit plate [quite a varied plate, rather than the notorious '3 green apples' of Cologne/Mainz fame ].

As I said, the GH is a fine hotel, but it feels like (because it is) a large chain hotel, lots of rooms, lots of people, lots of facilities (including good gym, good RC and excellent food/drinks options evening and morning). The PH has a real boutique feel about it, never seems to be crowded, discreet and very good staff, etc. The difference is reflected in the rates, the corp rate I was using was €100 more at the PH, without breakfast or internet which are both included at the GH.

Someone up thread posted about being here for a few days as a tourist on their own, and thinking that GH would be better based on RC, location and general 'buzz' - I agree. As a single biz traveller I bounce between them because I need the stays ; I love the PH but it would be much better suited for a long weekend with Mrs Mac

Feel free to ask any more questions, either here or on PM.

m0hamed

Can you compare the suites between the 2 properties? We're staying 5 nights in August and I chose the PH because I like the boutique qualities of the individual properties, as well as the higher levels or recognition and service.

Stewie Mac

I haven't stayed in a suite at the PH, but I would take a spa king (have received this as dia on last two stays at PH) over the suite @ GH. The GH suite is 'functional' - good size, etc, but quite plain. The spa king (indeed also the deluxe king I have also had) @ PH just feels to be in a different class. If you like the boutique feel, then PH Ist has it in spades, and the rooms are just lovely. Like I said, with Mrs Mac I would be at the PH in a heartbeat.

PiggieMac

I'm currently staying in the Grand Executive Suite at GH in Istanbul and it's very nice. We have a kitchenette set in our room, not that we'll be using it much and the level of services are amazing. As a Diamond, I didn't receive any amenities and I had to check in a day early, but shouldn't I have receive that regardless?

bdemaria

Stayed at this property three different times and have always fresh fruit for the Diamond amenity.

PiggieMac

They sent my Diamond amenity the day after. We had a bottle of wine, fresh fruits, chocolates, nuts/dates and a box of local snacks. Not bad as a Diamond amenity. Wine was always given as a Diamond amenity at all my past hyatt stays.