Hyatt Place - Orlando Convention Center REVIEW - MASTER THREAD
Jul 2, 2008, 7:06 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: BOS and ...
Programs: UA 2MM, AA 600k, DL 500k, Hyatt GP 1M, HH Gold, Rad. Gold, CP Gold, Miracle Fruit-su Club
Posts: 9,950
Hyatt Place - Orlando Convention Center REVIEW - MASTER THREAD
This was my introduction to Hyatt Place, and I thought this hotel was very, very nice.
The design of the room and common areas was modern, trim and clean. The room was spacious, similar in design to the semi-divided rooms in many regular Hyatts, updated. It had a marble vanity; the swivel 42" flat screen HDTV; snazzy screen-like desk chair (name?); berber carpet; and an interesting single panel between the desk and TV with R45, UBS and several other jacks that I meant to ask my son about. (
) There was free wifi, and a wireless keyboard for all kinds of mischief. And there were the Hyatt beds (
!) Although my son discerned a difference in the bed from the regular Hyatts in which we've also stayed, I couldn't tell. (Way too tired after a full day playing at The Mouse's in humid 93F.)
The lobby was quite pleasant. There was a short bar similar to the ones in Hilton Garden Inns, where some Cisco conventioneers were very much enjoying beers after midnight. The sandwiches and other items in the case by the front desk definitely looked better than the offerings at Garden Inns. Although I didn't exploit the food order function, it does look intriguing for late-night arrivals. For those more familiar, do the front desk "Gallery Hosts" run to the kitchen and fix up a short order (soup, cold/hot sandwiches, chili) after you order in your room or at the lobby kiosk?**
My three trivial disappointments were that there was no Diamond perk, like a free full breakfast buffet, and - unique to our needs this stay - no guest laundromat and no free shuttle to the parks, as we had at another hotel in the area. As to the laundromat, the Gallery Hosts told us that they had a great relationship with the next-door Homewood Suites for this, which I can confirm.
[Edited to add: Whoops, there were four. The window air handling unit. But it was on all the time, so became white noise. Sort of. 'Nuff said.]
Unique to us, but maybe not: It's a long distance call to Disney's 407- reservation number. (We were making restaurant reservations and called several times. Those six-minute-plus snippets of Disney movie themes were expensive!) When I inquired about this at check-out, the Gallery Host said, "Oh, let me take those off!" Don't know if that was a "Diamond perk" or if they get it all the time. Also don't know if I triggered it by 10-digit dialing as I do first everywhere now. All this is just in case someone can benefit...
Now, truth in advertising, we had just stayed the night before at the Hawthorn Convention Center, and it was awful. (Proximate Hyatts not available.) I know, I've been told, and I've defended them as adequate for spilling 3,000 the night before an oh-dark-thirty flight (the one in Manhattan Beach, anyway). I.Stand.Corrected. Son said, "You ARE a diamond with Hilton, too, aren't you?. Couldn't we have...?" Oh well, not much more time to heed the advice: Don't EVEN...!
Sorry for drifting OT.....
**There's also an all night, non-diner type Denny's across the parking lot.
The design of the room and common areas was modern, trim and clean. The room was spacious, similar in design to the semi-divided rooms in many regular Hyatts, updated. It had a marble vanity; the swivel 42" flat screen HDTV; snazzy screen-like desk chair (name?); berber carpet; and an interesting single panel between the desk and TV with R45, UBS and several other jacks that I meant to ask my son about. (
) There was free wifi, and a wireless keyboard for all kinds of mischief. And there were the Hyatt beds (!) Although my son discerned a difference in the bed from the regular Hyatts in which we've also stayed, I couldn't tell. (Way too tired after a full day playing at The Mouse's in humid 93F.) The lobby was quite pleasant. There was a short bar similar to the ones in Hilton Garden Inns, where some Cisco conventioneers were very much enjoying beers after midnight. The sandwiches and other items in the case by the front desk definitely looked better than the offerings at Garden Inns. Although I didn't exploit the food order function, it does look intriguing for late-night arrivals. For those more familiar, do the front desk "Gallery Hosts" run to the kitchen and fix up a short order (soup, cold/hot sandwiches, chili) after you order in your room or at the lobby kiosk?**
My three trivial disappointments were that there was no Diamond perk, like a free full breakfast buffet, and - unique to our needs this stay - no guest laundromat and no free shuttle to the parks, as we had at another hotel in the area. As to the laundromat, the Gallery Hosts told us that they had a great relationship with the next-door Homewood Suites for this, which I can confirm.
[Edited to add: Whoops, there were four. The window air handling unit. But it was on all the time, so became white noise. Sort of. 'Nuff said.]Unique to us, but maybe not: It's a long distance call to Disney's 407- reservation number. (We were making restaurant reservations and called several times. Those six-minute-plus snippets of Disney movie themes were expensive!) When I inquired about this at check-out, the Gallery Host said, "Oh, let me take those off!" Don't know if that was a "Diamond perk" or if they get it all the time. Also don't know if I triggered it by 10-digit dialing as I do first everywhere now. All this is just in case someone can benefit...
Now, truth in advertising, we had just stayed the night before at the Hawthorn Convention Center, and it was awful. (Proximate Hyatts not available.) I know, I've been told, and I've defended them as adequate for spilling 3,000 the night before an oh-dark-thirty flight (the one in Manhattan Beach, anyway). I.Stand.Corrected. Son said, "You ARE a diamond with Hilton, too, aren't you?. Couldn't we have...?" Oh well, not much more time to heed the advice: Don't EVEN...!
Sorry for drifting OT.....
**There's also an all night, non-diner type Denny's across the parking lot.
Last edited by Firewind; Jul 5, 2008 at 2:15 pm Reason: "Gallery Hosts"
Sep 20, 2009, 5:36 am
#4
Join Date: May 2007
Location: NC
Programs: Marriott LT Plat, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 2,881
Pleasantly surprised -
One night stay last week.
I am always leery of mid-priced hotels in resort/tourist areas, but this stay was quite nice.
If you want to be in the middle of I Drive action - this is the place. Sets back a good bit, so you do not hear the noise of I Drive. In fact, the hotel is actually hard to find it sits so far back. I am quite familiar with the area and missed it twice!
C/In was friendly, quick, and I was even walked to the elevator. Attention was paid to my profile - high floor, quiet room. Impressive because I had only made the res about 3 hours previous. Also gave me a certificate for a free beverage of my choice during stay. (not a diamond amenity, just a little bennie of the hotel)
Larger than usual lobby area, clean and neat. (pet peeve: I hate walking into a HP late in the day and there are half-read newspapers and empty Starbucks cups everywhere)
Hallway was well lit and clean. Standard HP room - but not worn; no stains, spots, spills, mildew. Super clean...but the normal dial controlled heat/cooling unit.
Small pool; right on the parking lot, little to no privacy. If a pool is a big deal to your family, this would be a downside.
I did not have breakfast, but based on all else, I would think it would be served well and refreshed often.
Decent hotel w/above average staff. I would recommend.
I am always leery of mid-priced hotels in resort/tourist areas, but this stay was quite nice.
If you want to be in the middle of I Drive action - this is the place. Sets back a good bit, so you do not hear the noise of I Drive. In fact, the hotel is actually hard to find it sits so far back. I am quite familiar with the area and missed it twice!
C/In was friendly, quick, and I was even walked to the elevator. Attention was paid to my profile - high floor, quiet room. Impressive because I had only made the res about 3 hours previous. Also gave me a certificate for a free beverage of my choice during stay. (not a diamond amenity, just a little bennie of the hotel)
Larger than usual lobby area, clean and neat. (pet peeve: I hate walking into a HP late in the day and there are half-read newspapers and empty Starbucks cups everywhere)
Hallway was well lit and clean. Standard HP room - but not worn; no stains, spots, spills, mildew. Super clean...but the normal dial controlled heat/cooling unit.
Small pool; right on the parking lot, little to no privacy. If a pool is a big deal to your family, this would be a downside.
I did not have breakfast, but based on all else, I would think it would be served well and refreshed often.
Decent hotel w/above average staff. I would recommend.
Oct 16, 2010, 1:16 pm
#5
Join Date: May 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Hyatt Diamond, AA Platinum
Posts: 931
I just finished a stay here and found it very pleasant. Brian, the front desk agent, was very enthusiastic and was proactive in adding the "G1" bonus code, which I didn't even know was available for this property (I couldn't find it on hyatt.com.)
This hotel is in the middle of I Drive action and a 5 minute drive from the Convention Center. It's near a bunch of chain restaurants, and also a very good sushi restaurant run by a chef who used to run Chikubu in NYC, but retired down in Orlando. If you're in the area and like sushi, I highly recommend Hanamizuki Japanese Restaurant.
The room was nice and a standard Hyatt Place room. But for some reason, I couldn't turn off the a/c unit. And I actually think I caught a cold from it. They really need to fix that.
There is also a small pool, but because of its position and the way the surrounding buildings are, there isn't much sunlight.
Breakfast was good. they had a tureen of oatmeal which was a nice addition.
This hotel is in the middle of I Drive action and a 5 minute drive from the Convention Center. It's near a bunch of chain restaurants, and also a very good sushi restaurant run by a chef who used to run Chikubu in NYC, but retired down in Orlando. If you're in the area and like sushi, I highly recommend Hanamizuki Japanese Restaurant.
The room was nice and a standard Hyatt Place room. But for some reason, I couldn't turn off the a/c unit. And I actually think I caught a cold from it. They really need to fix that.
There is also a small pool, but because of its position and the way the surrounding buildings are, there isn't much sunlight.
Breakfast was good. they had a tureen of oatmeal which was a nice addition.
Oct 16, 2010, 1:42 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: BOS and ...
Programs: UA 2MM, AA 600k, DL 500k, Hyatt GP 1M, HH Gold, Rad. Gold, CP Gold, Miracle Fruit-su Club
Posts: 9,950
Just a caution... Sometimes the front desk people at Hyatts (any) are so enthusiastic that they'll say they're giving you the Gx bonus when there's actually none to be had. In such cases, I've found that the main list of properties and current bonuses trumps. But I hope the penny falls your way.
Oct 16, 2010, 1:50 pm
#7
Join Date: May 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Hyatt Diamond, AA Platinum
Posts: 931
Just a caution... Sometimes the front desk people at Hyatts (any) are so enthusiastic that they'll say they're giving you the Gx bonus when there's actually none to be had. In such cases, I've found that the main list of properties and current bonuses trumps. But I hope the penny falls your way.