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Old Jul 19, 2015, 9:02 pm
  #214  
scented
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,610
I rarely jump into defense for a hotel, but in this case I want to. Dewby, from what I can see you must have been on the third floor, left or right from the Spa, probably in a 33X/34X series room. Was the suite on the same floor? Renovations on the third floor are not completely finished, as I saw work being carried out. I am surprised the second room you were put into was on this floor. I do think your points are valid and I can see your frustration, especially after talking to the FOM. What a joke. I sincerely think you should have asked to speak with the GM, Jan-Hendrik Meidinger.

The funny thing is, and this might be against the trend here right now, that my stay was actually great. I even felt this very hotel walked all over other Park Hyatts, including Vendome. It's right up there with Sydney and Buenos Aires. It's not one of those new, cookie-cutter Park Hyatt properties, so you either fall in love with it or hate. And the renovations, at least what I have seen, have been to the highest standard. But they did preserve the soul of this grande dame. The bathrooms remain a problem, and will most likely never be up to the standard of other International Park Hyatts, because they would have to do some major structural work and gut the whole damn building to re-structure everything. One sink in many of the suites is a symptom of this problem. But the rest was done lovely. I actually like the furniture and the subtle tech in the room. It's one of the hotels where you exactly know in which city you are staying. For that, it is very well done. But I can see where you are coming from.

The true qualities of the hotel though are in the staff and the service levels. I have to say that service levels were on par, if not a notch over many Four Seasons properties around the world and truly excellent. No other Park Hyatt can live up to that and I have seen many of them. All the little touches. Many of the staff members you interact with have business cards they will present you, even Concierge agents, which helps with the names. Arrival and departure procedures are some of the best in the entire chain, truly world class. Housekeeping is immaculate, even to the point where they arrange your laptop/tech equipment with cable ties. Just walking through the lobby you are asked if you need help with anything. F&B operations top notch, with management presence and the chef at the tables talking to guests. Service recovery is in a place, more so than at other properties. Bellboys speak great English and generally, the hotel is willing to go the extra mile in order to please guests.

The renovations are a difficult time for this very special hotel and things should have not gone this route with your stay, but I do think it they try to make it right. There's only so much they can do with the physical build of the hotel, and they tried to preserve the spirit and soul of the property. But it's one of my favorite hotel experiences in SE Asia, if not the world.
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