Originally Posted by
RobH
It has been quite a few months since I made my original post, and I've had a lot of time to reflect and think about my priorities. Here's what has happened since I posted:
- Got contacted by Hyatt HQ in Chicago. Had a nice phone conversation with a VP, expressed my concerns, got two free night certificates. THANK YOU FOR THOSE I APPRECIATE IT.
- Stayed in a couple of more Hyatt Places on points and certificates (Yonkers, NY; Madison, WI).
- Started staying in Hilton Garden Inn most weeks mixed in with some IHG stays (Staybridge Suites, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express).
The most interesting thing is that when I went back to Hyatt Place, my initial impression was "wow I forgot how much I like this brand." They have great rooms, comfortable beds, superior TVs, and are typically in great locations. That feeling completely evaporated when I sat down to breakfast; it is just as bad as ever.
Here's a comparison of Hyatt Place vs. Hilton Garden Inn
Room Hyatt Place: Very Good HGI: Good
TV Hyatt Place: Very Good HGI: Good
Bed Hyatt Place: Very Good HGI: Very Good
Public Spaces Hyatt Place: Very Good HGI: Very Good
Reward Program Hyatt Place: Good HGI: Mediocre
Location Hyatt Place: Great HGI: Very Good
Breakfast Hyatt Place: Disgusting HGI: Great
Coffee Hyatt Place: YUK! HGI: Good (coffee so bad I had to call it out separately)
Conclusion: Hyatt Place is a brand that gets a lot of things right and is excellent in most respects. For me, however, breakfast trumps the other considerations. When Hyatt Place completely reworks its breakfast, I'll be back. Until then I'll be running down my points balance and spending actual money at other chains.
I have found the breakfast at Hyatt places to be very different based on property. Yes they serve the same product but the quality is very very different. For example the LAX Hyatt Place, has one of the best breakfasts in my opinion. Fresh fruit egg white breakfast sandwiches and the regular oatmeal yogurt etc. Yes there are some bad ones out there like the one in Oklahoma City, but there are some very good ones.