Came back to this thread for the first time in a while and just want to air grievances. Scanned the posts for the past few months and mostly compliments and minor negatives. Maybe others can chime in or object; both responses are welcome.
The pancake off the breakfast menu is terrible. Both its taste and texture are poor. (In contrast, the pancake from the breakfast menu at Conrad Tokyo is divine. It has become a minor personal factor in choosing Tokyo hotels) More generally, I'm not sure what this six-item menu adds to what was available before. If I wanted an average-tasting waffle or eggs Benedict, the Andaz Tokyo is not the first or second place I'd choose to have it at. How about upgrading some of the existing buffet options or adding more options that are available in less-than-one-plate portions? I seem to recollect there was a definite downgrade in some of the variety and presentation of the existing, familiar options when the buffet was revamped last year (for example, the rice dish has moved into a counter-top rice cooker).
The seated check-in, once novel and fresh, has become aggravating. If there are questions, the host can end up walking back and forth between your table and theirs several times. These days, I silently rejoice when the host doesn't press me to sit down. It can save several minutes during the part of the day when you really want things to happen quickly.
I'm not sure how the training differs between here and the Grand Hyatt, but there definitely seems to be something lacking. While the seasoned hosts are better, the new faces always seem to ask if it's the first time I've stayed here. At least the GH staff can consistently muster a "Welcome back!" Perhaps those who stay more frequently at GH for business can vouch or not, but it seems the experience is at least consistent there.
There was a great and friendly host named N*** who became a front team leader, but departed soon after the promotion, I found out. Great loss to the front desk team, from my perspective.
Finally, I booked a single night on my birthday and was entirely unrecognized. I understand that there are likely multiple birthday bookings every week, but could not the "unscripted" experience marketed by this hotel differentiate between a one-off and a regular? I would have been more than delighted with a simple "happy birthday", as the more one travels, the more one values personal recognition over cheap freebies.
Now that the new WOH card offers night credit for credit card spend, I think my nights here will decline. While I love the secluded location (no sarcasm, really), the occasional upgrade to the large king, the pool, and - perhaps most of all - the familiarity, I think I've realized that there are better options at this price point. For me, the greatest benefit of Hyatt's program is the GOH reservation. I couldn't care less if I myself have fewer opportunities to take advantage of free breakfasts or 4pm check-outs next year. /rant