Originally Posted by
Kacee
I've stayed at most of the Hyatts. Meh. Andaz 5 used to be good, but has gone way way downhill. Andaz WS, now a dump. PHNYC hugely disappointing. Union Square and Herald Square, tiny rooms.
Lately I just FHR it in NYC. None of the chain options are that great (though Conrad is not bad if you're okay with the location). Among the Marriott/SPG properties, I've had good experiences at Essex House, but have never booked a cheap room there.
Interesting your experience with Hyatt has been so negative. I've stayed at the Andaz 5th a dozen times and probably 30+ nights over the past couple years and while it did have a few downgrades (like the breakfast moving to the bar downstairs), I've overall had consistently good experiences there. I've almost always received a generous upgrade, but even the one time I was in a base level room, I was still impressed by the size. I've found the breakfast to be one of the most generous in all of Hyatt (I mean, you can order as much as you want from room service, even spending hundreds of dollars if you choose). I've had a few billing issues (mostly breakfast on bill) but they were almost always resolved quickly and easily. The gym is tiny and there's no pool, but those are about the only problems I can think of.
The Park Hyatt, I agree, has some misses. The Andaz WS is not as nice as the 5th ave, but I'd hardly call it a dump. The Union Square Hyatt is all around decent and I've never been given a base room. Agree with you on Herald Square.