Originally Posted by
EuropeanPete
Like every brand, HR's seem a bit all over the place at the moment, but I've had good experiences since 2019 visiting new ones which are generally good 4* business hotels (sometimes branded as 5*) with modern design and solid service. Nothing spectacular, but every one I've been to recently has been exactly what I've needed. You then have some outliers like the Churchill which I don't think of as a Regency or something like the new Regency resorts like the Koh Samui Regency - both good btw, but nothing in common with most others.
If they wanted to have some differentiation in the market - especially with 3 new Regencies coming online (Olympia, City, Stratford) - they could probably get away with bumping it up to a Grand Hyatt. Hyatt have done that before in the US to legacy properties that have been displaced by a new entrant, such as Grand Hyatt Denver.
Speaking of which, I've long wondered why the Paris Madeline never became a Centric as planned (especially as an owned and operated). Clearly the owners of Hotel du Louvre didn't think becoming an Andaz was right for that property (probably right) and maybe in hindsight maybe that's what they should have done to Madeline.