Well, let me get some things straight:

cicaloca453: "Americans don't really care about opening windows"
OK, I am well of aware of this. But between not be able to open a window and stuck in a bunker-like ambiance is a big difference to me, especially if you pay big bucks for the bunker.

cicaloca453: "Finally, if the staff was rude (especially at Westlake), I have to wonder if it was because of a negative attitude given to them."
Rest assured, that I am one of the most polite travellers you may encounter.

cicaloca453: "I'd ask if another room was available. If the clerk said they were booked, I'd say thank you and move on."
If you are jet-lagged and have kids as well as lots of luggage in tow, you do not move on easily. It was for one night, I was politely complaining about it, and even I am former Hyatt Diamond and now "only Platinum" they treat you like ....
Forgot to mention, that I booked two double beds. They completly ignored this. Ended up in the bunker queen-size room.

Cheap Elite: I'm still trying to figure out how a person can ask "Why are Hyatt Hotels in the US so bad?" when discussing properties in San Fran?"
Westlake is some 300 miles south of SFO. Also I have stayed in other Hyatt hotels in the US before, like DFW, ORD or MCO. The experience I had there was mediocre too.

My final, very subjective and personal conclusion is: In the USA you have to spend very much money to stay in a decent hotel like Four Seasons, The Peninsula, Taj or some other upscale chain. Hyatt Hotels in the US are fair, but much inferior to many Hyatt International properties. The difference between a bad US Hyatt and a very good, newly refurbished much cheaper hotel to me is insignificant (maybe my comparsion between a Motel 6 and Hyatt might be a little bit overdrawn). I am well aware that there are good Hyatt Hotels in the US. I am also sure, that the folks from Hyatt seem to know these problems, because they send me online-questionnaires on and on, asking about "do you think Hyatt is a luxury brand?". And finally, I wrote, that I enjoyed my stay at the Omni San Diego very much, bearing in mind, that this hotel was even cheaper than the Hyatt´s in SFO.