SportsTech

Stayed for one night about a month ago...thought I'd weigh in with observations essentially similar to RichardinSF. This is (potentially) a first class hotel, buit it's working very hard - too hard IMO - to be a Park Hyatt in W hotel clothes.

Staff was very friendly and outgoing, but not necessarily "on the ball": when I went looking for the promised glass of wine in the lobby at 11ish pm, no one seemed to know how to make it happen. I'm not a fan of the room control system either; the room was too cold for my taste (excessive air conditioning, not outdoor temp) and there was no good way to fix it. And I second the comments about the lighting: green is one thing, dim is another. My room was dim - to the point that I had to increase the font size on my Kindle to make it readable. On the other hand, free in-room snacks is a very nice touch - one I didn't take advantage of, but unusually guest-friendly, even for a first class hotel.

One more comment: it is RIDICULOUSLY difficult to find this hotel for the first time if you are driving a car. The "Valet Parking" sign is mounted to the side of the adjacent building, and it's essentially invisible at night. There was no one outside looking valet-ish, and the only "Andaz" signs are so unassuming and chic that you can't see them without getting out of your car. Would it kill this place to roll out a sign that says "Valet Parking - Andaz Hotel" to the curb like every other valet parking service in the universe does? I drove by the hotel 3 times looking for the valet parking before giving up and parking more than 5 blocks away and walking to the hotel dragging my bags. Very annoying.

I think the GM of this hotel is trying really hard to create a first class property, and to make sure it's state of the art in terms of appointments and communications methods. I'd settle for a little less social chatter and a little more attention to the basics; maybe, like RichardinSF, I'll wait 6 months before I go back to see how it matures.

FD1971

Bolded is mine.

Pretty nasty remark, completely uncalled for.

If the Andaz concept is simply not your cup of tea, I strongly recommend the more conservative Grand Hyatt NYC.

Aside from that, it is not the GM, who comes up with all the bells and whistles, it is a brainchild from Corporate based on the higher than usual yields one can achieve at those more upbeat brands vs. the more conservative ones. Potential Halo effects for a relatively old-fashioned Hyatt brand should also not be underestimated.

As predicted months ago, this master thread is taking a different turn now due to very high expectations & increasing rates at the Andaz. Some of the comments are uncompletely off the mark.

This is not supposed to be the next super-luxurious mega property in New York. This is supposed to be a regular, AAA 4 Diamond property that is very Art&Tech or 'W'ish to use two SPG terms...

If you want true luxury ( difficult in the US hotel industry per se anyway ), you actually have some possibilities in Manhattan. Be prepared to pay a 4digit amount incl. taxes in this case, however. Otherwise, one should not forget that this in Manhattan after all, not known to be the epicentre of customer service...

taipeiflyer

FD1971- i think this might be a first, but i agree with every single word. you are spot on in all respects. ^^

BizJet

Agreed with some recent posters that some people here seem to be going in with expectations way too high.

Perhaps Jonathan's participation is starting to backfire here. Whether through interactions with Jonathan or other hotel managers initiated through social networking participation or through direct interactions with the Hosts and managers at the hotel, I've found every staff member quick to bend over backward to accommodate guests.

The soft issues are one thing. Yes, there have been some failings in room service delivery, check-in or check-out taking too long, etc. And, yes, management should work on improving these issues.

But there have been a lot of recent complaints about the "hard product" (e.g., lighting too dim, no dressers, air conditioning system too hot or too cold or turns off when you leave the room). I think it is fine to raise these concerns on FT to warn others and let Andaz know what to do differently in the next new property or next time they renovate this hotel. But there's only so much Jonathan and his team can do about it right away.

Compare to if there were more airline reps on FT. They could do things like answer questions, sort out upgrades and special requests, etc., all of which Jonathan does. But Jonathan and his team have gone above and beyond -- the hotel equivalent of ripping out the row in front when a passenger complains that the legroom is lacking. Yes, some of the physical aspects of the property aren't ideal, and in my experience the staff does what they can to address it but they can't redo the entire physical infrastructure overnight.

At a stay not too long ago at Le Parker Meridien (which I consider equivalent to the Andaz), I asked for a plate and silverware because they weren't included in my restaurant takeout. After several rings, I finally reached someone and was told it would cost me $5 + tax + delivery charge for a plate, napkin, fork, and knife. That would never happen at the Andaz.

Not trying to dismiss the complaints, just providing a perspective.

hiltonlondon2009

Yeah, some of these complaints, I just don't get. I'm a big fan of this property and it's sister Andaz on Wall St, both of which I've frequented. Can't go wrong with 'em in my opinion.

Markie

Let's keep comments on the property and not on other posters please.

Markie - Co-Mod, Hyatt

TINPA

I don't get it. The GM of this property comes on this board and takes the time to address complaints, learn what folks are saying (good and bad), offer his services in a way that seems to go way above and beyond... and there is talk that his participation is a negative thing? I've never met him, but will ask for him on my next stay there, and I most certainly hope he continues to contribute here at the level we have seen so far!

Cheerfulflyer

Hyatt rates Andaz 5th Avenue as a category 6 property. When staying here, of course we expect an experience commensurate with this highest possible level of rating within the network. Andaz, which although looked like a cheap version of Park Shanghai (which carries a relatively modest cat. 5 rating), left so much to be desired. And I don't mean luxury but rather (in my case) a delivery of reliable and consistent service. Not to be disturbed with clear request sign, messing up room service so that 1/3 of my order didn't arrive (at the expense of my dear friends that I was hosting in NY) or when it is does show up it is so delayed that your meal time is over. In my view this property is way over-rated and in light of what it actually delivers needs to be humbled.

Of course Hyatt is not the most luxurious hotel chain around. None of the reviews expected anymore than what is obviously reasonable. If air-conditioning and lights do not work or are severely inadequate, I don't think it is asking much for these things to be fixed.

As for the GM, yes it is nice that he is available and participates here. In addition to it being really nice, I thought this was very unique. However, he does not seem to be the only one doing so. Even a cursory look at other websites such as tripadvisor.com will show that many GMs do exactly the same: all greet reviewers, ask to be personally contacted with reservation details etc. This certainly gives a great impression. However setting up expectations is not good if your hotel cannot fulfill them. I'd also like to see more attention paid to some of the most basic things at Andaz 5th Avenue and less in promoting an image and concept that Andaz is really so ill-poised to meet.

taipeiflyer

never once did the category of the property relate to its luxuriousness. if so, the park hyatt mendoza would not be a cat 2 and the hyatt regency huntington beach would not be cat 6. rather, it has to do with room rates, and that has as much to do with location (NEW YORK CITY!) as anything else. 3 star hotels in Manhattan can run $300+ easily. as for the property "needing to be humbled"- you mention that there are some service issues, but nothing with regards to employees' attitudes or an inflated sense of self. so what exactly needs to be humbled? i actually think it is people's expectations that need to be humbled. it is an andaz, not a mandarin oriental, and i am very happy that it is part of the hyatt brand, and am grateful for the GM making himself available to so many. if i want mandarin oriental or aman service, i will pay 2.5x the price and stay at a mandarin oriental or aman-level property.

LilZeppelin

I don't know who came up with the idea that lighting has to be high-tech - corporate with its focus group, or designer, or whoever. But when all the lights go off when somebody leaves the room and you are in the shower or you cannot see your face shaving because all the lights are behind the mirror or when you cannot read in bed because bed-light is coming from the pole in the ceiling that cannot be adjusted in any way, or when there's no light at a desk other than the room light that keeps the whole room illuminated, then I wonder about how can a place try to be something without getting the basics right. I have not been bothered by the air-conditioning, since one can always just turn it off completely. But the lighting is just a bother, and if you look at Andaz WS lighting, it completely works as you can also dim the lights there! Why could they not do the light-control like in Andaz Wall St? One has to wonder. And by the way, there's plenty of drawers in their splash suite.

Cheerfulflyer

Ratings more than the name convey the quality of the property. Seriously, most here would agree that Park Hyatt Mendoza has hardly any of "Park" in it. But understood as a cat.2 property, we have to humble our expectations accordingly. Again, ratings more than merely the name set prices and also expectations.

If Hyatt wants to sell Andaz 5th Avenue as cat. 6 property, then we need to see service, facilities etc. appropriate for this category. Since Andaz 5th Ave leaves so much to be desired, this highest in its class ratings needs to be humbled. No one is saying or expecting any more than what Hyatt is setting up Andaz to be.

FD1971

I have to return the favor, you are spot on here as well

Wrong

Wrong….again

Same story and again, wrong answer…

First of all, you are referring to the GPP award chart, hardly anything more…so we are not talking about Hyatt-internal quality rankings, not official hotel rating charts etc.

The amount of points you have to use for a free nights is a calculation based on factors like average rate, average occupancy, currency exchange rates, business outlook, ownership of the property, historical GPP redemption patterns at the property etc.

Some cynics would add that the approach of the GM plays a certain role as well.

Hyatt has a relatively primitive ‘one fits all’ approach, without seasonal variations, which would make sense in some regions. On the other hand, you can always point out that even in the worst case, ( super high season ) you get any property for 22k max, even if it is charging rates in excess of USD 800… ( a very very good value for your points in almost any book )

Coming back to the original discussion, aside from the expectations being too high, they are also wrong, because people did not understand the Andaz concept yet as pointed out many posts ago in this master thread as well.

I pointed out that I was somehow shocked, when I entered my first Andaz room years ago at Liverpool Street Station…

Minimalism can certainly translate into being as cheap as possible ( Express by Holiday Inn approach in Europe,e.g. hardly any space to stow your clothes ) or being as modern and stylish as possible, probably Hyatt’s intention…

Unfortunately, this phenomenon is not understood yet… or simply does not work for a certain demographic.


Under the bottom line, it is coming down to the original problem.

Due to the lack of properties in New York per se, people ‘are forced’ into the Andaz’ properties and if they do not like the approach, they complain.

In any case, one should not forget that GM Jonathan was kind enough to compensate certain shortcomings so far very graciously, e.g. in the case of cheerfulflyer.

If other AAA 4 Diamond properties would comp a night every time for a room service failure in New York, 90% of them would probably be bankrupt, we are not talking Ducasse here after all, we are talking about the likes of a Marriott Marquis, Sheraton and Hilton New York etc…

stevens397

Ease up, ladies and gentlemen. It's okay to disagree.

Jonathan -

Back to point. Do you know what, if anything, Hyatt is doing to address the concerns about inadequate lighting in the rooms? There seem to be workarounds about the mentioned air-conditioning issue but is this lighting issue something you have heard from guests and not just on FT?

As always, thanks for your interest.

peteropny

REMINDER - comments about the property and not about other members - or posts will be deleted and sanctions handed out.

peteropny - co-moderator - Hyatt

Cheerfulflyer

It must be deeply mysterious to you and Taipeiflyer why some of the most luxurious properties in the Hyatt network are rated cat.6!!! Generally speaking, luxury scale is correlated with the cat. scale. Higher rating does equal higher luxury and the correlation matches up better than the more superficial correlation of name vs. luxury. Hyatt markets Andaz 5th Avenue as an upscale boutique hotel. I'd say Hyatt of course wants us to expect luxury and more while we stay there.
Yes, the category rating is from the award chart. In case you didn't know, price (cash or points) is THE measure of value of product in our capitalist system. In fact it supersedes however Hyatt itself must rate its different properties (ever hear the phrase the test of the pudding is in its taste). If I am going to spend X points/dollars I expect X value. And since points are redeemed by Hyatt's most loyal customers, what Hyatt asks for Andaz 5th Avenue it must think that this property merits it. But from what I and others have seen this rate is hugely inflated and the real value ought to be humbled.
It may be that some of us are culturally and socially better poised to not only understand the concept of Andaz but celebrate it. I was indeed looking forward to it. I love properties that are small, are genuinely local (art, food, etc) and eco friendly (energy use, food supply, waste processing etc). But several things went amiss and these shortcomings canNOT be reconciled within the concept of "andaz". For where in this concept is inconsistent, poor and unreliable service only natural? Where in the concept of Andaz is to be found poor air-conditioning or lack of adequate lighting for reading. Andaz 5th Avenue has a library where guests can check out books (awesome feature for more studious travelers like myself ). Now, if someone's "andaz" calls for in bed reading, why should that be impossible because lighting doesn't quite work.

Conclusion:
Unlike some commentators above, I have actually recently spent 3 nights at Andaz. The service here was unacceptably poor and frustratingly unreliable. Hyatt and the GM set me up for expectations that was really soured by what I actually experienced. It is my recommendation that folks on short business trips in NY and those that are entertaining/hosting friends to AVOID this property. Andaz 5th Avenue neither knows to respect your time nor does it appreciates your delicate role if you are hosting your dear ones. And since both my time and friends are dear to me, I am not inclined to return unless things do change significantly. Mere verbal assurance from the GM is not sufficient.