AnnaS

Hi all!

I'm planning on staying at this Hyatt for a convention in May & wanted any experiences/strong opinions on it, if any. Thanks!

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Regards,
- Anna

mauld

The Hyatt Regency downtown is not one of their best. But then again, not too many of the downtown hotels can be recommended. The regency club closes down at 8 pm and is rather small. The rooms (at least the ones I've stayed in) were nothing special. Given you don't really have a choice due to the convention it isn't bad. There are a few new 'fun' restaurants nearby, but downtown doesn't have much going for it. Take the MARTA up to Buckhead or drive up there for some great spots (about 15 min north of downtown). Also there are good restaurants in the Midtown area (about 5 min north). In any event, you'll have a great time---Atlanta is a really fun city. !

shadow

Anna, I agree with everything Mauld has said.

I've stayed there probably 15 times in the last 10 years, and can only say it's just OK.

No memorable experiences; no great meals, rooms are just OK, Regency Club is just OK, staff is just OK, GP check-in has been slow the last few times.

If you're a GP member, use 1-800-CHECKIN to save yourself some time on day of arrival.

Buckhead is THE area! Stayed at the Westin Perimeter last spring & loved it...had a car which made it much easier to navigate.

MisterNice

Ah........the mere memtion of this hotel brings back memories of the four pages of $1.25/call telephone bills once attached to my checkout folio. Uggggghhhh!!!

Itotally agree with the other posters on the hotel description. I try to avoid this location. Buckhead propertity is tops or try the downtown Marriott.

A couple of years ago I adopted the idea of NOT staying at the hotel where a convention is held. It has worked nicely for my well being. Saved waiting in long lines, busy restaurants, full elite lounges etc.

ORDJR

Funny you should mention the Hyatt Atlanta. I just stayed there, Sunday and Monday 1/9-1/10 and I must tell you it was without a doubt the worst Hyatt property that I have ever stayed at(and they have some awful ones). I actually checked out and moved to the newly renovated Sheraton because the Hyatt was so awful. I was going to write Hyatt a letter letting then know of my experiences when I read your post.

Examples:
1)Getting a room (#1) in the Regency Club and opening the door to find it totally unmade at 11PM at night. I called down to get another room and they said a bellman would be right up with a new key. It took 30 minutes so I went back down to lobby where the person I had spoken to had already left and no one knew what I was talking about.

2)Room (#2) hair all over the bathroom and the toilet unflushed, the shower head coming out of the wall, and overall filth.

3)Room (#3) stains and more filth.

You get the idea. Every room was the same as the next. And this was on the regency Club floor

4)The Hallways were strewn with food, trays, garbage and sheets and towels while employees continously walked right by without even blinking.

5)One time I passed a room service guy wheeling the cart and he tripped and his hand fell into a milkshake right in front of me. He then proceeded to wipe it right off of his hand and deliver it anyway as I watched. INCREDIBLE.

6)When I checked in, they told me that local calls were included. when I checked out, story changed.

HYATT SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES FOR ALLOWING A PROPERTY THIS HORRENDOUS TO CARRY THEIR NAME. If the entire city of Atlanta had not been sold out for the 9th and 10th I would have gone anywhere.

BTW-The Regency Club was a joke and dirty as well.

DO NOT STAY AT THIS HOTEL AT ALL COSTS.

mmgm

I don't understand the opinions given so far.
I have stayed there many times. I have often been given a suite with RC privileges for my Diamond status.
I agree its not as nice as the Grand Hyatt, but I'm planning to return soon.

777 global mile hound

I have to agree with some of the concerns with the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta.Yes sometimes there can be problems especially in any of the mega size hotels downtown.I too have recently moved more toward the Grand Hyatt in Buckhead a far more attractive & civilized hotel in a good location.
Hotel still has not reached its full service potential. The Grand Hyatt does feature a very helpful complimentary hotel courtesy car service that is provided by an outstanding group of drivers within the general area. It also has one of the best Regency Clubs in the nation .Back to the Hyatt Regency downtown My first visit to the hotel years ago landed me in the International tower the portion of hotel not
reachable by glass atrium elevators.I disliked the room and was ready to checkout.
The tower has now been upgraded and is now
satisfactory(Last stay 12-99).Upon that first visit years ago before almost checking out I contacted a hotel manager by the name of Talley Jarra (was there during recent stay happy to say) who
upgraded me to a premium floor in the Regular atrium tower as if I was a visiting vip.He has always gone out of his way in this big hotel to say welcome back when he sees me or other return guests.He works very hard to achieve a personal kindness and warmth to all guests making this monster hotel seem more personal along with his mostly satisfactory staff who do have a high turnover rate ( problem with many large hotels.)The
Marriott Marquis does have a far more attractive lounge floor but the quality of beverage & food service has slipped in recent visits.I like the small Regency Club lounge @ the Hyatt yes
it can be crowded if the hotel is busy but the product food & bev is more to my liking.The health club is nicer/larger/better equip then the Marriott Marquis in the Hyatt Regency.One can arrange at an additional cost a visit to the vast Peachtree Athletic Center if they really want a high end spa facility.In the atrium building still my first choice/the rooms are still the best on the Regency Club Floors and the Business Plan floor directly under the Regency Club floor .
Don't expect the Ritz Carlton here!Pay attention to when the rate is fair and you can have an above average experience here at a good value.
With regards to food service @ Hyatt Regency yes improvement is needed.One hidden secret is the Italian Restaurant located below hotel lobby somewhat poorly promoted(Closed temp? on my last visit) this has some of the better hotel food of the standard hotels in the neighborhood.Yes avoid the lobby level dining except maybe breakfast.Don't rule this hotel out.It can be more difficult to navigate a good room from time to time
but patience can produce good value/location without need for a car and if you get frustrated and Talley Jarra is in house he will not let a Gold Passport member down if he can help it........ And have a great time in Atlanta!

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[This message has been edited by 777 global mile hound (edited 04-11-2000).]

[This message has been edited by 777 global mile hound (edited 04-11-2000).]

[This message has been edited by 777 global mile hound (edited 04-11-2000).]

ExpoTrac

Just had a short stay at the Hyatt in downtown Atlanta.
This was the worst Hyatt I've had the displeasure to stay at.
The beds had a noticeable dip in the middle, and if you sat on them they nearly hit the floor. There was a mystery pipe protruding from the drop ceiling over the tub, which dripped the entire time (I assume it may be a drain for the A/C unit, but who knows?)
The bathroom lighting was terrible, and there were no toilet paper holders, just a hole in the wall to place the roll. Not to mention the usual holes in the bedspreads & carpeting, dirty dresser drawers, etc.
A plus was the sliding door to a balcony, but the balcony floor was dirty and littered with cigarette butts.
On the last day, they came and physically removed the minibar while we were out of the room leaving the debris & dirt below it behind.
And yes I can be picky, but others at the same meeting were looking to move out of the Hyatt as soon as they saw their rooms, so I don't think it was just me!

I would recommend everyone avoid this Hyatt.

BoulderHyattHopper

This is really sad. I lived at this hotel for a couple of months straight (while my colleague lived at the mile closer Ritz Carlton). We were told we could pick where we wanted to stay and I wanted to keep my status, versus staying at the Ritz. I had to walk a mile to her hotel, before we both continued on to our (Price Waterhouse) office in the Hurt? Building.

They used to take really good care of me and even sent me Christmas cards.

kv99

I also lived at this hotel while doing some work for Delta Airlines at Hartsfield and I stayed downtown just to keep up my Hyatt stays.

I'm sorry you had a bad experience. I loved this hotel -- I always got a two-room (sort of...) suite with a great balcony, it had a decent RC and gym and the staff went out of their way to take care of me.

BoulderHyattHopper

Exact same experience. I got the 2 room suite or the cool corner room on the RC floor (top floor). The bed is on an angle.

Great gym!

Nice RC.

Great staff.

BoulderHyattHopper

On the flip side, the week before I got to the job, my cohort (the one staying at the Ritz Carlton) HAD to stay at the Hyatt, no rooms else where due to HUGE conference in town.

She checked in late on Monday night. They had run out of rooms, so she got a conference room with a roll away. No showers.

Needless to say, she never stayed at a Hyatt again. She asked me every day why I paid $150 / night to stay at the Hyatt Versus our corporate rate of $150 / night at the Ritz.

My answer...my honeymoon was "paid" for with those GP points ... Hyatt in Atlanta turned into Honeymoon in Kauai!

ExpoTrac

To give Hyatt credit, I had emailed via the Gold Passport website about this stay. I was promptly contacted by a Customer Service rep, who had already researched my stay and was really interested in hearing about my experience. He said it would be written up and sent to both the hotel manager and the regional manager for Hyatt. He also was adding 5000 points to my Gold Passport account.

He did tell me that this hotel is a franchise, and he was aware that a renovation is planned. He mentioned that Hyatt may need to push the owners to make some temporary corrections before the major renovations.

I did appreciate the follow-up...better than I've ever seen from Hilton or Starwood, and I've got a lower status with Hyatt that the others.

ORDPLATAA

Are you sure about Hyatt Regency Atlanta being a franchise??? When I worked for Hyatt in the 90's the hotel was owned by the Pritzker's and was a fully managed hotel. I do not recall hearing that HRA was sold to anyone. Don't let them buffalo you on it being a franchise (the only ones I know of in the US were Pier 66 in Ft. Lauderdale, the St. Claire in San Jose and Witchita).

TravelManKen

When I stayed there for a week last year they treated me VERY WELL. As a matter of the fact the room was one of the best I've ever had - corner suite, 3 rooms, large balcony, great service - and this was all an upgrade from a fairly discounted rate.