TravellerFrequently

StewieMac - I think I would have sent an email to the GM mentioning my previous poor experience and referencing the return visit dates. Are you planning to stay there again?

I enjoyed my stay at the hotel, but not all of the staff were great or that welcoming as I think I mentioned above, although most were very good.

Stewie Mac

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TF - because a big busy hotel like that, the GM might forget a comment to a guest from a month ago, right? Exactly what I thought, so I did indeed send the GM an email before the stay, referencing his comments and advising of return date...

And back again next month, for my ninth stay here in two years. What to do, what to do....

[and sadly the obvious answer of 'stay at the PH!' is rendered moot by the new travel policy ]

techgirl

I too have had a rather unsatisfactory resolution to a stay issue here. (Two separate issues, actually.)

I was booked for three nights for a twin room on a corporate rate. Prior to leaving the US, I upgraded the room to a Twin Grand Suite with one of my Diamond Suite Upgrades. I had printouts of the confirmed upgrade. (The Diamond Desk seemed to have trouble getting it properly confirmed as I received no less than 10 confirmations in rapid succession after the confirmed rebooking all with different rates or notations before the last one had the correct rate AND rebooked room type so I wonder if they were having difficulties with the hotel on this?)

We checked in on Friday afternoon and was informed I'd been upgraded to a King Club Floor Room. I said "no", I'm confirmed for a Twin Suite and the check-in agent said "no, we don't have one of those available and the club room will be a nice upgrade on your booked room". I provided my confirmation of a Twin Grand Suite and they told me that they thought they might have one but it was being remodeled and they would check to see if they could be finished with the remodeling so we could have it. He suggested we have a seat in the lobby. I countered that the Grand Club would be a more appropriate place for us to wait. I found it odd that they wouldn't suggest that themselves and act as if it was an odd request. (It was at the start of the cocktail hour as well... so not as if they wouldn't be equipped to handle us!)

The confirmed Twin Suite was eventually provided to us after about 30 minutes wait.

On Saturday morning, we were awoken before 8 am with the sound of something/someone apparently crawling around in the ductwork above our room. We listened to this sound above the beds and bathroom for about an hour but did not complain. Then around 9 am, someone started using jackhammers or other loud equipment directly above us. The ceiling was actually vibrating. We called down to Guest Services and the poor lady could barely hear us because it was so loud. She said she would send someone to investigate.

They called us back and said they needed to do work and could we let them please know when we'd be leaving the room so they could resume? We told them 11 am and the work went on about 15 more minutes (and we called downstairs at least one more time to complain and they called us once) and we left for breakfast. We came back to the room around 10:30 am and the work resumed shortly thereafter.

This morning (Sunday), the workers were back in the vents or above us before 9 am and the work has included all day. No jackhammers today but lots of loud dragging/dropping of heavy objects. We were awoken by it and now have tried to nap but the noise is too distracting.

I complained to the front desk and asked to speak to the manager on duty. He basically accused me of lying about the noise - said that they never start work before 11 am (but sometimes 10 am) but that I was clearly confused about the time and that perhaps it was coming from outside the hotel. He did not even apologize and said we were mistaken about the noise and timing and it was not a problem they could address.

I will strongly reconsider any stay here again because of the service issues. I don't feel like they have treated us well and although the room and lounge are lovely (and the lounge was our primary reason for selecting this property), they don't make up for the problems we have encountered in our less than 48 hours here.

Gold Passport Concierge

Hi techgirl!

Could you please PM your reservation details to us? We'll be happy to look into this.

Sincerely,

Nick B.

Stewie Mac

So, updating this post as am currently staying at the HR CDG. And I was very unfair on the GH Istanbul comparing it to here.... it's miles miles better. Miles better. Really, miles better. In B'ham later this week and may possibly update again, but think that is a less unfair comparison.

And GH Istanbul is a lot better than B'ham. Not miles better, not order of magnitude better, but comfortably better. Although B'ham is still miles better than CDG.

And for completeness, I didn't actually go to Istanbul for that final trip, but I sent a note to the GM asking him to look after the (non-status) colleagues who were going in my place, and he did ^ I'm back myself later this month and looking forward to it. If only for the chocolate slabs with the crunchy bits in the lounge

MrNagy

Hey everyone! Does this property offer free alcohol in the lounge? Also, how is the food in the lounge? Going on a personal vacation with my girlfriend for 4 nights and looking at the GH Distance Istanbul or the Doubletree Old Town. I am both a Hyatt and Hilton Diamond.

Thanks,
Paul~

bdemaria

The DH Old Town is closer to the main historic sites (Hagia Sophia, Grand Bazaar, etc..) but the GH has the better location for shopping, night life, restaurants, etc... Lounge is very nice with thorough, tasty offerings for breakfast and in the evening.

I don't drink so I really didn't pay attention to alcohol options in the loung.

MrNagy

Does anyone if the alcohol is still free in the lounge?

Thx.

Stewie Mac

Certainly was free and plentiful about three weeks ago when I was last there. Excellent lounge, very good canapes, and look out for the chocolate slabs with the crunchy bits

peteropny

We stayed here for one night two weeks ago pre-cruise. Last year, we stayed at the Park Hyatt one night post-cruise.

While we were very happy with the Park Hyatt last year, we chose the Grand Hyatt this year based on cost (Hyatt Daily rates are about 100 Euros lower at this property or 3000 points less since it is one category lower). However, I booked using a stay certificate. The property is also more "centrally" located near Taksim Square rather than the high end boutique shopping area near the Park Hyatt.

Upon arrival at the property, we went to the front desk to check-in. When the agent noticed that I was Diamond and that we're to be in GC room, we were escorted to the elevator to finish checking in at the GC (which is on 8 along with 9 are keyed off).

We were assigned to 847 (on the front of the building on the left if you are facing the building) - rooms on that end have some view of the Bosphorus that is not blocked by the monstrosity of a building which is the Ritz Carlton. 847 appears to be a standard King bedded room. Upon entry into the room is a closet then the bathroom with a separate shower (a little bit too small) and tub, the toilet is in a separate area but there is no door to it. Then the standard bed area with a credenza and flat panel TV opposite then a desk with two chairs and a chaise lounge. Overall, a perfectly comfortable but unremarkable room.

The Grand Club is a spacious area on the 8th floor (during service hours includes the two "conference rooms" at either end of the lounge). The GC offerings are rather "skimpy" though - a little bit more than the standard domestic Hyatt Club lounge (includes alcohol) and not nearly as extensive as those in Asia. The evening service certainly does not really make a supper. The GC is probably somewhat overstaffed since the staff is a bit too attentive and made us a bit uncomfortable.

Stewie Mac

Had a couple of stays here in the last month, and the GC canapes seem to have gone downhill a bit. Nothing to put your finger on exactly, and possibly suffering in comparison with the PH Hamburg lounge nibbles, but just ... not quite so good.

Like what they've done with the restaurant though, in terms of style. Food is fine but nothing more.

And the crunchy chocolate in the lounge seems to have gone....

nabeelj

Spending 3 nights here in April on an award, then have no planned Hyatt stays for the rest of the year.

Will Plat status do anything for me?

Debating whether to use my MP Premium Hyatt benefit to renew my Plat status after it expires in February, or use it now to get 2K points to use towards this award (and save my UR points).

Stewie Mac

apparently my fifteenth stay here, so they have given me a nice suite, with a view (so the FD man told me).

But I'm here for one night, for work, and much work to do, so I ask him to change (because I know the suites are right down the end of the long corridors, probably not on the lounge floor) for a standard club king, near the lounge

and he looks at me like (and this is a quote from Texas, when asking if we could squash a Resistol stetson into a bag) 'like I'd slapped his firstborn baby'

So, I'm now in 835 and very happy

But am I an ungrateful sod? Your thoughts please...

elsie

I would be afraid that they note in your profile "Prefers standard room over suite" and you would never be offered one in the future....

TravellerFrequently

Yes. You did ask.

I used a suite upgrade certificate for a 6 day stay, so I was there for a much longer stay than you.

You are quite right, however - my suite was a looong way down the corridor and not on the Club Floor.

Still, I think I would have put up with this, especially as the hotel was doing you a favour (they thought).