Highlands Inn - Hyatt Carmel REVIEW - MASTER THREAD
Dec 18, 2015, 10:35 am
#451
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Sacramento, CA
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Hyatt,Marriott,BA,AS
Posts: 4,428
We stayed on my birthday in May this year. Front desk staff are nice but they suck in terms of showing you a map unless you ask, telling you what activities are happening at the hotel, they don't tell you squat unless you ask ie about the Diamond amenity and when I said it was my birthday (I mean they even saw it on my license and I verbally casually mentioned it) and asked if they do anything I was told no. No biggie but somewhat disappointed, not even a card? Other places like Park Hyatt Tokyo offer cake!
We do love the area this property is located.
We checked in last night same thing. No acknowledgement of diamond until you ask. Other than that, we love the somewhat dated town home suite we find it rustic and charming. The breakfast is ok nothing to write home about but it was decent. The views at breakfast are gorgeous. Turn down service provides generic Hyatt branded water which is fine as well. Better than nothing. Everyone is nice. We plan on returning. Just don't expect them to appreciate you as a diamond or explain the property upon check in and you will not be disappointed.
We do love the area this property is located.
We checked in last night same thing. No acknowledgement of diamond until you ask. Other than that, we love the somewhat dated town home suite we find it rustic and charming. The breakfast is ok nothing to write home about but it was decent. The views at breakfast are gorgeous. Turn down service provides generic Hyatt branded water which is fine as well. Better than nothing. Everyone is nice. We plan on returning. Just don't expect them to appreciate you as a diamond or explain the property upon check in and you will not be disappointed.
Mar 28, 2016, 10:53 pm
#452
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: So Cal
Programs: UA Gold/0.744MM, WN AL, Hyatt Diamond, MR Scum, Hertz PC, National Exec, Avis PC
Posts: 5,563
Hmmm, so have a 3 night stay here coming up this weekend. Very cheap corporate rate, DSU applied on top with the help of my PL agent. Just tried to call in to pre-assign a room per advice in this thread. No dice...won't pre-assign, just know it is going to be in the 501-508 range because that's where the townhouses are. Said I could try again day of check-in.... Did something change or do I need to call back when the day shift is on duty?
Mar 29, 2016, 8:44 am
#453
Join Date: Aug 2013
Programs: UA-GS, Hyatt-Defiantly Diamond, Marriott-Platinum, SPG-Platinum
Posts: 499
Hmmm, so have a 3 night stay here coming up this weekend. Very cheap corporate rate, DSU applied on top with the help of my PL agent. Just tried to call in to pre-assign a room per advice in this thread. No dice...won't pre-assign, just know it is going to be in the 501-508 range because that's where the townhouses are. Said I could try again day of check-in.... Did something change or do I need to call back when the day shift is on duty?
Mar 29, 2016, 10:56 am
#454
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Sacramento, CA
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Hyatt,Marriott,BA,AS
Posts: 4,428
Hmmm, so have a 3 night stay here coming up this weekend. Very cheap corporate rate, DSU applied on top with the help of my PL agent. Just tried to call in to pre-assign a room per advice in this thread. No dice...won't pre-assign, just know it is going to be in the 501-508 range because that's where the townhouses are. Said I could try again day of check-in.... Did something change or do I need to call back when the day shift is on duty?
Mar 29, 2016, 8:28 pm
#455
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 274
Hmmm, so have a 3 night stay here coming up this weekend. Very cheap corporate rate, DSU applied on top with the help of my PL agent. Just tried to call in to pre-assign a room per advice in this thread. No dice...won't pre-assign, just know it is going to be in the 501-508 range because that's where the townhouses are. Said I could try again day of check-in.... Did something change or do I need to call back when the day shift is on duty?
Mar 29, 2016, 9:01 pm
#456
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Nor Cal
Programs: Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold.
Posts: 180
501 is probably the best, only downsides I can think of would be proximity to the pool and number of people passing by your front door. I'd say 501-505 are all pretty solid.
Apr 3, 2016, 8:52 pm
#457
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: So Cal
Programs: UA Gold/0.744MM, WN AL, Hyatt Diamond, MR Scum, Hertz PC, National Exec, Avis PC
Posts: 5,563
3 night getaway
Hyatt Carmel Highlands
120 Highland Dr Carmel, CA US 93923
RecommendedLiked: LocationServiceFoodAmenitiesRoom
3 night getaway (18 Photos)
Hyatt Carmel Highlands
Just finished up a three night stay here with my wife. Some observations from my stay (some new, some possibly unmentioned before, some already stated)
- Spent three nights in a townhouse suite using a DSU to upgrade from a cheap corporate rate
- Tried to call in ahead to get 502 assigned based on the advice in this thread, but when I checked in was assigned 508.
- Wasn't until I inquired about breakfast that I was given my breakfast coupons and asked about my amenity or points
- Inquired about breakfast via room service - no longer allowed. Confirmed by another agent the next day.
- The suite had air conditioning contrary to earlier reports. It is a split system with AC both in the living room upstairs as well as in the bedroom downstairs. More on this later
- Decent LG TVs both upstairs and downstairs, including a BluRay player upstairs. Decent selection of HD stations available. Oddly only one remote between the two though...
- Decor is not nearly as dated as I was led to believe based on reviews here. I was half expecting to walk in to wall-to-wall olive green, linoleum, etc. While the furnishings are showing their age in some areas, it is still quite sufficient
- The shower downstairs is really small. It still isn't the smallest shower I've ever seen (that honor still goes to the Hilton in Florence), but I did accidentally change the temperature just by trying to bend over and wash my legs....
- There are stashes of firewood all over the place for use in the fireplace which was just great to use at night.
- Breakfast until 11am on weekdays and 11:30 on weekends. Breakfast menu is actually more limited on weekends though (less breakfast items but more lunch items available). Everything is ala carte. Don't expect a side of bacon to come with your omelet.
- Got the obligatory phone call from Hyatt Residence Club offering discounts, etc. Politely declined
- When we checked in we were told the bar stayed open until 10. First night tried to go down at about 940pm for a night cap and it was buttoned up tight. Everything long since put away, door pulled over all the booze etc. Informed the front desk and they just shrugged and said they would inform management
- Valet parking is complimentary
- There is complimentary laundry on site. 3 different locations. Free single use soap provided
- There is a ping pong table available for use next to the gym
- Breakfast initially showed up on my bill but was removed without me asking
- Was charged full resort fee of $20/night, but I also didn't try to fight it
- Contrary to other reports, do not disturb sign was respected. Actually forgot to take it down when we left the first day and came back to a voicemail informing us when last possible service was.
- No hair dryer in the room. Asked at the front desk on the first day and one was delivered within minutes
And now in the news category: they are renovating. They are starting with AC but will also be revamping the rooms. Could explain why I thought the decor was much less dated than others had reported. All rooms will get AC. California Market will move upstairs where Pacific's Edge currently is. They'll be making a new outdoor dining area as well.
Breakfast coupon that violates HGP policies by trying to exclude gratuity and tax (wound up not being an issue)
View from Breakfast
Upstairs TV and BluRay Player
Fireplace
Couch Upstairs
Various Interior Photos
Air Conditioning
Bikes Available for Complimentary Guest Use
View from the Balcony of 508
Apr 4, 2016, 3:23 am
#458
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 274
Sounds like things are changing. I was there in late Feb and there were no breakfast certificates. They told us at check-in that the breakfast would be automatically removed from our bill (which it was). We didn't order room service, but we were told room service could be ordered, but the room service fee would not be covered. Gratuity was covered, but tax was not fit breakfast
Apr 4, 2016, 5:41 am
#459
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: AA EXP & AAirpass, Hyatt Courtesy Card, SPG Platinum
Posts: 991
The breakfast coupon shown above looks like one of the old ones that were phased out a while back. Maybe just a mistake? We stayed here not too long ago and just charged breakfast to the room--and it was promptly removed at check out.
Sounds like things are changing. I was there in late Feb and there were no breakfast certificates. They told us at check-in that the breakfast would be automatically removed from our bill (which it was). We didn't order room service, but we were told room service could be ordered, but the room service fee would not be covered. Gratuity was covered, but tax was not fit breakfast
Apr 4, 2016, 11:55 am
#460
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Nor Cal
Programs: Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold.
Posts: 180
I am hoping they don't go they way of breakfast vouchers. We were there back in October, mix of CA market and room service, all charges were removed including room service charge, tax and gratuity.
I'd hate to see the room service option disappear.
I'd hate to see the room service option disappear.
Apr 4, 2016, 10:47 pm
#461
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: So Cal
Programs: UA Gold/0.744MM, WN AL, Hyatt Diamond, MR Scum, Hertz PC, National Exec, Avis PC
Posts: 5,563
Also - my points have already posted even though I only checked out yesterday! However they didn't post my 1000pt Diamond amenity
Oh well, even more points for me for the retro bonus.
Apr 5, 2016, 12:47 pm
#462
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: PHX
Posts: 23
I was there a month ago an was informed no more room service option for diamond breakfast an very basic food / beverage amenity (seltzer water an fruit ) no wine option. Full breakfast tab from CA MKT was removed each morning.
Apr 5, 2016, 1:00 pm
#463
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: berkeley, Ca, USA
Programs: Hyatt globalist, Alaska mvp gold, Marriott platinum, ihg diamond
Posts: 438
All of the Hyatt residence Clubs and the Hyatt highlands Inn hotel were purchased by Interval Leisure Group/Interval International, a timeshare management company. The new management has made many changes with the operation of the residence club at Carmel, and none are the benefit of the customer. They have reduced housekeeping and newspaper delivery which were once touted as justification for the high maintenance fees. On my last visit in january the staff were uninformed and inconsistent. 
Will be staying again in the hotel in a few weeks and will report back.
Will be staying again in the hotel in a few weeks and will report back.
Apr 5, 2016, 10:12 pm
#464
Join Date: Aug 2005
Programs: AA Plt 3MM; UA 1K 2 MM; MR Lifetime Plat; HH Lifetime Diamond; HH Diamond; IGH Spire Ambas; SPG Gold
Posts: 2,149
Apr 5, 2016, 11:04 pm
#465
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: So Cal
Programs: UA Gold/0.744MM, WN AL, Hyatt Diamond, MR Scum, Hertz PC, National Exec, Avis PC
Posts: 5,563