crystak

Are there any problems with Diamonds getting a Grand Club King here or do they only upgrade to City/Bayview rooms? Also, are the view rooms preferable due to the view sometimes (Alcatraz?)?

I'm going to stay here at end of August when all the renovations will be finished (also, at the HR for 3 nights) for 4 nights and would it be worth using a suite upgrade? I probably won't if they will definitely upgrade me to a renovated Grand Club King.

jmd001

Booked a standard king room for a Saturday night in August at AAA rate. Called GP to apply one of my Suite Upgrades (from Chase credit card promo). Agent said no problem. However, the confirmation I got reads:

1 King Grand Bed. City view. 312 sq ft Floors 3-12

I assume that means access to the Grand Club, which is certainly an upgrade from the room/rate I booked, but it definitely does not read like the suite upgrade that I was expecting.

Before I call back (to get a different) agent, wanted to get some FTer opinions. Shouldn't I have been confirmed into an actual suite?

Thanks.

RichardInSF

A room that is 312 sq ft is not ever a suite in my book, no matter how many teeny rooms it may be subdivided into.

JIMCHI

I would HIGHLY suggest that you call the hotel directly. As you may know, the GH is undergoing an extensive renovation. The Club has been temporarily relocated to a much smaller facility and the Grand Club, club rooms and suites are in the process of being renovated. I contacted the hotel concerning a stay I was planning for early August - where I was going to use a suite upgrade- and was told that the "junior suites" and the club should be completed by then, but the larger suites won't be completed until September. I've stayed at the GH many, many times over the past 15 years and when I've upgraded to a suite I usually get what they call an Executive Suite. It's essentially two connecting rooms with one one turned into a living room. These are are many floors and are nice. I presume this is what they meant by a "junior suite". Absolutely, do not rely upon what a Hyatt central reservations agent tells you about the hotel at this point- they probably don't even know there is a renovation underway. The complete renovation is far from being complete, as the lobby and entrance are still to be done later this year and into 2012.

I wouldn't be concerned with your confirmation. Almost all of my confirmations which involve a suite upgrade still show the basic room. You can always confirm with the hotel directly that you have in fact been upgraded.

kenbo

In my experience using suite upgrades, the room type has not changed on my confirmation emails even after applying a suite upgrade.

Sometimes there are notes a few lines down stating that I have used an upgrade and sometimes not. When it comes to the actual stay, I haven't had any issues getting the suite.

traveling_again

Yes, normal, but until the renovation is complete, I'm +1 in checking directly with the hotel in this case-- as to what they may have booked you into. I showed up with my diamond suite upgrade in hand and all they had was one un-renovated suite left (great view but old tube TV, beat-up furniture and limited/broken electrical receptacles). When the pounding from nearby construction began, I decided they really weren't renting this room any more and opened it special just for me. They moved me to a standard room facing the back around the 4th floor. No view, no suites, so we spent less time (and money) in the hotel...

Gold Passport Concierge

Please PM your reservation details to me. I will be happy to make sure your reservation has been confirmed for a suite.

Sincerely,

-Nick B.

scocjo

I just returned from a 3 night stay (2 rooms) at the Grand SF. Check in was a bit weird - the previous guest in one of my rooms apparently refused to leave. So we were all crowded in one room until 4 or 5 that night. This was hardly Hyatt's fault, but they gave me 2k points to make up for it. They didnt have to this, obviously, but they did anyways.

I had hoped to use a suite upgrade, but they told me at reservation (and confirmed onsite) that the suites were undergoing renovations and none were available. They said they would be done in mid-August.

The Grand club was also being renovated, so the lounge was on the 18th floor in a makeshift room that was normally a guest room. No views and cramped, so it was pretty much a place to grab some food/drink and go. The attendants were extremely pleasant, though.

The staff was very nice, and the hotel was centrally located to pretty mcuh everything we wanted to do in SF. HIghly reccomended once the renovation is complete.

mrakant

The new renovated rooms are fantastic! Bedside curtain controls , excellent layout, good bathroom layout ....one of the best in world now!

GB

The newly renovated rooms are certainly a big improvement. However, I would not rate this hotel as one of the best in the world.

AUSMatt

I'm currently staying at the Grand Hyatt and it is mostly unimpressive. The renovated rooms (I'm in a recently renovated one with a city view) are decent but nothing to write home about.

My chief complaint is that the rooms do not have any bottled water whatsoever. I asked the front desk tonight and they suggested I can order from room service (for $13 per liter) or I could walk over to Walgreens or across to Starbucks.

I find this to be a bit ridiculous ... every Hyatt I've stayed in (and I've stayed in 4 in the past 2 weeks) all have bottled water for purchase in the room. And none would have ever suggested I walk over to a Walgreens to find water.

This combined with the general lack of friendliness and attention would lead me to likely not stay here again.

TheBeerHunter

Wonder if that has something to do with their "Going Green" initiative? SF is a pretty green city.

Of course, if so, they could have told you that is why there isn't bottled water in the room rather than directing you elsewhere.

peteropny

We had a 3-night stay at this property a couple of weekends ago.

Checked in late and the friendly front desk clerk (they've always been very friendly) told us that we were blocked into a King View room - 2922 (with Northern Views up Nob Hill towards Golden Gate Bridge). This was not a corner room which is quite a bit more spacious feeling. He said that 29th was the highest floor with rooms open right now (so I'm guessing that 30 and up are still under renovation).

The Grand Club is currently located in "room" 1824 (they were saying that the "normal" GC on 32 will be done this week). 1824 is destined to become a suite once the GC vacates (from the floor plan I'm guessing that all xx24 rooms are suites).

The renovated rooms are very modern in design. However, the materials used feel really quite cheap - the wood parts look more like plastic. A positive feature is the electronic window shade with multiple controls in the room. The flat screen TV feed has no Digital feature.

The bathroom was also completely renovated in a modern manner. However, the bathroom renovation gets a dismal failing grade from me. In particular, the shower is basically non-functional due to a combination of low water pressure and the design (long tub spout & the detachable spray unit will not spray the water much past the tub spout). It was very difficult and not enjoyable to take a shower (I'm 5'10'' 150 lbs - I can't imagine a "large" person successfully taking a shower with the setup). There is one very large vessel sink in the vanity area. However, my partner complained about the design being very awkward for left-handed people. So the bathroom gets a failing grade from me.

The property needed renovation however what was done was not well done.

When I checked out, the Opera computer system was not operational so I could not apply my Gift Certificates that I was planning to use for the stay - just worth mentioning but not a problem (I'll just use it elsewhere) and not the property's fault.

http://milepoint.com/forums/threads/...-review.15253/ has the same review with pictures.

SportsTech

Stayed there a week ago for 4 nights, the "trick" with the shower is to rotate the shower head so that the water only comes out of the center ring of holes. The shower heads are about 6 inches in diameter, and there is essentially no water pressure when the outer ring of holes are used. There is enough water to get a good spray from the center ring, however. Not great, but adequate.

Of course, it took me 3 days to discover this, so I was pretty grumpy about it too. Otherwise agree on all counts with Peter's review; the rooms are nicer than they were, but it won't be long before they feel worn out again. The club should have been closed, the xx24 rooms (a small 2 room suite) aren't nearly big enough to act as a Regency Club for a hotel this big.

Radiant Flyer

So the club is still not open??? I was told in June, the new club would open on July 23. I agree the temporary club is pretty pathetic I would have rather received the 2,500 bonus points than be stuffed into that small suite!!!