thc

[QUOTE=BeantownFlyer;6465732]From South Station you would need to take the Red Line one stop to Washington. It is then a 5 minute walk to the hotel (down Washington to Avenue deLafeyette, then left, then hotel is on left).

QUOTE]

Just to clarify, on the subway map, the stop on the Red Line is called "Downtown Crossing". When you get to the actual station, you'll see the sign that says "Downtown Crossing/Washington", but on the map for some reason, they omit "Washington." Was confusing me today as I was trying to find my way from the South Station.

I actually was going to take a taxi, but for whatever reason, me and maybe 6 other people were in line for about 25 min, and no cabs ever showed up.

Staying here tonight for one night. After reading the other posts, I was expecting some sort of upgrade, but I got nothing. I guess the hotel was really full or I should have explicitely asked. I was pretty tired when I got to the hotel, and am only here for 1 night, so I didn't mind too much.

The rooms are nice--a bit on the small side. The bathroom is absolutely tiny. The bed is very comfortable, but is also really high atop a really high boxspring, I guess. It's a bit uncomfortable getting in and out of the bed. Overall, it's a solid Hyatt property, but nothing extraordinary in my opinion.

HLS2002

If you don't get lost in the maze of downtown streets, the walk from South Station to the Hyatt isn't bad at all. I've done it with suitcases, and I don't think it's worth the red line journey or a cab. The Downtown Crossing area is oddly shady, even though it's bounded by nice areas. Taking the T between South Station and Downtown Crossing doesn't help you avoid this, though.

777 global mile hound

I used the subway during the summer once and it was hot and uncomfortable and noisy getting to the train.
Did it in the dead of winter once and it was freezing *** cold and the walk through the tunnels felt like forever.
Hate having to wait for my lugagge and then board a bus to go to the subway.
Then first wait for a subway and or change trains with luggage.
Perhaps if you have a lot of time and the weather happens to be great.

I took the airport shuttle recently from the terminal to the hotel door however the driver stopped at various terminals trying to get more pax.It was far more relaxing then the subway.
Recently after switching loyalties away from most Hyatt Hotels and Gold Passport I stayed on a Travel Zoo promotion at the New InterContinental for 159 dollars including dinner for one in their new French restaurant.
Earned stay credit and points unlike Hyatt Gold Passport (off topic)
Used a taxi to get back to the airport and it was within two dollars of the shuttle.
It may be higher from the Hyatt FD not sure.
I will only use a taxi now unless I think there may be some problems with traffic

HLS2002

Now with the Silver Line, mass transit from the airport to the South Station area isn't so bad: there's no changing lines. If you don't mind the shuttle to the T station, the blue line takes you right into Aquarium/State/Gov't Center quickly. The water taxis are another idea if you're bound for the waterfront vicinity.

In the old days, to get from Logan to Harvard Square I had to take a shuttle to the Airport T station, change from the blue line to the green at Scollay Square, then green to red at Park Street. What a hassle, but I was (and probably remain) to cheap to take cabs.

JonathanIT

I'm wondering if anyone else has recently had a similar experience...

My folks just got back from a stay at this property for almost a week (5/3-5/9, 2009). My Dad is a Hyatt Diamond and I was just telling him about the new "enhancements" to the HGP program (he was totally unaware as usual).

What irks me is that he was telling me that they only offered them the "continental breakfast", not the full breakfast they were entitled too (no lounge at this property).

He said they use pre-printed vouchers, and I mentioned that they might just be using the old stock of vouchers up, but that it should have been good for the full breakfast, but--get this--they actually told him that it was not good for the full breakfast!

They ate mostly the cold buffet, but once they were actually upcharged for the full breakfast!

How many properties are still not aware of the new HGP benefits?! Even the Hyatt Anaheim was aware of the change just a mere three days after the announcement last month.

I told him he could probably call the hotel and they would refund what he was charged, but of course that is more trouble than it's worth in his opinion.

It just annoys me.

cmjaffe

at this location.... we've got a 2 night stay coming up in weekend in mid-November traveling with the kids. We're both Diamonds and trying to find out what the breakfast options here are. Was told by hotel it's continental and then asked PL and they said the same. Thought it was supposed to be "full breakfast" (whatever that may be -- either menu or buffet) but they're saying otherwise. The kids have courses over at MIT on Saturday / Sunday (middle & high school age) and want to hop to maximize FFN. Cambridge has a good rate too so would stay there one night but was trying to figure out whether we should stay downtown or in burbs the other night.
TIA
Carolyn

Dr. D

I have stayed here several times, albeit I haven't been here for a few months. They have 2 buffets: a continental and a full buffet with hot items such as pancakes, eggs, potatoes, etc. As diamonds they gave us coupons that were good for the continental buffet, which excluded the handful of hot dishes they have out. We were offered the opportunity to pay the difference if we wanted the full buffet instead.

Cambridge would be a good choice for visiting MIT because it is only a 5-10 minute walk to the campus entrance on Mass Ave. But it is older and the rooms are not as nice as the other 2 Boston properties. I prefer the downtown Hyatt because of the access to the T and all of the good places to eat nearby, although you will pay $30+ to park. If you are just looking for a cheap weekend FFN stop, try the Summerfield Suites in Burlington- it's near 93 and without weekday traffic you can be in Cambridge in under 15 minutes. Not as nice as staying in town but you save a ton by parking for free.

NDDomer86

I stayed here before the changes in the Hyatt Diamond benefits and received a continental breakfast coupon. However, per the recent changes, you should receive a full breakfast. This hotel may not be well versed in the changes yet.

cmjaffe

Thanks everyone...
we're going to hop around and were thinking about staying in Burlington the first night and then probably go to Cambridge. Got a great rate that has breakfast (though won't matter since Diamond) and discount on parking. Will also ask about the comp. shuttle.

derby44

My Hyatt personal representative e-mailed this property to ask about the breakfast offered to Diamond members. I received an e-mail from this property tonight verifying that full breakfast buffet is what I can expect during my stay next month.

yaromac

Stayed here for two nights in October. Had also stayed for one night at the airport Hyatt, which was great. Had multiple problems at this downtown location, from poor service at check-in (I had called ahead to ask if a diamond upgrade would be available at check-in and if we could check in early, and was told oh yes, we have a nice, upgraded room ready for you, on check-in was told ready did not mean ready (this is literally what she said, are you confused? I was, especially by the snarky attitude :-) and the room would be ready later in the day. At breakfast, I was told I didn't have enough coupons (needed three, was given two on check-in), and had to actually go, in the middle of breakfast, to the front desk to ask for more. Then, housekeeping took my personal pillow case from my personal pillow, replaced it with one of theirs, and it couldn't be found. It was a small, cream, oval-ish shaped pillow case, never before confused by a hotel maid with the standard issue white rectangles all hotels seem to use. Perhaps the worst thing of all was the bottle of air freshener that house-keeping seemed to have emptied into the room, requiring a window to be kept open all night (I am usually ok with air freshner sprays even though I am not a major fan, this was truly awful though). Next day, found more housekeeping problems, a trash bag (black) with our room's trash in the corner of the room. Did receive multiple apologies, 10k of miles, and a new pillow case from the hotel, but still, a whole sequence of problems that makes you wonder about the management. Was told at one point that a lot of the employees were new (no idea why). Anyway, lessons to be learned in case you are staying here. I suggest you double check what they tell you, get names, check you have enough breakfast coupons, if you don't like fragrance smells getting into all your clothes ask for nothing to be sprayed in your room, put your personal stuff away.

This single stay made me wonder if I should switch my loyalty and stays back to Hilton (I'm a new Diamond, being lured away from Hilton, supposedly...) I'm going to see how the rest of my stays are this year. I just completed two in Michigan at HP hotels, nothing special, nothing wrong.

tasnam

Derby44,

When you say that it never went through, do you mean it got bounced back or that your request was never granted and they claimed they never received it?

I have a stay there coming up and would like to know if Phil is still the guy to contact.

Sounds like he still is the one, but I did not know if you made any contact with him.

Tasnam

NDDomer86

Isn't the housekeeping at this property now outsourced?

Firewind

"Hotel will maintain its Regency flag"

http://www.boston.com/business/artic..._to_trust/#end

There's also more followup about the houskeeper-firing/replacement issue at the three FS Hyatts in the area, but this article revolves around the financial district property. For background, the two threads on this board about the labor issue were closed in late September 2009.

swiss-mike

I had a comfortable stay there last week. Got upgraded to a Lafayette Suite and provided with a full bottle of red wine, some cheese and dried fruit (not the Diamond amenity, to be clear, as I took the 1W) - thank you, Hyatt Boston. ^

The property shows its age and is not quite up to par with the better HRs I have been to, but the location is great (although not much to do in the neighborhood after 6pm). I didn't like the somewhat complicated entrance - one has to go down one floor into the entrance hall, take the elevator to the lobby floor, walk across the lobby and take another elevator to reach the rooms. However, the staff is very friendly and, in general, helpful.

Breakfast was very good - buffet style with an "interactive cooking station" where you could order eggs any style, fresh French toast etc. Nice, and yummy.

One complaint - there were no slippers in the room. The answer from the front desk: "We don't have any left, we ordered but they have not yet arrived - but Macy's is just around the corner..." The slippers did not arrive in the six days I stayed there...so this may be just another sign of cost-saving...