hailstorm

4400 yen as of now, per the website. Pretty sure the spa and locker room at GH/Andaz are open to all staying guests, but things like rental wear come with a fee if you're not a Globalist.

The Nagomi pool has no view by design. The view is the reddish rock that surrounds you. I find it quite calming.

You'll find that Pickles is an outlier here on his views on the Grand Club. I've found that it has fabulous offerings, especially in the evening, and certainly offers a better environment than any of the Regency Clubs in the area. But I definitely preferred when the Globalist breakfast benefit was offered in the restaurant.

Pickles

Oh don't get me started on that abomination known as the French Kitchen. Mediocre, expensive offerings with some of the most incompetent service in Minato-ku. I would actually walk out and across the street to the (now gone) Lauderdale. Haven't been to the thing that replaced it, Bricolage, so can't comment on that. On a like-for-like, I find the Andaz Tavern far superior to the French Kitchen for breakfast.

But a moot point for our curious friend, as the French Kitchen has removed that, ahem, "benefit." If dragonmp11a10 is considering the GHT Grand Club as his breakfast option, I'd take the Andaz Tavern any day for that.

Infinite1K

I would stick with the GHT then.

This was pre-COVID, but the GHT lounge was very nice. In addition to the breakfast and evening fare, they also had a nice selection of cakes in the afternoons. The lounge attendants are also super nice and maintain the lounge clean and uncluttered. It is one of the best Grand Clubs in the Hyatt portfolio.

OsakaWino

If I were a Glob staying on points, unless you really need to save the points and save the money by having dinner in the GH lounge, or if you are using a TSU at the GH, I would definitely pick the Andaz.

1. Glob breakfast at Andaz is much, much better than lounge breakfast at GH
2. Room itself, and especially the view, is much better at Andaz; in fact the entire hotel is much better at Andaz
3. Transportation access is now better at Andaz

The Andaz is easily worth the difference in points over the GH. For business travel or for a local, the savings at GH might make sense, but if you're coming all the way to Japan and celebrating you anniversary, is saving 20% off really a top priority?

hailstorm

You're definitely underselling the aspect of quality free flow drinks at the Grand Club along with the food offerings. Sure, there might a wine or sake offering in the Andaz lobby, but I've found that pretty hit and miss. And of course, the Rooftop Bar is spectacular, but the prices are also sky high.

And though the poster specifically asked for comparison between Andaz and Grand Hyatt, if you're talking about aspirational properties for a special stay, you really must bring the Park Hyatt Tokyo into the conversation. I can't imagine choosing Andaz for such an occasion when PHT is available for the exact same amount.

OsakaWino

As you say, the poster did not ask to compare the PH. I've repeatedly recommended the PH as the best choice when staying on points. As for the quality drinks at the GH lounge, that is true. Some lounges try to impress with a champagne but severely chimp on the still wine. We dislike bubbly but the GHT had the best still wines I've ever seen in a lounge (vs, for example, GH HK, Conrad Tokyo). But even then, you can pick up an equivalent bottle anywhere in Tokyo for under 3,000 yen, and I'd rather enjoy it sitting in a room with a view at the Andaz than in the ambience-lacking lounge at the GH. Plus, the poster seems young (4th anniversary) and if I were young and going to a foreign destination like Tokyo (or Paris, etc) I would want to get out and see the city rather than sit in the GH lounge.

But I certainly do not disagree that the GH can be a money-saving option if using the lounge for all drinking/dining.

Pickles

I would agree here. On the other hand, I do prefer the Nagomi at the GHT over the Ao at the Andaz, so depending on how much you value the facilities, it could tilt things in the direction of the GHT. And if you do land a TSU at the GHT, take that, their suites are quite nice. The lottery for upgrades at the Andaz is not something they even allow you to play if you're not a regular. Although I've been a consistent winner as I have stayed there many times, we'll see if post-COVID they'll "remember" me.

And one more thing to consider if either you're afraid of heights or don't want to be trapped at the very top of a skyscraper in case of an earthquake (even a moderate one). Advantage there is for the GHT, of course.

hailstorm

The front office manager at Andaz is now Kitano-san, the former manager of the Grand Club. Given all of your comments on that, I'd say there's a good chance that he'll always "remember" you.

Pickles

I don't know Kitano-san from Adam, and vice-versa. And unlike others, I didn't complain about the joke that is the GHT Grand Club, I just interacted with the place enough to know it's best avoided.

THECLIPPERS

I've stayed at all the Hyatt's in Tokyo and my favorite is the Centric for location and breakfast. I've stayed several times at the Park Hyatt always in a suite and it was nice but the location isn't the best. Grand Hyatt has nice suites and is in a good location but I'm not a fan of the Grand Club. Andaz has a nice mall right below it and breakfast is good.

The Hyatt Regency is the best value hands down. Breakfast for Globalists in currently a buffet at the Caffe which is much better than the offerings at the Regency Club. The pool is closed and there is no longer a shuttle service to Shinjuku station. It's hard to use a suite upgrade at this hotel since they don't have that many. The rooms on the club floors (6-9) have been refurbished and have really nice bathrooms. The high floor rooms are dated but can have some really nice views including Mt. Fuji.

The Airport Limousine bus service is the easiest way to get to a hotel if you have a lot of luggage or kids. It's cheap and door to door. There is a bathroom on the bus as well.
It serves at the Hyatt's but the Centric so keep that in mind.

bostonbali

Looking for the experts' advice regarding which Tokyo Hyatt to book during a HND layover.

We (2 adults + two kids ages 7, 10) will be landing at HND at 5:30 p.m. on a December evening, and departing again from HND the following morning at 11:20 a.m. I am a Hyatt Globalist.

We travel light (1 carry on each), however would still prefer a Hyatt with a simple public transport option.

Here are our priorities:
1) Easy public transport in and out of HND (train or airport limo bus).
2) Decent chance of an upgrade to a larger room as a globalist (I won't be using a TSU on this one-night stay)
3) Nearby dinner options within walking distance, or a decent club Lounge (still serving food around 7pm) for a light dinner.

Which Hyatt hotel would you recommend staying at for the one night?
For what it's worth, I did book both the HR tokyo, as well as HR Yokohama while they were still category 3 last month.

Thanks!
Bostonbali

VegasGambler

GH Tokyo is my favorite Hyatt so I'm just going to recommend that one without really justifying it. I'm not sure why I love that hotel so much but everything is always just perfect, in kind of a subtle way.

HR Tokyo is fine, I guess. I moved from the GH to the HR for two nights once when I had a couple of cat 1-4 certs that were about to expire. There was nothing wrong with the hotel but it's a significant downgrade from the GH. It's definitely a lot cheaper if that's a consideration.

hailstorm

Really hard to answer this question at the moment. Even if we assume that you'll be allowed to come into the country by December, it's unclear what public transportation options will be available to you, or even if you would be allowed to use public transportation at all.

Infinite1K

Grand Hyatt is on top of the Metro so makes it easy for “door to door” on public transit. However you may want to consider Uber as it will take half the time and you won’t have the hassle of dealing with walking and changing trains with carry on bags. Not sure what the exchange rates will be in December, but with the dollar being quite strong Uber Black would be ~$60 and Uber Black Van would be ~$70. Tickets x4 on the trains would be ~$20.

Things might have changed, but upgrades to larger rooms were not that easy to come by. Though perhaps since you are staying for 1 night might make it easier?

There are a bunch of restaurants in the Ropongi Hills area that you can walk to for dinner as the lounge will be wrapping up evening food services at 7pm. However you will be able to get breakfast and then have time to head back to the airport for your 11am flight.

Pickles

That's a pretty expansive definition of "on top". I guess that would be the case at the appropriate map scale, or seen from space. As a matter of fact, the walk from the Andaz to the Toranomon Hills station is shorter than that of the GHT to the Roppongi Hibiya station (not to mention the descent into the seventh circle if what you want is the Oedo line).