Dr Jabadski

About 2 weeks tardy with this post, stayed again at Hyatt Place Park City in the middle of February. Essentially an instant replay of my first stay a month prior, some minor differences.

After calling the hotel the day prior to check-in and being told “no”, sending an email to the front desk manager, and speaking with a My Hyatt Concierge (who may or may not have contacted the hotel), I received a phone call the next day (check-in day) while boarding my connecting flight to SLC informing me that I had been assigned a room in the central building (a large part of my satisfaction with this hotel).

Breakfast identical to first stay, average for a Hyatt Place, above average for a HP during COVID. Similar multiple small problems although in this room (adjacent to prior room) the dresser drawers stayed shut. (Malfunctioning alarm clock for which I did not request replacement, desk light which either flickered or was steady at a very low level, missing control knobs and handles for gym equipment, one (of 2) computers with “down for maintenance” message the entire duration of my stay.) It was annoying to see that the gym equipment and computer had not been repaired … a month later.

The sidewalk on hotel property to the inbound bus stop was mostly clear of snow and ice apparently only because there had been almost no new snow since my first visit, not due to any action by the hotel. Still had to walk 200 yards facing traffic, half in the right turn lane and half on the shoulder of a busy 2 lanes in each direction state highway, and then another 20 yards to the hotel entrance. This time I saw the sidewalk and walked it ONCE. It was about 70% clear of snow and ice, due to melting and no new accumulation, but had significant muddy areas and a large snowbank at the end near the hotel. The exposed grass next to the sidewalk was too muddy for walking.

10 free bus rides (no Outlet Mall shopping this time), 1 RT to/from main base area, 8 RT to/from Cabriolet, average wait 8-10 minutes.

Still overall 3 stars out of 5. Dedicated shuttle would add 1 point, no multiple small problems would add another point. I paid an excellent Healthcare Friends and Family rate, had I paid the rack rate I would have been more annoyed and dissatisfied. The hotel absolutely should have its own shuttle, given no shuttle the hotel should proactively clear the walkway to the inbound bus stop.

Right now the hotel is showing rates of about $600 per many nights during next (2022-2023) ski season with no significant discounts that I could see. Also showing 15K or 18K per night. Definitely NOT worth $600 per night, perhaps an excellent use of points and/or free night awards.

The hotel was (or is) changing management, they lost their liquor license for 2-3 days during this second stay, coincidently including the one day I had planned to buy a bottle of wine to share with visiting friend. I knocked on the manager’s door to discuss it, the person sitting at the desk was a consultant from a SLC Hyatt to assist with the change. He graciously offered me a ride to/from the state liquor store and agreed immediately that the hotel should have its own shuttle, although his (understandable) reasoning for a shuttle was that the hotel could market a shuttle and then conceivably raise rates.

Interesting UA baggage and Lyft experience getting to the hotel. Upon arrival at SLC it took 85 minutes (an hour and 25 minutes) for baggage to arrive at baggage claim. Upon landing and after waiting 30 minutes for my luggage and skis, the rideshare apps (Uber and Lyft) both indicated a price of approximately $35-$40 for a ride to Park City. Once I collected my luggage and skis an hour later, both apps showed much higher (surge) prices and I ended up paying approximately $80. Every time I checked Uber was about $6-$8 more than Lyft with similar expected wait times. I paid TWICE what I would have paid if United had delivered my luggage to baggage claim within the usual acceptable timeframe. (A 2 paragraph website submitted complaint to UA resulted in the immediate posting of a $100 electronic travel certificate 3-4 days later.)

Dr Jabadski

(Mods, please excuse consecutive posts, it’s been almost a year.)

6 night stay last week, excellent Healthcare rate. Review/comments similar to my comments (above) about 2 stays approximately a year ago.

Lyft and/or Uber each readily available for rides from/to SLC airport and for rides one evening to/from Outlet Mall.

Sidewalk (circled in aqua in post #36 above) was buried under 4-6 feet of snow, absolutely no possibility of walking on that sidewalk. Walk to/from bus stops unchanged from a year ago. 5 roundtrips on the bus, 4 to Cabriolet, 1 to main PC base area, average wait 10 minutes, as expected with every 20 minute buses, 3-4 waits of 1-2 minutes, 3-4 waits of 20-25 minutes. (Both base areas have overnight $10 ski checks, main base area has 2 or 3 places to check boots overnight, Canyons base area has no place to check boots overnight.)

Requested and received a room in the center building, a few minor problems; alarm clock broken, showerhead sprayed water everywhere (except where it’s desired), very noisy family in 2 neighboring rooms. Fitness center unchanged from last ski season. One working computer/printer in lobby.

Breakfast similar to last year. Scrambled eggs and potatoes every day, rotating sausage/tasty thicker bacon/Canadian Bacon (looked and tasted like ham) daily, bowl of sliced-into-small-pieces cold bacon every day (microwave for 15-20 seconds warmed it nicely), fruit salad 2-3 days, berry compote 3-4 days (repulsive to me but saw others putting it on top of oatmeal), vanilla regular (not Greek) yogurt, hard boiled eggs 5 of 6 days, bagels/breads, whole apples 4 or 5 days, whole bananas 2 or 3 days, whole oranges 5 or 6 days.

New/added evening hors d'oeuvres 5pm-7pm daily. Raw vegetables with ranch dressing every day plus 1 rotating hot dish (mini corn dogs, mini bean tacos, fried chicken pieces, nachos with salsa or cheese, nachos with ground beef/cheese/sour cream, was told of sliders but never saw them). I was solo and I’m not a foodie at all, I was able to have a satisfactory dinner each night consisting of whole fruit collected at breakfast and evening hors d'oeuvres.

Park City is having near record snowfall this year, MUCH more snow than last year, 31 inches during my 5 skiing days (compared to flurries during my 2 stays last year) and another foot the day and night after I departed. Lodging can be VERY expensive, I’m returning in a month with some friends, we’re paying (total) $5,500 for a 2 bedroom condo for 6 nights.

3.5 out of 5 stars. Well worth it if a good rate or award stay, I don’t think it’s worth more than $300/night.

BREAKING/GOOD NEWS: Manager said the hotel was getting its own dedicated shuttle in 1 month. He’s uncertain of the exact route, he said he wasn’t sure if it would require 1 or 2 vehicles. If they can figure out how to operate it efficiently, it will be a positive game changer for this hotel.

Dr Jabadski

(Mods, please excuse consecutive posts, it’s been 2 months.) Here again now, second day. Review essentially unchanged except the sidewalk is now buried under 8-10 feet of snow .

Hotel’s dedicated shuttle not in operation yet, licensing or driver problems, literally promised in 2 days (when I’ll be flying home ).

canyonleo

BTW, by some measures this is the best and most snow year in nearly 50 years.
Depending on the station, we have over 200% of last year's season ending mark, and some time ago (few days?) we had like 75% over 20 year mean.
About three days ago we had 29" in 48 hours, and the week before there was a 25" day (24 hours).

Today there's pretty much buried sidewalks all over town.

Dr Jabadski

From the point of view of a skier who comes from out of town, it’s a lot easier to deal with buried sidewalks when there’s been almost 40 FEET of snowfall during the ski season. I imagine it might be partially annoying to a year-round or seasonal resident.

canyonleo

Are you kidding, why do you think we live here year-round or seasonally?
Bring on more snow, cover those sidewalks!

joecello

Did the hotel get its own dedicated shuttle yet? May be staying there next week!

willliamjia

No

Dr Jabadski

I saw it in operation (starting) the day I departed Thursday March 9, 2023. (Truly a day late and a dollar short from my point of view based on 4 stays over 2 ski seasons and ~37 waits for buses averaging 10-12 minutes per wait.)

Dr Jabadski

Here again now, excellent "Member" rate. What can I say, 500” of snow at a gigantic Epic Pass ski resort with lots of blue trails is hard to ignore. Shuttle in operation, still a work in progress. They have the 8-10 am schedule nailed; back and forth "loop" between the hotel and the Sundial Lodge (shuttle drop-off area). The 3-5 pm schedule states “hotel-Sundial-Park City base-Old Town-hotel”, obviously poor planning. (A skier picked-up at Sundial shouldn’t have to sit on the van for 30-40 minutes until they get back to the hotel). Both yesterday and today driver brought us directly to the hotel from Sundial.

Manager who compensated me 1 night's fee (15K points) for the shuttle not working 2 weeks ago said they were very open to suggestions for shuttle operation. At the end of the ski day it should be just like 8-10 am, looping between Sundial and the hotel. Other times of day they’re trying to work in Old Town and Kimball Junction.

Evening hors d'oeuvres 5pm-7pm daily continue. Center building room still by far the most convenient.

Park City has apparently extended their season by 2 weeks until April 23, I just might have to come back in 2-3 weeks, my first April ski vacation in MANY years. Riding the gondola today, several strangers talking about the snow: “It’s supposed to snow for the next 2 days”, “at this rate it might not stop for a week”, “at this rate it might not stop until August!” .

canyonleo

We should get another 6-12" by Friday night (including whatever we got post-close today -- about 3" as of 8pm)... and then another good storm first part of next week
If you are coming regularly, there are two snow forecasting sites to check (I used to check many, now only these two, other than the two weeks out PowderBuoy):

1. NOAA (weather.gov), use the map feature and poinpoint a location on the resort at about 9,000 altitude

2. Read Evan Thayer's UT forecast on opensnow.com (only free for two weeks then a paid sub required - but this is by far the very best)

peeyurr

I wanted to book a room here Jan 2024, but I cannot find any reward availability nor cash. Anyone if there's something specific going on or the window this hotel opens up award availability?

thanks!

Skoolz60

Sundance is in late January, things are quite crazy around here those two weeks

River in Sight

Any recent updates from this winter? I was able to use two Cat 1-4 certificates for a weekend stay in February. I have an Ikon pass so planning to drive to Deer Valley.

Paging Dr Jabadski who usually has great info on Hyatt skiing options in case he has any updates from this winter.

canyonleo

Any updates? Uh, it's winter? Can you be more specific?