Gertjaars

Which UrCove property would you go for? I feel like this brand has never been heard of by the WOH members outside of Asia.

Cotton Candy Lobster

Walked by the supposedly soon to open (Hyatt website says March 15) UrCove in Beijing the other night and it's still being converted from a HomeInn Selected. I also think it's being used for the Olympics bubble as it's got blue temporary fencing around it, similar to other bubble hotels.

If it's priced low enough it would be the best bet for a mattress run in the city, since the Hyatt Place in Daxing is eons away from anything and being used as a quarantine hotel half the time.

simplyyou

Recent data point. I booked a guest of honor stay for a friend in Chian for UrCove Forbidden City in Beijing. My guest didn't receive globalist benefit at all, no free breakfast. I complained this to my Hyatt Conceirge. She tried to call the hotel but nobody at the front dest speaks English. Maybe this varies by owners of the hotel. But I agree that Hyatt should remove them from Hyatt website

moondog

The brand's target demographic speaks Chinese.

lsquare

So Globalists don't get free breakfast at UrCove?

Visconti

Trying this brand was on my to-do list. I've never been to Beijing and visiting the Great Wall & the Forbidden City is something I should probably check off on my ever growing to-do list sooner rather than later.

PS - Having Peking duck in Peking! Like having KFC in Kentucky, per the movie. When's that gonna happen, again?!

Fly Me To The Moon

I just finished one night (checked out today) at UrCove Shenzhen Futian CBD. Webpage here: https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/ch...tian-cbd/uc031.

This hotel is super-convenient from Hong Kong. I took high-speed rail from West Kowloon Station to Futian Station (frequent departures, and just 14 min train ride). The hotel is almost directly across the street from Exit 32 of Futian Train Station. From this Exit, walk diagonally towards your right, and cross the street. You will see a Starbucks, and the hotel entrance is opposite the Starbucks.

Booked this stay 10 days ago at CNY 806/night. A week prior, saw the rate go down to CNY 664, so I modified my reservation to the new rate. At check in, the Agent could not find my booking; I had to show her the booking on the Hyatt app. Took payment at check in of CNY 806, which I had thought was the CNY 664+service charge+taxes. But, that did not add up, so I went back to the Reception, and it turns out that the rates were inclusive of everything, so the hotel did in fact overcharge me. At checkout, they refunded the overcharge to my WeChat Pay account. All done very efficiently, with many apologies.

This will be my 30th stay of the year, and I will be waiting for this stay to post to get my Cat1-4 Free Night benefit. Plan to use this in Shanghai at Sukhothai after Easter. HOWEVER, I am 99% sure that this stay at UrCove will not post in time, if at all. At checkout, I asked the hotel to prepare a VAT invoice as well as the folio. I scanned the folio but could find no evidence of my WOH membership number. I asked the Agent to enter this, and she looked clueless. She asked me to come behind her counter and pointed to a number, and asked me if that was it. It was not. She then asked me to give her my WOH number, which she then input into a "remarks" field, and she said that she will find a way to update that somewhere else (where?) later. Oh well,...

I had booked the base Garden View Room. Obviously, with the hotel not being able to find my booking when I checked in (maybe that's why I did not get an option for online checkin on the app either), I was not pre-upgraded. But, upon finding my booking, the Agent did promptly upgrade me to a Business Deluxe King or an Executive Deluxe King room (I am not sure which, since the website photos are identical for both). In the room was an OSIM massage chair. Room was modern, very clean, and nicely appointed. Very good slippers and bathrobes! Good hot water temperature and water pressure in the shower, but the hot water at the vanity was not very hot. Portico toiletries in big bottles in the shower, and body gel in individual bottles. All other toiletries provided: toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, comb, etc., which were all of very good quality. Two minor issues: (1) there are no hooks or hangers to hang used towels anywhere. You just have to throw them on the bench, or hang them with a clothes hanger. (2) There is also no rubbish bin in the vanity/washroom area. To throw anything away, you have to walk to the bedroom area to do so. Not too convenient.

Soft drinks (3-4 cans) and two packs of snacks (soda crackers and Oreos) are in the minibar fridge, and are FOC. Two Nespresso-compatible capsules from Peet's Coffee are also in-room, and some teabags. There are plenty of bottles of water, and more can be taken at the lift lobby.

My rate did not mention whether breakfast was included, but I was offered free breakfast at check-in. I am not really sure how this came about (as Globalist?), but I am uncertain whether my Globalist status was even indicated in the booking. See above. Breakfast was of average quality. Choices were good, though.

Staff are not very proficient in English, but obviously could speak Mandarin. And, all could speak Cantonese as well. Staff are polite and helpful.

I am planning on returning for another stay this coming Tuesday for one night, but the rate has gone up to CNY 878. I could also book the Futian Shangri-La (close by) for CNY 100 more, and that is a full-service hotel with Horizon Club Lounge. So, will make a final decision tomorrow.

(And, I will also be staying at the UrCove Shanghai Jing'an as part of my post-Easter trip. I scoped out the hotel during my previous trip in March, and I thought that the location and lobby atmosphere were good. And being right opposite to an entrance to Wuding Road Metro Station is super-convenient for me.)

moondog

I did a recon mission to that property myself a few days ago (before I learned that free breakfast at economy hotels was an important status perk, so didn't inquire). I was reasonably impressed by the common areas and the room they showed me. However, the location isn't ideal for the needs of my guests, so we might just go with one of our staples closer to the Portman (e.g. the Swiss is only a little more expensive these days). Wrt the subway, Line 14 is becoming one of my favorite lines (it crosses town much faster than lines 2, 9, and 10 and isn't crowded yet). I just wish they had managed to put a stop in somewhere around where it crosses line 12 (instead of Dashijie, which is kind of useless).

SHLTP

I suggest Grand Hyatt in BJ for duck or dadong. Those are my favorites. I don't like Quanjude as much but many Beijingers like it. GH has excellent food even if hotel is old

Visconti

Thanks! This is very helpful, since I know virtually nothing of Beijing and would've invariably had to rely on the concierge.

moondog

Why would you rely on concierges for something as well documented as duck restaurants in Beijing?

Visconti

Ah, probably because I wasn't aware that it's the most documented? Moreover, I'm not going to do a search, on here or elsewhere, and would either just ask or come upon a chance reply? In this case, while I don't know SHLP personally, at least I've read enough of his posts to have more confidence in his than I would anywhere else if I were to, which I wouldn't, search for on social media or the net.

Aventine

Made in China really is the gold standard for duck and Chinese food. Their chefs regularly get poached by other ultra luxury hotel chains to run their high-end Chinese restaurants.

Visconti

Case in point, just by chance, we haven endorsements from MD, SHLP and now Aventine. So, I'm good, and saves me the effort to search or do any work on my own. Sometimes, as in this case, life just comes up roses.

moondog

Maybe you can update the duck thread after you try a few places

The consolidated Peking Duck thread

Not much has changed on the duck scene during the past five years, but it's always nice to hear fresh perspectives. Dadong and Made in China are also my two favorites btw.