ElevatorEnthusiast

It looks like this property has been discussed in the Atlanta-wide thread, but there isn't a property master thread.

Overall, it has been a nice stay with a few annoying downsides that would cause me to try other area properties (or return to the fabulous Grand Hyatt).

I had been upgraded in app to a Corner King High Floor, but I knew this room didn't have any corner windows based on the website pictures. At check-in, I pushed for a suite, and the agent seemed very confused. Luckily, another agent (seemed like more of a manager type) stepped in and found me a Studio Suite (oddly, the Buckhead Suite shows as premium on the website and standard on points redemption rates, but I didn't push). The Studio Suite is just a corner room, but with actual corner windows that face the train tracks and highway. The windows are actually very impressive and striking in person. Soundproofing is about as good as it could be and is aided by a very loud climate control system (actually served as useful white noise). I believe the Studio Suite is also unique in that it has a longer lounger couch (that is more about form than comfort). The bed was nice as Centric beds usually are (although, the covers seemed a bit less thick than other Centrics - closer to a GH or HR bed), and the shower had nice pressure and temperature. There was a severe lack of storage space for clothes (no usable drawers, even in the closet) as the one drawer in the room housed the safe. The TV was very large and had the Sonifi system (again annoying due to the lack of YouTube casting).

No issue on 4 PM late checkout. Water bottles were delivered to my room as they didn't have any at the front desk. The second agent was very friendly and asked me to let them know if I had any feedback since the hotel is so new.

Breakfast was a bit odd - you order at the restaurant bar, get your own coffee and water, and then they bring the food out to you. The menu was very limited - basically just french toast and then some egg choices (no American bacon - only Canadian bacon, no pancakes, all egg dishes served with a bagel). I got the french toast, which was fine (although, I'm not a big french toast fan). I also got a cinnamon roll that seemed a bit overcooked - in hindsight, this was way too carb-heavy. Overall, I wasn't a big fan of this breakfast and should have bit the bullet on dealing with whatever Canadian bacon ended up being (I was worried I would be served a slab of meat).

Another significant issue is the lack of walkability to the rest of Buckhead. Lenox Parkway doesn't have sidewalks up to Peachtree St., so to walk safely, you have to go through the Lenox Square Mall, which would be an issue during hours when the mall is closed. There is a walking path to the Lenox MARTA station, though.

Overall, this was a nice hotel that likely will improve through growing pains, but I will likely try the Thompson the next time I am in Buckhead due to the poor walkability and odd breakfast offering at the Centric.

ElevatorEnthusiast

I'd like to correct myself - there is an alternate walking path to Peachtree St. by using Path 400 to cross the highway and then walking a few, uphill, blocks through a neighborhood, which drops you out very close to the Grand Hyatt. Still not incredibly convenient, but at least, there are sidewalks.

hp12c

I had a nice one-night stay here this week and was upgraded to a Corner King High Floor. There were no suites available. This is definitely one of the better Centrics at which I've stayed. Much better fit and finish than the Ikea-like Centric Philadelphia. The property is directly on top of GA-400 and the MARTA tracks, so there's definitely noise from that. As ElevatorEnthusiast mentioned, the in-room HVAC is fairly loud which helps to mask the noise a little bit. Otherwise the room is very comfortable. Unlike EE's room, mine did have three drawers. Shoutout to the nice water pressure in the shower AND the fact that they figured out how to fit a towel hook directly onto the glass so that you can keep your towel within reach.

I had dinner at Mount Royal. Despite the relatively high prices, nicely decorated dining room, and being listed on Eater's hot list, I was unimpressed. Discombobulated and slow service, kind of a boring menu, and the steak was way overseasoned (and I love steakhouse steaks, which are always crusted in salt and seasonings). On the plus side, the prices on the bill were different than what was actually charged - the 10 oz NY strip was $55 on the menu and ended up being $44 on the bill.

Breakfast at Mount Royal was good. I had the two eggs, Canadian bacon, bagel, and side salad. However, the supposedly Canadian bacon was just regular bacon. The bagel was really excellent and made in-house. And the side salad was just overdressed radicchio. I also grabbed a bottle of fresh-squeezed OJ. Coffee is free and available at the bar. None of the breakfast charges ever showed up on my folio.



Corner King High Floor

Corner King High Floor

Corner King High Floor

Corner King High Floor

GA-400 and MARTA tracks



Corner King High Floor

ElevatorEnthusiast

I'm glad to see the Corner Kings do have corner windows as that isn't apparent from the website photos.

Also, thanks for reporting back on the Canadian bacon!

hp12c

Had another two-night stay here this week. Again, an overall good stay. Two gripes, however - neither of which would was a deal-breaker for me:
1) Suites were available for sale upon check-in. I inquired about a suite upgrade and was told I was already upgraded to the best non-suite room. I specified that I was curious about a suite upgrade. I was then told that they didn't have any available. Fine, whatever, I wasn't going to make a stink over something that wasn't necessary, but it doesn't feel good to be lied to.
2) I checked out at 6am. I think the overnight FD person was still there. She couldn't figure out for the life of her how to remove the breakfast charges from the folio. She spent like 10 minutes tapping away on the keyboard to no avail. Finally I told her I had a flight to catch and to just email the folio when it was figured out. I had to call the hotel like 2 more times to get the breakfast charges removed. THEN I saw that there was a $14.50 charge labeled "World of Hyatt adj." along with associated taxes. It took 2 calls to the hotel to get that wiped off, and nobody had a clue what it was to begin with.

jeff191

FWIW, if you go toward the MARTA station, you are on Lenox Rd. at which point you can walk to Peachtree, it's all on sidewalk. You're basically going around perimeter of the mall. But that's really all there is on that end of Buckhead, the malls and a few restaurants.

If you stay at Thompson, you're closer to The Shops at Buckhead and more dining options as it's right at edge of Buckhead center. It's also a quieter street - I walk my dog through there a lot.

hp12c

Checked in for another stay this afternoon. Same rigmarole when asking about a suite upgrade. However, this time I was in the mood to not get steamrolled. After being told that I was “upgraded” already to a high floor room, I asked again about a suite and mentioned that there were suites for sale - both Studio King and Buckhead Suites. The FD associate pretended not to hear, so I repeated myself. She then went immediately to the phone and talked to someone who I presume has a management role. After hanging up, she told me that if I wanted a suite I’d have to use a TSU. Which indicated to me that those suites were in fact available. Now obviously this is not how space-available upgrades at check-in are supposed to work, and I politely expressed that. Almost gleefully she told me that I could call the Globalist line if I wanted to argue it, which I did. I accepted the key to the room she assigned me, went up, and called my concierge who didn’t pick up. I then called the Globalist general line, went through the T&Cs with the really helpful agent, she called the hotel, and miraculously a couple minutes later I had someone showing me to the Buckhead Suite.

Anyhow, I relate all this to provide notice that Globalists should definitely not expect to be upgraded to a standard suite here even if one is available at check-in. Hopefully if enough people do make an issue of it the hotel management will change their tune.

Incidentally, the Buckhead and Accessible 1-Bedroom Suite With Tub suites are in fact standard suites despite their text descriptions saying that they’re premium suites. I know this because 1) they’re bookable with points as standard suites and 2) the Globalist agent confirmed that they are standard suites. I am not sure how the Studio King Suite is classified as it’s a lower level suite than the other two and doesn’t have a description of standard or premium.

ElevatorEnthusiast

How did she think calling Hyatt Corporate was going to go for them? How would that work out well for them? Gross.

hp12c

Honestly, it could have gone either way, and it very nearly did go their way. The Globalist agent did point out that the T&Cs say: The best room available will be determined by the applicable hotel or resort in its sole discretion and may vary from stay-to-stay.
Which technically gives any hotel a complete out from providing any upgrades but isn’t really in accordance with the spirit of the benefit and I imagine is there as a CYA for edge cases.

Ultimately, the agent did agree that I should get the suite and was kind enough to advocate for me. But yeah, it took about 30 minutes of my and her time.

And agree with your assessment - gross.

59Impala

good for you that you pushed. This „behavior“ should not be accepted.

madderlake

I'm guessing from this thread that the Grand or Thompson is the better bet in Buckhead for Globalists! I have a week stay coming up - leaning towards the Grand at this point since it's half the price of Thompson (and same price as Centric).

hp12c

59Impala

same here. I have booked 2 nights in October, one night with a Cat4 cert.
reading this here, I am considering the GH as well, where I could use the voucher as well. Thompson is more than double the GH, don’t think that is worth it.

thanks to all for the insights so far.

ThaPhenom

Looks like the Hyatt Centric Buckhead has opted out of participating in the the Suite Upgrade Awards program.

MSPeconomist

Really gross....and the property isn't even all that.