Hyatt Regency London Blackfriars - MASTER THREAD
Mar 26, 2024, 12:00 pm
#151
Join Date: Feb 2023
Posts: 58
Looking at rates for this property, I see that booking a Member Rate King room with Club Access is less expensive than booking a Bed & Breakfast rate King room with Club Access. According to reservations, both rates come with full English breakfast included. So, what’s the difference? I asked reservations and they recommended just booking the Member Rate King Club Access.
Mar 26, 2024, 12:22 pm
#152
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Lone Tree, CO
Programs: United Mileage Plus, BA Executive Club, Hyatt Gold Passport
Posts: 744
Mar 26, 2024, 12:26 pm
#153
Join Date: Feb 2023
Posts: 58
Just finishing off a three-night weekend stay here recovering from my clients having poisoned me with food I'm allergic to on Friday. At the right price, the hotel is convenient and a passable 3-4 Star option for serving the local area, but it's not comparable to a standard European Hyatt Regency and it's absolutely not comparable to the Hyatt Regency Churchill. Another mistake by Hyatt in not having a "Delta Hotels" type conversion brand, which is detrimental to their brand. I spent two nights in a Regency "Suite" and one night in a King Club Room.
My thoughts:
- The hardware looks like you see in several modern Hyatt Regencies (e.g. the HR Zurich Airport), but is noticeably lower quality and more limited in scope. For example, there is no closet (in the Club room the space for your luggage is also underneath the hangers, so you can't easily access your baggage under the dressing gowns and coats). Also, there is no desk unless you are in a suite, and the sofa in my King Club Room looked like it already needed replacing.
- There is no true Aircon/ climate control system, which I predict is going to be a major complaint come this summer. The temperature sensors are additionally not set correctly (I was comfortable under a duvet at 25 degrees) and in order to increase the heating you need to turn the target heat up 5+ degrees over where you want to get to (A very helpful engineer talked me through how to approach temperature in the room). Other elements of the room are also already falling apart - in the Suite the phone was wireless and would only charge if you hold it down and the USB-C power by the bed didn't work.
- Staff were friendly and enthusiastic (the Duty Manager offered me a bottle of wine for the inconvenience of having to change room when I wanted to extend - which was unnecessary but appreciated), but they clearly have to make do with a sub-par hard product: When I came down on the second morning because my phone was broken and so I couldn't call up to chase why the Engineer didn't come as promised to fix the heating, there was no surprise at all on reception or any recognition that's a an experience which should be apologised for
- You will not get a suite at the hotel. The Regency Suite is really just a large room with a very bad design which means the extra space is basically used up in a couple of hallways/ a large desk (which is a plus over the normal rooms). As if that wasn't bad enough, they've taken half of these large rooms and called them "Premium Suites" so that they don't need to go in the upgrade pool. Sharp practices, and not what I expect from a Hyatt
- I didn't hear any neighbours in the hotel, but the windows clearly haven't been sound-proofed and so the street-facing corner Suite was incredibly loud, with a sub-sonic vibration perhaps from some kind of nearby construction being particularly annoying if you put your ear on your pillow
- Housekeeping were pretty annoying. They knocked on my door despite the do not disturb sign being on at 10am on Sunday demanding to ask when I was leaving (When I was extremely clear on check-in that I was exercising my 4pm late checkout) and then again today at 11am (incl. opening the door when I said to wait) where housekeeping were adament they were told that I was to be checking out at 12. Again, not my problem as I was very clear on check-in that I'd be checking out at 4pm
- Breakfast was adequate, but the prominent blogger who described it as being better than the Churchill can't have believed what they were saying
- I spent 72 hours in bed, so didn't get a chance to check out the gym, or Club or F&B
- Pricing at launch was consistently around £350 a night which is ridiculous. I paid £240 which in today's market is fair enough and a sensible option for someone looking for a place in that price range in the highly specific Blackfriars area (or just south of the Thames)
The hotel has a better location and hard product than the Hyatt Regency Albert Embankment (but worse than the Andaz), so if in the future I really need Hyatt nights and am priced out of the true 4/ 5* options in London or if I am spending time in a building next to Blackfriars, I would consider this hotel again. Otherwise definitely not.
My thoughts:
- The hardware looks like you see in several modern Hyatt Regencies (e.g. the HR Zurich Airport), but is noticeably lower quality and more limited in scope. For example, there is no closet (in the Club room the space for your luggage is also underneath the hangers, so you can't easily access your baggage under the dressing gowns and coats). Also, there is no desk unless you are in a suite, and the sofa in my King Club Room looked like it already needed replacing.
- There is no true Aircon/ climate control system, which I predict is going to be a major complaint come this summer. The temperature sensors are additionally not set correctly (I was comfortable under a duvet at 25 degrees) and in order to increase the heating you need to turn the target heat up 5+ degrees over where you want to get to (A very helpful engineer talked me through how to approach temperature in the room). Other elements of the room are also already falling apart - in the Suite the phone was wireless and would only charge if you hold it down and the USB-C power by the bed didn't work.
- Staff were friendly and enthusiastic (the Duty Manager offered me a bottle of wine for the inconvenience of having to change room when I wanted to extend - which was unnecessary but appreciated), but they clearly have to make do with a sub-par hard product: When I came down on the second morning because my phone was broken and so I couldn't call up to chase why the Engineer didn't come as promised to fix the heating, there was no surprise at all on reception or any recognition that's a an experience which should be apologised for
- You will not get a suite at the hotel. The Regency Suite is really just a large room with a very bad design which means the extra space is basically used up in a couple of hallways/ a large desk (which is a plus over the normal rooms). As if that wasn't bad enough, they've taken half of these large rooms and called them "Premium Suites" so that they don't need to go in the upgrade pool. Sharp practices, and not what I expect from a Hyatt
- I didn't hear any neighbours in the hotel, but the windows clearly haven't been sound-proofed and so the street-facing corner Suite was incredibly loud, with a sub-sonic vibration perhaps from some kind of nearby construction being particularly annoying if you put your ear on your pillow
- Housekeeping were pretty annoying. They knocked on my door despite the do not disturb sign being on at 10am on Sunday demanding to ask when I was leaving (When I was extremely clear on check-in that I was exercising my 4pm late checkout) and then again today at 11am (incl. opening the door when I said to wait) where housekeeping were adament they were told that I was to be checking out at 12. Again, not my problem as I was very clear on check-in that I'd be checking out at 4pm
- Breakfast was adequate, but the prominent blogger who described it as being better than the Churchill can't have believed what they were saying
- I spent 72 hours in bed, so didn't get a chance to check out the gym, or Club or F&B
- Pricing at launch was consistently around £350 a night which is ridiculous. I paid £240 which in today's market is fair enough and a sensible option for someone looking for a place in that price range in the highly specific Blackfriars area (or just south of the Thames)
The hotel has a better location and hard product than the Hyatt Regency Albert Embankment (but worse than the Andaz), so if in the future I really need Hyatt nights and am priced out of the true 4/ 5* options in London or if I am spending time in a building next to Blackfriars, I would consider this hotel again. Otherwise definitely not.
- decor and furniture are modern but cheap. normally i don't care as long as it's functional but sharing a bed with a fidgety partner was a struggle. the bed/mattress shakes with every movement. did not experience this at churchill where the bed was extremely comfortable and solidly built
- the AC is whack and we def had to crank it up way higher than expected. it would also reset to 21 degrees everyday. we did call an engineer the first night when it didn't seem to be going up but he said everything was fine and it's just slow. he didnt actually guide us through any details like yours did
- the sound proofing is horrible. agree we also didn't hear neighbors but hallway noise is loud and clear along with any close by doors opening/shutting. in addition, even though we were facing away from the main street, can hear street noise very clearly - a man yelling at 3am, sirens, honks, speeding. also there was this strange clanking/banging noise every morning between 5:30-6am. i couldnt figure out what it was bc there's a ledge outside of the window that blocks the street view. it sounded like a garbage truck maybe but it was horrible for a light sleeper. the churchill room was so quiet....
- breakfast was decent but not as good as churchill in terms of selection and the fact that a la carte items are not included (there's a separate menu on the table). i do have to say that the happy hour canapes were very good and better quality than churchill
- service was interesting in that the staff is really nice and enthusiastic (more so than churchill which is more polite and reserved) - very proactive about getting/delivering our bags when we arrived, sent welcome macarons, called to make sure the room was ok. but it's obvious that certain areas are understaffed and workflow is not efficient. canape hour specifically gets very busy and you may end up waiting a long time (20-30 min) before someone comes to take your order bc there's only 1 (maybe 1.5) staff managing the entire lobby lounge. we even saw a front desk staff come apologize to a guest for the wait and then go talk to one of the staff members, leading to a tense conversation. even though i couldnt hear what they were saying, the staff member was giving off the vibe of "yes i know ppl are waiting and we're doing the best we can, what exactly do you want us to do?"
- housekeeping was similarly well intentioned but sloppy. we left a bit late the first day and called for our room to be cleaned. when we returned, it was clear that things were missed - plate/napkins/container from the welcome macarons were still sitting on the table, the trash was not taken out, and we weren't given extra waters. i'm also used to toiletries being neatly arranged on a towel but they were just kind of scattered like they were before we left. without us saying anything, a manager knocked on the door a bit later to ask if our room had been cleaned. we said yes and mentioned the issues. she had a staff member come back to take out the trash. the staff was profusely apologetic, took the trash, but still left the empty water bottles by the trash lol. it was a very confusing experience. the next day, we left around noon and came back to our room to find that it hadnt been cleaned. since we were leaving early the following day, we just let it be and didn't bother asking
- at checkout, the manager (Francis) asked for feedback and i did mention the happy hour/understaffing issue. he was very nice and thanked me for the feedback and validated what i said, giving me a long shpiel about brexit, the pandemic, and visa issues causing tens of thousands of hospitality workers to leave the UK to go back to their home countries. thus, resulting in a palpable shortage in the UK. he acknowledged that they are struggling with staffing, resulting in a lot of cross coverage and workflow issues, the latter being especially difficult for something like happy hour since they don't have a true lounge. anyway he was very nice and spoke candidly about the issues as well as his thoughts on other properties, and i really appreciated it.
overall, it's a decent property with a good location and reasonable price. i think it could make sense for some but personally, i will not be returning given the lack of comfort and gaps in service
Last edited by angel_yunjie; Mar 26, 2024 at 12:36 pm
Mar 26, 2024, 1:56 pm
#155
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Lone Tree, CO
Programs: United Mileage Plus, BA Executive Club, Hyatt Gold Passport
Posts: 744
just finished a 3 night stay (right after HR Churchill) and i 100% agree with these sentiments. specifically:
- decor and furniture are modern but cheap. normally i don't care as long as it's functional but sharing a bed with a fidgety partner was a struggle. the bed/mattress shakes with every movement. did not experience this at churchill where the bed was extremely comfortable and solidly built
- the AC is whack and we def had to crank it up way higher than expected. it would also reset to 21 degrees everyday. we did call an engineer the first night when it didn't seem to be going up but he said everything was fine and it's just slow. he didnt actually guide us through any details like yours did
- the sound proofing is horrible. agree we also didn't hear neighbors but hallway noise is loud and clear along with any close by doors opening/shutting. in addition, even though we were facing away from the main street, can hear street noise very clearly - a man yelling at 3am, sirens, honks, speeding. also there was this strange clanking/banging noise every morning between 5:30-6am. i couldnt figure out what it was bc there's a ledge outside of the window that blocks the street view. it sounded like a garbage truck maybe but it was horrible for a light sleeper. the churchill room was so quiet....
- breakfast was decent but not as good as churchill in terms of selection and the fact that a la carte items are not included (there's a separate menu on the table). i do have to say that the happy hour canapes were very good and better quality than churchill
- service was interesting in that the staff is really nice and enthusiastic (more so than churchill which is more polite and reserved) - very proactive about getting/delivering our bags when we arrived, sent welcome macarons, called to make sure the room was ok. but it's obvious that certain areas are understaffed and workflow is not efficient. canape hour specifically gets very busy and you may end up waiting a long time (20-30 min) before someone comes to take your order bc there's only 1 (maybe 1.5) staff managing the entire lobby lounge. we even saw a front desk staff come apologize to a guest for the wait and then go talk to one of the staff members, leading to a tense conversation. even though i couldnt hear what they were saying, the staff member was giving off the vibe of "yes i know ppl are waiting and we're doing the best we can, what exactly do you want us to do?"
- housekeeping was similarly well intentioned but sloppy. we left a bit late the first day and called for our room to be cleaned. when we returned, it was clear that things were missed - plate/napkins/container from the welcome macarons were still sitting on the table, the trash was not taken out, and we weren't given extra waters. i'm also used to toiletries being neatly arranged on a towel but they were just kind of scattered like they were before we left. without us saying anything, a manager knocked on the door a bit later to ask if our room had been cleaned. we said yes and mentioned the issues. she had a staff member come back to take out the trash. the staff was profusely apologetic, took the trash, but still left the empty water bottles by the trash lol. it was a very confusing experience. the next day, we left around noon and came back to our room to find that it hadnt been cleaned. since we were leaving early the following day, we just let it be and didn't bother asking
- at checkout, the manager (Francis) asked for feedback and i did mention the happy hour/understaffing issue. he was very nice and thanked me for the feedback and validated what i said, giving me a long shpiel about brexit, the pandemic, and visa issues causing tens of thousands of hospitality workers to leave the UK to go back to their home countries. thus, resulting in a palpable shortage in the UK. he acknowledged that they are struggling with staffing, resulting in a lot of cross coverage and workflow issues, the latter being especially difficult for something like happy hour since they don't have a true lounge. anyway he was very nice and spoke candidly about the issues as well as his thoughts on other properties, and i really appreciated it.
overall, it's a decent property with a good location and reasonable price. i think it could make sense for some but personally, i will not be returning given the lack of comfort and gaps in service
- decor and furniture are modern but cheap. normally i don't care as long as it's functional but sharing a bed with a fidgety partner was a struggle. the bed/mattress shakes with every movement. did not experience this at churchill where the bed was extremely comfortable and solidly built
- the AC is whack and we def had to crank it up way higher than expected. it would also reset to 21 degrees everyday. we did call an engineer the first night when it didn't seem to be going up but he said everything was fine and it's just slow. he didnt actually guide us through any details like yours did
- the sound proofing is horrible. agree we also didn't hear neighbors but hallway noise is loud and clear along with any close by doors opening/shutting. in addition, even though we were facing away from the main street, can hear street noise very clearly - a man yelling at 3am, sirens, honks, speeding. also there was this strange clanking/banging noise every morning between 5:30-6am. i couldnt figure out what it was bc there's a ledge outside of the window that blocks the street view. it sounded like a garbage truck maybe but it was horrible for a light sleeper. the churchill room was so quiet....
- breakfast was decent but not as good as churchill in terms of selection and the fact that a la carte items are not included (there's a separate menu on the table). i do have to say that the happy hour canapes were very good and better quality than churchill
- service was interesting in that the staff is really nice and enthusiastic (more so than churchill which is more polite and reserved) - very proactive about getting/delivering our bags when we arrived, sent welcome macarons, called to make sure the room was ok. but it's obvious that certain areas are understaffed and workflow is not efficient. canape hour specifically gets very busy and you may end up waiting a long time (20-30 min) before someone comes to take your order bc there's only 1 (maybe 1.5) staff managing the entire lobby lounge. we even saw a front desk staff come apologize to a guest for the wait and then go talk to one of the staff members, leading to a tense conversation. even though i couldnt hear what they were saying, the staff member was giving off the vibe of "yes i know ppl are waiting and we're doing the best we can, what exactly do you want us to do?"
- housekeeping was similarly well intentioned but sloppy. we left a bit late the first day and called for our room to be cleaned. when we returned, it was clear that things were missed - plate/napkins/container from the welcome macarons were still sitting on the table, the trash was not taken out, and we weren't given extra waters. i'm also used to toiletries being neatly arranged on a towel but they were just kind of scattered like they were before we left. without us saying anything, a manager knocked on the door a bit later to ask if our room had been cleaned. we said yes and mentioned the issues. she had a staff member come back to take out the trash. the staff was profusely apologetic, took the trash, but still left the empty water bottles by the trash lol. it was a very confusing experience. the next day, we left around noon and came back to our room to find that it hadnt been cleaned. since we were leaving early the following day, we just let it be and didn't bother asking
- at checkout, the manager (Francis) asked for feedback and i did mention the happy hour/understaffing issue. he was very nice and thanked me for the feedback and validated what i said, giving me a long shpiel about brexit, the pandemic, and visa issues causing tens of thousands of hospitality workers to leave the UK to go back to their home countries. thus, resulting in a palpable shortage in the UK. he acknowledged that they are struggling with staffing, resulting in a lot of cross coverage and workflow issues, the latter being especially difficult for something like happy hour since they don't have a true lounge. anyway he was very nice and spoke candidly about the issues as well as his thoughts on other properties, and i really appreciated it.
overall, it's a decent property with a good location and reasonable price. i think it could make sense for some but personally, i will not be returning given the lack of comfort and gaps in service
Mar 26, 2024, 3:00 pm
#156
Join Date: Feb 2023
Posts: 58
I’m a bit conflicted at the moment. I’ve had wonderful experiences with The Churchill in the past, but with breakfast added on, their rates are 100 pounds more than a room with club access at Blackfriars. I’m hoping rates at the Churchill come down as our dates get closer.
Mar 26, 2024, 3:41 pm
#157
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Lone Tree, CO
Programs: United Mileage Plus, BA Executive Club, Hyatt Gold Passport
Posts: 744
yea that's tough. we used points so it was a smaller difference. plus we were lucky enough to get a suite upgrade at churchill, which more than made up for the difference. i think it really depends on your travel style and expectations - if you spend the majority of your day out and are not light sleepers, i think the rest will just be a minor inconvenience. but if you are a frequent traveler expecting a high level of service and/or spend a lot of time at the hotel, it might be more frustrating
The noise factor could be an issue. Looks like the Blackfriars is in a busier area than the Churchill. On the other hand, I like having the tube station just across the street at Blackfriars (I used to stay at the Hilton London Metropole and loved having Edgware Road Station just across the street). Being on the Circle line has its advantages too with easy access to Westminster and the Tower of London.
Oh well, we’ll see what happens with rates over the next few weeks.
Mar 26, 2024, 4:57 pm
#158
Join Date: Aug 2018
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 114
Had recent 4 day stay here. Used SUA to upgrade to standard suite. Agree with others that it is absolutely not worth an SUA; the suite just feels like a regular corner room, pretty small. Breakfast was average. Location was good, right across the street from Blackfriars Metro stop which was good. The club lounge is not a dedicated lounge; its in a separate room of the restaurant during weekdays, but during weekends is in the lobby bar where you have to order everything at the bar; wine/beer/basic drinks included. Hors d'oeuvres were the same every day, but pretty good. At 18k points a night I think the value was pretty good for London.
Mar 30, 2024, 4:33 am
#159
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Programs: Hyatt Explorist, Marriott Lifetime Gold, Hilton Silver, Delta Platinum, AA Platinum Pro
Posts: 47
In the midst of a stay here and find there is much to like about the property. Unlike others I do not perceive the hard product as "cheap" other than more wood laminate than real wood everywhere. The design is what I would call "neutral modern" ... attractive albeit it a bit generic. The tile work in the baths, however, is particularly good (great water pressure, too). The rooms are large for a major city and having a chaise or small sofa, and a lounge chair provided lots of seating options for different purposes or preferences.
While not a massive space, the gym has sufficient cardio equipment (on stationary bike, one elliptical, two treadmills, and one rowing machine) and weights (dumbbells and two benches, plus several machines including an adjustable dual arm multipurpose cable) for the typical person to enjoy a full workout. Rarely were than 1-2 others there at the same time. Foam rollers, mats, medicine balls, and yoga/abs balls are also available.
Now, about the interior noise. It remains a concern, particularly for certain rooms. Based on comments here, I proactively reached out to the management to express my desire for a quiet room and if that was not possible, I would simply stay elsewhere. They responded quickly and thoughtfully and so I made my reservation. Upon arrival, the manager on duty greeted me and informed they had placed me in a larger king room at the end of a hallway to ensure a more quiet guest experience. Wile this location proved quiet from a hallway noise standpoint, the ductwork in this property often has two rooms sharing a duct so the noise travels seamlessly between them. I could easily hear every conversation from the adjoining room who in no way were being excessively loud.
The property is aware of this issue and continues to learn from guest feedback and their own trial and error as to which rooms require remediation, something they are actively pursuing. They said my room had not been previously flagged as one needing attention. Ultimately I moved to another room. While it was one with a less desirable interior view, it was perfectly silent. I spoke about this change with the same manager on duty the next day and he informed me the hotel had originally tried to give me a quiet room with a desirable view and more space. Makes sense for a Hyatt elite, but in my case, a less desirable view and pure quiet was my priority. As such, I would suggest transparent outreach to the property management if you have concerns about noise so they can place you in a room aligned with YOUR priorities. I'm also here on Easter weekend and the managers said they have a much higher percentage of families as guests than is typical for the property.
The larger number of families led to a less than desirable lounge experience Friday evening in the small space of the NYnLON restaurant that serves as the lounge ( as opposed to the much larger lobby space used on Saturday and Sundays). Families had taken over most of the tables, stealing chairs from other tables and pushing some together. I was "invited" to take a seat at the bar in the restaurant where I was promptly forgotten (out of sight, out of mind). The lone server for the lounge seemed young, somewhat inexperienced, and lacking the interpersonal skills to provide a welcoming experience, let alone assertively manage the number of groups. The canapes were excellent, however, but the first evening no explanation was provided when they were delivered to me, something I find of concern given people's food preferences, let alone potential allergies. The second evening I requested vegetarian offerings, the chef easily accommodated them, and the more polished servers described the items when delivering them.
Families again commanded most of the attention at breakfast in the restaurant space. I checked in at Cricket's restaurant which was very busy, but was seated across the way in NYnLON where only 8-10 tables were being used. After being greeted and seated, no server ever again approached my table despite dishes needed clearing and my desire for another pot of tea. Families all round me, however received a constant stream of server visits. How the staff did not notice other tables needing attention is beyond me. And as a former restaurant manager, I was disappointed to see staff consistently moving so quickly through the space to be borderline running. It didn't really get them anywhere that much faster, and it projected a somewhat chaotic sense and inhospitable environment. I was particularly surprised they acted in this manner when so few tables were in use. Breakfast in the Hyatt Churchill restaurant in contrast, despite being much much busier, seems to be better managed by staff whenever I have stayed there. In addition the Churchill breakfast buffet has somewhat more expansive options than what were offered in NYnLON. But what was offered is still substantial: assorted pastries and breads, yogurts and cereals, charcuterie and cheeses, scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, mushrooms, beans. I definitely left full each morning.
Despite these misgivings, I would likely return, particularly when discounted point rates are available. 17K/night for my stay plus a club upgrade provided a good ROI overall. I enjoyed the lobby lounge for weekend canapes and for beverages throughout the day. My initial king room had a large desktop space where I could spread materials out and was quite conducive to work. While the room to which I relocated did not have a desk, the table adjacent to the curved couch served that purpose fine. The couch was firm so it was conducive to sitting and working, something that is not always the case. The location is great for transit and a 20-30 minute walk gets you to many popular locations/attractions. For quick grab and go, you have a Tesco express and Sainsbury Local adjacent to the property, and a few blocks away is an M&S takeaway for sandwiches and salads.
Most importantly, most of the staff have been welcoming, upbeat, and responsive, particularly those on the management team. I sense a real desire to provide a great guest experience and a willingness to act on guest feedback to help make that happen. I'm likely to given them another chance and see just how things improve.
While not a massive space, the gym has sufficient cardio equipment (on stationary bike, one elliptical, two treadmills, and one rowing machine) and weights (dumbbells and two benches, plus several machines including an adjustable dual arm multipurpose cable) for the typical person to enjoy a full workout. Rarely were than 1-2 others there at the same time. Foam rollers, mats, medicine balls, and yoga/abs balls are also available.
Now, about the interior noise. It remains a concern, particularly for certain rooms. Based on comments here, I proactively reached out to the management to express my desire for a quiet room and if that was not possible, I would simply stay elsewhere. They responded quickly and thoughtfully and so I made my reservation. Upon arrival, the manager on duty greeted me and informed they had placed me in a larger king room at the end of a hallway to ensure a more quiet guest experience. Wile this location proved quiet from a hallway noise standpoint, the ductwork in this property often has two rooms sharing a duct so the noise travels seamlessly between them. I could easily hear every conversation from the adjoining room who in no way were being excessively loud.
The property is aware of this issue and continues to learn from guest feedback and their own trial and error as to which rooms require remediation, something they are actively pursuing. They said my room had not been previously flagged as one needing attention. Ultimately I moved to another room. While it was one with a less desirable interior view, it was perfectly silent. I spoke about this change with the same manager on duty the next day and he informed me the hotel had originally tried to give me a quiet room with a desirable view and more space. Makes sense for a Hyatt elite, but in my case, a less desirable view and pure quiet was my priority. As such, I would suggest transparent outreach to the property management if you have concerns about noise so they can place you in a room aligned with YOUR priorities. I'm also here on Easter weekend and the managers said they have a much higher percentage of families as guests than is typical for the property.
The larger number of families led to a less than desirable lounge experience Friday evening in the small space of the NYnLON restaurant that serves as the lounge ( as opposed to the much larger lobby space used on Saturday and Sundays). Families had taken over most of the tables, stealing chairs from other tables and pushing some together. I was "invited" to take a seat at the bar in the restaurant where I was promptly forgotten (out of sight, out of mind). The lone server for the lounge seemed young, somewhat inexperienced, and lacking the interpersonal skills to provide a welcoming experience, let alone assertively manage the number of groups. The canapes were excellent, however, but the first evening no explanation was provided when they were delivered to me, something I find of concern given people's food preferences, let alone potential allergies. The second evening I requested vegetarian offerings, the chef easily accommodated them, and the more polished servers described the items when delivering them.
Families again commanded most of the attention at breakfast in the restaurant space. I checked in at Cricket's restaurant which was very busy, but was seated across the way in NYnLON where only 8-10 tables were being used. After being greeted and seated, no server ever again approached my table despite dishes needed clearing and my desire for another pot of tea. Families all round me, however received a constant stream of server visits. How the staff did not notice other tables needing attention is beyond me. And as a former restaurant manager, I was disappointed to see staff consistently moving so quickly through the space to be borderline running. It didn't really get them anywhere that much faster, and it projected a somewhat chaotic sense and inhospitable environment. I was particularly surprised they acted in this manner when so few tables were in use. Breakfast in the Hyatt Churchill restaurant in contrast, despite being much much busier, seems to be better managed by staff whenever I have stayed there. In addition the Churchill breakfast buffet has somewhat more expansive options than what were offered in NYnLON. But what was offered is still substantial: assorted pastries and breads, yogurts and cereals, charcuterie and cheeses, scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, mushrooms, beans. I definitely left full each morning.
Despite these misgivings, I would likely return, particularly when discounted point rates are available. 17K/night for my stay plus a club upgrade provided a good ROI overall. I enjoyed the lobby lounge for weekend canapes and for beverages throughout the day. My initial king room had a large desktop space where I could spread materials out and was quite conducive to work. While the room to which I relocated did not have a desk, the table adjacent to the curved couch served that purpose fine. The couch was firm so it was conducive to sitting and working, something that is not always the case. The location is great for transit and a 20-30 minute walk gets you to many popular locations/attractions. For quick grab and go, you have a Tesco express and Sainsbury Local adjacent to the property, and a few blocks away is an M&S takeaway for sandwiches and salads.
Most importantly, most of the staff have been welcoming, upbeat, and responsive, particularly those on the management team. I sense a real desire to provide a great guest experience and a willingness to act on guest feedback to help make that happen. I'm likely to given them another chance and see just how things improve.
Last edited by IndyJeffrey; Apr 1, 2024 at 5:57 am
Apr 2, 2024, 6:41 am
#160
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 78
In the midst of a stay here and find there is much to like about the property. Unlike others I do not perceive the hard product as "cheap" other than more wood laminate than real wood everywhere. The design is what I would call "neutral modern" ... attractive albeit it a bit generic. The tile work in the baths, however, is particularly good (great water pressure, too). The rooms are large for a major city and having a chaise or small sofa, and a lounge chair provided lots of seating options for different purposes or preferences.
While not a massive space, the gym has sufficient cardio equipment (on stationary bike, one elliptical, two treadmills, and one rowing machine) and weights (dumbbells and two benches, plus several machines including an adjustable dual arm multipurpose cable) for the typical person to enjoy a full workout. Rarely were than 1-2 others there at the same time. Foam rollers, mats, medicine balls, and yoga/abs balls are also available.
Now, about the interior noise. It remains a concern, particularly for certain rooms. Based on comments here, I proactively reached out to the management to express my desire for a quiet room and if that was not possible, I would simply stay elsewhere. They responded quickly and thoughtfully and so I made my reservation. Upon arrival, the manager on duty greeted me and informed they had placed me in a larger king room at the end of a hallway to ensure a more quiet guest experience. Wile this location proved quiet from a hallway noise standpoint, the ductwork in this property often has two rooms sharing a duct so the noise travels seamlessly between them. I could easily hear every conversation from the adjoining room who in no way were being excessively loud.
The property is aware of this issue and continues to learn from guest feedback and their own trial and error as to which rooms require remediation, something they are actively pursuing. They said my room had not been previously flagged as one needing attention. Ultimately I moved to another room. While it was one with a less desirable interior view, it was perfectly silent. I spoke about this change with the same manager on duty the next day and he informed me the hotel had originally tried to give me a quiet room with a desirable view and more space. Makes sense for a Hyatt elite, but in my case, a less desirable view and pure quiet was my priority. As such, I would suggest transparent outreach to the property management if you have concerns about noise so they can place you in a room aligned with YOUR priorities. I'm also here on Easter weekend and the managers said they have a much higher percentage of families as guests than is typical for the property.
The larger number of families led to a less than desirable lounge experience Friday evening in the small space of the NYnLON restaurant that serves as the lounge ( as opposed to the much larger lobby space used on Saturday and Sundays). Families had taken over most of the tables, stealing chairs from other tables and pushing some together. I was "invited" to take a seat at the bar in the restaurant where I was promptly forgotten (out of sight, out of mind). The lone server for the lounge seemed young, somewhat inexperienced, and lacking the interpersonal skills to provide a welcoming experience, let alone assertively manage the number of groups. The canapes were excellent, however, but the first evening no explanation was provided when they were delivered to me, something I find of concern given people's food preferences, let alone potential allergies. The second evening I requested vegetarian offerings, the chef easily accommodated them, and the more polished servers described the items when delivering them.
Families again commanded most of the attention at breakfast in the restaurant space. I checked in at Cricket's restaurant which was very busy, but was seated across the way in NYnLON where only 8-10 tables were being used. After being greeted and seated, no server ever again approached my table despite dishes needed clearing and my desire for another pot of tea. Families all round me, however received a constant stream of server visits. How the staff did not notice other tables needing attention is beyond me. And as a former restaurant manager, I was disappointed to see staff consistently moving so quickly through the space to be borderline running. It didn't really get them anywhere that much faster, and it projected a somewhat chaotic sense and inhospitable environment. I was particularly surprised they acted in this manner when so few tables were in use. Breakfast in the Hyatt Churchill restaurant in contrast, despite being much much busier, seems to be better managed by staff whenever I have stayed there. In addition the Churchill breakfast buffet has somewhat more expansive options than what were offered in NYnLON. But what was offered is still substantial: assorted pastries and breads, yogurts and cereals, charcuterie and cheeses, scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, mushrooms, beans. I definitely left full each morning.
Despite these misgivings, I would likely return, particularly when discounted point rates are available. 17K/night for my stay plus a club upgrade provided a good ROI overall. I enjoyed the lobby lounge for weekend canapes and for beverages throughout the day. My initial king room had a large desktop space where I could spread materials out and was quite conducive to work. While the room to which I relocated did not have a desk, the table adjacent to the curved couch served that purpose fine. The couch was firm so it was conducive to sitting and working, something that is not always the case. The location is great for transit and a 20-30 minute walk gets you to many popular locations/attractions. For quick grab and go, you have a Tesco express and Sainsbury Local adjacent to the property, and a few blocks away is an M&S takeaway for sandwiches and salads.
Most importantly, most of the staff have been welcoming, upbeat, and responsive, particularly those on the management team. I sense a real desire to provide a great guest experience and a willingness to act on guest feedback to help make that happen. I'm likely to given them another chance and see just how things improve.
While not a massive space, the gym has sufficient cardio equipment (on stationary bike, one elliptical, two treadmills, and one rowing machine) and weights (dumbbells and two benches, plus several machines including an adjustable dual arm multipurpose cable) for the typical person to enjoy a full workout. Rarely were than 1-2 others there at the same time. Foam rollers, mats, medicine balls, and yoga/abs balls are also available.
Now, about the interior noise. It remains a concern, particularly for certain rooms. Based on comments here, I proactively reached out to the management to express my desire for a quiet room and if that was not possible, I would simply stay elsewhere. They responded quickly and thoughtfully and so I made my reservation. Upon arrival, the manager on duty greeted me and informed they had placed me in a larger king room at the end of a hallway to ensure a more quiet guest experience. Wile this location proved quiet from a hallway noise standpoint, the ductwork in this property often has two rooms sharing a duct so the noise travels seamlessly between them. I could easily hear every conversation from the adjoining room who in no way were being excessively loud.
The property is aware of this issue and continues to learn from guest feedback and their own trial and error as to which rooms require remediation, something they are actively pursuing. They said my room had not been previously flagged as one needing attention. Ultimately I moved to another room. While it was one with a less desirable interior view, it was perfectly silent. I spoke about this change with the same manager on duty the next day and he informed me the hotel had originally tried to give me a quiet room with a desirable view and more space. Makes sense for a Hyatt elite, but in my case, a less desirable view and pure quiet was my priority. As such, I would suggest transparent outreach to the property management if you have concerns about noise so they can place you in a room aligned with YOUR priorities. I'm also here on Easter weekend and the managers said they have a much higher percentage of families as guests than is typical for the property.
The larger number of families led to a less than desirable lounge experience Friday evening in the small space of the NYnLON restaurant that serves as the lounge ( as opposed to the much larger lobby space used on Saturday and Sundays). Families had taken over most of the tables, stealing chairs from other tables and pushing some together. I was "invited" to take a seat at the bar in the restaurant where I was promptly forgotten (out of sight, out of mind). The lone server for the lounge seemed young, somewhat inexperienced, and lacking the interpersonal skills to provide a welcoming experience, let alone assertively manage the number of groups. The canapes were excellent, however, but the first evening no explanation was provided when they were delivered to me, something I find of concern given people's food preferences, let alone potential allergies. The second evening I requested vegetarian offerings, the chef easily accommodated them, and the more polished servers described the items when delivering them.
Families again commanded most of the attention at breakfast in the restaurant space. I checked in at Cricket's restaurant which was very busy, but was seated across the way in NYnLON where only 8-10 tables were being used. After being greeted and seated, no server ever again approached my table despite dishes needed clearing and my desire for another pot of tea. Families all round me, however received a constant stream of server visits. How the staff did not notice other tables needing attention is beyond me. And as a former restaurant manager, I was disappointed to see staff consistently moving so quickly through the space to be borderline running. It didn't really get them anywhere that much faster, and it projected a somewhat chaotic sense and inhospitable environment. I was particularly surprised they acted in this manner when so few tables were in use. Breakfast in the Hyatt Churchill restaurant in contrast, despite being much much busier, seems to be better managed by staff whenever I have stayed there. In addition the Churchill breakfast buffet has somewhat more expansive options than what were offered in NYnLON. But what was offered is still substantial: assorted pastries and breads, yogurts and cereals, charcuterie and cheeses, scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, mushrooms, beans. I definitely left full each morning.
Despite these misgivings, I would likely return, particularly when discounted point rates are available. 17K/night for my stay plus a club upgrade provided a good ROI overall. I enjoyed the lobby lounge for weekend canapes and for beverages throughout the day. My initial king room had a large desktop space where I could spread materials out and was quite conducive to work. While the room to which I relocated did not have a desk, the table adjacent to the curved couch served that purpose fine. The couch was firm so it was conducive to sitting and working, something that is not always the case. The location is great for transit and a 20-30 minute walk gets you to many popular locations/attractions. For quick grab and go, you have a Tesco express and Sainsbury Local adjacent to the property, and a few blocks away is an M&S takeaway for sandwiches and salads.
Most importantly, most of the staff have been welcoming, upbeat, and responsive, particularly those on the management team. I sense a real desire to provide a great guest experience and a willingness to act on guest feedback to help make that happen. I'm likely to given them another chance and see just how things improve.
Apr 8, 2024, 11:55 am
#162
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: DYKWIA, But I'm a "Diamond Guest" UA 1K/2MM
Posts: 2,258
...The lone server for the lounge seemed young, somewhat inexperienced, and lacking the interpersonal skills to provide a welcoming experience, let alone assertively manage the number of groups. ....Families again commanded most of the attention at breakfast in the restaurant space. .... Families all round me, however received a constant stream of server visits. How the staff did not notice other tables needing attention is beyond me....
Apr 9, 2024, 9:27 pm
#163
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 181
I completed a week long stay here with my family. We stayed in a Regency Suite and I thought the room was comfortable and spacious, but really should be named a Large Corner Room. There is ample space for a rollaway bed (£70/night, originally £50 when I booked last year, they did honor the price when I questioned my charge). As mentioned above, interior noise was also an issue in our room (127). We had noisy neighbors on a few days of our stay and it sounded like they were right inside our room. Excellent water pressure in the shower and comfortable beds. My only complaint is the (synthetic) bedding sleeps too warm.
Breakfast was served in the Chinese Cricket Club. The buffet had the exact same offerings every single day of our stay. We sat in NYnLon one morning when the main restaurant was full, and while it is quieter in there, the buffet selection is smaller. Service was rather inconsistent. Some staff were always friendly and attentive while others made you feel like an inconvenience.
Only made it to the lounge twice and the whole experience was just weird. We went to City Lounge one day and NYnLON the next and I couldn’t really figure out what was going on. Each lounge had 1 or 2 staff member but it was hard to tell who was actually serving guests vs doing other tasks. We seated ourselves and waited a while before getting the attention of staff member to order food and drinks. There is no drink menu so just order whatever you want I guess. The canapé selection was tasty both days we had it. The staff are friendly when you can get their attention.
The hotel did an Easter egg hunt for kids on Easter Sunday which I thought was a nice touch. There were plastic eggs stuffed with little prizes hidden around lobby / restaurant areas, find 3 and trade it in for a big prize. The prize was a full size chocolate Easter egg.
The fire alarm went off at 1am one night of our stay and they evacuated the whole hotel. We learned the next morning it was a false alarm, they tripped the alarm while cleaning the kitchen. A note was placed under our doors the next morning explaining this and apologizing for the inconvenience.
Housekeeping came by every morning between 9-10am to service the rooms. We were on our way out by then so it wasn’t an issue for us.
I thought the hotel was in an excellent location and I appreciated how quiet it was in the neighboring area at night. It was an easy 20 min walk to Covent Garden. Blackfriars tube and train station is right across the street. For sights we were visiting not conveniently connected by the tube, we just took the bus. (Stops are just a block north on Fleet Street, or two blocks north on Holborn).
Getting to/from Heathrow was also very easy. Arriving there was a service disruption on the Elizabeth line so we took the Piccadilly Line then transferred to the Circle/District line which let us off at Blackfriars right across the street from the hotel. Leaving the Elizabeth line was operational so we took a cab to Farringdon station, then the train right to T5.
Overall despite the inconsistencies with service, we had a good stay and I would stay here again. The points + cash rate was 17k points + £99/night for the Regency Suite High Street View
Breakfast was served in the Chinese Cricket Club. The buffet had the exact same offerings every single day of our stay. We sat in NYnLon one morning when the main restaurant was full, and while it is quieter in there, the buffet selection is smaller. Service was rather inconsistent. Some staff were always friendly and attentive while others made you feel like an inconvenience.
Only made it to the lounge twice and the whole experience was just weird. We went to City Lounge one day and NYnLON the next and I couldn’t really figure out what was going on. Each lounge had 1 or 2 staff member but it was hard to tell who was actually serving guests vs doing other tasks. We seated ourselves and waited a while before getting the attention of staff member to order food and drinks. There is no drink menu so just order whatever you want I guess. The canapé selection was tasty both days we had it. The staff are friendly when you can get their attention.
The hotel did an Easter egg hunt for kids on Easter Sunday which I thought was a nice touch. There were plastic eggs stuffed with little prizes hidden around lobby / restaurant areas, find 3 and trade it in for a big prize. The prize was a full size chocolate Easter egg.
The fire alarm went off at 1am one night of our stay and they evacuated the whole hotel. We learned the next morning it was a false alarm, they tripped the alarm while cleaning the kitchen. A note was placed under our doors the next morning explaining this and apologizing for the inconvenience.
Housekeeping came by every morning between 9-10am to service the rooms. We were on our way out by then so it wasn’t an issue for us.
I thought the hotel was in an excellent location and I appreciated how quiet it was in the neighboring area at night. It was an easy 20 min walk to Covent Garden. Blackfriars tube and train station is right across the street. For sights we were visiting not conveniently connected by the tube, we just took the bus. (Stops are just a block north on Fleet Street, or two blocks north on Holborn).
Getting to/from Heathrow was also very easy. Arriving there was a service disruption on the Elizabeth line so we took the Piccadilly Line then transferred to the Circle/District line which let us off at Blackfriars right across the street from the hotel. Leaving the Elizabeth line was operational so we took a cab to Farringdon station, then the train right to T5.
Overall despite the inconsistencies with service, we had a good stay and I would stay here again. The points + cash rate was 17k points + £99/night for the Regency Suite High Street View
Apr 21, 2024, 1:44 am
#164
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 59
Recent Globalist looking at a weeks stay near end of the year...first time in London. I've read all the comparisons between this and Churchill. I'm leaning towards Churchill but it's 30k pts more for the 5 nights. I think Churchill is closer to the main attractions and better recognition, but someone please chime in if in a similar predicament or have experience? Thanks!
Apr 21, 2024, 2:02 am
#165
Join Date: Feb 2023
Posts: 58
Recent Globalist looking at a weeks stay near end of the year...first time in London. I've read all the comparisons between this and Churchill. I'm leaning towards Churchill but it's 30k pts more for the 5 nights. I think Churchill is closer to the main attractions and better recognition, but someone please chime in if in a similar predicament or have experience? Thanks!