GUWonder

How far is the hotel away from the LIRR (train) stop?

Moonlight

Its less than 10mins from Ronkonkoma station. You can arrange for the hotel shuttle to pick you up. I called them when I got to the station and they picked me up within 10mins.
You can also stop at the station before, (I can't remember the name). The hotel is in between these 2 stations.

stephem

ok I'll answer my own question...
I wasnt there long enough to do more than get basic observations. It's in the process of being renovated, but the room I got was completed and it was nice. I would say one of the better rooms in the area, I was really not looking forward to this trip, but having a nice room made it tolerable. The bathroom had been nicely done in the standard Hyatt travertine-like tile. The lobby area is still in process, although it's not like there are holes in the wall or anything. I tried breakfast in the cafe downstairs in the morning and the food was ok, the service was horrendous. I was almost late for a meeting waiting for them to make my eggs, and there was nobody else in the place!
Overall, this is a nice property for this area, I'd recommend it if you have business in the area.

rfrost

The station before Ronkonkoma is Central Islip--is that the one you mean?

sergeic

I had done some searching before booking a room at Hyatt Wind Watch. However I couldn't find any recent stay reports so I decided to write one up.

Overall it's a very decent hotel, given its price compared to other NYC hotels (119@ for 2 nights, after using 100 off coupon). I was a little worried about some write up earlier this year when it just got converted from a Wyndham, and when the renovation was taking place. Right now, it seems like the lobby and the rooms are done. The corridors and elevators show some age, but that's a minor point.

The room's newly renovated --- I'd say it's done about half a year ago. New mattress, carpet, curtain, bathroom. I like the tiles in the bathroom --- the new style bathroom with the curved curtain rod. The TV was new --- Philips 27" flat screen, nothing too exciting, but very decent. I was given a corner room --- it's very spacious, the only complaint is that one curtain blind was missing, and was not replaced after reported.

The only issue is its distance from NYC, if you consider it as an NYC area hotel. It's located about an hour away from NYC, probably 1/2 if you drive fast at night with no traffic, and 2+ hours during rush hour. You need to know how to bypass traffic, like taking the Queens bridge if you're going to Upper East.

Overall it's a vey pleasant hotel and great option if you don't want to pay 400 for GH NYC and 300 for HR NJ during busy weeks.

Gabatta

Great hotel when visiting relatives on Long Island. IMO way way to far from the city to be considered a Manhattan alternative.

johnsmith

this is a pretty good hotel for LI--I've stayed there about 30 nights this year (with another 65 at the sheraton down the road)--the service is generally good, but they are trying to make up for the fact that Wyndham let this place go. The renovation is done and the hotel has a new lobby (with some cool flat screens behind the front desk), new rooms, new restaurants, etc.

Problem is the wireless internet is spotty (goes down about 2-3 times a month), they can't get bills under the doors b/c the doors were cut too low after the renovation, the rooms tend to be loud b/c Forrest Labs has training courses (with huge numbers of young, immature sales reps) at the hotel, etc.

Overall, a pretty good option for LI, but certainly not a NYC alternative

meducate

This is absolutely not a NYC area hotel!! I live closer to NYC then the hotel, and it is absolutely toooooooooooo far, traffic or not!!

sergeic

How does HR Wind Watch compare to Sheraton? It's quite hard to tell from the pictures on the corporate website...

sergeic

Took another trip to LI Hyatt Wind Watch. This time they claimed to have given me a "golf view upgrade". The room was much smaller than last time --- after spending some time reading the emergency exit map with no room numbers on it, I figured I was in one of those rooms with no balconies. They're apparently in the same inventory. Check in staff was not too helpful with some coupon issues, and held me there for 1/2 hour with no resolution. Heater in room was very loud, with an ancient thermostat --- so I guess YMMV at this property.

One question: if there are only two categoies of rooms for sale, King/Double and Golf View King/Double, what diamond upgrade should be given if I book golf view --- I know that there are suites at the property, but they don't seem to be too willing to give that away.

christianj

Stayed at the Wind Watch Hauppauge, NY property last night and figured I would add some comments to the thread since it had been over 1.5 years since anyone posted anything.

As a Diamond I was give a "golf course" view room as my upgrade! No Regency Club and thus no Regency Floor! Did receive a breakfast coupon and I would say that this is the only real Diamond benefit you receive at the hotel.

Hotel rooms are very nice and renovated but smaller in size than most hotel rooms I have stayed in recently. Furnishings were pretty standard for Hyatt but the room did have the new ipod docking station alarm clock.

Ordered room service and the food arrived as promised in approx. 30 minutes. The food was suprisingly good and nicely presented.

The biggest problem with this hotel IMHO is their lack of customer service. The three main issues were:
1. Hotel lists complimentary shuttle service to the ISLIP airport on their website. When I called down to find out when the shuttle service ran I was told that it did NOT run from 8-10am because the shuttle was used during that time to shuttle people over to the Computer Associates Headquarters during that time. I ended up paying $25 for a cab instead.
2. No newspaper and no bill under my door this morning so I had to stop at the front desk to checkout. (I was told there was no bill due to a printer issue but based on other comments above it is really because the doors are too close to the floor.)
3. No help with luggage by the bellman. The two bellman were standing in the lobby area talking when I arrived and when I left this morning.

Overall nice hotel but lacking in customer service! Would I stay there again...probably not. I think they really live from the Computer Associates Headquarters across the street.

thc

I think this is ludicrous. I would say something to the GM of that hotel and get some extra GP points or something.

rfrost

I've had a couple of (ahem) unnecessary stays there during FFN earning period, and oddly enough, they did manage to get the bill at least partly underneath my door. What annoyed me was that they could never get the bills to show the GP or 1W bonuses, and I recall making a series of calls to GP to a) get stay credit; b) get MC credit; and c) get the appropriate bonuses.

PointJunkie

Before Wyndham, this was the Marriott Wind Watch.

sfpaul900

I like the Hyatt Wind Watch very much. My partner and I stayed there one weekend and, after breakfast on Saturday morning, he went back up to the room before me. When I got back upstairs, I could tell that he was peeved about something. Turns out he was put out because the man in the elevator lobby made him push the elevator button himself, whereas the same man made a point of asking a woman which floor she wanted, and then stepped into the elevator to push the button for her.

It took me a minute to realize that the man in question was a 'Shabbos Goy', a Gentile hired by the family celebrating a Bar Mitzvah, to 'work' on the Sabbath, doing such prohibited chores as turning on lights and pressing elevator buttons for observant Jews. This didn't placate him, as he was questioning how the man knew he wasn't Jewish. 'Well', I replied, 'maybe the fact that you are Chinese had something to do with it'. He thought that over a bit, but I could tell he wasn't quite satisfied. Grasping at straws, I suggested that it was probably because he was dressed in jeans and guests at a Bar Mitzvah would've been more formally attired. Luckily he bought that, but it still didn't stop him from spending the entire drive out to Sag Harbor questioning me about Jewish practices and customs. (Thank goodness for the Internet, because it's been 30+ years since this non-observant Jew even thought about such things )