Hyatt Regency Fairfax (Fair Lakes) REVIEW - MASTER THREAD
Sep 20, 2014, 4:26 am
#61
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC or SEA depending on the week
Programs: UA 1k, Hyatt Diamond (no I will not use the new name), Marriott/ SPG lt Plat, JPM Reserve, Amex Plat
Posts: 303
As one who stays fairly regularly (100+ nights this year) at this facility, I would like to make the FT community aware of some changes.
First, the staff has had some turnover. This was predicated by a change in senior management, and from what I have seen, the effect seems to be a positive one in terms of customer service. For instance, they no longer even pretend to say they're going to charge me to have a mini-fridge in my room. Things seem to run a bit more efficiently, some maintenance issues were dealt with, and things just seem, for lack of a better word, "tighter". And for a AAA rate of $110~/nt, it's a pretty decent deal. There is even talk of a new menu in the restaurant, though I haven't seen it yet.
One thing to be aware of, though. The Suites here are just basically a 50% larger room at the end of each floor. It has a nice, panoramic view, but there are lots nicer suites at other facilities. And it seems that the new management has a significant number of the suites occupied by what appears to be his extended family, whom I have seen and heard regularly in and around those rooms and have seen interacting with him on more than one stay. I don't have any problem with the people themselves, it just tends to reduce availability of the suites. I've asked more than once to use my GP upgrades, and been told there weren't any.
First, the staff has had some turnover. This was predicated by a change in senior management, and from what I have seen, the effect seems to be a positive one in terms of customer service. For instance, they no longer even pretend to say they're going to charge me to have a mini-fridge in my room. Things seem to run a bit more efficiently, some maintenance issues were dealt with, and things just seem, for lack of a better word, "tighter". And for a AAA rate of $110~/nt, it's a pretty decent deal. There is even talk of a new menu in the restaurant, though I haven't seen it yet.
One thing to be aware of, though. The Suites here are just basically a 50% larger room at the end of each floor. It has a nice, panoramic view, but there are lots nicer suites at other facilities. And it seems that the new management has a significant number of the suites occupied by what appears to be his extended family, whom I have seen and heard regularly in and around those rooms and have seen interacting with him on more than one stay. I don't have any problem with the people themselves, it just tends to reduce availability of the suites. I've asked more than once to use my GP upgrades, and been told there weren't any.
Sep 10, 2015, 2:02 pm
#62
Join Date: Feb 2005
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hyatt Globlist, Hilton Silver, Amtrak Select Plus, UA Silver
Posts: 2,025
Also important to note that the hotel being sold to another hotel group (still Hyatt branded) is what prompted the change in staff and management, family of a senior manager occupying the presidential suite for approx 6 months and the renovations at the property. Overall positive changes that I have seen here.
Sep 13, 2015, 12:38 pm
#63
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Circle City
Posts: 3,568
Public area only. Rooms are circa late 1980s. That being said, I do like this hotel. The staff is nice, they are usually good with upgrading diamonds, the breakfast is fine, and it's nearby quite a few dining options (albeit mostly chains). My only real criticism is that the a/c and heating can be noisy.
Sep 14, 2015, 10:12 pm
#64
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Seattle
Programs: Hyatt, Marriott, Delta, Alaska
Posts: 636
Public area only. Rooms are circa late 1980s. That being said, I do like this hotel. The staff is nice, they are usually good with upgrading diamonds, the breakfast is fine, and it's nearby quite a few dining options (albeit mostly chains). My only real criticism is that the a/c and heating can be noisy.
They were good about the breakfast - I had to leave for work before they opened the restaurant, so they said I could get from the ready-to-eat cafe whatever I wanted, up to the cost of the breakfast. That worked out really well.
Jun 26, 2016, 1:51 pm
#66
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Mainly Hotels
Programs: Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, IHG
Posts: 83
If anyone is there for in the next little bit before they start the renovations, could you check out the stairwells? I walked the stairs last month and still have nightmares about it. Both ends are like dungeons with streaks of horrible paint. Instead of going back there, I will go anywhere else. The Merrifield Hyatt House is gorgeous, and one end even has a carpeted staircase. It would be good to tell Hyatt Fairfax management to include the stairwells in the renovation, which is desperately needed. Some hotels just feel dirty even though they get cleaned every day, and this is one of them.
Jul 24, 2016, 11:22 am
#68
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Mainly Hotels
Programs: Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, IHG
Posts: 83
I just checked Tripadvisor, skipping that annoying signin notice that comes up if you want to see the longer reviews. The renovation is starting in a couple of weeks. They turned the water off for 4 days in a row to get ready. Guests were not happy. Here is a review from yesterday:
"Ok, so we are travelling all the way from Sydney, Australia with kids...only to find this lovely notice in our room informing us that there is NO RUNNING WATER in the rooms from 9am to 6pm from 18-22 July. Well, tomorrow it will be the 23rd so let's hope we have running water when we wake up. Ridiculous. And no polite notice of this upon check in, either. We would not have stayed here had this water situation/renovation effect us. They shouldn't even be accepting bookings during this period. It's hot, people want showers. Esp when travelling with kids. And the rooms are "being renovated" so if you are after a modern room, this is not the place. The rooms were fairly clean (as clean as could be considering the wear and tear that comes with how old the room and furniture are), though, it all just felt worn and old."
"Ok, so we are travelling all the way from Sydney, Australia with kids...only to find this lovely notice in our room informing us that there is NO RUNNING WATER in the rooms from 9am to 6pm from 18-22 July. Well, tomorrow it will be the 23rd so let's hope we have running water when we wake up. Ridiculous. And no polite notice of this upon check in, either. We would not have stayed here had this water situation/renovation effect us. They shouldn't even be accepting bookings during this period. It's hot, people want showers. Esp when travelling with kids. And the rooms are "being renovated" so if you are after a modern room, this is not the place. The rooms were fairly clean (as clean as could be considering the wear and tear that comes with how old the room and furniture are), though, it all just felt worn and old."
Sep 27, 2016, 6:12 am
#69
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Mainly Hotels
Programs: Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, IHG
Posts: 83
It's safe to go back to the Hyatt Regency Fairfax. Some of the renovated rooms are ready. I had one on the 14th floor last night, a standard king. The water in the shower this morning was lukewarm at best, which really wasn't good, but there had been no other complaints by 6:00 AM. And the stairwells are unpainted and dungeon-like still -- very creepy.
There are no overhead lights. There's a big floor lamp kind of like a spotlight that can be dimmed or brightened. That comes on with the switch by the door. I moved it to the other side of the huge sectional to be able to read. The desk chair is not adjustable. There is no coffee table. Instead there's a largish tall table where the coffee table would be. Maybe it's for people who want to stand up and work or read the newspaper. The only outlet for a computer at the desk is in the lamp unless you are strong enough to pull out the desk and get to the outlet behind it. The TV is humongous but has limited channel selection. Yes to HGTV and all 4 ESPNs. No to Bravo, FS1, NBCSN, and a host of other channels that the Hyatt House Merrifield has. The Hyatt House Merrifield even has FS2 and the Tennis Channel. I think people who need a complete blackout will have trouble with that as the drapes don't overlap the wall. There's a bench that you can sit on and put your suitcase on where the TV partition is. The closet is open and half of it is taken up by a stand with a safe, two drawers, and a coffee maker. The view remains fantastic out of the huge Hyatt windows although the drapes are hard to get to in the living room section because they are behind the sectional. The photos above show a second lamp on a small table by the sectional. Maybe there is a second lamp in another version of the room.
Toiletries include a shower cap, but no toothpaste. I asked for some and was told that the hotel is out of toothpaste. The water pressure was good. The lever to switch the water from bath to shower did not pick up all of the water, though. The shower/tub combo was not slippery and there was no sign of the usual Hyatt rubber bathmat.
The exercise room was renovated before and is very nice with some machines and free weights in addition to the aerobic machines. Part of it has a rubberized black and white floor and part a wood laminate.
There are no overhead lights. There's a big floor lamp kind of like a spotlight that can be dimmed or brightened. That comes on with the switch by the door. I moved it to the other side of the huge sectional to be able to read. The desk chair is not adjustable. There is no coffee table. Instead there's a largish tall table where the coffee table would be. Maybe it's for people who want to stand up and work or read the newspaper. The only outlet for a computer at the desk is in the lamp unless you are strong enough to pull out the desk and get to the outlet behind it. The TV is humongous but has limited channel selection. Yes to HGTV and all 4 ESPNs. No to Bravo, FS1, NBCSN, and a host of other channels that the Hyatt House Merrifield has. The Hyatt House Merrifield even has FS2 and the Tennis Channel. I think people who need a complete blackout will have trouble with that as the drapes don't overlap the wall. There's a bench that you can sit on and put your suitcase on where the TV partition is. The closet is open and half of it is taken up by a stand with a safe, two drawers, and a coffee maker. The view remains fantastic out of the huge Hyatt windows although the drapes are hard to get to in the living room section because they are behind the sectional. The photos above show a second lamp on a small table by the sectional. Maybe there is a second lamp in another version of the room.
Toiletries include a shower cap, but no toothpaste. I asked for some and was told that the hotel is out of toothpaste. The water pressure was good. The lever to switch the water from bath to shower did not pick up all of the water, though. The shower/tub combo was not slippery and there was no sign of the usual Hyatt rubber bathmat.
The exercise room was renovated before and is very nice with some machines and free weights in addition to the aerobic machines. Part of it has a rubberized black and white floor and part a wood laminate.
Last edited by AmericanCasey; Jul 1, 2021 at 4:31 pm Reason: adding info
Oct 30, 2017, 4:08 pm
#72
Join Date: Feb 2005
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium (former PP), Hilton Silver, UA Silver, AS Member, Hertz 5*
Posts: 3,906
Breakfast is in a restaurant, and they have some snacks near the bar for globalist members Monday-Thursday evenings from 5-7 pm that includes free beer and wine.
Feb 23, 2019, 11:18 pm
#73
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA !K
Posts: 20,061
Some shots from November 2018 - 1228 is the east facing end suite:
Here's the best I could do in terms of generating a panorama that shows extent of the room - this is a screen crop that has the orienting tool showing but provides the best perspective of the room:
Room details:
Here's the view during the daytime:
As mentioned upthread, there's no Regency Club. FWIW, there is a Laundry Lounge:
Breakfast is down in the restaurant - buffet area:
FWIW
David
Here's the best I could do in terms of generating a panorama that shows extent of the room - this is a screen crop that has the orienting tool showing but provides the best perspective of the room:
Room details:
Here's the view during the daytime:
As mentioned upthread, there's no Regency Club. FWIW, there is a Laundry Lounge:
Breakfast is down in the restaurant - buffet area:
FWIW
David
Jan 13, 2021, 9:43 am
#75
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Chesapeake, VA
Programs: MR Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 108
use it mainly for a work travel hotel. Not the same globalist benefits. Breakfast was to-go last time I was there. Restaurant and bar is open 5-8pm I think (not long at all).