Manthis1

So silly me decided to stay at a Hyatt for a pleasure trip to Grand Hyatt NYC, we booked two rooms (my wife and her siblings were all coming). So far so good right here is where it gets fun:

We enter the second room and key works fine. After the first use the keys stopped working. 5 trips up and down to the front desk so the morons manning their stations could see if I was dumb enough to keep coming back, well I was. Finally, they decide to send security up or better yet have them meet us outside our door. 40 minutes later after two phone calls to the front desk and a calm exchange with the manager on duty finnally they let us in our room because it took security four tries because apparently the battery was dead in the door. So they ask if they can send an engineer to come fix the door - sure no problem because what good is a room if you can't come and go without security letting you in. So the engineer comes changes the battery and resets the lock and tells us we can get new keys in the morning. So in the morning silly me thinks everything will be fine so I go down get keys and go back to the room and guess what they don't work. This time I go right for the manager on duty, "we are so sorry blah blah never happened before blah blah..." and yet another person who thinks I am an idiot so she comes up with keys because I might be too stupid to use the key in the lock. Guess what it still didn't work.... Here is where it gets good - they tell us they will set us up in a new room and we can stop by after the yankee game and they will give us our new room. So I come back from the game and guess what no room and now the hotel is oversold. Another hour later I am now back in the original room thanks to the only person in the hotel "Phil" (he was wonderful, the only person who treated me with any amount of respect (I am 28 so I get it a lot when I am not travelling for work) who decided to have security try and reset the door and he personally brought the keys up to our other room, appologized and comped our room for tonight (I never once asked for anything).

So that is the short version (sorry it was so long). I am a recent plat. because I moved all my business from Hilton because of where I am staying now and until this trip the quality of service. I am only a few stays from diamond but I think I may move the rest of my business travel.

I would advise everyone that the hotel is very nice but the staff SUCKS, except for Phil.

shinbal

Hi Manthis1,

Sorry for the unfortunate incident. Something similar happened to me with the door lock, at a different Hyatt. It was frustrating.

First off, don't let one bad experience sway you from the wonderful GP program. The portfolio of properties keeps getting better as do the benefits from Gold Passport.

I have now stayed at the GHNYC 8 times a year for the last 8 years, on average. On balance, it's a very nice hotel, now that the room redo's are done. I also stayed there when it was dumpy.

The GHNYC is a training ground for a lot of new management in the FO. I agree, it can get really sketchy - particularly at night, with staff on duty.

What I have found there is that there is generally a number of really great staffers. I know Phil; but there are also several others. It's unfortunate you had such a time. I learned from my door incident in the past that, if it doesn't work the first time, I call the front desk, and make them come to me.

What I also suggest if you will return to this hotel is to contact the Rooms Executive. He is a genuinely good man and is sternly customer-focused. I've been through several managers, rooms execs, FOM's, AFOM's - all at different points in their Hyatt careers. In general, while there have been a few "bumps in the road", management always rose to the challenge. I would recommend contacting the rooms exec before you return.

It really is a good hotel.

lili

Not much to offer here, but the GHNYC is very nice, and I found the staff quite helpful. Only drawback is the lobby is way too noisy and the fountains do NOT help.

I've had this bad-key experience in so many hotels I now consider it miraculous when the key actually works throughout the entire stay.

As a footnote, I can (unfotunatlely) verify the late night security staff at GHNYC is super, subtle, helpful, and very professional.

Great hotel, reasonably priced for Manhattan, give it another chance.

Manthis1

5 am the fire alarm goes off. At least we didn't need to evacuate but it is like what now. I wish I was making tihs stuff up.

Manthis1

53 minutes later and 20 minutes after the all clear the alarm is still going off. First they could get the elevators to reset and now they can't clear the alarm. The only way it doesn't keep going off is if they hold the intercom button down. I would like to quote the safety director now "Someone go find me some duct tape."

500 miles at a time

If it makes you feel better, I once had the door lock break and was trapped inside my room. Security had to let me out through the adjoining room.

Thankfully there was an adjoining room.

nologic

I have had multiple bad key expereicnes at this hotel.

777 global mile hound

Sorry to hear about your stay.Shinbal had some excellent suggestions in this thread.
The Grand Hyatt is far from a perfect hotel and has numerous challenges with running operations smoothly. Slightly understaffed in fact.
I just took a stay and spent the first two hours asking to remove numerous room service trays with old food off the hallway floor. And an unusual amount of guest debris/garbage in the hallway including roll-away beds. Response was slow. However I am not going to report it. I choose my concerns that are of the most importance to me. This was certainly not one of them.

That said to say that the entire staff sucks except for Phil is simply unacceptable based on some of the excellent service staff that have been in place there for years.
Not to say they don't have a handful that are rough around the edges.
Could rattle off a number of excellent folks personally.
The bigger problem in that hotel is finding a fair rate these days....

I will take your comments as venting which we all do from time to time.Self included
Yes you had a problem and it was unfortunate.
It happens. But once again I maintain the great thing about Hyatt is they refunded your nights stay. You didn't have to call Hyatt Consumer Affairs and they simply did the right thing.And in NYC a free night from a bad door key is pretty generous in my book.
That doesn't happen at all hotel companies
That is one of the reasons for decades I buy from Hyatt In trust.
The hotel still runs an excellent Regency Club and while upgrades have become scarcer to good suites like in years past I never fail to end up in a satisfactory hi floor typically Regency Club Floor room.
You could do better in New York for the value but then you could certainly do much worse.FYI MY other two cents.... With a few stays away from Diamond you would be silly to take such a steep loss from a room key incident.
When you cool off I would highly reconsider that position.
Diamond is one of the best elite tiers for recognition and the benefits usually very compelling overall.
Cheers

Beerman92

Here, here! ^

I've stayed at the GHNYC five times so far this year and have received very good service every time. A couple of the bartenders even know me by name already.

In fact, in my limited experience with Hyatt this is one of my two favorite hotels (Hyatt Regency La Jolla being the other one).

I'm not doubting that the OP had a very bad experience but I would encourage them to give GHNYC another shot.

Manthis1

I have had time to rethink my position and realize the staff was not all teribble and appoligize for making it sound that way. I wanted to make sure Phil got credit for how he delt with the situtation. I should have rephrased my comment and said everyone I dealt with up to him (4 people the night before (2 desk, security, and an engineer), the morning manager the next morning, and finally Phil). Phil did an exceptional job because at the point I was dealing with him they informed me they gave our room away (the one we were supposed to move to) even though we informed them we would be gone until after the baseball game. It was actually the fire alarm that sent me over the edge, well more the fact that they couldn't get it turned off for almost 3 hours.

I realize things happen at a hotel: door keys don't work, fire alarms etc. and never once asked for anything until we didn't have one of our two rooms from 8 am until 11 pm. The staff the next night and day were very helpful and friendly and were very good. While I may not stay at this Hyatt again, I will probably continue down the path of diamond and see what it brings me.

Thanks for all the posts and sorry to provide a bit of venting in my message.

Beerman92

In my opinion venting on FT is perfectly acceptable.

We've all had bad travel experiences and it certainly helps to share with others who can commiserate as well as offer some additional perspectives.

I for one applaud you for coming back and letting us know what your thoughts were after you had a chance to think about your experience. ^

777 global mile hound

With only twenty one posts on Flyertalk let me say welcome again Manthis1 ^

We appreciate hearing your experiences here in the Hyatt Gold Passport Forum and welcome all the good or bad.
Hyatt isn't perfect and neither are a few of their guests from time to time.
Except this perfect legend 777 global mh
Let me say I fully support all public forum criticisms where due.
It is actually a healthy constructive process for all parties that make this the ultimate learning focus group.

It takes an excellent individual to reconsider their statements/comments after losing ones cool.
The important thing is that we get the information as accurate as possible for each other so we can all make informed decisons before spending our hard earned travel dollars.

Don’t think I can say it any better then beerman92 already did except for lack of better words
I’ll drink to that……
Even if the bartender there still doesn't know my name.
Guess I will have to increase the size of my tip

And you sold me on Phil.I'll keep his name handy just in case

AJetSetter

yeah i get attitude from the frnt desk staff everytime i stay here

777 global mile hound

Must be that you hail from the city of here and there JetSetter.
They don't tend to look too kindly at those folks

The Grand Hyatt NYC Unsung Heroes
In all seriousness the one thing I can say about the Grand Hyatt front desk staff is that they are an impressive group. They are friendly polite and caring. Many have been there for years like Sylvia.
(Time to give her the well deserved FT ten seconds of fame)
Each and every time I walk in despite long lines in a high volume property I can not remember when she or the rest of the team didn't seem genuinely seem happy to welcome me back and make everything go as smoothly as possible.
Where they really win me over and can do no wrong is the outstanding way they treat my family members.
My Aunt arrived before check in last year and rather then tell her to come back at 3:00 PM and wait for me they cut her a Regency Club key and told her to have a soft drink/beverage up in the lounge until Mr.777 global mile hound arrives.
As my flight was late(what else is new) she had already checked into her room.
I was elated that the hotel front desk staff and Regency Club took such thoughtful care of her until I arrived on the scene.....

The other standout individual on property is Sumi the concierge.
For years she would manage the Regency Club.
Now she makes an excellent concierge worthy of Park Hyatt plus standards
Quite honestly this is what separates Hyatt from the rest of the industry
Long time employee’s better then indusry average that care about their hotel, company,and guests.
The proof of the pudding is to watch how they deal with problems.
I watched an international guest with a problem and they jumped to make it right……

The Grand Hyatt is not without problems and the front of the house varies widely
Like valet parking and bellmen.
In a city that can have attitude the front desk staff has anything but attitude.
I think they are a true cut above and I give them the 777 global mh salute ^
Think it is important to avoid misconceptions here .......

broadwayboy

Okay, get this one. I live in NYC and during the last FFN period, I stayed 5 or 6 times at GH NYC just for the points. The same Front Desk person checked me in the first 3 times and on the 3rd check in he said "Why do you stay here so much, (insert first name)?"

Frankly, I simply did not know how to respond to that question.

From then on, when I saw him behind the GP desk, I moved to the regular check-in line to avoid him.

I think it's beyond rude - it is simply ridiculous.