SoManyMiles-SoLittleTime

There has been recent chatter comapring these two hotels (and the San Jose Airport location). I stay at both every couple of weeks. Here's my take (as a GP Diamond):

SFO
Nice views if you have a bay-view room. These are almost never available on the Regency Club floor because they seem to be suites up there. I would not take an inside-view room (rooms overlooking the atrium, a-la Embassy Suites).

Rooms are reasonable size, basic furnishings.

Nice RC, again with nice views. Food quality pretty minimal. There is an RC floor fitness center, a nice touch, very convenient. Also, there is a great walk along the bay: go across the street, turn left until you see the path to the shore. Great views of the airport and across to the Oakland side of the bay.

Free wired internet in the RC, wired and wireless for a fee in the rooms.

Nice staff at check-in and check-out.

Santa Clara
I used to stay here when it was a Westin. This hotel has serious problems. The rooms are horribly dated (but the beds are nice). The hot water rarely works, the air conditioning isn't working on my current stay, and the covers for the air conditioning have a tendency to pop open with a VERY loud bang.

I had a suite on the current stay and moved out: it's a dated, dark, depressing, Holiday Inn 1960s furniture effect.

Try to get a balcony room in the front of the hotel (west side). Pleasant views and the balconies are a nice touch. But the rooms are small.

RC is a semi-fenced off area off the lobby. Weird and minimal, but the staff is really great. Free wired internet in the RC, wired and wireless for a fee in the rooms.

Overall, this hotel is in serious need of a re-do. Believe it or not, I'm going to try the SJC airport Hyatt next time.

lalala

I stayed here a few weeks ago and I found it okay. Not great, but okay, they couldn't upgrade me to a suite because the hotel was full of weddings, but I found it fine.

I was not given access to the regency club which I found strange, but maybe it is only open during the week.

Everyone in my party, all eight of us, enjoyed free breakfast. thanks to AAA.

lala

bob95409

Just a comment on your thinking that suites on RC floor are facing the bay...Having been upgraded to suites many times in the past, pre David Lewins arrival, I thought that all suites were on the 2nd floor. In the past I have had bay views, however, I think that they are being held back for the paid upgrades that you can do at check-in. I've always been upgraded to the RC floor but lately have the atrium view. Thats OK with me as my goal is to try and ge as close as possible to the RC.
BTW, do you know if the remodeling of Atrium area is still going on?
Bob

sy7

I think if you're underwhelmed with the Santa Clara Hyatt, you will be extremely disappointed with the SJC Hyatt!

The SJC Hyatt does have the new beds. Otherwise the rooms are pretty old and oddly decorated and some smell musty. Also, some of the rooms there are extremely small, maybe 2/3 the size of the Santa Clara Hyatt rooms.

The Regency Club at the Santa Clara Hyatt isn't open on weekends. However, club rooms are above floor 12, and you should still have been assigned to the high floor rooms, and you get a decent view. Plus, the windows open, so you can get fresh air! (And yes, on the higher floors, hot water can be a problem. It usually arrives after 10-15 min of running the faucet, but that seems really wasteful to me.)

azepine00

Was it just my room or does Hyatt Santa Clara offer only 5 or 6 TV channels?

NBC was the only (!) broadcast station, on top of that there was CNN, CNBC, Disney, ESPN, TBS and I think HBO.

Indylt

Might have been your room. I'm here at the Santa Clara Hyatt now and have 20 Channels.

I have to say, it looked much nicer on the Hyatt web site and the Regency Club is a joke. I really prefer the SFO Hyatt.

azepine00

HR SFO just installed check in kiosks. Hopefully online check in is not too far behind.

SoManyMiles-SoLittleTime

I've had about a dozen stays there this year, and this place is in desperate need of a redo. I had a suite last week, and swapped it for a regular room (but with balcony). Furniture was early Holiday Inn.

Best rooms are balcony rooms on the front of the hotel.

Spoke with one of the managers last week, and he said they're planning a redo starting in January. Will do a floor at a time.

csufabel

I will probably be one of the few whocan understand that rebranding a hotel will take longer than what we should expect. (Sure, renovating a hotel floor or all floors is much more expensive and the bid process is more than our houses or even projects that we have worked on. I am saying that since I work with colleges/universities and they are generally $15 million plus for 110,000 sq. ft., it is hard to do while making sure all is Ok for guests.

I am an PLAT,and do my 10-14 stays through leisure travel alone or woth firends ofr NCAA FB or the NFL. So far I have 9 Hyatt stays and will consistently have 10-15 stays for my existance and never DIA. This year, I have stayed at the Santa Clara Hyatt three times beginning in March with one more coming next weekend. I have only experiened an issue with using "Platnium Extras" at the hotel bar once fro my meal to get points. In retrospect, it does not really matter. The rest were fine. I got high floors, robes, Grand Beds, and whatever i ask for. They informed me of the location of the Regency Club, so I took another amenity instead. I have been given nice, high views of Great America or the northside, 4 PM checkout and even a meal certificate.

Wilbur

The service at the Hyatt Santa Clara is very nice, it is the room service and rooms themselves that are below expectations. Does the connection to the Convention Center have some sort of affect on these?

But I do agree with csufabel that they work hard to make their guests feel comfortable.

Robt760

What about transportation from the airport (SJC) to and from this hotel? I realize most Hyatts do not have airport shuttles, but what would the taxi fare be and what would a super shuttle style fare be?

hedoman

Prior to it being a Westin, the Santa Clara Hyatt was a ?

Does anyone know the answer?

You could take light rail from SJC to Westin.

RichardInSF

I vaguely recall that it was a Doubletree. Can anyone confirm/deny that?

acalispice

Atrium work still going on at Hyatt SFO.

acalispice

BTW...I am a frequent guest at Hyatt SFO, and am reasonably satisfied with the room and the services. Apart from one of the front desk girls hitting me up to give her a doation for a marathon she will be running...Everyone is very profesional. RC is decent...One of the regular staffers left for school...She was very friendly and professional. Her replacement is just as courteous.
For an airport property, I think it would suit most traveler's needs.