Park Hyatt Melbourne REVIEW - MASTER THREAD
Apr 30, 2014, 9:02 am
#406
Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: San Diego,CA
Posts: 10,093
I booked a four-night stay here using the Gourmet Delights package about two weeks ago. Maybe it was because I just arrived from the Park Hyatt Sydney, but this hotel was such a disappointment, both hardware and software wise.
At arrival, I asked if it were possible to get a room with a view of the cathedral, and told the check-in agent I would be happy to use a DSU. Without checking, she just said she had none of those rooms left and the one I had was already one of the best. She also made no mention of any of the Diamond benefits, or the opening hours of the lounge, or breakfast, and seemed eager to send me on my way. In fact, midway through the check-in process while I was still asking a few questions, she looked over me to the guy behind and shouted "I'll be with you in a few seconds as soon as I'm done with him." Not a good start.
The room was fine, but was extremely dated. Some of the furniture should have been thrown out 10 years ago, but I suppose if you keep it another 10 it might look fashionable again. A friend told me the carpet is only a few years old, in which case I really cannot help but wonder why they chose such an awful pattern? I suppose it does go with the overall look though.
As others have mentioned, no welcome card from the hotel manager and no letter introducing the club offerings.
Headed to the club, where Mona and Evelyn were absolute sweethearts, and well deserving of the many kudos they have received from other posters here. They made small talk with everyone in the club, cleared old plates, offered refills, and generally did much more than they should.
Breakfast at the Radii restaurant made me feel like I was in some budget Bangkok hotel, with the neon lights at the corner and harried staff. The manager who took us to our seats turned away and left after we were seated, not bothering to ask about coffee. We sat there for a while, unsure if we were supposed to wait for somebody to take our coffee orders or just help ourselves to the food. Eventually, he returned about 15 minutes later, and asked us if we wanted a coffee. Mind you, the restaurant had five occupied tables at most, as it was almost 10 and most people had left. The servers mostly looked like students on a holiday job, admittedly something like I was when I was a bored 17-year-old waiting to enter college.
The chef at the hot food counter was an absolute star though. He was proactive and offered to prepare eggs or waffles, and served customers when their food was ready. All this time, the rest of the crew seemed to prefer clearing dirty tables over helping customers who were actually there. That made me wonder, shouldn't they focus on helping the people who are actually sitting there?
Anyway, I cut short the stay to two nights and moved over to the Grand Hyatt. The rooms are tiny, but I really liked the place better overall.
At arrival, I asked if it were possible to get a room with a view of the cathedral, and told the check-in agent I would be happy to use a DSU. Without checking, she just said she had none of those rooms left and the one I had was already one of the best. She also made no mention of any of the Diamond benefits, or the opening hours of the lounge, or breakfast, and seemed eager to send me on my way. In fact, midway through the check-in process while I was still asking a few questions, she looked over me to the guy behind and shouted "I'll be with you in a few seconds as soon as I'm done with him." Not a good start.
The room was fine, but was extremely dated. Some of the furniture should have been thrown out 10 years ago, but I suppose if you keep it another 10 it might look fashionable again. A friend told me the carpet is only a few years old, in which case I really cannot help but wonder why they chose such an awful pattern? I suppose it does go with the overall look though.
As others have mentioned, no welcome card from the hotel manager and no letter introducing the club offerings.
Headed to the club, where Mona and Evelyn were absolute sweethearts, and well deserving of the many kudos they have received from other posters here. They made small talk with everyone in the club, cleared old plates, offered refills, and generally did much more than they should.
Breakfast at the Radii restaurant made me feel like I was in some budget Bangkok hotel, with the neon lights at the corner and harried staff. The manager who took us to our seats turned away and left after we were seated, not bothering to ask about coffee. We sat there for a while, unsure if we were supposed to wait for somebody to take our coffee orders or just help ourselves to the food. Eventually, he returned about 15 minutes later, and asked us if we wanted a coffee. Mind you, the restaurant had five occupied tables at most, as it was almost 10 and most people had left. The servers mostly looked like students on a holiday job, admittedly something like I was when I was a bored 17-year-old waiting to enter college.
The chef at the hot food counter was an absolute star though. He was proactive and offered to prepare eggs or waffles, and served customers when their food was ready. All this time, the rest of the crew seemed to prefer clearing dirty tables over helping customers who were actually there. That made me wonder, shouldn't they focus on helping the people who are actually sitting there?
Anyway, I cut short the stay to two nights and moved over to the Grand Hyatt. The rooms are tiny, but I really liked the place better overall.
I wont likely be going back here anytime soon for a number of reasons
I too did the bulk of my stay at the Grand Hyatt.Its so sad to read your post.
However its group therapy to know that it wasn't just me.
There are a number of better hotels in Melbourne The Hilton South Wharf is better, the Westin Melbourne and the Grand Hyatt.
The hotel while still nice enough from an accommodations perspective is in dire need of good management. It once was a star in Melbourne with true VIP recognition for elites.
Back in the day (many years ago now) the Front Office manager would meet and greet much like the Park Hyatt Sydney. Except that the upgrade would have wow factor.
No DSU necessary
The dining room with the closed club lounge was the final deal breaker.
Young but nice kids clueless to service without supervision and a selection of Coles supermarket bread white and whole wheat elegantly presented
with some croissants and below average muffins tossed in. In a true 5 star hotel?
Meager compared to the Grand Hyatt.
I'm not sure why they don't move the buffet food over from the Grand Hyatt and give up especially as the same F&B management is responsible for both operations.
Hopefully in time someone will revive/refresh the property
Last edited by 777 global mile hound; Apr 30, 2014 at 4:56 pm
Apr 30, 2014, 4:38 pm
#407
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SYD
Programs: QF WP (OWE), VA PLAT, EY GLD, SPG PLAT, Hyatt DIA, Hilton DIA, Hertz PC
Posts: 8,527
Thanks; this is disappointing, as I plan a 5 night stay at PH Melbourne immediately after the PH Sydney as a diamond. I'll be arriving quite late to PH Melbourne and will probably get stuck with a basic room.
Hope these reviews also find their way to TripAdvisor, as PH is currently the 10th best hotel in Melbourne.
Hope these reviews also find their way to TripAdvisor, as PH is currently the 10th best hotel in Melbourne.
I'm yet to heR one report of a Diamond not bring automatically upgraded to a Club Deluxe which is the size of a suite.
I always order hot food from the chef and it never disappoints.
Apr 30, 2014, 5:08 pm
#408
Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: San Diego,CA
Posts: 10,093
Thanks; this is disappointing, as I plan a 5 night stay at PH Melbourne immediately after the PH Sydney as a diamond. I'll be arriving quite late to PH Melbourne and will probably get stuck with a basic room.
Hope these reviews also find their way to TripAdvisor, as PH is currently the 10th best hotel in Melbourne.
Hope these reviews also find their way to TripAdvisor, as PH is currently the 10th best hotel in Melbourne.
For my taste the accommodations at the Park Hyatt Melbourne are certainly satisfactory/comfortable. I enjoyed the room in fact despite some issues
On the other hand
I would definitely rate the Park Hyatt Sydney vastly superior in everyway
If you are non elite you can go to many outstanding places for breakfast and not deal with such amateur service behavior and avoid the experience.
I think I speak for many when I say most Diamonds come in with an expectation of a full breakfast or club lounge continental
Not a sub par continental in the restaurant with closed club lounge in the mornings and be told to pay up for hot food
after hundreds of thousands in spending with the brands for some of us.
In a nut shell if you are non elite from an accommodations perspective I still think the Park Hyatt Melbourne holds its own fairly.
As a Diamond when leaving Park Hyatt Sydney and Grand Hyatt Melbourne I always walk away feeling grateful for my relationship with Hyatt
With Park Hyatt Melbourne I feel like I did them a favor for staying there
Your Mileage may vary! They have their fans still
Apr 30, 2014, 7:57 pm
#410
Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: San Diego,CA
Posts: 10,093
I think the focal points here are
• Diamond recognition
• Breakfast benefit and offerings generally
• Club lounge hours
• Up keep
• Service Standards (dining room needs the most attention)
The Hilton does an exciting breakfast and so does the Grand Hyatt
Apr 30, 2014, 7:59 pm
#411
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Canada
Programs: AA EXP 3.2MM, Hyatt Courtesy Card/Diamond, Hertz #1 Gold
Posts: 764
Apr 30, 2014, 9:15 pm
#413
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Quebec and Ontario, Canada
Programs: AC*E50, SPG/Marriott Plat
Posts: 1,917
You are probably right but Park Hyatt Sydney is at least 3 times more expensive, maybe one of the most expensive hotel in the world (well, maybe not the world but Australia at least)... not really the same league...
Apr 30, 2014, 10:29 pm
#414
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SYD
Programs: QF WP (OWE), VA PLAT, EY GLD, SPG PLAT, Hyatt DIA, Hilton DIA, Hertz PC
Posts: 8,527
The Doubletree argument is silly. Show me other properties that auto upgrade their top tier guests 100% of the time in Australia, let alone worldwide.
Apr 30, 2014, 11:27 pm
#415
Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: San Diego,CA
Posts: 10,093
Its management and the lack of desire to get the better talent based on wages they are willing to pay.
If the Hilton can do it and the Grand Hyatt can do it so can the Park Hyatt
They have been there before. The Westin Melbourne has an extraordinary manager in Debra Watts perhaps one of the top 20 GMs in the world
All priced the same or lower than the PH Melbourne
The Park Hyatt Melbourne had at one point a stellar past when the likes of Marc von Arnim was the front office manager now the GM
of Park Hyatt Busan. He deserves his promotion. Wish we could bring him back
He was/is a fantastic fellow that looked after guests above and beyond.He also worked at Park Hyatt Sydney years past pre-renovation.
I knew him from Hyatt Regency Perth. So they do have the resources for talent/human resources
Those were the years that the PH Melbourne ran very well. Mr.von Arnim had some mighty fine colleagues before and after him as well.
Looking back I paid 195 Australian a night at the PH Sydney in the late 90s
And for years 250 on stay certificates no tax!Sure glad I stayed in the glory years of great value and experience
Those days are gone we got to move along................ oh well
Last edited by 777 global mile hound; Apr 30, 2014 at 11:33 pm
May 2, 2014, 8:47 pm
#417
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SYD
Programs: QF WP (OWE), VA PLAT, EY GLD, SPG PLAT, Hyatt DIA, Hilton DIA, Hertz PC
Posts: 8,527
There are hot items available as part of the buffet, regardless.
Jun 3, 2014, 10:53 am
#418
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Marina Del Rey, CA
Programs: AA EXPLAT, HYATT GLOBALIST, AS75K
Posts: 607
Park Hyatt Melbourne REVIEW - MASTER THREAD
Advice from the experts: I'm in Melbourne from noon July 29 to my 9 AM flight the next day with my wife. We'd love to catch the flavor of the city. Should I stay at the Park Hyatt For 220 Australian (elite rate) or cash and points at the Grand Hyatt (their night rate is 335 so it's C & P or nothing)
Jun 3, 2014, 11:56 am
#420
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Between AMS and BRU
Posts: 8,852
The PH is way better than the GH, but for one night it might not matter that much to you. The location of the GH might be a bit more convenient, although it's only about a 5-10minute walk between the properties.
For one night I would probably go for the cheapest option.
For one night I would probably go for the cheapest option.