Disappointing room and underwhelming treatment made engagement weekend awful.
By A Yahoo! Contributor, 11/13/07
My now-fiance and I stayed at this hotel 10/10-10/12 during the weekend of our engagement. The Hyatt’s central location and recent trendy renovations made this a compelling first-choice, among a half-dozen same quality/equally priced hotels. We excitedly accessed Hyatt’s e-concierge over a week in advance to request particular in-room services (celebratory champagne on arrival, turn-down service, extra towels.) Although Hyatt’s website “confirmed” these items within 24 hours, the nightmare began when we got to the hotel. We also requested through the Hyatt reservation hotline an upgrade to the Regency Club, which offers beverage, breakfast and other services.
I checked in, greeted by a friendly but dangerously multi-tasking front desk agent, who reported that not only was there no record of my (verified) upgrade, but that there were no king or queen beds available that night. The hotel was solidly booked, and consequently, as a late check in (6pm), I would be forced to either “wait 2-3 hours for a double bed” or accept a parlor room -- a closet-converted-to-room with a pull-out sofa bed.
Exhausted from my trip and awaiting my fiance for our first romantic night together in over a month, I accepted the parlor room on the agreement that I would be re-instated with Regency Club status (complementary), receive a discount on the room, and be removed to a larger room as ordered the next night. Dismayed, I reminded the agent to at least have the champagne brought up upon my fiance’s check in. I was determined to have one thing go right.
The champagne never came. I was forced to call the front desk manager close to 11pm, who offered her condolences. My fiance, who stands 6’3”, slept fitfully that night wedged into the short sleeper sofa. The room was absolutely shameful and appalling for the price, and the hotel's 4-star rating. After spending a few hours there, and eyeing the clock to see what was taking so long to receive our room service request, we'd had it. When the champagne finally came, we were too exhausted and disheartened to drink it.
Upon or check out, two days later, we had not received the promised discount on our room. The only answer the front desk agent could give me was, “write your name down on this piece of paper and we’ll get back to you.” I would have been satisfied with a “free night” coupon, or a waver of our $30 dollar room service bill -- just SOMETHING indicative of hotel apology. I am still waiting to hear back.
The only consolation in the lack-luster experience was the commendable efforts of guest service made by a few really spectacular Hyatt employees who seemed to take pity on us and go the extra mile out of either GREAT guest service training, or actual compassion. Particularly, Steven, the Regency Club Concierge, and Tricia the night front desk manager who helped correct or champagne disappointment. The quirky, friendly Regency Club concierge helped my fiancé and I ease our despair with jokes, suggestions of local food joints, genuine apology, and memorable attentiveness that made Regency Club a recommended necessity for all future Hyatt trips.