Grand Hyatt,NY
 

I've made a search on this forum and have had a good price from priceline-$125 ,but there appears to be bad reviews and mention of building work on site.Does anyone have an update on this hotel?I'm staying in NY in november for my first trip and want to avoid any problems if possible,allthough I know I'm taking a risk using priceline (also saving$200 on the brochure price!).<BR>Mike

Mike: For $125 I'd grab it. Great location, modern major hotel, and no exterior construction that I can see.

Ditto Frank.<BR>Many on this board don't like the hotel, but IMHO it's a really good property.<BR><BR>If you can get upgraded to the Regency Club level, it's well worth it.<BR><BR>Also, two blocks away, at 40th and Lex is Delmonico's restaurant, a little gem.

Have you lost your mind gc? You really expect Hyatt to upgrade a Priceline guest to Regency Club level? ROFLMBO

gc: I think that's Domenico on 40th between Lex and Park. Even better is Rossini's on 38th and Park, try it sometime, especially the Saturday evening opera dinner. Not cheap but topnotch.

Sam<BR>Calm down now...<BR>I have no idea if you can or can't. Having never used priceline, I have no idea if the desk clerk knows how the room was booked.<BR><BR>This would seem to be a teaching opportunity for Priceline experts.<BR><BR>Frank,<BR>Yes, thank's for the correction. I get confused...my kids refer to it as Livio's...he's the maitre'd...8^)

Hi Mike - not to worry the Hyatt is fine. Our room was very clean (including the bath) and the staff was very friendly. I stayed there in April of this year via my Price Line bid. Go to their website (hyatt.com) and sign up for the gold passport, you'll have a separate desk for faster check in, free coffee every morning and a newspaper. An upgrade is not out of the question; we didn't get a Regency Club Room, but a large non-smoking king that overlooked 42nd street. Inquire when you check in, smile, be friendly and most of all, be polite when you ask. Have a great time!

gc, yes they know it is Priceline. You pay priceline the rate bid and Priceline pays the hotel. The desk clerk has that info in front of him or her at check-in. You can smile til hell freezes over, but Regency Club ain't going to happen at the Grand Hyatt at that price.

$125 for the Grand Hyatt is a steal. I'd be pissed if I paid $300 for it but I'd jump for joy if I got it for $125.

If you have a Hyatt Gold "passport" and have stayed at Hyatt's before (thus have points accrued on your Hyatt's acount), they will likely extend all the usual upgrade privileges to you. My former GF is in San Francisco this week at the Hyatt and they upgraded her room as well as making their car service available to her at no charge - she's there on PL this week but has stayed in other Hyatt's many times before when her employer was paying for th room. if you do NOT have Hyatt status just ask nicely at the desk for an upgrade "if available". If you're polite and friendly and one is available you just might get it. I think $125 is a trifle high on PL for this property as most folks think it's really a 3* and not a 4* - I have bid on PL recently for that general area - got the Clarion one occasion and the east side Marriot on the other - both were 3* and under $90 winning bid price - both were really nice hotels.

$125 isn't a bad price at all in the fall. I've gotten it for $85 in the summer but Sept through New Years is peak season for Manhattan. I'm also a Gold Passport Member with about 75,000 points and they would not upgrade me to Club Level because I booked with priceline. I did get points for my incidentals but not my stay.

There are umpteen reviews of people's experiences with the Grand Hyatt through Priceline at www.biddingfortravel.com - the reviews are mixed between those who thought it was a great deal, and plenty of the other kind.<BR><BR>Our own experience (non-Priceline) with the hotel was pretty poor a couple of years ago (rotten service, basically) but you sure can't fault the location.

I think the amount of "extra perks" you may or may not get as a Priceline customer is at the discretion of the hotel clerk when you check in. I say this because there doesn't seem to be an across the board standard for upgrades/frequent traveler points awarded etc. I was at the Hyatt in NYC in May and I was upgraded to a king room (from the "standard" I had booked on Priceline) and the room was huge - as was the bathroom. Also, I was delighted to discover that when checking my points on Hyatt.com my gold passport account had been awarded points for my 3 night Priceline stay. All I can say is you never know what the hotel is willing to do for you until you ask; and if you don't ask you won't get any "extras". Just be sure to ask nicely - the worse thing that can happened is that they say "no". Also, as a side note, if you are asking for a special favor (room upgrade, etc.) try not to do it in a big loud voice when there are 20 people in line waiting to check in, be discrete.

I agree you would not get a Regency Club upgrade after booking via Priceline and in NY you'd probably get laughed at to boot! The difference between a larger room and Regency Club level which includes breakfasts, evening drinks, hors d'oeuvre, sometimes cordials and costs the hotel $$$, is astronomical! You got bottom of the barrel rates and these are cost control times for hotels just as they are for airlines. <BR><BR>That wasn't mike's question, either. It's a good hotel in a great location. Enjoy.

Zycon, you already sound a little peeved that the post has deviated from the original question, but I would like to comment anyway.<BR><BR>1) mike, you should have no problems with the Hyatt in NYC. I have stayed there several times (all by Priceline) and have always been treated nicely, had a nice clean room, and as of my stay in June, I can report of no building work.<BR><BR>2) I had reservations in Chicago at the Hyatt Regency (again Priceline) and upon my very late check-in, I inquired about availability on the Regency Club floor. When I inquired I didn't say "hey, can I have all of that for free?" and was truly expecting to be told that (if it were available at all) that it was available for an additional x$, which if reasonable I was ready to pay (I am aware that the travel industry is experience cut backs and is very cost conscious). HOWEVER, someone there was very generous and offered me a room on that floor, free of charge for 2 nights and I certainly appreciated it. It can never hurt to ask.<BR><BR>Mike, have a great trip.

Thank you to all who replied,should I try to contact the hotel sooner rather than on check in?I want a non smoking room if poss on one of the higher floors.When do hotels allot rooms to specific bookings?<BR>Mike

The hotel's main restaurant and bar area is currently undergoing a major renovation. However, that shouldn't affect you too much, since you are better off going next door to Grand Central Station for breakfast and you'll likely be away from the hotel for other meals.

Wow - just read all the posts on Grand Hyatt's pleasantries, or lack thereof. Actually Mike, I just managed to get Priceline pricing of $90/night at the Grand Hyatt for this weekend. Have they actually scared away customers to the point of allowing wage-challenged bidders like me to stay there? For your sake and mine, hope the hotel is decent - good luck!

Mischa, fear not. At $90, you're getting a great bargain!

Mike & Mischa, the hotel is fine! All positive things stated here are true (clean, nice staff, etc.) and the location is great.