This Hyatt Regency Vancouver review is part of my trip to Australia. There were Air Canada business class saver awards available, Vancouver – Sydney, and Air Canada had just started a non-stop Austin – Vancouver flight as well. I didn’t want to push straight through traveling with my three year old daughter, so we decided to do a Vancouver stopover for a couple of nights.
I booked the Hyatt Regency Vancouver and used a confirmed suite upgrade. That put us in a parlor suite, which is basically two connecting guest rooms where one room has been converted to a living room (a sofa bed replaces the bed in the second room).
This hotel had no room service and its club lounge has closed (whether it’s ‘still’ closed or permanently closed is unclear). Nevertheless full housekeeping service was available and Globalist breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant was remarkable for one thing: stamping that tip is included on the bill to sign.
The hotel is well-located downtown, has a Starbucks in the lobby, and an outdoor heated pool. It’s not the newest, but doesn’t feel worn, and staff were uniformly friendly.
Hyatt Regency Vancouver Review: Parlor Suite
Traveling with my wife and daughter I strongly prefer to have a suite. No loyalty program is better for that than Hyatt’s because top tier elites not only are entitled to upgrades to standard suites if available at check-in, but confirmed suite upgrade certificates allow booking a suite at time of reservation if a standard suite is available for sale (points can be used for this, too).
At the Hyatt Regency Vancouver my award booking was confirmed into a parlor suite which was really two adjoining guest rooms. The second room just had a sofa bed instead of a bed. So it was effectively booking two rooms for the price of one, and my daughter got her own room. Perfect – since she goes to bed before we do, and gets up after us.
The master bedroom had its own bathroom, as well as a water and coffee setup. (They obliged me with plenty of complimentary bottled water.)
There’s a desk in the room as well.
The second room had its own bathroom and coffee and water as well.
The hotel made up the sofa bed for us, and that’s where our daughter slept.
Balconies at this hotel remind me of the Hyatt Regency San Francisco. It was often chilly while I was there, even in June, making much outdoor night unappealing. And you’re walking out on city views. But a bit of fresh air is always appreciated.
Restaurant Breakfast
I’m frustrated by hotels that haven’t returned to prepandemic service offerings, and the Hyatt Regency Vancouver hasn’t re-opened its club lounge. I understand that Canada’s travel recovery lagged that of the U.S., and that business travel’s recovery lags leisure, but this hotel was packed. It’s time.
Nonetheless on a leisure stay I do enjoy a nice restaurant breakfast. The Hyatt Regency Vancouver provides complimentary breakfast buffet (we were also offered menu ordering) to Globalists. They don’t have a gourmet restaurant, but the offerings were solid and there was one thing that really impressed me – ironically not related to the food itself.
Hyatt distinguishes its elite breakfast benefit by offering a full hot breakfast rather than continental, by spelling out the details of what constitutes breakfast so that hotels can’t skimp, and by outlining that breakfast actually includes gratuity rather than charging elites for part of their breakfast.
There were actually 3 of us eating, and the benefit includes breakfast for all of us, but the restaurant each morning simply listed two of us. The Hyatt Regency Vancouver actually stamps on the bill you sign that gratuity is included, so that you do not add one by mistake. That impressed me.
The Hyatt Regency Vancouver was solid all the way around, though I wish they’d fully bring back services curtailed during the pandemimc.
Unemployment in Canada is at record lows and businesses everywhere are struggling to hire, particularly in the service industry. Most of the restaurants here seem to be operating at limited capacity because of staff shortages. I suspect the club lounge is still closed because they literally can’t open it, not because they don’t want to.
This hotel plays games with its award inventory especially during the summer. Standard rooms are available for booking with cash, yet unavailable with points.
I was at the Grand Hyatt Dfw 400 dollars a night which had stellar breakfasts for over a decade prior to the pandemic..
The once heavenly sliced fruit was like a cheap fruit cup but worse it was spoiled/ turned
My omelette which even a 3 star cheap doubletree in the area can do can do typically well was dry as sand and looked like egg beaters.Just sad really that Hyatt is failing at food and beverage which many years ago was what made them better than most chains.The rooms are fair at most Hyatts as expected provided you can find a housekeeper to clean occasionally
Yet the rates are higher now than pre pandemic
Stayed at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver many many years ago from your pics it looks frozen in time exactly as I remembered it
AUS SFO SYD
AUK SFO AUS
I’m planning a trip to Sydney in March. I’ve booked a business class ticket on United through Holland America Lines (no payment required until December). Never taken a flight that long or expensive. Any advice on hotels in SYD and AUK? Is United a good way to go in business?
@Tim J, if you have enough Hyatt points, the Park Hyatt Sydney is a great place to stay with a location that can’t be beat. It sits right by the water next to the Sydney Harbour Bridge and across from the Sydney Opera House, with downtown Sydney and ferries right there for whatever you want to sightsee.
For points redemptions, unfortunately, the PH Sydney is now a Category 8 property whereas it was a Category 7 previously. If cost/points is a factor, note that the Hyatt Regency Sydney is within walking distance and has (much) cheaper room rates and is a Category 4 property.