Index:
- Introduction, Positioning Flight to New York, and the Hilton JFK
- British Airways First Class Lounge, New York JFK
- Cathay Pacific First Class, New York JFK – Hong Kong
- The Pier First Class Lounge and Cathay Pacific Business Class, Hong Kong – Ho Chi Minh City
- Park Hyatt Saigon
- Lunch at Pho Hoa, Ho Chi Minh City
- Vietnam Airlines Business Class, Ho Chi Minh City – Danang
- Hyatt Regency Danang Resort & Spa
- Vietnam Airlines Economy, Danang – Siem Reap
- Park Hyatt Siem Reap
- Angkor Wat and Other Temples
- Dragonair Business Class, Siem Reap – Hong Kong
- Turbojet, Hong Kong Airport – Macau and the Sheraton Macao Hotel
- The Venetian, Fernando’s, and the Ferry to Hong Kong
- Grand Hyatt Hong Kong Harbor View Suite
- Bo Innovation, Hong Kong
- Amber Restaurant, Hong Kong
- Cathay Pacific The Wing First Class Lounge, Hong Kong
- Cathay Pacific First Class, Hong Kong – New York JFK
- American Airlines JFK Flagship Lounge and New York – Washington National
The Hyatt Regency Danang Resort & Spa is not at all inexpensive for the area, this was ~ US$175 per night.
But I figured that as a Diamond with club access, and using a confirmed suite upgrade, it still represented fairly good value. It’s a Gold Passport category 3 hotel, so cash and points awards (upgradable with Diamond confirmed suite upgrades) are 6000 points and $75 if available.
The hotel is 10-15 minutes from the airport, a quick trip.
On arrival I was brought to the club lounge for check-in.
The evening spread was out, but it turns out we were close to the end of service (I didn’t know service times in advance). So while we sat there, waiting what seemed quite a long time to complete check-in formalities, the staff began putting away the evening’s offerings. That was my first strike on the property. I felt like they should have either let us know that the club’s evening service would be ending shortly, and would we like something first while they took care of paperwork? Or perhaps they could get us a plate? Or they could have kept things out just 2 or 3 more minutes for us, that’s how long I missed a snack by. The end of the world? Certainly not. And it’s not as though I had been traveling a great distance. But it would have made for a nicer first impression.
First impressions were improved markedly though when I was taken to my room — because I was immediately impressed by the suite.
Living room:
Guest bath:
Welcome amenity in the room when we arrived:
Bedroom:
Master bath:
Closet:
Hallway between bedroom and living room:
I thought the room was gorgeous. It was comfortable, too. It had a nice view, as well (though over buildings off to the ocean from my balcony), though in general the weather didn’t cooperate during the stay, warmer than back home in DC but not hot and more overcast than clear.
The hotel has an excellent club lounge. It was a short walk from my room and a short walk from the main lobby. The club has its own pool as well, and I’m not sure I’d stay here without club access. That’s because it makes for a hotel-within-a-hotel, and the property is otherwise quite large and can be really busy. Actually, at peak times (breakfast, but not too early, and evening cocktails) the lounge gets crowded as well. Fortunately I tend to eat breakfast on the early side.
This is the view from the lounge deck.
Here’s breakfast:
In addition to cold items, they rotate a choice of hot items each day — a noodle soup and also eggs.
The evening spread was impressive also.
The club pool area was deserted most of the time.
The property itself is attractive, large, modern and new. Although I wouldn’t say it’s better than other resorts I’ve stayed at elswhere around the world. Still, an enjoyable getaway.
Late in the stay more sweet treats were delivered to the room.
I enjoyed dining on property, though I was surprised how limited Vietnamese choices were and I wasn’t especially interested in Western options. I did have my share of Vietnamese iced coffee, though.
If the weather had cooperated the stay would have been better overall. The club lounge was well-provisioned. Everyone was friendly. And the suite was gorgeous. I thought the stay, given the suite upgrade and lounge access, was a good value even considering that the hotel is expensive for the area. Without those things I don’t think I’d feel the same way.
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Nice report, I’ll be there in 2015.
I’m just a platinum. Would I get lounge access if I booked a suite on points ?
@beachfan – the hotel website says that suite bookings receive lounge access
http://danang.regency.hyatt.com/en/hotel/rooms/suite.html
Gary, you mentioned that the staff taking away the evening food offerings in the club was the “first strike on the property.” I read the rest of the review waiting for at least strike two, if not strike three – but saw neither. Just wasn’t sure if there was another implicit negative that I failed to pick up on (other than the weather, of course, since that’s a bit out of the property’s control!).
@Andrew – no, I guess I meant to say an initial or early strike rather than first as in a series. Well, I guess I had to call several times to get them to bring me extra bottles of water beyond what were placed in the room, but they quickly got into the habit of doing it proactively and the club lounge had ampled bottled water to take as well.
I stayed here about a week after they opened. We stayed in a very similar suite. The service was definitely not polish back then, and it seems they still haven’t worked it out. They changed GM not too long ago and I was hoping for improvements.
The property is definitely isolated on a long stretch of highway. Nothing within walking distance. The Hyatt complex has condominiums & villas ownership catered to wealthy Vietnamese, a 3-bedroom condo goes for around $350K, 50% less than when first opened. The bubbles in Vietnam’s Real Estates bursted along with the US and hasn’t recovered.
From your pictures, the two noodle bowls are specialties of central Vietnam, Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Beef noodle) and My Quang (dry noodle with pawn & pork)
I hope you got a chance to visit Hoi An, it’s a must do for central Vietnam.
@Gary, thanks for the clarification. Just wanted to make sure I had the full perspective on the property, thanks!
Oh Gary, you should have visited the Intercontinental Danang, hands down it was the most beautiful & elegant hotel I have ever been to in Vietnam, or hack the whole South East Asia.
Everyone I know including myself has good things to say about their stays in Vietnam. My fav was the Penthouse at the Sheraton in Nha Trang.
But really, walking around and buying things was the real treat . I’ll always treasure my Vietnam Way era Zippo with the inscription “There’s nothing like the smell of death in the morning”
Of course, it could have been a fake, but to age a lighter for the purpose of selling it at $5 seemed pointless. This wasn’t a Christie’s auction.
I got some great deals on lacquerware I have absolutely no use for and immediately gave away upon return.Then a cup of coffee made from beans digested and excreted by the civet.
Vietnam was so much more developed than Cambodia, and I had been to Cambodia 10 years ago–and it has come a long way.
It’s a pity you don’t have a donate button! I’d most certainly donate to this excellent blog!
I guess for now i’ll settle for book-marking and adding your RSS feed to
my Google account. I look forward to new updates and will talk about this website with my Facebook group.
Talk soon!
Gary, how did you get from the airport to the Hyatt? Did you use taxi or the Hyatt’s car service?