Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead – Hyatt Category 5
3300 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30305
Award Redemption: 12,000 pts
Normal rate: Varies b/t $206-$329, average around $296
Hyatt Gold Passport points return: 1.72 – 2.67 cents/points = average return

BOOKING/CHECK-IN

The hotel has a rather grand entrance (quite fitting, no?), with a pull-through valet area situated pretty far back on the lot, getting you away from busy Peachtree Road. The valet will charge $32/night to park it for you; alternatively, you can leave the car with them for 15-30 mins and then park it yourself in Hyatt garage for $20/night. To access the garage, you’ll have to cross the street and take an additional elevator, though. I prefer the self-park for $20/night.

I’ve had 2 stays at this property recently– both stays booked at a special rate just a few days before check-in. Check-in has always been a breeze here, with the staff going above and beyond to welcome me for being a “loyal Hyatt Gold Passport Diamond member.”

Stay 1: I applied for the Hyatt Diamond Status Challenge earlier this year and this was literally my first Hyatt stay ever– and my first stay with Hyatt Diamond status applied. I booked a “Standard 1 King,” got to the check-in counter and was thanked profusely for being a Hyatt Diamond member. The agent explained that the hotel was at full occupancy for the night and that they had upgraded me to the “Luxury Suite.” This is an appx 4 tier upgrade.

Stay 2: I checked in around 1pm on a Sunday and, again, received excellent, enthusiastic service from the front desk agent. While I was technically upgraded from a “Standard 1 King” to a “Grand Club 1 King, ” (1 tier upgrade), this isn’t really an upgrade at all. The room is the exact same size but on the Grand Club floor. The agent then explained that, as a Diamond, you get free Grand Club Lounge access, which includes breakfast in the mornings. But, because there’s no club lounge breakfast on Mondays, they would instead give me free breakfast in the normal restaurant and an additional 2,500 Gold Passport points for the inconvenience. This is a true win-win. The lesson learned here: always try to have a Sunday night stay at this property.

• Standard: 1 King, 2 Doubles – 400 sq. feet. (1st stay BOOKED) (2nd stay BOOKED)
• Grand Club: 1 King, 2 Doubles – pretty sure it’s the exact same room as “Standard” but on Club floor with Grand Club access. (2nd stay RECEIVED)
• View: Corner King – 450 sq. feet.
• Executive Suite – 650-700 sq. feet. – Balcony & seperate sitting area
• Luxury Suite – 1,240 square foot – Kitchenette/wet bar – 1.5 baths. (1st stay Received)
• Governor Suite – 1,800 square foot – Kitchenette/wet bar AND furnished terrace/balcony – 1.5 baths
• Presidential Suite – 2,500 square foot – Kitchenette/wet bar AND furnished terrace/balcony – 1.5 baths

THE ROOM

Stay 1: Pretty awesome room, appx 3x bigger than the standard rooms with a large living room, wet bar, half bath, huge seating area and dining room table. A mini fridge was stocked with complimentary soft drinks and water. The king bedroom has it’s own door and oversized bathroom with jacuzzi tub and a seperate large shower.

Living room of Luxury Suite

Stay 2: The room felt kind of small, definitely not 400 sq feet worth. Well appointed, clean and fresh feeling. No idea when it was built/renovated but it is still in very good shape. Nice marble bathroom, quite spacious.

Grand Club King Room

THE GYM

Above average gym complete with sauna and steam room.

Sauna and steam room

LOBBY/BARS/RESTAURANTS/ROOM-SERVICE

You’ve got a few eating and drinking choices at the property:

• Onyx at the Grand — pretty good lobby bar, good atmosphere. Mostly drinks available, very light snacks.
  
• Onyx at the Grand Coffee Bar — full service coffee and snacks in the am.
• Cassis — full service restaurant open for breakfast and lunch. Because the Grand Club is closed on Monday mornings, I got a free voucher for breakfast in Cassis. The server explained the breakfast coupon was good for the FULL AMERICAN BREAKFAST ($22) or anything else on the menu up to $22.
• Grand Club — free for Diamond members. Breakfast in the mornings around 6-9:30am and appetizers from 5-9pm. Pretty typical club lounge– good place to grab some quick breakfast.
  

OTHER SERVICES

The hotel offers a complimentary shuttle within 2.0 miles of the hotel–that’ll allow you to get to just about anywhere in Buckhead (saving a good bit on cabs). Pretty cool outdoor Japanese-style Zen Garden and outdoor heated pool.

Source: http://www.travelpod.com/hotel/Grand_Hyatt_Atlanta-Atlanta.html

BOTTOM LINE: Great property in the heart of Buckhead. The standard rooms might feel a little small, but the excellent Hyatt Diamond recognition, attentive service and amenities like a sauna, steam room, heated pool, Grand Club access and free transportation within 2 miles of the hotel make this one of the top choices in the area.