October 2, 2017 by findingbackroads

Hotel Club Rooms & Executive Floors: Are they worth it?

We were upgraded to a club room on our latest stay at Grand Hyatt Dubai. It came as a lovely surprise and because we didn’t have any expectations on what a club room looks like or the perks that come together with it, we were delighted to find our room was bigger, the beds were bigger and totally enjoyed the higher floor accommodation and the access to the executive lounge.

I checked the price difference from a standard room (with breakfast) and actually thought, booking a club room maybe a smarter choice. At least here at Grand Hyatt!

What is a club room?

A room on the hotel club floor also called executive or VIP floor is an upgraded room and unless you’re upgraded on a complimentary basis, these hotel club rooms cost more. I calculated Grand Hyatt’s price difference: the club room costs 30% more.

What are the perks when staying at the hotel club floor?

Depends on the hotel, if you stay on room at a hotel club floor, the perks would include complimentary meals and beverages throughout the day, well-appointed lounges, high-speed Wi-Fi, stunning skyline views. Grand Hyatt’s club floor is at the 14th floor which is quieter and offers better views. Each of the twin beds were queen sized, instead of single beds. Club-level guests get early check-in and late checkout.

And this is probably the best hotel club floor room perk of all: they offer access to a club floor lounge with complimentary food and alcohol. At the Grand Hyatt, hot and cold drinks are available 24 hours and alcohol flows freely from 6-8 pm.

Are They Worth the Extra Cost?

YES if: the difference between regular and club room rates is small. You have the advantage of between-meal snacks and/or complimentary alcohol and if you’re traveling with kids the free breakfast, in between meal snack and light dinner can actually be a budget saver! For us, a family of four, this can be a huge savings because buying waters, soft drinks, etc. gets expensive rather quickly. Also, some families find it harder to get moving and out the door, so having the ability to eat on property without an additional cost for each bagel or orange juice can not only save money, but stress and time.

I might add that the “light dinner” offered at the club lounge at Grand Hyatt was enough for a real dinner for us. It wasn’t just light snacks or sandwiches – there was even biryani!

Staying at a club room could be a wiser choice too if you are not interested in going out to explore the destination and simply like hanging out at your hotel.

NO if: You expect to be out and about for most of your stay or you’d rather dine and drink outside the hotel or if your room package already includes meals.

So would you always opt for club rooms on your next booking?

Wait, one thing to consider: not all club rooms and executives floors are equal.

Some properties may offer limited meals and snacks or feature a so-so drink selection or don’t offer alcohol (you would be disappointed if you expected that). Make sure to conduct research ahead of time by exploring your desired hotel’s official site as well as review sites.

Based on our experience, the club room perks at Grand Hyatt was well worth the price difference from a standard room and if we stayed again, we would choose to book a club room in the future.

One more thing we liked about their executive lounge is that it’s not only for executives (who prefer to work or have coffee quietly). There are two sections of the lounge, one dedicated for families which is really great for families with small kids in tow.

FINAL WORD

Club level room is worth it if the price is right and you’ve done your research. Always Google “(Hotel name) club lounge” to see the perks and offers. A great hotel club level means an incredible room with complimentary first rate food and drinks all day (including alcohol during certain times – it was available at night at Grand Hyatt), enough that you’d never need to buy a meal elsewhere!

The price could put you off at first especially if you’re travelling on a budget but a great hotel club level rooms could give more bang on the buck during the duration of your stay. Compare before taking a decision!

September 30, 2017 by findingbackroads

Where we stayed: Grand Hyatt Dubai

Way back in 2007 when we were new in Dubai, we needed to meet some people who set the meeting place at Grand Hyatt Dubai and I could not forget being so impressed the moment I entered the hotel. After all, we just moved here from Japan – the land of mini this and that. Small apartments, small cars, small portion sizes in restaurants, modest hotels.

And then boom, the first five star hotel I visited in Dubai was the Grand Hyatt with huge entrance hall, massive pillars, a gigantic chandelier and high, high ceilings! They really meant to stick by the word “grand” in the hotel name for a reason.

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My awe of this hotel did not end up in the lobby. As we moved forward to the restaurant, I could hear the sound of a waterfall and saw a large green patch area right in the middle. I thought, wow, I should take my daughter (who was then 3 years old) here! She would love the feeling of like being in the middle of the jungle inside a hotel. Now, it took us 10 long years to finally book a room at the Grand Hyatt

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The UAE enjoyed a long weekend last week for the Islamic New Year so we thought to have a family staycation at a hotel but didn’t want to drive far. There are many hotels in Dubai that’s located at the heart of the city but offering resort-like facilities. The Grand Hyatt was an easy choice.

It was the last few days of September and while it’s starting to cool down on most parts of the northern hemisphere, transitioning from summer to autumn, Dubai is perpetually summery with highs of still on the high 30’s (celcius) late September. That said, the hotel’s main swimming pool was the reason why we decided to give this a hotel a try.

This isn’t actually our first time to see the pool at Grand Hyatt, we visited last year when we were members of Privilee and Grand Hyatt was one of the participating hotels and have never forgotten the wonderful experience, especially how Benjamin loved the kid’s pool with mini water play with slides!

And if you think the main pool is awesome but don’t want to toast, that’s sorted out too with their indoor pool with jacuzzi on the side. However, save for the small area with 0.43 meters depth, the wonderful temperature controlled indoor pool has a uniform depth of 1.60 meters so if you are non-swimmers like me or with small kids without swimming aids, that would be an issue though you can still stay at the shallow side or stick to the sides. The indoor pool is open 24 hours so anyone can enjoy it, whenever they feel like.

LOCATION

The Grand Hyatt Dubai is about 20 minutes from Dubai International Airport and located at Oud Metha, near Dubai Healthcare City. Though public transport is not near, there are many taxis that could take you wherever you like. Downtown Dubai (where the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa is located) is only 15 minutes away by taxi.

OUR ROOM

We booked a standard room but surprisingly, was upgraded to club room which we truly appreciate! The rooms were bigger, comfortable twin queen size beds and spacious bathroom. We were at the 14th floor of the hotel with sweeping views of the city, with downtown Dubai and Burj Khalifa on the horizon.

I’ll be writing a post why it could be smarter to book a club room than a standard room, depending on your stay needs. So watch out for that!

BREAKFAST

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The main breakfast is at The Collective, at the ground floor. Extensive, international flavorful breakfast with many healthier options like fresh fruit smoothies, fruits, detox drinks. It is right beside the indoor waterways and green space and with plenty of natural light coming in from the roof, so it felt like having breakfast on a garden, with a waterfall only, it is indoor (and without bugs hovering around!)

HOTEL RESTAURANTS

The Grand Hyatt has 13 award winning bars and restaurants. We used the Entertainer voucher to get buy 1 get 1 free at Wox Asian restaurant for lunch. It’s a delight to see the live cooking station at this open kitchen style restaurant and the food was great too (simple noodle soups for the win!). We have to go back again.

For Friday dinner, we tried Andiamo, described on their website as “Northern Italian cuisine in a light-hearted, contemporary atmosphere.”

The newly renovated restaurant’s ambiance was impressive, cozy and rustic. Food was authentic, delicious and prepared fresh! I’ve been in many restaurants where the only Italian thing was the name. Finally, upon the suggestion of a blogger friend, we tried “Andiamo!”

After eating so much stuff, we were contented and did not think to have dessert. But the server suggested that we should have their Tiramisu. OMG, I hope you saw my video post on Instagram about this tiramisu, it’s easily the best Tiramisu in town. You can hate me if you don’t like it. It’s not your usual made-days-before-and-refrigerated tiramisu. The cream was soft, velvety and not too sweet. It’s made fresh they even leave the sprinkling of the dark chocolate powder to the diner. It was heavenly. This tiramisu would haunt you when you have that sweet cravings.

I highly recommend Andiamo! to those seeking to eat authentic and freshly made Italian food. And believe me, you would want to go back for the Tiramisu!

FINALLY

If being near the beach is not a priority and you’re looking for a city hotel in Dubai that provides resort-like facilities and guarantees a grand time for everyone, kids and adults alike, Grand Hyatt could fit the bill. All of us are overwhelmed by the wonderful service and overall experience we asked ourselves, why did it take us 10 years to finally consider this hotel for a family holiday?

If you’re living in Dubai and have not been to Grand Hyatt, don’t miss it or don’t be like us and wait for ten years before checking in. It’s worth a stay or even just a visit.

P.S.
At Grand Hyatt’s sprawling gardens, you could even meet and make friends with ducks!

We booked a deluxe room at Grand Hyatt but was upgraded to club room with access to the executive lounge (THANK YOU!) however all opinions are mine.

September 20, 2015 by findingbackroads

Where we stayed: Hyatt Place Baniyas Square

There’s a new hotel in old Dubai town under the Hyatt portfolio that retains Hyatt’s quality of service and comfort without the hefty price tag. I get several emails from readers who are planning to come to Dubai and the most popular question of all: “Where is the best place to stay for someone looking for budget hotel?”

Now the answer to that is actually difficult as there are so many factors involved: location, actual budget, brand preference, etc.

We recently stayed at the Hyatt Place Baniyas Square located in central Deira district and this review is for people looking for place to stay in this area but want to cut on accommodation cost. There are not many reviews you can find of this hotel yet, since they just opened less than 2 months ago so I hope this helps!

The hotel’s current offer of AED400 per night might give you more bang for the buck – it’s the newest hotel in the area where most hotels are at least 10 years old.

LOCATION

We stayed for two nights. The hotel was fully booked, as the reception said, till the next week because of two specific reasons: First, it’s in the old part of town; and second, it’s incredibly close to the Baniyas Square subway stop (Green line).

For anyone wanting to explore the old part of Dubai, this hotel is good as base. But activities won’t be limited to just the old part of Dubai. With the Baniyas Metro Station being only a few meters away from its doorstep, you can go anywhere you like.

CHECK IN

The reception is located at the Mezzanine floor of the hotel building so don’t be surprised to see there’s no one at the ground floor, except for two staff who will help you carry your things.

All guests are asked to proceed to the upper floor for the check in process.

The check in process was swift. There were only two staff at the reception desk, both very friendly and explained the hotel facilities and what makes this hotel “a different place” – the slogan of any Hyatt Place.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

The hotel has NO valet parking services. If you’re coming by car, you can stop in front of the hotel to hand over your things to the concierge staff. You should need to make it quick and put on the hazard lights since it’s part of the road (that bends) and just before the traffic signal. It’s worrying to be honest although the traffic is not too busy at this point. Then you need to find a paid parking around the area. The concierge told us about the parking ticket to be refunded, etc but I did not get him quite clearly and I never bothered to ask later on.

THE ROOM

This new contemporary hotel features 126 spacious guestrooms, ranging in size from 28 to 33 square metres.

I stayed with the whole family (I don’t do weekends without them so they tagged along), not expecting a luxury weekend because after all, this is a business type of hotel however, I am surprised the room was actually big enough to accommodate 2 adults and 2 children.

You should have seen the business hotel we squeezed ourselves into, in Tokyo! The standard room had a king size bed and a corner sofa that turns into a bed.

The bathroom is larger than a business hotel type of bathroom I’ve stayed before in Tokyo. The shower is a nice large walk-in shower, and there’s plenty of space to move around when you’re using the sink or toilet. A possible put off though, was that when you turn on the lights in the bathroom, it might wake up other people with you in the room because the light comes through the opaque bathroom glass door.

FACILITIES

1. All day dining restaurant

The room rates include breakfast which had enough variety: breads, fruits, Indian, Arabic, eggs (no live cooking station though), fruit juices, yogurt, oatmeal, corn flakes. Coffee is self service at the coffee machine station

NOTE: The restaurant could get so crowded during breakfast time as most travelers (at least when we were there) wanted to have breakfast before they head out outside in the heat…if you know what time you’ll have breakfast, maybe it’s better to reserve a table. But don’t forget to keep your promise of the time you’ll be there!

We also had dinner at the hotel restaurant because it was too hot and humid outside. There’s not much in the menu but the food was not bad at all and very affordable. Our favorite had been the meat lasagna and the riyash lamb chops.

2. 24/7 Cafe

It’s important to note that there is no room service for this hotel. However, there is a 24 hour cafe where guests can order freshly prepared appetizers, soups and greens, as well as sandwiches and pasta from the 24/7 Gallery menu. Guests can also sample bakery items from the Grab ‘N Go selection; both are available 24 hours a day.

Eating is not really an issue at this hotel. Unless you really are not up to going out, there are so many dining options right at the hotel’s doorstep from small, cheap eateries to restaurants. Al Ghurair Mall is only one station away (stop at Union) if you fancy checking other restaurants or cheaper dining options at the food court.

3. Pool

The hotel has a pool at the rooftop. It’s not quite big and there’s a small, shallow pool for kids. The water was kept a little bit colder than usual, great to relieve Dubai’s still very hot weather. I wished they’d make it a little warmer though, it was a struggle for me to get in because I don’t do well with cold pools! (After a while you’ll get used to it though, after you recover from the initial shock)

4. 24 hours fitness center (gym)

5. Free Wifi! (I know this should be #1)

Hyatt Place Baniyas Square had complimentary WiFi in all areas of the building, including the rooms (yay!) with speed I can’t complain.

SUMMARY

Compared to the old hotels in central Deira, this new hotel should be a treat to guests travelling for work or leisure with friendly hotel staff, basic amenities, clean rooms, comfortable Hyatt grand plush bed, free breakfast and free WiFi. Great location too.

There were minor hiccups during our stay like staff forgetting to reserve our breakfast table on the second day, or concierge at the ground floor not understanding and speaking English well but I am sure this is only because the hotel is new. It’s obvious that the staff is attentive and with full intention to serve the guests better.

Oh, and there’s a mosque near the hotel (just across the street) and the early morning call to prayer woke us up before 6 am but that’s the case in most hotels in the Baniyas area? or in all of Dubai.

All in all our stay as a family was pleasant enough that I could recommend this hotel for those wanting a place to stay that’s clean, safe and in great location and would rather spend money on food or souvenirs rather than tip their wallets for accommodation. Hyatt Place Baniyas Square is great value for money.

To learn more about Hyatt Place Baniyas Square and their special offers, check out their main website as well as connect with them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

We were guests at Hyatt Place Baniyas Square but all opinions are my own.

Finding Backroads

Get out of the tourist trail

Tag / Hyatt