TX Houston Hyatt Regency Downtown

[borisbear]

So I see noone has posted a review of this hotel in the section, despite it being a frequent Priceline hotel. So OK, I'll start.

I've stayed in this hotel probably 20 times over the years--but noone cares what the hotel was like 12 years ago, so I'll focus this based on my current stay.

This is a classic Jay Pritzker/John Portman Atrium Hyatt from the 1970s, complete with revolving restaurant on the top, glass elevators, and lots of brass and glass in the 24 story atrium. It's not quite as exotic as the Hyatt Regency in San Francisco, but it's clearly related.

It's a huge hotel--it's got about 20 floors of rooms (above all the ballroom floors) and about 50 rooms per floor. So it's no surprise that when they are not hosting a convention they've got a little inventory unsold and released to priceline.

The rooms were re-done about 5 years ago, as was most of the hotel public area cosmetics (the restaurants were all re-configured). The rooms are oddly shaped with a dog-leg near the window. There are a few wedge-shaped rooms in the corners that I have had in the past, but the fittings are pretty standard.

Beds have a featherbed on them, but are otherwise not overly comfortable. The TV is far away from the bed, on its own little table, not one of those ubiquitous "hotel tv armoires". The bathroom was redone a few years ago with new tile, but the shower is still the old tiled shower. Everything is fine, and clean (and I have a good chambermaid on this stay...).

The hotel has only an outdoor pool, on the 6th floor on the top of the ballroom areas (which are themselves atop Polk Street.

Parking in this hotel has always been a pain, although now it's even worse because the adjacent garage is all valet (or monthly contract parkers) at $22/night. There are surface lots within a few blocks which are a much cheaper option, by day or night.

The hotel is in a convenient location to things on the west side of downtown, but since the blocks are small in Houston, it's an easy walk to the theater district and market square areas for restaurants and other entertainment. (It is farther from the ballpark than the Hilton, though). It's about a 4 block walk down Dallas street to the Light Rail statiion. It's convenient to any of the downtown office buildings as it has its own connection to the Houston Tunnel system.

You are certainly not going to go wrong with this hotel, assuming you want to be downtown, and especially if you can get it for under $100 as the regular rates are nominally about $200. The rooms are nothing special, but they are clean and reasonably standard. I would say they are starting to stretch a bit for the 4* priceline rating, especially since the Hilton is much much nicer for the same rating.

When I first started staying here this was one of only 3 open hotels in downtown Houston (the Sheraton across the street is still empty and abandoned...), and nothing was open after dark. Downtown's changed a bit since then--there are restaurants and plenty of downtown hotels to choose from.

[dfresh]

I stayed here last weekend on a Sat night 08/11/07. Nice place. I can see a 4* on a good night with staff on top of their game like it was when I was there. I stayed on the 28th floor and I think there were two more above so 30 floors total. Nice looking Atrium style hotel. The TV was a bit small and parking was $25 for the valet. I arrived after midnight so it was the only option for me. Priceline bid was $55 and this was worth much more than that to me. I would gladly stay here again for around $100 or so.

[minamiku2]

I stayed this hotel twice in this month. First stay was Sep 12th and the second was Sep 20th.

It is nice hotel and one of the best in my priceline experience. The first stay was $85 and second was $80.

Few comments are

1. valet parking only, $25 per night.

2. Wireless or cable high speed internet access deopending on the room. Both are about $10 per day.

NICE HOTEL RECOMMENDED!! :)

[minamiku2]

I stay more and more this hotel.

I sometimes could get $70 but normally $75. As I previsouly reported that vallet parking only and it is high cost.

Other than this parking issue, it is a perfect hotels.

[timk10]

I have stayed at this hotel in the past when I frequently made business trips to Houston. It was a winning bid 3 times and usually in the $75-100 range depending on what was going on in the city.

I had okay experiences twice but one time the room was horrible. In fact, it is the only time I ever wrote Priceline to complain about one.

Personally, downtown was my last chance backup for when nothing else good be located. I much preferred using the Galleria area and usually had winning bids on the first try or by rebidding by adding a zone without a 4* rating.