CA San Francisco Hyatt Regency Embarcadero

[zbenye]

This hotel is fabulous. It's a remarkable structure with a luxurious interior lobby spanning an entire block. It houses restaurants and a bar in the atrium, and a revolving restaurant on top of the building, with incredible views that help ignore the self-important waiters and unremarkable food. Amazing views are also enjoyed by guests in rooms facing east.

The hotel has just been upgraded by Priceline to 4 stars. Its lobby and amenities deserve that, although the rooms, even on the Regency Club floors, are 3 star quality in my opinion.

While nicely furnished and decorated, some signs of age can be seen in the rooms, especially in the carpet (worn, stained) and in the tub (dark anti-skid lines, low quality fixtures). But at Priceline's rate, who's checking?

At this time, apparently due to lack of high-paying business travelers, the Regency Club floors are closed. But the Business Plan rooms are just as nice and some have balconies.

The rooms have a desk with two chairs; a couch; a large TV; a dresser and a closet; iron and board; two phones with two lines; minibar; coffee maker. Choose from one king bed or two full beds. Some rooms have connecting doors.

Parking is terribly expensive ($38) at the hotel, and quite expensive in nearby garages. Street parking is metered from 7AM to 6PM, Sundays excepted.

Local phone calls (unlimited duration): $1.00

Laundry: valet only.

Newpaper: SF Chronicle by the room door every morning.

Gym/Pool: nearby, fee.

Front desk: courteous, professional.

Hyatt is one chain that has the good business sense to award miles, count the nights for status qualification and honor frequent-guest levels with upgrades and perks even on Priceline/Hotwire stays. In return, please favor them when traveling on business and booking published rates.

In most cases your Gold Passport account will not be automatically credited, even if the front desk entered your number into the record. In fact, don't even bother asking them to enter the number. About a week after your stay, log on to your account, and if the nights were not included in your balance then simply fill out the "Past Stay Credit Request" form right there on the screen. You will need to enter your checkout date, your airline and frequent flyer number where you want the miles to go.

[zbenye]

This hotel now has wireless high-speed Internet access for $9.95.

As a Diamond member, I received complimentary access. Go Hyatt!

[LynLyn]

We stayed at this hotel on July 4, 2004. We checked in early, right around noon, without any problems and the service was very nice. The rooms are a little worn in places and the bathroom is not very deluxe - but overall a good experience. The location is fantastic - cable cars right outside and the vintage "F" Market train that goes to Fisherman's wharf and the Castro district are also right there.

We got a room with a balcony and a view of the bay and city! We just asked at the front desk if they had any water views available.

I would happily stay there again.

[Phaelon56]

I just returned from five nights at this property and concur with the previous posts. I wil add that our carpeting was not worn and our bathroom fixtures were totally up to snuff and appeared to be either relatively new or in great shape. But the rooms are 3* all the way. For a point of comparison, I stayed at the Marriott on 4th by Market several weeks ago (also a PL stay) and found the room to be larger, the bathroom nicer and the bed/pillows mch plusher and more deluxe.

The staff at this hotel were very nice - courteous and helpful. The location was okay and we had a fantastic view of the bay and the Oakland Bay Bridge but there's not too much activity in that area on weekends.

[mosie]

Overall a positive experience for the $84 PL bid, but I concur with the others that the rooms themselves are a bit disappointing for a 4* hotel: smallish, a bit worn, and overall more like what I would expect at a 3* or 3.5* place. Still, the location is great and the price was right.

A couple of comments on the 'extras' as the Hyatt: 1) Parking is an absolute ripoff at $30 self park and $51.25/night, plus tax (that's not a typo folks) for valet with in and out priveleges. As I was there on a Saturday night, I parked on the street right outside the front door for $51.25 less than the going rate in the garage. And, as I watched a line of restless valet victims grumbling about how slow their cars were being retrieved on Sunday at noon time, I hopped in my car and zoomed away. 2) The bottle of water provided for the guests at $6.50 seemed a bit overpriced when I bought exactly the same bottle across the street at Walgreens for $1.09. I know that hotels make profits on these things, but 6 times the going rate is a tad excessive. And, relatedly, is the warning note above the fridge that a $30 'restocking fee' will be added to the bill is anything is removed from the fridge without being purchased strikes me as a little on the tacky side. 3) This is not a Hyatt-specific complaint, since it remains all too common, but why do high-end hotels persist in charging high fees for an internet connection that most every hotel/coffee shop/diner offers for no charge?

[lostandconfused]

We just got back from a two night stay at the Hyatt embarcadero ($100 per night). Nice room (balcony, bay view), although I agree with the poster above about it feeling a little old-school - not very modern, and building is U-G-L-Y concrete on the outside. The vertigo inducing atrium is awesome. Comfy beds though, and a nice sized room. Bathroom was a little on the small side.

Location-wise it's great. Easy and plentiful Muni/BART links and easy access from airport/bridges via highways (it's not on one of the hills). Excellent restaurants also are spitting distance (One Market, The Slanted Door) and there are plenty of breakfast options with free wifi available in the ferry building and around the Embarcadero centre.

Would definitely stay here again.

[barbara_ann]

:( One word to describe this place: Mediocre.

The room was slightly shabby, bathroom needed to be updated, the faucet didn't even work right, the food was tasteless, and the cleaning lady was obnixious because she was continuously knocking to get into my room on the day of departure, even though I had already made arrangements for a later check-out.

I pad over $ 190 each night in (stayed two nights) in March, 2010 and I'm sorry I didn't stay elsewhere.

[janet]

I just wanted to update the parking fee, I stayed here last weekend.

They are now charging $61.00 a night to park your car.

If you are staying you also need to call housekeeping and tell them "no knocking early". Housekeeping was knocking on the door at 8 am on a Saturday, I was less then thrilled.