Evangelene G.
Yelp
The last time I was here was probably 8 years ago on business. I didn't get to enjoy my stay because I was working on an overnight project for an off-price retail company. On this visit, my goal was to use the amenities and make the use of my stay.
I recently stayed at another Hyatt hotel the weekend before and the service was excellent, so I am comparing a Fuji apple to a Honeycrisp apple. I like Honeycrisp apples and I stayed at a Fuji apple.
When we checked in, I noticed that you have to call down for the extra amenities we take for granted: Pen/paper, q-tips, make up pads, etc. At the other Hyatt we stayed at, it was all in our room individually wrapped and sealed (less contact with others).
Also, there is no valet because of COVID, but you can self-park behind the hotel and will still be charged $35/day. If you want to leave the hotel with your car, you need to go to the front desk to call for a valet to let you out of the lot.
Since I mentioned the lack of amenities part in my comments to Hotels.com check-in, I was surprised the hotel manager immediately left a voicemail that they could bring extra items up and if I wanted to pay a little extra to upgrade to a Sunset strip room. I decided to pass.
We did get to try one day at the gym (we had to cancel the other day and the following day was booked solid). You have to send a text to reserve a spot and you only get a 1/2 hour. I decided to try the Peloton that was available, but it took me 10 minutes to set up. Once we were done, an attendant in full PPE arrives to sanitize the room for the next guest. I like that they also leave a trail card in the gym in case you want to walk around the neighborhood, which we did.
Comparing to my first visit a long time ago, they use to greet us with a glass of wine. Instead, there's water, juice and snacks available downstairs next to the front desk. There weren't any snacks or water in our room (though I just read some people had that available).
You can order food through the Riot House, but it is pricey. On our final night, we decided to order out and eat dinner by the pool and order a cocktail from the bar. It was nice but get there early if you want a seat facing the Strip. Next to the bar, the wall read, the lyrics from Bob Seger's, "Hollywood Nights." I could totally feel that vibe. What it would have been like to have been young and partying in the 70's with the music, that sounds like fun!
Overall, the room was clean, but parts of it seemed like it had a little wear. The bed felt like it was on a slope, but not a deal-breaker. What did bother me was the fan running on auto the first night. It made it difficult to sleep because I swear it was going off every three minutes and messing with my REM. Once I figured out how to keep the fan on low, I was able to sleep through the night.
I love the old school rock and roll memorabilia - one of my favorite parts of the hotel. There are a lot of Instagrammable moments!