Park Hyatt New York – Detailed Review

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We have a terrific team here at Million Mile Secrets, and they love Big Travel with Small Money as much as I do!  So I’ve asked them to write about travel experiences they’ve enjoyed.  And I encourage readers to drop me a note if you’d like to share your Success Story!

Jasmin:   On a business trip, Daraius sent me to the Park Hyatt New York.  I was thrilled at the opportunity, because I normally stretch my points and stay with my kids at brands that aren’t quite so luxurious!

Daraius booked me on a points & cash rate under his Hyatt account as the second guest in the room.  That way, I could enjoy his Diamond (now Globalist) elite status perks like an upgrade and free full breakfast.  Thanks, D!  😉

Although I only spent one night, I enjoyed amazing food, a fabulous suite overlooking Carnegie Hall, and impeccable service.  I’ll share pictures and details!

Park Hyatt New York Review

Link:   The World Of Hyatt Credit Card

The Park Hyatt New York is a top-tier Hyatt category 7 hotel, one of only 8 in the world.  Standard award rooms cost 30,000 Hyatt points per night.  Or you can book using points & cash for 15,000 Hyatt points and $300.

That may seem like a lot, but considering rooms at this hotel can cost over $1,000 per night at peak times, using points is an excellent deal if you’re looking to splurge!

I’ll review 6 main aspects of the Park Hyatt New York:

1.   A Lovely Location in Midtown Manhattan

Located on West 57th Street near 7th Avenue, the hotel occupies the first 25 floors of the 90-story One57 tower, which also houses very pricey condominiums.  It’s in a terrific spot, across from Carnegie Hall and walking distance to Central Park, Times Square, and other New York attractions.

You’re also a short walk from 8 different subway lines to whisk you wherever you want to go.

2.   Entrance, Lobby, and Check-In

I’ll be honest – my first impression of the hotel was a little underwhelming.  The entrance, on busy West 57th Street, was surrounded by scaffolding.  Perhaps they’re still doing work on the building because it’s so new.

Inside the main entrance, there’s a bellhop desk and a stairway to the main lobby upstairs.  A helpful employee greeted me and directed me to the elevators which go to the reception area on the 3rd floor.  It’s a bit of an odd arrangement.

I guess I was expecting a majestic and elaborate lobby like some 5-star hotels, but the Park Hyatt New York lobby is very understated.  There’s no fancy check-in desk.  Instead, polite and efficient employees check you in on iPads.

And the reception area, decorated in muted tones, is relaxed and comfortable.  It’s all very functional and low-key.

The desk agent quickly found the reservation and gave me a keycard and directions to the room.  I tried not to smile too much (although I let out a little “squee!” on the inside) when she let me know I’d been upgraded to a suite.

She also offered a choice of 1,000 Hyatt points or a $25 food and beverage credit as the Diamond amenity.  I wanted to grab a snack, so opted for the credit (sorry, Daraius!).

Note:   Under the new World of Hyatt loyalty program, they’ve eliminated the check-in amenity.  🙁

Every employee I met was friendly, gracious, and helpful.  That’s one of the big reasons many of us prefer Hyatt hotels!

3.   The Living Room – Bar & Lounge

I didn’t care for a big meal so late in the evening, so decided to check out The Living Room, the hotel’s bar and lounge.  They offer lighter meals and snacks in an elegant setting, with high ceilings and modern decor.

It was quiet, with only a few businessmen sitting at the bar having drinks, but I imagine it would be a real hotspot on busier nights.  And folks on Yelp rave about the cocktails and champagne here.

I ordered the artisanal cheese plate, which featured New York cheeses and came with fresh and dried fruit, nuts, and honeycomb, along with hearty bread.

I wish I’d found out the type of olives they served as a bar snack.  They were delicious!

4.   West Side Suite

Because Daraius had booked the room under his account, I was upgraded to room 1812, a West Side Suite.  These are one-bedroom corner units looking out onto West 57th Street.  And they’re so spacious, at over 1,000 square feet!

The king-sized bed was super comfortable, with bottled water and slippers laid out on each side.  The decor wasn’t fussy or over-the-top, and the subtle lighting made it feel homey.

I may have spent some time playing with the automatic curtains in the living area.  😉 With a wall switch, you can control the opening and closing of the sheers and heavy blackout curtains.  At that moment, I wished my kids were there, because they would have gotten such a kick out of it!

The mini-bar was stocked with everything you could possibly need for entertaining and relaxing.  From a fancy Nespresso coffee station…

…to top-shelf snacks and beverages.  This is a suite where you could party like a rock star!

The most impressive part of the suite was the main bathroom.  With floor-to-ceiling windows, a huge soaker tub, and premium amenities, it was one of the most luxurious hotel bathrooms I’d ever seen.

The hotel provided plush robes.  And there were separate, spacious areas for the toilet and shower.

The toilet was one of those high-tech Japanese units with various washing and drying functions.  And when you approached it, the lid would flip up automatically!  (Another moment where I wished the kids were there!)

And the bathroom mirror had a television installed in it.  It took a while to figure out the remote was in the drawer beneath the bathroom sinks.

The rainfall shower was just beautiful (and relaxing).  This mommy felt like queen for a day!

The toiletries were from Le Labo, which (thank you, Google) is a French perfumerie.  Certainly not the type of soap and shampoo I have at home, but wow – it’s very nice.

In the hallway, there was a powder room with a toilet and sink.  So if you’re entertaining in the suite, you don’t have to let your guests into your private bathroom.

I also liked that the suite had surround-sound and plenty of outlets and hookups for all types of electronics and media.  The Wi-Fi (free) was fast, too.

There was ample storage space with closets in the bedroom and hallway.  I liked how the drawers were tucked away in the closet, keeping the bedroom space open and airy.

I had a restful and quiet sleep here, with no noise from the street below.  Heaven!

5.   Diamond Breakfast

The next morning, I did a bad thing.

The employee who checked me in let me know I could take my full complimentary Diamond breakfast in the hotel restaurant.  Or, if I preferred, I could order room service.

And because the room included breakfast for two people, she said I had ~$114 in breakfast credit to use (not including a ~$6 room service fee).  I wasn’t about to go to the restaurant and order $114 worth of food.  But room service was anonymous (you can order from the in-room iPad) and not publicly embarrassing.  🙂

I had a hard time deciding what to try, and forgot to grab a picture of the menu.  I wanted to sample more than one entree!

Thankfully, the kind man who brought the food didn’t bat an eyelid at wheeling the (full) cart into a room occupied by one hungry gal.  I’m sure he knew it was all for a trip report.

I ordered the Maine lobster egg white scramble…

…but I also wanted to try the duck confit hash, which came with a perfectly cooked egg…

…and a delicious, crumbly, buttery biscuit.  I also ordered a pot of French press coffee (very good), fresh tomato juice, and a side order of sausage (which I barely touched).

There was not a chance I could eat all that food.  But I gave it my best shot.  The duck confit hash was, by far, the best part of the meal.  That, I finished almost all of…

…but afterwards, I was reminded that this insane meal was not without consequence.

It was time to check out the fitness facilities.

6.   Gym, Spa, and Pool

Although I didn’t have time to try them out, I popped up to the 25th floor to check out the pool, gym, and spa.

The pool area was deserted.  It’s a beautiful lap pool, and the lifeguard on duty let me know there are speakers underwater which play classical music.

There was also a hot tub…

…and plenty of towels and lounge chairs to chill out in.

And there were lots of extra towels and ice water available.

The gym was also empty.  The equipment looked like it had never been touched.

And you could look out over the city as you exercised.  The views weren’t that great, unless you like the concrete jungle!

The change rooms were well-stocked with toiletries and supplies.  Everything was super clean and modern!

The spa, Spa Nalai, offers traditional and holistic treatments.

I wasn’t able to visit the treatment rooms, but they sound intriguing – for example, a quartz sand treatment bed!  Perhaps next time…

Is It Worth It?

The Park Hyatt New York definitely deserves its reputation as the top Hyatt hotel.  But if you’re looking for a showy or extravagant experience, you won’t find it here.

Everything about the hotel is stunning, the food is excellent, and the service top-notch.

You can get a tremendous value from your Hyatt points, especially if you’re upgraded to a premium room or suite.  Yes, 30,000 Hyatt points a night is a lot, but keep in mind your stay, if paid in cash, could cost over $1,000 per night!

If you’d have a paid stay in Manhattan anyway (where rooms often cost $300+), it might be worth booking a cash & points rate for 15,000 points and $300.  Just keep in mind, you’ll pay room taxes on this type of booking.

This hotel would be a terrific spot to use the sign-up bonus points from The World Of Hyatt Credit Card.  Or transfer points from the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, or Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card for free nights.

And if you need more Hyatt points, there are lots of ways to earn them!

Bottom Line

I’m so grateful that Daraius sent me to the Park Hyatt New York.  He booked me on a points & cash rate of 15,000 Hyatt points plus $300 per night, and I was upgraded to a West Side Suite that would otherwise cost over $2,000!

The suite was the nicest I’ve stayed in, and the Diamond breakfast room service was fabulous.  I only wish I’d had more time to enjoy the hotel’s facilities.

If you’ve stayed at the Park Hyatt New York, I’d love to hear about your experience!